There are too many ways for a plague to spread. Even if bodies are buried in the earth or submerged in water, the disease can still spread through the soil and waterways. A single misstep could bring calamity to countless lives.
Rongjiang is located in Shezhou. If the plague were to spread, Shezhou would be the first to bear the brunt. Any official in Shezhou who knows of this should be far more fearful and cautious than those elsewhere. Yet, they dared to dismiss it as a mere “rumor,” boldly claiming the plague had been eradicated.
Unless, of course, they were certain that the source of the plague had been completely “cut off” in Rongjiang City.
Rongjiang, with its population of nearly ten thousand, how could they be so confident, so convinced that not a trace of the plague would escape?
…By burning Rongjiang to the ground and massacring its people.
Everyone in Rongjiang who might have carried the plague was killed in that city, their bodies reduced to charred bones by the flames. Naturally, no plague could spread from there…
Prince Ji’s words sent a shiver through everyone who grasped the implications, their bodies turning cold.
Xiao Yan glanced at Prince Ji, noting his solemn expression. When their eyes met, there was no trace of flattery or submission in Prince Ji’s demeanor, nor any hint of arrogance, only deep sorrow.
Xiao Yan’s lips curved into an ambiguous smile. He raised his head, his tone cold: “Does Your Majesty wish to continue the inquiry?”
Emperor An’s face stiffened, his lips twitching slightly.
Continue the inquiry?
What was there for him to inquire about?
With everyone throwing accusations back and forth, he hadn’t been given the slightest chance to lead the questioning.
At this point, everything that needed to be said, whether it should have been or not, had already been laid bare. What more could he possibly investigate?
Looking at Xiao Yan’s infuriatingly detestable face, the dull pain in Emperor An’s head, which had briefly subsided, began to resurface. The sensation of countless ants gnawing at his insides stirred, leaving him restless and uneasy.
Forcing himself to remain calm, Emperor An said:
“I had no idea there were such audacious individuals in my court. The disaster relief efforts back then were entrusted to the Lu family, a sign of the late Emperor’s faith in them. Who could have imagined that Lu Chongyuan and his ilk would betray that trust? The chaos in the southern officialdom must surely be the result of Lu Chongyuan’s collusion with others. However, since Lu Chongyuan is already dead, uncovering the truth may prove difficult…”
Qian Baokun, seeing Emperor An’s attempt to shift the blame entirely onto the Lu family and brush the matter aside, felt a chill in his heart. He stepped forward half a pace: “But I recall that the Lu family still has a surviving illegitimate son, Lu Jiu’an, who fled the capital before the Lu family was imprisoned.”
“At the time, the Lu family was already showing signs of rebellion. Lu Chongyuan sent that illegitimate son to Pingshan Wang’s residence, where they hoarded grain and bought horses together. Such treacherous ambition must have been under Lu Chongyuan’s direct orders.”
“Lu Chongyuan was a cautious man. If he entrusted the future of the Lu family to this son, then that son must have been particularly important to him and surely knows the details of what happened twenty years ago. If we capture him and bring him back to the capital, we can uncover the truth.”
Emperor An responded, “I have already ordered Liu Tong’en to apprehend him…”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he froze, his face turning deathly pale.
No.
Something was wrong.
He hadn’t only sent Liu Tong’en, he had also ordered Xiao Yan to send men.
Previously, Liu Tong’en had repeatedly “challenged” Xiao Yan, clinging to the words Lu Chongyuan had spoken before his death. Emperor An, suspecting Liu’s defiance stemmed from dissatisfaction, had assigned the task of capturing Lu Jiu’an to Xiao Yan as well.
Emperor An’s hands trembled, his regret so deep it felt like his insides were turning green. Why hadn’t he listened to Liu Tong’en? If he had been even slightly more cautious, he wouldn’t be in this situation, surrounded and cornered by Xiao Yan’s men.
Emperor An’s face was ashen, his heart gripped by panic. The suppressed agitation within him grew stronger, and his limbs began to tremble faintly.
In extreme discomfort, he forced himself to speak in a low voice:
“Until Lu Jiu’an is apprehended, these matters cannot be fully investigated. Though these men have said much, this concerns the entire southern officialdom and events from twenty years ago tied to disaster relief. It would be better to wait until we capture him and uncover the truth before taking action…”
“And how does Your Majesty plan to handle this?” Xiao Yan’s eyes were sharp.
Emperor An gritted his teeth. “Naturally, those guilty will be punished according to the law.”
“And those who are innocent?”
“Innocent…”
Emperor An’s face froze. If the guilty were others, then the innocent would naturally be Prince Li and He Wenzhuo.
Xiao Yan’s expression grew colder. “I’m asking Your Majesty how you plan to clear my father’s name.”
Emperor An gripped the armrests of the dragon throne tightly, like a cornered wolf forced to retreat again and again.
“Though He Wenzhuo may have died unjustly in Rongjiang, the He family’s rebellion was decreed by the late Emperor, with irrefutable evidence. I cannot go against the late Emperor’s will. However, if it’s proven that the events of twenty years ago had nothing to do with He Wenzhuo, I can issue a separate pardon for him, as I did for the Lu family’s collateral branches, absolving He Wenzhuo and his lineage of guilt…”
He paused, looking at Xiao Yan’s expressionless face and the menacing black-armored guards behind him, and took another half-step back.
“Of course, I once met He Wenzhuo. He was a man of loyalty, filial piety, and meticulous care in all matters. If he died before the He family’s rebellion, and it’s proven that he died defending Rongjiang and protecting its people from the plague, then he rendered great service to the Wei dynasty.”
“I can issue an edict to posthumously honor him, placing his tablet in the Imperial Ancestral Temple to share in the offerings of the realm, ensuring his descendants are sheltered by his legacy and not implicated in the He family’s crimes.”
As Emperor An’s words fell, not only the others but even Qian Baokun and his allies were visibly stunned.
Xiao Yan, as He Wenzhuo’s son, had acted today to clear his father’s name. If Emperor An truly pardoned He Wenzhuo and absolved his lineage, it would mean Xiao Yan’s act of bringing soldiers to surround the palace would also be forgiven. Posthumously honoring He Wenzhuo was clearly an attempt to appease Xiao Yan.
Emperor An was yielding to him.
Liang Guangyi and the others initially wanted to urge Xiao Yan to accept the concession, but having previously offended him, they feared speaking out might provoke him further.
At that moment, Feng Qiuli considerately stepped forward half a pace.
“Lord Xiao…”
He paused, correcting himself: “No, I should call you Young Master He. Your actions today were to seek justice for your father and the countless innocent lives lost in Rongjiang. His Majesty has already promised to thoroughly investigate this case and will not let those involved go unpunished.”
“When I was a child, I heard of Third Master He’s loyal and steadfast reputation. Surely, you wouldn’t want his name to be tarnished after death, branded with the infamy of rebellion and treason.”
“Why not have your men withdraw for now? Once the truth is fully uncovered, His Majesty will surely give you and Third Master He the justice you deserve.”
Feng Qiuli turned to Emperor An as he spoke: “Your Majesty, Lord Xiao seeks only justice. His bold actions tonight were born of desperation.”
“Framed and wronged, he had no choice but to bring his men to force the issue. Now that the truth is coming to light, why not issue an edict to pardon Lord Xiao’s recklessness? This would allow him to withdraw his forces with peace of mind and await Your Majesty’s investigation into the southern affairs.”
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You can read ahead to chapterr 470 (100+ extra chapters) here
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