The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 202

The Emperor’s face turned ashen.

The Crown Prince remained composed, his expression unchanged.

“Father Emperor, I believe that although these children were kidnapped on the orders of the Second Prince, he might not be the one who trained them. The Second Prince himself may not even know where these children went.”

“What do you know?” the Emperor demanded.

“I just think the Second Prince has no reason to do this. His aunt is the Empress, and his mother is Noble Consort Shu. The Empress controls the inner palace, and Noble Consort Shu enjoys your favor. The Second Prince is also talented. Despite previous conflicts with the Third Prince, I don’t think he would do such a thing. It’s beneath him.”

“Are you suggesting that the Third Prince is behind this?” The Emperor’s anger intensified.

The Crown Prince shook his head.

“I believe these children ended up with Noble Consort De.”

The Emperor finally registered what the Crown Prince had said earlier.

“Noble Consort De? What have you discovered?”

The Crown Prince replied, “I don’t have concrete evidence, but I found that Noble Consort De has been in contact with the Heir of the Duke of Ning for years. The Heir works under the Great General, but whenever he returns to the capital, he always goes to the Marquis of Jingning’s residence on Tongqian Street.”

The Emperor’s face, already ashen, turned even darker.

The Heir of the Duke of Ning was placed under the Great General to be monitored. Now, it seemed he was colluding with the Emperor’s women and possibly hiding weapons in the same residence where the Emperor’s own cache was located.

This betrayal ignited the Emperor’s fury.

“What else have you found?” the Emperor asked through gritted teeth.

The Crown Prince shook his head.

“Given the limited time I had, I didn’t uncover much. The matter is significant, and I didn’t want to delay reporting to you. How we proceed is up to you, Father Emperor.”

The Emperor was always pleased with the Crown Prince’s diligence.

Among all his sons, the Crown Prince was the most considerate, always prioritizing the Emperor’s interests. Unlike the others, who would eagerly exploit any mistake their siblings made, disregarding familial bonds.

With a heavy sigh, the Emperor’s anger was slightly soothed by the Crown Prince’s understanding.

“Continue investigating. Whether it’s the Second Prince, Noble Consort De, or the Duke of Ning, I want everything thoroughly checked. Report to me truthfully.”

The Crown Prince immediately agreed.

Throughout this exchange, Song Jin stood silently, knowing that in the Emperor’s eyes, she was still an unwanted presence.

After receiving his orders, the Crown Prince bowed and left with Song Jin. The Heavenly Hound said to the Emperor, “I want to go too.”

The Emperor patted the hound’s head, “Go, and protect him well.”

The “him” clearly referred to the Crown Prince.

The Heavenly Hound wagged its tail and followed Song Jin.

As soon as the Crown Prince and Song Jin left, the Chief Eunuch entered to report, “Your Majesty, Noble Consort De wishes to speak about something urgent concerning the late Empress’s orphan.”

The Emperor, already enraged by the Crown Prince’s revelations, felt a surge of desire to strangle Noble Consort De.

But hearing those words, his anger turned to fear.

Even his fingers trembled. “Let her in.”

The Chief Eunuch immediately conveyed the order.

Kneeling on the ground, Noble Consort De maintained a dignified expression. The Emperor looked at her, recalling what the Crown Prince had said about her relationship with the Heir of the Duke of Ning and the box she dropped at the banquet. He felt a mixture of anger and discomfort.

But now, fear overrode his anger.

“Speak,” the Emperor said after a long silence.

While the Emperor was silent, Noble Consort De knelt there calmly, showing no trace of fear.

“My maternal aunt lived in the Miao Territory for over a decade. Although she didn’t master Miao techniques, her old maid did. This maid was once a servant in the late Empress’s family but was expelled after making a mistake.”

Noble Consort De’s direct reference to the late Empress and the Miao Territory immediately dispelled the Emperor’s anger.

All that remained was fear and unease.

Why was Noble Consort De bringing this up? What did she know?

The Emperor looked at her with suspicion.

Ignoring his gaze, Noble Consort De continued, “My aunt, who resides in the Marquis of Jingning’s residence on Tongqian Street, reported that the old maid sensed a strong spiritual power emanating from the Fourth Prince. This power was so intense that she felt it from a distance.”

The Emperor’s heart skipped a beat.

The Crown Prince had mentioned finding weapons at the Tongqian Street residence, but not how they were discovered.

Could it be…?

A wild thought sprouted in the Emperor’s mind. “Can the maid sense this power?”

Noble Consort De replied, “Anyone skilled in Miao techniques can sense the spiritual power of their master. This power is controlling; once felt, they must obey. The maid was puzzled as the Fourth Prince displayed spiritual power but issued no commands. She wanted to investigate further, but the Fourth Prince and Crown Prince had already left.”

“How can she be sure it was the Fourth Prince?”

“Only the Fourth Prince ascended the signal tower at that time.”

The mention of the signal tower made the Emperor’s eyelid twitch.

The Crown Prince had only mentioned finding weapons at the bottom of the lake, not the signal tower.

If the Fourth Prince indeed had spiritual power, he would have sensed the weapons under the signal tower. Why didn’t he mention it?

Was Noble Consort De lying, or…?

The Emperor dared not consider the alternative.

“You claim the maid sensed the late Empress’s spiritual power in the Fourth Prince?”

Noble Consort De nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. The urgency of the matter concerning royal bloodlines compelled me to report it immediately.”

“But the Fourth Prince is my son. Are you suggesting I had an illicit relationship with my sister-in-law? The late Empress bore a Princess!”

Noble Consort De knew this.

Looking directly at the Emperor, she said, “Your Majesty, I’ve heard that Miao techniques can swap souls.”

The Emperor was stunned, staring at Noble Consort De in shock.

She explained, “Through secret techniques, two people’s souls and bodies can be exchanged.”

The Emperor suddenly recalled the previous calculations by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

He had suspected they were wrong.

But now, it seemed they might have been right.

If Noble Consort De’s claim was true, then the Fourth Prince’s body contained the soul of the late Empress’s daughter.

A child of the late Empress would indeed conflict with his fate.

So, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was correct?!

The Emperor clenched his fists. “Where is this maid?”

Noble Consort De replied immediately, “She is in my palace. If Your Majesty wishes to see her, I can summon her.”