"Your Highness, it's getting late, let's go back and rest," Caijin advised.

These past few days, Song Yaozhu has been helping to deliver clothes, blankets, and food to these students, and she also has to strategize and deploy troops. Caijin even felt that their princess had aged considerably.

Song Yaozhu rubbed her head. "I have a bad feeling about this, so I'll stay at the teahouse tonight."

She understood Yuwen Wuji; things were now out of his control, and out of everyone else's control as well. In his extreme anger, he would surely vent his fury first. She worried that Xie Liwei was in danger.

"There are imperial guards at the palace gates, so nothing should happen, right?"

"It's hard to say."

“The Ministry of Justice is still not giving any permission, so we can’t get in, and we don’t know how the master and the others are doing,” Caijin sighed.

Song Yaozhu was also worried, so she had someone bring in blankets, clothes and utensils, but she still couldn't find anyone.

But every morning she received a note detailing what the Xie family had experienced in prison, clearly indicating that Xie Liwei had connections in the imperial prison. So far, he had already been tortured once. Upon reading this, Song Yaozhu's heart clenched.

"We need to add fuel to the fire," she murmured.

She absolutely cannot give Yuwen Wuji the opportunity to force a confession through torture!

At the palace gates in the evening, the students yawned and dozed off. These past few days had been difficult for them; after all, they had to sleep under the open sky, and their food and drink were mediocre. Fortunately, it was already April, the weather was warming up, and many had started wearing light clothing. And since it hadn't rained, things were manageable.

Originally, they were all trying to plead for the Xie family, but now it seems they're all trying to find an explanation for themselves!

"When will His Majesty finally hold a public trial for this case? My knees are about to give way!"

"Here, take this ointment to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and apply it."

Wow! Where are you from?

"The princess gave it to the prince, and he used a little, so he told us to use it too. I thought it was good, so I kept some for myself, hehehe!"

"Alas, the Prince and Princess are such good people, and the Xie family is a family of scholars. How could they possibly do such a thing! Peng Si is known throughout the capital as a notorious playboy! He can't even write his own name properly, how could he possibly be at the top of the list!"

"Peng Si's case has been handed over to Prince Xuan for investigation. I believe Prince Xuan will give us justice!"

"If someone like Peng Si can be at the top of the list, there must be more than just one or two rotten people here. The Xie family has definitely been framed! I just don't believe that the Xie family would buy exam questions!"

Just as many students were united in their efforts, some discordant voices emerged.

"But students from Xie Family Academy make the list every year, don't you find that strange? And the people arrested this time are from Xie Family Academy!"

"What nonsense are you spouting! Anyone who can get into the Xie family academy is already highly capable enough to be on the honor roll! The Xie family wouldn't recruit someone without ability!"

"But it's a fact that they're buying exam questions so students can cheat, isn't it?"

"We've already said it was a frame-up! Otherwise, why would we be here asking the Emperor to investigate thoroughly!"

"Alright, alright, stop arguing! The late-night snacks are here, let's eat and get some rest!"

As several old women pushed a wooden cart over, one of the students unceremoniously stepped forward, picked up a hot bun, and started eating it.

Within fifteen minutes, the student collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth, and muttering intermittently, "Poison! Don't...eat it!"

The crowd was so frightened that they dropped the buns they were holding. The old women, who had seemed harmless before, suddenly abandoned their carts and ran away as fast as they could, so fast that no one could catch them.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "The corrupt official is trying to kill us to silence us! The corrupt official is panicking!"

The students, who had been sitting quietly, were now filled with rage, their weariness vanishing. Some even rushed to the palace gates, only to be stopped by the imperial guards. They shouted defiantly, "Your Majesty, look at us! Someone has dared to kill someone right before your eyes!"

Even worse, some people dismantled the delivery truck that had just delivered the late-night snacks and started fighting with the Imperial Guards, wielding wooden sticks.

Xie Liwei held a steamed bun in one hand, glanced down at the bun, then at the rioting crowd, and closed his eyes—he was acting.

"The prince has fallen too! Your Highness!" Qin Yu cried out as he held Xie Liwei's body. The students were even more furious and lost all reason.

"This corrupt official sold exam questions and killed people! Your Majesty, don't you even care about your people?!"

"Your Majesty! Investigate thoroughly! Investigate thoroughly! Investigate thoroughly!"

The shouts echoed throughout the entire main street of the imperial city, driving the commander of the imperial guards to desperation. They couldn't kill these scholars, and arresting them would only escalate the conflict. Their only option was to rush to the palace that very night to seek instructions from the emperor.

Li Wei was terrified. He had to wake the emperor up in the middle of the night, but he couldn't not!

At midnight, Yuwen Wuji, wearing an outer robe, ascended the imperial city tower and saw the rioting students below, many of whom were ordinary people who had staked their entire fortunes on the war. They attacked the imperial guards fiercely, while the guards, already showing signs of weakness and injury, were seen to be holding back.

"Issue my decree: arrest all those rioting civilians! Students, do not move for now."

Yuwen Wuji's voice was hoarse, wishing he could tear these disobedient people to pieces, but for the sake of the people's hearts, he could only endure it!

"Where's Chu Wei?! What's wrong with him?!"

Chu Wei quickly arrived in front of Yuwen Wuji. He knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, our men have not yet made a move."

Yuwen Wuji's face turned cold. He knew that if Chu Wei and his men made a move, it would be a fatal strike; they couldn't afford to give the other side a chance to defend themselves. If it wasn't them, then it must have been someone else who wanted Xie Liwei dead.

Who else would want Xie Li to die?

Those must be the people who want to suppress the matter.

"I never knew someone could extend their reach so far!" The Gu worm he had raised began to devour its master!

"I have tried to protect them to prevent turmoil in the court and among the people, yet they still dare to be restless! Tell Prince Xuan to investigate tonight's events thoroughly!"

Upon receiving the imperial decree, Prince Xuan immediately rushed from the Dali Temple to the palace gate. When he arrived, he saw the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture and the troops of the Five Cities Garrison already there. They had already brought the rioting crowd under control, and imperial physicians were bandaging the wounded.

He thought to himself, "The Emperor is to blame for how things have turned out this way!"

Inside the teahouse, after learning that the riot had subsided, Song Yaozhu moved from the outer room into the inner room. Xie Liwei was finally able to take a proper bath and get some sleep during his unconsciousness.

When Song Yaozhu came in, she saw him curling up, applying medicine to his swollen knee.

She stood there, her eyes fixed on his two fair, long, and powerful legs.

He took after his mother; he had light body hair and fair skin even as a child. Even as he grew up, he didn't have much body hair, and his legs were long, white, and well-defined.

Song Yaozhu thought, "Why don't I have such beautiful legs?"

Tsk tsk.

After applying the medicine, Xie Liwei pulled down his trouser leg. Seeing her intense gaze, he felt a chill run down his spine.

"Did you arrange the play?"