Chapter 57

Premier Wen was so frightened that he collapsed to his knees and repeatedly said that nothing of the sort had happened.

Wen Xian was terrified and kept kowtowing, "Your Majesty, my relationship with the Crown Prince is completely innocent!"

Emperor Chengyuan didn't even glance at her, and said to Shangguan Hao, "How about I bestow Consort Xian upon you?"

Hmm, send a woman from the palace to Shangguan Hao, and then His Majesty the Emperor can rightfully and comfortably take his wife away.

Absolutely perfect!

Mo Zhi, who inexplicably understood the emperor's thoughts: "!!!"

His Majesty really knows how to have fun!

However, Shangguan Hao was unaware that the emperor genuinely wanted to give Wen Xian to him. He thought the emperor truly believed he was having an affair with a concubine and was corrupting the harem, and was terrified.

He was covered in cold sweat. "Your Majesty, I am utterly loyal to you and would never dare to offend Consort Xian in the slightest!"

Emperor Chengyuan didn't give him any face at all, "Is loyalty something you can just talk about and believe?"

Wen Xin, who was pretending to be in pain and weak, was speechless. She was about to burst out laughing!

However, seeing the male lead, Wen Xian, Chief Minister Wen, and Marquis Xuanwu suffer misfortune, she was actually quite happy!

Wen Xinrou weakly gave Emperor Chengyuan another "friend card"!

Good luck, Your Majesty!

Emperor Chengyuan, too lazy to pay attention to their incessant chatter, said to Wen Xin, "Tell me, how exactly did you get lost?"

Shangguan Hao and Chief Minister Wen cast sharp, unfriendly glances at Wen Xin, implying that she should obediently take the blame.

Wen Xin didn't look at them; her eyes were filled with sadness and sorrow.

Emperor Chengyuan, fearing that this naive and kind-hearted fool would soften again, had no choice but to emphasize his words, "Lady of the Heir Apparent, reply."

The emperor's authority is not to be trifled with; everyone could tell that the emperor was warning Wen Xin to speak the truth and not to deceive him.

Deceiving the emperor is a capital crime punishable by the confiscation of property and the extermination of the entire clan!

The powerful officials, who were trying to minimize their presence, were all trying to figure out what the emperor was thinking.

Is His Majesty finally unable to tolerate Chief Minister Wen and is going to make an example of him?

Wen Xin was naturally afraid of the emperor.

She seemed uneasy and wanted to kneel down to beg for forgiveness, but was stopped by the eunuch behind her.

The eunuch said with concern, "Please be careful, Your Highness's wife."

The bald-headed Mo Zhi couldn't help but glance at the eunuch, his eyes narrowing slightly. Sun Zhong's men were all a bunch of sly foxes.

Wen Xin glanced gratefully at the eunuch, then replied nervously, "Your Majesty, I am..."

She gripped her sleeves tightly, as if she had mustered all the courage she had in her life, and refused to look at Shangguan Hao and Chief Minister Wen.

“It was Consort Xian who sent her maid Xing’er to stop me outside Cining Palace, saying that Consort Xian wanted to reminisce with me. After that, Xing’er left me at the rockery behind Lin Yue Pavilion and disappeared.”

"Wen Xin!"

"elder sister……"

Emperor Chengyuan snapped impatiently, "Shut up!"

Shangguan Hao and Wen Xian turned pale instantly and dared not utter another sound.

However, the way they looked at Wen Xin was increasingly cold and resentful.

Mo Zhi raised his hand, and a blue-clad eunuch appeared out of nowhere, directly twisting Xing'er to kneel down in the Hall of Preserving Harmony.

A palace maid is certainly not qualified to be interrogated by the emperor himself.

Mo Zhi stared down at Xing'er, his tone chilling, "Confess honestly!"

Xing'er collapsed to the ground, unable to withstand the imposing aura of Eunuch Mo. Moreover, the emperor's reputation for cruelty was deeply ingrained in people's minds, and these palace servants were even more aware of it.

Xing'er didn't dare to play any tricks. She immediately confessed everything!

Wen Xian was paralyzed with fear, her pale face filled with terror.

"Premier Wen, you've raised a wonderful granddaughter."

Emperor Chengyuan spoke in a nonchalant tone.

Premier Wen, his frail body trembling, repeatedly kowtowed and begged for forgiveness.

However, the emperor was cold-hearted and had no compassion whatsoever.

"Who was it that praised Consort Xian's virtue and gentleness before me? She deliberately harmed her own sister. Is this what virtue is? Will she dare to assassinate the emperor in a few days?"

The Prime Minister and Wen Xian were absolutely terrified!

Is the emperor determined to kill them?

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy. How could I dare..."

Emperor Chengyuan had no interest in listening to their sophistry.

"Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday, and it is not a good day to see blood. Since Lady Wen likes Lin Yue Pavilion, revoke her title and imprison her in Lin Yue Pavilion."

"If even Grand Secretary Wen can't teach his granddaughter properly, what right does he have to lead all officials? Remove Wen Liliang from his position as Grand Secretary and demote him to a commoner."

"Your Majesty, spare my life!"

Several fierce eunuchs stepped forward, stripped Wen Liliang and Wen Xian of their official robes and palace attire, silenced their clamor, and dragged them out of the Hall of Preserving Harmony.

All of Wen's relatives were also expelled from the palace.

In the blink of an eye, the Wen family plummeted from heaven to hell, their faces pale with panic and despair.

Shangguan Hao watched as his beloved was banished to the cold palace, his eyes filled with sorrow and reluctance.

However, Marquis Xuanwu held him tightly, forbidding him from uttering another word that might anger the emperor.

Otherwise, following the Wen family, the next family to be dismissed from office and expelled from the palace would be their Xuanwu Marquis's family.

The king at the head of the table is not one to reason.

The powerful and wealthy officials were also terrified and kept silent.

No one expected the emperor to launch such an attack so suddenly, completely disregarding the fact that it was his own mother's birthday banquet.

The Empress Dowager rubbed her temples and gave a weary, bitter smile.

But what could she do?

She can't control this son, and she doesn't dare to.

Emperor Chengyuan punished the Wen family but did nothing to Wen Xin. He even rewarded her with many things and had a eunuch help her back to her seat.

No one thought much of it; they just assumed that the emperor had taken advantage of the poor Lady Xuanwu, the heir of the Marquis of Xuanwu, and was giving her some sweet treat as compensation.

Many people sympathize with Wen Xin, who foolishly became a knife in the emperor's hand.

Wen Xin seemed to be in a state of shock, her head hanging low, her pretty face as white as snow. It was as if she never expected that getting lost would cause such a disaster for her family and Wen Xian.

Oh dear, she's really innocent!

Everyone has a responsibility to be loyal to the emperor and love their country. How could she lie to the emperor?

She never expected to harm her grandfather and sister; she didn't do it on purpose!

The kind-hearted, soft-hearted girl felt so guilty and helpless!

Xiao Jin: "..."

Master, Master, you're overacting!

Wow, I never expected the personality of this master's soul fragment to be so...

Wen Xin: Hmm?

Little Jin swallowed hard: Master is always right, Master is the kindest, the most innocent, and the best!

Wen Xin expressed her satisfaction and emphasized again: She is just an innocent and weak girl!

She had absolutely no intention of harming anyone. What did the misfortune of the Wen family and Wen Xian have to do with her?

His Majesty's power is immense; she was truly terrified and didn't dare plead for him. It wasn't that she was unwilling, sob sob~

Xiao Jin: "..."

As long as you're happy!

Lady Xuanwu, who was standing to the side, was staring at Wen Xin so hard she looked like she had a hole in her, but Wen Xin seemed completely oblivious.

Lady Xuanwu was so angry she almost vomited blood.

This troublemaker is a jinx!