News that the Song family had their ancestral graves disturbed overnight spread quickly. With numerous guards at the city gates, and with Xiao Yan accompanied by his Black-armored Guards, there was no attempt to conceal the coffin being brought into the city. By the following morning’s court session, many had already heard about the events of the previous night.
It was known that the Song family’s lineage had been removed from the clan registry, and their coffins had been moved to the back mountains of the unfinished academy. Many people began whispering in hushed tones.
Some believed the Song family deserved it, while others cursed Tang Ning for her disobedience and filial impiety. However, there were even more who blamed Xiao Yan for taking advantage of his position to bully the Song family.
As was customary during the morning court, after the official matters had been concluded and everyone was about to leave, someone stood up to impeach Xiao Yan, accusing him of misusing his authority and oppressing the Song family with the Black-armored Guards.
Qian Bao Kun was the first to respond, stepping forward: "What do you mean by misusing authority?"
"Princess Yi Yang has already received His Majesty's approval to sever ties with the Song family, and this incident also involves Prince Cheng and Song Hong’s conspiracy. Moving the graves was bound to happen eventually. Xiao Yan was merely exercising his authority to handle the matter. How could that be considered bullying?" he stated.
Cao De Jiang, standing beside him, calmly raised his white jade tablet and spoke: "Did the Black-armored Guards force their way into the Song residence?"
The official who had spoken earlier raised his voice, flustered: "Everyone saw it with their own eyes—Black-armored Guards entered the Song residence..."
"Whose eyes?" Cao De Jiang’s question silenced the room.
All eyes instinctively turned to Xiao Yan, standing at the front. He glanced indifferently, and those who had turned their gaze suddenly realized how familiar this situation was. Some recalled how, not long ago, a person who had tried to impeach Xiao Yan with the phrase "everyone saw it" had been publicly punished and forced to resign after injuring their knees from prolonged kneeling.
At this moment, the Song family had more than just Song Hong in the capital. Another relative held a position in the Lesser Office, and though it wasn’t a high post, they still attended court.
Xiao Yan, noticing the emperor’s weary yawn, looked up at the Song family official. "Since Supervisor Du is so eager to impeach, why not ask the Song family?"
"Song Shizhong, last night, I was in a hurry to carry out my duties. Did I disturb anyone in your household?" he asked.
The Song family official’s face turned pale when he was called out. Holding his tablet, he stepped forward and bowed, speaking softly: "Your Majesties have misunderstood. Although Lord Xiao led his men to our clan’s residence last night, he did not harm any of the Song family. He even came to our door to greet us respectfully, without causing any offense."
"Princess Yi Yang had informed our family several days ago about her decision to sever ties, and she later selected last night to carry out the relocation of the graves. This matter was approved by the Song family, and the relocation was simply to make it easier for the princess to honor her ancestors in the future."
"Song Rong, you!!" The official who had just attempted to impeach Xiao Yan glared in shock: "Last night, the Black-armored Guards surrounded the Song residence, almost destroying our ancestral hall. In front of His Majesty, why do you need to fear him..."
"Supervisor Du has misunderstood," the Song official hurriedly clarified. "The Black-armored Guards only guarded the entrance, never approaching the ancestral hall. Moreover, the relocation of the graves and the opening of the ancestral hall are significant matters. Our elders were discussing this privately with the princess. Lord Xiao was concerned that someone might take advantage of the situation and misinterpret the situation, so he kindly stationed guards at the entrance."
The previous night, although Xiao Yan had kept the matter of the Song family’s ancestral graves under wraps, those involved—his father and the elders of the Song family—knew exactly what had transpired. Song Xi and his wife’s graves had been unearthed, their remains scattered and damaged. The grave was also filled with unclean objects. It was a miracle that Tang Ning didn’t have people destroy the Song family’s house in retaliation.
Xiao Yan had initially been furious when he forced the Song family to open their ancestral hall. He had even considered making Tang Ning realize the consequences of betraying her family. But after what had happened with the ancestral graves, their anger had turned to guilt.
At this moment, they only hoped that Tang Ning and Xiao Yan wouldn’t direct their anger toward the Song family, so they dared not make a scene over the matter of removing their lineage from the registry.
With Xiao Yan’s fierce reputation, and recalling the fate of the previous Supervisor He, Song Rong lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, Lord Xiao has good intentions. He is not as Supervisor Du has suggested. Though Princess Yi Yang has severed ties with the Song family, we still regard her as one of our own. The Song family wronged her in the past, but now, all we wish for is her well-being."
Supervisor Du’s face turned white with embarrassment.
Qian Bao Kun snorted coldly, saying: "The Song family hasn’t even spoken up, yet Supervisor Du is acting so fervently. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think it was the Du family’s ancestral grave that was disturbed."
"I am only offering advice for the clarity of the court," Supervisor Du stammered.
Cao De Jiang, standing aside, glanced at several court officials from noble families with a cold expression. He remarked, "If it’s advice, it should be careful. As an important official in the court, you should not casually impeach others without first clarifying the facts. Are you trying to do our job at the Censorate, Supervisor Du?"
"Or perhaps, I should just hand this position over to you?"
"Lord Cao…" Supervisor Du’s face turned even whiter, and he quickly knelt. "I meant no offense. I was only concerned that there might be people in the court misusing their authority, and that the Black-armored Guards might be overstepping, which could damage His Majesty’s reputation..."
"The Black-armored Guards are under the control of the Censorate," Cao De Jiang interrupted. "Their actions are none of your concern. As officials in the court, we each have our roles to play. But you, Supervisor Du, are a civil official, and yet you’re meddling with the Censorate’s work. Isn’t that overstepping?"
"Perhaps, I’ll just hand my position to you."
Upon hearing this, the court erupted in murmurs, but no one dared speak up. The emperor, who had been half-hearted, suddenly seemed more awake and struck the armrest of his throne.
"What scandal?" he asked.
Cao De Jiang spoke calmly: "Half a month ago, a student from the National University, Teng Jianping, was seen at a brothel. He got into a violent fight with another student over a courtesan, causing a commotion that drew the attention of the officials. It was said that Teng Jianping even owed the brothel hundreds of silver."
"And after injuring someone, the matter was reported to the Capital Magistrate’s Office. Later, Supervisor Du personally paid to settle the debt. What’s unclear is whether he paid off the full amount or not."
Qian Bao Kun chimed in, "This is truly the biggest joke in the world. The Imperial Family selects the best students from the National University to serve as future officials, yet they have to run up debts at a brothel."
The emperor’s face turned as dark as a pot bottom.
The official from the National University staggered, then collapsed to the ground with a loud "thud."
Xiao Yan, who had remained silent through most of this, watched as the official who had attempted to impeach him was now dragged away by the Censorate, accused of corruption. The noble families in the court were furious, secretly cursing Cao De Jiang and Qian Bao Kun for siding with the "eunuch" in this political maneuver.
Xiao Yan, noticing the officials from the noble families' frustration and helplessness, calmly spoke: "I was about to report last night’s events to His Majesty anyway, but Supervisor Du was too eager."
"Prince Cheng had been hoarding weapons and conspiring to rebel. He had been in prison for days without speaking, but I employed certain methods that forced him to confess. This case is tied to Song Xi and his wife, which is why I led my men to the Song family’s residence last night."
The emperor, who had seemed half-asleep, now looked more alert. "He confessed?"
Xiao Yan nodded and handed over the confessions from Prince Cheng and other military officials to an attendant, who passed them to the emperor.
As the emperor looked through the documents, Xiao Yan spoke again: "According to Prince Cheng’s confession, he had connections with the Lu family through Hou Rui, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of War, and Gong Jinghao, the supervisor of the Armaments Bureau. The materials used to refine the iron ore were also supplied by the Lu family."
"When Song Xi was alive, he suspected that the noble families were colluding with the princes for personal gain. His death, along with that of his wife, was no accident—they were murdered."
The court erupted in an uproar. Some noble officials angrily retorted, "This is slander. Prince Cheng had no dealings with the Lu family, and Song Xi died many years ago..."
"Even if he’s been dead for many years, the traces remain. Reopening a case after many years is not without precedent," Xiao Yan said, looking coldly at the speaker. "As for Prince Cheng’s connection with the Lu family, even if they never interacted publicly, it doesn’t mean they didn’t collude."
"Prince Cheng himself confessed that before the late emperor passed away, he had already established ties with the Lu family. After His Majesty ascended the throne, the Lu family distanced themselves from him on the surface, but secretly, their relationship never ended."
"As for the grain corruption case, Song Lu had already reported that the Lu family helped transport goods through the southern provinces for people in the capital. The accounts showed this clearly, and Prince Cheng’s subordinates operated an iron ore business using the Lu family’s ships to bypass the capital’s checkpoints."
The noble officials looked horrified. The Lu family had never mentioned this, and even those involved in the grain corruption case had no idea about the iron ore shipments.
They instinctively looked at the emperor, who, as expected, had a dark expression on his face.
Before the late emperor passed away, Prince Cheng had been the most popular candidate for the crown prince position. The Lu family had supported the emperor’s ascension, even using their influence to ensure Lu Zhaoming’s daughter became empress.
But now, the truth that the Lu family had secretly colluded with Prince Cheng to further their own interests was far worse than any corruption charges.
The emperor, eyes cold as he flipped through the documents, said: "What else did Xie Tianyu say?"
Xiao Yan replied, "For now, this is all. He didn’t initially want to reveal anything about the Lu family, but he couldn’t withstand the torture. He’s unconscious now, so further questioning will have to wait. However, Hou Rui and the others have given enough confessions, and it’s sufficient to charge Prince Cheng with conspiracy to rebel."
"Sufficient for what?"
The emperor’s voice was cold and full of malice: "Since he dares to collude with the Lu family, who knows what
other crimes he’s committed? Continue the investigation. We must make sure to uncover everything."
While he was speaking of the conspiracy, it was clear to anyone listening that his true focus was on the Lu family.
Xiao Yan had anticipated the emperor’s thoughts. He lowered his head respectfully, saying: "I will follow your orders, Your Majesty. However, the case of Prince Cheng is from many years ago, and reopening it may implicate many others..."
"So what? Anyone who dares to collude with Prince Cheng for rebellion is guilty of a great crime. Investigate thoroughly. No matter who is involved, past or present, anyone connected to this matter must not escape punishment!"
With this imperial decree, Xiao Yan knew his goal had been achieved. He bowed his head, saying in a low voice: "I will obey the orders."
CWTGD Chapter 232 - The Dark Circles Under Empress Lu's Eyes and Her Agitation
After the morning court session ended, the noble officials from powerful families walked out of the main hall with grim expressions, hurriedly heading out.
Cui Lin, who had previously been enjoying the misfortune of the Lu family, was now flustered. “What is the Lu family doing? Have they lost their minds?”
He had wanted to bring down the Lu family and use the grain corruption case to suppress them, but he certainly did not want to see the noble families turning against the emperor.
The Lu family had secretly assisted King Cheng in smuggling forbidden goods and even worked with the Ministry of War to recruit soldiers and stockpile weapons. Had they lost all reason?
The son of Empress Lu was the bloodline of the Lu family, the one they wished to support to ascend the throne. Yet, the Lu family was helping King Cheng in his rebellion?
Cui Lin couldn’t make sense of it and wondered if the Lu family members had lost their minds.
Feng Qiuli, walking beside him, glanced back at Xiao Yan, who was leisurely walking around the inner palace gates. Their eyes briefly met before she turned away, focusing instead on the agitated Cui Lin.
“I don’t understand either,” Feng Qiuli said quietly. “When the late emperor was still in power, the Lu family’s dealings with two factions could be justified, but His Majesty has been on the throne for many years, and the state of affairs is stable. The Fourth Prince has already expressed his intention to seize the throne, yet the Lu family is still supporting King Cheng…” Feng Qiuli’s face darkened. “If the Empress and Fourth Prince found out, how could they remain on good terms with the Lu family?”
Cui Lin’s expression grew more serious. “I always felt something was wrong. Lu Chongyuan shouldn’t be this foolish.”
Even if the Lu family had other intentions, hoping to find an escape route outside of supporting Empress Lu and her son, they should not have chosen King Cheng.
If they secretly supported other princes, even the Fourth Prince as a backup, it would have been better than choosing King Cheng. Lu Chongyuan shouldn’t have been so short-sighted, backing someone who would never have a chance to rise to power.
Feng Qiuli whispered, “Cui Gong is right. There must be more to this. I noticed that Xiao Yan seems to be heading towards the Phoenix Xi Palace.”
Cui Lin turned back and glanced. “He’s trying to stir up trouble between the Empress and the Lu family.”
Feng Qiuli replied, “It’s no surprise he’s anxious. After the account books were found, we secretly provided a lot of clues, hoping to pin the Lu family down, but who knew Lu Chongyuan would act swiftly and ruthlessly, eliminating anyone who could implicate the family. Lu Zhaojiu seems determined to take the fall for everything. Now, with only the account books, we can’t bring down the Lu family. Lu Zhaojiu refuses to speak, and Xiao Yan must be desperate.”
Cui Lin narrowed his eyes. “Lu Chongyuan, that old fox. I thought his string of failures would cost him dearly, but he’s still as cunning as ever!”
Earlier, he had considered using the grain corruption issue to destroy the Lu family, but Lu Chongyuan had acted decisively, eliminating those who might implicate the family. Lu Zhaojiu was also positioning himself to take all the blame.
The Lu family had been hurt several times, and everyone, including Cui Lin, thought Lu Chongyuan was out of options. But no one had expected the Lu family to still have secret strategies. Even when Lu Chongyuan was cornered, the family managed to influence events outside the capital.
Even Xiao Yan, the eunuch, hadn’t been able to act before the Lu family.
Cui Lin dared not make a move, fearing the Lu family’s hidden operatives might strike back, and also worried that if more clues were sent, Xiao Yan would follow the trail and implicate other families.
He had been anxious but now saw an opportunity to drive a wedge between the Empress and the Lu family. If the Empress could turn on the Lu family, even Lu Chongyuan, despite his capabilities, would be caught off guard.
It was a good chance.
Cui Lin quietly said, “Have someone pass a message to the Second Prince, asking him to meet with us.”
Since Xiao Yan had approached the Empress, they should push him further. Compared to the Empress, the more impulsive Fourth Prince would be easier to manipulate.
Feng Qiuli lowered her eyes. “Understood.”
Since King Cheng’s imprisonment, Empress Lu appeared indifferent, maintaining the usual order in the harem, but in reality, she had been paying much closer attention to outside news.
She had already heard this morning about the Song family’s grave relocation. She learned that Song Tangning had indeed gone to remove the Song family from the registry and moved the coffins of Song Xi and his wife out of the family residence.
Empress Lu furrowed her brow, feeling uneasy. She had always thought that Song Tangning was a soft-spoken, malleable young woman, but the events seemed to reveal something entirely different.
“The Song family actually agreed?” Empress Lu asked.
Jin Zhi softly replied, “They had no choice. I heard not only did the head of the Gu family go, but even Xiao Yan took his Black-armored Guards with him. After losing the Duke’s residence, the Song family is just an ordinary official family; how could they possibly resist someone like him?”
She hesitated for a moment. “Your Majesty, back when you sent someone to the Song family’s ancestral tomb, they suddenly moved the graves—do you think it could be…”
“I never sent anyone,” Empress Lu replied coldly, turning her gaze sharply toward Jin Zhi, sending a chill down her spine.
The person who had handled the matter was long dead, and while she had sent someone to search for something, she had given strict orders to clean up any traces, regardless of whether the items were found. The servant who reported back had made it clear that they left the rest to the Song family.
With the elderly matriarch in charge, there should have been no problem maintaining their son’s grave. Furthermore, after the graves were moved last night, the Song family had remained quiet, and Song Tangning had been calm.
So many years had passed. Who could know if someone had tampered with the tomb?
“Jin Zhi, I’ve noticed you’ve been speaking more and more. Have you grown forgetful with age?” Empress Lu’s tone was cold.
Jin Zhi’s face turned pale from the reproach, and she quickly lowered her head. “I apologize, Your Majesty. I misspoke. There has never been any interaction between you and the Song family.”
Empress Lu finally turned her gaze away, placing the golden scissors in her hand onto a nearby peony. “Don’t lose your composure. We can’t afford to let others misunderstand.”
Seeing Jin Zhi’s bowed head, Empress Lu sighed. “I always thought that Tangning girl had a stubborn nature, obsessed only with Lu Zhi’an, but now it seems she’s caught the eye of that Xiao Yan.”
If only she had known back then that the young woman had such influence, able to win over Xiao Yan, a eunuch with immense power both inside and outside the palace. She should have kept her closer.
Even if the Lu family’s marriage plans failed, even if that item couldn’t be found, if she had won Xiao Yan’s favor, she wouldn’t have been so restricted, and might even have learned of Xie Tianyu’s situation in prison.
“What a pity. That girl turned against me because of the Lu family.”
Empress Lu’s voice was filled with regret. She squeezed the scissors in her hand, cutting a few more peony blooms from the vibrant cluster.
Jin Zhi carefully placed the cut flowers onto a tray. Seeing Empress Lu’s dispirited expression, she softly said, “That Song girl is cold-hearted. You’ve always been kind to her, but she doesn’t appreciate it.”
Empress Lu murmured, “She’s just a young girl with a fiery temper. Perhaps it’s time to call her to the palace for a visit. We can’t let her misunderstand me.”
If she didn’t know where the item was, at least the reputation she had built and the soon-to-be established academy, with its influence over the scholarly officials, would be of benefit. Even Xiao Yan’s support was significant.
The girl couldn’t possibly remain single forever. If she had misjudged her match, she could still make amends with a good marriage.
If the Lu family was out of the question, there were other families, or perhaps the Fourth Prince.
Empress Lu’s eyes darkened as she looked at the peony. Her demeanor remained impeccable, but if one looked closely, the faint trace of green under her makeup could not conceal the anxiety she felt. She knew the Lu family’s decline meant her own fall from grace as well. She had to come up with a plan.
Compared to the others, a young girl was easier to manipulate.
“Your Majesty!”
The sudden voice from outside snapped Empress Lu out of her thoughts, causing her to nervously snip a bundle of branches, making the entire peony arrangement look unsightly.
Jin Zhi turned to scold, “What are you shouting for?”
“It’s news from the morning court.”
Empress Lu set the scissors down. “Come in.”
The servant who entered was a eunuch from the Phoenix Xi Palace, the same one who had gathered information about King Cheng’s situation the previous night. His face was anxious, and before Empress Lu could speak, he rushed to report.
“Just now, after the court was dismissed, I overheard several officials talking. It seems King Cheng has confessed.”
Empress Lu curled her fingers. “He confessed? What’s there to be nervous about?”
The eunuch continued in a hurry, “King Cheng confessed that he colluded with the Ministry of War and the Armaments Bureau, all under the Lu family’s direction. He also admitted to stockpiling military supplies using iron ore sourced by the Lu family, and that their merchant ships had helped smuggle goods into the capital. His Majesty is furious and has ordered a thorough investigation.”
Before he finished speaking, a messenger outside arrived.
“Empress, Xiao Yan requests an audience.”
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You can read ahead to chapterr 234 (100+ extra chapters) here
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