The matter reached the Emperor's attention, and the Emperor took the opportunity to secretly release Shen Yuheng.
As night deepened, Shen Yuheng braved the thick fog and entered the Emperor's study.
The room was brightly lit, and two slender figures were cast on the wall, their shadows flickering with the candlelight.
The Emperor casually placed his hands behind his back, his cool and composed brows swaying slightly in the warmth of the candlelight, a hint of sorrow between his brows, his gaze both cold and gentle.
Shen Yuheng stood respectfully before the Emperor, his body and face unmarked. The light in his eyes was as stern as icy frost, even more piercing than the Emperor's. It appeared even more profound in the orange lamplight. His porcelain-like skin seemed to be coated with a layer of gold powder, and his white robes were also bathed in golden candlelight. His face was gentle, but his heart was ruthless.
"Do you know why I have released you this time, my dear minister?" the Emperor asked slowly, his eyes shining even brighter, as if they held a hint of expectation.
He was deeply troubled and knew the truth perfectly well.
Marquis Xi Ning's actions showed that he disregarded the Emperor. His attempt to force his way into the prison and use torture demonstrated that he was indeed paying close attention to the case of Prince Sui An, and he even targeted those mentioned in the rumors.
As a result, the Emperor became even more certain that Marquis Xining was inextricably linked to the case of framing Xiao Pingshan. Although the Wan siblings were now investigating the matter, one was a newcomer to officialdom and the other was a naive young woman. Both were quick-witted and capable, but they were still somewhat inadequate to deal with that old fox and his cronies.
The Emperor has few trusted confidants, so he can only share some of the burden of this matter with Shen Yuheng.
"Your Majesty understands." Shen Yuheng nodded slightly. "Currently, the Marquis of Xining is paying close attention to the case of Prince Sui'an and is taking excessive actions. This must be related to the tragedy that happened back then. His Majesty has ordered me to come here, presumably to have me investigate this matter."
Although imprisoned, the outside world knew quite a lot. Upon hearing this, the Emperor nodded in satisfaction, a hint of joy appearing on his young face.
"Minister Shen is indeed exceptionally intelligent. During the reign of the late Emperor, he could not escape the historical precedent of 'the rabbit is killed after the hunt,' and he exterminated the entire family of the meritorious Prince Sui'an. However, this case is full of doubts. When I was reviewing the case files, I found that the most important evidence and witnesses all came from Marquis Xining. Now, the court is full of his cronies. If I want to thoroughly investigate this matter, I must do it in secret."
The Emperor chuckled self-deprecatingly. Shen Yuheng understood his meaning and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your expectations."
"I have sent you an assistant."
A sly glint appeared in the Emperor's eyes. He then beckoned behind him, and a young man dressed in black emerged from the dim light.
The newcomer was also young, with her black hair tied up in a high ponytail, long, slender eyebrows, and dark eyes. Her face was expressionless, yet it always seemed to carry a faint hint of a smile.
"Young Master Cao?" Shen Yuheng was somewhat surprised. The person who came was Cao Chengye. He had only recently entered officialdom and was just a deputy to a sixth-rank official. Although he was intelligent, he had almost no experience. There had never been a precedent in history for someone of this rank to investigate such a major case. It seemed that the emperor was indeed in dire need of people.
"Young Master Shen." Cao Chengye bowed slightly to Shen Yuheng, holding a folding fan in his hand, looking extremely gentle and refined.
A sense of familiarity welled up in Shen Yuheng's heart. He and Cao Chengye had known each other for many years. Although they had been separated for a long time, they were still very compatible in most matters.
The last time, it was Cao Chengye who risked his life to save himself in front of Marquis Xining.
"You two should cooperate fully with the investigation. But don't worry, it's not just the two of you. The young master and young lady of the Wan family have already gone ahead. You two should meet up with them as soon as possible." The Emperor said with a hint of teasing, his eyes sweeping back and forth between the two of them.
Is Wanwan also investigating this matter?
Shen Yuheng's brow twitched. Sure enough, she had joined the investigation. Things had developed to this point and were on the verge of collapse. Only by reuniting with the Wan siblings as soon as possible could they protect everyone's safety to the greatest extent possible.
Without delay, Cao Chengye and Shen Yuheng set off from the palace that very night.
Shen Yuheng was the first to secretly investigate this matter. He had already found out that the key evidence of Xining Marquis framing the Xiao family was still hidden in the Marquis's mansion. One of the key aspects of this mission was to steal those letters from the mansion showing officials protecting each other and colluding together.
However, Marquis Xining is still a marquis, and now that he knows the emperor is secretly plotting against him, the guards at his mansion are now as tight as those at the palace.
We don't know where Wanwan and Wan Yuechi have found out yet, the most urgent thing is for the four of them to reunite.
Meanwhile, Wanwan and Wan Yuechi were no longer staying at the Wan residence. They had already been summoned by Marquis Xining for tea. Although they had managed to get away with it last time, that old fox wouldn't easily trust them. If he wanted, he could order his subordinates to monitor them at all times.
Now, the Marquis of Xining wields immense power and has numerous followers. If it weren't for the Emperor's position, he would probably have already turned the tide and cast a wide net in the capital with a single hand.
Wanwan and Wan Yuechi were like startled rabbits, changing places every day. When discussing plans, they would always check how many people were around, and the discussions usually took place late at night.
That night, the two of them sat in a small room of the inn with the lamp lit, discussing how to win over the Lady of Xining. Just as they were talking, they suddenly heard a few knocks outside the door.
The brother and sister immediately became alert, and Wan Yuechi blew out the candle in one breath and reached for a wooden stick on the table.
Marquis Xi Ning had no shortage of agile assassins at his disposal. Wan Yuechi knew that he, a mere scholar, was no match for them, but as long as he could rush forward, he could buy his sister time to escape.
At this moment, Cao Chengye and Shen Yuheng waited quietly outside for the door to open, but there was no movement for a long time.
"Young Master Shen, there seems to be no one inside. Could we have gone to the wrong place?" Cao Chengye scratched the back of his head and looked at Shen Yuheng beside him in confusion.
“No, perhaps the Wan siblings are wary of Marquis Xining.” Shen Yuheng’s brow twitched; the silence in the room gave him an ominous premonition.
He was also afraid that when he opened the door, he would find a scene that had already been visited by the Marquis of Xi Ning's men.
Wan Yuechi pressed his ear to the door, while Wanwan squatted by the window, clutching a stack of files. Cao Chengye outside also listened for a while, then, with a determined heart, slammed the door open with a "bang."
"Wanwan! Hurry up!" Wan Yuechi raised his hand and swung his stick.
In the pitch black, Cao Chengye couldn't see anything, but he heard a familiar name. Just as he was about to greet it, he was struck on the back with a stick.
Just as Wanwan was about to break through the window and jump down, she noticed that the slender silhouette in the darkness looked very familiar.
It was her brother Xiao.
Cao Chengye cried out in pain. Wanwan, belatedly realizing what was happening, quickly lit a lamp, shouting, "Brother! Stop!"
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