Wen Heming's ability to find Cao Yang was purely by chance.
This guy is too good at hiding his true intentions, and he's been a supporter of Xie Lang from the very beginning, so no one would suspect him.
The system provided nothing but the original plot, so Wen Hemian had to go through the entire plot, which she already knew by heart, before she discovered this hidden clue.
Being betrayed by someone close to you, suffering pain and torment, seems to be an inevitable path for every villain.
The officials' networks were mostly intertwined. Cao Yang's wife appeared to be a respectable woman with no background, but in reality, she was the illegitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue. The two had long been in contact in private, waiting to deliver a heavy blow to Xie Lang at the crucial moment.
When Wen Hemian decided to feign illness, she informed Xie Lang that they needed to find a suitable scapegoat.
This time, they did the opposite and turned the knife on their own people.
The effect is excellent.
When Cao Yang was arrested and watched helplessly as the things he had hidden deepest in his house were found, he was completely incredulous and shouted that he was innocent.
Regardless of whether he was innocent or not, Huo Ping was only responsible for instructing people to arrest him and send him to the Ministry of Justice, where someone would convict him.
No news came from the palace. None of the court officials knew what was happening to His Majesty the Emperor. Apart from the uproar and discussion, some people tried to submit memorials to the palace.
Thank goodness, His Majesty has finally agreed to meet with people.
At the same time, Wen Hemian was also summoned to the palace.
She was able to patiently endure it for two days, which was already the limit of Xie Lang's patience as she had anticipated. As it turned out, she was right and her guess was absolutely correct.
Wen Hemian adjusted his mindset and calmly entered the palace.
Accompanying her into the palace were close advisors who were concerned about the emperor's health; everyone wore solemn expressions and remained silent.
Xie Lang hadn't been poisoned to begin with. When everyone entered the imperial study and saw that the emperor looked well, they immediately felt relieved. After exchanging glances several times, someone tentatively asked, "May I ask if Your Majesty is still in good health?"
"Um."
Xie Lang nodded lightly, his face revealing no emotion, but as the ministers chattered on, their gazes couldn't help but drift toward Wen Hemian, who had been silent since entering.
Perhaps sensing his gaze, Wen Hemian slightly raised her eyes and smiled at him, her demeanor calm and composed, showing no sign of anything amiss, just as usual.
Xie Lang breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that even if the Grand Tutor had noticed something, he had no intention of distancing himself from him.
Does that mean he has a tiny bit more chance?
My initial anxiety and disappointment suddenly brightened, and even my eyes became sparkling, like a cute little puppy.
Wen Heming paused slightly, then awkwardly looked away to listen to the court officials' discussion.
"...Officials appointed by the imperial court to collude with foreign powers to plot against His Majesty is treason and must be severely punished!"
"We treated them well as envoys, but they did this on our turf. They deserve an explanation!"
"But there are many factions within the barbarian tribes, and more than one has come this time. Should we detain them all?"
While they were angry at the betrayal of their own people, they needed to be more wary of external enemies. Didn't the barbarians think that their little emperor was easy to bully?
Led by Ye Zhaoxuan, they all cast questioning glances at Wen Hemian, wanting to see what her opinion was.
Wen Heming put down the teacup he was holding and said, "We are a land of etiquette, and we do not wrong people. Those who commit crimes will be detained and dealt with according to the laws of the Great Zhao. The rest will be released, and then they will tell the barbarian king to be prepared to apologize."
Xie Lang wholeheartedly agreed: "The Grand Tutor is right. The Great Zhao is not afraid of the barbarians. If we cannot offer enough sincerity, then we should fight."
After discussing the matter and exploring more detailed procedures, everyone got up to leave.
Seeing that Wen Hemian also wanted to leave, Xie Lang spoke up in time: "Grand Tutor, please stay."
No one found it strange, after all, the teacher and student often discussed things in private, and everyone was happy to see things that were beneficial to the country and the people.
After everyone had left and the door to the Imperial Study had been closed, Xie Langfang spoke with a faint smile: "Grand Tutor, is there anything you wish to say to me?"
Wen Hemian smiled slightly and said, "Yes, besides Cao Yang, His Majesty can continue to place his own people in the Ministry of War. This is a good thing."
"Oh right, there's also Alina. I've talked to her. Although I can't be sure how sincere she is, she's just a princess. It wouldn't hurt to send her back to see how she's treated."
The current trajectory is quite different from the original book. Whatever the reason, Alina's decision to extricate herself at the last minute was clever.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Wen Hemian hoped that what she said was true, as it might produce some unexpected results.
"Yes, the Grand Tutor can decide these matters."
Xie Lang listened quietly without offering any opinion, seemingly obedient to Wen Hemian's every word and never contradicting her.
The surface is made to be completely waterproof.
Wen Hemian sighed softly, no wonder she couldn't see any clues.
Silence fell between them; neither of them spoke.
Xie Lang shifted his gaze and suddenly noticed Wen Heming's fingertips, which were white from the cold, gently tapping on the table, like a piece of jade without warmth.
He abruptly stood up and walked around the table, his voice tinged with reproach: "It's cold outside, why didn't the Grand Tutor bring a hand warmer with him? Lai Xi, go and fetch the hand warmer from my palace!"
Xie Lang moved swiftly, as if he had anticipated that Wen Hemian would dodge, and grabbed one of her hands with lightning speed.
Seeing this, Lai Xi's eyes widened. Based on his years of survival experience, he judged that something was wrong. He had been hiding to the side, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, but when he was suddenly called, he quickly made his escape: "Yes!"
Wen Hemian couldn't dodge and he actually succeeded. Her scalp tingled slightly. Before she could say anything, Xie Lang continued, "I vaguely remember that the Grand Tutor once caught a chill while playing in the snow and it took him a long time to recover. Have you forgotten the lesson now?"
The boy's low, husky voice carried a hint of teasing, and his long, narrow eyes, now grown wide, stared intently at her, subtly conveying a sense of intimacy.
Wen Hemian's hand was being held by him, and she suddenly noticed the boy's fingertips lightly brushing against the back of her hand, followed by a tightening grip.
"It's so cold. Why is Laixi taking so long to come back with a hand warmer? Shall I warm it up for the Grand Tutor first?"
Although it was phrased as an inquiry, it carried a hint of the powerful decisiveness of an emperor.
Wen Hemian had no choice but to overturn all her previous ideas and realize that this little brat was more difficult to deal with than she had imagined.
The innocent and adorable child of yesteryear has unknowingly transformed into a wolf cub, sharpening its claws and lurking in the shadows, waiting to deliver a fatal blow to its enemy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com