Jun Wuhen didn’t go back to the imperial study. Right now, he wanted to figure out who dared to commit arson in the palace.
Once the arsonist was caught, he would definitely execute him by dismemberment and let him die a slow death in great pain, which would be a harsh deterrent.
Jun Wuhen arrived at the spot caught on fire, and his eyes were red with rage! This was the dungeon he built in the earlier years. Anyone who disobeyed him had been thrown into the dungeon to teach them a lesson.
But now, the dungeon was destroyed by someone who set fire on it. How could he not be angry! He felt humiliated like he was naked in the public.
Looking at the dungeon on fire and the servants who hurried to put out the fire, Jun Wuhen’s fists clenched tightly and his rage burst into a new climax.
Jun Wuhen could not figure out why troubles came one after another recently, and what was more, the person who instigated the series of troubles hadn’t been caught till now, which made Jun Wuhen, who was born with a sense of superiority, feel frustrated.
In so many years, there were seldom things out of his control. Although he believed that Jun Yeyan was a hidden threat to him, he didn’t kill Jun Yeyan, because he was confident that he could get Jun Yeyan under control.
But now Jun Yeyan was getting increasingly mysterious and harder to control. This made him feel terrible and anxious. So he decided to let Jun Yeyan marry Bai Aoxue, so as to keep an eye on Jun Yeyan.
Looking at the flame, Jun Wuhen made up his mind. In most of the cases, a hidden threat was always a threat. One could never get peace until such a hidden threat was gotten rid of.
Thinking of this, Jun Wuhen narrowed his eyes and blinked while turning around to leave.
“Meng Fei! Guard here! Put out the fire no matter what method you use so as to limit the cost! Call out all the imperial guards to search every corner of the palace and put anyone suspicious in custody!” Jun Wuhen said cruelly to Meng Fei, who came with guards.
Meng Fei shivered on the cold and ruthless look of Jun Wuhen’s eyes, and answered loudly, “Got it! I will try my best!”
Jun Wuhen glimpsed at Meng Fei, and thought about another thing, so he asked insidiously, “Where is Zhao Sheng?! How dare he idle around at this critical time? Find him and send him to me!”
Meng Fei answered instantly while thinking where on earth Eunuch Zhao could be. He saw Eunuch Zhao was in a hurry this morning and didn’t ask him. It was really weird that Eunuch Zhao didn’t show up in the whole day since morning.
Jun Wuhen didn’t linger around the dungeon, and walked to the imperial study. He hated the flame of the fire; after all, the big fire seven years ago brought the lady he admired away.
Even though the lady had never belonged to him!
He arrived at the imperial study and he didn’t expect there was a huge humiliation waiting for him.
The maids and eunuchs crowded around the imperial study. The imperial guards had segregated the imperial study from the maids and eunuchs, which could not prevent their peeping.
“What are you doing here?! Have nothing to do? I don’t keep the idle! Guards, take away the good-for-nothings and give them a flogging.” Jun Wuhen burst into rage all of a sudden seeing the maids and eunuchs crowding and peeping.
The maids and eunuchs didn’t have time to beg for mercy before they were taken away by the guards. They then realized the fact their Emperor was unpredictable and cruel.
Alas, it was too late!
Li Wangnian, the lieutenant of the imperial guards, stepped up to Jun Wuhen, and explained the issue to Jun Wuhne respectfully.
Jun Wuhen frowned on the sight of a man who lost hands, feet and tongue, and got blinded.
If he remembered it right, the man was the warden of the dungeon. Now seeing the warden who ended up like this, he was definitely sure that this was done by the arsonist.
Based on what had happened, Li Wangnian presumed Jun Wuhen would burst into rage, but to the opposite, Jun Wuhen was in silence.
Jun Wuhen looked at the disabled man with gloomy eyes, after a while, said softly, “Take away this useless fool and finish him. There is no meaning to keep him if he is such useless. Send for Bai Qiwei. I want to see him right now.”
“Got it!” Li Wangnian answered loudly and paid his respects.
The warden on the ground had no idea that his master had given up him.
Jun Wuhen dismissed all the people, and went back to the imperial study wearily. He rubbed the place between his eyebrows and said lightly, “Come out.”
A figure in black appeared in front of Jun Wuhen the moment he finished his words.
“Your majesty.” The man in black saluted respectively.
“Who did this?” Jun Wuhen stared at the man in black and asked seriously.
“According to shadow guard, someone entered the palace in secret, and I led the shadow guards to stop them. But we encountered a bunch of warriors in black. When the dungeon was set on fire, the bunch of warriors withdrew quickly. When we got to the dungeon, four males were just leaving, one in bright red and three in black. Their martial arts were superior to ours, and we didn’t have a chance to stop them.” The man in black explained the process in details to Jun Wuhen.
Jun Wuhen frowned on the words of the man in black. He was sure that the shadow guards that his father had left him were all dab hands at martial arts. Jun Wuhen was surprised that there were warriors who dared to fight his shadow guards and were not defeated.
But the four males made Jun Wuhen surprise more, for he could not figure out their real aim. Did they just want to rescue the young eunuch Cangsheng?
This was impossible. He would not believe that Cangsheng, a young eunuch, had the ability of letting people of excellent martial arts technique rescue him.
“From now on, you go to investigate the man in bright red secretly. In this world, male in favor of red clothes must be minority. And I believe there will soon be news about him.” Jun wuhen frowned and ordered in deep voice.
The shadow guard soon disappeared with Jun Wuhen’s order.
Jun Wuhen had some rest, and then Meng Fei came to see him.
“Emperor! I have something to report!” Meng Fei entered the imperial study and frowned.
Jun Wuhen rubbed the place between his eyebrows wearily and asked, “What’s it?”
“The dungeon fire is put out. I entered first to check out. There are many burned bodies, and most of them belong to guards in the dungeon. And there is only one body in the cell where Cangsheng was kept. But the body doesn’t belong to Cangsheng.” Meng Fei said scrupulously.
Jun Wuhen wasn’t surprised when he heard Meng Fei’s words. And he believed that Cangsheng had been taken away by the four men.
“The body belongs to Eunuch Zhao, who has disappeared for a whole day. He died in the dungeon, with a knife stabbed into his heart. Judging from the angle, I think Eunuch Zhao committed suicide.” Meng Fei blurted out his thought seeing that Jun Wuhen didn’t say anything.
On hearing Meng Fei’s words, Jun Wuhen narrowed his eyes. He didn’t expect that the old eunuch, who had been with him so many years, would die in the dungeon.
Jun Wuhen felt sad. Ever since he was still a young prince, Zhao Sheng had been by his side to take care of him. Now he ended up dying in the dungeon. Jun Wuhen was gloomy.
“Never mind…throw him an elegant funeral. Zhao Sheng served me for so many years, and he had never done things against me. Now he ended up dying in the dungeon, it is really a pity. You find his family, settle them properly, and give some money to his family.” Jun Wuhen held his forehead with one hand and said in a weary voice.
Meng Fei felt uneasy on Jun Wuhen’s words, “Eunuch Zhao’s family have been dead for many years. I once heard from Eunuch Zhao that his mother was his only family and had been dead for many years. So he got no relative left outside of the palace.”
Jun Wuhen frowned severely on Meng Fei’s words. It was until now that he realized he didn’t know anything about Eunuch Zhao, the old man who had served him more than ten years. He felt so helpless.
“Then throw him an elegant funeral. He has served me so many years after all. Find a painter to draw a portrait of Cangsheng, list him as wanted across the city. I must arrest him.” Thinking of Cangsheng, Jun Wuhen’s eyes were full of cruelty.
Meng Fei was about to leave when he heard Bai Qiwei ask to see the emperor.
When Meng Fei stepped out of the imperial study, he caught sight of Prime Minister Bai, who used to be high-spirited and vigorous, entering the imperial study.
Meng Fei could not help to recall the proud and indifferent lady when he noticed the weariness on Bai Qiwei’s face. He felt no pity for what Bai Qiwei had been through, nor did he taunt him.
Life was just full of ups and downs.
Stop thinking further, Meng Fei left the imperial study to accomplish the command of Jun Wuhen.
Bai Qiwei entered the imperial study, unsure and disturbed in his heart, when he saw the gloomy face of Jun Wuhen. He had known many things in the palace.
These days, he had been not interested in things that happened out there. He felt really ashamed of what happened in his house, so he had been on leave for a long period.
“Your Majesty!” Bai Qiwei paid his respects.
“Stand up, please.” Jun Wuhen said softly.
Bai Qiwei looked at Jun Wuhen fearfully, for he didn’t know why Jun Wuhen wanted to see him.
“Today I summon you because I have something to discuss with you. The Prince Peerless of Nanyue will ascend to throne, and we need to appoint someone to congratulate. I have not decided the appropriate person to send. So, I want to discuss with you.”
Jun Wuhen was taunting Bai Qiwei in mind. He, as a father, was so weak, while his daughter turned out to be so proud and indifferent. The father and daughter were two extremes.
Bai Qiwei seemed in deep thought, and said slowly, “Thinking about emissary, I think of one candidate to recommend.”
Jun Wuhen lifted his eyebrows and asked with interests, “Who?”
“I believe Fifth Prince and Princess could do it. Fifth Prince is Your Majesty’s beloved brother. Appointing Fifth Prince and Princess to Nanyue can show our sincerity to Nanyue.” Bai Qiwei certainly knew Jun Wuhen’s intention. And he pretended to give his advice out of deep thought.
Jun Wuhen listened to Bai Qiwei and had made up his mind already. He nodded and said slowly, “It is good to send my little brother to Nanyue. But just the two of them are small in number and meagre in strength. I need someone who can take the overall situation into account to go with them.”
Bai Qiwei could not figure out why Jun Wuhen wanted to send someone else to go with Jun Yeyan and Bai Aoxue, but he still thought it carefully.
“In your opinion, who should go with Fifth Prince and Princess?” Bai Qiwei asked slowly.
