Chapter 331 Beautiful Spider Spirit VS Cold and Ascetic Monk 35
The night was as dark as ink, deep and peaceful, and the lights in the palace were dim.

In the imperial study, the flickering candlelight illuminated Emperor Xuanwu's furrowed brow and the memorial clenched in his hand.

At this moment, Yueying appeared quietly. He stood in front of the imperial desk and knelt respectfully. "Your Majesty, Yueying has something to report."

Emperor Xuanwu raised his head, his eyes piercing through the candlelight and shooting straight into the moonlight. "Didn't I order you to secretly follow Master Xuanji's whereabouts? Why did you suddenly come back? Is there any news?"

Yueying nodded slightly, raised her head and looked at Emperor Xuanwu, her tone excited, "Your Majesty, Yueying did make an important discovery. I followed Master Xuanji all the way to Linjia Village, and only then did I find out that Yunyan was hiding in Linjia Village and got married and had a child. Master Xuanji and Yunyan talked for a long time in the house, and I overheard some key points."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanwu paused the red brush in his hand, and ink drops splashed on the memorial, but he was completely unaware of it.

He stared at Yueying and asked anxiously, "Go on."

Yueying took a deep breath and, not daring to hide anything, told the whole story exactly as she had heard it.

When Emperor Xuanwu heard that Xuanji was the son born to him and the concubine, he was very excited. He thought he was dead, but unexpectedly he was still alive and had become a great monk.

"Yueying, is this absolutely true? Is there any mistake about Master Xuanji's identity?"

Although he was so excited that he could hardly control himself, this matter was of great importance, so he asked in a deep voice.

Yueying nodded seriously, "Your Majesty, although I was hiding in the dark at the time, I saw with my own eyes that Master Xuanji took out a dragon-patterned jade pendant, which was exactly the same as the dragon-patterned jade pendant worn by the princes in the palace. The crown prince also had a similar one."

Emperor Xuanwu felt mixed emotions, including the joy of having his son back, and anger at the past. "My concubine didn't die of childbirth difficulties, but was killed by a bowl of ginseng soup."

At this point, his voice was choked with sobs.

"Where's Yunyan? Where is she?"

Emperor Xuanwu changed the subject and asked again.

Yueying said truthfully: "Yunyan was brought back by my subordinates and is currently imprisoned in the dungeon."

"Take me to the dungeon."

Emperor Xuanwu frowned and said that he wanted to ask about what happened in person.

As soon as he finished speaking, he had already left the dragon throne and was just reaching the door.

He suddenly remembered something and ordered Yueying, "Hurry up and send someone to Wanfo Temple to verify whether the baby is really Xuanji."

Although this matter is almost certain, it still needs to be confirmed that the royal bloodline cannot be mixed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Yueying accepted the order respectfully.

He raised his hand and called someone over, asking him to go to Wanfo Temple to verify it immediately.

Afterwards, he took Emperor Xuanwu to the dungeon to see Yunyan.

Inside the dungeon, the candlelight was dim, the light and shadows were mottled, and the air was filled with dampness and mold.

Yunyan was imprisoned in a dark cell, wearing tattered clothes and looking haggard.

When she saw Emperor Xuanwu and Yueying, she was slightly startled, then lowered her head, as if she had expected them to come.

"Yunyan, raise your head."

Emperor Xuanwu stopped in front of Yunyan and spoke in a low and majestic voice.

Yunyan slowly raised her head and her eyes met with Emperor Xuanwu. At that moment, it seemed as if she had traveled through twenty years and returned to the time when she was still in the palace.

She said in a hoarse voice: "Your Majesty, you are finally here."

"Tell me, what happened back then?"

Emperor Xuanwu's eyes were as sharp as a knife, as if they could penetrate Yunyan's heart and look directly into the deeply hidden secret.

Yunyan knew that Emperor Xuanwu would ask, so she calmly told him the story.

"Your Majesty, this is the truth of the matter. Although I don't know who killed the Imperial Concubine, I have always had a guess for many years that this matter is definitely related to the Empress."

Emperor Xuanwu frowned, "Empress? Why?"

Yunyan smiled with a pale face, "The Emperor loves His Majesty so much, but on the eve of the birth, He was trapped and could not return to the palace. And who suggested that the Empress Dowager go to Mount Wutai to pray for blessings? And who ordered to save the child instead of the adult? The Empress eventually died of heavy bleeding?"

She looked directly into Emperor Xuanwu's eyes and said excitedly:

"It's not wrong for the Emperor to dote on the Empress, but it's wrong for the Emperor to not know how to protect the Empress. Your doting is like a sharp knife coated with honey to the Empress. There are so many women in the harem, and the Empress is also your wife, but you treat them like air and don't even bother to look at them. You only have eyes for the Empress. Have you ever thought about their feelings?"

Yunyan's tears fell, she was extremely emotional, and even her voice became sharp, "In fact, it was the emperor who killed the queen. It was your love that killed her."

She didn't know where she got the courage from. She just felt a lot of anger in her heart, and she felt very uncomfortable if she didn't say it out.

"Is it me who killed the imperial concubine?"

After hearing Yunyan's words, Emperor Xuanwu turned pale, staggered a few steps, and his body was shaky, as if he could not stand steadily, with a look of pain and regret.

"Your Majesty, are you okay?"

Yueying, who was following behind, was startled and hurriedly reached out to hold him, fearing that he would fall. "I'm fine..."

Emperor Xuanwu shook his head and looked at Yunyan again, his voice a little hoarse: "Even if I am wrong, the person who harmed the imperial concubine must not go unpunished. Yunyan, do you have any evidence pointing to the queen?"

Yunyan was silent for a moment, then slowly shook her head: "Your Majesty, I don't have any solid evidence, it's just speculation over the years. But in the events of that year, many doubts do point to the Empress."

Emperor Xuanwu frowned and fell into deep thought.

Yueying suddenly stepped forward and said softly, "Your Majesty, the evidence from the Wanfo Temple has not yet come back, and the Crown Prince has also gone to investigate the matter. It is better to wait until we have more clues before making a decision."

Emperor Xuanwu nodded slightly, his eyes fell on Yunyan again: "You saved my son's life, I will not treat you unfairly, but I can't let you go for now, you stay in prison first, after this matter is over, I will let you go."

After saying that, he turned and left the dungeon, with Yueying following closely behind him.

Returning to the imperial study, Emperor Xuanwu was in a state of unrest.

He recalled his past with the imperial concubine, and felt sad, angry, and deeply remorseful.

"Yueying, send someone to secretly investigate the queen's every move. Don't let any clues go."

Emperor Xuanwu had a fierce expression and an icy cold voice.

Yueying respectfully accepted the order: "Yes, Your Majesty."

After saying this, he withdrew respectfully and quickly began to arrange an investigation into the queen.

Emperor Xuanwu was alone in his imperial study, deep in thought. He recalled the gentleness and kindness of the imperial concubine when she was alive, and the loving time they had once shared, and felt more and more sad and remorseful.

On this side, Lin Youwei failed to catch up with Xuan Ji after all, so he simply went to Wanfo Temple for help.

After leaving Linjia Village, Xuan Ji did not return to Wanfo Temple, but went straight to Lianhua County.

I've been away for so long, I wonder how she and her two children are doing?

As he thought about it, the corners of his mouth slightly raised and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

After several days of traveling, Xuan Ji finally returned to Lianhua County. He was exhausted and his steps were hurried, but he could not hide the longing for home in his heart.

"Uncle Zhou, I'm back."

Xuan Ji knocked lightly on the door, with a look of barely perceptible eagerness.

Zhou Bo came out upon hearing the voice, opened the door, and saw Xuan Ji. He couldn't hide the panic in his eyes, and said nervously: "Master, didn't you go to the capital? How come you are so soon..."

His words came out in a halting manner, as if he was searching for the right words.

The lady has been having a hot affair with Master Dugu these past few days, making love day and night. The intense noises make even his old bones blush and his heart beat fast.

Master Xuan Ji came back at this time...

Xuan Ji keenly noticed Zhou Bo's abnormality and frowned slightly, "Zhou Bo, is there any change in your family? Why do you look so panicked?"

Zhou Bo quickly shook his head, his expression becoming more and more panicked, "It's okay, it's okay..."

He looked embarrassed and sweaty, but he didn't dare to speak directly, so he could only say vaguely: "Madam...she is busy at the moment, I'm afraid it's not convenient for her to see you."

Although Xuan Ji had some doubts in his heart, he thought that Yao'er had to take care of the children and run the store business, so he didn't think much about it and said, "Then I'll go see the children first."

After saying this, he walked into the house and went straight to Yu Yao's room.

The child had always lived with her, so he instinctively went there.

When Zhou Bo saw Master Xuan Ji heading towards the lady's yard, he was frightened to the point of trembling with fear.

Madam is currently doing something with Master Dugu in the room. She hasn't come out for a long time. I don't know how young people can be so energetic.

If Master Xuan Ji went there at this time, the situation would be out of control.

Zhou Bo looked panicked, and quickly stepped forward to hold him, reminding him unnaturally: "Master... the young master and the young lady are in the old woman's room now, and the old woman is watching them?"

Xuan Ji was slightly startled, but didn't think much about it. He just thought that Yao'er had gone out for something and left the child to be taken care of by Aunt Zhou.

He turned around and walked towards Aunt Zhou's residence.

Seeing this, Zhou Bo breathed a sigh of relief and secretly prayed that his wife could end the affair as soon as possible.

He thought about it and decided to give a reminder.

But just as he reached the gate of the lady's yard, he heard a loud noise coming from inside, the sound made him blush and his heart beat fast.

His old face turned red, and he had to bite the bullet and walk into the yard. The sounds inside became clearer and clearer.

He was so embarrassed that he didn't even know what to do with his hands and feet.

"Ahem... Madam, Master Xuan Ji is back."

He knocked on the door lightly and whispered a reminder to the inside.