Chapter 206

Ding Wenqi looked at her father in disbelief and shouted, "Father, you can't do this. I am your own son. How can you..."

"Second brother, don't forget your mother." Ding Wenbo whispered.

"Father..." Ding Wenqi looked at her father, but he seemed not to recognize her. He just knelt straight in the hall, lamenting his mistakes in parenting.

Ding Wenqi's eyes were full of red, like a wounded little animal. He stared at Ding Wenbo fiercely with bloodshot eyes, "Don't be complacent. If he can let me go today, he will definitely let you go tomorrow."

Ding Wenbo was calm and composed. "Second brother, please take care of yourself first."

Lin Shuge understood that the Ding family wanted to sacrifice Ding Wenqi to save their own children, but even a tiger would not eat its own cubs. He watched Ding Yanhe push all the blame onto Ding Wenqi. Seeing this, other officials of the Ding party also followed suit and asked Emperor Yongyuan to deal with Ding Wenqi according to the law.

Some people even boasted that Ding Yan was so shameless as to sacrifice his own relatives for the sake of justice.

"In this case, Ding Wenqi is dismissed from all official posts and temporarily imprisoned, awaiting his fate. The post of palace guard will be temporarily held by Ruan Aiqing. As for the case of Xie's treason, it has now been confirmed that it was Ding Wenqi who teamed up with Wang Heng to frame a loyal and good person. Therefore, the Xie family's reputation is restored and their name is vindicated. Xie Suwen is posthumously named Xuanwu Marquis and given the posthumous title of Zhongwu." Emperor Yongyuan said loudly, "Wang Heng, behead him immediately."

Lin Shuge bowed down and kowtowed, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Ruan Qingyun and others also knelt and said, "Your Majesty is wise." The Ding party officials looked very unhappy, but fortunately Xie Chen was dead, so it was useless even if they overturned the case for the Xie family.

Ding Wenqi and Wang Heng were taken away. Ding Wenqi cursed her father and brother desperately, but Wang Heng was calm. He looked at Lin Shuge and seemed to want to say something. He opened his mouth, but was taken away by the soldiers before he could open his mouth.

Ding Yanhe strode out of the hall and patted Lin Shuge on the shoulder as he passed by him. "Young man, be careful when doing things, otherwise you won't know how you died."

Lin Shuge nodded with a smile, "Thank you, Grand Marshal, for your teachings."

Ding Yanhe looked at him with a gloomy expression, while Ding Wenbo, Yi Chi and others followed him.

Lin Shuge watched everyone leave, and turned around to see Ruan Qingyun and the others who were beaming with joy. "After so many years, we have finally waited until today."

Xia Yi also wiped his tears and said, "I have finally repaid Mr. Xie's kindness."

Lin Shuge had something on his mind, so he said a few words to them and then hurried out of the palace. Unexpectedly, he met Xie Ning and others.

They were obviously rushing over as well. After seeing Lin Shuge, Xie Ning and the other Xie girls suddenly knelt down. Lin Shuge was startled and wanted to help Xie Ning up.

"Shu Ge, you deserve our respect." Xie Ning had a stubborn personality, and Lin Shu Ge couldn't stop him at all, so he could only lean over and bow to Xie Ning.

Xie Ning burst out laughing, tears in her eyes, and sighed, "Finally, the spirits of my father and brother can rest in peace in heaven. It's a pity for Erlang."

"Yes, the Xie family finally doesn't have to bear the charge of treason anymore. Thank you, Lord Lin." Xie Ying also said.

Lin Shuge looked up at the sky and suddenly said, "It's still early. If you don't mind, you can come to my house for a gathering. I've asked Axuan and Ayuan to prepare a banquet."

Several people followed Lin Shuge to the Lin Mansion. Xie Ningqi asked, "Didn't they say there was a banquet? Why is it so deserted?"

Lin Shuge took a look and asked, "Aunt, who do you think that is?"

Xie Ning and others looked in the direction he pointed, and saw Xie Chen looking at them with a smile on his face.

"Erlang?" Xie Ning asked in surprise. He walked a few steps to Xie Chen, reached out and touched him, then said angrily: "You are not poisoned? This is you..."

Xie Ning and others had been heartbroken since they heard the news that Xie Chen had died of poisoning, and they wished they could take his place. Now, looking at Xie Chen in front of them, they realized belatedly that this must have been a plot by Xie Chen and Lin Shuge.

Xie Chen was still a little weak, and said to the others, "Aunt, Sister, the situation was too critical that day, and I was unable to tell you the whole story. It is my fault that you are so sad."

Xie Ning wiped her eyes and said, "How could that be, Erlang? Ever since you returned to Yandu, your aunt has only hoped that you would be safe. After hearing that you were imprisoned and poisoned, I often wondered, if I knew you would... I would rather you stay in the northwest forever."

Xie Ning seemed to be reminded of her sad past, and Xie Chen spoke to her in a low voice for a long time. Lin Shuge quietly retreated and asked the twins to prepare the banquet.

The Xie family was rehabilitated and Ding Wenqi was arrested. Finally, something good happened during this period and everyone could take a breath. The meal was a great pleasure for both the host and the guests. Xie Ning was drunk and talked a lot about Xie Chen's childhood. Lin Shuge listened to Xie Ning with a smile on his face as he said that Xie Chen was very smart when he was young and could recite very quickly, but he relied on his high talent and liked to be lazy, which often made Madam Wei angry. Once he got into trouble and was afraid of being punished, he ran to the Liu family to hide. It was only because Xie Ning pleaded for him that he was spared a punishment.

Lin Shuge listened quietly. Xie Ning's voice was full of nostalgia. He seemed to have seen through time and glimpsed Xie Chen's high spirits in those days. He turned around and met Xie Chen's eyes, only to find that he had been staring at him since he didn't know when, looking at him without blinking, with eyes full of expression.

It was not until the banquet was over and several people sent Xie Ning and others away that Lin Shuge asked, "Why did you keep looking at me just now?"

"I want to see you." Xie Chen whispered.

"Brother, we are still here." Lin Xuan complained.

Lin Shuge blushed, but Xie Chen remained calm, "It's late, you should go to bed."

Lin Xuan lamented in her heart how unreliable her two brothers were. One was seriously injured and the other was poisoned. She was exhausted during this period and could not stop for even a moment. Now she didn't even take a good rest and was still standing here in the wind.

She drove the two back to their room, cleaned up the yard with the servants, and gave them medicine before going back to rest.

"Did Xuan's look just now make her think you're a worry?" Lin Shuge picked up the medicine bowl and drank it all in one gulp, then looked at Xie Chen and said.

Xie Chen sat opposite him, supporting his face with his hands, and said "hmm" casually, "I'm sorry for having troubled you during this period of time." He traced Lin Shuge's face with his fingers, thinking about everything they had experienced along the way, his heart moved slightly, and he leaned over to kiss him.

Lin Shuge had just drunk the medicine and his mouth was full of bitterness. When Xie Chen tried to kiss him, he dodged slightly, but Xie Chen pinched his jaw and kissed him hard.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Shuge struggled a few times, and Xie Chen let him go. "I was not paying attention this time, and I got tricked. I almost..."

Lin Shuge shook his head. "We are both lucky, but luckily you found it in time, and I have Axun here."

Xie Chen was reminded by Lin Shuge to be careful about his diet, and he also paid attention to it everywhere. The daily food was sent by Lin Shuge after he bribed the jailer, and he also checked it everywhere. Unexpectedly, he was still one step behind and fell into the trap.

Fortunately, Xie Chen's poison was not serious and it was discovered early, but he still had a close call with death and suffered a lot.

The two men saw that the Ding family was so vicious that they tried again after failing to poison them once, so they used a trick on Xie Chen and had him fake his death and come out of the Lieutenant's Mansion, and then they would make a long-term plan.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly. Wang Heng's testimony and evidence, plus what the two waves of assassins vomited out, were enough for the Xie family to overturn the verdict and prove the Ding family's guilt. However, what was unexpected was that Ding Yanhe actually sacrificed his own son to survive.

"Brother, if you were Ding Yanhe, what would you do next?" Xie Chen asked.

"If it were me, since I have come to this point, I might as well give it a try. I think the Ding family should do the same." Lin Shuge narrowed his eyes. Ding Yanhe has been subordinate to others for these years and helped Emperor Yongyuan ascend to the throne just because he did not want to be accused of being a traitor. Now, seeing that Emperor Yongyuan is becoming more and more powerful and has forced him to such a point, Ding Yanhe may not want to move, but the Ding party may not be able to bear it anymore.

"Brother and I thought the same." Xie Chen looked at his pale face with rosy lips and couldn't help but kiss him again. Lin Shuge obediently let him do what he wanted.

Seeing how obedient he was, Xie Chen felt a little pain in his heart. After he got into trouble this time, Lin Shuge seemed to be particularly attached to him.

After the kiss, Xie Chen reached out and pulled him into his arms, "Brother, come with me to Xie's house later."

Lin Shuge rested his forehead on his shoulder and nodded, then remembered that he couldn't see his movements, so he hummed softly.

Ding Mansion.

With a "smack", Ding Wenbo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at the furious Ding Yanhe, "Father, why are you like this? What's wrong with sacrificing him to keep everyone safe?"

Ding Yanhe was furious when he saw him like this, and said with deep sorrow: "That's your own brother. When did I raise you to be like this..."

"Father, you are acting so hypocritically because it is your beloved son who is about to die. If it were me, would you be sad for me for a moment?" Ding Wenbo sneered, "You won't. Compared with the imperial ambition, a son is nothing. As long as he succeeds, Sima Ding will have many descendants for thousands of years."

Ding Yanhe was so angry that he laughed instead and raised his foot to kick. The people around him hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, "Grand Sima, calm down, young master, please say less."

Ding Wenbo pushed away Ah Ming who was protecting him, "Father, go ahead. You have been disliking me for a long time anyway, so you might as well kick me to death, so that you don't have to look at me every day and get annoyed."

Ding Yanhe closed his eyes, and everyone finally persuaded Ding Wenbo to leave.

"Grand Marshal, we failed to get rid of Wang Heng and Lin Shuge this time, and the Xie family was able to overturn the verdict. What should we do? Your Majesty used Lin Shuge and Xie Chen to easily put us in a passive position. I'm afraid the longer it drags on, the more disadvantageous it will be for us." Someone spoke up.

"Yes, the little emperor is very scheming. If we had known that he had such ability, we should not have appointed him."

"Now that things have come to this, let's think about how to break the impasse. Young Master Ding is still in prison. If we want to save him, we must..."

Everyone looked at Ding Yanhe, hoping that he would come up with a decision.

Ding Yanhe stroked the teacup in his hand, "Do you want me to be charged with conspiracy to usurp the throne?"

"Grand Marshal, those who steal the hook will be executed, those who steal the country will be princes. Throughout history, there have been many cases where the ruler is weak and the minister is strong, and the minister takes his place. If he has achievements in the future, why should he worry about the historian's pen?"

Ding Yanhe looked deep and didn't speak for a long time. Yi Chi thought for a moment, picked up the cup, and said nothing.

After finishing the discussion with Ding's family, Yi Chi took a carriage back home. Looking at the expression of the Grand Marshal today, he seemed to be somewhat tempted. It would be easier said than done to usurp the throne. He needed soldiers. The military power of the Weiwei had just been taken away, and Deng Ji was not a member of Ding's party. Could he rely on the military forces of Nanjun and other surrounding counties?

"Who is it?" the servant outside shouted.

Yi Chi had been feeling a little paranoid lately, so he hurried out of the carriage, only to see a man standing in front of it. It was Lin Shuge.

Lin Shuge bowed to Yi Chi and said, "Your Excellency, I have something to discuss with you. Please come this way."