Chapter 87 The Changes in the Capital Wild Geese, oh Wild Geese, I think you are 'one day...'

Qiluan Palace.

The hall was filled with a warm, fragrant atmosphere, and there was no trace of the bleakness of autumn.

Consort De was in high spirits lately. The Second Prince had been frequently praised by the Emperor, and Minister Zheng had handled several tasks exceptionally well, to the point that the Emperor directly called him a "pillar of the state" at court. When the news reached Consort De's ears, her gaze towards her daughter-in-law Zheng Yu, whom she had previously disliked, softened somewhat.

She accepted the pre-Qingming Longjing tea offered by Zheng Yu. The teacup was warm, the porcelain smooth and lustrous. Her gaze lingered briefly on Ying'er's flat stomach, and the smile on her lips faded slightly. "Ying'er has been doing very well lately, and the Emperor is very pleased. It's best to keep everyone in the household stable. But your belly... needs more attention. A son or grandson is the foundation of the royal family's fortune."

Zheng Yu lowered his head and replied, "Your mother's teachings are correct, I understand."

Taking a small sip of tea, Consort De put down her teacup, picked up a candied fruit with her delicate hand, and said in an increasingly casual tone, "As the principal wife, you should not be narrow-minded. If it is really necessary, you should choose a virtuous lady from a good family to enter the mansion for Ying'er as soon as possible, so that she can have more children."

She paused, lifted her eyelids, and glanced at Zheng Yu's lowered eyes. "Ying'er has a bright future ahead of her, but having many children is the most important thing."

Zheng Yu lowered his eyelids, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms, but his face remained docile. "Yes, Your Majesty understands."

Consort De nodded in satisfaction, about to give a few more words of instruction, when suddenly a panicked cry came from outside the hall. A young eunuch tumbled and scrambled into the hall, his face ashen, tears streaming down his face, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! The Second Prince... the Second Prince has fallen from his horse at the hunting grounds and is seriously injured!"

Clang—

The plate of candied fruit in Consort De's hand fell to the ground with a thud. The color drained from her face instantly, she stood up abruptly, swayed, her vision went black, and she fell straight backward.

"Mother!" Zheng Yu exclaimed in surprise.

News of the hunting trip quickly spread throughout the capital. Two princes accompanied the emperor on the hunt. The second prince, chasing a doe, ventured alone into the forest. However, his horse was startled, and he fell off, breaking his leg.

Under the watchful eyes of several masters in the palace, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy cautiously made his judgment: the Second Prince's right leg injury was too severe, and even if he recovered, he would likely be unable to walk properly in the future.

Upon hearing this, Consort De fainted on the spot. The Emperor was furious, and everyone involved in the hunting grounds was severely punished. He also ordered the Court of Judicial Review to thoroughly investigate the matter.

Dusk enveloped the majestic palace, and the afterglow of the setting sun painted the palace walls with a deep, blood-red hue. The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and Pei Xu stepped out of the palace gates one after the other.

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, nearing sixty, with his temples completely white, had long since ceased handling criminal cases personally, and now his brows betrayed his deep worry. He slowed his pace, walking alongside Pei Xu. "Yanxing, His Majesty's wrath is as solid as a mountain, and the three-day deadline... is extremely tight. Do you have a plan for this matter?"

With the Second Prince in trouble, the most suspicious person is undoubtedly the Third Prince. But he is, after all, a prince, and currently the most likely to succeed to the throne...

If they can't find him, that's fine. But if they do find him... then they'll be in a dilemma.

Pei Xu's profile appeared somewhat cold and hard in the twilight as he answered meticulously, "Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. The scene of the fall has been sealed off, and witnesses and physical evidence are still being collected and examined. All inferences are premature. Before concrete evidence is available, Yan Xing dares not draw any conclusions."

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review sighed, said no more, and simply nodded. “His Majesty’s entrustment is of paramount importance. Yanxing, you have always been meticulous in handling cases, but this case is unusual. I hope you will take good care of yourself.”

Pei Xu nodded, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

The three days passed in the blink of an eye. The hunting grounds were turned upside down, and all the witnesses involved were repeatedly questioned, pushing them to the brink of collapse. Countless complex and ambiguous clues gradually began to take shape in Pei Xu's hands. The evidence ultimately pointed to an unexpected person.

"You found out?" The emperor had many complaints and grievances about his son, but that didn't mean he wanted to see his son become a... cripple.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but close his eyes, revealing deep lines at the corners of his eyes, and the graying hair at his temples also showed signs of aging.

"Your Majesty, your humble servant, together with the officials of the Court of Judicial Review, investigated and interrogated the suspects, and clarified the clues. We have now determined that the most suspicious person in this case is... His Highness Prince Qing." Pei Xu bowed slightly and reported in a clear and steady voice, "The Second Prince's horse had a special medicinal powder on its mane and saddle, which could briefly provoke the horse. The deer he was chasing also had deer whistle powder scattered along its escape route. The combination of these two factors caused the horse to be startled and lose its footing. The person who administered the drug was a servant responsible for cleaning the horses at the hunting grounds, and this person had previously received favors from His Highness Prince Qing."

He paused briefly, met the emperor's gaze, and said, "Since the passing of the crown prince, His Highness Prince Qing has been devastated, often lamenting in his residence that his bloodline has been severed. His confidants have confessed that Prince Qing has uttered many resentful words, even saying that His Majesty should also experience the pain of 'severed bloodline' and 'disabled offspring'..."

"Fool!" The emperor's face was frosty, his anger turning into a cruel laugh. "This kind of person actually dared to covet my throne? He can't even be a good tool for someone else!"

Since the matter involved royal secrets, Pei Xu, as a subject, naturally could not comment. He stood there silently, his eyelids lowered, as quiet as a statue in the palace.

After a long silence, his voice regained its calmness, "A flock of geese."

"Your subject is present."

"What is the progress of the case you previously reported regarding the Cui family's collusion with the Marquis of Wuxing's mansion to embezzle mineral resources and forest land?"

Pei Xu felt a slight chill, but said calmly, "Your Majesty, the details of this case have been clarified. Cui's disciples used their writing skills as weapons to forge or steal official land deeds and mineral maps. The Marquis of Wuxing and his vassals held military power, forcibly seizing land and mines, driving out good people, and often using the guise of 'bandit suppression' and 'waste clearing' to carry out land grabbing and occupation. They also frequently used force to suppress those who knew about it or resisted, and their methods were cruel, resulting in deaths and injuries."

Upon hearing this, the emperor's expression became a hundred times more unpleasant than when he had just heard about Prince Qing's affair.

If Prince Qing's foolish actions were a sudden and unexpected blow to him, then the actions of these two families were digging into his very foundation and robbing him of the wealth of his people! This was no longer a simple power struggle, but an attempt to shake the very foundation of the nation!

His hands, usually so used for reviewing memorials and fiddling with prayer beads, clenched tightly, his knuckles cracking as he forcefully suppressed the raging fury burning within him. He stared at Pei Xu's profile. "...Where's the evidence? Are the suspect and the evidence both there?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive my incompetence..." Pei Xu's face showed self-reproach. "The two are deeply entrenched, operate in secrecy, and have many connections with local powerful figures. Witnesses and evidence are often deliberately destroyed or hidden, with layers of defenses in place. To uproot such giants, we need crucial evidence that can solidify the dynasty. What we have obtained so far... is insufficient to expose their crimes to the world. This is my dereliction of duty, and I beg Your Majesty's punishment."

What the emperor admired most about him was his personality: he was talented, knew when to advance and retreat, was not greedy for credit, and even knew how to "show weakness".

His expression softened slightly, and his tone became gentler. "Get up."

“Deep-seated problems cannot be solved overnight. Your investigation has already shown your dedication, so there is no need to blame yourself.”

Pei Xu immediately expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your leniency, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost."

The emperor's gaze fell upon him, his eyes revealing undisguised regret. A man of exceptional talent in both literature and martial arts, possessing remarkable wisdom and resourcefulness, and even more so, a rare composure and maturity—it was a pity he wasn't his son, or even his son-in-law…

However, he is his elder sister's nephew, which means he is his own nephew, so there isn't much difference.

"I seem to have heard," the emperor suddenly changed the subject, "that your fiancée is not in the capital recently, but has gone to Jinling?"

Pei Xu's face showed a hint of embarrassment at the right moment, like ice and snow melting, before he quickly returned to his composure. "Your Majesty is wise. It is indeed so. She is fond of incense and wishes to spread the many famous incense in the capital to other places. She has been in Jinling for two months now."

"The days are remembered so clearly, oh geese, I see you as someone who is 'wild with longing for me if I don't see you for a day'."

Seeing Pei Xu's embarrassed expression, as if his private affairs had been exposed, the emperor's guard and scrutiny lessened, and his mood even strangely improved. He had always thought Pei Xu was good in every way, except that he lacked a certain warmth; being too flawless inevitably aroused suspicion.

Now, however, he shows a touch of youthful shyness when it comes to matters of love and affection—this is far more reassuring than a perfect, solitary minister.

A smile appeared on his face. "Young people are full of vigor and it's only natural that they fall in love. The Meng family has a pure and upright family tradition, and their daughter is exceptionally beautiful. Recently, court affairs have been complicated. Otherwise, I would have thought of giving you a few more days of rest so you could go to Jinling, so that you two wouldn't be separated and miss each other so much."

Pei Xu's face showed even more embarrassment, and he lowered his head slightly, "Your Majesty's compassion moves me to tears."

The emperor hummed in agreement, his smile becoming even more genuine. He even went around the table and gently patted Pei Xu's shoulder in an extremely affectionate manner, saying, "I watched you grow up, and I know your thoughts. Continue with your duties, and make sure you handle them properly."

"Yes. Your Majesty, I will keep Your Majesty's instructions in mind and will certainly not fail in your trust."

The heavy, carved palace doors slowly closed behind Pei Xu, shutting out the lingering fragrance of ambergris and the emperor's condescending scrutiny from within. He walked step by step along the long palace path paved with white marble, his crimson official robes almost blending into the heavy shadows of the palace walls. The slight embarrassment and helplessness he had shown when facing the emperor earlier had long since faded from his eyes, replaced by his usual coldness and deep, still composure.

In the quiet courtyard, Pei Xu sat down, his eyelids slightly closed, reviewing the many events of the past few days. Suddenly, he looked up and whispered to the empty courtyard, "How is Jinling?"

Before the words were finished, a tall figure, almost blending into the night, emerged from the shadows of the trees, like ink dripping into deeper water without causing a ripple.

"Reporting to you, sir," the guard stated bluntly, "a few days ago, Miss contacted the secret guards you sent to Jinling through Mr. Zhang, saying that there was important business to discuss. The message that came back did not specify the reason, but it was known that Miss was safe and sound."

Pei Xu nodded, his brow slightly furrowed.

He had no doubt that Meng Lingyao could guess that he had not only sent Mr. Zhang, but that team of agile bodyguards was at her disposal. But what exactly happened that required her to call upon the bodyguards?

-

As the night deepened and the water clock dripped away, the city gates of the capital remained tightly locked. The guards' iron armor gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

"Da da da—"

The sound of horses' hooves grew louder as a rider broke through the night and headed straight for the tightly closed city gate! The garrison officer shouted an order to stop him and drew his bow.

The rider, shrouded in a dusty cloak, abruptly reined in his horse. The steed reared up with a neigh, and the rider raised his arm, a token sliding from his sleeve, its gleam subtly concealed. At the same time, the sharp-eyed guard spotted a hidden pattern on the side of the saddle!

He immediately raised his hand and ordered in a hoarse voice, "Open the side door! Quickly!"

The heavy bolt had barely been loosened a crack when the rider spurred his horse like lightning, bursting through the air with a chilling dust, and galloped towards the depths of the imperial city.

-----------------------

Author's note: My main task today is to be fully mentally prepared for my mother's birthday. [Go for it!]