The cannon fodder heiress trembled with fear after being recognized as a member of her family.

Qingyun picked up her fan and smiled disdainfully, "Han Yueshi doesn't have that kind of ability."

"Are you alright? Where are you going?" Han Cuiyin asked with a worried expression.

"You should go back to the manor first. I'll go and investigate the Mo residence. Things are getting more and more interesting. I want to see who's pulling the strings." Qingyun didn't shy away from speaking her mind to others.

"I want to go too!" Han Cuiyin grabbed her sleeve. "How can you leave me out of something so interesting! Sister Yuejiao has so many guards here, and Cousin Ma is watching over her too, so she'll be fine."

Luo Jingqian merely glanced at it without saying a word.

Qingyun's abilities are beyond doubt; if she hadn't wanted to find out for herself, no one could have commanded her.

He handed the invisibility jade talisman to Han Cuiyin and added two more instructions: "Be careful in everything! The Grand Preceptor is in seclusion, so don't disturb him. Grand Preceptor Mo is older than Grand Preceptor Xu and has a deeper level of skill."

"I have plenty of these, I don't need them." Qingyun snatched the jade talisman back and threw it back, then grabbed Han Cuiyin's hand and left.

Luo Jingqian gritted his teeth.

He only gave Qingyun one, which he used from the beginning of the ceremony until he went to chase after that fake Su Tian.

If we give them more, we might be able to find some clues.

Unfortunately, he didn't have many on hand and had to use them sparingly.

"Commander!" Lu Yongzai's voice rang out from outside the courtyard, "The three princes have all been sent back to their residences."

"Yes, martial law is in effect in the city. Go and assist the soldiers guarding the city. Make sure to check every household carefully."

Luo Jingqian gave Lu Yong something to do to send him away, then told the Fourth Prince, and the two of them immediately entered the palace.

"Your Highness, today is your joyous day. I can report these matters."

"In the end, it failed. I'm afraid the Yun Kingdom won't let this opportunity pass. Father, you need to make plans as soon as possible."

"If that deafening thunderbolt hadn't been ineffective today, we would probably all have lost our lives on the spot."

"If Yun Kingdom had such a powerful weapon, and it were used in the northern border, I'm afraid our dynasty would lose ten more cities."

The fourth prince spoke with a worried expression, his brows never unfurrowing.

Luo Jingqian remained silent.

He knew the reason; it wasn't that it was ineffective, but rather that Qingyun had taken the blame.

These things, however, cannot be spoken aloud.

Qingyun's origins are unknown. He checked the relatives on both sides of Lord Qi's side, but there was no such person.

She seemed to appear out of nowhere, coming specifically to Cuiyin's side.

The purpose remains unknown.

From what he observed along the way, Qingyun's kindness towards Cuiyin was completely without reason.

The two had their own thoughts, and when they arrived before Emperor Chuyuan, only Xiao Hezi was guarding the imperial study.

"Is Father not here?" the fourth prince asked first.

"When His Majesty went to Qingyi Courtyard, Consort Min was somewhat uneasy."

The fourth prince was taken aback, never expecting that the usually diligent Emperor Chu Yuan would set aside state affairs to accompany his concubines in the harem.

“However, His Majesty has spoken. If Commander Luo enters the palace, someone must be sent to inform him.” Xiao Hezi bowed. “This servant has already sent someone to inform Your Highness and the Marquis. Please wait a moment.”

"Consort Min has always been healthy, why is she suddenly unwell? Wouldn't it be most appropriate for the Empress Dowager to handle this matter?"

The fourth prince's voice was deep, yet carried an undeniable authority.

The little box was taken aback, and couldn't help but say:

"It was the Empress who sent someone to deliver the message, which is why the Emperor went to the inner palace."

"Your Highness, I have also heard that Consort Rui has been picking on Consort Gui and Consort Min recently, which has alarmed the Empress Dowager."

"Her Majesty the Empress has been busy with your wedding preparations lately and hasn't had time to deal with them..."

The fourth prince couldn't contain his shock as he listened to what the little box said.

His mother was the daughter of a military general.

Since entering the palace and becoming the mistress of the harem, she has always been virtuous and kind, and rarely has she been in such a state as she is now.

He never showed any disrespect to his father.

What happened today was truly unexpected.

He knew from a young age that his father and mother had a bad relationship.

However, his mother never taught him to deliberately try to please her; he was always just to be generous and natural.

Therefore, the father and son actually had some affection for each other.

As adults, they came to realize that the two were an ill-fated couple.

This is the first time his mother has ever abandoned him so abruptly.

"Does Consort Rui often do this?"

The fourth prince had never heard Empress Yang mention it.

"Ever since the Fifth Prince was born, the palace has been quite lively." After saying this, Little Box quickly withdrew.

Luo Jingqian advised, "The important matter is the priority."

The Fourth Prince pursed his lips and asked, "My fifth brother is already one year old, but Consort Min still rarely lets him see anyone?"

“The Fifth Prince does come out less often,” Little Box said with a smile. “The Sixth and Seventh Princes are more lively.”

Just as he was about to continue speaking, Emperor Chu Yuan arrived in a hurry with his chief eunuch.

"You've come at the right time. The interrogation hasn't even started yet. Listen to what's happening!" Emperor Chuyuan immediately ordered someone to bring Lin Jiabao up.

"Has the eldest princess hasn't spoken yet?"

Lin Jiabao was still furious, and she became even angrier when she saw the Fourth Prince:

"Father, my daughter-in-law was merely attending the fourth prince's wedding banquet when she was inexplicably dragged to the palace. What is the reason for this?"

"Even if the fourth prince is the legitimate son, he shouldn't treat his eldest sister-in-law like this!"

Lin Jiabao at this moment is completely different from usual.

Perhaps due to a sense of crisis, he was much calmer than before.

Her voice trembled slightly, betraying some of her emotions.

"Princess Consort, you wore a hairpin today with a feather-shaped pendant. Where is it now?"

Luo Jingqian asked directly.

Emperor Chu Yuan sat up straight, his pupils slightly contracted, and asked, "In her hands?"

"Indeed! Those people appeared when her hairpin fell. It didn't go according to plan; the people lying in ambush outside were useless."

"What's so special about that hairpin?" The fourth prince listened from the side, completely bewildered.

Lin Jiabao was equally confused and said:

"That hairpin was just a birthday gift from my father; there's nothing special about it."

"A birthday gift from your father?" Luo Jingqian glanced at Emperor Chu Yuan and continued to press, "When was it sent?"

"Just yesterday, he sent someone to tell me that I must wear it today."

Lin Jiabao spilled everything out at once.

Lin Chang happened to be guarding Han Yueshi at Qingshuang Mountain, and the pendant just happened to be on her.

Lin Jiabao didn't get any useful information from him; in any case, this matter is inextricably linked to Lin Chang.

"First, take her to the Empress's palace, and she shall not leave without an imperial edict."

Just as Lin Jiabao was about to shout, she was smothered unconscious and dragged out. Once outside, she was stuffed into a sedan chair and sent to Empress Yang.

"Father, what exactly happened?" The Fourth Prince was still puzzled. "Could today's assassination attempt be related to that hairpin?"

“Telling you won’t hurt…” After explaining the whole story, Emperor Chu Yuan sighed, “I originally thought this pendant had some extraordinary use. If the people who were to form a marriage alliance could use it to reclaim our dynasty’s most precious treasure, that would be quite good.”

There's one more thing I haven't mentioned, but the spies from the Yun Kingdom acted first.

Used for assassination, to catch people off guard.

The fourth prince was shocked upon hearing this, and then recounted the story of the Heaven-Shaking Thunder.

The three of them spent the entire afternoon discussing matters in the Imperial Study.

Meanwhile, things weren't going well for Han Cuiyin either.