Chapter 406 That's Right

Wen Zhiming patted the dust off his clothes and said as he walked.

"Take him to the palace, and the Empress and I will interrogate him personally."

He dealt directly with these insignificant figures and perpetrators. The mastermind behind it all was left to his wife to handle.

Otherwise, she might not be able to recover from the pain of losing her child anytime soon.

Jiang Lin responded with a "yes" and followed closely behind Wen Zhiming. After holding back for a long time, he finally stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty, this woman's child is not Meng Xixian's. Should I send someone to inform him?"

That idiot Meng Xixian dared to harm the Empress; no punishment would be too harsh on him.

I heard that the boy is indifferent to everyone else, but he dotes on his son the most.

If he knew he had been cuckolded and had painstakingly raised someone else's son, wouldn't he be furious enough to vomit blood?

Jiang Lin felt a thrill just thinking about that scene.

"No need."

Wen Zhiming spoke in a flat tone.

He emerged from the alley and mounted his horse.

"Why? Wouldn't that be letting him off easy?"

"Let him off easy?"

Wen Zhiming turned his head and chuckled, "If you were him, would you find it even more unacceptable that your son isn't your own, or that your beloved son has been killed because of your actions?"

Upon learning that his son was not his biological child, Meng Xixian felt nothing but anger.

It was only because his son was murdered that Meng Xixian felt remorse, pain, and utter collapse.

The fact that such a despicable person could endure torture for his son shows how much the child meant to him. Once he knew the child wasn't his, his guilt vanished instantly, and death would be a relief for him.

If he hadn't known about this, he would have lived in intense guilt and pain every moment of the remaining days, waiting to die in a state of lucidity and despair.

For a dying person, regret is far more devastating than hatred.

Jiang Lin shook his head vigorously: "I can't accept either of these. If either of them happened to me, I would want to die."

Wen Zhiming said, "That's because you are an upright person. Meng Xixian is different. He has no conscience or morality. His son is his only weakness. Letting him know that his son died tragically because of him is the most painful thing for him."

Jiang Lin was secretly pleased when Wen Zhiming praised him for his uprightness.

The two rode their horses one after the other towards the palace.

Upon arriving at the palace gate, Jiang Lin went to escort the main culprit, while Wen Zhiming headed straight for Fengyi Palace.

Halfway there, he remembered that he had been to the interrogation room and might still smell of blood on his body, so he changed his route and went back to his bedroom to change his clothes.

After all this trouble, it was noon when they arrived at Fengyi Palace.

The small table was moved to the bedside, where several nourishing soups were laid out. Chunhong and Xiazi were preparing to serve Meng Lingge lunch.

Upon hearing that the Emperor had arrived, the two immediately turned around and paid their respects.

"Step back."

Wen Zhiming walked forward and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Chunhong and Xiazi pushed the small table to a place where Wen Zhiming could easily reach it, then closed the door and quietly retreated.

Meng Lingge sat on the edge of the bed, her complexion a little rosier than yesterday, but her brows no longer held their usual radiance. She couldn't force a smile at Wen Zhiming and asked anxiously.

"Did the interrogation uncover anything? Is Meng Xixian the murderer?"

"Don't rush." ​​Wen Zhiming picked up the bird's nest porridge on the small table, blew on it, and scooped a small spoonful to Meng Lingge's lips.

"Let's eat something first. We can chat while we eat."

Several nourishing soups were laid out on the table, followed by bird's nest porridge, jujube paste and yam cake, and two meat dishes that were stewed until soft and tender, with a lingering aroma, probably to make them easier to digest.

It's clear that he took his advice to the imperial physicians and chefs to heart. The meal looks even more appetizing than yesterday's.

"The investigation has already concluded. The murderer is Meng Xixian, but there is another mastermind behind it."

While carefully and gently feeding Meng Lingge, Wen Zhiming explained how the perpetrators were found and how the criminals were dealt with, including the release of Meng Xixian's wife and children.

Only the bloodshed during the interrogation and Meng Xingyuan's initial purpose in seeking him out were omitted.

Meng Lingge said in a low voice, "The sins should not be borne by the wife and children. Although my Huaiqian is gone, I do not want other children to suffer undeserved misfortune. Regardless of whether that woman's child is Meng Xixian's or not, we should not hold them responsible for this."

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhiming felt even more ashamed of Meng Lingge's magnanimity and his earlier hesitation.

He put down the bird's nest porridge and continued feeding Meng Lingge other dishes.

"Jiang Lin is bringing the main culprit here now. I heard him say that this man runs a casino. When I took office, I cracked down on casinos in the capital and shut down several in succession, which caused his casino to go out of business. He had to move to the countryside and his business plummeted. Therefore, he harbored resentment towards me and was looking for an opportunity to take revenge."

Wen Zhiming looked tired as he spoke.

“I want to achieve political success and be a benevolent ruler, which will inevitably harm the interests of some people and make them resentful. I was not afraid at first, but now I am somewhat uneasy because these people are trying to harm the people I care about most. I worked for the country and the people, but in the end, my wife and children were harmed by them.”

He reached out and gently stroked Meng Lingge's face, blaming himself.

"I've done right by everyone, but I've wronged my wife and children the most. And the people I least want to wrong are you and the children..."

He thought that by sitting in the highest position, he could protect his wife, but it's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against a hidden arrow.

When this sharp blade of power is used to subdue enemies, a slight misstep can harm those closest to you.

“My husband is right.” Meng Lingge took his hand and said solemnly.

“Your Majesty is not wrong either. My husband is a man of integrity, doing great things that benefit the country and its people. The ones who are wrong are those wicked and malicious villains. We cannot back down because of their revenge, nor can we question our own stance because of the malice of bad people.”

Wen Zhiming's heart warmed upon hearing this, "My wife really doesn't blame me at all?"

"Why would I resent you?" Meng Lingge swallowed a piece of jujube and yam cake, feeling a bit dry. Wen Zhiming immediately handed her ginseng soup.

“What I resent is that some people can’t distinguish right from wrong, and what I hate is that such petty and shameless people. You implemented new policies and enabled countless ordinary people to live a good life. What’s wrong with that? Not only me, but also Woyu and Huaiqian will not resent you. We will only be proud of you.”

Meng Lingge's eyes shone like stars as she said very seriously, "Because you were originally a very remarkable king, a considerate husband, and an excellent father."

Wen Zhiming's pain, shame, and unease were quickly healed by Meng Lingge's words.

“My wife, I am far from being as good as you say, but with your words, I will learn to be a king that will make you proud.”

The affection in his eyes grew stronger, and his tone became gentle.

The person who suffered the most from losing Huaiqian was none other than his wife. At this time, his wife was still able to take care of his emotions, understand him, and comfort him. His wife was truly a wise and insightful empress.

A true mother to the world.