Chapter 691 - 507: Ye Shengyuan Panics

No one knew the Crown Prince came and then left, only staying in Dongshan for one day and one night.

But the Crown Prince’s official residence remained in Dongshan.

It’s just that the people had left.

The guards did not leave, not because the Crown Prince did not trust them, but because starting from the leader down, nearly everyone was injured, and they simply couldn’t leave.

If they forced themselves to travel, they might not even make it halfway before succumbing to their injuries, and it would also delay the Crown Prince’s journey.

As for the "plague" outbreak, it was progressing positively, with the number of cases showing a steep decline, indicating that the five-day extension of the ban had an excellent effect.

By the fifteenth day, those neighborhoods that did not report any new cases would have their bans lifted, while areas where cases continued to emerge, especially severe ones, would continue to enforce strict lockdown measures.

From comprehensive lockdown to focused control.

The workload significantly decreased, and more and more patients were recovering, with the number of deaths gradually reducing as well.

Once critical cases were discovered in the city, they were all transferred to the Xue Family Manor outside the city.

The situation was developing in a favorable direction.

At that moment, the deputy of the investigation’s Imperial Envoy, Cui Xiang, Mr. Cui of the Ministry of Justice, unexpectedly contracted the "plague" and was sent for isolation treatment.

During the "plague" transmission period, there were cases of infection among people from the Imperial Envoy’s entourage, but not many, and most were isolated upon discovery.

However, this "plague" has an incubation period, as short as seven to eight days, and as long as ten days or more. Mr. Cui may have been infected much earlier, but the incubation period was too long, and the symptoms hadn’t manifested yet.

As a result, everyone who had close contact with Cui Xiang was isolated. This measure effectively controlled Cui Xiang and his subordinates.

Isolation meant cutting off all external contact.

Cui Xiang currently has no way to communicate with the outside world, let alone interfere with the conclusion of the investigation into the "Xue Family Manor" case.

This case, due to the assassination by the Green Blade Sect’s Sect Leader, Shen Yidao, the Ye Shengyuan family could not withstand further accusations.

Ye Shengyuan was from a local family in Dongshan; people might believe he conspired with the Green Blade Sect for smuggling, but to say he dared to order the Green Blade Sect to assassinate the Crown Prince?

Would he dare to admit to such a crime?

This would be a capital crime leading to the destruction of the entire clan, and it wouldn’t just be his own family that would suffer—the entire Ye Family in Dongshan would be doomed.

Sometime before the new year, Shen Yidao attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince. At that time, the Xue Family Manor case hadn’t yet unfolded. What was the motive for Green Blade Sect’s assassination, and what benefit would it bring?

Did someone hire the killer, or was there an order given to him?

At least Ye Shengyuan did not have such capabilities.

If not Ye Shengyuan, then who would be most suspect? It must be Marquis Lingyang, as everyone knew of the connection between the Green Blade Sect and Marquis Lingyang.

Marquis Lingyang was Consort Xue’s brother, King Qi’s uncle. Should the Crown Prince die, King Qi would naturally become the sole candidate for Crown Prince.

Marquis Lingyang had every motive to order the Green Blade Sect to assassinate the Crown Prince, especially since during the first assassination attempt, the Green Blade Sect’s Sect Leader Shen Yidao collaborated with the Blood Fiend, masking their identities, clearly not wanting to expose themselves.

Originally, Su Mobai intended to feign ignorance and go along with the Emperor’s wishes, sparing Marquis Lingyang, but now that was impossible.

Marquis Lingyang was too audacious, daring to order the Green Blade Sect to assassinate the Crown Prince, which was beyond his limits.

The struggle for the throne between the Crown Prince and King Qi was acceptable, but employing assassination to achieve unspeakable goals was not.

Having read the classics all his life, Su Mobai could not accept this.

Marquis Lingyang’s actions had crossed a line and must be severely punished.

Therefore, he agreed with Pei Jian that Marquis Lingyang was the primary culprit and included this determination in the conclusion of the "Xue Family Manor" case.

Of course, the only one who disagreed was Cui Xiang, the Ministry of Justice’s aide.

Once this case file’s conclusion was submitted, the outcome for Marquis Lingyang in prison would be predictable.

...

In the death cell of Dongshan Prefecture.

Prisoners thrown in here were never heard of leaving whole; if not dead, they would be severely injured.

Ye Shengyuan was placed here, sealing his fate as a miserable one.

The crimes he committed were far too severe, leaving him with no chance of survival—smuggling, colluding with the enemy, and even admitting to being the "mastermind." Not even the Emperor could save him.

If an Emperor could tolerate someone undermining his own rule, how foolish and deluded would he have to be?

Thus, he had resigned himself to his fate in prison.

Since survival was impossible, there was no point in dwelling on other matters, appearing very calm—eating and drinking as usual.

Such prisoners were quite rare.

The interrogation had ended, and he had signed off on the necessary confessions, now just waiting for execution in autumn or for the Emperor’s decree to directly execute him.

Throughout, he never thought Marquis Lingyang would save him. This matter was beyond Marquis Lingyang’s own ability to escape unscathed; hoping for rescue was hopeless unless King Qi ascended to Crown Prince, which was too remote a possibility.

In contrast, Marquis Lingyang’s wife’s plan seemed easier to achieve.

Protecting Marquis Lingyang equated to protecting his wife, ensuring their son’s survival. He Yun would never divulge the secret—not due to their affair, but because He Yun needed their son to consolidate her power and status.

Mr. Xue was incapacitated, but their child would continue living under the guise of being Mr. Xue’s son.

In the future, this son would inherit the title of Marquis Lingyang...

Ye Shengyuan’s bloodline would continue in this manner.