The Emperor Jing You swept his phoenix eyes over the hall, "Where is Yu Chuwei?"
Tang Xiao's mouth twitched as he replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Consort Yu has fainted and has not yet woken."
"Fainted?"
Emperor Jing You looked at the imperial guards and Xuanjia Army covered in blood, his tone unreadable, "Did she make a move too?"
"Mm..."
Tang Xiao hesitated before stammering, "Consort Yu attempted to assassinate the Regent Princess. Fortunately, the Regent arrived and stopped her in time. However, the Regent, perhaps out of concern for the Princess, was a bit heavy-handed..."
Tang Xiao's words were cut short, but Emperor Jing You understood. To dare to injure Lu Qingwan, Feng Xiwu sparing her life was already generous. He motioned to Lu Qingwan impatiently, "Think of a way to wake her up. You and Xiwu will interrogate her immediately. I want to see who this 'Consort Yu' of mine truly is!"
With the civil and military officials, the heads of the three judicial departments, Feng Xiwu, and Tang Xiao, all masters of interrogation, present, Lu Qingwan immediately understood that Emperor Jing You was too lazy to waste time and was hoping she would extract the confession.
However, thinking of Consort Yu's condition, she walked over, examined her, and then shook her head with a troubled expression. "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. Consort Yu is severely injured. If we forcibly wake her, she might die before we can even interrogate her."
Emperor Jing You raised an eyebrow, "Is she that badly injured?"
Feng Xiwu feigned displeasure, "Does Brother Emperor doubt my capabilities?"
Emperor Jing You thought to himself that precisely because he knew his capabilities, he was certain he couldn't have truly killed her with a single kick. However, the young couple were clearly working together, unwilling to interrogate Consort Yu in public. Although Emperor Jing You didn't understand their intentions, he went along with their plan. He then turned to question Duke Pei, "Chu Peizhi, speak! Where did your son get that golden token from Du Huihuang?"
Duke Pei cursed Guangchang Wang and Du Huihuang a hundred times in his heart, calling them traitors. However, he outwardly appeared contrite, saying, "Your Majesty, forgive me. This old subject truly did not know that my son would be involved with Guangchang Wang and Du Huihuang! Furthermore, that is merely Du Huihuang's one-sided statement. My son was not present and cannot defend himself. I beg Your Majesty to see clearly and grant my son justice!"
After his speech, his son appeared to be the victim. Lu Qingwan angrily retorted, "Well said, 'knows nothing when asked'! You claim you don't know if your son took the golden token, but you haven't forgotten using the Hundred-Leaf Lily that was contaminated with Bai Niansheng and venomous insects to harm my Prince, have you?"
Suddenly being attacked about a past event, Duke Pei was stunned before remembering what the Hundred-Leaf Lily was. He immediately denied, "Regent Princess, do not slander me. I presented that Hundred-Leaf Lily to Your Majesty, what does it have to do with the Regent? As for Bai Niansheng and venomous insects, I know nothing of them. You cannot falsely accuse me of seeking personal revenge just because I was deceived and acted disrespectfully towards you!"
To have done so many wrong things and still be so self-righteous, Lu Qingwan couldn't help but admire the man's thick skin. Feng Xiwu, on the other hand, said in a low voice, "Chu Peizhi, you truly are one who won't shed tears until you see the coffin! Do you really think that because the time has passed since you harmed me and caused my Gu poison to act up, I won't pursue it? If that Hundred-Leaf Lily was presented to my Brother Emperor, why would you linger outside the palace gates, only to deliberately flaunt it before me when I appeared? Moreover, do you truly believe I have no evidence of your collusion with Consort Ye to disrupt the court?"
He extended his hand, and Liyang presented a large brocade box. He thoughtfully opened it. Feng Xiwu picked up envelope after envelope, "Here are your correspondences with Consort Ye from three years ago. Do you wish to see if they are real?"
"N-impossible!" Duke Pei shook his head in disbelief and murmured, then said sternly, "Consort Ye is already dead. There are no witnesses now, so you can say whatever you wish? This is factionalism and the elimination of dissent! Your Majesty, you must uphold justice for this old subject! My Duke Pei's mansion has been loyal for three generations, and everything we have done was for Great Qian. We have never harbored disloyalty towards Your Majesty. The Regent and Princess cannot slander this old subject so!"
Duke Pei knelt on the ground, tearfully pleading his case, crying so convincingly that it would move the most hardened of hearts. However, Emperor Jing You said nothing, merely stating lightly, "Is that so? At a time when the border war was critical, spreading rumors that Princess Anyang was impersonated, to give Xiliang an excuse to attack Great Qian, was also for Great Qian?"
Duke Pei's face fell. He knew this matter would cause him trouble. He inwardly cursed his meddling wife profusely. Just as he was about to ask something else, an eunuch announced, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Lord Han Guang of Jingzhao Prefecture requests an audience."
The officials looked at each other in confusion. Today's discussion was about matters of state. Why would the Prefect of Jingzhao come? However, Emperor Jing You said with an air of understanding, "Announce him."
Han Guang quickly entered, respectfully bowing to Emperor Jing You, "This subject greets Your Majesty, long live my Emperor!" Emperor Jing You motioned for him to rise, and Han Guang did so, silently greeting Feng Xiwu and Lu Qingwan. Emperor Jing You then dropped a bombshell, "Lord Han, do you remember the task I assigned you?"
Han Guang respectfully replied, "Your Majesty personally arranged it, how could this humble subject dare to delay? I have fulfilled my duty and await Your Majesty's inspection at any time." The officials were utterly bewildered, completely unaware of Emperor Jing You's intentions. Han Guang, however, calmly stated, "Yes, Your Majesty." After speaking, he stepped aside, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Duke Pei's heir, Chu Xiaotang, received Your Majesty's golden token the day before yesterday. He subsequently met with Marquis Ning, Guangchang Wang, Duke Hua, and Consort Dowager Wen, among others, holding the golden token. He promised them that Your Majesty's life is ebbing away and that with only a slight stimulus, Your Majesty would die. At that time, the Regent Princess would be considered the murderer of Your Majesty, and Prince Chen, in his rage, would not spare the Regent Princess. Then, when the Regent returns, he and Prince Chen would fight like a clam and a heron, and Prince Jing would gain the spoils and inherit the throne..."
Before he finished speaking, Emperor Jing You furiously overturned the chair by his bedside, "What a 'clam and heron fighting, Heron gaining the spoils'! Come, strip Chu Peizhi of his title, arrest the entire Chu family, and execute them after the autumn! Guangchang Wang, Duke Hua, and Marquis Ning will each have their titles reduced by one rank, be fined a year's salary, and each receive thirty lashes! Prince Jing will be imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice to await his fate!"
In a few words, the fate of over a thousand people was sealed. Lu Qingwan was stunned and instinctively tried to speak, but Feng Xiwu tightly clasped her waist. Lu Qingwan glared at him unwillingly. Clearly, Feng Qingheng was the one pulling the strings, so why was he allowed to escape unscathed?