Chapter 441

It turns out that Goguryeo had indeed planted spies in the capital, spreading slander against the Empress Dowager everywhere, trying to incite unnecessary war.

How could they be so shameless?

Just as thick-skinned as the people of Fusang.

The Empress Dowager has been wrongfully accused by them for so long, it’s truly unjust.

Now, a portion of the officials and commoners in Great Yan have been relentlessly criticizing the Empress Dowager. The envoys who know the truth feel deeply pained and sympathetic toward her.

No!

This behavior by Goguryeo is utterly despicable. Isn’t this just bullying and playing dirty?

At the envoys’ post station—

The Goguryeo envoy has been acting quite arrogantly lately. He has successfully completed the tasks assigned by his king, so naturally, he’s in high spirits.

Seeing the envoys from other countries return disheveled, his sense of superiority immediately kicked in: “Brothers, why have you returned so soon? How did it go? Did the officials from the Ministry of Rites give you any trouble?”

These fools were easily provoked by his words and decided to go to the Ministry of Rites to demand that the Empress Dowager hand over the remains of their princess.

Let them fight while he stays hidden. When the Empress Dowager’s wrath falls, these fools will bear the brunt of it. He’s only concerned about his own princess.

“Ugh!”

“Scoundrel!”

“Get away, who’s your brother? Shameless!”

“Stay away from me, you dog!”

The Goguryeo envoy, bombarded with insults, stood frozen on the spot.

What’s going on?

Why are they hurling abuse at me after returning from the Ministry of Rites?

Was I exposed?

No one answered his question, as none of the envoys in the station paid him any further attention.

He had been ostracized.

The gates of the Ministry of Punishment have been crowded these past few days, with people continuously reporting suspected Goguryeo spies among them.

Moreover, the Ministry of Punishment and the Ministry of Justice have dispatched many officers to patrol the streets. Anyone with an unfamiliar face is subjected to thorough questioning.

Every detail of their family history is scrutinized.

“Woof, woof, woof…”

In a remote old mansion in the outskirts, the creaking sound of the towering gate echoed. Rumors of hauntings here have persisted for a long time, and no one usually visits during the day.

At night, it’s even more deserted. Locals say that a hundred ghosts roam here at night, and anyone who approaches will be devoured by evil spirits.

After the dog’s barking, the rusty copper gate opened, and dim, eerie red lights flickered, casting a sinister glow over the mansion, making it look like a haunted house.

A man entered, speaking fluent Goguryeo dialect: “Is everyone here?”

The people inside nodded: “None of our people have spread any rumors. This is just the malicious woman framing us.”

“But why would she do that? Did she really kill the princess?”

Feeling guilty, she deliberately exposed herself, then shifted all the blame onto the spies, claiming they were trying to incite war between the two nations by defaming the Empress Dowager.

What a cunning plan!

“What do we do now? The whole city is hunting for Goguryeo spies. We’re being driven into a corner.”

Their identities are fake and wouldn’t withstand scrutiny. If caught by the Ministry of Punishment or the Ministry of Justice, it would mean certain death.

There were two others in the room, both looking like honest, simple folk.

Though their appearances differed, they shared one common trait: they could blend into a crowd without drawing any attention.

The Ministry of Punishment’s campaign to catch spies has been so intense that the commoners are too scared to leave their homes. They must think hundreds of Goguryeo spies have infiltrated the capital!

Otherwise, why would they mobilize so many resources?

In reality, Jiang Xinyue thought that if she didn’t make such a grand show of it, how would the people know that their Empress Dowager had been wronged?

In the desolate mansion, including the man who just entered, there were only four people.

Their parents were native Great Yan citizens, but Goguryeo had planted them here as early as their grandparents’ generation.

To make it more convincing, even their parents didn’t know they were actually Goguryeo descendants.

The spies were cultivated over a generation, in the grandchildren’s time.

So much money and effort had been spent to nurture these few. They couldn’t afford to lose them all here.

Who was it that drew the Empress Dowager’s attention to them?

“If ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‍we want to survive, we need to inform the envoy to stop demanding the princess’s remains from the royal family. Otherwise, the Empress Dowager will continue her investigation.”

They couldn’t just stay hidden in this haunted house forever, could they?

“I’ll go find that dog. It’s all his fault for acting alone and putting us in this mess.”

…

In the palace—

“Your Majesty, the Goguryeo envoy has submitted a memorial.”

“Read it!”

The memorial from the Goguryeo envoy roughly stated that their king, upon hearing of his sister’s death, was overwhelmed with grief and fell ill. In his sorrow, he ordered the envoy to retrieve the princess’s remains for burial. The envoy had no choice but to follow the king’s decree.

Later, the king regained his senses and realized that Princess Lihua had married into the Great Yan royal family, making her a woman of the Great Yan emperor. Thus, she should be buried in the Great Yan imperial tomb. They no longer demanded her remains.

Jiang Xinyue sneered, “Just as I suspected. They planted spies in the capital. They’re surrendering now to stop me from investigating further and to protect their spies.”

They still believed that Jiang Xinyue, despite her power, was just a woman. Since they had backed off, she should take the opportunity to let the matter rest and not pursue it further.

A pampered empress, living in the palace, waited on hand and foot, indulging in luxury—what would she know of the struggles of the common people? What would a few spies matter to Great Yan?

Even if she knew, she’d probably think it was a matter for men, not her concern.

That’s why the Goguryeo envoy submitted this memorial. He thought Jiang Xinyue was no different from the concubines in his king’s harem, preferring to avoid trouble.

However, Jiang Xinyue deduced from their actions that their spies were indeed in the capital.

“Your Majesty, how should we respond?”

Jiang Xinyue stretched lazily, lounging on the chaise longue as she read the memorial: “Send someone to inform Ma Yiyang to withdraw the visible forces, leaving only a few trusted agents to keep an eye on the Goguryeo envoy in secret. Once they think I’ve let them off the hook, they’ll surely meet in private. Then we can capture them all in one sweep.”

This strategy of feigning retreat to lure the enemy out was truly brilliant.

Jiang Chuan quickly acknowledged the order and went to arrange it.

At the Eastern Mountain Imperial Tomb—

The fifth prince huffed and puffed as he climbed over the wall. The bricks behind him collapsed with a loud crash, startling the guards stationed in the courtyard.

They hurried over: “Where did this child come from? This is no place for you. Leave at once.”

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