Chu Chu was momentarily stunned by the praise; her earlier words had slipped out thoughtlessly, and she could hardly recall what she had said. "I... why am I so brilliant?"
Xue Rucheng looked toward Xiao Jin Yu, whose brow furrowed slightly. "Did someone threaten them with the lives of their closest relatives?"
Xue Rucheng raised an eyebrow. "If the Prince and the Imperial Concubine cannot share a bed in life and a grave in death, the Matchmaker God would surely be struck by lightning."
Chu Chu was thoroughly pleased by this remark, but Xiao Jin Yu was in no mood for jokes. He stared in astonishment at Xue Rucheng, who remained as composed as ever. "Sir... did you know all along that this was an unjust case?"
"I served in the Ministry of Justice back then. It would have been difficult not to know..." Xue Rucheng sighed deeply, his voice still devoid of any emotion. "Though Yun Yi was greedy for wealth, he was timid and cautious, always keeping to himself. Despite his high position, he had few close colleagues. His only true friend was Ning Jun Wang Xiao Heng—one a scholar, the other a warrior, and together they stood in the way of Left Deputy Qin Luan... Qin Luan had overseen judicial affairs for years and acted swiftly and decisively. Once he had gathered enough evidence, he had Yun Yi's pregnant wife arrested. Yun Yi, a mere scholar, had no one to turn to except Xiao Heng, who was far away in Liangzhou. Left with no choice, he yielded."
"Ning Jun Wang Xiao Heng..." Xue Rucheng frowned. "The thirty thousand soldiers weren't killed by him; it was Qin Luan's men. Xiao Heng had been drugged that night and knew nothing. However, as a member of the imperial clan, and with his wife being a cousin of the Daozong Empress, her eight-month pregnancy made her too conspicuous. Qin Luan didn't target her. Under the Daozong Empress's secret protection, the child was born in prison..." Xue Rucheng calmly gazed at Xiao Jin Yu's motionless legs. "But Xiao Heng's wife endured brutal torture, leading to a premature birth and a rushed delivery. She died from massive bleeding in prison, and the child, born with congenital weakness, was left with paralyzed legs."
Xue Rucheng watched as Xiao Jin Yu's face turned deathly pale in an instant, yet his expression and voice remained as serene as if he were chanting Buddhist scriptures. "Coincidentally, both the Daozong Empress and Consort Wen went into labor that same night. The Daozong Empress arranged to swap Consort Wen's son with Xiao Heng's child, then seized the swapped child from Consort Wen and claimed him as her own. She had Consort Wen executed by forcing her to swallow gold, and publicly announced that she had given birth to twins that night—the Sixth Prince and you, Your Highness... However, the swap between Consort Wen's son and Xiao Heng's child was carried out by court officials, while the seizure of Xiao Heng's child from Consort Wen was done by palace staff. That is why rumors spread in the palace that you were born to Consort Wen."
Xiao Jin Yu pressed his lips tightly together, silent. His face was calm but ghastly pale, and his entire body trembled slightly. Chu Chu gripped his stiff, ice-cold hand tightly, her concern far outweighing her fear.
Xue Rucheng paused only for a breath before continuing slowly, "To keep the secret, Consort Wen's son was buried together with Xiao Heng's wife. Xiao Heng and his wife were held in separate cells; he only learned of his wife's death, unaware that their child had survived. Qin Luan negotiated a price with the Turkic people, forged the letters, and only then informed Xiao Heng about the child. He also appealed to the Daozong Empress's emotions, deceiving her into allowing Xiao Heng to see the child in prison... It was only then that Xiao Heng agreed to confess and accept punishment upon seeing the letters, in order to spare his young son from the suffering of imprisonment."Xue Rucheng took two slow steps toward Xiao Jin Yu, adding in a low voice, "Does Wang Ye still believe the orphans of both families should receive death by a thousand cuts as dictated by law?"
Chu Chu hurriedly stepped forward, spreading her arms between Xiao Jin Yu and Xue Rucheng. "No!"
"Chu Chu..." Xiao Jin Yu extended his still somewhat stiff and cold hand, resting it on Chu Chu's arm as he gently pulled her back to his side. His deep gaze settled on Xue Rucheng. "If Sir intended for me to face punishment, you wouldn't be telling me this here and now."
Xue Rucheng turned leisurely to face a calligraphy scroll on the wall. "Wang Ye left the palace at fifteen and has held authority over the Three Law Divisions ever since. The entire nation has visibly prospered... Wang Ye's contributions cannot be overlooked."
Chu Chu nodded repeatedly as she listened.
"These old matters weren't something I originally intended for Wang Ye to know. The reason I'm clarifying everything today is twofold: first, because Wang Ye has taken up this case. With your capabilities and temperament, uncovering the truth is inevitable—it's better I tell you everything at once to save you time and effort... Second, it's out of personal motive. I wish to discuss something privately with Wang Ye."
Xiao Jin Yu's cool voice carried a faint, barely perceptible tremor, yet remained utterly respectful. "Please speak, Sir..."
Xue Rucheng reached out, carefully stroking the calligraphy before him. "This case was personally judged by Daozong Emperor and is many years old. The mastermind Qin Luan and others who knew of this matter are no longer alive, leaving no reliable physical evidence. If we wish to overturn this case now, I must step forward as a witness..."
Chu Chu's heart leapt with hope. During her two years in the capital, she'd heard about official affairs—Xue Rucheng neither formed cliques nor made enemies, and his words commanded near-universal belief. With a high-ranking, reputable official testifying in court, who wouldn't believe him? But as joy began to brighten her expression, she heard Xue Rucheng slowly add, "However, I have one concern. Back then, I also worked for Qin Luan. Compelled by circumstances, I aided his tyranny... Now in my later years, I only seek a peaceful life. If Wang Ye would grant mercy beyond the law and permit me to retire to the countryside, I will fully assist in overturning this case."
Chu Chu's heart sank. Though Xue Rucheng's words were circuitous, she grasped the essential meaning: he had been involved in the events that led to the deaths of Wang Ye's parents, and now he was using his testimony as leverage to negotiate immunity. Yet she knew perfectly well what Xiao Jin Yu was like in court—even before meeting him, she'd heard how Mr. Dong's epithet "Jade-Faced Judge" was no casual nickname.
If this case couldn't be overturned, Xiao Jin Yu would remain the descendant of convicted officials. If this became public knowledge, he would face death by a thousand cuts as sentenced by Daozong Emperor—something even the current Emperor couldn't prevent. The thought of his illness-ravaged body bound to a wooden frame, subjected to hundreds of cuts, made Chu Chu cast all caution aside. "Wang Ye, please agree..."
Xiao Jin Yu gently stroked the back of Chu Chu's hand, offering her a faint, bitter smile as he met her anxious gaze. In a voice soft as drizzle, he murmured, "Alright..." Lifting his eyes to Xue Rucheng, he released a silent sigh. "Please detail your personal involvement. I will do my utmost to avoid mentioning it in the case records."
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