Long Live the Empress

Chapter 173 Concubine Shu leaves the palace

Ever since the Crown Prince left that day, Fan Changyue had been wondering about the purpose of the Crown Prince's visit. Just as he was thinking about it, the Second Prince came in, "Grandfather!"

Fan Changyue was stunned. Why did the Second Prince come at this time? And the servants did not come to report. Just as he was about to scold the servants, he heard the Second Prince say, "Grandfather, it was this prince who told them not to report! Don't blame them!"

Fan Changyue waved his hand, and the servants dared to leave. "What's the matter, Second Prince?"

"It's because of the mountain collapse..."

Fan Changyue raised his eyebrows, not understanding what the second prince meant.

"That mountain... was dug by my mother's order... This prince has received the news that someone used too much gunpowder to save trouble, so an explosion occurred and the mountain collapsed..."

Fan Changyue jumped up from his chair. "What did you say? Your mother ordered people to dig it up? What did she want to do? Is she crazy?"

"Grandfather! Mother said that it was a silver mine... She did that for my sake..."

"Silver mine? That's an even bigger matter! Opening a silver mine privately is punishable by death! Also, have you asked where the mined ore went? Humph, she must have taken it to make silver ingots! What kind of crime is that? Privately making official silver is punishable by the death of all nine generations of the family!" Fan Changyue was so angry that his beard was about to stand up. Apart from a pretty face, his daughter was a complete fool!

The Second Prince had never thought about privately making official silver. He was dumbfounded when he heard what Fan Changyue said. "Grandfather...what should we do then?"

"What should we do? What can we do? We can only wait for the emperor to kill all nine generations of our clan!" Fan Changyue walked back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, thinking about how to deal with the situation.

The Second Prince knew that Fan Changyue was extremely angry, so he stood aside quietly, thinking of a solution. "Grandfather, why don't we find a scapegoat like last time?"

Fan Changyue snorted coldly, "This is a crime punishable by the execution of all nine generations of your clan. Who are you looking for? If that person is too low-ranking, wouldn't it arouse suspicion? Do you think the Inspectorate is just there to eat and do nothing?"

The two thought for a long time but could not come up with a solution. Seeing that it was getting late, Fan Changyue sent the second prince back first.

The second prince became angrier and angrier on the way, so he went to find Concubine Shu again.

Concubine Shu was also frightened this time. She was pacing back and forth in the palace. When she saw the Second Prince coming back, she hurriedly went to greet him, "My son, what did your grandfather say? Can this matter be resolved?"

The Second Prince pushed Concubine Shu's hand away and said, "Mother, tell me the truth. What did you do with the ore?"

Concubine Shu's eyes wandered, "That's it...that's it..."

"Did you make silver ingots out of it?"

Concubine Shu quickly shook her head, then nodded gently, "I haven't spent the money yet, I used it all to lend... Don't worry, my son, no one knows about it!"

The second prince was dumbfounded. It was not enough that his mother privately opened a silver mine and minted official silver, but now she was also lending money at high interest rates... "Does mother know what crime you have committed?"

"No... No way... What's the crime? When you become the emperor in the future, won't all those be yours? Mother..." Concubine Shu didn't know what she was saying, she just kept avoiding responsibility.

"Hehe..." The second prince slumped in his chair, his laughter was so creepy, "Future? What future is there? Mother, you know that any one of these things is a heinous crime of killing nine generations of your clan! Mother, do you think that your son will have a future?"

"My son, don't scare me... I'm a coward..."

"Mother, you are timid? I'm afraid there is no one in this world who is braver than you! I warned you last time, but you... Grandfather said he couldn't do anything, so let us just wait for our father to confiscate our property and exterminate our clan..." The Second Prince shook his sleeves and stopped looking at Concubine Shu, and left angrily.

Concubine Shu fell to the ground helplessly. After a long while, she said, "Someone, come here! I have to leave the palace tonight!"

The palace maid immediately responded and went to make arrangements.

At midnight, Concubine Shu changed into the clothes of a palace maid and went to Fan Mansion in a low-key carriage.

Fan Changyue was so worried that he hadn't gone to bed yet. When he was feeling upset, Concubine Shu came in. "Father!"

Fan Changyue looked into the yard and asked, "Why are you here?"

Concubine Shu knelt on the ground and said, "Father, please save me, my daughter! I will never dare to do it again..."

Fan Changyue did not help Concubine Shu up. He sighed heavily, "Now you have forgotten how you became Concubine Shu in the first place! That's why you dare to act so recklessly..."

"Father! I know I was wrong! I also wanted to save more money to pave the way for my son in the future! I didn't spend a penny of that money... I beg you to save me for my good intentions!" It has been many years since Shufei felt so frightened and cried as bitterly as today. Fan Changyue was right. After living in comfort for too long, Shufei had long forgotten the basics!

After a whole night, Fan Changyue finally picked out a suitable scapegoat from the names written by Concubine Shu.