CHAPTER 330: CHAPTER 279: THE THOUGHTS BETWEEN AN OLD COUPLE_2

"This is utter nonsense!" Prince Rong flung his sleeves. "Yongping’s case was ordered by the Emperor and Empress personally. The decree mandates a three-year house arrest, and not a day can be reduced! How many days has it been? And she already thinks of making a move? Has she ever respected the Emperor and Empress? Is life too comfortable for her?"

Mrs. Zhang quickly stepped back half a step and bowed: "I am also concerned about the palace questioning us, so I dare not be careless. Though my sister has to endure some grievances, the status of the Prince’s Manor is already easily scrutinized by others. This time, my sister has committed a severe error, taking lives recklessly, violating the great taboo of the Emperor and Empress who prioritize their subjects. Once inquiries start, who knows how many people in the Prince’s Manor will be implicated?"

Prince Rong took a deep breath: "Your concerns are not unfounded, this matter indeed should have been brought to my attention. Exactly who are these people, do you have a clear understanding?"

Mrs. Zhang then listed the names of those families one by one.

Prince Rong furrowed his brows and, upon hearing her out, immediately threw down the bird feed jar in his hand and strode out of the courtyard.

...

The ancestral temple of Prince Rong’s Mansion is a separate compound with three courtyards. The main hall houses the ancestral tablets of the Mansion, while the other side rooms are used as meditation rooms for copying scriptures, some are Buddha halls, and others places for chanting scriptures.

If there is someone in the Manor who needs to be punished by family law, this place also serves as a place for confinement.

Therefore, if Prince Rong truly wishes to have some time alone at the temple, the premises can fully accommodate his needs.

Having been married to this man for many years, Princess Rong is somewhat familiar with his nature. The fan mentioned so mysteriously by Xu Yin has never entered her sight, so it’s certainly not hidden in any of the places she’s aware of.

This is the reason why Princess Rong inquired about Prince Rong’s whereabouts from Yang Zhan.

No doubt, if Prince Rong wants to hide something even from his wife, it must be concealed in a place even she wouldn’t notice.

The ancestral temple of the Mansion fits her guess perfectly.

Having learned that Prince Rong has been spending time with scholars or concubines these days and has no intention of visiting the temple, she dispatched the guard to explore the temple overnight.

However, the results were as she expected, after several rounds of exploration, they found nothing. How easy is it to hide a fan in such a large courtyard? They had no idea where to start.

Did Prince Rong really hide the fan here?

If he did, why was he so cautious and reticent about it?

If it were during the years of battles, Princess Rong would certainly have asked him directly. But things are different now, after all these years, the once impure marital bond has thinned like water. If she could indeed ask, why would Prince Rong hide it from her in the first place?

This way, what was initially an attempt to corner Xu Yin with the fan, ended up becoming a source of constant concern.

More than Xu Yin’s unfathomable intentions, what the father and son of Prince Rong are hiding from him, from his wife, and from his mother, is even more perplexing to her.

Princess Rong pondered through the night to no avail, taking advantage of the not yet overpowering summer heat to sit on the veranda and think.

But then, from beyond the rose bushes came a commotion, and the panicked voices of the maids reached her ears: "Your Highness, please walk slowly, this maid will immediately report to the Princess..."

Hearing this, Princess Rong involuntarily sat up.

She looked over and indeed saw Prince Rong walking over.

But his steps were unlike his usual steady and regal pace; instead, his face showed displeasure as he strode towards the veranda.

Princess Rong quickly got up, barely reaching the stone railing when Prince Rong had already come up, waving the servants away to a distance with a single hand.

Seeing this, Princess Rong felt uneasy: "Your Highness, coming in such haste, is there something urgent you wish to discuss?"

"What have you been doing lately?"

Prince Rong, with features somewhat resembling the Emperor, glared with a certain authority.

Princess Rong, having seen her husband in his most downtrodden state, originally was not afraid of him in this manner, but with her current plans, she couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty.

She replied, "I have been doing the same things every day, what else could I do? What’s the matter with you? You act as if I’ve caused some trouble and come to question me."

"I’m asking you, have you recently met with people from the Zhang and Qi Families?"

Princess Rong was momentarily speechless, then said, "I have always had interactions with them, and met with them twice, which is quite normal."

"And when you met them, was it to ask them for help in getting Yongping released?"

Princess Rong’s heart sank: "Who told you this?"

"Don’t worry about who told me, I’m just asking if it’s true!"

At this point, Prince Rong could no longer contain his emotions, his voice heavy and demanding.