Regardless of the Emperor’s intentions, he admired Eunuch Zheng’s character.
Eunuch Zheng was probably the only person in the vast palace who could maintain his impartiality and speak up when the Emperor did something wrong.
When Eunuch Zheng heard Prince Lei Ting’s words, his face paled.
However, it only lasted for a moment. His expression relaxed, and he smiled at the prisoner’s cart covered by the black cloth.
“I’ll have to trouble Your Highness’s men to escort Prince Lei Ting to the Court of Judicial Review with my people.”
Qian Jiyun smiled and turned to look at the soldiers he had brought.
“The group of you must personally escort Prince Lei Ting to the prison of the Court of Judicial Review,” he instructed.
The soldiers replied, “Yes, Your Highness.”
They were most willing to take a traitor like Prince Lei Ting away under escort.
They were even more delighted when a young eunuch ordered them to remove the black cloth from the prisoner’s cart after Qian Jiyun followed Eunuch Zheng into the palace.
It seemed like the Emperor hated Prince Lei Ting to the core. Otherwise, he would not have disregarded the royal family’s reputation and allowed Eunuch Zheng’s people to do this.
Of course, he could be punishing Prince Lei Ting to serve as a lesson to others!
The Prince Zhan Yun Residence was not remote, but it was not a particularly good courtyard residence either.
“A servant has reported that Prince Zhan Yun has entered the palace, Old Madam.”
A woman dressed in pink bowed respectfully to an elderly woman with white hair on her head but no wrinkles on her face.
“Hmph! How dare he come back!”
Old Madam Xue Yingyue slammed the prayer beads in her hand on the table, her eyes glowing.
She had already learned that, while Xue Ling did not die at Qian Jiyun’s hands, he had deliberately allowed those people to take her life.
She was her niece. Even if they were not biologically related, Xue Ling had shown her face around, and everyone in the capital knew Xue Ling was hers. She represented her reputation.
Now that Xue Ling had died, and she had died so tragically, how could she let it go?
“I heard he brought back a woman?”
The maid replied, “Yes, Old Madam. The Princess of the Third Rank has already moved into Qiongzhi Courtyard with that lady. Prince Zhan Yun’s motives are clear. I’m afraid he wants to make that lady the mistress of the Prince Zhan Yun Residence.”
She snorted internally. How could a woman of unknown origin be allowed to become the mistress of the Prince Zhan Yun Residence?
“Old Madam, should we give her some…”
“Hm?” The old madam’s gaze sharpened as she glanced at the maid. “Idiot, he just returned to the capital. Do you want me to fall out with him?”
No matter how much she disliked Qian Jiyun, that bastard, she would not oppose him openly.
Qian Jiyun was the one who earned the Prince Zhan Yun Residence. Even if she referred to herself as the Old Princess Consort in public, it did not mean she actually held the title.
Qian Jiyun had made numerous contributions, but he had never requested the Emperor to bestow her with a title.
Even Qian Yiyun, that little girl, was bestowed the title of Princess of the Third Rank because of Qian Jiyun’s meritorious service. Meanwhile, she could only be addressed as “Old Madam” in the large Prince Zhan Yun Residence.