When she said that he wanted to settle everything, she meant to say that he planned to murder the witnesses to prevent divulgence.
Listening to her, Empress Murong already had some thoughts rooted from how Baili Jia Jue had caught her brother without any mercy.
She had been hoping that something would happen at Baili Jia Jue's side these few days.
A princess consort was trying to produce weapons on a large scale in private.
Empress Murong rolled her eyeballs and said to Su Yan Mo, "You should go back now. I will do you justice."
After hearing that, Su Yan Mo was clear that there was hope. She was relieved but she could not afford to be too relaxed just yet. She had her servants to spy for any news in the palace from time to time.
Although Empress Murong was aware that there must be some tiny motives by Su Yan Mo in this matter but there were too few chances for her to pull Baili Jia Jue down, not to mention the b*stard, Little Seventh Prince. Even though he was young, he never missed a chance to bully her son in the palace. Therefore, the tiger cub who was at Baili Jia Jue's side deserved to be caught! There were many places that he could go yet he chose to follow Baili Jia Jue to the courtyard, nobody asked him to be there at that time!
Empress Murong was immersed in her cruel thoughts. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that she should use this opportunity to vent!
However, she was also clear that she could not be the one to tell on this matter.
The Retired Emperor never liked her. Also, women from the harem should never get involved in matters as such.
Therefore, she did not go to the Retired Emperor. Instead, she decided to spread the words to the ear of the Emperor...
Chapter 368 - Hitting The Empress In The Face
The Emperor spent a large amount of time refining medicine and he was also obsessed with women recently. Therefore, he looked quite weak and low-spirited.
However, due to his condition, he thought a lot about it after the Empress told him a few words.
Since the prince had been eyeing on his throne, he had been impatient and disgusted. After hearing from Empress Murong, without any inspection, he went straight to the Retired Emperor's study room.
The Retired Emperor's anger had yet to vanish. He laughed uncontrollably after listening to the Emperor's words, "So, you're saying that Jue Er is plotting treason to seize your throne? Out of all places, Little Seven went outside the village and he is now caught?"
The Emperor was a mediocre man with a timid personality. He would have never got the throne years ago if he never had his good son.
He was aware that the reason the Retired Emperor supported him in getting the throne was because of his son.
The biggest fear in his life was his father. Although he became the emperor, this fact never changed, he would hide from his father if he had the chance. He would not have come to see the Retired Emperor if the matter was not this serious. However, thinking about it was one thing, meeting him, in reality, was another issue.
Upon listening to the Retired Emperor's words, he started to stutter, "That's not what I meant. What I'm saying is that although Li Meng had been reckless in carrying out his job, it was not all his fault. There has to be someone to investigate the Third Prince for producing weapons…"
Bang!
Without waiting for the Emperor to finish, the Retired Emperor slammed the surface of the table hard. Then, he stood up with disappointment, staring at his son. "Get out of here, now get out of my face!"
Eunuch Sun knew that the Retired Emperor was literally mad by listening to his words.
He looked up and saw that the Retired Emperor was holding his forehead with his hand. He immediately proceeded to hold his master.
Although the Emperor was ordinary, he was not imm.a.t.u.r.e. Looking at the Retired Emperor who was overwhelmed with anger because of him, he panicked and called nervously, "Father, father…"
The Retired Emperor flicked his sleeve and pushed him away. He took a deep breath before he returned to his usual dignified state. His son was the only failure in his whole life.
As an emperor, he was still as disordered as before and he believed in every word he listened to. He was even sticking up to someone else now!
"Let me ask you something, is Little Seven really your son?" The Retired Emperor's voice was filled with anger, "Your son is caught for no reason and yet you're talking on behalf of someone else! I don't think that your soft personality is your only problem, you're totally fatuous and useless!"
The Emperor's face paled as he did not have the guts to rebut anything the Retired Emperor had said.
The Retired Emperor calmed his breath and smiled wryly, "I'm not going to say anything about you occupying yourself with medicine. Why do you bother yourself with this matter today? Tell me, is this because of the empress you've chosen for yourself whispered something to you?"
"I just thought that this weapon issue might not be trivial." The Emperor licked his lips and started explaining, "I'm not trying to speak for anybody. I'm just worried if the Third Prince is having other foul intentions."
The Retired Emperor was enraged again, "If he had such intentions, your seat on the throne would've been long gone! Who has been the one defending outside all these years so that the four influential families never acted on anything? The War Dragon Empire would've been long gone if we depended solely on you! And yet you still have the privilege to refine medicine? Emperor, have some wits!"
Looking at the Retired Emperor's cold gaze, the Emperor did not say anything further.
The Retired Emperor did not stop there. Based on the fact that someone encouraged the Emperor to tell on Jue Er to him, it was clear that someone wanted to frame Jue Er.
The weapons were prepared under his order and he requested Wei Wei to handle it.
He even had his men to guard near the courtyard.
Even under this situation, information was still spread.
His most loved youngest grandson was caught and his third grandson was framed for nothing!
He thought that perhaps Jue Er's arrogant acts were disrespectful and ins.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to the elders.
Now that he looked at it, each of these elders wanted his two grandsons to die in vain.
Great, that's remarkable!
"Eunuch Sun, get the empress here!" the Retired Emperor threw the booklet in his hand to the ground. His eyes were cold as ice, causing the eunuchs and maids in the palace to shudder.
When the empress heard that the Retired Emperor asked for her presence, she looked at the Emperor's pale face and her heart jolted. However, she was not aware that the weapons were produced under the Retired Emperor's order. She was certain that Helian Wei Wei had the guts to produce such huge amount of weapons because there was someone instructing behind her!
"You're right, there is indeed someone instructing behind Wei Wei," The Retired Emperor looked at the empress who was trying hard to prove that Helian Wei Wei was guilty and smiled wryly, "That person is not anyone else but me!"
Wh-what?
The empress felt her legs turning into jelly, her previous bl.u.s.ter gone. Panicked, she went to meet the Emperor quickly.
The Emperor was stunned.
Things were turning out different than what they expected. They were not expecting that the large batch of weapons was produced under the Retired Emperor's instruction.
"Go and get the secret papers with my order for that id*ot to have a read!" The Retired Emperor instructed Eunuch Sun at his side without bothering his usual etiquette. He wanted to push the Emperor outside and beat him up.
Reading the inked words on the piece of white paper on an envelope, the color drained from the Emperor's face and his fingers started trembling.
The Retired Emperor glanced at the empress, "I was the one who instructed them to produce the weapons. Am I plotting to seize your throne too, huh?"
The teacup fell right beside the empress. She was terrified, hence she
started shivering in fear. She was too afraid to look up.
"You got yourself involved in political matters. Murong Yan Er, is this what your father taught you?"
By listening to the Retired Emperor calling out her full name, the empress knew that things were bad.
Then, she heard the Retired Emperor letting out a contemptuous remark, "I'm giving the order that the empress had immoral behavior and intended to set the prince up. From today onward, she will be struck off her title as the empress and be banished to the Cold Palace!"
"Retired Emperor, you can't do this. I'm the daughter of Emperor Murong, you can't do this to me!" Murong Yan Er finally panicked and said something that she never should.
The Retired Emperor was infuriated, "You're pressuring me with Emperor Murong? Great, how awesome! Emperor Murong has such a great daughter. Take her away immediately!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The shadow guards dragged the empress in an instance.
The Empress cried and bellowed; she never stopped calling for the Emperor.
The Emperor wanted to plead for her but he stopped as he saw the Retired Emperor rubbing his temples as if he was thoroughly disappointed. He looked at him and said, "You should leave too. Go back and think about what the wicked empress you've chosen did!"
Chapter 369 - His Highness And Wei Wei
At this moment, the Emperor did not dare to say more, hence he chose to leave immediately.
In the General's residence.
The smile on Su Yan Mo's face slowly faded, it seemed as if she could never get a rest from receiving bad news.
Logically, the decision would be made soon on the Empress' side.
However, there had been no news whatsoever since she started waiting, not to mention the fact that the people she sent out had disappeared as well.
A bad feeling began brewing in Su Yan Mo's heart, dampened her hands with cold sweat.
At this point in time, the butler who helped her manage everything on the outside rushed in hurriedly, his face revealed a sense of frazzledness. "Mis… Mistress, our stores have all been shut down for investigation and… and those officials that are connected to us have all… all been arrested."
The butler was panting as he said it, but all Su Yan Mo could feel now was thunderstruck.
She rushed out quickly to ask around and found out that there had really been a lot of people who were arrested.
Not only had those small officials who were barely related to her being arrested, but even her connections buried within the Su family were being investigated.
Thus, Su Yan Mo went into a panicked and frenzied mode as she cracked her head to look for money to patch up the monetary black hole, being extremely careful to prevent from being discovered.
What frustrated her more was the fact that despite the amount of money she offered up, no one wanted to help her get the job done. This was a situation that had never occurred before.
Su Yan Mo thought that she could only rely on Helian Guang Yao in the following days. Yet, as it turned out, Helian Guang Yao rarely came back during this period of time.
Well, he used to come up with an excuse for his absence, now he merely let people send word back and sometimes, not even a word was conveyed.
Su Yan Mo was extremely anxious deep down, but there was nothing she could do except watching those people getting arrested.
Su Yan Mo comforted herself, telling herself that nothing was settled yet.
With Li Meng's personality, he would not rat her out.
Even if she were to be implicated, Helian Wei Wei's crime would be way more serious than hers.
She did not need to worry so much.
However, Su Yan Mo did not know that her so-called 'crime' did not exist at all…
At night, in the prison.
Li Meng had never suffered so much before. Initially, he had thought that he would be rescued out in no time.
Yet, half a day had passed and there was no news from the outside at all.
Even the situation beforehand where he was being beaten up was still better than the current situation.
The unfamiliar sense of panic and terror caused his forehead to drench with cold sweat.
"Young Mistress, let's go in and beat him up again. We can't just let him off the hook by waiting like this." Da Xiong fiddled with his fingers indignantly as he stood by Helian Wei Wei.
However, Helian Wei Wei merely laughed lightly, "Don't worry, treating him like this will make him suffer even more than just beating him up."
"Really?" Da Xiong did not understand how sitting there properly would lead to suffering.
Helian Wei Wei's lips curved slightly as she listened to the activity inside with her arms crossed against her c.h.e.s.t. "According to expert analysis, if someone is thrown into an unfamiliar environment for a long period of time under the exposure of bright lights with no one to talk to and no way to obtain information from the outside, it'll make this person insecure. Of course, insecurity is just the first step. In the long-run, this person will feel as if everything isn't right and will then have a mental breakdown."
As soon as Helian Wei Wei finished speaking, Da Xiong heard a shout echoed through the atmosphere from the jail.
Li Meng could not take it anymore. He held his head with a pale face and lips that were cracked from dehydration. "I'll confess, I'll confess everything."
Da Xiong's eyes widened as he glanced at Helian Wei Wei, thinking to himself, how is this even remotely possible?
He would never know that the interrogation method Helian Wei Wei used was one used by the highest-ranking professionals in America's Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was a famous psychological tactic.
It was not just Da Xiong, even the jailers were in awe of Helian Wei Wei's method. It was unbelievable that she had got him to open his mouth without even doing anything.
Helian Wei Wei took her time as she walked slowly toward Li Meng to sit in front of him and said indolently, "So tell me, how did you know the address of the siheyuan?"
"It was Madam Su, Madam Su told me," said Li Meng with red eyes, "She said that you have made a batch of weapons and the production site was outside of town. If I could track down this batch of weapons, I could make a great contribution. After all, privately producing weapons is a great crime of rebellion!"
Helian Wei Wei glanced at him plainly and kept quiet.
Li Meng who had been locked up like this for a few hours was close to his breaking point, he did not know what Helian Wei Wei meant to do.
In fact, he felt that this person was harder to deal with than any of the officials he had encountered before.
Was she still that useless anthomaniac?
Li Meng watched her narrowed her eyes slowly. Fearing that Helian Wei Wei would think his confession useless and continue to lock him up like this, he immediately snitched on all the spies and subordinates that the Su family had embedded in the city for many years.
This time, it did not just include Su Yan Mo.
Even that sly old fox, Prime Minister Su's forces that were planted with great effort in the city had met with huge damage where all useful sources were weeded out!
"Young Mistress, you're really impressive!" Da Xiong had witnessed the whole process and was rendered somewhat speechless. Currently, he had fully accepted their new head of the house with absolute admiration.
With Li Meng's confession in her hands, Helian Wei Wei smiled with an aura of mischief, "I've said it before, I'll weed out anyone who dares to bully people on my domain from their roots itself."
Li Meng had well and truly fallen this time because of his stupidity.
He would never know Helian Wei Wei kept quiet because she was waiting for him to speak.
The more he talked, the more loopholes that appeared.
This was a psychological battle.
The quieter Helian Wei Wei became, the more panicked Li Meng would become as he would think that Helian Wei Wei knew everything. Naturally, that ended up
in him telling on even the things that he could have kept secret.
Baili Jia Jue watched this scene unfold absentmindedly, waiting for her to finish the interrogation before throwing her a dull glance, "Come with me."
Helian Wei Wei raised her eyebrows and followed Baili Jia Jue to a corner, but with a single turn, he trapped her in the corner, "Your method of interrogation is indeed interesting."
"I only learned it after joining the Battle Spirit Forces." Helian Wei Wei's answer came smoothly.
Baili Jia Jue's eyes contained something like a smile as he looked down at her, "Oh really?"
"Yep." Helian Wei Wei wondered if he had discovered something. Bearing the risk of being burnt at the stake by His Highness for being mistaken as a monster as she went about her daily life was really a test to her acting skills.
Baili Jia Jue smiled indifferently and said appreciatively, "It's not a bad method, destroying the prey from inside out."
Helian Wei Wei laughed lowly, people who were appreciative of such an interrogative method were just perverted.
"The only thing is, it wasn't done thoroughly enough." Baili Jia Jue's fingers c.a.r.e.s.sed her small face, feeling the smooth and cold skin that was akin to a piece of jade. With a few touches, he no longer cared about her brushing him off, "If you had told him that Su Yan Mo would never have bailed him out and wanted to make him her scapegoat, he would have broken down even more."
Chapter 370 - The Su Family Asked For It
Helian Wei Wei was at a loss for words.
Well, it's such a shady way of tearing relationsh.i.p.s apart. She really was not a match for him.
"Your Highness, are you teaching me how to be a toxic and evil woman?" Did he not say that he hated evil women with ulterior motives? Why was he teaching her this?
Baili Jia Jue did not answer her but instead, rubbed the pad of his fingers against the mark he left on her neck, watching with satisfaction as Helian Wei Wei trembled slightly.
The Anarchic Consort c1-1376 Page 164
