Chapter 28 He Is Under Suspicion
Chapter 28 He Is Under Suspicion
Yuan Qingling figured out something wasn’t right from his expression.
“You’re the target? You were on the Glory Tower?”
Yu Wenhao didn't answer. He sat down slowly and looked at Lucky's poor look, he had fury surging up
inside him.
"The mastermind plans to kill two birds with one stone. Both my grandfather and I will be trapped," Yu
Wenhao sneered.
After a short silence, Yuan Qingling looked at him and said, “Even if His Majesty isn’t affected, I’m
afraid you’ll still be trapped, Your Highness. It’s a very strange accident. His Majesty, the Emperor, will
sure investigate it. If so, Your Highness, you can be in serious trouble. Your father may not blame you,
but your grandfather will certainly be disappointed in you.”
Yuan Qingling actually didn’t say the last sentence aloud.
It was that it would be impossible for Yu Wenhao to be the crowned prince.
Yu Wenhao remained silent for a long time. With a frown, his eyes were as cold as ice.
He seemed very scary like that, and Yuan Qingling didn’t dare to bother him.
In fact, she had no interest in those complicated schemes.
However, as Yu Wenhao’s wife, she would be affected, so she still asked, “Um, in addition to you, who
else was on the Glory Tower?”
Yu Wenhao abruptly raised his head and said harshly, “What are you implying?”
“Chu Mingcui!” Yuan Qingling blurted it out.
“Shut your mouth!” Yu Wenhao got angry. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Yuan Qingling had no intention of arguing against him right when he was mad. She sat by Lucky,
stroking its fur, and said in a flat voice, “Your Highness, go to see His Majesty now. After His Majesty
wakes up, your father will surely give an order to do a thorough investigation. I think you better be
there.”
Yu Wenhao left, wearing a cold face.
Staring at Lucky, Yuan Qingling let out a long sigh. Since someone wanted to harm Lucky, she alone
wouldn’t be able to protect him. The mastermind could easily force her out and kill Lucky. The only
chance for Lucky to survive is to stay with the Retired Emperor.
She wrapped Lucky in a brocade quilt, carried it up, and went to the Universe Palace.
It was the Retired Emperor who ordered to do a thorough investigation about Lucky’s accident.
The Retired Emperor was very clear about Lucky's habits. Lucky was afraid of heights. Its legs even
trembled when it went down the stone ladder. It was impossible to go up to the Glory Tower or jump
down from it.
Because of that, once the Retired Emperor woke up, he gave an order to carry out a thorough
investigation. After Emperor Mingyuan came and learned the situation, he got furious too and ordered
the young eunuch who was responsible for taking care of Lucky to be flogged twenty times.
The person responsible for the thorough investigation was Gu Si, the Deputy Head of Imperial Guards.
There weren’t many people in the Universe Palace, so the oral confession was soon finished.
All testimonies targeted Yu Wenhao.
Someone witnessed that it was Yu Wenhao who carried Lucky to the Glory Tower.
“Summon Prince Wenhao!” Emperor Mingyuan looked very bleak.
As soon as Yu Wenhao arrived, he heard the groan of Emperor Mingyuan.
He had a premonition. Before Gu Si came, he strode inside.
In the room, Prince Rui, Prince Wenqing, Prince Wenjun, and other princes were all gathered. The
Queen and Chu Mingcui were standing beside the Queen Mother. The Retired Emperor was sitting half
upright on the bed. No one could tell his mood from his expression. Eunuch Chang was holding a
teacup by the bed.
“Your Highness!” Gu Si stepped forward with mixed emotions. “Did you bring Lucky to the Glory Tower
today?”
Yu Wenhao was silent for a while, then slowly nodded. “Yes.”
Upon hearing that, Emperor Mingyuan was mad. “Why did you bring Lucky to the Glory Tower?”
After another while of silence, Yu Wenhao replied, “I felt bored, so I wanted to go to the Glory Tower for
some fresh air. Lucky followed me. I carried it up without thinking too much.”
“Did Lucky follow you down when you leave the Glory Tower, Your Highness?” Gu Si asked.
Yu Wenhao shook his head. “I didn’t notice.”
“You are a smart man, and you know how much your grandfather loves Lucky. Why didn’t you notice?”
Emperor Mingyuan asked a very difficult question. It was obvious that he was implying Yu Wenhao
normally played with the dog simply to please the Retired Emperor. The atmosphere in the palace
became tense.
Even the Queen Mother was struck dumb for a second.
She said, “Alright, it’s just a dog. You don’t need to be so critical of your son. Even if Wenhao brought it
up the tower, I don’t think he threw it down. After all, Wenhao and Lucky were getting along very well.”
The Queen Mother had no idea about Emperor Mingyuan’s other thoughts. She only felt that he was
making a big fuss over a minor issue. It was just a dog. He could do a perfunctory investigation to
please the Retired Emperor. It wasn’t necessary to criticize Yu Wenhao, especially right in front of so
many people.
Seeing Emperor Mingyuan was still mad in silence, the Queen Mother turned to the Retired Emperor.
“Your Majesty, say something now. Lucky already passed away. You can’t punish a prince for a dog.”
The Retired Emperor, however, stared at Yu Wenhao. “After you left, who else was on the Glory
Tower?”
Yu Wenhao hesitated for a second, then he replied, “No one else, grandfather.”
When Yuan Qingling walked in, she heard the Retired Emperor’s question and Yu Wenhao’s answer.
She was almost sure that there must be someone else there.
And the person was someone Yu Wenhao wanted to protect.
Yuan Qingling glanced at Chu Mingcui and saw her standing by the Queen's side with her hands down.
Chu Mingcui blinked when she heard Yu Wenhao's answer.
Eunuch Chang had acute sight, and he saw Yuan Qingling holding a piece of silk quilt. The quilt was
Lucky’s. Now it was stained with blood, so Eunuch Chang was a little displeased. What was this
princess doing? Didn’t she know the Retired Emperor was sad about Lucky’s death now? Why is she
bringing in Lucky's bloody quilt? Wasn’t she afraid the Retired Emperor would faint again in sadness?
He rushed ahead, trying to stop Yuan Qingling, but it was too late and Yuan Qingling was already in the
room.
Other people also saw her and the quilt she was holding.
Emperor Mingyuan was angrier. Right when he was about to scold Yuan Qingling, Yuan Qingling
greeted them with a bow. “Your Majesty, Your Highness, I’ve treated Lucky. But he’s not awake yet. I
was concerned that Your Majesty will be worried about him, so I carry it over.”
The Retired Emperor’s eyes lit up at once, and he said in a hurry, “Come here, now!”
Yuan Qingling walked to the bed and put Lucky down on the ground. Lucky wasn’t awake, but it was
breathing.
The Retired Emperor leaned forward and took a look, then he asked Yuan Qingling, "How is its injury?
Why is it sleeping?"
"It should be fine now. I helped it take medicine for internal injuries. I asked His Highness for it," she
said as she looked back at Yu Wenhao.
Chu Mingcui opened her mouth at this moment, "What medicine can save the dying Lucky’s life?"
Yuan Qingling turned around to stare at Chu Mingcui, then she said, “The Herbal Pill. His Highness
said Lucky is His Majesty’s love. So he gave the Herbal Pill to Lucky to see whether he could survive.”
Knowing that, the Queen Mother exclaimed and looked at Yu Wenhao accusingly. “How could you be
so silly? You only have one Herbal Pill. It’s so rare that you didn’t take it yourself. How could you give it
to Lucky?”
Yu Wenhao gave Yuan Qingling an eye hint, while Yuan Qingling seemed very calm standing there.
He said gently, “Well, I saw grandfather got sick again because of Lucky, so I...”
He saved Lucky with his Herbal Pill, which evidently implied that he didn’t harm Lucky.
Emperor Mingyuan’s expression softened a little. Seeing that, Prince Rui said, “Perhaps after Lucky
went on the Glory Tower, it accidentally jumped out of the guardrails and fell.”
Emperor Mingyuan found this answer acceptable, mostly because he saw the Retired Emperor’s face
change.
The Retired Emperor seemed to tend to end this drama.
He said, “Gu Si, carry Lucky out now.”
The Retired Emperor waved his hand and stopped Emperor Mingyuan. “No need. Let it stay with me to
heal. Qingling, you can continue to take care of me in the palace. As for the others, you can leave
now.”