Someone Turning Themselves In?!
The great hall fell silent once more. This time it was truly, genuinely quiet—so quiet you could hear a pin drop. For a long while, no one moved.
It was in this brief moment that Zhou Weizhao, who until now had not even opened his mouth and seemed to be standing apart from it all, suddenly spoke. He fixed his eyes on the newly entered Feng Yinglong and asked in a calm, even tone: “Who has come to turn themselves in?”
Liang Tong spoke almost simultaneously: “What’s going on? Lord Feng, have you managed to uncover some leads in the interrogation?”
Speaking of which, it was truly infuriating. They called it a joint trial by the Three Judicial Offices, but in reality, where was the actual interrogation? If it weren’t for these civil officials keeping watch over the Three Judicial Offices, would they even bother to lift a finger? They were all like oxen—you had to crack the whip once before they’d take a single step. It was absolutely maddening.
Therefore, at this very moment, when Feng Yinglong suddenly jumped out saying something about someone turning themselves in, Liang Tong’s eyelid instinctively twitched. The meaning behind Empress Dowager Lu’s words just now had been abundantly clear—she did not believe that Zhou Weizhao had ordered Zhang Tianshi to poison anyone. She kept insisting that they produce evidence, that they re-examine the case, that they bring forth the interrogation documents and the signed confession documents. But right now the court was in complete chaos. The cabinet ministers were all busy dispatching troops and generals to salvage the deteriorating situation in Xibei, while also having to figure out how to resolve this pile of rotten mess in the court. Where would they find the time to meticulously review these cases?
Even Liang Tong himself felt it would be better to imprison Zhou Weizhao first, and wait until later when the dust had settled and the Tartar matter was resolved before thoroughly dealing with Zhou Weizhao.
But Empress Dowager Lu seized upon a single point and wouldn’t let go—she absolutely insisted they produce evidence. What evidence could they produce?! If they really followed her words and went looking for evidence, re-examining the entire case from the beginning, who knew how long that would drag on.
Could the situation in Xibei allow things to continue in such chaos? To continue being dragged out like this? The common people always suffered the most. Who knew what kind of chaos had already erupted in Xibei. If the court continued its endless internal strife with no one taking charge, and if the garrison commanders at the border passes all descended into disorder, then things would truly become completely irretrievable.
None of them would have the face to meet the late emperor and the imperial ancestors below after death.
Fortunately, at this moment, Feng Yinglong had arrived. Liang Tong’s eyes widened as he watched Feng Yinglong open his mouth, and he held his breath.
Feng Yinglong’s expression was complex, seeming somewhat conflicted. During this brief moment of hesitation, Tao Dinghu and Meng Jiming also hurried in from outside. As soon as they entered, they noticed the delicate atmosphere in the great hall. They exchanged a glance and stood in the center without moving.
It was still Empress Dowager Lu who spoke: “Speak. At this point, is there anything that cannot be said? Just tell us directly—who has come to turn themselves in?”
Feng Yinglong glanced left and right at Meng Jiming and Tao Dinghu, steeled his heart, closed his eyes, and indeed spoke in one breath: “It’s… it’s His Highness’s personal bodyguard captain Kong Shun.”
Seeing Empress Dowager Lu’s face turn deathly pale as her eyes widened, he quickly lowered his head. When he had first heard that someone had come to turn themselves in and then saw Kong Shun, his first reaction had also been to gape in shock. It took him a full quarter of an hour to recover.
However, although the matter sounded utterly incredible, after all there had already been Daoist Ciyun as a witness, and Immortal Taibai had confirmed that Zhang Tianshi’s elixirs did indeed have problems. He had quickly regained his composure and hadn’t been so shocked as to completely lose his bearings.
Only after convening the court and conducting the first interrogation did he discover there were actually so many twists and turns involved.
Thinking of this, his expression grew complicated. In the deathly silence, he lowered his head: “There is the criminal Kong Shun’s personally signed confession as evidence… He testified that it was indeed the Grand Heir plotting to harm His Majesty, and that he colluded with Zhang Tianshi.”
Empress Dowager Lu couldn’t process this. Prince Dongping couldn’t process it either. His eyes widened like copper bells, nearly doubting whether he had heard wrong. He knew there were traitors around Zhou Weizhao, and he knew this traitor might be deeply hidden.
But he had suspected many people, had doubts about many people, yet had never suspected Kong Shun. Even he knew that Kong Shun was honest and straightforward, treating Zhou Weizhao like his own son. His youngest son had even died for Zhou Weizhao’s sake!
How could such a loyal servant, one given by the Lu family no less, possibly betray Zhou Weizhao?!
Empress Dowager Lu was even more astonished than he was. Her hands gripped the armrests of her chair so tightly that she didn’t slide off. After a long moment, she squeezed out a cold laugh from between her teeth.
Meng Jiming, unable to concern himself with the Empress Dowager’s cold laugh at this moment, knelt on the ground. Holding Kong Shun’s signed confession document and testimony in both hands, he presented them upward, his voice grave: “According to what Kong Shun said, it was indeed His Highness’s orders.”
Liang Tong spat on the ground, his face flushed bright red, and snorted with utter contempt.
Eunuch An received the documents with trembling hands. His gaze didn’t dare linger for even a moment, as if the documents burned his hands. He swiftly presented them upward to Empress Dowager Lu.
Empress Dowager Lu pressed her lips together and reached out to receive the documents.
Kong Shun stated that the plot to harm Prince Gong had also been the Grand Heir’s doing, and he explained clearly how the Grand Heir had employed people and how he had designed the scheme.
There was also the matter involving Master Yuanhui from before. In his testimony, Kong Shun said that Master Yuanhui had also been falsely accused—that because he had given Song Chuyi an unfavorable fortune reading, Song Chuyi bore a grudge and therefore took revenge on him.
It went far beyond just these matters. Further on, he named names, saying that Song Chuyi frequently associated with Imperial Guard Commander Lai Chenglong, that they often met privately, and that Lai Chenglong obeyed Song Chuyi’s every word.
She clutched the testimony tightly, her fingernails easily tearing through those sheets of paper. Her face pale, she stared fixedly at the kneeling Meng Jiming and the others, then glanced at the indignant civil officials, feeling an indescribable fury welling up inside her.
How could it be Kong Shun?! Why would it be Kong Shun?! No matter what, she couldn’t understand. Kong Shun was from the Lu family—Old Master Lu had personally given him to Zhou Weizhao. For Zhou Weizhao’s sake, he could even sacrifice his life.
But now, this very confidant who would sacrifice his life for Zhou Weizhao had, without hesitation, betrayed Zhou Weizhao at this moment, stepped forward to accuse Zhou Weizhao, and plunged Zhou Weizhao into an irredeemable situation.
Her shock had not yet fully subsided when a tremendous clamor surged toward her like a tidal wave.
“We beseech the Empress Dowager to issue an edict to imprison the Grand Heir in the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs!”
Even Chief Grand Secretary Chang coughed a few times and looked toward Empress Dowager Lu: “Your Majesty… both witness testimony and physical evidence are complete.”
Zhou Weiqi looked toward Zhou Weizhao, able to see only Zhou Weizhao’s profile, carved like a sculpture, and his extremely long eyelashes.