Chapter 49: How can we testify to break this situation?
Zhou Tinglan was shocked. Why would the emperor suddenly order the arrest of Yao Ningde?
Could it be that Princess Zhaoyang did something?
Before Zhou Tinglan could figure out what was going on, they were quickly surrounded by the Imperial City Guards.
"Master Rao, what should we do with the others?"
"His Majesty has ordered that all of them be brought back and that the matter be dealt with at tomorrow morning's court."
Rao Yongan, the commander of the Imperial City Division, who was sitting on horseback, looked at Zhou Tinglan and his group and ordered his men to bring them back.
"Stand in a line, follow the horses, and no talking!"
Yao Ningde's face was gloomy, his lips tightly pursed, as if he was suppressing something.
He turned back to look at Zhou Tinglan from time to time. Could it be her?
Impossible! He had been staring at her since she came out of the prison. Moreover, he had done a quick search and found that she didn't have those letters on her.
Could it be... Princess Zhaoyang?
It doesn't make sense. He knew that Princess Zhaoyang liked Xie Zechuan. It doesn't make sense for Princess Zhaoyang to help Zhou Tinglan.
If Zhou Tinglan died unexpectedly, the position of Xie Zechuan's wife would be vacant, and His Majesty would issue an imperial decree to annul it. Then Princess Zhaoyang would come to His Majesty and, given His Majesty's love for his daughter, he would definitely issue an imperial decree to remarry her, and Xie Zechuan would have no room to refuse.
Yao Ningde's mind was in a mess. He couldn't understand who could have delivered those letters to Zhou Tinglan since he had already controlled him, causing His Majesty to send people from the Imperial City Bureau to arrest him.
"Did you have someone deliver those letters? How did you do that?"
Yao Ningde finally couldn't help it, and deliberately slowed down a few steps to come to Zhou Tinglan's side and asked in a low voice.
Zhou Tinglan snorted coldly, "Master Yao, you're here to ask for a reason again. Why hasn't the momentum you had when you wanted to kill me in the thatched cottage just now disappeared?"
"You! Do you think I want to know? I'm just asking."
The guards on horseback saw the two of them getting close and said, "No talking!"
Zhou Tinglan saluted the guards and said, "Sir, we will be done soon."
"Master Yao, don't worry. I haven't submitted those letters yet, but tomorrow at court, I will present them and other evidence to His Majesty and make your actions public."
The veins on Yao Ningde's forehead bulged slightly, and he clenched his fists. Seeing him like this, Zhou Tinglan shouted, "Master Yao, are you going to hit someone in public?"
In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on Yao Ningde.
The imperial guard dismounted and walked up to Yao Ningde, sternly scolding him, "Master Yao, are you trying to disobey my order?"
Yao Ningde looked unhappy and quickly argued, "I didn't... didn't intend to do anything."
Rao Yongan gave Yao Ningde a deep look and spoke in a warning tone, "I hope so. Lord Yao is currently a serious criminal under my escort. His Majesty has issued an order that if Lord Yao dares to resist, I will take extreme measures to control him."
"I will obey your Majesty's instructions."
Yao Ningde knelt down and saluted in the direction of the imperial palace. After a long time, he stood up and glared at Zhou Tinglan fiercely.
Zhou Tinglan ignored him completely. He thought Yao Ningde was just a dying grasshopper. He was no longer a big deal and was nothing to be afraid of.
There was no unusual movement on the road afterwards, and Yao Ningde walked quietly and honestly in the team.
"Master Rao, where are we going later?"
Rao Yongan glanced at Zhou Tinglan who had spoken: "His Majesty has ordered that you go to the side hall to rest for the night. Tomorrow the eunuch will come to summon you to court."
"Thank you, Master Rao."
The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a shadow on the stone pavement in the palace. The night breeze blew gently, and the place was quiet and peaceful.
The group came to the side hall. As soon as they stepped into the door, Zhou Tinglan heard a familiar voice.
"Taohong, why haven't Miss Zhou and the others arrived yet? Didn't the Emperor tell Lord Rao to go find them?"
"Your Highness, please wait a moment. I will go check outside the door for you."
Princess Zhaoyang sat at the sandalwood table with gold thread edges. She lowered her head and looked at the table listlessly. Beside her was still a maid in pink palace dress.
It is not the peach and willow trees that one sees in the clothing shop during the day.
"Your Highness, they are here! Miss Zhou is fine!"
Zhou Tinglan saw the maid trying to walk towards the door. When she saw them, she turned around and ran back to Princess Zhaoyang and exclaimed.
"Miss Zhou."
"I greet Her Royal Highness the Princess."
Zhou Tinglan saluted Princess Zhaoyang, and the others behind him did the same.
However, before she could bend down, she was stopped by two hands: "Miss Zhou, please don't be polite."
Princess Zhaoyang raised her eyes and glanced at the people in the side hall. "Everyone, get up. I am worried that Miss Zhou will be harmed by some treacherous ministers, so I went to ask my father to call the officials of the Imperial City Department. You have worked hard late into the night."
When she retracted her gaze, she glanced at Yao Ningde coldly: "Master Yao, you have worked hard too."
Yao Ningde felt a chill down his spine and couldn't help but shiver a few times: "Your Highness, I...I am not tired."
Rao Yongan bowed and replied, "Your Highness, I am very grateful for your compliment. I am only doing my duty."
"Master Rao, I have something private to say to Miss Zhou. I hope you can be kind enough to take them to another room in the side hall."
"Your Highness, please do as you please."
Suddenly, only Zhou Tinglan, Princess Zhaoyang and her maidservants were left in the side hall.
"Your Highness, I will take my leave first."
"No need." Princess Zhaoyang waved her hand. "Taohong, you stay and make tea for me and Miss Zhou."
"Yes." Taohong picked up the tea set on the table.
"Why can't I see the peach and willow trees beside His Highness?"
Although Zhou Tinglan knew that there must be more than just Tao Liu serving Princess Zhaoyang, she still asked curiously.
"Miss Zhou, please don't mention that slave girl in front of His Highness anymore. It makes His Highness angry when you mention her."
Taohong, who was steaming tea, spoke indignantly.
Zhou Tinglan was surprised and said quickly, "Your Highness, I didn't know. Please forgive me."
"No problem, ignorance is not a crime. I should also let you know about this matter."
Let her know? Zhou Tinglan was even more surprised that she had to know about the mistake made by Princess Zhaoyang's maid.
She didn't make any mistakes.
"Don't be surprised. This matter is simple. Everyone in the capital knows that I adore General Xie. Today, I witnessed the relationship between you and General Xie in the prison and was envious. After returning to the palace, I thought about the foolish things I had done before. They were all instigated by Tao Liu."
Princess Zhaoyang paused and said, "For this matter, I should apologize to you."
Zhou Tinglan suddenly pretended to be terrified and said, "Your Highness, I cannot bear your courtesy. I hope that Your Highness can find a good husband and find a happy marriage in the future."
Princess Zhaoyang chuckled, "Don't joke, Miss Zhou. I don't want to think about this right now."
That’s right, in ancient times, women never had the chance to decide their own marriages.
Parents’ orders and matchmaker’s words are the norm.
What's more, Princess Zhaoyang is the princess of the Great Zhao Kingdom, so this is even more so.
"Your Highness, I am sincere. How could I possibly joke with you?"
Princess Zhaoyang laughed out loud when she saw Zhou Tinglan's servile appearance.
At that time, the tea was steamed, and Taohong poured a cup of hot tea for each of them.
Through the white steam rising from the teacup, Zhou Tinglan looked at Princess Zhaoyang: "Your Highness, how did you know that I would be kidnapped by Yao Ningde tonight, and how did you send someone to rescue me in time?"
Princess Zhaoyang recalled, "After I returned to the palace, I transferred Taoliu to another palace. Thinking of the way Yao Ningde looked at you in the prison, I felt that he might make a move today, so I went to ask my brother for a secret guard."
"So your Highness's secret guards couldn't find me?"
Princess Zhaoyang lifted the teacup in her hand and motioned Taohong to pour it. She took a sip of the hot tea before continuing, "Indeed, the secret guards were unable to find you, but they did report to me that Minister Yao was acting strangely."
"I sensed something was amiss, and immediately went to ask my father to send the Imperial City Guards to apprehend Minister Yao."
Zhou Tinglan was delighted: "So Your Majesty already knows about Yao Ningde's crimes?"
Princess Zhaoyang sighed, "Father has actually been aware of this for a long time, but he has never been able to find any evidence. I have already informed you that you have evidence. I will not be at court tomorrow, but I have asked my brother to help you."
"Your Highness! Will that affect him?"
"No, my father has already tacitly agreed. My brother is the crown prince of the Great Zhao Kingdom. If this matter is handled successfully, his reputation will rise, which will be beneficial to the country."
Zhou Tinglan thought to herself that she already had enough evidence in her hands, and now she had the help of the prince.
Yao Ningde is becoming more and more decisive.
"Your Highness, I have one more thing I would like to ask of you."
The two chatted for a while, and Princess Zhaoyang soon left the side hall. Taohong followed her instructions and took Zhou Tinglan to rest.
**
The next day, everyone was taken to the side of the hall by the eunuch.
Yao Ningde was no longer as anxious as he was last night. He was calm and composed, as if it was not him who was about to be dealt with in the palace.
The morning court session was already halfway through when the emperor called the eunuch to bring them to the main hall.
"Long live His Majesty!"
After entering the hall, everyone knelt down and saluted the emperor.
After standing up, Zhou Tinglan lowered his head, glanced at everyone in the hall, and recognized the location of the prince.
However, who is Prince Duan?
"Prince, didn't you just tell me that the Minister of War would be absent from the morning court today? Why is he here again?"
The emperor seemed to have just discovered Yao Ningde and pointed at Yao Ningde below in surprise.
If Zhou Tinglan had not learned from Princess Zhaoyang that the emperor knew everything, no one would have thought that the emperor was pretending based on his behavior.
Actors! As expected, everyone in the ancient court was a tough guy!
The prince stepped forward and saluted: "It is my fault."
The emperor withdrew his finger: "What's your fault?"
"I shouldn't have lied to you, Father. Minister Yao wasn't actually absent from the morning court. Instead, I was confined to a side hall, awaiting your order."
"Then let me hear what crime did Minister Yao commit?"
Although Yao Ningde's face was a little pale at this time, he did not look afraid.
"I learned from Zhaoyang that she happened to see Minister Yao's followers bullying the people in a clothing shop on the street. I have found the shop manager. She happened to have evidence of Minister Yao's crimes and can come out to testify."
"Who is the shop manager the prince is talking about?"
The emperor's sharp gaze swept over the crowd, and Zhou Tinglan quickly saluted: "Your Majesty, it is you who is my subject."
"You?" Suspicion flashed in the emperor's eyes.
"Your Majesty, I am not actually the manager of the clothing shop. Yesterday, I was just visiting a good friend. I am the Northern Frontier City Railway Officer appointed by Your Majesty personally, and I am also the daughter of the former Prime Minister Zhou Yiming."
The emperor suddenly realized: "I remember you. Didn't you say you fell off a cliff and died? Did you bring the imperial sword you forged for me?"
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Sword has been forged and is on its way. Your Majesty will receive it shortly."
"Good!" The emperor turned to look at Censor Lai and said, "My dear Lord Lai, you didn't find the blacksmith I asked you to find. Look, here comes another one."
Censor Lai stepped out and saluted: "Your Majesty, the swordsmith I mentioned is also Zhou Tieguan."
"That's quite a coincidence," the emperor exclaimed. "But I wonder where the evidence of the crime that the Crown Prince just mentioned, Lord Zhou, is?"
"Your Majesty, please wait a moment." Zhou Tinglan turned to the eunuch who brought them to the palace and asked, "Could you please bring me the box I brought?"
"I'll bring it over right away."
The father-in-law is from Princess Zhaoyang's palace.
Zhou Tinglan wrote the location of the evidence in a letter last night and asked Princess Zhaoyang to send a secret guard to the clothing shop to find Su Mingzhuo and retrieve the evidence together with the knives she had forged before.
The box was carried into the hall by the eunuch. Zhou Tinglan smiled and looked at Yao Ningde and opened the box.
"Your Majesty, the box contains the sword I forged for Your Majesty. The other swords were given to the ministers. The letters and documents in the box are the evidence I collected against Minister Yao."
The eunuch presented the knife and evidence to the emperor. After the emperor flipped through the evidence, his expression became even uglier.
"Minister Yao, what do you want to say to me?"
The emperor slammed the letter heavily on the table.
Yao Ningde knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please understand. The evidence on the table was probably forged by Zhou Tieguan. You should know that Zhou Tieguan once disguised herself as a servant of Minister Shen to sneak into my residence and into my study. It is also possible that she secretly altered my official seal!"
How shameless! She still tried to argue even when she was about to die. She said how could Yao Ningde be so calm? It turned out he was waiting for this to happen!
"Minister Shen, is this true?"
Minister Shen stepped out and saluted. "Your Majesty, I brought a new servant to the banquet at Minister Yao's residence. He was on duty at my residence in place of my cousin. In my opinion, Zhou Tieguan does bear some resemblance to that servant."
Zhou Tinglan secretly thought that things were not going well. Since she was already standing in the hall, there was no reason for her to retreat.
How can we break this situation?
Suddenly, a voice sounded beside her.
"Your Majesty, I would like to ask for your permission. I can testify that everything Zhou Tieguan said is true."
As soon as these words were spoken, all the officials in the hall looked over.
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