The Emperor ground his teeth in anger: “Send someone to Prince Liang’s mansion to bring that Gao Sheng to me! If he’s not at the mansion… have the Ministry of Justice arrest him!”

Prince Liang lowered his eyes and calculated in his heart. Gao Sheng probably knew he had been summoned to the palace, so he had someone bring Liu Huanzhang to beat the Petition Drum and accuse Prince Zhenguo of treason. Although this wasn’t according to plan, it would work!

This way… both he and Tong Ji could be completely cleared.

Seeing Prince Liang quietly breathe a sigh of relief and relax his spine, Bai Qingyan lightly tightened her hands clasped in front of her lower abdomen, only hoping everything would go smoothly.

Xiao Ruohai, injured, knelt to one side, his eyes fixed intently on Gao Sheng. To capture Gao Sheng alive… six master guards from the Duke’s mansion had died, and his left arm was nearly crippled. This showed just how capable this man was!

The captured Gao Sheng, the dead Liu Huanzhang, and Tian Weijun – all three were pressed down firmly by the Duke’s mansion guards, kneeling before Wude Gate.

Tian Weijun gritted his teeth, his eyes red as he looked at Gao Sheng: “Gao Sheng, Master Gao! You wanted to kill me?!”

Gao Sheng replied expressionlessly: “Since you’ve been captured, keeping you alive will only create complications. Better to end it here and spare you the suffering of imprisonment!”

Tian Weijun’s eyes widened, his gaze filled with rage. These words… were exactly what Prince Liang had once said to him!

That stormy night, Prince Liang had ordered him to shoot an arrow through a brother with whom he had shared life and death. Seeing his hesitation, Prince Liang had said exactly this to him… since he’s been captured, keeping him alive will only create complications, better to end it here and spare him the suffering of imprisonment.

Tian Weijun opened his mouth to argue, but swallowed his words back.

This was Prince Liang’s consistent way of doing things. If Prince Liang could make him kill his brother before, why couldn’t he have Gao Sheng, whom he treated as a brother, kill him today?!

Truly, the wheel of heaven turns – retribution is inevitable!

Bai Jintong held Prince Liang’s letter that the Bai family guards had found on Tian Weijun. To prevent the Emperor from hiding it to protect his son, she read it aloud before all the common people…

“Plans have changed. I order you to use the lives of Liu Huanzhang’s entire clan as leverage to coerce Liu into confessing to the Court of Judicial Review, admitting to the Court Minister that he switched the letters in Tong Ji’s possession. Liu’s purpose in switching the letters is to establish Bai Weiting’s treason and correspondence with enemies! You must make Liu bite down and insist that he risked his life to return to the capital to accuse Prince Zhenguo, seeking justice for himself! If he refuses or attempts to threaten by revealing his full cooperation with us, this Prince will ensure Liu’s entire family joins him in the underworld. If Liu asks about the exposure of military records, tell him not to worry – this Prince has contingency plans!”

The common people were shocked after hearing Bai Jintong’s recitation…

Who was this?! Calling himself “this Prince”… could it be Prince Liang?!

After finishing the reading, Bai Jintong was furious. Bai Jinzhi kicked Gao Sheng’s injured shoulder, sending him tumbling to the ground. Her eyes blazed with anger and tears: “Speak! What did you and Liu Huanzhang cooperate on?! Was it Prince Liang who corresponded with the Prince of Nanyan?! Was it because of your treason and correspondence with enemies… that none of our Bai family men survived!”

Hearing Bai Jinzhi’s words, the common people were already filled with righteous indignation, shouting to have these three men torn apart by five horses. They thought of the Bai family men who remained in Nan Jiang and never returned, thought of the Bai family’s tenth son, who was only ten years old… their eyes turned red with hatred, wishing they could immediately take up knives and kill Liu Huanzhang again.

Gao Sheng was a tough man who gritted his teeth trying to stand, but was pressed down to kneel on one knee, staring ahead expressionlessly.

Ahead was Wude Gate, where his master, the Second Prince, and his sworn brother had both died.

Soon, a Bai family guard hurried over, covering his mouth to whisper in Xiao Ruohai’s ear: “The Magistrate of Jingzhao, knowing that Liu Huanzhang was found in the capital, has already set out for the palace to confess his guilt to His Majesty. The old steward at Minister Lu Jin’s mansion said that when Lu Jin heard Prince Liang wanted to frame the Duke’s mansion for treason and correspondence with enemies, he had already set out when the Grand Princess entered the palace with the letters, and he’s probably almost before the throne by now.”

Gao Sheng’s ears twitched as he turned to look at Xiao Ruohai. Only then did he understand in his heart… Prince Liang and they had probably fallen into the Bai family’s trap.

Gao Sheng’s straight posture bent slightly.

Soon, the gate guards of Wude Gate were brought into the hall to report to the Emperor.

Upon seeing the gate commander, the Emperor couldn’t help but feel anger rising, shouting sternly: “Who is beating the Petition Drum?!”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, it’s the loyal servants of the Bai family.”

Hearing this answer, the Emperor’s sinister gaze turned toward Bai Qingyan: “What tricks are you pulling now? Am I not hearing this case right here?!”

Bai Qingyan raised her head, feigning surprise: “Your Majesty, is this humble subject… at Wude Gate?”

The Emperor: “…”

The Grand Princess, seeing the Emperor’s increasingly dark expression, instinctively reached out to pull Bai Qingyan behind her for protection.

“What’s going on? Speak!” The Emperor vented his fury on the gate commander.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the Bai family’s loyal servants fought a desperate battle and captured Liu Huanzhang and two guards from Prince Liang’s mansion. Despite their injuries, they came to beat the Petition Drum, claiming they want to seek justice for the Bai family and accuse Prince Liang of treason and correspondence with enemies, attempting to frame loyal heroes!”

Bai Qingyan’s heart settled with great relief. Her hands clasped in front of her lower abdomen gradually relaxed their tension, and her sharp gaze turned toward Prince Liang.

“Liu Huanzhang?!” The Emperor’s hand wearing the jade thumb ring tightened.

Prince Liang’s entire body shook as he immediately cried out: “Injustice, Father Emperor! Father Emperor, you must uphold justice for your son! Even if your son had the greatest courage, he wouldn’t dare do such a thing!”

While Prince Liang cried out about injustice, his mind raced to calculate how to respond.

“Father Emperor! Your son is innocent!” Prince Liang’s whole body trembled, tears and snot flowing as he performed the role of a weak, incompetent, and cowardly villain to perfection.

“Bring them all before me! I will personally interrogate them!” The Emperor spoke through gritted teeth.

“Yes!” The gate commander glanced at the continuously wailing Prince Liang and added, “There’s one more thing – Liu Huanzhang is already dead. He was killed by a guard from Prince Liang’s mansion to silence him. Another guard from Prince Liang’s mansion, after being captured, was also nearly silenced by that guard called Gao Sheng.”

“Bring them all before me!” The Emperor swept a teacup from the table, sending it crashing to the floor.

“Yes!” The gate commander hurriedly withdrew.

Prince Liang cried even more pitifully and fearfully: “Father Emperor, your son truly is innocent! Father Emperor, you must believe your son!”

A young eunuch approached with quick steps, respectfully saying: “Your Majesty, Minister Lu Jin of the Court of Judicial Review requests an audience with Your Majesty.”

“Let Lu Jin in!” The Emperor’s head ached from Prince Liang’s crying.

Soon, Xiao Ruohai, along with Gao Sheng and Tian Weijun, were brought forward.

Since the thoroughly dead Liu Huanzhang would bring bad luck if brought into the palace, he was left outside. The people the Emperor had sent to verify the identity returned with Xiao Ruohai, Gao Sheng, and Tian Weijun, kneeling to report: “Reporting to Your Majesty, this humble subject had Liu Huanzhang’s wife and daughter brought to identify the body. The deceased is indeed Liu Huanzhang.”

“Gao Sheng! Why did you want to harm His Highness?! If His Highness hadn’t taken you in, you would have died long ago! His Highness treated you so well… why did you trap His Highness in injustice?!” Upon seeing Gao Sheng, Tong Ji wanted nothing more than to bite this cold-faced, iron-hearted man.