xymnovel Chapter 1224 - 1060: The Crown Prince Disappears
Chapter 1224 - 1060: The Crown Prince Disappears
Yesterday, a disturbance occurred at the border, and a Vice Marshal who colluded with the enemy was captured. The Crown Prince was furious, thus appointing Gu Chengyu as Inspector Imperial Censor to assist Yin Kun in the investigation at the border.It’s only temporary to go to the border; naturally, Gu Chengyu would not oppose it, nor could he oppose it.
Moreover, he was concerned about Yin Kun’s safety, so going to the border would be good. However, today is the Crown Prince’s ascension day, and although all ceremonies are simplified for the time being, it is still a major event announced to the world.
He is not present, not because he regrets not being able to attend, but because he fears something unexpected might happen.
Prince Gong and Prince Jing have shown no movement these past days, which is quite strange. Could it be that these two don’t plan to make a move this time? Can they really hold back?
Once the Crown Prince ascends, dealing with him will be much more difficult for them.
Regarding Prince Jing, Gu Chengyu is not too worried. After all, without absolute confidence, Prince Jing wouldn’t act rashly, nor would he expose his ambition too early.
But Prince Gong is different; Gu Chengyu, having had little contact with him, is somewhat uncertain.
This man is different from Prince Jing, whose power has been difficult to accumulate, and perhaps still lacks several steps of tempering.
In contrast, Prince Gong’s influence in court has actually not been weak over the years, not to mention Jingyuan Prefecture is considered prosperous, surely having gained no shortage of Silver. To seize the throne, Silver, weapons, and power are essential.
Gu Chengyu shook his head, forget it, there are so many people guarding the Crown Prince, it shouldn’t be a mistake. But the matter at the border urgently needs resolution.
If the border is not reorganized, the iron cavalry of Da Xing may yet enter Dayan’s territory.
...
The Empress looked at the opulent woman in the mirror, with a slight smile at the corner of her mouth. Though dressed in plain mourning clothes, her dignified aura as a mother of the nation couldn’t be concealed.
Today is the day her son ascends to the throne; once today has passed, and her son issues the decree to confer the title of Empress Dowager, aside from the Emperor, she would be the most exalted person under the heavens.
Her gaze brushed past a red coral carved double happiness hairpin on the dressing table, and the Empress’s expression suddenly darkened.
Her eyes blank, as if caught in some memories. She recalled the second day after her wedding, when that person personally placed the hairpin in her ink-black hair. The two exchanged glances and smiled, their faces filled with bashful and shy smiles.
Suddenly her vision blurred, and she abruptly closed the dressing case, "Let’s go! The hour is getting late."
"Empress! Empress! Something’s wrong." Pang Chu tumbled into Guangning Palace, not having time to tidy his appearance when he saw the Empress, and cried out urgently.
"What is causing such clamor, and you trespassed into Guangning Palace without notification, what is your crime?"
The Empress, seeing Pang Chu in such a disheveled state, for some reason had a foreboding feeling. But as the Empress of the nation, and soon to be the esteemed Empress Dowager, she naturally couldn’t lose her composure.
"Empress, the Crown Prince is missing! This servant can’t find the Crown Prince." Pang Chu no longer cared about decorum, the sky was about to collapse.
"What? What do you mean by the Crown Prince is missing?" The Empress was somewhat bewildered, her mind a blank.
"This servant had just finished grooming the Crown Prince, then left the hall to instruct the other eunuchs to deliver the meal from the Imperial Kitchen. Who knew, in just that short time, the Crown Prince vanished. Empress, please quickly send someone to find the Crown Prince!"
Pang Chu wept, with tears and snot flowing. If anything happened to the Crown Prince, the Empress would certainly skin him alive, making his death miserable.
"Ridiculous, in the palace, how could the Crown Prince disappear? Perhaps he went somewhere else for some matters, why panic?"
The Empress flicked her sleeve, although her heart was also anxious, she still felt it unlikely that the Crown Prince had truly gone missing.
"Empress, absolutely true! This servant already ordered people to search the palace for nearly half an hour. When this servant returned, not seeing the eunuch guarding the door, felt strange, and then discovered the Crown Prince missing. This servant quickly ordered a search, but only found the missing eunuch, who is already dead."
The Empress panicked, only feeling a bit dizzy.
"Empress!" Nanny Lan quickly supported the Empress, her face full of anxiety as well.
The Empress flung away Nanny Lan’s hand, "How long did you leave in between?"
Pang Chu cried while wiping his tears, "Only left for about a quarter of an hour."
Just a quarter of an hour, fierce determination filled the Empress’s phoenix eyes, the son must still be within the palace.
"Summon Commander Zhou to see me!"
Pang Chu wiped the tears off his face, realizing, "Empress, isn’t Commander Zhou still held in Dali Temple?"
"That’s right! Who is the Chief at the Commander’s Department now?" The Empress forced herself to calm down, forgetting in her urgency that Zhou Yuancong had been imprisoned for conspiracy.
"Heard it’s Deputy Yang Chang, Lord Yang!" Although Pang Chu was also frightened, he knew he had to pull himself together now.
The urgent task is to first find the Crown Prince.
"This servant greets the Empress Dowager!" A guard knelt outside the hall, part of the Imperial Guard.
"Take my decree and have Deputy Yang from the Commander’s Department guard the palace gates well, no one is to exit or enter the gates. Those violating, execute without pardon!"
The Empress’s face was grim, this person managed to take her son without a trace, killing him on the spot would be a simple task.
No matter what their intent, palace security has been strict these days; leaving the palace would be difficult. But the Imperial Palace is vast; if hidden in some corner, finding him would be a tremendous challenge.
Especially with the concubines residing in the harem, searching proves extremely difficult.
"Also, investigate anyone who left the palace within half an hour. No matter who it is, they must be checked! Guard all city gates well, don’t let the thief leave the city."
The Empress thought it over, realizing the matter had escalated. If the populace learned the Crown Prince had been abducted, it would indeed harm the Imperial Family’s dignity.
"Conduct this matter in secret, don’t let it leak out!"
De’an peered around Guangning Palace, having just come from Chengqian Palace. Pang Chu, in his panic, lost composure, and his shouting made many in the palace aware of the Crown Prince’s disappearance.
De’an squinted, wondering who had acted, managing to be a step ahead of them! He had relayed the news to his master, now staying outside Guangning Palace to gather intel.
"Chief Chen, what is it?" Huiyun, another maid by the Empress’s side, recently went to the Imperial Kitchen to prepare the Empress’s meal, unaware of the Crown Prince’s disappearance.
De’an pulled Huiyun aside to whisper, "You didn’t know? The Crown Prince is missing, I’m just about to go in and stand by!"
"Utterly absurd, with so many guards, yet they couldn’t protect the Crown Prince. Where are the Hidden Guards? Those guards? Are they all dead?"
The Empress was furious, having arranged things nearly to completion, she could no longer restrain the anger in her heart, sweeping all the jewelry off the dressing table.