WFWC Chapter 106

The Whole Family Went Crazy After Reading My Mind Chapter 106: Shifting the Blame East

After the two brothers left, Madam Ji was finally able to have a private conversation with Marquis Ji. “You knew all along that the person was me, didn’t you?”

Marquis Ji naturally knew what Madam Ji was referring to. His gaze was full of tenderness as he looked at her: “Yes. The reason I didn’t tell you was to make up for the years I’ve neglected you. I know some things can’t be made up for, but doing so makes me feel better.”

“I’m sorry, Madam, it’s my fault.”

Madam Ji had once hated Marquis Ji, hated that he had wasted so much time on a woman. But now that she knew that woman was herself, she suddenly felt like crying.

It turned out that all these years she had been silently resentful of herself. If it weren’t for Hua’er’s words, he and she probably would never have known until their deaths.

Because Marquis Ji was in poor spirits, Madam Ji didn’t linger with him for long. She only spoke a few words before going to sleep.

Early the next morning, the Ji family spread the news that Marquis Ji had been poisoned and was unconscious. This immediately caused turmoil in Shengjing City.

At the same time, the Mu family also released the news that Mu Cheng had died from poisoning.

Some say the Ji and Mu families were too powerful, while others say they chose the wrong side. Otherwise, why were these two the only ones poisoned, while others remained unaffected? Mu Cheng was the Marquis wife’s half-brother; their fates were intertwined.

To prevent the Ji family from rising again, they were targeting the Mu family as well.

The news had been confirmed; yesterday afternoon, many passersby heard weeping coming from the Ji family residence. As dusk approached, several more members of the Ji family rushed to the Mu family residence, presumably having learned of Mu Cheng’s death from poisoning.

When this news reached Emperor Yu and the Queen, they were filled with shock.

Ji Xiaoshan was known as the invincible war god of Sheng Yu, enjoying high prestige among the people. Such news was extremely detrimental to the royal family and the entire Sheng Yu.

Emperor Yu was furious at the accusations of being too powerful, but he knew he couldn’t lose his temper now, lest he confirm the rumors. Not only could he not lose his temper, but he also had to send imperial physicians to the Ji family to treat Marquis Ji.

“Outrageous! Who spread this rumor? When did I ever say that Ji Xiaoshan’s achievements overshadowed the emperor? Since he voluntarily relinquished his military power, what reason do I have not to believe him? Investigate! Whoever it is, kill them without mercy!” Emperor Yu, enraged, smashed the memorial beside him.

This person’s intention was clear: to sow discord between the emperor and his ministers.

Inside the imperial study, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Lu knelt on the ground, enduring Emperor Yu’s fury, while Eunuch De dared not utter a sound.

Once this news spread, the Crown Prince suspected that the matter might be related to the Third Prince. He wanted to make the Ji family suspect the Empress’s involvement, thus drawing suspicion to the Eastern Palace. As for the claim of overshadowing the emperor’s achievements, that was merely the Third Prince’s deliberate attempt to mislead.

Regardless of the outcome, Emperor Yu would develop a negative view of the Ji family.

It must be said, the Third Prince’s strategy was truly brilliant.

The Crown Prince reported in a deep voice, “Father, the only solution now is to send the imperial physicians to examine him. If anything happens to Marquis Ji as a result, not only you, but even Mother will be implicated. Marquis Ji was poisoned after attending the palace banquet.”

Emperor Yu coldly snorted, “Isn’t the Lady of the Marquis known as a divine physician? She can’t save Ji Xiaoshan.”

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince secretly thought, “Oh no, my father is taking his anger out on the Ji family.”

Looking at the whole affair, the Ji family is the most wronged.

If the third prince is ruthless, Ji Xiaoshan may not survive. It all depends on whether the third prince truly wants Ji Xiaoshan dead or is merely trying to create public opinion.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lu spoke up, “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is right. The most important thing now is to revive Marquis Ji to appease the people.”

Finally, Emperor Yu nodded, and to show his sincerity, ordered the Crown Prince to personally lead the imperial physicians to the Ji family.

As for the rumors, Emperor Yu ordered his trusted eunuch, Eunuch De, to investigate. The first person to investigate was the Northern Kingdom’s envoy, Gu Fanmu.

When the Crown Prince arrived at the Ji family home with the imperial physician, the entire household was shrouded in grief. Madam Ji, holding Ji Hua and leading her two sons, sat by the bedside, their eyes red from crying.

The Crown Prince gestured for the physician to examine Lord Ji, who concluded that the poison had reached the heart and Lord Ji was unlikely to wake up.

Ji Hua had already learned from Madam Ji of the Ji family’s plan to use this scheme against them. She was trying hard to suppress a laugh.

[Hehe, look, even the Crown Prince was frightened by mother and brothers’ acting skills. The Crown Prince can probably guess that the Third Prince is behind it all, but Emperor Yu is less certain. He can probably guess that it’s the Second Prince of the Northern Kingdom, Gu Fanmu. But it’s fine, that guy isn’t a good person to begin with. If we can find something else, wouldn’t that be a lucky accident?]

t has to be said, Ji Hua is right.

Eunuch De didn’t find any evidence that Gu Fanmu poisoned Ji Xiaoshan, but he did find five assassins around Gu Fanmu who were preparing to take action against the Ji family.

Emperor Yu was furious and detained Gu Fanmu in the Cold Palace, releasing the other envoys. From then on, Gu Fanmu became the first hostage from another country since the beginning of the Sheng Yu dynasty.

Of course, these are all stories for later.

The Crown Prince returned with the imperial physician to report, and Emperor Yu’s grief upon learning this was genuine.

The Crown Prince, after leaving the Imperial Study, went to the Phoenix Palace.

In front of the Empress, he opened a note. This note was secretly slipped to him by Ji Yushu when he left the Ji family. It contained only five words: “Beware of the Third Prince.”

Upon reading it, the Crown Prince and Empress’s expressions changed drastically. They had guessed correctly; this matter was indeed related to the Third Prince.

The Empress exclaimed, “Mo’er, this is a golden opportunity! We must make your father suspect the Third Prince!” The Empress was incredibly excited.

The Third Prince wanted to use this incident to make the Ji family suspect their involvement, or that they already possessed so-called evidence. However, the Ji family already knew of the Third Prince’s plot and therefore did not believe him.

This Ji family was truly trustworthy.

The Empress even boldly guessed that the Ji family must have evidence of the Third Prince’s rebellion, but hadn’t presented it because the timing wasn’t right.

Thinking this, a rare look of joy appeared on the Empress’s face.

The Crown Prince quickly came up with a brilliant plan: “Mother, I have a plan. I’ll go and carry it out now. Just wait for my good news.” Wasn’t the Third Prince trying to shift the blame? He would shift the blame back to the Third Prince.

He never imagined that he would dig such a pit for himself. If the Ji family hadn’t deliberately let him hear those words, he would never have thought that a sickly man would want that position.

Having received news of Ji Xiaoshan and Mu Cheng’s deaths, Bei Hengyuan was currently playing chess with Qin Wan in a meditation room at Huguo Temple.

Although he hadn’t spread the rumors, this was exactly the result he wanted; how could he not be happy?

He didn’t care about Mu Cheng’s death at all.

“Mother should be relieved now. Without the Ji family’s support, the Crown Prince won’t be able to cause trouble for long,” Bei Hengyuan said with a smile as he placed a piece.

Immersed in his pleasure, Bei Hengyuan didn’t notice Qin Wan’s hesitant expression.

After a long while, she finally mustered her courage and asked, “Yuan’er, do you know that your aunt and the others are dead?”

“I know.” How could he not know? He would soon avenge the Qin family.

Qin Wan looked at Bei Hengyuan nervously, hesitating several times. Bei Hengyuan saw her thoughts and put the black piece back into the chess box.

She spoke softly, “Mother, please speak frankly.”

Qin Wan clutched the hem of her dress, pondering for a long time before finally speaking, but unexpectedly, a guard hurriedly pushed open the door and entered. “It’s terrible, Master! Something has happened in Shengjing!”

Upon hearing this, a bad premonition gripped Qin Wan’s heart.

Bei Hengyuan also stood up hastily. “Speak.”