Only after being reborn did I realize that I was the white moonlight of a powerful minister.

Princess Ning'an covered her face, "Father, I..."

"Do you think you've gotten away with it unnoticed?" the Crown Prince said in a low voice, veins bulging on his forehead. "Or do you think the Town Guard and the Bai family are pushovers? This is the hunting grounds; every inch of land will be searched inside and out. Do you really think you're so capable?"

There was dead silence in the tent.

Princess Ning'an couldn't respond, and she didn't cry; tears just welled up in her eyes.

"I'm really laughing at your stupidity. You're clever, and you really are. You're my daughter, so naturally I have to clean up the mess you made. I really don't know if you deliberately plotted against me?" The Crown Prince tapped Princess Ning'an's head. "You're truly my good daughter. If you didn't want to marry Bai Xu, you could have killed him. You were too impatient, weren't you?"

The imperial decree for the marriage had just been issued when Bai Xu died.

Someone always has to take the blame. Who will it be?

The Crown Prince would never push Princess Ning'an away. Just as he said, Princess Ning'an is his daughter, and no one would think that they have no relationship.

Princess Ning'an didn't reply, but looked directly at her father and asked, "But Father, aren't you being too impatient? Lu Fengnian went to Wusu. After the war in Wusu ends, will Aunt still have the same prestige? Will she still be Aunt, or Second Uncle, or someone else?"

"How dare you!" The crown prince's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "It's none of your business to interfere with my actions!"

"Is that so?" Princess Ning'an said with a self-deprecating smile. "The Right Chancellor never wanted to take sides. There are no outstanding newcomers in the Bai family. Relying on just one Right Chancellor will hardly last long. Marrying me off to Bai Xu is a waste. If we don't kill Bai Xu today, he will die sooner or later. Why not take this opportunity to eliminate the person you fear most?"

Once power has passed through one's hands, those who have experienced it will never relinquish it.

Princess Ning'an thought about it for a long time. She also wanted to be more compassionate. So she had to accept her fate. After marrying Bai Xu, she watched the Bai family fall into ruin, but she could only be trapped in the inner quarters and be useless for the rest of her life.

Therefore, she was ruthless and killed Bai Xu.

But the other assassins really had nothing to do with her.

Her father said she had schemed against him. Indeed, the entire Eastern Palace was in the same boat. The people Princess Ning'an killed were to be dealt with by her father.

She may not have ambition herself, but the desire for power is growing in her heart, and she can't just let go of it.

"How dare you!" The Crown Prince scrutinized his daughter. He had always known that she resembled him, but unfortunately, a daughter is still a daughter, incapable of inheriting the great responsibility, no matter how capable she is. But now, looking at his daughter's resolute and ruthless face, he realized that even if Ning An could not sit on that throne, she could still stir up a storm.

Princess Ning'an's tears finally fell, but only one tear fell. She held back her pain and said, "My brother is mediocre and incompetent, and Father only has this one legitimate son. If you want to secure your position as Crown Prince, you cannot afford to have problems with my brother. My brother and I are siblings from the same mother. Anyone would harm my brother, but I will not. Father, even now, haven't you seen reality?"

He has to use her, even if he doesn't want to.

Because Princess Ning'an has already stepped into the conflict, it is impossible for her to withdraw cleanly.

Looking at his stubborn daughter, the crown prince could only give up and leave, then summoned his trusted confidant.

When Li Jun saw Princess Ning'an again, she was already in tears, covering her face and saying, "Why did this happen? How can I ever get married again?"

Li Jun watched anxiously from the side, saying, "You're my sister, no one dares to say anything bad about you. Ning'an, don't cry. No matter what, you have to cheer up. Grandfather said someone is plotting something. I don't know who it is, but we must stay alert."

Ning An nodded and said she was tired, and told Li Jun to go back and rest as well.

Li Jun left, turning back every few steps. When he reached the door, he instructed the guards to keep watch and prevent anyone with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the situation.

When Xie Bohuai saw the Emperor again, it was already late at night. He was pale, having spent most of the day in the water, and had returned on horseback, soaking wet.

He knelt below the hall, and the emperor asked him how the investigation was going.

"Your Majesty, we have captured one alive and are currently interrogating him. I assure you that we will have the results before dawn." Xie Bohuai kept his head down, his hair disheveled.

Seeing Xie Bohuai's appearance, the Emperor still showed some concern. "I am at ease with you handling things. Go and change your clothes first."

The Emperor was in low spirits. He had been overthinking during the day and hadn't eaten much for dinner. He was speaking weakly and listlessly.

Prince Duan saw Xie Bohuai out, "Lord Xie, do you have any news about Miss Ye?"

Upon hearing the words "Miss Ye," Xie Bohuai clenched his fist involuntarily. "No."

"My daughter is crying so hard. If there is any news, please let me know, Lord Xie."

Xie Bohuai glanced at Prince Duan, the most composed and patient prince. Was he really as indifferent to worldly affairs as he appeared on the surface?

He did not change his clothes, but went to interrogate the suspect himself.

When the town government interrogates people, sometimes it's not through torture, but by tracing their ancestry back eighteen generations. Once they know someone's identity, there's bound to be something they don't care about.

The man on the wooden frame had just been forced to drink ginseng soup. He wanted to vomit but couldn't. "Xie Bohuai, you treacherous minister who can't distinguish right from wrong, you will definitely get your retribution!"

"My retribution?" If Xie Bohuai were afraid of retribution, he wouldn't be working for the town government. "I'll give you one more chance. Will you talk or not? My men have already gone to Yangliu Lane in the south of the city. The woman there is from your hometown, isn't she?"

"what are you up to?"

"You've committed a heinous crime that could implicate nine generations of your family, and now you're asking me what I want? Naturally, I'll drag everyone connected to you out of the loop. If I can't find anything from you, I'll investigate them one by one!" Xie Bohuai's eyes were sinister and terrifying under the moonlight.

The man's pupils constricted sharply. "Aren't you afraid of being gossiped about behind your back? For the sake of power, you disregard the lives of ordinary people. Xie Bohuai, you are a complete scoundrel!"

No matter how fiercely he cursed, Xie Bohuai remained unmoved.

When Si Yan arrived, he saw his master staring motionlessly at the person on the wooden frame, as if looking at a dead man.

"Third Master, the Xie family has sent word that they want you to investigate this matter as soon as possible and not delay it too long," Si Yan said.

"Hmph, did Xie Zhongyuan send you to do it, or Xie Boyuan?" Xie Bohuai asked.

“It’s the master’s idea,” Si Yan said in a voice only the two of them could hear. “I’m afraid the Xie family is also involved in this matter.”

If the Xie family is involved in the murder, no matter who the target is, the entire Xie family will be implicated. Even if it is Xie Bohuai, no matter how much the emperor protects him, it will be useless. He will no longer be able to serve as the commander of the town government.

Once Xie Bohuai leaves the town government office, who will fear him?

At that time, Xie Bohuai will be like a rat crossing the street, and anyone can chase after him and beat him up.

"That old bastard Xie Zhongyuan, he's really tired of living!" Xie Bohuai sighed. Some of the men he sent out returned, saying they still hadn't found any trace of Miss Ye. When they went to look at the person on the wooden frame again, Xie Bohuai fiercely pried open the other person's jaw, holding a branding iron in his other hand.

He was like a demon from hell, at this moment, he was hideous, unreasonable, and showed no mercy!

An hour later, just as dawn was breaking, the man on the wooden frame was no longer able to speak. Only then did Xie Bohuai take the man's confession and proceed step by step to see the Emperor.