Xiao Yuzi entered with several sticks of tanghulu in hand, but there was a slightly disconcerted look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Chu Jiubian asked.
Xiao Yuzi swallowed hard and hurried to say: “Answering My Lord, this servant was just downstairs watching the Achievement Parade when I ran into a mysterious young woman who was dressed like a man.”
“The crowd moved toward the Western Market and I didn’t follow, but instead turned onto the main street to buy some tanghulu. The young woman also didn’t follow the crowd, and headed toward the Eastern Market.”
“After I bought the tanghulu and headed back, I passed a carriage. The curtain lifted briefly, and I happened to see that same young lady inside.”
“She seemed to be unconscious, and the bamboo hat had fallen off her head. I didn’t get a clear look at her face, but –” Xiao Yuzi’s face paled, and he looked at Chu Jiubian. “But that young lady had a head of white hair.”
Chu Jiubian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Qin Xiao rubbed his finger over the thumb ring he was wearing, his expression unreadable.
Bai Lihong’s brow furrowed. He didn’t quite understand what was going on, but judging by the looks on Jiujiu and Xiansheng’s faces, something must be wrong.
Qin Chuan hadn’t reacted to the rest of Xiao Yuzi’s words, but turned his head when he heard this.
“Which way did the carriage go?” Chu Jiubian asked calmly.
“It headed down the street. The driver seemed to be a hidden guard. I didn’t dare follow, but I alerted the Imperial Guard, and they should be tracking the carriage.”
Just as Xiao Yuzi finished speaking, there was another knock on the door.
“Come in,” Chu Jiubian said.
The door opened to admit a man who was so unremarkable in appearance that one would forget his face after a single glance.
He was a hidden guard, not one of those that hid in the shadows and masked their presence, but a spy who disguised himself as a normal person to blend into the marketplace.
And he happened to be the exact vendor who was selling tanghulu on the street.
When he closed the door behind him, he immediately bowed and reported: “Your Majesty, My Lords, this subordinate has already sent people to track the carriage in the Imperial Guard’s stead.”
The Imperial Guard was too conspicuous. If they were to be the ones following, the carriage would certainly not continue toward its original destination.
So when this secret guard saw Xiao Yuzi depart after speaking to the Imperial Guard, he intercepted the two guards and ordered his own men to follow in pursuit.
“Then they’re leaving a trail to follow?” Qin Xiao asked.
The hidden guard answered affirmatively.
Qin Chuan looked at Qin Xiao, then got to his feet and said: “I’ll follow them.”
Qin Xiao nodded, then said to Xiao Yuzi: “Go prepare the carriage. We’ll return to the palace first.”
“Yes,” said Xiao Yuzi.
Half the people in the room left in short order, leaving behind only Chu Jiubian, Qin Xiao, and Bai Lihong.
Bai Lihong looked at the men to his left and right, saying nothing.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao also remained silent for a moment.
“It’s Jiannan-wang again.” Chu Jiubian was the first to speak.
Qin Xiao’s gaze slowly swept across the silver hair draped over Chu Jiubian’s shoulders.
“He’s getting more brazen,” he said calmly.
Chu Jiubian also looked down at his long hair. He lifted a strand with his fingertips, lost in thought.
Jiannan-wang had always been brazen, and the dirty secrets at his residence were too numerous to count.
But the other party had always been cautious and methodical, never leaving behind any incriminating evidence.
For instance, there was the child named Xiao Tian who had been snatched away previously. Qin Xiao had sent someone to investigate, only to find that the other party had left no traces behind. If his guess was correct, then Jiannan-wang still had that child’s indenture contract in his hands.
In this era, a servant bound by such a contract was his master’s property, and lived and died on his master’s whim.
But as it happened, Jiannan-wang was very cautious, and took measures to avoid giving anyone leverage over him.
But what he had done today had nothing to do with caution.
The powerful and wealthy had all gathered here together, and among the merchants and common people, there was no telling how many of them were actually secret guards and servants of various households. The Imperial Guard were also present, keeping strict watch at every turn.
But Jiannan-wang had stirred up trouble by sending someone to kidnap a person in broad daylight. Was he unafraid of being discovered, or was he afraid that someone wouldn’t notice?
Also….
Chu Jiubian looked toward the doorway.
How had both Xiao Yuzi and the secret guard selling tanghulu happened to see inside that carriage?
Calling it a coincidence was laughable. It was more likely that it had been arranged for them to catch a glimpse.
Chu Jiubian looked up at Qin Xiao and said: “It seems someone is getting restless again. If I’m not wrong, that young woman must be the daughter of that wealthy merchant who asked Zuiliang-wang for help.”
The corners of Qin Xiao’s lips curved up in a chilling smile, and his dark eyes were just as icy: “Since they’re handing us a knife, we might as well take it.”
Regardless of who was trying to use them and Zuiliang-wang to target Jiannan-wang, it would be a waste not to seize the opportunity before them.
“Let’s go back to the palace,” Chu Jiubian said, rising to his feet. “Zuiliang-wang should be going there soon to request an audience.”
Qin Xiao stood as well, then casually lifted Bai Lihong down from the chair next to him.
Bai Lihong finally had a chance to speak, and looked up at them as he said: “Jiujiu, Xiansheng, what should I do?”
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao exchanged a glance.
How far they could go depended entirely on how much “compelling” evidence the person behind the scenes could provide to them.
Sure enough, less than a quarter of an hour after they returned to the palace, Zuiliang-wang Bai Liyan arrived to request an audience.
The three of them met with him in Yangxin Hall.
Bai Liyan bowed upon entering, and when Bai Lihong gave his permission to dispense with formalities, he said without even bothering to greet Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao: “Your Majesty, please uphold justice for this subject!”
“Take your time, Imperial Uncle,” Bai Lihong said gently. “Sit down and have a drink of water before saying your piece.”
Bai Liyan sat directly below Chu Jiubian and took a quick sip of water before saying: “Your Majesty, a number of wealthy merchants and children of prominent families accompanied me to the capital this time to join in the fun.”
“Just now, one of the merchants noticed that his daughter had gone missing, and after his men searched long and hard with nothing to show for it, he came to this subject for help.”
The anxious expression on Bai Liyan’s face was genuine: “Would Your Majesty be willing to dispatch the Imperial Guard and the City Defense Force to aid in the search? The missing child is only thirteen or fourteen years old, and a girl at that. This….”
“So that’s what this is about,” Bai Lihong said. “Does the missing child happen to have white hair?”
Bai Liyan reflexively glanced at Chu Jiubian, and unexpectedly met his cool and aloof gaze.
Startled, he quickly looked away and said: “In-indeed she does.”
Earlier at the restaurant, that wealthy merchant surnamed Zhou had approached him and wept, saying that his daughter had gone missing.
Bai Liyan had originally tried to tell him that she had probably been swept away by the crowds and would return soon, but Merchant Zhou continued to beg for his help, and even asked him to seek out the Imperial Guard.
This merchant had been generous with his tributes in the fiefdom, and now that he had encountered such trouble, Bai Liyan naturally wanted to help however he could.
Thus, after sending his men out to search, he rushed over to the palace.
As for how he knew Chu Jiubian and the others would already be there, he had naturally seen their horses and carriage heading that way.
“What a coincidence,” Bai Lihong said. “This emperor’s people happened to encounter the carriage where the girl was held prisoner, and are already pursuing it. They will likely bring her back before long.”
Bai Liyan immediately breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest, saying: “How wonderful. This subject will be able to give an account to the people of his fiefdom.”
“Zuiliang-wang truly keeps the common people in his heart.” Chu Jiubian turned his head to look at him.
Bai Liyan said hastily: “I am flattered, but I am merely managing a region of land on behalf of His Majesty. It is only right for me to be conscientious and dedicated to my duties.”
Chu Jiubian’s lips curved in a smile: “That merchant Your Highness mentioned just now – does he hail from the Fujian-Zhejiang region?”
“Indeed,” said Bai Liyan. “But this lord has only grown close to Merchant Zhou in the past two years, and this is the first time he has come to me for a favor. I was unaware that he had such a daughter.”
It was unknown why someone would have a head of white hair at such a young age.
“So that’s how it is.” Chu Jiubian took a leisurely sip of tea, then said, “We received word that Miss Zhou was abducted, but the identity of the culprit remains unknown. Does Zuiliang-wang have anyone he suspects?”
Bai Liyan gave a forced smile: “This lord is just as confused. Perhaps some miscreant took a liking to her appearance.”
“That could be the case. After all, the powerful figures in the capital have always loved beauty,” Qin Xiao said sardonically.
Bai Liyang said nothing, maintaining his forced smile.
Qin Xiao smiled too. He fixed his gaze on the man and said languidly: “The person who abducted Miss Zhou could be a member of a powerful family, or perhaps…..”
Bai Liyan slowly raised his eyes, and Qin Xiao continued: “Perhaps it was the doing of a prince. How does Zuiliang-wang think they should be dealt with?”
Their eyes met, and silence fell within the hall.
In an exchange between intelligent people, there was often no need to speak plainly. The words left unspoken were understood just the same.
Bai Liyan composed his expression and said: “Naturally, they shall be dealt with in accordance with the law. That scholar in today’s Imperial Examination knew this well, as does this lord.”
He was referring to Gu Fang, a criminal justice scholar. His firm and exacting approach would be useful right about now.
“Whether he is a noble, a high-ranking official, or a member of a prince’s household,” Zuiliang-wang said gravely, “abducting a girl in broad daylight is an audacious act that deserves no leniency. And since that person has laid a hand on one of my own people, this lord is of course even less willing to compromise.”
His meaning was that no matter who was revealed as the culprit, he would become the “blade” leveled at their throat.
Since Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian wanted to hold the culprit accountable by law, Bai Liyan would charge ahead on their behalf and achieve such a result.
This was a demonstration of his loyalty to the Imperial Court, as well as a pledge of loyalty to the Emperor’s faction.
Chu Jiubian lowered his eyes and lightly brushed his fingers against his teacup. The heat emanating from it made his fingertips tingle, and his lips curved up slightly.
How could someone who survived the succession struggle and landed the wealthy regions of Fujian and Zhejiang for his fiefdom possibly be just a pleasure-seeking fool?
Zuiliang-wang already knew that this was a setup designed to use both him and the emperor’s faction to deal with a certain person.
But for him, wasn’t this also a good opportunity to cultivate a good relationship with the Imperial family?
Zuiliang-wang was hardly ambitious, and cared even less about the fate of his descendants. All he wanted was to continue living a carefree life for the rest of his existence.
For this reason, he didn’t plan to be one of those who challenged authority.
Of course, he could also claim to be the most intelligent of all the vassal kings.
He had understood the situation early on and knew that Imperial power was at its height, and that with Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao here, Bai Lihong’s throne would remain secure for the rest of his life.
His fiefdom also bordered Southern Zhili, far enough from the Central Plains that even if other vassal kings rebelled, it wouldn’t affect him.
His current goal was to demonstrate his loyalty to Chu Jiubian’s faction in exchange for a long and peaceful life.
Qin Xiao’s smile deepened, and he said meaningfully: “Lord Grand Tutor is correct. Zuiliang-wang is indeed a benevolent lord who cherishes the common people like he would his own children.”
Zuiliang-wang chuckled good-naturedly, neither accepting nor rejecting the compliment.
There were no words needed.
As time trickled by, Bai Lihong quietly reviewed memorials.
He was capable of handling most official memorials on his own nowadays, and such a scene caused complicated feelings in Bai Liyan.
Back at his estate, a child so young would have to be chased around to get him to sit down for a meal. But here was His Majesty, sitting there as dignified as a grown man as he seriously reviewed memorials.
A thought suddenly occurred to him: with such an emperor, even if Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were no longer involved, Bai Lihong would still be capable of stabilizing both the court and the dynasty as a whole.
A burden seemed to lift from his shoulders, and Bai Liyan was even more convinced that he had made the right decision.
From Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian to An Wuji and Hong Fu, and even the students of the Imperial Academy, the Emperor’s faction was filled with exceptional talents, ah.
At last, there was noise outside Yangxin Hall.
Qin Chaoyang himself arrived with a young woman following closely behind him, and was also trailed by Jiannan-wang Bai Lihai, who looked much more frail than even the young woman.
Behind them came two members of the Imperial Guard with a man restrained between them. It was the secret guard who had been driving the carriage.
At the moment the young woman stepped into the hall, all eyes turned in her direction.
With almond-shaped eyes and ruby lips, she was truly striking, but what drew the most attention was her white hair.
It was a color that grew naturally on humans.
It wasn’t obvious when viewed individually, but putting them in the same room made the difference between her white hair and Chu Jiubian’s own silver-white dye job very obvious.
Chu Jiubian’s hair had a glossy sheen and slight gray tint, while the young woman’s was a pure white that usually only appeared on the elderly.
Qin Xiao only gave her a mild glance before turning his attention toward the pale-faced Bai Lihai.
Chu Jiubian, however, stayed focused on the young woman. The young woman seemed to sense something, and looked up. She stared blankly for a second, then quickly lowered her eyes and shrank back as if afraid.
Chu Jiubian’s lips curved.
Inside his head, the System was wildly flashing a red alert: [Warning! Warning! Poisonous gu detected in Host’s vicinity! Highly toxic! Please take caution! Please take caution!]
“Mark them,” Chu Jiubian said internally.
The System gave an outrageous price: [Ten points.]
“Five points,” said Chu Jiubian.
The System: [Eight faith points have been deducted from Host.]
A white gleam flashed across his eyes, and when he looked closer, he could see five or six green points of light glowing near the young woman’s abdomen.
Those green lights stayed dormant on her body, without moving around.
Qin Chaoyang reported the events that had just transpired. After leaving the restaurant, Qin Chuan had followed the carriage that abducted Miss Zhou.
After circling the market, the carriage had stopped at the rear side gate of Jiannan-wang’s manor.
A servant had opened the gate, and the hidden guard driving the carriage slung Miss Zhou over his shoulder and carried her inside.
Such a scene was commonplace there, so none of the manor’s guards or servants found it unusual. Just like that, they let the man inside and instructed him to carry the young woman to Bai Lihai’s courtyard.
The driver then handed the young woman off to the courtyard guards and left the manor.
Qin Chuan then seized the driver and dislocated his jaw to prevent him from biting his tongue off, then handed him over to Qin Chaoyang when he arrived on the scene.
“So it was you!” Bai Liyan got to his feet and pointed at Bai Lihai, shouting angrily, “Jiannan-wang is truly audacious! How dare you abduct a young woman in broad daylight?! Do you have no regard for the laws of the Imperial Court?”
Bai Lihai quivered, as if frightened.
His legs gave out and he fell to his knees. Kowtowing to the young emperor, he said: “Your Majesty! Your Majesty, this subject has been wronged!”
“This subject truly knows nothing about this matter. Someone must have deliberately framed me.”
Bai Lihai looked toward the silent Miss Zhou and said: “Young lady, please help this lord explain. This lord truly knows nothing about what happened. The moment I laid eyes on you, I was prepared to immediately send you out of the estate! This lord didn’t even touch a single hair on your head!”
Bai Lihai had also gone to see the spectacle of the Achievement Parade, but had returned to his manor afterward to the unexpected sight of a woman in his courtyard.
When he asked a servant, he learned that someone had delivered her while he was away.
But since this sort of thing had happened so many times, and Bai Lihai was away from the manor, the servants assumed that Miss Zhou had caught his eye while he was out and he had her specially delivered to his residence first.
Only when the servants saw the look of complete bafflement on his face did they realize that something was terribly wrong.
Suspecting that he might have been framed, Bai Lihai had quickly apologized to the young woman and prepared to quietly send her away.
But no sooner had they stepped out the gates than Qin Chaoyang stopped them and took them both to the palace.
Bai Lihai sent Miss Zhou an urgent look.
But this seemed to frighten her, and she said in a teary voice: “This girl, this girl doesn’t know….”
She fell to her knees as well, unable to speak another word through her sobs.
Bai Lihai’s eyes darkened.
This young woman had been part of the plot from the very beginning, so of course she wouldn’t speak for him. He hadn’t actually expected her to.
Bai Lihai understood better than anyone who those criminal justice questions at the Imperial Examination that morning were referring to.
If he was found guilty of abducting a woman in public, not only would his reputation be ruined, but he might even lose his royal title. He might end up as an ordinary prince without a title or standing, or even a fiefdom. He would be below even his two younger Imperial brothers who still remained in the palace.
He couldn’t allow that to happen.
He was only dragging this out because he was waiting for his true saviors to come.
Naturally, those were a high-ranking official from the Xiao family and the Empress Dowager.
Chu Jiubian and the others knew very well what he was thinking, but they were in no rush.
No matter who showed up today, Jiannan-wang wouldn’t be able to keep his position. They would never allow him to contend for the throne.
“Don’t be afraid, child.” Bai Liyan went and helped Miss Zhou to her feet, then shielded her behind him and pointed a finger at Bai Lihai: “So, Jiannan-wang, what is there left to say at this point? Your behavior is a disgrace to our Imperial family! How is someone like you worthy of being called a prince?!”
Bai Liyan looked genuinely furious. He turned and bowed to Bai Lihong, saying: “Your Majesty, Jiannan-wang has committed such a grave offense. If word of this gets out, it will tarnish the prestigious reputation of the Imperial family. This subject begs that Your Majesty strip Jiannan-wang of his title and strike his name from the Imperial family register!”
Jiannan-wang looked up at him sharply, his delicate features contorting for a brief moment.
It was bad enough to strip him of his title, but to strike his name from the Imperial family register? That Zuiliang-wang was truly a calculating person!
Could the trap today have been set by him?
“Who intends to strike Jiannan-wang’s name from the register, ah?” A resounding female voice rang out.
Disregarding the attempts of the palace attendants outside to stop her, Xiao Ruohan forced her way in.
Even Bai Lihong had to rise to show his filial respect, while the others in the room bowed to her and Qin Xiao gave her a slight nod.
Chu Jiubian was the only one who didn’t rise from his chair. He just sat there sipping his tea, calm and self-assured.
Xiao Ruohan first helped Bai Lihai to his feet and gave him a reassuring pat. Then she approached Qin Xiao, who stepped aside to give her the seat directly to the Emperor’s right.
Xiao Ruohan sat down facing Chu Jiubian with a haughty expression.
Bai Lihong retook his seat, and the others sat down one by one.
“This Empress Dowager just heard something about the Imperial family register.” Xiao Ruohan’s frigid gaze fell upon Zuiliang-wang with the sharpness of a knife. “Just who does Zuiliang-wang want to strike from the register, ah?”
Bai Liyan didn’t seem to notice the threat in her eyes as he said with a frown: “There is something the Empress Dowager doesn’t know….”
He went over everything that had just happened in great detail.
Bai Lihai quickly said: “Grandmother, I didn’t do it!”
The word “grandmother” made Xiao Ruohan’s heart ache even more, and her eyes darkened further as she looked at Zuiliang-wang: “With one event after another, it seems to me that there are secrets hidden around every corner. Someone must be playing tricks behind the scenes.”
“The Empress Dowager must be joking.” Bai Liyan seemed agitated. “The evidence is irrefutable, and while outsiders might be unaware of Jiannan-wang’s particular interests, who among us doesn’t know? So many children have been brutalized by him. Corpses are carried out of Jiannan-wang’s manor practically every day–”
“Enough!” Xiao Ruohan shouted. “It is only the death of a few servants. Don’t they die by the dozens every day in the capital? Can it be that none are allowed to die in Jiannan-wang’s residence?”
Just as Bai Liyan was about to say more, Xiao Ruohan turned her gaze to Bai Lihong and said: “Your Majesty, there is surely more to this matter than meets the eye. I believe that further investigation is needed to unearth the true culprit.”
“When the snipe and the clam fight, it is the one lurking in the shadows that reaps the benefits. Do not allow us all to become knives in another’s hands.”
Bai Lihong’s brow furrowed. Unsure how to handle this, he instinctively looked toward Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.
But the two of them remained silent and instead turned their attention toward Miss Zhou, who was still shielded behind Zuiliang-wang.
Since the person behind the scenes wanted to get rid of Jiannan-wang, he certainly wouldn’t give up halfway.
Sure enough, the tearful Miss Zhou immediately stepped out from behind Zuiliang-wang and dropped heavily to her knees. With tears streaming down her face, she choked out: “Your Majesty, please see justice done for this lowly girl!”
*
*
Outside the palace, in the main courtyard of the Xiao estate.
Family head Xiao Yao sat in the main seat of the hall. The teacup in his hand shattered with a sharp crack, and a shard of porcelain cut into his palm. He barely seemed to notice, and simply took a handkerchief out of his pocket to blot away the blood.
His advisor sat in the seat below him with a troubled look on his face, hesitating to speak.
“Idiot,” Xiao Yao said in a low voice. “I’ve told him again and again to be cautious, but he just won’t listen.”
The advisor spoke up then: “Should we continue to shield him?”
The fact that he even asked this question revealed that he didn’t want the Xiao family to make any more sacrifices for Jiannan-wang.
For the sake of that fool, they had already lost Xiao Wendao’s deputy minister position, which put the Xiao family at a disadvantage.
There was no telling what they would lose if they protected him again.
Xiao Yao flung away the handkerchief in his hand and coldly looked outside: “Our family has never relied on a crown prince to make our way in the world.”
They had been overly-ambitious in the past when they reached for that position.
But now, it was clear that their ancestral precepts should not be violated. The Xiao family should rely on its women to secure marriage alliances and thereby establish a firm foothold in the world.
After all, with the Empress Dowager still in the palace, the Xiao family’s glory still remained. However, they should also begin cultivating the next empress, as well as the next emperor.
And of course, that emperor could not be Bai Lihong.
The advisor was relieved.
Everyone wanted to climb higher, but not everyone had the ability.
The Xiao family simply wasn’t cut out for it. Giving up early was actually a good thing.
“I just worry that this matter with Jiannan-wang will implicate us,” the advisor said with a knitted brow. “Our current position isn’t strong. If the Emperor’s faction decides to move against us…..”
He watched Xiao Yao’s expression carefully, and his voice gradually trailed off.
Xiao Yao looked him up and down, and suddenly smiled: “What path do you think the Xiao family should take from here, ah?”
The blood drained from the advisor’s face, and he fell heavily to his knees: “This subordinate has overstepped.”
Xiao Yao gave him a mild look. After a long moment passed, he said: “Go prepare brush and ink.”
“Yes,” the advisor said tremulously. He carefully withdrew, then returned shortly with writing materials.
Xiao Yao dipped his brush in ink and wrote two letters, then had someone deliver them separately to Huguang-wang and Dongjiang-wang.
These two vassal kings possessed great influence and were filled with ambition, and the Xiao family women in their households made them suitable candidates for investment.
Once he was alone, Xiao Yao closed his eyes and let out a long breath.
The Xiao family must only grow stronger and stronger in his hands. It absolutely must not decline.
*
*
Inside the palace, Xiao Ruohan waited and waited, but Minister of Personnel Xiao Huaiguan never arrived, and there was no further news from the Xiao family. Her expression gradually began to look ugly.
She had thought that if she bought some time, the Xiao family would find evidence that Jiannan-wang had been wrongly accused.
But to her surprise, over a shichen had passed with no news at all.
A chill ran through her as she finally guessed what choice the family head had made.
They intended to abandon Bai Lihai.
In other words, they also intended to abandon her, the Empress Dowager, and instead groom another woman from the clan.
The former empress who once held both the Xiao family and the Imperial family in the palm of her hand now found herself entirely isolated and without support once more. But she no longer had the ability to curb the raging tide. Suddenly, a look of weariness appeared on her impeccably maintained face.
As she waited for news from the Xiao family, Chu Jiubian and the others were waiting as well.
Everyone was aware of the Xiao family’s choice at this point, so there was no longer any need for discussion about how to deal with Bai Lihai.
Qin Xiao looked at Qin Chaoyang and said: “Present the evidence to the Empress Dowager.”
Ever since the open and covert power struggle between Qin Feng and Xiao Ruohan began inside the palace, Qin Xiao had been gathering evidence of the Xiao family and Jiannan-wang’s crimes. The time had now come for this incriminating evidence to be put to use.
Qin Chaoyang took a bundle of papers from his sleeve and handed them to Xiao Ruohan.
Xiao Ruohan read through them one by one, the look on her face growing increasingly ugly. When she reached the end, she even lost her composure for a moment and fixed Qin Xiao with a deadly glare.
Qin Xiao just smiled at her: “His Majesty is benevolent. In consideration of the Empress Dowager being his grandmother, you will be allowed to save some face in the end.”
Xiao Ruohan’s expression contorted.
These papers contained no evidence of Jiannan-wang’s crimes. He was indeed a cautious person, and had left nothing behind that would allow anyone leverage over him.
What was recorded in them was evidence proving the crimes Xiao Ruohan committed during the reigns of Emperor Chengzong and Emperor Yingzong, which included harming the Imperial heirs and concubines within the palace.
Even worse, Qin Xiao had also pinned the deaths of Emperor Yingzong and Qin Feng on her.
By inserting this fabrication among solid facts, he would be able to convince everyone that she was the culprit. That because she shared no blood ties with Emperor Yingzong, she wanted to elevate her blood-related grandson Bai Lihai, which was why she murdered Emperor Yingzong and Qin Feng.
Naturally, that was a lie. Emperor Yingzong had obviously been killed by Qin Feng.
But she had no way to prove her innocence!
Qin Xiao was threatening her. If she insisted on protecting Bai Lihai, these pieces of evidence and rumors would reach the ears of the world at large. Should that happen, she would definitely lose her position as Empress Dowager.
Qin Xiao was still willing to give her the opportunity to save face, but Bai Lihai could no longer be saved, and she certainly wouldn’t be able to remain in the Imperial Palace.
But as long as she could preserve her reputation, the reputations of the Xiao family women would be preserved as well.
Should the Xiao family support someone in seizing the throne in the future, a daughter of the family still had a chance to become Empress and mistress of the inner palace.
Xiao Ruohan closed her eyes.
She crumpled the sheets of paper into a ball.
When Bai Lihai glanced up and saw her face, his own expression shifted slightly. He said: “Grandmother –”
Xiao Ruohan abruptly rose to her feet. She looked at Bai Lihong with a cold, resolute expression and said: “Your Majesty has grown up. This grandmother of yours has nothing left to say, and will take her leave.”
With that said, she turned and walked out of Yangxin Hall.
Panic finally set in for Bai Lihai, and he quickly reached out to grab the edge of her robes: “Grandmother! Grandmother, where are you going? You can’t abandon me!”
Xiao Ruohan’s eyes stung, glimmering with a hint of tears. But she forcibly pulled his hand away and went out the door without looking back.
Bai Lihai had been valuable and precious from birth, his father a vassal king and his mother a daughter of the Xiao clan.
His father later became the emperor, and his mother the head of the four Imperial consorts. He became the most favored prince in the palace, as well as the most likely to inherit the throne.
Relying on his status and position, he had committed many outrageous acts.
Because he knew that he had people at his back.
He also knew that he was the one the Xiao family was relying on.
But he had still been afraid, because he knew that he was different from ordinary men, that he was unable to experience the same joys, let alone sire children.
How could a prince who was unable to produce heirs become the emperor?
So he feigned illness and made himself look weak, which allowed him to mask his shortcomings. He even rounded up various men and women to abuse in order to appear like a normal man.
But he feared that these people might reveal his secrets, so he left none of them alive in the end.
He behaved in an obedient and sensible manner in front of his elders, and only he himself knew how dark and twisted he really was.
He had always thought that he would one day become emperor, but also that the truth would eventually come to light, so he was torn between fighting and giving in to despair.
And then, when the Emperor and his mother both passed away, the throne that should have been his fell into the hands of Bai Lihong.
He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but still grew increasingly resentful. With nowhere to vent his anger, he unleashed it upon those innocent men and women.
Watching them weep, beg, and struggle had satisfied him deeply. But he had never imagined that this matter would come back to bite him.
He had even been framed by another party.
He had done this sort of thing so many times, had tortured and killed so many people, but it was only when he was most “innocent” that judgment fell upon him.
Wasn’t that absurd?
Bai Lihai laughed, wild and unhinged, finally dropping his two-faced facade.
He knew that when he stepped out of the palace gates today, he would no longer be the high and mighty Jiannan-wang. He would be reduced to the lowest of the low, the target of everyone’s mockery.
In the face of that, it was better to carry his honor with him in death.
He straightened up, looked at everyone in the hall, and began to hurl insults and curses without restraint, venting his emotions wildly. He looked like a madman, but the others just watched him calmly.
Even Bai Lihong on his throne wore a placid expression that perfectly matched the expressions worn by Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao.
He looked toward the “god” seated above, whose eyes held neither sorrow nor joy, as distant and aloof as any of the statutes in their temples.
“God.” He laughed until tears trailed down his face. “If a god won’t save someone, if he won’t help me, then he’s nothing but trash!”
Just as he was about to unleash more profanity, Qin Xiao raised his hand. The words died in Bai Lihai’s throat as a deep gash appeared across his neck.
Chu Jiubian gazed quietly into his eyes, which remained open in death.
He knew nothing about how Bai Lihai had grown up, the unspeakable secrets he carried, nor the joys and sorrows he had experienced.
He just knew that gods saved people, not monsters.
[On the first day of the third month of the second year of Jingrui. Jiannan-wang Bai Lihai committed dozens of instances of kidnapping, murder, and preying on the common people. He was stripped of his noble title and struck from the Imperial family register, demoted to the status of a commoner. Jiannan-wang took his own life to answer for his sins.]
[Overcome with grief, Empress Dowager Xiao Ruohan moved to a remote Imperial courtyard to recuperate, and did not return to the capital for the rest of her life.]
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Chapter 86 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 88
