In the crowd, Li Qitian’s brows furrowed tightly as he cast doubtful glances at Zuo Jinwei.

As Minister of War, Zuo Jinwei had been granted the position of commander of one hundred thousand Huben Army troops, wielding heavy military power. It was inevitable that his ambitions would grow, wanting to monopolize authority.

But would Zuo Jinwei have the audacity to frame Pang Zhixi for his own personal gain and deceive the emperor?

Li Qitian now actually didn’t know whom he should believe.

Meanwhile, Qin Yining was still sparing no effort to smash the “great black pot” onto Zuo Jinwei’s head.

“Lord Zuo, you also said you wanted me to introduce my father first, then introduce Prince Yan. Now seeing how you conduct yourself, let’s forget about the introductions. My father is an upright gentleman who disdains associating with petty people!”

If Zuo Jinwei still couldn’t realize he was being framed at this point, he would truly be a fool.

He was so furious he nearly jumped up and down, pointing at Qin Yining’s nose and cursing: “You’re making false accusations! You wild wench from who knows where, how dare you impersonate someone from the Yan court! How dare you speak such nonsense! When did I ever do such things! I never rescued you at all!”

Qin Yining frowned at his shouting, turning back to look at the dozen or so Yan court people who had been rescued by the Huben Army, saying nothing more.

But her unwavering and determined attitude was telling everyone that Zuo Jinwei was lying!

Qi Rugang had been watching this spectacle for quite a while and already understood that Zuo Jinwei had set a trap that had ensnared the Emperor as well.

He angrily stepped forward to inspect the carriage. Not finding Pang Xiao, he loudly confirmed: “Have you all searched carefully? Prince Zhongshun is indeed not in the ranks?”

“Reporting to my lord, he is indeed not here!”

Among the Huben Army were several young men close to Pang Xiao who had opportunities to join the Elite Tiger Guard. They all understood the situation clearly now.

One of them muttered in a voice neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for those on the crowd’s periphery to hear clearly: “How strange. Prince Zhongshun has already handed over his military tally and is said to be ill. He should be recuperating in his mansion now, right? How could he be with the army?”

“Yes, could it be that Lord Zuo is confused?”

Lord Zuo was indeed confused.

He couldn’t figure out at all why a perfectly good living person would disappear. When getting into the carriage, it was still a grown man, but when getting out, it had turned into this delicate young lady before him!

The hair on his spine stood on end, cold sweat sliding down from his forehead.

This was truly dire. His secret reports boiled down to two main points: the first memorial accused Pang Zhixi of privately mobilizing troops, and the second accused Pang Zhixi of falsely transmitting imperial edicts.

Now the twenty thousand Huben Army troops were blocked outside the gates by the Divine Engine Battalion, Five Army Battalions, Three Thousand Battalion, plus ten thousand Longxiang Army troops. Moreover, the Minister of Justice had brought his men to deliver the message that only exit was permitted, no entry. This was enough to show that today’s major disruption was arranged by the Emperor.

The reason the Emperor would make such arrangements was entirely because he believed his secret reports and planned to use Pang Zhixi’s supposed transgression to capture him in broad daylight before everyone.

But in reality, somehow everything had completely gone off track.

Pang Zhixi had actually disappeared! If the Emperor botched this matter, would he devour him alive?

In the crowd, Li Qitian’s brows furrowed even tighter.

Ji Zeyu, for the first time, seriously examined Qin Yining with an appraising gaze.

A boudoir lady could actually speak so reasonably and convincingly in broad daylight before everyone without showing any timidity, completely clearing Pang Xiao of blame and throwing the black pot to others to carry.

This woman was truly not simple.

Everyone had their own thoughts. The Huben Army was better off—due to strict military regulations forbidding whispered conversations while in formation, no one was speaking at this moment.

But the watching civilians didn’t care about such things. Everyone gathered in groups of three to five, with endless discussions, all speculating whether the Emperor wanted to eliminate Pang Zhixi.

Some with political insight even speculated whether the Emperor was beginning to eliminate the founding merit officials.

These discussions, reaching the ears of Li Qitian who was making a private inspection in disguise, felt like slaps across his face. He was not a tyrant but a wise ruler. He absolutely could not do such things as destroying the bow after the birds were shot, at least not openly, because he could not allow the historical records to document him unfavorably.

But the discussions were right beside his ears, and the civilians’ various speculations grew more intense, as if he had already done something!

All of this was caused by that bastard surnamed Zuo’s secret reports!

Just as the situation reached a stalemate, voices suddenly came from the city gate.

Then someone called loudly: “Prince Zhongshun arrives!”

Upon hearing this, everyone looked toward the city gate.

They saw a carriage traveling out from within the city. The carriage had vermillion wheels and ornate canopy with swaying tassels—exactly the style befitting a prince.

When the carriage approached, Huzi, sitting on the carriage shaft, leaped down and lifted the door curtain.

They saw Pang Xiao, wrapped in thick fur robes with a pale complexion, get out of the carriage and cough several times while covering his mouth.

Zuo Jinwei stared at Pang Xiao as if seeing a ghost.

Could this man perhaps know Maoshan sorcery?

Just recently he had seen him gravely ill and bedridden in the military camp, and now back in the capital, they hadn’t found him in the ranks, yet he had emerged from within the city!

Qi Rugang frowned and stepped forward to pay his respects: “This humble official greets Your Highness.”

Everyone also bowed: “We greet Your Highness.”

Pang Xiao waved his hand and coughed twice more before saying: “No need for such formalities. This prince heard that someone has falsely accused this prince of privately mobilizing troops, even saying this prince took twenty thousand men to the Great Yan border, and deceived Lord Zuo by claiming I was acting on imperial orders?”

“This…” More and more sweat appeared on Zuo Jinwei’s forehead.

“Is it that this prince is usually too good-natured, making Lord Zuo think of me as a soft persimmon that can be bullied? This prince has been ill for many days, constantly recuperating in my mansion, yet you actually frame this prince for privately mobilizing troops with intent to rebel? His Majesty, pitying my toil, commanded me to rest and recuperate. The military tally is no longer in my possession—how could I mobilize troops?!”

“Moreover, these past days I have been recuperating in my mansion. Yet you claim I was far away at the Great Yan border, even lying about acting on imperial orders for military exercises? This is truly the height of absurdity!”

Pang Xiao pointed at Qi Rugang: “Lord Qi, before you order people to act, please trouble yourself to investigate clearly first! Don’t you know where the main gate of Prince Zhongshun’s mansion opens? If you received Lord Zuo’s report and suspected this prince, wouldn’t you first go to the prince’s mansion to investigate? Was there need for such a grand mobilization, surrounding people to make them a laughingstock!”

Qi Rugang’s face turned red from Pang Xiao’s words, thinking to himself that this wasn’t his doing—it was clearly the Emperor’s doing!

But he could only carry this burden for the Emperor.

Li Qitian in the crowd was already fuming with rage, yet helpless.

He now truly regretted why he had thought of being “absolutely certain,” why he hadn’t gone to search Prince Zhongshun’s mansion.

If he had obtained evidence at that time that Pang Xiao was not in his mansion, could he still be so arrogant now?

But thinking again, Li Qitian began to doubt whether this time it was actually Pang Xiao who led troops out, or whether Zuo Jinwei wanted to monopolize power and had designed a scheme to frame Pang Xiao.

Li Qitian was naturally suspicious. Now that such events had occurred, he completely didn’t know whom he should trust.

At this moment, apart from those in the crowd who were in disguise, Pang Xiao held the highest noble rank.

So Pang Xiao coughed several more times, then ordered: “Open the city gates and allow normal passage. Don’t all crowd here, delaying the common people’s lives. Also, arrange post stations to accommodate those who have come from Great Yan from afar.”

Speaking to the end, Pang Xiao’s slightly upturned phoenix eyes fell on Qin Yining for the first time today, the two clusters of flames flickering in his pupils seeming as if they wanted to burn Qin Yining to ashes on the spot with their intensity.