Chapter 189 Don't Blame Others

General Shen, with Wu Jiande already bound hand and foot, knelt on one knee at the entrance of Emperor Xiao Xuan's tent.

Accompanying him were two deputy commanders of the Weiyuan Army and other adjutants.

After Emperor Xiao Xuan summoned them in, they immediately knelt down on one knee upon entering.

Seeing this scene, Emperor Xiao Xuan understood that Wu Jiande must have vomited something.

"General Shen, has the matter been thoroughly investigated?" Emperor Xiao Xuan asked calmly.

General Shen was filled with shame.

"This old minister has failed His Majesty's grace, for he never knew that such a beast in human form had emerged from the Weiyuan Army."

"Your Majesty, I beg you to punish me!" General Shen said, raising his command seal high above his head with both hands.

He truly never expected that such a beast would emerge from the disciplined Weiyuan Army, a force known for its brutality against its own people.

Upon seeing the memorial sent by Emperor Xiao Xuan, General Shen felt his blood rush to his head and almost lost his balance.

If His Majesty sent it there, then something must have already been discovered.

His Majesty did not investigate further and instead sent these items to General Shen, thus saving face for the Weiyuan Army.

This was also to save face for General Shen.

Whether or not the matter is investigated depends on what General Shen thinks.

If they don't want to investigate and want to maintain morale, then this matter will end here, and neither the capital nor the emperor will mention it.

If we're going to investigate... then we'll get to the bottom of it.

After all, Wu Jiande murdered soldiers of the Weiyuan Army, and his guilt was far greater...

Without a second thought, General Shen ordered Wu Jiande to be arrested.

In General Shen's eyes, if Wu Jiande could lay a hand on Song Kaiyuan, then he was no soldier of the Weiyuan Army.

General Shen summoned the two deputy commanders and other brigade commanders.

At first, Wu Jiande did not admit it.

When General Shen produced the evidence sent from Beijing, Wu Jiande lowered his head and remained silent.

The fact that such a person had emerged from the Weiyuan Army shocked all the soldiers.

...

"Your Majesty, it is my fault for not governing properly."

This old minister has failed Your Majesty's trust, the court's trust, and the people's trust.

Please, Your Majesty, withdraw the commander's seal. This old minister is willing to serve as a foot soldier. General Shen still held the commander's seal high above his head.

Emperor Xiao Xuan got down from his seat.

He first looked at Wu Jiande, who was bound hand and foot and whose forehead appeared to be bleeding from being hit by something.

Then he walked up to General Shen and helped him up.

"General, if you are guilty, then wouldn't I also be guilty?"

Wu Jiande was only capable of doing things because he was being instructed by others.

As for who instructed them...

It must be related to the prince!

Since it involves the prince, shouldn't I also bear the responsibility?

Soldiers, rise up!

"It's hard to convince the public to just punish Wu Jiande alone. If we're going to investigate, let's investigate thoroughly!" Emperor Xiao Xuan said slowly.

The soldiers who entered the main tent were all taken aback.

Investigate thoroughly...

This will definitely involve the princes. Putting aside everything else, even the Prince of Zhao in the main tent... will most likely be implicated.

Everyone glanced at King Zhao.

King Zhao showed no fear whatsoever, remaining calmly standing to one side.

Does this mean that King Zhao has nothing to do with this matter?

How could that be? Wu Jiande's niece is a concubine of the King of Zhao. Didn't Wu Jiande do these things on the King of Zhao's orders?

"Your Majesty..." General Shen wanted to offer some further advice.

Since it was Wu Jiande who did it, just deal with Wu Jiande. If it involves the prince…

"My mind is made up! General, there is no need to persuade me any further."

"Guards, prepare seats for the old general and all the other generals!"

After Emperor Xiao Xuan finished speaking, he turned around and sat down in his seat.

Eunuch Xue, who had been waiting, immediately led his men to bring in stools.

The King of Zhao also sat down in the seat below Emperor Xiao Xuan.

Wu Jiande looked at the emperor and the Prince of Zhao at the head of the table, his eyes filled with fear.

Emperor Xiao Xuan casually flipped through the memorials sent back by General Shen.

"Wu Jiande, in what year did you join the Weiyuan Army?" Emperor Xiao Xuan suddenly asked.

Wu Jiande was taken aback.

"This humble general... was a member of the Weiyuan Army who joined twenty-eight years ago, back then..."

"Twenty-eight years ago... I had just ascended the throne."

At that time, King Zhou had not yet rebelled, and Tianji City and Tianju City had not yet fallen into the hands of foreign states.

You joined the Weiyuan Army at that time...

"Then you must have also experienced the Weiyuan Army being attacked by foreign tribes and losing the two cities of Tianji and Tianju?" Emperor Xiao Xuan looked at Wu Jiande.

Wu Jiande didn't know what to say.

He witnessed firsthand the loss of both cities at that time.

The Weiyuan Army was ambushed, two cities were burned, and many of them could only watch helplessly as the soldiers and civilians in the cities were slaughtered by the barbarians...

At that time, their hearts were filled with hatred; they wished they could chop those foreigners to pieces...

"I think that you have been through such things, and the soldiers of the Weiyuan Army should all be family to you!"

They are your brothers-in-arms, the people you can entrust your back to on the battlefield.

How could you possibly do that to those people?!

"Wu Jiande, do you have a personal grudge against Song Kaiyuan?" Emperor Xiao Xuan looked at Wu Jiande.

Wu Jiande lowered his head, unsure of what to say.

"Song Kaiyuan always led from the front in the Weiyuan Army. Although he was a grain transport officer, he never made a mistake."

You have a grudge against him...

It's probably impossible!

"Tell me, who instructed you to do this?" Emperor Xiao Xuan stared straight at Wu Jiande.

Wu Jiande slowly raised his head and looked at King Zhao.

An idea suddenly popped into his head.

He was doing things for others, so why should he bear all the blame?

He will be court-martialed. If other people are involved, will they also be punished?

"Does Your Majesty really want me to speak?" Wu Jiande asked Emperor Xiao Xuan.

"Speak! I'm listening! No matter who is involved, I will punish them."

But you also need to think carefully before trying to falsely accuse others.

I know exactly what happened, and I have evidence to back it up.

If you start making baseless accusations... what was originally just a matter for your prefecture will inevitably end up involving the extermination of three generations or even... nine generations!

"Speak! Who instructed you?" Emperor Xiao Xuan looked calmly at Wu Jiande.

Wu Jiande stared at Emperor Xiao Xuan for a moment, then looked at the ever-calm Prince Zhao.

“Of course it’s His Majesty’s prince!” Wu Jiande said.

General Shen and his group felt a chill run down their spines.

Emperor Xiao Xuan nodded.

"That's right, it must be a prince! Who else but a prince would have such great abilities!"

"Come, tell me, which prince is it?" Emperor Xiao Xuan said with a smile.

“The King of Zhao and the King of Wu!” Wu Jiande said with a sinister grin.

King Zhao...