Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 49: Ask No Reason

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Ask No Reason

Noble Consort Wen, disregarding her image, rushed to the entrance of the cave and, seeing a crowd on the ground with a deathly pale complexion, staggered and nearly fell.

"Your Highness, the Second Prince—," the guards immediately knelt on the ground. Noble Consort Wen frantically pushed the guards aside and threw herself onto Zheng Muyuan’s body.

"Fu Xin, Fu Xin, wake up," Noble Consort Wen cried helplessly, patting Zheng Muyuan’s face and body until she slowly realized a fact and began to cry out hoarsely.

"What are you standing there for, why aren’t you saving him, save him now," Noble Consort Wen suddenly turned her head, looking at the bustling crowd. With Fu Xin here, what else could they be busy with, what could be more important than Fu Xin?

How could Fu Xin be dead, how could Fu Xin suddenly be gone.

"Your Highness, please restrain your grief," the Imperial Physician knelt on the ground, "The Second Prince has passed away prematurely. He was frail and had no pulse before being rescued from the cave..."

"You’re talking nonsense, there’s still Master Yin He, Master Yin He..."

"Master Yin He is unconscious with severe injuries; the Imperial Physician is treating him," the guard immediately reported back.

"Nonsense, that’s Master Yin He." Noble Consort Wen’s eyes were bloodshot, and she grabbed the Imperial Physician from the ground. Mage Huo Yi had said, as long as Fu Xin wanted to live, Master Yin He could keep him alive; even if barely hanging on, even if only a breath was left, even if that breath was sustained by the sacrifice of so many young men and women, it still meant being alive.

"I don’t care, if you can’t save the Second Prince, I will have all of you buried with him."

"Your Highness, the life of the Fourth Prince is at stake. If Your Highness continues to obstruct this official’s treatment of the Fourth Prince, I fear Your Highness may lose not just one son," the Imperial Physician said urgently, not being fazed by Noble Consort Wen’s uproar.

"The Fourth Prince?" Noble Consort Wen wobbled, her head bursting with a bang. Fu Gong, what’s wrong with Fu Gong?

Earlier, when the guard reported the misfortune of the Second Prince, Noble Consort Wen had already left her litters behind and ran over. There wasn’t time to mention the Fourth Prince’s situation.

Noble Consort Wen released her grip weakly, and the Imperial Physician, regardless of propriety, threw himself into treating the Fourth Prince.

Among the frantic busyness, Noble Consort Wen collapsed to the ground, disregarding her image, holding Zheng Muyuan and trembling as she touched his already cold face.

Wasn’t everything fine just now? He could stand and talk to her, but why, in the span of half a day, had they been separated by life and death?

The palace maids approached to help, but they dared not and knelt to the side, sobbing quietly.

"Fourth Prince, Fourth Prince—," amid the shouts of the attendants, Noble Consort Wen slowly came back to her senses, remembering she had another son, and once again saw a glimpse of light in the darkness. She hurriedly turned her head towards the direction of the light.

"Gonggong" Noble Consort Wen immediately went forward and held Zheng Haoyuan.

Zheng Haoyuan slowly opened his eyes and saw Noble Consort Wen’s anxious face.

"Mother Consort—" Zheng Haoyuan spoke laboriously; his child’s nature immediately took over, crying and holding onto Noble Consort Wen. "Mother Consort, save me, save me."

"Gonggong, what happened? What happened to your second brother? What happened? How did you get hurt?" Noble Consort Wen asked a series of questions, with the image of Zheng Muyuan’s cold body dominating her mind. She needed to know what happened, she needed to know what happened to Fu Xin.

The initial relief and dependency on seeing his mother that Zheng Haoyuan had felt, now faded as his flickering gaze slowly was consumed. What if he said his second brother wanted to harm him, would Mother Consort believe him? If he said his second brother wanted his body, would Mother Consort think that was appropriate, or even help the second brother kill him?

"Mother Consort, I’m in pain—" Zheng Haoyuan lowered his head; it wasn’t an act, his whole body hurt. If he were to die, between him and his second brother, Mother Consort would likely choose the second brother, because Mother Consort always favored the second brother.

"Gonggong, hold on, tell Mother Consort what exactly happened?" Noble Consort Wen struggled not to hysterically burst into a tearful demand for the truth.

"Cousin, is my cousin alright?" He remembered at the last moment, it was his cousin who had saved him, throwing herself at him without regard for her own life. Zheng Haoyuan’s already fragile and sensitive heart seemed torn open anew, still craving comfort, comfort for the fear and unrest in his heart.

"Gonggong, first tell Mother Consort what exactly happened?" Noble Consort Wen clutched Zheng Haoyuan’s arm tightly. Speak up, speak up how did Fu Xin die? How were you injured, who is trying to harm you?

"Mother Consort—" Zheng Haoyuan felt the strength of Noble Consort Wen’s grip; his face turned pale, and the next moment, he fainted again.

"Your Highness, the Fourth Prince is very weak right now, you mustn’t upset him any further." The Imperial Physician hurried over, immediately began to apply acupuncture to Zheng Haoyuan.

Noble Consort Wen collapsed on the ground, her gaze blank until she saw Zheng Nianru sitting on a nearby rock; her mind then began to function again.

Why was she here? How much did this matter have to do with her? Why had Zheng Haoyuan slipped out of the palace, and if he hadn’t, would any of this have happened?

Noble Consort Wen’s mind raced with ten thousand hypotheses, none of which involved wishing for the heavens to take her son.

Staggering to her feet, Noble Consort Wen moved in the direction of Zheng Nianru.

Xing Yu immediately tugged anxiously at her master’s sleeve, "Stop wiping, Noble Consort Wen does not like us."

Zheng Nianru didn’t mind Noble Consort Wen’s attitude, but now a problem troubled her. Noble Consort Wen was here obviously seeking an outcome, but should that outcome be pronounced by her? If uttered by her, would Noble Consort Wen believe it?

Zheng Nianru glanced around the room, the unconscious were unconscious, the dead were dead, and those who were tied up probably couldn’t say anything good either.

Could she feign fainting? But now it seemed too late for that. She should have known to faint as soon as she stepped out.

Xing Yu looked worriedly at Noble Consort Wen, who had approached. Would the Noble Consort be especially heartbroken upon hearing that one of her sons sought to kill another?

"Princess Chao Ren, you seem to be everywhere." Noble Consort Wen suppressed the anger in her heart. This outsider was the only one alive and kicking here. Why wasn’t it her who died?

No, why was she here? She must know something.

"Your Highness, when we rushed over, it was Commandery Princess who saved the Fourth Prince." The chief attendant knelt to one side, having had no opportunity to report the situation since Noble Consort appeared.

"Saved?" Noble Consort Wen looked at the kneeling attendant and then at Zheng Nianru, "Who wanted to assassinate Second Prince? Speak quickly!"

Zheng Nianru sighed to herself. See, how could we properly talk with such an opening?

"No one wanted to assassinate Second Prince." Zheng Nianru spoke up after all, having given birth herself, she understood a mother’s breakdown at such a time.

Noble Consort Wen turned and stared at the attendant kneeling on the ground.

"You speak."

"When I arrived with my men, Commandery Princess’s maid was carrying the Fourth Prince out of the cave. Afterwards, we discovered the gravely injured Second Prince, Master Yin He, and the Loyal Warriors of Wen Family, along with Eunuch Ho Sheng, inside the cave."

"No one else in the cave?" Where was the assassin? With the Wen Family Loyalists there, it would not be easy for Fu Xin to be assassinated.

"No one else. I have thoroughly searched, and there are no other exits in the cave." The guard pondered before choosing not to mention the strange pool or the scattered remains of poisonous snakes and insects. The cave was indeed mysterious. Moreover, he had carefully examined the pool, which was not formed naturally but chiseled by human hands—a work that couldn’t be completed overnight.

"If so, why would Second Prince die?" Noble Consort Wen interjected.

The attendant immediately bowed his head and did not answer.

"I am incompetent." When he entered, he had skirmished with those Loyal Warriors, who were still offering tenacious resistance, which was indeed suspicious. Yet, he felt the likelihood of assassination was small; it looked more like some kind of strange ritual.

"Take those people away for questioning, one by one. This palace refuses to believe we won’t find anything." Noble Consort Wen pointed to the group of Wen Family Loyalists on the ground, then suddenly shifted her gaze directly to Zheng Nianru.

Noble Consort Wen sneered inwardly. Fu Xin was dead, Fu Gong was severely injured—both had connections to this woman. How could she let her go!

"And her, take her for questioning too."

The attendant on the ground hesitated. This...

Xing Yu immediately stood up, warily watching the approaching Noble Consort Wen. She had just been concerned for her.

"You, you’re so ungrateful! The Fourth Prince was saved by our Commandery Princess; I carried him out," Xing Yu stood in front of Zheng Nianru, not letting anyone take her Commandery Princess from her.

"Your Highness, perhaps..." first question those Loyalists, maybe...

"What are you waiting for? Take them away..." Noble Consort Wen commanded coldly, not caring for the reasons; she did not want to let go of Zheng Nianru.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.