The Crown Prince addressed the hall in a clear voice: “Tonight was meant to be a joyous Mid-Autumn Festival, but an unexpected incident at the palace banquet startled everyone.”
“With my father, the Emperor, gravely ill and the capital still in disarray, I ask you all to return to your residences for now. The court will suspend sessions for three days, and all matters will be addressed at the next court meeting.”
The courtiers hurriedly bowed. “We obey Your Highness’s command.”
…
Inside Zichen Hall, the courtiers gradually dispersed. As they stepped outside, gazing at the bright full moon overhead, they felt a mix of lingering fear and sadness
.
Who could have imagined that attending a palace banquet would lead to such events? The son of the He family was alive, a twenty-year-old case resurfaced, Emperor An, once revered above all, was now isolated and betrayed, and the despised Prince of Zeng, once thought to have no future, had risen to become the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.
The events of this night were more “thrilling” than some would experience in a lifetime.
The princes, silent as chickens in the hall, darkened their faces the moment they stepped outside.
Liang Guangyi and others glanced back at Zichen Hall, their expressions unreadable. Feng Qiuli approached Liang Guangyi a step behind and said softly, “Grand Tutor.”
“What did you say to Cui Qi?” Liang Guangyi asked.
Feng Qiuli sighed lightly. “Young Lord Cui was resentful that his wife sent his father to the Ministry of Justice’s prison and blamed her for it. With Xiao Yan now holding power and already at odds with us, I feared their squabbling would give others leverage against us, so I explained a thing or two to him.”
Liang Guangyi sneered in disgust. “He’s a fool.”
Cui Lin’s affair with Lady Xuan Qin was undeniable. His collusion with palace attendants, bribing the Forbidden Army, and fabricating a plot to frame Xiao Yan with the deposed empress’s death were indefensible. With Xiao Yan now wielding the Tiger Tally and immense power, if Cui Lin fell into his hands, he’d either die or lose everything.
Young Lady Cui had cleverly pointed out the fairness of the Three Judicial Offices, publicly admitting Cui Lin’s plot against Xiao Yan while distancing him from charges of treason. She also brought up the twenty-year-old southern case to provoke a reaction.
If Xiao Yan pressured the Three Judicial Offices to harshly punish Cui Lin out of personal vendetta, the public would question the validity of their investigation into the southern case, suspecting Xiao Yan of fabricating evidence to clear the He family’s name. To ensure the trial’s credibility, Xiao Yan couldn’t pursue Cui Lin with bias.
Cui Lin’s crimes weren’t worthy of death; at most, he’d lose his position and title, but the Cui family would be spared. Young Lady Cui had sent him to the Ministry of Justice to protect the entire Cui family.
Thinking of tonight’s events, Liang Guangyi’s resentment deepened.
“Cui Lin is even more foolish. He was tricked by Xiao Yan once before and learned nothing, only to fall into another trap. He became the opening act for tonight’s drama, dragging me and all the aristocratic families down with him.”
Feng Qiuli sighed softly. “It’s not entirely his fault. Xiao Yan had already set the trap. Without Cui Lin, someone else would have served. Xiao Yan wants to clear the He family’s name and vindicate He Wenzhuo. This play tonight had to be performed, one way or another.”
Liang Guangyi fell silent, his hands clasped as he stared into the night, murmuring after a long pause.
“The He family… how could someone have survived…”
So many had hunted them down back then.
The late emperor, Emperor An, the Lu family, and even other aristocratic courtiers had exterminated the He family, leaving no one alive. Everything they owned was divided up, and after more than a decade, no one recalled the He family’s former glory. Yet now, a He family descendant had emerged.
Liang Guangyi said faintly, “Pingzhao, do you think Xiao Yan is truly a son of the He family?”
Feng Qiuli hesitated. “I don’t know. But if he weren’t, why would he go to such lengths tonight, forcing His Majesty to seek justice for the He family?”
Liang Guangyi’s eyelids drooped, his voice a low murmur. “Yes, he’s seeking justice for the He family. I only hope he’s truly doing it for them…”
“Grand Tutor?” Feng Qiuli asked, puzzled. “What did you say?”
Liang Guangyi’s heart was heavy with unease.
If Xiao Yan was indeed a He family descendant, his actions tonight could be attributed to seeking justice for them. At worst, the aristocratic families who benefited back then would lose some ground. But if…
His palms trembled, the thought in his mind seeming absurd yet taking root like a seed, impossible to shake off.
Liang Guangyi’s heart raced, but in response to Feng Qiuli’s question, he only sighed softly.
“Nothing. Let’s go. It’s time to leave the palace. There’s plenty of trouble ahead to deal with.”
The Lu family had fallen, and the Cui family was likely next. Among the remaining aristocratic families, few had capable members left in court, some were too selfish, others too greedy, or simply cowardly and foolish.
Fortunately, there was still Feng Qiuli to hold things together. Otherwise, relying solely on an old man like himself, the aristocratic faction would be finished.
Seeing his worry, Feng Qiuli advised softly, “Don’t be too concerned. Though Xiao Yan holds military power, our aristocratic families aren’t so easily bullied. If he goes too far, we can fight to the end. Together, we might not fear him.”
“For now, we’re not at that point. Let’s wait and see what he truly wants. Perhaps he only seeks to clear the He family’s name and revive their legacy. If so, he might need our families’ support. A little sacrifice, and it could all pass.”
Liang Guangyi’s mind eased slightly. “I hope so. Let’s go, out of the palace.”
As a junior, Feng Qiuli trailed half a step behind Liang Guangyi. As they walked toward the palace gates, his gaze lingered on the elderly man ahead, a flicker in his eyes.
Liang Guangyi’s earlier words…
Feng Qiuli casually adjusted his sleeve, waving his hand outward a few times before returning to normal.
After they left, a figure emerged from behind the palace gate at the end of the corridor, glancing in the direction Feng Qiuli and Liang Guangyi had gone before heading toward the Imperial Dragon Terrace.
“Supervisor, Liang Guangyi seems to have suspicions,” Tian Qing said softly.
Xiao Yan chuckled. “He’s a cunning old fox. It’d be strange if he didn’t suspect.”
“Then he…”
“No need to bother with him.”
Xiao Yan glanced at Tang Ning, who was bandaging his wounds, and said casually to Tian Qing.
As long as Xiao Yan didn’t admit his true identity and acted only as a He family descendant, Liang Guangyi wouldn’t openly voice his suspicions or share them with others. At most, he’d send people to investigate quietly.
Tang Ning finished bandaging his wounds. “Your arm has mostly superficial injuries, no damage to muscles or bones. The wounds on your body need to be checked later.”
She handed Xiao Yan a sachet.
“It belonged to Eunuch Feng. I picked it up during the chaos.”
When Eunuch Feng served at the Emperor’s side, he wore a sachet that suppressed the effects of the drugs in Emperor An’s system, allowing his addiction to manifest as bloodlust and irritability without losing his sanity. But if the sachet was lost, the bone-seeking incense on Feng’s sleeve would trigger a full-blown drug-induced episode, causing Emperor An’s headaches to flare and exposing his disgraceful state.
Eunuch Feng had deliberately dropped the sachet near the dais during a fall, unnoticed amid the chaos. When the courtiers left, Tang Ning had Yue Jian retrieve it discreetly.
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T/N: Feng Qiuli is such a deeply hidden chess piece
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You can read ahead to chapterr 670 (100+ extra chapters) here
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