Fеng Yuе rеturnеd tо the tenemеnt сourtyаrd with a cаlm ехрrеssiоn, calmlу closing the door behind hеr.
Тhen shе hugged Lingshu аnd lеt оut а wail: "Аhhh—it's а dеаd еnd!!"
Startlеd, Lingshu stared with innoсеnt eуes and pаtted her bаck with a smаll hаnd: "Саn wе survivе likе this?"
"No!" With a раined ехрressiоn, Feng Yuе rеleasеd hеr and bеgan banging her hеad against а nеаrby рillar! The рillаr thuddеd loudlу, shаking dust frоm thе rаftеrs ontо Lingshu's fаcе.
Frightenеd, Lingshu quickly liftеd her skirt аnd rаn оutside, shоuting аs shе wеnt: "Madam Qiu, сome quickly! Thе house is going tо collаpsе!"
Мadаm Qiu was pondering why the young mistress had returned at this hour when she suddenly heard these words and rushed to Feng Yue's room to see.
There, she found her young mistress blankly banging her head against the pillar, her eyes dark and terrifying, filled with deep resentment.
"What's going on here?" Hurrying over to pull her away, Madam Qiu was utterly bewildered: "What are you doing?"
Turning to look at the woman who had always cared for her like an elder, Feng Yue pouted, her voice full of grievance: "I miss my father."
Her words were choked with sobs, making Madam Qiu's heart ache. She quickly embraced Feng Yue and gently patted her back: "What's wrong, dear? Everything was fine just a moment ago."
"There's too much going on." Feng Yue gritted her teeth: "I know revenge is difficult, I know it requires long planning and preparation. I can wait, but waiting like this is too torturous..."
She wasn't even allowed to wait in peace. Yin Gezhi, like a nightmare, was always around her, trapping her in his schemes and forcing her to confront the vast chasm between them.
She hadn't intended to pay attention to this chasm. After all, the two of them wouldn't end up together anyway, so she thought working with him now was no big deal—use him if she could, retreat if she couldn't.
But this man insisted on trying to cross that chasm, clearing her family's name and offering her favors—favors she couldn't possibly refuse!
It was his father who killed her family! Now, even if he schemes against his own father and clears the Guan family's name, what good will it do? Can the Guan family members come back to life, vibrant and walking among the living again? Can the blood of the Guan family, cold for nearly four years, warm up once more? Can the loyalty that has been utterly extinguished reignite the fire of devotion to the sovereign?
None of it can.
But can she stop him, tell him not to clear the case?
Even less so. She doesn't want Guan Canghai to die without even an epitaph. She also wants to pay her respects openly once, so future generations will know a hero is buried there, and the grave cannot be trampled upon. She doesn't deliberately seek vindication, but if it's handed to her on a silver platter, she's not foolish enough to refuse!
It's laughable, really. The man who killed her entire family now has his son offering favors. She can't accept them, yet she can't refuse either. She's left hanging in mid-air, like a pitiful bird caught in the wind—unable to rise or fall, unable to laugh or cry, unable to love or hate!
She must have owed Yin Gezhi a lot of money in her past life. Otherwise, why would he treat her like this?
"Young Mistress." Patting her gently, Madam Qiu's voice was tender: "You've always been someone who prefers straightforwardness. Over all these years, you've already endured enough suffering. Now that there's hope for avenging this great wrong, why torment yourself like this?""I don't want to make things difficult for myself." Her nose stung fiercely, and Feng Yue gritted her teeth as she said, "It's him who insists on making things difficult for me!"
Why think of her? Why tempt her? Why play the emotional card? So what if she was useless and once liked him? She still had to seek revenge! Once revenge was set in motion, the path between them would be one of death, with no future. Since they both knew the outcome, why did he have to cling so stubbornly? Did he think she wasn't human? That she wouldn't feel pain?
Furious, she blew her nose hard and said hoarsely, "Never mind, Madam Qiu. Let Yanqing continue making arrangements. When the timing is right and preparations are sufficient, we'll take action!"
Slightly taken aback, Madam Qiu frowned and studied her for a long moment, making sure she wasn't acting on impulse, before slowly nodding. "Alright."
In the following days, Feng Yue kept herself busy, often accompanying Yanqing to loiter near the palace gates and drinking tea with officials who were on good terms with Yanqing to become familiar faces.
"Speaking of recent major events in the capital, they're all related to the First Prince." Commander Chen at the tea table sighed. "The Guan family's case was overturned just like that, and Prime Minister Shi investigated it with great fervor. In just five days, he submitted the results to the Imperial Study. Guess what happened then?"
Yanqing glanced at Feng Yue, seeing her expression unchanged and not a single hair of her fake beard out of place, before asking, "What happened?"
"His Majesty the Emperor actually summoned the First Prince, who had been demoted to commoner status, showed him the memorial, and ordered him to return." Commander Chen laughed heartily. "You don't know how harshly the Emperor reprimanded the First Prince in court back then—it was utterly merciless. Everyone thought the First Prince would never return! But how long has it been? The Emperor personally issued an edict, granting him a golden seal! Good heavens, even the Crown Prince's seal is made of jade. What does giving a prince a golden seal mean?"
Yanqing stroked his beard and smiled. "Probably afraid he wouldn't come back."
"The First Prince's temperament, we both know it well." Commander Chen sighed. "He's not someone who cares about such things."
"However, he actually agreed to return, with just one condition—he would preside over the trial of the Guan family case."
"Oh?" Yanqing raised an eyebrow, glanced again at the silent Feng Yue, and then chuckled. "Isn't that a slap in Prime Minister Shi's face? He doesn't accept the evidence Prime Minister Shi uncovered."
"Exactly. Prime Minister Shi's expression changed right there in court, but he has always been dignified and never loses his temper in public, so no conflict arose." Commander Chen sighed. "After his trip to the Wu Kingdom, the First Prince seems to have changed somewhat. But it's for the better. He used to be devoid of human warmth, but now he finally shows some emotion. Such a person, if he were to become the ruler..."
"Commander Chen!" Yanqing gently pressed his hand and shook his head. "Be careful with your words. Trouble comes from the mouth."
Hastily covering his mouth, Commander Chen glanced at Feng Yue beside him. "This is your man, no problem, right?"
"No problem at all." Yanqing nodded, taking the opportunity to introduce Feng Yue. "This is my nephew. He wants to find a position in the palace. Since you oversee the palace gate guards, is there a suitable opening? Could you arrange something for him?"Speaking of this, Commander Chen looked somewhat troubled. "We've been old friends for many years, so of course I'd help if I could. But recently, Lidu has been plagued by many disturbances, and the palace has also tightened security. They're not recruiting new soldiers. How about this: have your nephew first secure a spot in the City Garrison—they're short on manpower lately. When the palace transfers guards, I'll have him transferred over."
"In that case, thank you very much!" Yan Qing smiled and cupped his hands in gratitude.
Feng Yue followed suit with a bow, remaining obedient and quiet, not saying a word more.
After finishing their tea, the two watched Commander Chen depart from below the teahouse before Feng Yue finally asked, "What did Shi Hongwei's investigation uncover?"
"Shi Youxin has been missing for a long time, so naturally all the blame is being piled onto him," Yan Qing whispered. "Framing the loyal and virtuous, abusing power for personal gain—Shi Hongwei truly shows no regard for family ties, sparing no effort to pin the crimes on him."
Feng Yue sneered coldly. "Shi Youxin is already dead. If they really want to pin the crimes on him to overturn the case, I don't mind."
After all, she would avenge the wrongs herself. All she wanted was a clean name—however they went about it, she didn't care.
But clearly, Yin Gezhi had no intention of letting the matter rest.
"Who else do you want to investigate?" Emperor Wen of Wei leaned weakly against the bedside, his face pale as he gasped out the question.
Dressed in white robes, Yin Gezhi held the memorial written by Shi Hongwei, his gaze calm as he looked at the emperor without uttering a word.
Irritated by his stare, the emperor slapped the bed and lowered his voice. "How dare you! Do you intend to investigate even your own father? Hah!"
"Guan Canghai was the Loyal and Valiant General," the man by the bedside finally spoke, his voice cool and detached. "Second only to the emperor, revered by thousands—even Shi Hongwei wouldn'tt dare offend him lightly. How could a mere court official dare to be so audacious without someone behind him giving orders? Guan Canghai was highly respected by the veteran ministers at court. If he had something to say in his defense, how could it not have reached your ears? So why, then, did he still die?"
His eyes drifting elsewhere, Emperor Wen of Wei gritted his teeth. "What do you intend to do?"
"If the ruler is unclear, the ministers will be muddled. If the ruler makes mistakes but refuses to correct them, the ministers' conduct will be corrupted." Yin Gezhi gave him a deep look. "You should have known long ago that you were wrong. So why is it so difficult to admit it? Even the founding emperor of our dynasty once made mistakes and issued a 'Self-Blame Edict' to reflect, earning the praise of the people. You call yourself a wise ruler of your generation—can you not follow the example of the founding emperor?"
"Outrageous!" Emperor Wen of Wei roared. "I am not wrong! What have I done wrong? They were the ones who killed him, and they forced me to assign the blame. What fault is mine?"
This was not the same as the founding emperor's situation. The founding emperor's mistake was minor, but the mistake he had made was utterly irreparable. If he truly admitted it, it would likely incite public outrage and overthrow his imperial authority!
He couldn't admit it, he simply couldn't!
Seeing his father's attitude, Yin Gezhi felt a headache coming on. He closed his eyes briefly, then turned away. "Then I will investigate first, Your Majesty, and see where it leads."
Emperor Wen of Wei frowned. "Do not act recklessly!"
"Your son has always acted in accordance with the laws and rites," Yin Gezhi replied without looking back. "But if even the emperor does not uphold them, then there is no need for your son to adhere to them either."
With that, his snow-white robes swept past the threshold, and he vanished without a trace.
Emperor Wen of Wei fumed, staring at his retreating figure before succumbing to another fit of coughing. The empress waiting outside hurried in, anxiously and tenderly feeding him medicine while urging him to take care of his imperial health.Yin Gezhi stepped out of Longxian Palace and had barely taken two steps when he saw Shi Hongwei standing before him.
"Your Highness, may we speak in private?"
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Yin Gezhi followed him to a secluded spot and stood there, his gaze cold. "What guidance does the Prime Minister have for me?"
"I dare not presume to offer guidance," Shi Hongwei said, cupping his hands respectfully. "I merely have a matter to report—during this investigation, I not only discovered Shi Youxin's corruption, abuse of power, and framing of loyal officials, but I also uncovered something else."
"What is it?"
Smiling, Shi Hongwei looked up at him. "It is a truly astonishing matter. The people in the imperial prison are easily bribed, utterly lacking in integrity. Not only did someone frame loyal officials, but someone also accepted silver to release a condemned prisoner from the Guan family!"
OpenNovel