Meng Tinghui was stunned into silence.

She was already surprised to hear him say that the incident from the previous night was done by people Wei Mingxian had sent, but then he claimed that even her fall from a horse during last year’s archery ceremony was also Wei Mingxian’s doing—

She spoke sharply: “What evidence do you have to dare slander Deputy Minister Wei Mingxian of the Imperial Stables?”

Wang Qi hesitated slightly. “Some days ago, Deputy Minister Wei held a banquet at his residence. After much food and wine, people were drunk. Seeing no one else around, he accidentally let it slip, and I overheard it.” He lowered his eyes. “If Lady Meng asks for evidence, I have none to offer. If I hadn’t been forced by Lady Meng to this point, I would never have revealed this matter under any circumstances.”

Meng Tinghui coldly asked: “I have no grievance or enmity with Wei Mingxian. Last year during the Northern Garden archery ceremony, I had just recently entered the Hanlin Academy and hadn’t even met him. Why would he deliberately harm me?”

Wang Qi’s expression changed slightly, his gaze toward her becoming somewhat strange. “Does Lady Meng believe one must have a grudge with Deputy Minister Wei for him to harm you? Deputy Minister Wei has always considered himself a new noble of the Eastern Faction, often acting without consulting even Minister Gu, his self-righteousness unmatched by anyone. When Grand Tutor Shen petitioned the Emperor on behalf of the Crown Prince to have the Hanlin Academy issue an imperial edict allowing female jinshi scholars, it had already displeased many Eastern Faction court officials. Later, when the Crown Prince further broke precedent by granting Lady Meng a sixth-rank position as Compiler, it aroused even more discontent among the conservative Eastern Faction members who opposed women holding sensitive official positions. Deputy Minister Wei’s actions were not meant to harm Lady Meng specifically, but rather as a demonstration for the Crown Prince to see.”

Her expression fluctuated between dark and light. “Wei Mingxian considers you his confidant and has protected and helped you throughout this case, yet with just a few words you betray him completely. How am I to believe what you say is true?”

Wang Qi said: “The incident where Lady Meng encountered danger a few nights ago has surely been investigated thoroughly by the Crown Prince. Why doesn’t Lady Meng ask the Crown Prince who was behind it? Then you will know that what I say is true.”

Meng Tinghui concentrated for a moment, then suddenly laughed coldly: “Even if everything you say is true, you have no concrete evidence. How can empty words serve as proof to impeach Wei Mingxian?”

Wang Qi quickly propped himself up a bit more, saying urgently: “That’s why I said earlier, if Lady Meng is willing to erase my crime regarding the Qingzhou Military Camp from the confession paper, I would tell Lady Meng a secret! To impeach Wei Mingxian and have him demoted, you don’t need to find evidence for those two incidents!”

She thought for a moment, raising her delicate eyebrows slightly. “Let me hear first what method you have.”

But he hesitated and said nothing.

Seeing this, Meng Tinghui made a show of turning to leave. “Very well, Deputy Minister Wei is merely a fourth-rank official. Why should I truly fear his influence?”

Wang Qi hurriedly called her back. “Lady Meng, don’t go. I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you.” He frowned, as if making an extremely difficult decision, and finally said: “Does Lady Meng know that Deputy Minister Wei’s mother died a month and a half ago, yet he has concealed her death, refusing to report it to the court or return home to observe the mourning period?”

At these words, Meng Tinghui was truly shocked.

According to dynastic tradition, regardless of rank, any court official whose parent died must return home to observe a three-year mourning period. If one concealed a parent’s death without reporting it, they would certainly face dismissal and demotion, without exception.

Dismissal was a minor issue compared to the damage to one’s reputation. Which official who had passed the jinshi examination hadn’t spent years studying the classics? To conceal a parent’s death and violate mourning protocol was considered an act of great impiety, enough to make court officials and people throughout the realm despise and revile one. If one ever wished to be reinstated in the future, it would be exceedingly difficult. It could truly be said that one such act could ruin an official’s entire career!

How could she have imagined that Wei Mingxian would commit such an unfilial and deceitful act against the emperor and that Wang Qi would know such a secret!

Wang Qi, seeing the sudden change in her eyes, finally gave a bitter smile and continued: “Lady Meng truly doesn’t know. Deputy Minister Wei and I are from the same hometown, and we became officials after passing the jinshi examination in the same year. Lady Meng thinks he has been helping me throughout this case because he considers me a confidant, but in reality, he fears I might reveal this matter. I had originally planned to wait for his protection, but who would have thought the Crown Prince would let Lady Meng participate in the interrogation…”

Meng Tinghui gripped the confession paper tightly and coldly interrupted him: “Lord Wang perhaps doesn’t know, but on that night when I was struck by someone’s palm against a stone, causing an injury to the side of my head, my ears have not been well these past few days. Whatever Lord Wang just said, I didn’t hear a single word. As for the crime of monthly silver from Qingzhou Military Camp, I’m afraid I cannot erase it for Lord Wang. Since you have already signed it, don’t blame me for presenting it to the Three Judicial Offices tomorrow for Ministers Pan, Liu, and Xue to judge the case.”

Wang Qi could hardly believe she would turn on him like this. His face turned ashen. “You…” Blood rushed to his throat, and his entire body began to tremble. “You are so cruel to others today, someday you will come to no good end!”

She didn’t even get angry but smiled slightly: “Actually, I should have ‘come to no good end’ ten years ago, but heaven favored me, and someone saved me. This life I live now is not meant to seek fortune for myself, so even if I ‘come to no good end’ in the future, what is there to fear?”

Wang Qi couldn’t utter another word. He gasped rapidly, looking at her resentfully through the prison door. Suddenly his body convulsed twice, and he collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth, unconscious.

Meng Tinghui frowned, raising her hand to summon the prison guards to handle the situation. She instructed them that he must not die before sentencing. Then she gathered all the papers from the desk behind her and slowly walked out of the Censorate Prison.

Outside, the night breeze was cool, carrying the unique water fragrance of late spring and early summer, instantly sweeping away the dark prison air from her body. Her skirt fluttered, her hair swayed gently, and the coldness in the corners of her eyes and brows also diminished somewhat.

Knowing that Huang Bo was guarding the carriage waiting for her not far away, she did not linger but went straight out of the Censorate.

When she reached the entrance, she suddenly heard someone call from the right: “Lady Meng.”

Meng Tinghui turned to look and saw it was Cao Jing. She was pleasantly surprised and went forward, saying: “What’s this? Is Lord Cao on duty at the Censorate tonight?”

Cao Jing smiled slightly, nodded, and said: “The transfer from the Remonstrance Bureau to the Censorate was quite rushed; I didn’t even have a chance to inform Lady Meng.” He looked her over, and seeing that she appeared well, seemed somewhat relieved. He smiled again and said: “I hear Lady Meng now travels in an imperially bestowed four-wheeled carriage. I hope in the future you might put in a good word for me before the Crown Prince.”

Her face reddened slightly, unsure if he was serious or joking. She suddenly recalled what Huang Bo had told her days before—that Cao Jing had been demoted to Palace Censor on the Crown Prince’s orders. She also remembered the impeachment memorial he had submitted not long ago, accusing Gu Qin of forming treasonous factions. Her smile faded, and she asked softly: “Has Lord Cao now turned to support the Crown Prince?”

Cao Jing looked embarrassed, his expression noncommittal, as if he had something difficult to express. He remained silent for a long time. When someone from inside called him to enter, he just smiled at her and said, “I have matters to attend to. We’ll find an opportunity to talk properly next time.”

Meng Tinghui quickly stopped him, saying: “I’m not trying to pry into your private affairs, but since you’ve even impeached Minister Gu, the Eastern Faction surely won’t try to win you over anymore. In the future, apart from supporting the Crown Prince, I fear you have no other path.” She paused, seeing no one nearby, and lowered her voice further: “Tonight, I happen to have a matter I’d like your help with. If you’re willing, I promise you’ll be promoted within a month.”

Cao Jing stopped, his brows slightly furrowed. “What matter?”

Her voice grew even softer: “Deputy Minister Wei Mingxian of the Imperial Stables has concealed his mother’s death, not reporting it to the court.”

Cao Jing was greatly shocked. “Is this true?”

Meng Tinghui nodded and continued: “I will first pass this information to the senior officials of the Hanlin Academy. Once the Academy raises voices of censure, you should submit an impeachment memorial in your capacity as Palace Censor responsible for monitoring official misconduct. By then, the officials of the Censorate will surely join in unison, and Wei Mingxian’s dismissal will be inevitable.”

Cao Jing remained extremely shocked. After a while, he said: “Most people in the Hanlin Academy are also of the Eastern Faction. How can you get them to initiate criticism against Wei Mingxian?”

She lowered her eyes and smiled faintly. “Has Lord Cao forgotten that I too am from the Hanlin Academy?” She gathered her sleeves and bowed slightly. “How to make the Hanlin Academy officials speak up is not for Lord Cao to worry about. Just prepare the impeachment memorial when the time comes.”

Cao Jing also bowed, his gaze still startled.

Meng Tinghui was about to leave but turned back to add: “This is an opportunity for rapid advancement. Lord Cao wouldn’t work against his official career, would he?”

Cao Jing finally came to his senses, slowly nodding, his gaze lingering on her face as he said: “Lady Meng, I am placing my trust in you this time. If things truly proceed as Lady Meng has planned, I will follow Lady Meng’s lead in court affairs in the future.”

Meng Tinghui smiled at him, said nothing more, and turned to walk toward the steps outside the Censorate.

Huang Bo saw her figure from a distance and drove the carriage to meet her. “Lady Meng, you’ve been gone so long! I was about to charge into the Censorate to find you!”

She lifted her skirt to enter the carriage, her face showing a slight apology. With a smile, she said: “I must trouble Imperial Guard Huang to accompany me to the Hanlin Academy.”