“It was… the matter of falsely accusing Duke Zhenguo.” Prince Liang looked like a frost-beaten eggplant, dejectedly kneeling and sitting on his feet, his wet and reddened eyes looking toward the Emperor: “Father Emperor, your son truly only wanted to save his brother. Your son knows Father Emperor values brother most, your son couldn’t bear to watch brother suffer, and didn’t want to see Father Emperor heartbroken!”
How pure and filial indeed. Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes.
“Your Highness is greatly mistaken!” The Grand Princess stood up, leaning on her tiger-headed cane, staring at Prince Liang and speaking solemnly: “The foundation upon which great families establish themselves in the world lies in two words: reputation! Prince Xin currently faces no threat to his life, yet Your Highness intended to ruin the Bai family’s reputation to preserve Prince Xin’s honor – this is the first error! The Bai family members sacrificed themselves fearlessly to protect Great Jin’s territory, yet Your Highness, as a prince, not only feels no gratitude but repays kindness with enmity, wanting to disgrace the loyal and leave a stain on historical records – this is the second error! A prince is His Majesty’s son with the possibility of inheriting the throne. Committing these two errors… how would the world view our Great Jin imperial family?! After this, who would dare sacrifice their lives for the Great Jin, who would dare support the imperial authority?!”
Prince Liang looked as if awakening from a great dream, tears and snot flowing as he kowtowed heavily to the Emperor: “Father Emperor… your son was ignorant! Your son knows his wrongs! Your son truly knows his wrongs! Father Emperor knows your son has always been timid and cowardly. I didn’t think so much, I only wanted to save my brother! Who would have thought I’d cause such great trouble for Father Emperor!”
The Grand Princess turned to face the Emperor: “Your Majesty, this old woman sees that the words in His Highness’s letter are sharp and decisive, filled with killing intent – this hardly seems like… an ignorant, cowardly person without any schemes! Or perhaps… this letter was dictated by someone else but written in His Highness’s hand? Our loyal servant said they followed a suspicious person to Prince Liang’s mansion, and he came out within half an incense stick’s time! I think Minister Lu Jin should send someone to ask Prince Liang’s mansion servants where Prince Liang was at that time and whether he was alone – this would clarify whether the letter’s meaning came from Prince Liang or someone else.”
Prince Liang’s heart trembled, and he kept his head lowered, trembling without daring to look up. Thinking of the letter he had personally written, he closed his eyes – it was indeed a mistake made in panic!
But Prince Liang was unwilling to admit defeat. His mind raced, calculating that he had already claimed the advisor from Prince Xin’s mansion had left after killing Qin Shangzhi…
“If Prince Liang was used by others due to his eagerness to save his brother and his ignorance, that would be one thing! But if he went with the flow for other purposes… with such deep scheming, Your Majesty should consider carefully!” The Grand Princess spoke slowly.
Bai Qingyan, who had been protected behind the Grand Princess, remained silent. She knew her grandmother was planting a seed of doubt about Prince Liang in the Emperor’s heart. Once suspicion took root in one’s heart, previously small and weak traces would be unconsciously magnified.
Grandmother understood the Emperor better than she did. As long as the Emperor discovered that Prince Liang was not as cowardly and incompetent as he usually appeared, but was hiding his abilities, then when the Emperor connected this to Prince Liang’s close relationship with the Second Prince in the past, to today’s scheme to frame the Bai family for treason while pretending to be timid… seamlessly tying Qin Dezhao’s death and the Nan Jiang grain supply case to Prince Xin, what would the Emperor think?!
He would surely think his son’s capabilities were truly great! So great they had already escaped his understanding and control.
Could such a prince – one qualified to inherit the throne, with deep schemes and excellent acting skills, beyond his control – be allowed to remain?!
Wouldn’t the Emperor fear… that Prince Liang might tear off his sheep’s clothing when he was unprepared, revealing his true vicious nature, and like the Second Prince, raise troops to force abdication, take his life, and seize his imperial power?!
“Great-aunt grandmother! I have always treated my great-aunt grandmother with courtesy. Though I may not be filial… I’ve always cared for my great-aunt grandmother. Why does great-aunt grandmother harm me?!” Prince Liang raised his head like a bewildered, frightened beast, his eyes full of pain from being betrayed by a close relative.
The Grand Princess straightened her spine, looking at Prince Liang and speaking righteously: “Your Highness, I am your great-aunt grandmother, but I am even more the Grand Princess of Great Jin! Kingdom first… family second! Toward the Bai family like this… toward anyone it would be the same!”
The aged Grand Princess’s voice carried sorrow as she choked up: “Your Majesty, I am old… at fifteen, I will go to the imperial nunnery to pray for the Kingdom’s blessings. After that, I fear I cannot protect these children of the Bai family! But they are ultimately widows of loyal warriors. After the New Year and spring begins, let them return to their hometown in Shuoyang! The Bai family has a clear family tradition, generations of loyal bones, never any betrayal. Since the Bai family’s men have all died and no one can inherit the title, I will request on behalf of the Bai family to relinquish the title, only asking Your Majesty to ensure the Bai family widows’ safety and smooth lives!”
Minister of the Court of Judicial Review Lu Jin looked up at the Grand Princess and the consistently composed eldest miss of the Bai family. He had heard that the Bai family had found an illegitimate son – why were they requesting to relinquish the title?!
Bai Qingyan stepped forward to support the Grand Princess, lowering her voice to say: “Grandmother, I find that guard very familiar – he looks like a guard who was once under the Second Prince…”
Her voice wasn’t loud, as if whispering privately with her grandmother, but the volume was just right for the Emperor to hear.
The Second Prince – these three words were always a pain in the Emperor’s heart. He suddenly looked up: “Which guard are you talking about?”
Though the Emperor’s question was directed at Bai Qingyan, his gaze had already turned straight toward Gao Sheng, as if remembering someone. The Emperor was so shocked that he stood up.
The Emperor’s heart pounded rapidly. No wonder this guard looked familiar. During the Second Prince’s rebellion… Gao Yuan, the Second Prince’s most capable lieutenant, had nearly decapitated the Emperor with one slash. Even now, he remembered the feeling of that blood-stained blade with its slightly curled edge scraping past his scalp. Even now, he couldn’t forget Gao Yuan’s cold and sinister features.
“What is your relationship to the traitor Gao Yuan?!” the Emperor asked loudly.
“Elder brother, Gao Yuan of the Second Prince’s guard unit.” Gao Sheng showed no fear, looking directly at the Emperor as if seeking death with all his heart: “Shot and killed at Wude Gate in the seventh year of Xuanjia, nine generations of the clan exterminated, only one person remains.”
The Emperor’s gaze turned to Prince Liang in extreme shock, only to see Prince Liang also looking at Gao Sheng with a stunned expression.
Prince Liang’s bewilderment was not feigned – he truly hadn’t expected Gao Sheng to admit his identity himself.
With things having reached this point, Gao Sheng would certainly not survive.
His mind went through countless turns in an instant, and he decisively kowtowed to the Emperor: “Father Emperor! Your son… your son didn’t know Gao Sheng’s identity!”
The Emperor clenched his fists tightly, calmed his emotions, and then slowly sat down, silently gripping the dragon throne’s armrests.
The Grand Princess, observing the Emperor’s expression, calmly bowed to the Emperor: “Your Majesty, this matter has escalated to such a degree that all the people in the capital know of it. At this moment, the people outside Wude Gate are calling Your Majesty a wise and enlightened ruler, deeply believing that Your Majesty can restore justice to the Bai family. With such a great reputation, you must live up to it to fully win people’s hearts! How to deal with Prince Liang rests entirely on Your Majesty’s clear judgment!”