A current Minister of the Court and the widowed sister-in-law of the Empress Dowager, addressed as the Emperor’s aunt…
Tch!
“Minister Cui, how romantic,” Qian Baokun sneered sarcastically.
Several veteran court officials muttered curses under their breath.
“You… you’re a disgrace to scholars!”
“A stain on the court! Utterly shameless!!”
Though Cao Dejiang knew Xiao Yan had come prepared, he hadn’t expected such a bombshell. Seeing the once-arrogant Cui Lin now staggering, he let out a cold laugh.
“Well done, Minister Cui. And you too, Grand Preceptor Liang.”
Liang Guangyi’s hands trembled with anger, a lump of blood stuck in his throat. He glared at Cui Lin with disgust, completely unaware that Cui Lin had been involved in such a scandal.
Had he known earlier, he would never have spoken up, let alone added fuel to the fire only to end up covered in filth himself.
Facing everyone’s gazes, Cui Lin felt a chill down his spine. The weakness he had suppressed with medicine surged back, overwhelming him.
He swayed, barely steadying himself by gripping the table, but his vision darkened.
Xiao Yan looked at the near-fainting Cui Lin and Madam Xuan, offering a kind-hearted reminder.
“Young Master Cui, this Supervisor sees that Minister Cui isn’t doing well. As a filial son, you’d better support your father and your future stepmother.”
“Though they’re a pair of lovebirds, we’re still in the palace, and the main matter hasn’t been settled. If they both faint together, those in the know might see their deep love, but others might think His Majesty did something to them.”
The Cui family’s eldest son’s face flushed with rage, wanting to curse but unable to utter a word against Xiao Yan’s mockery.
He felt utterly humiliated, wishing he could dig a hole and disappear. Yet, facing the pale, trembling Cui Lin, he could only grit his teeth and silently step forward to support him. But anyone could see how stiff his expression was as he held his father.
The Cui family’s daughter-in-law glared venomously at Cui Lin and Madam Xuan, her face contorted with disgust.
She, too, came from a prominent noble family and had never endured such humiliation. She felt as if her father-in-law had stripped away her dignity. She could already imagine the ridicule the Cui family would face after leaving the palace gates.
The Cui family’s sons, daughters, and married-off aunts would all be dragged down by him, and even she, a daughter-in-law, would become a laughingstock.
The Cui daughter-in-law clutched her handkerchief tightly, seething with hatred for her father-in-law.
It had been years since her mother-in-law’s death, and no one in the Cui family would have objected if Cui Lin had remarried. But of all people, why did he choose a widow, one entangled with the imperial family, and secretly carry on with her, only to be exposed in public?
He was simply…
A senile fool!!
Duke Zeng looked at the thunderstruck, pale-faced Cui Lin and the ashen-faced Liang Guangyi, suddenly grateful he hadn’t lost his senses and switched sides earlier.
Had he been foolish enough to betray Xiao Yan in the heat of the moment, he might now be in the same predicament as Cui Lin. He suddenly recalled the cryptic “opportunity” Xiao Yan had mentioned through a messenger earlier.
He hadn’t understood it before, and his earlier words were spoken under pressure. But now, thinking it over, that “opportunity” was tied to Cui Lin.
Tonight seemed like Cui Lin’s scheme against Xiao Yan, but in truth, everything Cui Lin did was under Xiao Yan’s control.
It was Xiao Yan who pushed Cui Lin to bring up the deposed empress, orchestrating tonight’s palace banquet to target him. Not only did he use Cui Lin to rekindle the Lu family issue, but he also dragged the previously uninvolved Grand Preceptor Liang into the fray, forcing Emperor An to keep the court officials present.
And then there were Yu Yanfeng and the unseen Liu Tong’en…
Even he, Duke Zeng, was likely part of Xiao Yan’s calculations.
Duke Zeng felt a chill. He had played the “spearhead” as agreed, but had he reneged, thinking Xiao Yan was doomed by the setup and siding with Cui Lin instead, Xiao Yan likely held something that could destroy him.
At this thought, Duke Zeng shivered, while Marquis Wenxin looked at Cui Lin with disgust before turning his gaze to Xiao Yan.
“Duke Zeng, you say Xiao Yan is a son of the He family. Do you have proof?”
Duke Zeng replied, “I’ve brought Xiao Jin’an and the others back to the capital and captured all the men Liang sent to Jiangnan. The He family has a blood feud with the Lu family, so Xiao Yan could never collude with them. That’s why I’m certain tonight’s events were a setup by Minister Cui and Grand Preceptor Liang.”
“But Xiao Yan’s face…” Marquis Wenxin murmured, dazed.
Duke Zeng explained, “I’ve heard there are techniques in the martial world where, for a price and enduring inhuman torment, one can peel off their original face and replace it with a new one, completely transforming their appearance.”
“Supervisor Xiao, I presume that’s what you did?”
Xiao Yan was silent for a moment before saying lightly, “Just some minor tricks from the martial world. My original face was too conspicuous. Had I entered the capital with it, I would likely have died.”
He paused, looking at Duke Zeng.
“I thought I could fool everyone, but I didn’t expect Your Highness to uncover it.”
Duke Zeng, seemingly unfamiliar with him, shook his head. “It wasn’t my doing. If Grand Preceptor Liang hadn’t sent people to Jiangnan, I wouldn’t have stumbled upon it…”
“True,” Xiao Yan sighed. “When the He family was convicted, it was Grand Preceptor Liang and Lu Chongyuan who led the charge, using their familiarity with the noble families to frame the entire He family, leaving my grandfather and others with no way to defend themselves. It’s no surprise that Grand Preceptor Liang could uncover my identity and scheme against me.”
Hearing Xiao Yan so readily admit his identity, Liang Guangyi’s heart trembled.
As Xiao Yan’s words continued, both Emperor An and the court officials looked at Liang with sudden realization.
Liang Guangyi cried out, “I didn’t know your identity before tonight!”
Xiao Yan gave a faint smile, neither speaking nor refuting, yet his demeanor made Liang Guangyi feel as though he’d said everything.
For the first time, Liang Guangyi experienced the frustration of being unable to defend himself.
Had he not added fuel to the fire earlier, not tried to help Cui Lin condemn Xiao Yan, not pressured Emperor An alongside Cui Lin, he could have had an excuse even after Duke Zeng exposed his men in Jiangnan. He could have claimed ignorance of tonight’s events.
Since he hadn’t set the trap, he wouldn’t have known Xiao Yan’s identity. But now, having done all those things, with his men in Jiangnan caught by Duke Zeng, the truth was undeniable.
Xiao Yan was of He blood, and the major noble families had climbed over the He family’s corpses to gain power. Anyone would think Liang knew Xiao Yan’s identity and conspired with Cui Lin to eliminate him. Xiao Yan’s earlier remark about “framing the entire He family” pushed Liang to the center of the storm.
Now, no matter what he said, others would think he was making excuses.
No matter how he explained, they would still suspect his intent to eradicate the He family’s bloodline…==================
You can read ahead to chapterr 470 (100+ extra chapters) here
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