Chapter 73 Who exactly is Wei Qin?! ...

Wei Xichen was stung by the scene before him. He turned his back, preparing to leave with Jiang Yinyue, "Niannian."

"Your Highness, I would like to stay with my husband a little longer. Please return first."

These words sounded somewhat inappropriate to the eunuchs guarding the dungeon, but who could blame them when she was the daughter of the Jiang family, the only childhood sweetheart whom the Crown Prince admitted to feeling guilty towards?

Wei Xichen strode forward, his white robes shimmering, spotless, yet the gloom that had accumulated in his heart weighed heavily on his steps.

Both were dishonest, yet Wei Qin was treated gently. Was it because the four years of companionship were more precious, so precious that Jiang Yinyue couldn't bear to part with them?

What about those ten innocent years when they were childhood sweethearts?

Don't you feel even a little bit nostalgic?

The chief eunuch hurriedly followed the crown prince, and with the crown prince's tacit approval, did not prevent Jiang Yinyue from staying in the prison.

Ignoring the people outside the cell, Jiang Yinyue tugged at the rope binding Wei Qin's hands, and in a fit of pique, smashed a wine pot and, in front of the young eunuch, silently began cutting the rope.

The young eunuch rubbed his forehead, inwardly calling him "Little Ancestor."

With the rope finally free, Wei Qin rubbed his wrists and shoulders, pulled Jiang Yinyue over to sit on the haystack in the corner, and smoothed her not-too-messy hair.

There's nothing else to it, I just want to touch her.

"The dungeon is cold and gloomy, filled with malevolent energy; it's not suitable for you, Miss."

“When my father was in charge of the Northern Garrison, I often went in and out of the imperial prison, so I wasn’t afraid at all.”

The Northern Garrison Prison of that time was far more formidable than the dungeons of the Directorate of Ceremonial. It was a place of terror for all who heard of it, and it imprisoned only the most serious criminals of the imperial court.

Wei Qin was also imprisoned there for only one night, under the personal guard of Jiang Song.

“We met in the imperial prison.”

Jiang Yinyue had heard her father mention it, but she had no recollection of it. She folded her hands on her knees, rested her chin on her forearm, and asked uncertainly, "Do you remember meeting me, or do you remember me?"

"Yes, we have both."

"What did I look like back then..." Jiang Yingyue tilted her head.

"Short."

Jiang Yinyue's blood rushed to her head, "You're not tall either!"

Although she had no recollection of it, how tall could a four-year-old prince be? She straightened her legs, silently proving that she had long legs.

Wei Qin raised the corners of his lips, leaned back, picked up a tuft of dry grass, rubbed it between his fingers, and recalled the scene of that night, suddenly finding it somewhat amusing.

The little girl pointed to the prison cell and spoke, startling her father.

"I want to go in too."

The crisp, tender sound still lingers in my ears.

Wei Qin grasped Jiang Yinyue's hand, their fingers intertwined. In the past, he was filled with resentment towards fate, but now he felt that fate had been kind to him, at least there was a turning point, and he had met her.

Because of the large number of eunuchs guarding the area, Jiang Yinyue covered her mouth and whispered, "Was it intentional that the Princess caught us doing this? Do you have a backup plan?"

Wei Qin leaned lazily against the wall until Jiang Yinyue tugged at his arm twice before beckoning her to come closer.

Jiang Yinyue knelt on the haystack, leaned in with one ear, and almost lay on top of Wei Qin.

Wei Qin gently tugged at that soft ear and said something.

Jiang Yinyue didn't relax; instead, she became even more nervous.

Fortune favors the bold, and so do some games of chance.

Before leaving, she took off her cloak and draped it over Wei Qin, who insisted on keeping the cloak even though he preferred the cold to the heat.

Let it be as if she is standing by his side through thick and thin.

Stepping out of the damp, cold dungeon, Jiang Yinyue glanced at the eunuchs who had come to see her off, "If you dare to torture him in private, you will bear the consequences."

"No, no, Madam Jiang, please rest assured."

No sooner had Jiang Yinyue left than the eunuchs, eager to claim credit, rushed to interrogate Wei Qin. Although they did not use torture, they had plenty of ways to torment the prisoner.

"Minister Wei won't be getting a full stomach today."

Wei Qin sat there, his eyes shrouded in the dim light, weaving withered grass, not paying much attention to the underhanded tricks of these lackeys.

Haven't we seen enough underhanded tricks in the imperial harem?

**

When Jiang Yinyue walked out of the Directorate of Ceremonial, she didn't expect Wei Xichen to still be waiting outside. She walked past him and reminded him expressionlessly, "A gentleman's word is as good as his bond."

In your heart, am I still a gentleman?

Jiang Yinyue paused, pondering those words. Was she going to go back on her word?

"The crown prince's word is as good as gold."

"So, in Nian Nian's heart, I am no different from a villain?"

Wei Xichen is not usually petty, and he would never argue with someone word for word, but he became serious and concerned about the little bit of good impression he had left in her heart.

Jiang Yinyue was also a pragmatic person. Her husband was still in his hands, so she couldn't say anything definitive. "It can't be generalized. People's nature has many facets, some are upright and honest, and some are dark and twisted. Your Highness is mostly generous and humble in dealing with people, so you are naturally a gentleman. But when you break your promise, you are a villain. It depends on whether Your Highness keeps the bet with me."

"Therefore, in your eyes, I am a gentleman for not using torture on Wei Qin."

"You could say that."

Wei Xichen sighed and smiled, then silently turned and left with his men.

Why must I be the gentleman in her eyes? What if I'm the scoundrel who breaks his promise in her eyes? Wouldn't that be a faster way to find out Wei Qin's motives for concealing his true identity?

Why? Why care about her feelings?

A series of questions turned into despondency and dejection, weighing on Wei Xichen's left and right shoulders, causing his straight back to bend slightly.

The chief eunuch in charge of the seal asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, shall we torture Minister Wei?"

"No."

**

Jiang Yinyue returned to her residence, where a guest arrived, which was both expected and unexpected.

As expected, the Cui family sent someone to deliver a solution; what was unexpected was that the head of the Cui family personally came to their door.

Grand Tutor Cui Sheng stood with his hands behind his back in the reception hall. Hearing the hurried footsteps outside the door, he slowly turned around, his voice even hoarser than that of the girl in Yangzhou.

"I have come uninvited and have been quite presumptuous. I hope you will forgive me."

Jiang Yinyue strode across the threshold and dismissed all the servants. “Grand Tutor, you are too kind. Your presence is an honor to my humble abode.”

Cui Shengzhi is always smiling, even if he has blood in his throat, he will swallow it down and not tear up the facade. Such a person is shrewd and tactful, but when he gets ruthless, he will catch his opponents off guard.

But when facing Jiang Yinyue, he didn't smile; a thousand and one emotions were mixed with heavy thoughts in his heart.

"On behalf of the Cui family, I apologize to you."

The old man bowed deeply, expressing his remorse.

Jiang Yinyue quickly supported the old man's forearm, saying, "You are my elder, I cannot accept your kindness."

"It is precisely because you are an elder that you should apologize to me the most."

The initial plan was genuine, and any explanation would seem hypocritical. Cui Shengzhi understood that making amends was the greatest expression of sincerity in expressing remorse, but such an opportunity might not come. There was plenty of time in the future, and he hoped that he could make amends gradually, little by little, accumulating little by little, rather than trying to turn the tide when the Jiang family encountered misfortune. His heartfelt wish was for the Jiang family to live a peaceful and prosperous life.

The most urgent task is to relieve the little girl's worries.

"Yihe will be fine."

After a moment, Jiang Yinyue invited the old man to sit down and talk in detail.

Cui Shengzhi, realizing what was happening, stroked his beard and asked, "Girl, what do you usually call him...?"

Husband, Master?

"Wei Qin".

The old man chuckled and changed his words, saying, "Wei Qin's identity will be revealed sooner or later. The Princess has indirectly helped us, so we don't need to prove that he is not the son of that gambler."

Jiang Yinyue's agitated emotions were calmed by the old man's unique perspective. Wise people are always able to turn harm into benefit.

"Wei Qin entrusted the jade pendant with the younger generation for safekeeping."

"Very good. Trust will prevent you from becoming isolated when you are attacked from both sides."

Jiang Yinyue smiled shyly, "If I'm not mistaken, it should be time for Physician Mo to enter the palace by now."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Supervisor of Ceremonies."

The old doctor surnamed Mo was the adoptive father of the burly Mo Hao, and also a very important figure in the inner court—the former Grand Eunuch Cao Angui, who served as the Director of Ceremonial and the Chief Scribe.

On the swaying palanquin, the white-haired old eunuch leisurely tapped his raised knees, signaling for someone to head straight for the emperor's bedchamber.

Entering the inner palace was like entering an empty place.

The inner court was protected not only by guards, but also by a large number of eunuchs.

All twenty-four government offices were once manipulated by the powerful eunuch Cao Angui.

"It's the Ancestor! The Ancestor has returned to the palace!"

The twelve chief officials arrived at the emperor's sleeping quarters.

The newly appointed head of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the head of the Twelve Directorates, said with difficulty, "It's not that I'm being unreasonable, but His Majesty is unwell and should not see anyone..."

With the help of a young eunuch, Cao Angui stepped down from his palanquin, dusted off his sleeves, and said, “There’s a saying that people grow cold when they leave, and that’s absolutely true. My brother has completely forgotten the kindness we showed him.”

"I wouldn't dare."

Cao Angui leaned close to the ear of the Grand Eunuch, "You know, we eunuchs are the most cunning. We always have to keep something in reserve. The reason I promoted you is because you are efficient and leave no trouble behind. It also means that your methods of eliminating trouble are too cruel. I have kept all the evidence of your cruelty."

The head of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, with his eyes closed and brows furrowed, knew that some people could kill others with a gentle whisper.

The imperial bedchamber, which had long been unused by officials, was slowly opened with the permission of the Director of Ceremonial.

Cao Angui, weeping bitterly, rushed to the emperor's bedside, crying, "This old servant has no face to see Your Majesty! No face to see Your Majesty!"

The Emperor Shunren, barely breathing, thought he was hallucinating. He struggled to sit up, lifted the curtain, and looked at the white-haired old eunuch kneeling with his forehead pressed to his side. His haggard face suddenly flushed with color. "Cao Angui, it's you, it really is you!"

His most trusted and trusted eunuch has returned to the palace!

"The Crown Prince has seized power! The Crown Prince has placed me under house arrest!"

"This old servant knows, which is why I risked returning to the palace, vowing to serve Your Majesty with my life!"

Cao Angui wept bitterly, his emotions so genuine, large tears rolling down onto the scarlet carpet.

Soon after, an imperial edict was delivered to the dungeon of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and was personally read aloud by Cao Angui, who was dressed in a qilin robe and holding a whisk.

The emperor ordered Wei Qin to atone for his crimes by eliminating the "miasma" in the palace.

Before Cao Angui could speak well of Wei Qin, Emperor Shunren, who desperately needed help, appointed Wei Qin to protect him.

This was exactly what Cao Angui wanted.

Absolute trust must be built up through daily interactions. Once the emperor becomes completely dependent on Wei Qin, Wei Qin can regain his status and seize the position of crown prince.

This father and son are destined to become strangers, but before that, they have a common enemy.

It remains to be seen whether the emperor will overcome his prejudice against his eldest son by then; perhaps that will no longer matter.

Cao Angui arrived personally with the imperial edict, and no one in the Directorate of Ceremonial dared to stop him. Not only did they not dare to obstruct him, but more than half of them stopped pretending and obeyed Cao Angui's orders.

Wei Qin, who hadn't eaten a meal yet, coughed suddenly as he passed the eunuch who was forbidding him from eating. The eunuch was so frightened that he trembled and kept smiling apologetically.

He was just a lowly jailer who had never even seen Cao Angui before. Only now did he realize who the powerful eunuch was, sitting firmly in the top position of the Twenty-Four Offices.

**

As the old man and the young man walked out of the dungeon, they were met by the imposing Princess.

"Cao Angui, what are you doing here causing trouble?!"

"His Majesty is besieged by treacherous officials. As a eunuch who has received great favor from the emperor, how can I stand idly by?"

Before the Princess could even point at Wei Qin and question him, Cao Angui preemptively declared, "His Majesty doesn't trust many people, but the Jiang family father-in-law and son-in-law are a couple. His Majesty specifically ordered us to come and rescue them. If Your Highness has any objections, that would be defying the imperial decree! The imperial decree is here; who dares to obstruct it?!"

Cao Angui pointed directly at the Princess and the commanders of the Twelve Guards, his voice suddenly rising, sharp as a silver needle piercing the listener's eardrum.

Most of the heads and palace attendants in the Twenty-Four Offices were Cao Angui's confidants, controlling the core power of the Twelve Directorates, Four Departments, and Eight Bureaus, enough to rival the guards protecting the inner court for some time.

The eldest princess clenched her fist, not daring to make a move.

Cao Angui's connections extend far beyond the inner court. Why would this man suddenly return to the palace? Is it truly only to protect the emperor?

As Wei Qin passed the Princess, he let out a light, mocking laugh that sent a chill down the Princess's spine.

Who exactly is he, and how does he manage to escape danger time and time again?!