As agreed with Yuan Cheng, Huo Yan rode a fast horse back from outside the city as soon as the city gate opened.
Naturally, other people in the city were the first to receive the news of Huo Yan's return to the capital, and they all began to prepare for the morning court session.
When Huo Yan returned to Beijing, the already lingering scandal of Huo Pingchang's treason became a hot topic again.
At the morning court session, Huo Yan took off his armor and sword and walked into the hall under the gaze of all the court officials.
Many of the court officials who had been afraid of Huo Yan in the past took advantage of his misfortune, and a group of censors demanded that Huo Yan be removed from his position as general.
They believed that if Huo Pingchang was involved in treason, Huo Yan, as a member of the Huo family, should also be investigated, and it would be inappropriate for him to continue to be appointed as the general commanding the three armies.
The court officials argued back and forth, from whether Huo Yan should be dismissed to whether someone more capable should be appointed to take over...
They argued until their faces turned red, but only Chief Minister Dou noticed that from Emperor Xuan at the top, to the Crown Prince and Prince of Jin below, and even to the kneeling Huo Yan, they were all calm as if they were not involved.
Finally, after the ministers had exhausted all their energy in arguing, Emperor Xuan spoke slowly and announced a temporary solution:
Huo Yan and all the members of the Huo family in the court and the army were ordered to stop and obey orders, and accept investigations from the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice.
As to whether Huo Pingchang collaborated with the enemy and committed treason, and what the truth was at the Gale Valley stop, we need to send people to Beiqiang to investigate.
The ministers, whose faces were still red, did not expect Emperor Xuan to handle the matter so efficiently.
Even the prince didn't argue for Huo Yan.
Although it is just parked, as long as Huo Yan is passive, there is a chance!
What no one expected was that Emperor Xuan then announced that Yuan Heng would take over Huo Yan's position as general.
After the court session, Concubine Shu's people were still dumbfounded. The position of general of Prince Jin came so easily.
They were afraid of being too obvious, so they didn't dare to argue much in the morning court, and they were planning to make an effort next time!
Could it be that Your Majesty is now leaning towards Prince Jin again?
This is the position of Grand General! With this position, the chances of the Prince of Jin being equal to those of the Crown Prince are almost the same!
After the morning court was over, the Crown Prince faction, the centrist faction, and the Prince of Jin faction were all confused about Emperor Xuan's intentions.
Only Prime Minister Dou came out of the hall and smiled as if he knew what was going on.
…
When Huo Yan came back, he was taken to the imperial study by Emperor Xuan before he had the chance to talk to Yuan Cheng.
Yuan Cheng didn't know how to tell him the news of Yuan Zhao's disappearance, so he waited outside the imperial study, ready to tell him as soon as Huo Yan came out.
Emperor Xuan kept Huo Yan, and the emperor and his minister sat and knelt respectively.
Huo Yan first apologized to Emperor Xuan, "Your Majesty, I really don't know what my second uncle did."
He was also in the army during the battle at Gale Valley. If the matter is really investigated, he will be implicated.
Emperor Xuan only glanced at him and did not let him stand up. He just said in a deep voice,
"The Huo family's ancestors followed Emperor Gaozu to conquer the world. Emperor Gaozu once promised the Huo family the title of 'Chang'an Pingxi'."
"Your father and I grew up together on horseback. I trust your father just as our great-grandfather trusted the Huo family."
Emperor Xuan said this and stood up to look at a bow placed in the corner of the imperial study.
Huo Yan lowered his head and said, "I am ashamed of your Majesty's trust."
He could only speak for himself. The matter of his second uncle had not yet been concluded, and the impact of this matter on him was no less than that on others.
In his heart, his father and second uncle were both people who sacrificed their lives for the country and died on the battlefield. They are the people he admires all his life.
Emperor Xuan smiled and shook his head when he heard this.
"Over the years, you have single-handedly supported the Huo family. I have seen everything you have done."
"If the Huo family hadn't remained consistent for a hundred years, neither our great-grandfather, the late emperor, nor I would have been in this situation."
"It's just..." Emperor Xuan stood in front of Huo Yan, "It is said that the monarch and his subjects should treat each other with sincerity. I also want to tell you clearly that I once doubted the Huo family."
Huo Yan suddenly looked up, frowned slightly, and asked, "Your Majesty...when?"
Emperor Xuan waved his sleeves and clearly stated a time, "The Battle of Swift Wind Valley that year."
Huo Yan's throat was thick and he didn't know what to say.
In the past, he could have been certain that there was nothing wrong with the Huo family, but now, he could no longer say that.
"At that time, His Majesty had already..."
"Back then, someone secretly reported to me that someone in the Huo family army was collaborating with the enemy, which led to the defeat in Swift Wind Valley." Emperor Xuan explained slowly, "But at that time, our army was severely injured and there was insufficient evidence to prove it. At the same time, you were the only teenager left in the Huo family, so I kept this matter secret."
Huo Yan closed his eyes, he had no idea about this.
After the Battle of Gale Valley, when he carried his coffin back to the capital, His Majesty welcomed the Huo family army with the highest patriotic ceremony.
There is no shortage of comfort and rewards.
He just felt extremely bitter and could only say, "I feel guilty..."
But Emperor Xuan also admitted, "Speaking of which, I was still young and strong at that time. It's not that I didn't have any fear of the Huo family..."
"But Your Majesty has done the best for the Huo family..." Huo Yan didn't dare to think about it. If Emperor Xuan had investigated the Battle of Jifeng Valley after receiving the secret report, it would be hard to say whether Huo Pingchang could successfully go to Beiqiang.
In that case, all the sacrificed members of the Huo family would be treated as traitors, and all the survivors would be killed or exiled at the very least.
The ancestral property accumulated by the Huo family's ancestors for hundreds of years will all be destroyed, and may even become a disgrace to the Dacheng Dynasty.
As for Huo Yan, it would be difficult for him to have a good end, let alone become a general.
However, under such circumstances, Emperor Xuan covered up the matter, preserved the glory of the Huo family, and even trusted him and let him hold the tiger talisman for so many years.
Huo Yan rarely felt such an emotion ashamed, but at this moment, he leaned down and kowtowed heavily to Emperor Xuan.
"Your Majesty, I am grateful for your great grace!"
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