Chapter 295 Slandering the Innocent

“This is a conspiracy!”

“A total conspiracy!”

Lin Mengya immediately turned to look at the Empress, only to see the latter watching her in shock. However, she still caught a flicker of complacency in the Crown Prince’s eyes, before he covered it up.

“Very good, Princess Yu! Did you guys hear that? Did you hear what the assassin said? No wonder Prince Yu is absent. If it’s not a prescient move, then, he must be the one behind this massacre!”

Before Lin Mengya could react, someone already stood up and pointed a finger at her.

But to everyone’s surprise, she neither admitted nor lost her head. She just squatted on the ground, glanced at the person, and then scrutinized the dead body.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to destroy the evidence? Your Highness, she should be detained and made to pay with her life for the deaths of our dearest family members!”

He did not stop his indictment, now that he had the chance to shout it out, even though he was the first to run away when the assassins attacked earlier.

“It’s a dead body, but there might be some clues on it . I’m just trying to find a clue. How do you see me trying to destroy the evidence? Or are you afraid that I will find something wrong, because you have a guilty conscience?”

Lin Mengya made a refutation in a calm manner.

Instantly, his mouth was silenced.

But he still attempted to put the blame on Lin Mengya.

“You should stop giving your excuses, Princess Yu. Everyone here already heard that. The assassin personally said that he failed to achieve what Prince Yu ordered him to do. Why did he bark at you, even he’s an insane dog?”

The so-called “fact” sounded as if Lin Mengya was the mastermind of the assassination. Lin Mengya did not do anything, but turned around to look at the Empress.

“Your Highness, you know what’s really happening. Just now, the guards were able to kill the assassin, but they refused to kill him and let him creep towards me. At the last moment, he did shout out ‘Princess Yu’. That’s right. But that was the evidence to prove the innocence of Prince Yu. “The assassin must be brave and determined enough to be able to make an assassination attempt in the Palace. How stupid would Prince Yu be to send a mad dog, who exposed his master in order to assassinate someone? The more concealed a plan, the more conspicuous it will be Someone is trying to plant a severe capital crime on Prince Yu’s family. Mother, please make a close investigation into this, and clear Prince Yu’s name.”

Whether Long Tianyu did it or not, Lin Mengya would not admit it so easily.

Besides, that person unconsciously did Long Tianyu a favor.

Lin Mengya had no idea who planned such an interesting show, a poor lie which concealed the truth. As long as you were careful enough, you could see through it and discover that it was a conspiracy.

“Alright, I see. It’s just an assassin without any creditability. He might have wanted to frame Yu’er. The truth is unknown to everyone. I’ll get to the bottom of the assassination and bring justice to you all.”

She was really the Empress, skillful and sophisticated.

For one thing, she managed to comfort Lin Mengya, and she showed her status well. Even Lin Mengya was convinced enough to nod her approval for the Empress.

“But mother, many members of our royal family were killed in the assassination. So before the assassin died, why didn’t he bark at anyone else, except at Princess Yu? There must be a reason, I think. So why not ground Princess Yu first. Just in case, okay?”

“How mean he is!” Lin Mengya swore at the heartless Crown Prince silently!

But she still looked normal. It seemed that the Crown Prince wanted to convict her of a capital crime, using this opportunity.

“Do not do that. The safety of the royal family members is related to the dignity of the royal family. No matter what, Princess Yu is still a member of the royal family. Put Princess Yu into jail when we have only heard one side of the story? If it’s made public, our people will see the royal family as a fatuous type of government, who cannot make a distinction between right and wrong, and who is prone to slandering anyone without prior and proper investigation.”

Lin Mengya was slightly astonished, because the one who was sticking up for her, was not one of her old friends.

He wore a Duke’s dress, and had a refined appearance like a scholar.

Although he made a harsh statement, the Empress glanced at him and then nodded. It proved that he was not an ordinary man.

When he sensed Lin Mengya looking at him, that man just nodded at her, without saying anything more.

“You’re right, Duke Shen. I’ll make a close investigation into it. Whenever Princess Yu is needed to help in the investigation, I believe, she will not refuse. Well, why not just stay in the Palace before the assassination really happens? I know you’re a master in medical skills. Many officials in the court have even recommended you to treat His Majesty. This time, you can stay in the Palace to assist me in the investigation, and also to make an attempt to help His Majesty recover. What do you think?”

Suddenly, Lin Mengya felt ill at ease. Long Tianyu had told her that the Empress did not approve of her application to enter the Palace yet.

The Empress neither agreed nor refused the request.

But why was she now allowing her to enter the Palace so easily this time?

At this moment, Lin Mengya had no excuse to decline the Empress’s proposal, because everyone was looking at her. If she refused, it would arouse others’ suspicions.

“Yes, Your Highness. But I need to return to my house to prepare something. Please let me go back to get something.”

The Empress merely smiled and said.

“Let your maids get it for you. Your father’s health is more important and you’ve had a scare as well tonight. That’s settled. Tomorrow, your maids can go home, and you will stay in the Palace. Don’t make it hard for me.”

The Empress’s words totally ruined any chance for her to get out.

“She might be afraid that I would run away.”

Lin Mengya sneered silently. “You think so lowly of me, Your Highness.”

Lin Mengya had tried every means to enter the Palace in order to examine the Emperor closely. Although she did not know what plan the Empress had changed her original plan into, there was one thing that was certain. The Empress must have made a perfect plan to take her life, while she stayed in the Palace.

“Fine, I’ll stay here and see what she is up to!”

“Yes, mother. How thoughtful you are, mother.”

The Empress nodded with satisfaction. The assassin’s partners had already been removed by the royal family members and guards. But even when the danger was resolved, Long Tianyu had not shown up yet.

Regardless of what others said, Lin Mengya tried to keep calm, and stopped her maids from saying more or trying to defend her.

Because of her calmness, many people changed their attitude toward her and thought she was innocent.

But several royal family members whose close relatives were killed in the assassination, were still looking darkly at her.

Lin Mengya chose to ignore them. After all, their family members were killed in front of them. It stood to reason that they had nowhere to vent their anger.

“Prince Yu is back! Prince Yu!”

Outside the hall, someone shouted out.

Following his announcement, a messy figure came into everyone’s sight.

Lin Mengya’s concerns were finally laid to rest.

He wore a robe instead of a soft armor, and looked a proper mess. His forehead was covered in sweat, and he looked as if he had just put up a desperate fight.

Long Tianyu frowned when he saw the corpses on the ground, upon entering Chongqing Palace.

But his furrowed brows lessened a little after seeing Lin Mengya beside the Empress, apparently on good terms.

“I’m sorry to be late in coming to save you, mother. When I was resting in the side chamber, I found father’s room on fire. I was very anxious and had to put out the fire first. But I did not know that the assassins would make their killings at the same time. So please forgive me for not saving you on time.”

Long Tianyu’s explanation instantly shut those gossipers’ mouths.

The Emperor’s room was on fire before the assassination of Chongqing Palace.

If Long Tianyu was in the side chamber, it was right that he tried to put out the fire first. And those burn marks proved his words.

Lin Mengya suddenly had an idea, and she said.

“Mother, why not recall those guards who helped to fight the fire? We were too terrified to remember to ask about father’s condition. Father’s safety is related to the well-being of Dajin.”

The Empress originally wanted to minimize the event.

But since Lin Mengya had mentioned it, she had to find someone involved to answer the questions, otherwise others would consider her to be indifferent to the Emperor.

But the Crown Prince felt nervous because if the Empress did recall a guard, the guard’s answer would be Long Tianyu’s evidence.

However, he could not say it out, even though he wanted to stop her.

If he said it at the moment, Lin Mengya would accuse him of slandering Long Tianyu deliberately.

He could do nothing, except to look on, as the Empress sent someone to recall those guards involved.

Those guards also had scorched marks on their clothes, like Long Tianyu. They looked much messier than Long Tianyu, in comparison.

“Please forgive us for not saving you on time, Your Highness.”

The leader bowed in a polite manner. No one had ever expected that they would be attacked from the front and rear.

They were kept busy, and came to their rescue, following the firefighting.

“You don’t need to plead for my forgiveness. It’s your duty to protect the Emperor. Arise now and tell me about the Emperor? Has His Majesty been hurt?”

Lin Mengya felt a little strange at the Empress’s words and then looked at her. They said that the Empress and the Emperor got married at a young age.

After ascending the throne, the Emperor brought lots of women to his harem. But there was still lots of love between the Emperor and the Empress.

But today, she found none of the concern from the Empress for the Emperor, like how a wife should be concerned for her husband. The Empress asked about the Emperor as if he was a stranger to her.

“Why would it be?”

“Your Highness, it was just a fire. His Majesty is safe.”

The Empress nodded and let the guards leave to dress their wounds, after asking several questions.

The guards’ words proved that Long Tianyu was with them when they fought the fire, and was very brave.