"You have quite the nerve, knowing you are the daughter of a criminal, to dare expose yourself before me. Aren't you afraid I'll have you arrested?" Leng Ruoli teased.
"Consort Leng, my father was framed. I have sufficient evidence to prove my father's innocence. Please, Consort Leng, see justice done for me," Tao Xiangqing said, her voice choked with sobs. As she spoke, her eyes immediately turned red.
Hearing this, Leng Ruoli was stunned. "If you have a grievance, why not seek justice from the authorities? Why come to my medical clinic?" Leng Ruoli was completely bewildered by Tao Xiangqing's response.
"Consort Leng, I have approached other officials, but they all dare not take on my father's case. Out of desperation, I came to you," Tao Xiangqing replied truthfully.
"But this is not the government, and I can't vindicate your father either!" Leng Ruoli shrugged at Tao Xiangqing, speaking helplessly.
"Consort Leng, I know this is not the government, but I have no other choice, which is why I came here," Tao Xiangqing added. With that, her tears finally flowed uncontrollably. She looked truly pitiful, and it wasn't an act.
Leng Ruoli frowned and slowly asked, "Then how do you want me to help you?"
"As long as Consort takes me into the palace to see the Emperor, I will personally plead my father's case and will not implicate you," Tao Xiangqing's request was simple.
Just then, Jun Mohan's lips moved slightly, and he spoke. "Your father's case of embezzling official salt happened over a decade ago. It's a settled case, and the current Emperor himself ordered Lin Zhenfei to thoroughly investigate this matter back then. If you want to overturn this case, you must have irrefutable evidence, otherwise, the consequences of incurring the Emperor's wrath are extremely severe," Jun Mohan reminded Tao Xiangqing with a languid expression.
"Sir, I possess sufficient evidence proving that my father was framed by Lin Zhenfei." At this point, Tao Xiangqing did not know Jun Mohan's identity and thus spoke without reservation.
"If you have enough evidence, I can take you to the palace to see the Emperor," Jun Mohan said nonchalantly.
"Really?" Tao Xiangqing found Jun Mohan's words hard to believe.
"Yes, with him escorting you into the palace, no one will dare to trouble you," Leng Ruoli said, her lips curving slightly, answering for Jun Mohan.
Tao Xiangqing was greatly shocked by this, and she secretly wondered, "What is this person's identity?"
Leng Ruoli glanced at the suspicious look on Tao Xiangqing's face and then introduced, "Tao Xiangqing, he is not just some sir, but His Highness, the Cold King of Tianwu Kingdom."
To her surprise, Tao Xiangqing was stunned upon hearing Leng Ruoli's words. After a while, she recovered and quickly paid her respects to Jun Mohan.
"Your humble servant greets His Highness, the Cold King!"
"Rise," Jun Mohan said faintly without even looking at Tao Xiangqing. He then continued to sit lazily at the tea table, enjoying his tea.
"Your humble servant thanks His Highness, the Cold King!"
"You should be aware now that the Duke Lin's estate was ordered to be confiscated and his family annihilated by the Emperor. Why do you still insist on reinvestigating your father's case?"
"I am indeed aware. However, although Lin Zhenfei is imprisoned, my father's case from that year has not been cleared. He died with the reputation of a corrupt official, and I have become the daughter of a criminal who must remain in the shadows. Therefore, I must clear my father's name and also be able to live with my head held high as an upright person."
The Cold King and his consort fell silent upon hearing Tao Xiangqing's words.
After a long pause, Leng Ruoli slowly said, "Tao Xiangqing, can you first let my King and me see the evidence you have?"
"Of course, Consort Leng!" With that, she took out two ledgers and several useful letters from her wide sleeves and handed them to Leng Ruoli.
After receiving the ledgers and letters, Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan both carefully examined them. After finishing, their faces turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, their gazes as cold as thin blades.
"This Lin Zhenfei is truly detestable. Colluding with Fei Pang to embezzle so much official salt, and then falsifying accounts to frame the fifth-rank salt official, Tao Zhixing, making him a scapegoat!" As Leng Ruoli spoke these words, a cold glint of killing intent flashed in her eyes.
As soon as Leng Ruoli finished speaking, Jun Mohan also said, "Tao Xiangqing, hold onto your evidence. This King will take you to the palace now."
Upon hearing this, Tao Xiangqing, overwhelmed with gratitude, said to the Cold King, "Your humble servant thanks Your Highness first!"
Immediately after, Leng Ruoli also said, "Jun Mohan, I will accompany you into the palace as well. Perhaps, my father will not be angry with you out of consideration for me."
"Very well! You are indeed more favored by Father than this King," Jun Mohan said, raising an eyebrow at Leng Ruoli. Leng Ruoli responded with a speechless expression.
Subsequently, the couple, along with Tao Xiangqing, entered the palace. Inside the palace, the Emperor was currently contemplating how to balance the opposing factions among his officials when he heard Eunuch Li announce at the door.
"Reporting, Your Highness the Cold King and His Highness's Consort request an audience!"
"Quickly, let them in!" the Emperor said loudly. Immediately, Eunuch Li led the Cold King, his consort, and Tao Xiangqing into the hall.
Jun Mohan: "Your humble son greets Father Emperor!"
Leng Ruoli: "Your humble daughter-in-law greets Father Emperor!"
Tao Xiangqing also knelt and paid her respects along with the Cold King and his consort.
"Rise, all of you!" the Emperor said, looking at the two of them. After the Cold King and his consort stood up, the Emperor slowly continued, "You two have never visited the imperial study without a reason! Speak, what is the matter that brings you before Us today?"
"Father Emperor, today, your son and Li'er may have to offend you," Jun Mohan stated directly. Hearing this, the Emperor's brow furrowed slightly.
"You both know that this will anger His Imperial Majesty, yet you still speak of it?" The Emperor looked at the Cold King and his consort speechlessly.
"Father Emperor, this matter must be clarified to bring justice to the wronged. Otherwise, their souls will not rest in peace in the afterlife," Leng Ruoli said assertively. After she spoke, her words made the Emperor even more confused.
"Speak whatever you have to say, don't stand there stammering." At this moment, the Emperor's mind was thoroughly muddled by the Cold King and his consort.
"Father Emperor, do you remember the case of the official salt over a decade ago?"
"Are you referring to the case of the salt official Tao Zhixing's embezzlement?"
"Yes, it's Tao Zhixing's case."
"Wasn't it clearly investigated that Tao Zhixing was the mastermind behind embezzling the official salt? Why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
Just as Jun Mohan was about to reply, Tao Xiangqing, standing behind the Cold King and his consort, stepped forward and knelt before the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, my father was framed. He did not embezzle the official salt at all; he was set up by Lin Zhenfei."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor asked her with a darkened expression, "Who are you to be so disrespectful!"