Since that was the case, let Bai Jinxiu lead the common people in lavishly praising His Majesty for not showing favoritism, for being impartial and selfless! Even when facing his legitimate son, Prince Xin, he showed no mercy – truly the most sage ruler and emperor in the world!

Let the Bai family members lead the common people in shouting that they believed the Emperor would justly deal with Prince Liang, who intended to slander the Bai family!

When the people’s praise reached the Emperor’s ears, would the Emperor, who coveted reputation and didn’t particularly favor Prince Liang, this submissive prince, not deal with Prince Liang for the sake of a good reputation?!

Bai Qingyan wanted the common people to place the hat of virtue high upon the Emperor’s head!

Coercion wasn’t only the forceful and direct confrontational method like beating the Petition Drum last time. The high hat of virtue often made people more terrified yet unable to refuse wearing it.

The Emperor, sitting in the supreme position, feared the murmuring voices of the people and the historians’ written condemnation more than anyone else.

She nodded and solemnly paid her respects: “Then I shall trouble Mother and all the aunts!”

After watching her mother and the various aunts and younger sisters depart together with the common people of the capital toward Wude Gate, only then did she board the carriage with the Grand Princess.

The grandmother and granddaughter sat in the carriage.

The Grand Princess, her hair white as if she had aged ten years overnight, closed her eyes, her thin lips pressed tightly together, her hands continuously working the prayer beads carved from aloe wood.

Bai Qingyan also sat properly to one side, calm as still water.

Prince Liang was restless in his mansion today. Tong Ji had been gone for several hours, and every time he sent someone to investigate, they said Tong Ji was still standing outside the side gate of the Duke’s mansion, waiting, having not yet seen any maid from the Duke’s mansion.

Although Gao Sheng had now controlled Liu Huanzhang, Liu Huanzhang, worried about his wife and children, could no longer endure and was about to report Duke Zhenguo Bai Weiting’s treason.

As long as those letters could successfully be brought into the Duke’s mansion by Chun Yan today, even if not into the Duke’s study, as long as the letters were in Duke Zhenguo’s mansion… combined with Liu Huanzhang’s testimony, given his father emperor’s wariness of the Bai family and dissatisfaction with Bai Qingyan’s recent actions, the Bai family’s treasonous reputation could be established!

If he missed this opportunity, he didn’t know when he would be able to crush the Bai family into the mud.

As for using Bai Qingyan, once the Bai family women were all captured, he would then find a way to rescue Bai Qingyan and one or two other Bai family women. He didn’t believe Bai Qingyan would be devoted to him unto death.

Prince Liang’s emotions surged in his heart. He closed his eyes and coughed violently several times, pulling his cloak tighter around himself.

When he opened his eyes again, Prince Liang’s gaze was filled with cold malice.

As long as he could destroy the Bai family’s century-old reputation, it would count as revenge for Consort Tong and Second Imperial Brother!

As for using Bai Qingyan to gain military achievements to pave the way for seizing the supreme position in the future, his enthusiasm for such thoughts had considerably diminished.

The recent assassination attempt had injured his heart and lungs, and he didn’t even know if he would live to sit in that position. Bai Qingyan now showed undisguised disgust toward him, saying in front of the common people that she would rather die than marry him. Prince Liang truly couldn’t understand… what exactly he had done wrong to make Bai Qingyan’s attitude toward him suddenly change so drastically.

“Your Highness! Your Highness, something’s happened, Your Highness!” The old steward of Prince Liang’s mansion stood at the study door, calling out loudly.

Prince Liang frowned tightly: “Come in and speak!”

The steward of Prince Liang’s mansion hurried in, and after paying his respects, said: “Your Highness, Tong Ji went to the side gate of the Duke’s mansion to see the personal maid of the eldest Miss Bai, but was caught red-handed by a nanny from the Duke’s mansion. He happened to encounter the funeral procession returning, and the matter was brought before the Grand Princess. When your letter was opened in public, it turned out to be correspondence between Duke Zhenguo and the Prince of Nanyan, and one of the so-called personal letters from Duke Zhenguo was actually in Emperor Gaozu’s handwriting! The eldest Miss Bai said publicly that you had once asked her for military books annotated by the Duke, and to show her unwillingness to associate with you, she gave you military books annotated by Emperor Gaozu!”

Military books annotated by Emperor Gaozu?!

The book Bai Qingyan gave him was military books annotated by Emperor Gaozu?!

Prince Liang’s fists clenched tightly, his heart beating violently several times, nearly unable to stand steady as he staggered back a step.

“Your Highness!” The steward quickly stepped forward to support Prince Liang, “Your Highness, are you alright?!”

Prince Liang had a severe headache, his heart pounding rapidly, as if it would burst through the wound that had just healed.

“What about Tong Ji?!” Prince Liang asked instinctively.

“The Grand Princess took the letters, along with Tong Ji and that maid, into the palace to see His Majesty!” The steward’s voice was trembling.

Into the palace?!

He needed to calm down and think of a solution!

Even if it was Emperor Gaozu’s handwriting, he could say that Bai Weiting was being cautious in his correspondence with the Prince of Nanyan and used Emperor Gaozu’s handwriting. But the fact that these letters were found on Tong Ji made things quite troublesome.

The steward was panicking: “Your Highness, what should we do! Someone must be trying to frame Your Highness! Tong Ji must have fallen into someone else’s trap! If Your Highness can hold on… You should still enter the palace to explain to His Majesty!”

Prince Liang, his face dark, suddenly looked up at the steward. In a flash of inspiration, he thought of an excellent explanation and gripped the steward’s hand tightly.

What he gave Tong Ji must have been a love letter – he was merely admiring the eldest Miss Bai and wanting to marry her. As for how the letter in Tong Ji’s hands became correspondence between the Duke and the Prince of Nanyan, he knew nothing about it. He just needed to play dumb in front of his father emperor, pretend to be shocked, pretend to know nothing.

He would have Gao Sheng, on the condition of saving the entire Liu family, take Liu Huanzhang to beat the drum at the Court of Judicial Review to personally testify to Duke Zhenguo’s treason. They would say he risked his life to return to let the truth be known to the world, which was why he switched the love letter in Tong Ji’s hands after learning of Prince Liang’s intentions.

Although there were military records, Liu Huanzhang risking his life to return and accuse the deceased Bai Weiting would make people think twice, and his father emperor, would have an excuse to retry this case.

Prince Xin was his father emperor’s legitimate son – wouldn’t his father emperor, and the Empress want to preserve Prince Xin?! Liu Huanzhang’s appearance would provide room for maneuvering regarding Prince Xin’s matter.

Even if his father emperor, only wanted to be a sage and enlightened ruler,… unwilling to admit his imperial edict conferring the title of Prince on Bai Weiting was wrong, thus abandoning Prince Xin, his legitimate son.

But Liu Huanzhang’s appearance could at least leave a stain on the Bai family’s reputation for loyalty and righteousness!

Prince Liang closed his eyes and pondered carefully. As long as he could clear himself this time, he could plan slowly in the future. As long as he was alive… he would eventually be able to tear off the Bai family’s facade of loyalty and righteousness, trample the Bai family into the mud, and make them despised by all.

Time was pressing and didn’t allow Prince Liang to think further. He said to the steward: “Call Tian Weijun immediately! Quickly!”

“Yes!” The steward hurried out to call Tian Weijun.

Prince Liang got up and walked to the desk, picked up his brush, and wrote a few simple sentences to Gao Sheng. He had just finished drying the ink and folding the letter when Tian Weijun arrived in haste.

Prince Liang handed the letter to Tian Weijun: “Time is urgent, and I can’t give you detailed instructions to relay! Take this to Gao Sheng and have him follow the instructions! There must be no mistakes! It’s a matter of life and death! Quickly!”