无翼乌工口里番无色无摭挡

The Emperor calmly said, “Without the Jiang Family, could you have reached this point? To discard someone once they’ve served their purpose is not the quality a ruler should possess. The Jiang brothers are loyal to the royal family and are the Princess Consort’s maternal family. They are also the grandparents of your children. You must not do anything to dismay them.”

“Emperor Father is overthinking it. I will not do anything to the Jiang Family,” Li Hongyuan said helplessly. “Why does everyone think I would make a move against them? I can’t see how it would benefit me in any way.”

The Emperor did not speak. He rubbed a string of precious beads in his hand and then asked after a while, “How did your investigation into that matter turn out?”

Li Hongyuan glanced at the beads in his hand.

It was a string of beads that Concubine Jin had loved when she was alive.

All other belongings had been buried with her, and only this string of beads remained. The Emperor would sometimes take them in his hands and stare at them for half a day.

To be reminded of her by the beads – that was all there was to it.

“Mu Jian has some connection with Denghua, the one who serves at concubine mother’s side.”

“Hmm.” The Emperor seemed to have known already and nodded nonchalantly. “What else? Mu Jian is one of your Crown Prince’s people, after all.”

Li Hongyuan put down his pen and frowned, “Emperor Father must know that this carpenter is a relative of concubine mother’s family. It was she who brought him into the palace to keep me company. I have always considered Mu Jian as one of my most trustworthy confidants. Over the years, he has indeed not done anything to betray me. So, I think…”

“Speak.”

“Perhaps this is merely a coincidence,” Li Hongyuan said softly. “Intimate relations between Imperial Guards and palace maids within the palace are not uncommon. It doesn’t necessarily have to be related to the plot to assassinate concubine mother.”

The Emperor coldly said, “Are you trying to absolve yourself?”

Li Hongyuan immediately knelt down: “I dare not.”

“Get up.” The Emperor averted his gaze and looked back at the beads. “I believe you would not go so far as to harm your own concubine mother. But as for this Mu Jian… Surely there’s even less reason for your maternal family to harm her?”

“I have investigated my entire maternal family, and indeed there are no suspicious points.”

Concubine Jin’s family was not a prominent one, so an investigation was relatively simple.

Moreover, they relied on their daughter’s favor in their high-born family. They wouldn’t dare to harm her as they were dependent on her support.

It simply didn’t make sense.

“Keep investigating in other directions.” The Emperor said.

“Yes.” Li Hongyuan hesitated for a moment, “Also, there’s one more thing. Yesterday, the Princess Consort had a request.”

“What?”

“Zizi’s birthday is in two days, and the Princess Consort said she wants to go back to the Jiang Family to celebrate.”

“Oh, right.” The Emperor nodded, “The first day of the eleventh lunar month is Zizi’s birthday. It would be appropriate to hold a celebration.”

Li Hongyuan joked, “Even after so many years, Emperor Father still remembers Lin Zizi’s birthday clearly. Emperor Father, do you remember my birthday?”

“How could a father not remember his son’s birthday?”

“Then, when is it?” Li Hongyuan looked at him, waiting for his answer.

After a moment of silence, the Emperor seemed to remember something suddenly, “Isn’t it time for your medicine? These servants are getting more and more negligent!”

Li Hongyuan: “…”

If he didn’t remember, he didn’t remember. Talk about sidestepping the question.

He always threw a tantrum when taking his medicine, and now he took the initiative to ask for it.

Li Hongyuan asked, “Emperor Father, should we allow the Princess Consort to return?”

“The bond between mother and daughter is strong. How could we not let her go?”