Chapter 238 Aunt Cui'er
He ordered Pei Zhi to release her, wiping away her tears as he spoke domineeringly: "The secret letter says that only the Empress Dowager can produce the ancestral edict. It is the key to clearing her name!"
Ye Wanning nodded slightly, then carefully tucked the secret letter into her bosom and followed Pei Zhi into the palace.
As soon as they entered the Cining Palace, they heard the palace maids whispering in the courtyard. Although their voices were soft, every word was clear: "I heard that Doctor Ye came to force the emperor to abdicate and demanded that the Empress Dowager give her mother an explanation. He really doesn't know the rules!"
"Really? So many people in the Wei family have already fallen, yet she still refuses to let go, clinging on desperately. Could it be that she's trying to curry favor with us? Does the Empress Dowager have plans to remarry?"
Ye Wanning suddenly froze. Pei Zhi's face instantly turned as cold as ice, and he was just short of resorting to violence.
At this moment, the old nanny from Cining Palace came out. Although Zhang's temples were gray, her eyes still shone brightly; she had served the Empress Dowager for thirty years.
"Doctor Ye, Lord Pei, the Empress Dowager is waiting for you two inside." Zhang Mama whispered, avoiding the palace maids behind her, "Some people in the palace are talking nonsense. They are the remnants of the Wei family, and they have even bribed the Emperor's inner court. Don't take it to heart."
Ye Wanning was slightly taken aback. So Zhang Mama was her mother's old friend? Before she could ask any further questions, she was invited into the inner hall.
The Empress Dowager sat by the window, holding Buddhist prayer beads in her hands, and stood up shakily. Before Ye Wanning could speak, she sighed deeply and said, "Wanning, I am truly sorry for what happened to your mother."
Ye Wanning placed a secret letter in the medical book and handed it to the Empress Dowager, her voice trembling slightly: "This letter was written by my mother. Please take a look, Your Majesty."
The Empress Dowager took the secret letter and read it, tears streaming down her face. She then took out a sandalwood box from a hidden compartment under her bed.
"Open the box and take a look. Inside is a yellowed edict left by our ancestors," the Empress Dowager said. "It says that we made an agreement with Lin Yuewei to protect her family and ensure that they would never be harmed for generations."
"After my ancestor passed away, the Wei family seized military power in the capital region and threatened me. They said that if anything happened to the Emperor, they would harm me." The Empress Dowager swallowed and continued, "That's why I pretended not to know about it back then."
"Over the years, every time I fall asleep, I see the image of your mother staring at you before she died. I... I regret it so much!"
"But how is the Empress Dowager going to produce this edict now?" Ye Wanning asked, her tone tinged with dissatisfaction.
"The Wei family's military power has been halved, and they will no longer pose a threat." The Empress Dowager turned to Zhang Mama, "Zhang Mama was your mother's companion when she entered the palace, and she has been secretly keeping an eye on the Wei family's movements for me all these years."
Granny Zhang stepped forward and pulled a letter from her sleeve: "These are the letters that the Wei family used to threaten the Empress Dowager, as well as the correspondence between Wei Chengye and the various Imperial Guard Commanders. These are all incriminating evidence that this old servant has collected over the years."
With the evidence irrefutable, a commotion immediately erupted outside the palace. Then, a palace maid was brought in by the guards; she was one of the people who had been gossiping outside.
The palace maid cried out, "Your Majesty, spare my life! It was the Wei family who gave me money to spread rumors that Doctor Ye was forcing the emperor to abdicate. Those rumors are all false!"
Ye Wanning walked up to her, her eyes icy: "Where are the Wei family members?"
The palace maid trembled with fright: "In the dilapidated temple outside the palace! They said that as long as I spread the word, they will come and take me there!"
Pei Zhi gave his guards a wink: "Make your move, leave no one alive."
The Empress Dowager glanced at the palace maid: "Drag her out and hand her over to the Dali Temple for questioning!"
She took Ye Wanning's hand and said, "I will go with you to the Emperor to clear your mother's name. You are the descendant of a loyal minister and a highly skilled doctor. We cannot let your mother die unjustly."
When Ye Wanning came out of Cining Palace, it was already dark. The setting sun had dyed the palace walls a dark red.
Pei Zhi stood beside her, walking alongside her. Their arms brushed against each other several times unintentionally, but neither of them moved away.
"It would be good if he could be exonerated." Pei Zhi spoke first, turning to look at her. In the setting sun, his profile was sharply defined, and the tenderness in his eyes could not be hidden.
Ye Wanning hummed in agreement, and the gloom in her heart seemed to dissipate with it. An ambiguous, inexplicable feeling grew between them.
As the carriage traveled through the osmanthus grove in the Imperial Garden, a breeze blew by, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers.
Pei Zhi suddenly stopped the carriage, slowly reached out to brush the petals off her shoulder, his fingers inadvertently brushing against her earlobe.
Ye Wanning's ears turned red instantly. She quickly turned her head away, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to explode.
Pei Zhi noticed her reddened ears, and a smile appeared in his eyes. He stopped teasing her and simply said softly, "Let's go home. I'll keep you company."
Just as her mother's grievances were beginning to be resolved, a major incident suddenly occurred in the capital—Cui'er was kidnapped!
Early in the morning, Chun Tao rushed into the Heritage Hall: "Miss, Aunt Cui'er went to buy groceries and hasn't come back yet! There's a note left on her door!"
Chun Tao continued, "It's very clear on the note: to save Cui'er, you must exchange her for the core secrets of the 'Qing Nang Secret Manual.' Tomorrow, go to the abandoned kiln in the western suburbs. Only you can come. If you dare to report to the authorities, they will kill her! There's a 'Wei' character at the end."
Ye Wanning's expression changed drastically: So there are still remnants of the Wei family!
Cui'er is the family member her mother trusts the most, and also her only remaining relative. She absolutely cannot be allowed to get into trouble!
"No, Miss, this is definitely a trap!" Chun Tao exclaimed anxiously.
"If I don't go, Cui'er won't be able to come back!" Ye Wanning gripped the note tightly and immediately went to find Pei Zhi. "I have to go, but I can protect myself."
Pei Zhi stared at the note on the ground, his fist clenching tightly beneath his black official robe: "It's Wei Chengye, a descendant of a former subordinate of the Wei family. He's been keeping an eye on things secretly, I never expected him to dare touch Cui'er!"
“I can pretend to agree to his request for the secret formula first.” Ye Wanning rummaged through his medicine box and pulled out a few porcelain bottles. “This is a specially made sleeping potion that can knock out ten strong men at the same time. You take the guards and lie in ambush outside the abandoned kiln. Wait for my signal before you make your move.”
Pei Zhi disagreed: "It's too dangerous. I'll go with you."
"No, he made it clear that only I can go. If there's another person, Cui'er might be in danger!" Ye Wanning looked at him earnestly, "You wait outside; that's the safest way."
Pei Zhi remained silent for a long time before finally giving in. He gripped her wrist tightly, his tone firm: "No matter what happens, you must ensure your safety first. I will keep an eye on you and will never let you get hurt in the slightest!"
His palm was hot, but the pressure was just right, and the worry in his eyes was almost overflowing. Ye Wanning felt a warmth in her heart and nodded: "I promise you."
The next morning, a cold wind howled through the abandoned brickyard in the western suburbs, and the weeds reached ankle-deep. Ye Wanning, carrying a lantern, walked into the brickyard.
After taking only a few steps, I saw Cui'er tied to a pillar with her hands and feet bound together, her mouth stuffed with a strip of cloth, and her eyes red from crying.
The leader was a man dressed in black, with a ferocious expression; it was Wei Chengye. Behind him were several assassins armed with knives.
"Hand over the secret formula." Wei Chengye's tone was icy. "Don't think you can get away with this by playing tricks. Otherwise, don't even think about taking her away alive."
Ye Wanning pretended to be scared and stretched out her hand: "The secret recipe is here. Release Cui'er first, and I'll give it to you."
Wei Chengye sneered: "Don't try to play tricks on me, give it to me!"
Just as he reached out to take it, he suddenly waved his hand behind him: "Take her down! I want both the formula and the person!"
The assassins immediately surrounded her. Ye Wanning was prepared and suddenly poured out all the sleeping potion from the porcelain bottle.
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