The princess regretted it.

Chapter 290 The Emperor is Wrathful

After the imperial physicians and their companions left, the emperor turned and walked to the stool beside the bed, slowly sitting down. His gaze was fixed on Concubine Chun, who lay on the bed. Seeing her, who used to smile so charmingly, now with eyes closed and a pale face, his eyes were filled with pity and self-blame.

After a long time, he asked quietly, "Why did this happen out of the blue? Concubine Cen? Have you found out clearly?" The voice was low and suppressed, as if squeezed out from between teeth, which made people shudder.

When Concubine Cen heard this, her heart tightened and she knelt down without hesitation. She said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, it was all because of my failure to manage the harem, which allowed that evil-minded person to take advantage of the opportunity and almost caused a disaster, hurting the heir! I am guilty, please punish me, Your Majesty!" After that, she prostrated herself on the ground, not daring to look up.

"From what you said, someone did this on purpose?" The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, a sharp light flashed in his eyes, and his tone was as cold as an ice cellar in the coldest days of winter, which made people feel cold from the bottom of their hearts.

Concubine Cen's heart trembled. She knew that she had no actual evidence, and rashly accusing someone based on mere speculation would likely anger the Emperor. Therefore, when the Emperor asked her questions, she hesitated, unsure how to answer, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

At this slightly awkward moment, Jin An quickly stepped forward, walked to the emperor's side, leaned over slightly, and whispered clearly into the emperor's ear about Han Shuang's earlier discovery of the smell of kerosene.

After hearing this, the emperor's face instantly turned as dark as ink, as if a storm was about to come. The angry atmosphere filled the room, making people feel suffocated.

"Fuquan," the emperor said suddenly, his voice as cold and hard as the impact of cold iron. "I hereby order that Zuo Quan, the right commander of the Imperial Guard, be immediately responsible for a thorough investigation of this matter. Everyone in the harem must fully cooperate with the investigation. Anyone who disobeys, regardless of status, will be detained for the serious crime of arson and severely punished!"

Fuquan was terrified when he heard this. He quickly knelt on the ground, shouting "Yes, Your Majesty!", then quickly retreated and hurried to issue the imperial edict, fearing that any delay would anger the emperor.

At this moment, Concubine Cen was still kneeling on the ground. Her legs had become numb from the prolonged kneeling position. Her already frail body swayed slightly, like a leaf about to fall in the autumn wind. Her head was lowered, her hair tangled and scattered across her forehead, obscuring most of her features. Her expression was unclear, but her trembling shoulders betrayed her inner fear and anxiety.

"Concubine Cen," the emperor's gaze was like a cold arrow, shooting straight at the unsteady Concubine Cen on the ground. His voice was slow and cold, without a trace of warmth. "The harem is now under your control. This disaster has occurred. I remember your hard work in the past and will not punish you for now. However, from now on, you will no longer be responsible for the power of managing the six palaces. Return to your palace immediately and reflect on your mistakes. Without my permission, you are not allowed to step out of the palace or move around. I will investigate this matter thoroughly before making a final decision."

Concubine Cen felt a chill in her heart, clearly understanding the deeper meaning behind the Emperor's words about the "confinement." It seemed the Emperor still harbored doubts about her. However, when she thought about how the Emperor had always valued Zhang Hengrui, the Left Commander of the Imperial Guards, yet had specifically assigned the Right Commander to this case, she couldn't help but feel a slight shift in her heart, secretly pondering: It seems the Emperor doesn't completely trust the Zhang family either.

Thinking of this, the suffocating feeling she'd been feeling from being suspected of something actually eased a bit. She knew it was futile to argue further at this point, so she simply bowed respectfully and whispered, "Your Majesty, I obey."

Afterwards, supported by the palace maids, he slowly left the room, step by step. His departing figure seemed particularly lonely and desolate, like a lone wild goose drenched by the rain, disappearing deep into the palace.

Jin An stood aside, quietly watching Concubine Cen's departing back. A complex wave of emotions welled up in her heart, and she felt that her back revealed an endless sense of desolation and helplessness. She calmed her mind slightly, turned her gaze to the emperor, and said softly, "Father, I don't think this was done by Concubine Cen."

Upon hearing the voice, the emperor glanced at her calmly without saying a word, but his eyes revealed a hint of prompting her to continue.

Seeing this, Jin An paused briefly to gather her thoughts, then recounted to the Emperor, in detail and in a coherent manner, all the discoveries Concubine Cen had mentioned to her earlier. From the accidental rumor of a pregnant woman in the side courtyard, to the fruitless investigation, to Mingyue's arrangement for covert surveillance, all the way to Mingyue's disappearance tonight and the fire in the courtyard, every detail was recounted in exquisite detail.

The emperor listened quietly, his expression growing increasingly grim. When Jin'an finished, he suddenly chuckled twice, a chuckle like a chill wind blowing from an ice cellar, sending chills down one's spine. "Hmph, isn't it obvious who possesses such omnipotent abilities to stir up trouble in this harem?" The emperor's tone was filled with mockery and anger, as if he had already seen through the conspiracy behind it all.

Jin An frowned slightly, naturally knowing who his father was referring to. Puzzled, she asked softly, "What I don't understand is how she learned about Concubine Chun? Now that she's under house arrest, forbidden from even leaving the palace, who is secretly passing on this information? The forces behind this are incredibly complex and shouldn't be underestimated."

The emperor gently rubbed his index and middle fingers with the thumb of his right hand. His eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint flickering in them. That icy gaze seemed to penetrate the palace walls and reach the heart of the conspiracy. He didn't immediately respond to Jin'an's question. Instead, he slowly stood up, the hem of his dragon robe swaying gently, making a subtle rustling sound that was particularly clear in the oppressively quiet room.

"Hmph," the Emperor snorted coldly, seeming to express disdain for the mastermind behind this, but also as if venting his inner anger. "In this harem, there are spies everywhere. It's not difficult for them to learn some secrets. That Concubine Zhang has been managing the harem for many years. I'm afraid her trusted subordinates have already infiltrated every corner. Even if she is under house arrest now, as long as she is willing, it's just a piece of cake for her to pass on information."

When Jin'an heard this, his heart trembled. He subconsciously bit his lower lip. After thinking for a moment, he said softly: "Your Majesty is right. I have no doubt that Concubine Zhang has extensive influence in the harem. But how could she be so bold at this time as to openly murder the heir of the dragon? Isn't she afraid of your Majesty's punishment?" There was a lot of confusion in Jin'an's words. She really couldn't imagine what kind of courage could support Concubine Zhang to do such a treasonous thing.

The emperor turned around abruptly, his eyes like torches, staring at Jin An, and said in a stern tone: "She must have something to rely on, so she dares to be so arrogant. Over the years, I have tolerated her a lot because of her meritorious service, but I didn't expect that she would become a threat to me." After saying this, the emperor clenched his fists unconsciously, his knuckles turned white, and he was obviously furious to the extreme.