Just as he was speaking, he was interrupted. Lu Jingxing turned his head slightly, furrowing his brow. “Wasn’t it said we could stay for three incense sticks?”
If Lord Ziyang hadn’t arrived, they could have stayed for five incense sticks, not just three. But… the guard shook his head as he trembled, “You should proceed first.”
Sensing something amiss, Lu Jingxing paused and looked at Li Huaiyu. “Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll bring it next time.”
Huaiyu smacked her lips and said, “I want to eat plums.”
“Alright.” Lu Jingxing nodded indulgently. “Wait for me.”
Without looking up at him, Huaiyu just nodded obediently, her mind in disarray.
As Lu Jingxing left, his silver-threaded snowrobe disappeared into the pitch-black dungeon. She stood dazed, gripping the bars, unable to help but sigh.
Wanted to marry her? If he had said those words earlier, before meeting Jiang Xuanjin, the Eldest Princess of Danyang might have indeed married him.
Fate truly played tricks on people.
“Are you reluctant?” A fragrant voice drifted from nearby.
Li Huaiyu was startled and abruptly raised her head to look outside, where Jiang Xuanjin was walking towards her, expressionless.
It had only been a few days since they last met, yet she felt as if she might forget his face. Looking at him now, he seemed so unfamiliar. The ink-black eyes that stared at her didn’t seem very friendly.
She hadn’t paid attention to what he had asked, just pursed her lips and took two steps back, calling out, “Your Highness.”
When Lu Jingxing came, she would joyfully banter and play with him. But when Jiang Xuanjin came, she turned cold and distant like this? Jiang Xuanjin sneered, standing before the bars and pointing to the lock beside him. “Open it.”
Wide-eyed, Huaiyu retreated to the bamboo bed, clenching her fists.
The chains clattered as they fell, the cell door swung open, and Jiang Xuanjin stepped inside, fixing his dark gaze on the person by the bed.
“Is there anything else Your Highness wishes to ask?” Huaiyu frowned uneasily.
“I have no questions. Can’t I come without a reason?”
“… ” In this situation, why would he come if he had no questions? Huaiyu was puzzled, clutching the blanket on the bed, wanting to ask him something but swallowing her words.
His gaze lowered to something she held in her hand. Jiang Xuanjin reached out and slowly picked it up.
“Do you like it very much?” Jiang Xuanjin mocked as he examined the handkerchief.
Huaiyu was stunned, instinctively wanting to snatch it back. Her icy fingers brushed against his, then recoiled.
This was the handkerchief Lu Jingxing used to wipe her hands. What was there to like or dislike? Li Huaiyu pursed her lips, lowering her head in silence.
Feeling guilty? His eyes darkened further, and Jiang Xuanjin leaned in, resting his hand on the edge of her bed, whispering in her ear, “The things you like, I won’t let you have.”
Like sharp needles stabbing at her heart, Li Huaiyu let out a soft hum and lowered her eyes, pretending hard that she couldn’t hear him speak.
Jiang Xuanjin was somewhat annoyed. Before, she always had endless things to say, and he could discern what she was thinking just by listening. But now, her face was so cold, as if she didn’t want any connection with him anymore. No matter what he said, she didn’t react at all. It was as if she completely didn’t want him anymore.
His jaw tightened, and Jiang Xuanjin reached out, gripping her chin, forcing her to look at him.
“Your Highness!” Xu Xian was alarmed beside them and hurriedly spoke up, “Please don’t move, Your Highness, she’s not well!”
Casting a slightly hostile glance at him, Jiang Xuanjin called out sharply, “Cheng Xu.”
Cheng Xu understood and ordered the guard to open the cell door, bowing to Xu Xian. “Please, my lord, this way.”
“What are you planning?” Xu Xian shook his head. “Your Highness, the princess…”
“Very noisy,” Jiang Xuanjin interrupted him.
Cheng Xu’s expression tightened, not daring to delay any longer. He and the guard escorted Xu Xian out—one on each side.
Li Huaiyu frowned. “He’s still injured.”
“What’s that to do with me?”
His cold attitude made it seem like he was extremely angry. His thin lips were tightly pursed, his eyes devoid of any warmth.
Huaiyu closed her mouth, smiling bitterly.
Indeed, there was nothing left between them. Whether it was Xu Xian or herself, they were both standing on his opposite side, unforgivable sinners.
His expression was somewhat harsh. Jiang Xuanjin couldn’t help but reach out and cover the corner of her mouth.
Her lips were dry, with several scabbed wounds, looking very weary. Her frail body was no match for her former self from Danyang. Staying in this place, it seemed like she wouldn’t need to wait until the Double Ninth Festival; she might fade away completely.
“My face is dirty,” Huaiyu murmured. “Your Highness always likes cleanliness. Please let go.”
If Lu Jingxing touched her, why couldn’t he? Jiang Xuanjin sneered coldly, running his hand along her cheek and back, directly gripping the nape of her neck and pulling her toward him—
Dry and rough lips were covered, and Li Huaiyu’s eyes widened in shock.
Jiang Xuanjin’s ink-black eyes were mere inches away, the scent of sandalwood on his body overpowering the stale smell of blood in the cramped cell. His presence seemed to permeate the air, gently caressing her lips where the wounds had formed. He delicately traced over those bloody cuts with the tip of his tongue, soothing them tenderly, bit by bit.
Jiang Xuanjin’s ink-black eyes were mere inches away, the scent of sandalwood on his body overpowering the stale smell of blood in the cramped cell. His touch left a damp, tingling sensation that spread from her lips to her heart.
Huaiyu shivered, her eyes reacting faster than her mind, tears welling up and blurring her vision in an instant.
What was… this?
She wanted to push him away and demand an explanation. But her attempt seemed to only provoke him further. His grip on the nape of her neck tightened, showing no intention of letting go.
Did he… forgive her? Huaiyu foolishly wondered. Someone as fastidious as Jiang Xuanjin, willing to kiss her… was he appeased?
Yet moments later, Jiang Xuanjin released her on his own accord.
His eyes remained cold, with a hint of mockery in his expression. “Your Highness, what were you expecting?”
A bucket of cold water seemed to douse her from head to toe as Huaiyu stared blankly at his face. When she realized she had been playing, she slowly raised her hand to wipe away the lingering tears.
Jiang Xuanjin had indeed learned to play tricks like her.
She laughed softly. “I don’t expect anything.”
“Is that so?” Jiang Xuanjin gently wiped away the remaining tears with his hand. His lips curved into a smirk. “But it seems my observations suggest otherwise.”
This man was here to exact revenge on her, wanting to use emotions like she once did to hurt him most fiercely.
She couldn’t bear it.
Taking a deep breath, Huaiyu reverted to her usual carefree demeanor, smirking. “Your Highness, touching my wounds so much that tears come out, what does that signify?”
Ice-cold drops of water dried quickly on her fingertips. Jiang Xuanjin wiped his hands with a handkerchief, leisurely asking, “Does Your Highness mean to end this farce with me, devoid of any emotion?”
“Does Your Highness still want any emotion from me?” She smiled. “Aren’t you afraid of being deceived by me again?”
There was a fire in her heart, yet Jiang Xuanjin remained calm, gazing at her face. He asked softly, “When Your Highness deceives, do you always deceive yourself as well?”
What did he mean? Huaiyu didn’t understand.
Jiang Xuanjin played with his Buddhist beads, reciting names: “Wu, Ai, Xian, Jin.”
Wu, Ai, Xian, Jin—my love, Xuanjin.
The Eldest Princess, always at odds with Lord Ziyang, had long inscribed her affections under her name. A notorious disaster, in love with a loyal minister as clear as the moon.
How absurd, how delusional, how laughable.
Huaiyu’s face turned pale as she stared, dumbfounded at the man before her. It took her a while to finally speak. “Who told you?”
Upon reflection, there could be no one else.
Huaiyu.
She took a rough breath, grabbing the fabric of her dress in front of her chest, both urgent and angry.
The feelings she had hidden for so many years could be revealed at any moment, but why now, in this situation?
The contempt in his eyes was piercing. She wanted to avoid it, but there was nowhere to hide.
“Are you the type who pretends to be deeply in love, only to be promiscuous and lenient everywhere?” Jiang Xuanjin asked, “Are you even worthy to utter the word ‘love’?”
Over a dozen names, plus one who was always by her side, Lu Jingxing. In her Feather Palace, where she reveled every night, why should she, and how could she love him?
Her face grew even paler, and Huaiyu sat stiffly on the bamboo bed, her lower abdomen throbbing painfully.
“I…,” she gritted her teeth, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead, “I’m not worthy to say whether I like or dislike anything, love or not. So, let’s just consider it a coincidence.”
Anger surged within her, and Jiang Xuanjin looked at her with sharp eyes, as if intending to pierce her through.
However, as his gaze fell upon her incredibly pale face, he was startled. Subconsciously, he reached out to touch her forehead.
Li Huaiyu swiftly pushed his hand away, forcing a smile. “This is the consequence I’ve brought upon myself. You owe me no debt, and I owe you nothing, Your Highness. From now on, we can truly go our separate ways.”
“Quiet!” Jiang Xuanjin realized something was wrong with her. He crossed her hands forcefully and used the back of his hand to touch her forehead.
She was sweating and her complexion was deathly pale, yet her forehead burned like fire, and she seemed too weak to sit up.
“Exploit her weakness!” He turned back. “Fetch a female physician!”
Li Huaiyu slowly lay back on the bed, closing her eyes. “No need for trouble, I just need to sleep.”
Could sleeping make her better? Jiang Xuanjin’s face darkened as he waved to dismiss the eunuch wind, standing by the bed, staring at her intently.
Huaiyu said softly, “Even if you call a doctor, I won’t let them diagnose me.”
“This isn’t your body. Don’t you care?” Jiang Xuanjin said sternly, “I must give an account to Bai Yushi and cannot let you die here.”
“In that case,” Huaiyu chuckled softly, “I’m even less willing to be diagnosed. Your Highness, my favorite thing is opposing you. Have you forgotten?”
When Lord Ziyang taught her etiquette at Feiyun Palace in the past, telling her how to sit properly, she crossed her legs and walked with a masculine gait, laughing and jumping, refusing to listen to him.
Jiang Xuanjin naturally remembered how defiant she could be, frowning darkly. “What good does this do you?”
“No good at all,” she smirked, her voice trailing off, “I just enjoy seeing you angry…”
Before she could finish her sentence, silence had returned to the cell.
“Li Huaiyu?” Jiang Xuanjin was slightly surprised, reaching out to hold her hand. But when he looked down, he saw that she had clasped both hands tightly around her wrist, firmly guarding her pulse.
How could there be such a person? Jiang Xuanjin was furious, attempting to pry her hands apart but finding her grip too tight, afraid of causing harm.
The usually composed Lord Ziyang suddenly felt as fierce as a lion.
The female physician arrived but couldn’t feel her pulse. With Jiang Xuanjin’s icy gaze upon her, she stammered, “This young lady seems to have a weak constitution and can’t bear the environment of the cell.”
If everything else were okay, how could she not withstand the cell environment? The eunuch wind also felt awkward and glanced up, seeing his master’s increasingly grim expression.
“You stay here and watch her,” Jiang Xuanjin said, “If she needs any medicine, have the eunuch wind prepare it.”
The female physician looked at him anxiously. “Your Highness, this…”
“This is a death cell!” He turned back, his voice as cold as if he had just been pulled from an ice cave.
The physician dared not speak, trembling and lowering her head.
In a death cell, people were destined to die sooner or later. She couldn’t understand why there was any need for medical treatment.
At the Jiang Mansion, Shao Hua Court.
Jiang Shen watched as servants packed things, stealing glances at Xu Chuniang sitting beside him. They hadn’t spoken in days. When they met, aside from greetings and silence, she kept her eyes down, lost in thought.
He cleared his throat twice and pursed his lips. “Do you have anything else to pack? Don’t wait until we’re out the door to realize you’ve forgotten something.”
Xu Chuniang was lost in thought, completely oblivious to his words, her eyes fixed on a vase in the corner, staring blankly without focus.
Jiang Shen was slightly annoyed. “Are you deaf?”
The words almost came out as a shout, startling Xu Chuniang. Her eyelashes trembled for a moment, and she lowered her head to ask, “What did you say?”
Fuming with anger, Jiang Shen snapped, “I said I won’t take you with me. Stay in the capital on your own!”
The Double Ninth Festival was approaching. It was customary for the Jiang family to climb the mountains and enjoy the view. Due to the unrest in the capital, the old master decided the entire household, except for Jiang Xuanjin, would go.
As Jiang Shen’s wife, Xu Chuniang naturally had to go, and he knew his words were just out of anger.
However, the person beside him unexpectedly nodded. “Okay.”
Jiang Shen choked, feeling like she would drive him crazy sooner or later. “What do you mean, ‘okay’?”
When Xu Chuniang was imprisoned, if she hadn’t been in the Jiang Mansion, she would have been implicated. Now, he was trying to take her out to avoid trouble, and she still didn’t appreciate it.
Looking at him inexplicably, Xu Chuniang said softly, “Why are you angry about not taking me?…”
“I…” Jiang Shen gritted his teeth.
Since her last visit to her parents’ home, the harmony between them had been shattered. He knew he had spoken out of line at the time and had been trying to make it up to her since, but she remained aloof, never giving him a chance.
For some reason, her current indifferent demeanor made him very angry.
Xu Chuniang thought he was just in a bad mood and venting at her again. She kept her head down, endured, and whispered, “Just take the two maids. They can take care of you. My father is in prison, and I must go to deliver meals to him.”
“I’ll take Gu Luan and Cui Xue. You don’t need to remind me,” Jiang Shen narrowed his eyes. “They’re much more considerate than you.”
Usually, if he said something like that, Xu Chuniang would have teared up and been at a loss, holding her handkerchief.
But now, she just nodded calmly. “Yes.”
Jiang Shen was taken aback.
Xu Chuniang continued to think about her affairs. After a while, she suddenly asked him, “Will His Highness save Lady Jiang Bai?”
“How could he save her?” Jiang Shen’s face darkened. “His younger sister has committed a capital offense. Even if he had miraculous powers, he couldn’t change the situation.”
After a pause, he added, “He should also write a letter of resignation.”
Xu Chuniang nodded dumbly, clutching the handkerchief in her hand, feeling deeply saddened.
She had once envied His Highness and Lady Jun for their deep affection, never expecting things to turn out like this. If such deep love existed, then what about indifference?
Glancing at Jiang Shen, Xu Chuniang stood up. “I’ll take my leave.”
“Where are you going again?” Jiang Shen couldn’t help but follow her, standing beside her. “We haven’t finished packing yet.”
Xu Chuniang looked bewildered. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t take me? Just pack your things.”
“…,” Jiang Shen squinted his eyes and suddenly grabbed her wrist. “Are you trying to pick a fight with me?”
“Where did that come from?” Xu Chuniang shook her head. “I wouldn’t dare.”
If she wasn’t trying to pick a fight, why this attitude? Jiang Shen couldn’t understand. Xu Chuniang had always been kind and considerate towards him. Every time he looked at her, her eyes used to shine like the morning sun. But now, she kept her head down and occasionally glanced at him with dull eyes.
Was she still upset about what he had said last time? Jiang Shen clenched his jaw, tightening his grip on her wrist, and whispered, “I tend to speak rashly when I’m angry.”
“Mm?” Xu Chuniang nodded. “I know.”
She had learned that lesson many times over.
Her calm acceptance left Jiang Shen at a loss for words. Normally articulate, he could out-talk anyone when with friends, leaving them in awe.
But now, he couldn’t say a word.
After waiting for a while without any response from him, Xu Chuniang freed her hand, bowed slightly, and then went to the kitchen to prepare meals.
After sleeping for a while, Huaiyu woke up, still feeling feverish all over. A young female physician knelt on a pile of straw, her eyes red and pitiful.
“What are you doing?” Huaiyu was puzzled. “Have you been thrown into the death cell too?”
Shaking her body, the physician shook her head. “His Highness ordered me to take care of you here.”
Huaiyu was taken aback, her eyes slowly moving. Then she chuckled softly, “What drama is this? Have you checked my pulse?”
The physician shook her head repeatedly.
Looking down at her wrist, Huaiyu couldn’t help but praise herself inwardly. Even though she had been asleep, she hadn’t let go. She was really impressive!
“You should leave,” she said. “There’s no need for a female physician in the death cell.”
The physician looked nervously at Yufeng standing outside.
Huaiyu followed her gaze and shook her head. “Ignore him.”
But he is His Highness’s guard? Ignore? The physician was very nervous and tentatively took two steps forward. She heard Yufeng say, “Madam, this is His Highness’s order.”
“He’s ordered what?” Huaiyu said. “I don’t listen to him. A little girl staying in a death cell is what kind of talk?”
Yufeng frowned uncomfortably.
Huaiyu turned over and smiled softly at him. “He’s afraid that I’ll die without giving a satisfactory account to Bai De? Rest assured, I won’t die so weakly in this dirty place. If I die, I should do it in front of everyone, so that my spirit can be scattered.”
“Not…” Yufeng said, “Madam, His Highness is very worried about you.”
Worried about her? Huaiyu laughed at the joke. “Didn’t you hear what he said earlier? Love this word, are you eligible to say it?”
Carefully concealed things were thrown out and trampled to pieces by him. So ruthless and unfeeling, not leaving her any leeway, how could he still be worried about her?
Her heart still ached unbearably. Huaiyu struggled to sit up and looked at the pen and paper on the physician’s medicine box, whispering, “Bring them to me.”
The physician hurriedly obeyed and handed her the paper and pen.
Licking the tip of the pen, Huaiyu lowered her head and wrote seriously for the time it took an incense stick to burn, feeling dizzy before she finally stopped writing and handed the completed document to the physician, saying quietly, “Please have Lord Yufeng deliver this to His Highness.”
Yufeng furrowed his brow and took the letter, his face paling in shock.
“Divorce Letter”
Northern Wei’s law: In matters of marriage, if there is righteousness, they stay together; if not, they part ways. If a husband’s and wife’s fates are exhausted, the husband must write a “Letter of Divorce” to his wife, allowing them to part amicably and find happiness separately.
His Highness hadn’t yet moved to write it, but Madam had unexpectedly written such a document first.
Shaking his head repeatedly, Yufeng hurriedly returned the letter to the hands of the court lady. “Please, spare me, Madam!”
Even though he didn’t know His Highness’s current thoughts, sending this document would surely lead to dire consequences.
“Now that it’s written, why not give it to him?” Huaiyu asked. “If I am blamed for not delivering it, your master might also be implicated.”
Yufeng looked at her with a complex expression. “It’s better if you bear the consequences, rather than implicating the master.”
Giving him a look as though he were a fool, Huaiyu was about to persuade him further when footsteps sounded from outside.
“Second Madam?” Yufeng turned to see the newcomer, exclaiming in surprise.
Xu Chuniang nodded gently at him and came to stand between the two adjacent cells, speaking softly, “I’ve come to bring food.”
Xu Xian’s cell remained empty for reasons unknown. Glancing around, Huaiyu waved her over. “Come here first.”
“Alright.” Seeing her troubled expression, Xu Chuniang worriedly put down the food box, hesitated to speak, then turned to Yufeng. “Could you please give us some privacy, Brother-in-law? There’s something we need to discuss.”
The attending court lady seized the chance and grabbed her medicine box, hurrying outside. Yufeng hesitated for a moment, then obediently stepped back.
Once they disappeared around the corner of the cells, Xu Chuniang turned back, opened the food box, and took out two large bowls of soup.
“This…” Huaiyu sniffed the strong smell of sea cucumber and looked at Xu Chuniang in surprise. “Why did my Second Sister-in-law prepare this for me?”
With no one around, Xu Chuniang looked at her and said, “It’s good for your health, especially for your condition.”
The sea cucumber was beneficial during pregnancy, nourishing blood and enhancing vitality.
“How did you know?” Huaiyu widened her eyes. “What about the others in Jiang Mansion…”
“Don’t worry,” Xu Chuniang reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Apart from Qi Jin and me, no one else knows. I figured it out when I saw the Thirteen Protectants she brewed specifically for you.”
For some time, she had wanted to conceive a child with Jiang Shen, so she was quite familiar with these tonics for nurturing pregnancy.
“I came to ask you, what do you intend to do?” Xu Chuniang asked. “If His Highness discovers your condition, he might find a way out for you.”
“I have my plans, Sister-in-law need not worry.” Knowing she hadn’t revealed anything, Huaiyu sighed with relief and took the bowl Xu Chuniang offered, drinking deeply.
Xu Chuniang had no idea what plans she had in mind. She could only feel it was a pity for her to face the Yellow Springs with a child in her belly, her eyes filled with melancholy.
To be honest, Li Huaiyu disliked medicinal remedies, but for Bai Sijia’s delicate condition, she forced herself to drink three bowls, struggling to suppress the urge to vomit, then lay back on the bed to settle her stomach.
“Now that you’re here, why not help me?” she said.
Xu Chuniang nodded. “Just tell me what to do.”
Pulling her closer, Huaiyu whispered in her ear for a long while.
“I know it will be difficult for you,” she said, “but only you can accomplish this.”
Xu Chuniang looked shocked, staring blankly at her. “Is that possible?”
“It is,” Huaiyu nodded earnestly.
As the Double Ninth Festival approached, Lord Ziyang remained resolute in not pleading for leniency for the Danyang remnants. Li Huailin stood cloaked in the corridor, squinting at the distant eaves of the palace.
“We’ve exhausted every method, yet His Highness has become so heartless,” Qi Han said helplessly. “In my view, His Highness must have sensed something and thus grown wary.”
“That’s not it,” Li Huailin shook his head. “Knowing him, as long as he has sufficient evidence, he will surely seek justice for Xu Xian and the others. He values lives too much to ignore this.”
“But the evidence…” Qi Han shook his head. “We can’t provide it.”
“With me here, what does the esteemed one fear?” Li Huailin said. “Even if the esteemed one is indisputably guilty, am I not still able to ensure their safety and security?”
Upon hearing this, Qi Han collected himself and asked respectfully, “What does Your Majesty mean by this?”
“You can’t catch wolves without using your children as bait.”
Since appealing to his emotions had no effect, it was best to speak to him using his preferred language of facts.
During the chaos in the study, not only Xu Xian had illicitly mobilized the Forbidden Army, but also the Grand Marshal Situ Jing. To lure the Eldest Princess into the trap and create the illusion that Lord Ziyang was besieged, he mobilized over a thousand guards within the palace without imperial decree.
Such a big bait. Will Jiang Xuanjin take the bait?
He will!
The next day at morning court, Lord Ziyang directly reported, submitting the palace guards’ testimonies and records of palace restrictions, accusing Grand Marshal Situ Jing of illicitly mobilizing troops and plotting treason!
Li Huailin was somewhat dumbfounded. He had asked Qi Han for evidence to let Lord Ziyang know that someone had indeed framed them, providing an opportunity for him to plead for the Dan Yang remnants.
But how did it turn out? Instead of facing the treason case directly, he implicated Situ Jing in it too.
“Why did Lord Situ mobilize troops? There must have been a reason,” Li Huailin hurriedly interjected.
Situ Jing knelt on the ground, wanting to argue back, but Jiang Xuanjin spoke up beside him: “Without imperial decree, any mobilization of troops is seen as treason. General Xu is no exception. Lord Situ will not be exempted either. If everyone claims to have a reason, how can the law of the country survive?”
Li Huailin choked up, while Situ Jing became annoyed: “Your Highness, dragging me into this is nothing more than an attempt to plead for General Xu!”
“Not at all.” Jiang Xuanjin produced a document from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. “I am here to ask Your Majesty to pronounce judgment. In the case of treason, Xu Xian is the mastermind, with Yun Lanqing and Han Xiao of Yunlan as accomplices. Their mobilization of troops merits execution. Other involved parties are also detailed here, their crimes and responsibilities laid out for Your Majesty’s review.”
A eunuch promptly presented the document. Li Huailin looked at it, his face turning visibly grim.
Stolen poultry does not enrich the rice bin.
In the lengthy document, Bai Zhuji’s name was prominently written in the center. The charges against him were listed, but due to insufficient evidence of his association with Xu Xian and others, Jiang Xuanjin was requesting instructions on how to proceed.
He was ruthless!
Feeling frustrated, Li Huailin reluctantly smiled and said, “Your efforts are commendable, Your Highness. With this case settled, perhaps I can finally get some peaceful sleep.”
With that, he stood up and declared, “If there are no other matters, let’s conclude the morning court.”
“Your Majesty,” Jiang Xuanjin stepped forward, “I omitted the name of Lord Situ in my document. I kindly request Your Majesty to include it when giving your final decision.”
Li Huailin halted for a moment, then without looking back, he replied, “I will consider this matter carefully.”
Consider? Who knows what conclusion he might arrive at?
Situ Jing breathed a long sigh of relief. Once His Majesty departed, he got up from the ground, casting a glance at Jiang Xuanjin, a hint of smugness on his face.
Did he think His Majesty still ruled like the previous emperor, who heard and believed everything? Did he think he could take him down? He, the Grand Marshal with considerable power!
Jiang Xuanjin met his gaze calmly, then gestured to the imperial guards on both sides once the other courtiers had left.
The imperial guards obeyed orders and promptly pinned Situ Jing back to the ground.
“What are you doing?” Situ Jing struggled, aghast. “Rebelling against your superior—is this happening?”
“To the dungeon with him, await further judgment,” Jiang Xuanjin ordered, seemingly unaffected by his words.
Furious, Situ Jing shouted, “I am the Grand Marshal! By what right do you arrest me?!”
Before he could finish yelling, his mouth was covered.
Outside, upon hearing the commotion, the civil and military officials turned back. They witnessed Situ Jing being escorted away in disarray by the palace guards, his old face flushed with anger.
Seeing this, Qi Han frowned and considered stepping forward, but a glance at Jiang Xuanjin’s expression made him halt.
If His Majesty chose not to confront Situ Jing, hoping to smooth things over, and Lord Ziyang insisted on pursuing it, no one could dissuade him. Even though Situ Jing was the Grand Marshal, if there was a legitimate reason to detain him, he couldn’t escape.
Yet what truly alarmed Qi Han was the realization that Lord Ziyang commanded so many palace guards.
He needed to retrieve that military token quickly.
With the charges of treason established, Xu Xian and his associates were slated for execution after autumn.
Unable to handle Lord Ziyang, Li Huailin sought out Li Huaiyu instead. In the dim interrogation chamber, Li Huaiyu knelt quietly on the ground and whispered, “As long as Your Majesty sends Xu Xian and the others out of the capital, the military token will be yours.”
What’s the big deal about leaving the capital? As long as he was still in Northern Wei, he could track them down.
Thinking this, he maintained an innocent demeanor on his face. “Empress Sister is quite resourceful. I admit, it’s a bit intimidating.”
Huaiyu chuckled softly. “What does Your Majesty have to fear? I have never harbored ill intentions towards anyone, not even you.”
“Even if I were to take her life again, Empress Sister wouldn’t resent me?” Li Huailin lowered his gaze.
How could she not resent him? She wasn’t a fool, to be taken advantage of and deceived to this extent. Did he expect her gratitude?
With a slight gesture, Huaiyu fell silent.
Knowing her answer, Li Huailin changed the subject. “As you wish, tomorrow, on Double Ninth Festival, I won’t allow Lord Ziyang to escort you once again.”
“I’ll watch your souls scatter myself in front of the imperial ancestors.”