OBS Chapter 1469 This matter concerns the foundation of the nation and cannot be concealed.
Chapter 1469 This matter concerns the foundation of the nation and cannot be concealed.
Having weathered many storms, the old woman suppressed her inner turmoil and asked, "Your Highness, what exactly happened?"
Princess Wenshu took a few deep breaths before she could barely calm her wildly beating heart.
She pointed to the thin piece of skin on the ground and said in astonishment, "...It's a human skin mask."
"My brother... he's not dead..."
"The corpse inside is just a substitute..."
Bihen's eyes widened in disbelief as she exclaimed in shock, "A human skin mask?!"
These techniques, which I'd only ever heard about in storybooks, are actually happening right before my eyes?!
The two matrons' faces were so grave they could drip water. They immediately realized the seriousness of the matter and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, this is no small matter!"
"The commoner Nangong Xuanche dared to fake his death and escape; this is a grave crime of deceiving the emperor, and you must report this to His Majesty immediately!"
"Otherwise, if the truth comes out and His Majesty finds out that the Princess had been here but concealed it, then... then the consequences would be unimaginable!"
Bihen also realized what was happening and nodded repeatedly, "What Granny said is right!"
"Your Highness, this is a matter of utmost importance, it cannot be kept secret!"
Princess Wenshu listened to their words, her heart filled with intense struggle.
The myna bird didn't die...
Upon hearing the news, besides shock and fear, a secret sense of relief arose deep within her.
That was her older brother whom she had grown up with since childhood. Even though he had made a terrible mistake, the blood ties that made Princess Wenshu unable to harden her heart immediately upon hearing the news that he might still be alive made her reluctant to do anything.
If the myna bird can really take this opportunity to leave the capital, this place of trouble, and live out the rest of its life in anonymity, it might not be... it might not be a bad thing.
However... as soon as the thought popped into her head, Princess Wenshu laughed self-deprecatingly.
too naive!
She was not an naive woman; she had witnessed firsthand the bloody struggle for the throne years ago, and seen how her brothers would stop at nothing and fight to the death for the dragon throne.
Despite being under such close surveillance and suppression by his elder brother, the Eighth Brother was still able to devise such an ingenious plan to escape unscathed, demonstrating the depth of his cunning and the secrecy of his remaining influence.
How could such a person be content with mediocrity, or give up the allure of supreme power?
If he were alive, he would surely be lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike again.
At that time, an even more violent bloodbath will ensue, and countless innocent civilians will suffer...
Moreover, the war with the Xiongnu on the border is at a critical juncture. What the Great Zhou needs is stability and unity from top to bottom. It must not allow any internal strife to shake the foundation of the country.
On one side is the unbreakable bond between siblings; on the other is the stability of the nation and the well-being of all people…
Princess Wenshu clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, bringing a sharp pain that kept her conscious.
She closed her eyes, and the majestic face of her elder brother flashed through her mind...
After a long while, Princess Wenshu slowly opened her eyes. In those usually gentle eyes, there was now a heavy resolve.
She straightened up, and although her face was still pale, her voice was unusually firm: "The old woman is right."
"This matter concerns the foundation of the nation and cannot be concealed."
Princess Wenshu glanced at the unfamiliar scapegoat in the coffin and slowly said, "I must go to the palace to see the Emperor immediately!"
She ultimately chose the path that was difficult for her, but one she could be true to.
Upon hearing Princess Wenshu's words, Bihen and the two nannies finally felt relieved and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
What they feared most was that the princess would soften her heart and, out of consideration for their meager sibling bond, conceal this enormous secret.
If that's the case, it will be a catastrophe if it comes to light later!
Fortunately, the eldest princess has always been clear-headed and decisive when it comes to matters of principle, and has never disappointed people.
Princess Wenshu took one last look at the thin coffin, her emotions complex and difficult to discern, before finally letting out a sigh.
She didn't linger and turned to walk outside.
Bihen and the two nannies quickly followed.
Unbeknownst to the master and servants, just as Princess Wenshu boarded the carriage, several ghostly black figures silently crept up around the courtyard.
They were the assassins left behind by Nangong Xuanche, responsible for handling the beginning and end of the battle.
Nangong Xuanche was meticulous and knew that although Li Cairong's disguise technique was exquisite, it could not be maintained for long. The longer the corpse was kept, the greater the flaws would become, so it had to be destroyed as soon as possible.
However, taking action under the strict guard of the Imperial Clan Court would be too risky and would be easily exposed.
Therefore, they waited until the body was hastily moved to this deserted courtyard in the west of the city before they prepared to burn it, truly destroying the evidence!
Nangong Xuanche's men had meticulously planned the operation, calculating that no royal relatives or nobles would come to mourn or collect the body of such a sinner, making it the perfect time to strike.
To their utter surprise, they witnessed Princess Wenshu stopping here!
A man in black, hidden in the shadows by the wall, lowered his voice and asked nervously, "Boss, what do we do now?"
The leader of the men in black stared at the carriage with a gloomy look in his eyes, his brows furrowed tightly.
Why did Princess Wenshu come?
Isn't she different from Princess Yun'an, always protecting herself and not getting involved in these messy things?
She was inside for quite a while, did she... discover something?
An ominous premonition rose in the heart of the leader in black.
"No gambling!"
The leader said fiercely, "If Princess Wenshu notices anything amiss and reports it to the Emperor, all of us, including our master, will die without a burial place!"
The man in black beside him took a deep breath: "What the boss means is..."
A fierce glint flashed in the leader's eyes as he made his decision: "If we're going to do it, we might as well go all the way!"
"Make your move before Princess Wenshu's carriage goes far! We absolutely cannot let the news leak out!"
Another subordinate hesitated: "But...that's the eldest princess..."
Assassinating a member of the royal family, especially the eldest princess who is related to the emperor by blood, is a serious crime.
The man in black beside him nodded in agreement: "At this critical juncture, if Princess Wenshu dies, it might cause unforeseen complications..."
"idiot!"
The leader sternly rebuked, "As long as it's done cleanly, who will know it was us?"
"And our goal is to protect the secret, not to kill! Remember, do not take her life unless absolutely necessary."
"As for those people around Princess Wenshu..."
At this point, the leader made a throat-slitting gesture, the meaning of which was self-evident.
"Yes!"
Without further hesitation, the assassins, like nimble cheetahs, chased after the direction in which Princess Wenshu's carriage had left.
To avoid attracting attention, the carriage did not travel on the main road, but instead traversed relatively quiet alleys at a slow speed.