Chapter 387: Chapter 299: I am for the Unjustly Deceased Princess Rong!_3
Unknowingly, his once bright expression has now turned incredibly somber, the doubts that had accumulated in his heart for days seem to have all transformed into dark clouds, pressing heavily upon his face.
A sparrow flew across the window, fluttering its wings as it landed on the eaves in front, that jumping silhouette seemed to be a chord strummed deep within him.
"It’s commendable for you to have such sincerity, truly moving."
He half-turned, extending his left hand to gesture toward Xu Yin, "Vice Minister Xu truly has affection and loyalty, his reputation is well deserved. It is my Uncle Wang who is considered humble and kind by outsiders, yet who would have thought he is so ruthless in private, come, sit down."
Xu Yin thanked him and sat down, taking a deep breath before sighing, "To this day, I dare not reveal a word of this matter to Yongping, she would surely be unable to bear it.
"Originally, I should have reported the matter thoroughly to His Majesty, but His Majesty’s health is poor, and if he were to learn of this, he would surely fly into a great rage, which would trigger his old illness. I would then be guilty unto death.
"After much thought, I had to resort to this clumsy method of reporting to Your Highness, in hopes that Your Highness would take charge."
"Vice Minister Xu is thoughtful, and you have considered this matter appropriately." The Crown Prince nodded, his tone had already softened, returning to his usual gentleness, "In that case, is that fan still in my Uncle Wang’s hands?"
"I have not seen that fan myself, so I cannot determine. However, that night, Princess Rong took the fan, but she could not make it out of the shrine gate, so even if she once had it, it should have returned to Prince Rong’s hands by now."
The Crown Prince nodded again.
After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Since Uncle Wang is wary of you, you are in danger. If you disclose a word of this matter, letting more people know what happened at Prince Rong’s Mansion that night, the danger will come even more quickly. What are your plans?"
"At present, I am not in control of the situation. I can only take it one step at a time. As for the truth of the matter, until it is fully revealed, I will naturally keep my mouth shut and never let this matter reach anyone’s ears."
"What if the truth never sees the light of day?"
"Then I will bury it in my heart, taking it with me to the grave."
The Crown Prince glanced at him, picked up the tea, and took a light sip before saying, "Previously, you almost became the Chancellor of my Chamberlain’s Office. If not for Yongping’s mishap, you would have already been one of my subordinates.
"Father has never made a mistake in employing people, which means you are exceptionally capable, only having been innocently implicated by your family.
"Yet I believe this move is somewhat unfair to you. The court is in need of officials, and I need talents like Vice Minister Xu to assist me. If the opportunity arises, you should take the position of Chancellor officially."
"If I enter the Chamberlain’s Office under the protection of His Highness, it would be my great fortune!"
The Crown Prince pondered for a moment, looking toward the ground, then said, "Go back for now."
Xu Yin rose: "I take my leave!"
The hem of the purple robe swept a circle on the ground, then he stepped away with the play of light and shadow.
The Crown Prince sat in the same spot, not changing his posture for a long time.
Jin Bao tiptoed in, replacing the cold tea in his hand with hot tea, then exclaimed softly, "Why are Your Highness’s hands so cold?"
Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince recoiled as if scalded by boiling water.
In that shock, his face also appeared slightly pale.
Jin Bao quickly put down the tray: "Your Highness?"
The Crown Prince looked at him: "Xu Yin said that Uncle Wang holds a jade bone fan carved with a phoenix in his hand. Do you remember that?"
Jin Bao’s face turned pale as well: "How is that possible?"
"Now it seems possible." The Crown Prince shifted his gaze to the front, murmuring, "If Prince Rong didn’t have it, there would be no way for others to know of such an item.
"And not only does Xu Yin know, he also said that Princess Rong died at Prince Rong’s hands because of this fan, so it must exist."
Jin Bao was stunned, and finally said, "Then what should we do?"
"Of course, it must be handled carefully." The Crown Prince slowly curled his pale-knuckled hands, "Xu Yin is not simple. Prince Rong wants to silence him, he will not sit idly by and wait to be killed, so he came to me."
Jin Bao replied: "Your Highness, does he know something?"
"It’s hard to tell." The Crown Prince frowned deeply, "But now his break with Prince Rong’s Mansion is a foregone conclusion. This person must be brought over no matter what, or there will be trouble."
Jin Bao mused: "This person is indeed deep schemer. He even plays tricks with Your Highness!"
"It doesn’t matter." The Crown Prince stood up, glanced at the door before walking to the threshold, "Where is Mother Empress?"
Jin Bao said: "The Empress was just talking to the Imperial Physician who visited the Third Prince."
The Crown Prince, upon hearing this, suddenly let out a faint laugh: "This truly is—crying children get candy!"