Upon receiving the news, s.h.i.+ Yongyan was nearly entertained by her father-in-law's naive behavior.
Could he truly be so arrogant as to compel her husband to seek medicinal supplies and physicians from the imperial palace? Did he genuinely believe that the Emperor remained unaware of the situation?
The Emperor's network of spies spanned across the Divine Province. His Highness the Crown Prince was on the verge of mercilessly beating Mo Xikang's useless brother to within an inch of his life. How could the Emperor not be informed?
The Emperor's silence until this point conveyed a clear message – he was indifferent.
Su He's quest to complain to the Emperor was an exercise in futility. What could he possibly complain about? Inform His Majesty that his son had battered our Su family's child to the brink of death?
Such a notion was absurd and nonsensical in the extreme.
Two black-clad men stood before s.h.i.+ Yongyan.
"Proceed," s.h.i.+ Yongyan declared indifferently. She set down the porcelain cup she held onto the table, her eyes glinting with cold resolve.
The two Imperial Guards, trained by the s.h.i.+ Clan, were exceptionally obedient to s.h.i.+ Yongyan.
The two of them covertly arrived at the Hua Courtyard and peered through a window into the side room. Inside, they witnessed Madam Liang tending to her son, weeping by his bedside.
Su He and Su Xitao had already departed, and Zheng Prince was likely in his study.
One of the guards projected a burst of spiritual energy from his fingertip, causing Madam Liang to faint. Subsequently, they entered the room through the window, where they found Su Xihua struggling for his final breath on the bed.
The two Imperial Guards exchanged a knowing nod, and one of them moved quickly. He pulled up the brocade quilt that covered Su Xihua and forcefully pressed it against his face.
The guard held Su Xihua's face in a vice-like grip, initiating a brief struggle from Su Xihua. Initially, Su Xihua remained motionless, but gradually, he began to fight back.
Having already sustained severe burns and intermittent breathing, Su Xihua's life had been artificially extended by physicians. But in this moment, with the brocade covering his face, he was unable to draw breath.
Su Xihua struggled in the grip of the guard for less than a minute before becoming completely powerless.
After two more minutes, the s.h.i.+ Clan guards recognized that their comrades were no longer moving and decided to release their hold. They placed two fingers on Su Xihua's neck to ascertain his condition before nodding at each other.
Soon after reporting back, Mo Xikang arrived at the standard cla.s.s courtyard in search of s.h.i.+ Yongyan, accompanied by a young servant named Embroidered Pouch. In a fit of anger, Mo Xikang kicked a small coffee table beside him upon entering and shouted, "s.h.i.+ Yongyan, did you do this to Ah Hua?"
s.h.i.+ Yongyan stared at the man before her with a cold expression.
The Zheng Prince Consort was not blessed with extraordinary looks. Her narrow and slightly sunken forehead, pointed nose, and relatively large mouth gave her a stern and ruthless appearance. It was clear that she was not an attractive wife by any standard.
Without the s.h.i.+ Clan's wealth and influence, Zheng Prince would never have married her. Throughout their three years of marriage, they had maintained a polite distance from each other.
This marked the first instance of an altercation between them. Mo Xikang examined her face, his eyes revealing a hint of irritation and revulsion.
"s.h.i.+ Yongyan, are you out of your mind?"
"Am I the one who's lost my mind, or is it you, Your Highness, who is wishy-washy?"