Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Even her body was covered in it…
he?
Upon hearing this, Chunming blinked in surprise.
She understood after a moment. She glanced past the girl and looked at the tall figure behind her. He had bright eyes and sharp eyebrows, and his figure was tall and straight like a pine tree. A hint of arrogance surrounded him, and his brows revealed an undeniable and unquestionable authority. However, when he looked at the young lady, his deep eyes were filled with a little bit of heartache.
It seems that His Highness Prince Su is fond of the young lady.
The gloom that had lingered in Chunming's heart for many years finally dissipated somewhat. If the young lady was not doing well, she would find it difficult to comfort the young lady who was cruelly murdered, and she would not know how to face the young lady a hundred years later.
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Biezhi took a clean handkerchief and wiped away the tears on her face. She then took the teacup and handed it to her, indicating that she should drink some to soothe her throat.
After finishing her tea, Chunming belatedly noticed three figures entering the study. One of them looked very familiar; she recognized him as Song Minghui, the former prefect of Suzhou. The moment their eyes met, the tears she had been holding back welled up again, and she knelt down abruptly: "This humble woman begs Your Highness to thoroughly investigate the massacre of the Suzhou family! They were not bandits!"
A heart-wrenching voice echoed in the quiet study. Biezhi raised her eyelids and looked at the silent man. Her calm and expressionless face revealed no emotion. She helped Chunming up from her kneeling position, her voice slightly hoarse: "Do you know who it is?"
"Zhang Yan." Chunming's voice trembled, filled with boundless hatred. She would never forget that face until her death. "Zhang Yan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works."
In an instant, the study fell completely silent.
Su Ci glanced at the solemn-looking Prince Su under the dappled light and shadow, and pressed for an answer: "How can you be sure it's Zhang Yan?"
"I will never forget his face until I die." Chunming gritted her teeth, forcibly stopping her trembling teeth, and said word by word, "I didn't know that the evil ghost was Zhang Yan. Last year, I came to the capital with Chen Ming and came to the Prince's Mansion. I accidentally bumped into him and asked him some questions before I learned that his name was Zhang Yan and that he was the current Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works."
When she learned his identity, her blood seemed to freeze.
Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works.
He was promoted by His Highness Prince Su to the position of Vice Minister of Works.
A chilling glint appeared in Fu Huaiqing's dark eyes.
He calmly fiddled with the white jade thumb ring, then gave Jiang Yue a look. From her words, he knew that she only recognized Zhang Yan, but was unaware of why Zhang Yan had slaughtered the entire Bian family.
After Chunming finished speaking, she glanced around and saw that everyone looked like they understood. Her eyelashes trembled, and she turned to look at the young lady who was supporting her. She also had an expression that said, "I knew it all along."
Bie Zhi patted the back of her hand reassuringly, turned to look at Fu Huaiqing, and said with pursed lips, "There's only one day left."
If Zhang Yan cannot be killed tomorrow, and he is allowed to leave the capital, he will only be allowed to roam freely. The thought of him being able to live peacefully in the world for nearly twenty years made Biezhi's eyes redden slightly.
The girl's almond-shaped eyes, which were usually brimming with bright smiles, were now as calm as still water. Fu Huaiqing frowned slightly, understanding what she wanted to do. She couldn't wait until tomorrow; she was going to make her move on Zhang Yan tonight.
Jiang Yue led the group away, while Chunming looked back at her young mistress with reluctance.
The study door was pushed open and closed again, in just a short moment.
Fu Huaiqing frowned as he looked at her. "Tonight?"
"Hmm." Biezhi nodded.
She took a deep breath and blinked, suppressing the tears that were about to spill from her eyes.
Overnight, 127 people were affected.
How did he manage to live a life without any guilt? "For nineteen whole years, he never felt uneasy for even a single day."
Her people, however, will never see the world's splendor again, buried in the cold, dark earth.
Biezhi bit her lip and said in a trembling voice, "Killing such a cruel person is also doing justice for Heaven."
The girl's eyes welled with tears, her shimmering gaze like a clear spring.
Fu Huaiqing sighed softly, stepped forward, put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. He patted her gently as if comforting a child, each movement more tender than the last. He said nothing else, only, "Come back safely."
Upon hearing this, Biezhi raised her eyes and met the man's lowered gaze.
The tenderness in his eyes was almost overflowing, mixed with the love she usually ignored. She pursed her lips, stood on tiptoe, and tilted her head back to place a kiss on the corner of his mouth.
Fu Huaiqing's cold eyes froze for a moment.
What greeted her was not just a kiss, but also her heartfelt sentiments.
In an instant, the man's thin lips followed and covered the girl's tightly pursed lips.
Torn and entangled.
The scorching heat filled the air, almost completely enveloping the branches. It pushed her teeth apart and instantly swallowed all the breath from her throat.
Fu Huaiqing tasted the slightly bitter tears, placed his large hand on the girl's face, and gently pushed away the tears that overflowed from the corners of her eyes. He withdrew slightly and slowly breathed into her, before taking away his own breath that lingered in her throat.
The cycle repeats itself.
His scent lingered all over her body.
Fu Huaiqing wiped the water stains from the girl's lips with his fingertips, the gentle touch of his fingers seeming both tender and fierce, as if he wanted to etch this moment into his heart. "Go in peace, I'm here for you."
"Don't worry." Bie Zhi's voice was slightly hoarse, and her bright eyes sparkled. She raised an eyebrow and said, "I'll come back and settle the score with you."
"She pretended to be Ji Ran to deceive me, afraid that I would recognize that it was the master who had taken the medicine from the mountain dwelling and turned into an unpleasant water buffalo sound. She cheated me out of five hundred taels of silver by being a big shopkeeper." She counted the things one by one on her fingers. "She was afraid that I would really marry Ji Ran and tried to stop me in every way. She even dared to ask me on purpose whether Ji Ran had agreed. Then she pretended to be Ji Ran and politely refused me. I still remember all of these things. Your Highness, don't think that nothing happened."
She still remembers everything that happened in the past.
And he wrote down every single word in the book, determined not to let him off so easily.
I will definitely come back safely and settle the score with him.
"How could I allow His Highness Prince Su to deceive me without suffering any punishment? Your Highness, don't even think about getting away with it."
Upon hearing this, Fu Huaiqing's eyes curved into a smile.
He brushed aside the stray hairs in front of the girl's eyes. "Are you sure this isn't a reward?"
Biezhi blinked.
award?
Seeing the ambiguous smile in the man's eyes, she was speechless.
Enraged, Biezhi couldn't help but raise her hand and shove him. However, she forgot to control her strength and pushed Fu Huaiqing back a few steps until his back hit the bookshelf, at which point he stopped.
She glanced down at her outstretched palms and chuckled apologetically.
Fu Huaiqing: "..."
Before he could even grab her, she darted away.
Biezhi pushed open the study door and was suddenly met with four or five pairs of eyes standing in the courtyard. One of them was Xiang Lin, who had returned to the capital at some point and looked tense. Her master was also there. They were all waiting outside, seemingly waiting for Fu Huaiqing's order. She thought for a moment, stopped and turned around.
"If you're worried, you can send some people to follow me."
I can handle things myself, and I don't want him to be in a state of anxiety because of me.
Without waiting for his reply, she turned sharply and walked toward her master, who had been looking at her for a long time, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
Ling Feng, who had just arrived after hearing the news, frowned. He looked at his disciple, who had made up his mind, and his lips moved but he could not say a word.
In the end, it was someone else who spoke first.
She said, "Don't worry, Master, I'll come back to take care of you in your old age."
Familiar words echoed throughout the tranquil academy. Ling Feng sighed helplessly and deeply. His disciple was unusually persistent in taking care of him in his old age.
He nodded and said, "I'll be relying on you to support me in my old age."
For the first time without being refuted, Biezhi nodded excitedly and left the academy with light steps.
Those who left with her included Cheng Jin and the others who had just returned to the courtyard.
As soon as the girl's figure left the courtyard, everyone's gaze, which had been following her, abruptly turned to the man standing under the eaves. Xiang Lin was the quickest to recover; he strode forward, took out the booklet from his pocket, bent down, and handed it to him.
"Following Your Highness and Miss Biezhi's instructions, I went to Suzhou to investigate and found that someone had purchased a large quantity of sleeping pills on the black market before the massacre of the entire family in Suzhou." Xiang Lin calculated that the sleeping pills he bought could easily knock out thousands of people. However, "the sleeping pills were not purchased in Zhang Yan's name, but by the current head of the Xu family, who used the alias Dai Mao."
Anyone who steps into the black market, even with an alias or another identity, will be completely exposed to the black market vendors, let alone such a large-scale purchase of sleeping pills.
On the night the Bian family was killed, they realized that the massacre was inextricably linked to the Xu family.
“They all do shady business, so naturally they won’t reveal too much about the buyers. Even if they know that the Bian family’s massacre was inextricably linked to the Xu family, they won’t show up rashly.” Before Xiang Lin returned to the capital, he had already ordered his men to rush to the Xu family’s location and secretly surround them. “They haven’t figured out what grudge the Xu family and the Bian family have all these years.”
Fu Huaiqing gave a faint "hmm," showing no particular surprise.
As early as when Xu Wenche entered the capital and Zhang Yan appeared beside him, he realized that the connection between Zhang Yan and the Xu family was not just a matter of their early acquaintance as it appeared on the surface. "The Xu family secretly sent Helan Daisong to the Li Dynasty, and they have long been in the same boat."
Suddenly, Lin Yiqing and Su Ci looked at each other and saw the surprise in each other's eyes.
The Xu family, traitors?
Fu Huaiqing smirked and said coldly, "Send an order to Wang Chuan to personally lead his men over there. Make sure to take down the Xu family first thing tomorrow morning."
If the massacre of the Bian family is related to the Xu family, it must be because the Bian family sensed something, or they possessed evidence of the Xu family's treason, and were unwilling to ally with the Xu family, which led to their tragic annihilation.
One hundred and twenty-seven people in total, not a single one was spared.
Xiang Lin hurriedly accepted the order and left.
He had just returned to the capital half an hour earlier, but he left the city again.
Fu Huaiqing glanced sideways. "Where is Xu Wenche?"
“Qing Shi Zhai,” Ling Feng replied, “Ming Zhe is with him, never leaving his side.”
"Take Qingshan and the others over there." Fu Huaiqing's knuckles curled slightly as he tapped the table lightly, the crisp sound mixed with a hint of dullness slowly echoing in the study, like a sharp blade striking the heart. "Before Zhang Yan leaves, he will definitely meet with him."
Ling Feng frowned.
If Biezhi rushes to the Zhang residence now, she might find it empty.
Without hesitation, he hurriedly went to Baidinglou to find Shang Qingshan and the others.
As one figure after another departed, only the court officials, led by Lin Yiqing, remained in the study. Su Ci and Song Minghui stood on either side of him, awaiting the orders from the man behind the desk.
Tomorrow's morning court session will be a major battle for them.
The Prince Su's Academy was brightly lit, but the surrounding streets had already fallen into night. The streets, which were bustling with people during the day, were now shrouded in darkness and desolation, leaving only boundless tranquility.
In the darkness, only a lone figure carrying a sword hurried along, weaving through the mansions on both sides of the street, passing through the sounds of string and bamboo instruments, and disappearing outside the taverns where drunken poets and singers sang loudly, making its way to another desolate street.
Passing by a courtyard with the words "Zhang Mansion" on its gate plaque, the hurried figure paused for a moment before continuing on his way.
Using the Zhang residence as a central point, Biezhi searched the surrounding area to make sure there were no shadowy figures hiding outside the Zhang residence before walking to the wall about two people high in the backyard of the Zhang residence and nimbly scaling it over.
Her steps were light and she didn't make a sound.
The sound of the breeze rustling through the dense foliage was far more intense than the sound of her landing.
She crouched low and walked along the wall, listening intently to the sounds coming from the courtyard. The lights in the courtyard swayed gently in the breeze, sometimes passing by and sometimes falling back down. The place was as quiet as a dead house.
The main courtyard was quiet. A woman leaned against the wall of the pavilion for a moment, then lowered her gaze and slowly peered inside.
She climbed the wall. The study, which was separated from the main courtyard by only one wall, was brightly lit. There were two guards standing guard in the courtyard outside the study. She looked through the window at the figures inside.
One, two.
Biezhi frowned slightly.
Besides Zhang Yan, there were other people present.
Just as she was about to move down to deal with the figure in the courtyard, she caught a glimpse of a figure hidden behind the top beam of the study. Her expression hardened, and she raised her hand to tug at the black cloth covering the lower half of her face. After making sure that the figure wouldn't suddenly fall, she quickly rushed up the wall towards the top of the study.
The moment they met, Biezhi tightly stopped, the blade between her fingers barely stopping half an inch from Mingzhe's eyes, and the sword that was about to fall on her neck also barely steadied itself.
The two siblings recognized each other in the darkness.
Mingzhe frowned, his gaze sweeping over her figure up and down, before letting out a sigh of relief.
During his mission, he only knew that Jing Qing had betrayed the building and led more than twenty assassins to attack Bie Zhi. When his master heard the news, the secret guards he sent just managed to stop Jing Qing. In order to cover his tracks, Bie Zhi also hid in the shadows to recuperate.
And at this very moment, she appeared before him dressed in this very outfit.
"Your new mission is to kill Zhang Yan?" Mingzhe asked, puzzled.
Hearing the slow breathing of her senior brother, Bie Zhifu snapped out of her thoughts and asked instead of answering, "Is the other person in the study Xu Wenche?"
“It was him.” Mingzhe bent down and slightly lifted one of the tiles. “He arrived about half a cup of tea ago.”
Xu Wenche's figure could be seen just through the narrow gap.
Bie Zhi frowned slightly, recalling what Zhang Yan had said earlier when she was with Xu Wenche. Her clear eyes darkened a bit, and she stopped dealing with Zhang Yan and instead bent down to listen.
Xu Wenche leaned against the wall in the study, looking at Zhang Yan who was rummaging through drawers and cabinets not far away with a bored expression. He didn't understand why Zhang Yan was so anxious. "You sent someone to find me in the middle of the night just so I could watch Lord Zhang go through things?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan glanced at him, ignoring his sarcastic remarks, and continued to flip through the book in his hand. Although many years had passed and he had moved several times, this book box had always been with him and had never left his hands for even half a day.
Only when you turn to the very bottom can you glimpse the book that he has read many times.
Two letters were tucked inside the book.
One letter was already yellowed and had been there for some years, while the other was brand new. The paper was the Dragon Boat Festival paper that had only become popular last year. Zhang Yan opened the new letter, examined it for a while, and then folded it up.
He stood up, casually tossing the letter onto the edge of the desk, and said politely, "I will have to trouble you, Young Master Xu, to go back and inform your father that I will arrive at the border between the Li Dynasty and the Xilan Kingdom in ten days. He must make sure I leave the Li Dynasty and that he escorts me safely into the capital of the Xilan Kingdom."
Upon hearing his words, Xu Wenche frowned and straightened up. "What has happened to Lord Zhang that makes him want to flee the Li Dynasty?"
The Xu family has been doing business between the Li Dynasty and the Xilan Kingdom for many years. Although it is not an easy task to bring someone back and forth between the two countries, it is not difficult as long as the person is not involved in any matters investigated by the government.
Zhang Yan was an official of the imperial court. If he wanted to enter the Western Lan Kingdom, he could naturally obtain official documents.
Official documents are far more straightforward and respectable than the Xu family secretly taking them away.
unless--
"What has Lord Zhang done that he is in such a hurry to leave Li Dynasty?" Xu Wenche's gaze slowly swept around, and he finally realized that something was wrong.
Apart from the book box at Zhang Yan's feet and the books that he had just taken out and scattered on the outside, the entire study was clean and tidy. Even the books on the bookshelves were brand new and untouched, as if someone had deliberately found them to put on a show.
"Although the Xu family has known Lord Zhang for many years, it's not like they can do everything with him—"
"Whether or not you send me away is not your decision," Zhang Yan interrupted him calmly, glancing at the letter lying on the desk. "Take it back yourself, and your father will make his own decision."
Xu Wenche frowned, sensing the certainty in his words.
He was clearly very certain that the Xu family would not refuse his request and would deliver him safely to the capital of Xilan Kingdom.
After exchanging glances for a moment, Xu Wenche stepped forward and took the letter that was lying quietly on the desk.
He held the letter in his hand, his gaze fixed on Zhang Yan, who appeared calm and composed but was actually tense all over, and opened the letter.
The moment Xu Wenche saw the writing on the letter, his eyes widened, and his thoughts became a jumbled mess, so stiff that he couldn't stir them up no matter how hard he tried.
Zhang Yan lowered his gaze and glanced at the boy's trembling fingers clutching the letter. The veins on the back of his fair hand were almost bursting out. He said thoughtfully, "Young Master Xu is now at the age to shoulder great responsibilities, yet the Xu family head hasn't informed you. It's clear he truly intends to take this matter to his grave. However—"
He chuckled. "Did you really think you could escape?"
Xu Wenche tensed up and looked up in disbelief.
The entire sheet of letter was covered with flowing handwriting.
The beginning of the letter is self-explanatory.
"Based on the reputation of the Bian family in Suzhou over the past century, I hereby accuse the Xu family of Jingzhou of treason and collusion with the enemy, secretly bringing the enemy general Helan Daisong into the country to spy on our military situation."
Next, we will describe the course of events.
"The Bian family was wiped out, and the Xu family played a major role in it." Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow, suddenly recalling the girl who had been accompanying him from time to time recently. Since Jing Qing had already taken action, she could not escape death, and now no one knows where she rests in peace. "The second young lady of the Qin family that you met some time ago, do you really think she is the second young lady of the Qin family?"
Xu Wenche's breathing faltered slightly, and it took him a while to find his voice, "What do you mean?"
“She is the last surviving member of the Bian family.” Zhang Yan chuckled coldly. He hadn’t expected that someone could take her away. The baby that Madam Bian had held in her arms that night was not the youngest daughter of the Bian family. “Fortunately, her appearance is very similar to Madam Bian’s. Otherwise, she would have really escaped this calamity.”
"Alright, alright, why bother telling you all this? We've already dealt with her, you should be at ease now." Zhang Yan bent down to tidy up the scattered books.
"She is innocent."
Suddenly, Xu Wenche's stern voice rang in his ears, and his childish words made Zhang Yan chuckle, "Naive."
If he could recognize this person as the last surviving member of the Bian family, how could the court officials appointed in Suzhou not recognize him?
“The master ordered the silencing of witnesses back then, and now there is still one person left in the world. Do you think he would remain indifferent if he heard about this? At that time, not only me, but the entire Xu family will be buried with the Bian family.” Zhang Yan was tired of laughing and too lazy to argue with this young man who was only in his early twenties. He said, “Please ask Young Master Xu to leave the capital early tomorrow morning to settle this matter as soon as possible.”
"The lives of the entire Xu family are now in your hands."
The shocking words made Mingzhe's eyelids twitch.
Did the Xu family betray their country?
Was the Vice Minister of Works a spy from the Western Lan Kingdom?
This matter is of great importance and must be reported to higher authorities.
However, this was not a decision that Mingzhe could make alone. He planned to return to Baidinglou to tell Qingshan about it. Just as he was about to get up, his wrist was grabbed by his junior sister, who was squatting down listening to him.
Mingzhe lowered his eyes and met the girl's calm and indifferent gaze.
Biezhi only knew that Zhang Yan had a good relationship with the Xu family, and according to Xu Wenche's previous statement, the relationship between the Xu family and the Bian family was even more intimate.
I never expected it to be so profound.
She twitched the corners of her mouth, glanced at the two figures in the courtyard, and gave her senior brother a look.
The moment he received her signal, Mingzhe understood what she meant. Although he didn't know what she was planning to do, dealing with a guard was just a matter of course for him.
Two dark figures darted down from the ceiling of the study and disappeared into the darkness.
Biezhi and Mingzhe exchanged a glance and then split up into two groups.
She crouched low and carefully slipped through the bright window, gliding swiftly to the treetops. With a clenched fist, she swiftly slashed at the neck of one of the men, while her other hand deftly covered his mouth, silencing any groans that escaped.
The unconscious guard suddenly collapsed, but Biezhi supported him and lifted his strong body like a chick, throwing him to the corner of the wall. When she returned to the courtyard, she saw Mingzhe give her a hand gesture, indicating that he had also dealt with the other person.
Biezhi bowed to him in thanks and watched him leave.
If I wasn't mistaken when I arrived, there are a total of ten guards in the Zhang residence. The guards that my senior brother dealt with earlier must have been brought by Xu Wenche. Now that two of them have been dealt with, there are eight left.
The eight people were distributed in different courtyards.
The Zhang residence wasn't large; if they heard the noise, they would arrive quickly.
There are many residences on the same street as the Zhang family mansion, most of which are the residences of officials appointed by the imperial court. The sounds of fighting would surely attract their attention. Even if Fu Huaiqing could clean up the mess for her, Biezhi still did not want to cause too much unnecessary trouble.
She heard faint footsteps beside her and her eyes narrowed slightly.
Time passed slowly, and before anyone knew how much time had gone by, when night had fallen, Xu Wenche finally came out.
His steps were not as brisk as usual, and he showed no signs of being in high spirits. He walked very fast, seemingly unaware that his guards were not in the courtyard.
A branch climbs up the wall, disappearing into the darkness as it moves forward.
She watched as Xu Wenche walked out of the study courtyard archway, leaped down, crouched low, and caught up behind him. She raised her hand and slashed at his neck just as before. Xu Wenche didn't even have time to make a sound before he fainted to the ground.
Dragging him into the shadows, Biezhi flipped through his sleeves but couldn't find the letter Zhang Yan had just handed him. After scrutinizing his body for a moment, she decisively ripped open his clothes.
A casual glance revealed a letter inside his undergarment.
Bie Zhi carefully put away the letter in his arms, glanced at Cheng Jin on the wall, and gestured for him to come and take Xu Wenche back.
Watching the girl's resolute departure, Cheng Jin hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.
Logically, he should have reported every detail of tonight's events to His Highness.
But should they report to the prince that their future princess has undressed another man...?
Biezhi still remembered the locations where the guards of the Zhang family were stationed.
She checked each case one by one, tackling them one by one.
After dealing with the last guard, she slightly raised her eyes and looked towards the direction of the academy not far away.
Without a moment's hesitation, with no obstacles in the courtyard, she nimbly crossed the long corridor of the Zhang residence, her sharp eyes spotting Zhang Yan emerging from the study.
Just as Zhang Yan stepped out of the study's courtyard archway, he caught a glimpse of a sword blade reflecting a sharp light.
In a short while, a sharp blade pressed against his throat.
Biezhi held the longsword, the blade sliding slowly upwards against the man's throat, the blood seeping out soaking the man's clothes. The blade pressed against the man's neck at the chin, slowly piercing in half an inch.
Zhang Yan's eyes showed no sign of surprise as he frowned and said, "You're still alive."
"Yes." Upon hearing this, Biezhi's lips curved into a smile, revealing an innocent and romantic expression on her pretty face. "Not only are you alive, but I'm also here to take your life."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan knew that she already knew everything, and he retreated step by step.
Seeing this, Biezhi slightly bent her wrist and decisively threw down the sword. She quickly stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and swiftly pinched the man's neck. Her free palm clenched into a fist and suddenly raised it.
Zhang Yan, whose back was throbbing with pain, couldn't move an inch. He hadn't expected the girl to have such immense strength despite her small frame. The incoming fist was unstoppable, and he instinctively closed his eyes, but after a while, the fist still hadn't landed.
Zhang Yan opened his eyes, and the girl's tightly clenched fist was only a finger's width away from his eyes.
Before leaving the Prince Su's residence, Biezhi really intended to kill him.
However, on her way to the Zhang residence, she was thinking about it.
To die so easily was far too swift for Zhang Yan.
A spy, a Li Dynasty official who served the Xilan Kingdom, a demon who led the massacre of the Bian family, died silently by her blade without ever facing any reproach. How could she console the souls of those who perished because of him?
besides……
Will Fu Huaiqing encounter unnecessary and thorny problems because of his handling of the situation?
Bie Zhi let out a heavy sigh, "Cheng Jin."
The moment the name escaped the girl's lips, Zhang Yan's eyes widened suddenly. He frowned and looked through the corner of his eye at the figure leaping down from the top of the wall. Following behind him were the guards he had seen with His Highness Prince Su.
The initial panic finally subsided, and he struggled desperately.
Biezhi watched his struggle as if it were an inanimate object, then slowly pressed in a little further, "How much longer until the morning court session?"
Cheng Jin glanced at the sky. "There's still half an hour left."
“He also entered the palace at this hour.” Bie Zhi slightly loosened her grip on Zhang Yan’s hand, tossing him aside as if he were filth.
The waiting guards immediately stepped forward and captured him.
Bie Zhi took out the letter she had just taken from Xu Wenche's pocket and handed it to Cheng Jin. As she opened her mouth slightly, she pondered for a moment, then quickly went to the study and rummaged through the drawers and cabinets. It took her some effort to find the yellowed letter mixed in with the books in the book box.
The contents of the two letters were exactly the same; the only difference was the handwriting.
At the end of the yellowed letter were two names with different handwriting.
Bian He, Lu Jingshi.
One style of running script is elegant and flowing, while the other is crisp and clean; each has its own merits.
Bie Zhi's breath hitched slightly, and he couldn't speak for a long time.
She didn't know what their feelings were when they wrote that letter.
The letter was completed with the signature.
Biezhi didn't know whether the letter was intercepted on its way out or whether the Bian family had already met with misfortune before it was even delivered, but no matter what, she wanted to give them justice.
She carefully put away the yellowed letter. "Take the letter in your hand to him."
Cheng Jin nodded and accepted the order.
After exchanging glances for a moment, seeing that he still showed no sign of leaving, Biezhi hummed in confusion, "Aren't you coming?"
"Would you like to come to the palace with me, Miss?" Cheng Jin asked, finally uttering the words that had been lingering in his mind for a long time. Before coming here, he had already been thinking about how to bring it up, and whether she should go back to the Prince's mansion to wash away the bloodstains on her body. Now she was standing here clean and tidy. "His Highness would probably want to see you as soon as possible."
Biezhi thought about it and agreed.
The carriage from Prince Su's residence quickly stopped in front of Zhang's residence. The court officials who were leaving their residences to enter the palace saw the carriage parked outside Zhang's residence and thought they were seeing things because they were still half asleep. Only when they caught a glimpse of everyone's astonished expressions did they realize that they had not seen wrong.
Before long, a young girl emerged from the Zhang residence, followed by Cheng Jin.
The assembled officials watched as the young girl stepped into the palanquin and the guards of Prince Su's residence escorted Zhang Yan out.
Suddenly, they looked at each other in bewilderment.
They all realized that things seemed to be about to change.
Something big is sure to happen in the court today.
Without lingering any longer, they turned around and searched for their own carriages, urging their drivers to hurry to the palace.
Gazing at the towering and massive palace walls, Biezhi, who had never set foot in the palace before, widened her eyes slightly. Her gaze swept over the patrolling guards, confirming what the people of the capital had said: none of the men who served in the palace were ugly or deformed.
A handsome face and a tall, upright figure, each with their own unique charm.
Without exception, they all perfectly matched her aesthetic.
However, the matter was not yet resolved, and she was not in the mood to look at what the guards looked like. Just as she was about to urge Cheng Jin to deliver the letter, she caught a glimpse of Fu Shuning running over, lifting her skirt. The corner of her slightly parted lips returned to its original position.
Fu Shuning looked the girl up and down, and then quickly said, "I was so worried when I heard that my sister was going to deal with him."
"I'm fine." Biezhi didn't expect that she had also heard about this. After thinking for a moment, she stretched out her hand, took half a step back, and turned around generously to show her. "The people around him are all amateurs. They can't do anything to me."
Fu Shuning's gaze followed the girl's figure, and after confirming that there were no injuries on her body, her heart, which had been in her throat, settled down. "Brother entered the palace very early today. I couldn't sleep either, so I got up to go and see what was going on. When I saw that Lord Lin and other cabinet ministers were also entering the palace with him, I realized that something was wrong."
She didn't bother her brother, but instead grabbed Jiang Yue and questioned him.
After nearly half an hour of questioning, the two stared at each other for a long time before a guard rushed over. After bowing, he leaned down and whispered in Jiang Yue's ear. After hearing his report, Jiang Yue breathed a long sigh of relief.
He stepped forward, knocked on the door, and went inside to report.
When he came out again, he told Fu Shuning what had happened.
Fu Shuning was terrified. No one had told her that so much had happened in just half a day. "I was worried that your brother would lock you up if he caught you eavesdropping."
Biezhi: "..."
It would have been better if she hadn't mentioned it, because once she did, she remembered it.
"If we get caught again in the future, we mustn't reveal anything, okay?"
Fu Shuning also remembered her hasty words and complained pitifully, "It's because my brother is too fierce."
And it's not just this time, it's always the same.
Without Fu Huaiqing even having to ask, she had already sold herself out completely.
Upon hearing this, Biezhi recalled the Prince Su she had encountered more than half a month ago when she was disguised as the second daughter of the Qin family. She nodded and agreed, "Indeed."
"Brother also scolds sister?" Fu Shuning immediately stopped feeling wronged, and was somewhat surprised, and even had the air of wanting to confront her brother. "How could he do that!"
"It's alright, it's alright." Biezhi quickly pulled her back. "I'll go and cause him trouble myself."
Fu Shuning hesitated, not quite believing it.
She glanced down at the girl's small frame, "..."
Her naked gaze was so direct that even Biezhi, who considered herself very thick-skinned, couldn't withstand her scrutiny. "You—" she managed to utter one word before Cheng Jinsu walked over with a stern expression. She swallowed the words that were already on the tip of her tongue and looked at the newcomer.
Cheng Jin bowed slightly and explained his purpose.
After hearing what he said, Biezhi's eyelashes trembled. "Are you sure you want me to go?"
“Hmm.” Cheng Jin nodded. “Your Highness means that since it was the young lady who found the evidence, it is naturally the young lady’s achievement, and the world should know about it. Moreover,” he paused, the words of His Highness echoing in his ears, “His Highness said that the young lady should be the person in the world who most wants to send Zhang Yan away with her own hands, and the final blow to him should also be handled by the young lady.”
After a brief silence, the branch smiled.
She glanced sideways at the bewildered Fu Shuning, "Want to come with me?"
Fu Shuning didn't know where she was going, but she nodded repeatedly.
Inside the Xuanzheng Hall.
The man spoke calmly and slowly. Su Ci held the petition sent by the Dali Temple and recounted the various incidents in Hezhou. When he mentioned that the arrested people were all spies from Xilan Kingdom and had been associating with Zhang Yan, the civil and military officials who had been listening with their eyes lowered suddenly raised their heads and tightly suppressed the uproar in their hearts. Some of the courtiers who lived on the same street as Zhang Yan's residence recalled the scene they had seen at dawn not long ago.
Standing among the officials, Xiang Lin cupped his hands and took half a step outside: "Your Highness, I also have something to report."
Upon hearing his voice, the court officials standing in front all turned to look. Apart from Lin Yiqing and Su Ci, who already knew the truth, everyone else looked astonished. Yingyuan Hall usually monitored officials and investigated spies. Unless there was something important, Xiang Lin, as the investigator of Yingyuan Hall, would usually remain silent in court. But once he spoke, someone would surely suffer a great disaster.
Fu Huaiqing, who was sitting high above the hall, withdrew his gaze from the Xuanzheng Hall and said calmly, "Speak."
"Your Highness previously ordered me to go to Suzhou to thoroughly investigate the Bian family's massacre. Before the Bian family's incident, the Xu family purchased a large quantity of sleeping pills. After that, the whereabouts of these sleeping pills purchased by the Xu family became unknown. I led my men to investigate along this line and found that the drug was used on the neighbors around the Bian family."
"I asked Lord Song Minghui, the then prefect of Suzhou, and he said that when he investigated nineteen years ago, none of the neighbors noticed what happened that night. How could such a large-scale massacre happen in one night without anyone hearing a sound? And the dogs that every household kept to guard their homes did not smell the pungent smell of blood and bark."
Song Minghui, who was called upon, stepped forward and bowed in agreement with Xiang Lin's words.
For a time, the officials were abuzz with discussion.
“Yesterday during the day, someone came to the Prince’s Mansion.”
Fu Huaiqing, sitting majestically on the high platform, spoke calmly. The whispering courtiers instantly fell silent, withdrawing their thoughts from whispering among themselves and listening intently to his words.
She said she was the personal maid of the Bian family lady from Suzhou.
"On the night the Bian family was massacred, the man in charge was none other than Zhang Yan."
The indifferent words echoed slowly in the Xuanzheng Hall. The courtiers, who understood the meaning of the words, raised their eyelids in astonishment to look at the solemn-looking Prince Su, unable to believe what they had heard.
In a short while, they connected the words of the man in the hall with those of Xiang Linsu.
“Besides,” Fu Huaiqing glanced sideways at him, and Jiang Yue quietly withdrew. He lifted his eyelids and looked at the girl who was already standing outside the hall, saying, “There are also witnesses and physical evidence.”
Upon hearing this, the officials in the court followed the gaze of the man on the high seat and looked behind them. When they saw the girl's face clearly, they were all stunned and stood there dumbfounded.
Isn't this the second daughter of the Qin family who was murdered some time ago?!
What is she doing here?
How could he become a witness in Zhang Yan's case?
Many people looked at the two men from the Qin family among the officials. Seeing that they had no expression on their faces, the confusion that arose in their hearts almost made the unsuspecting courtiers hold their breath.
Su Ci glanced around at the court officials who were usually so serious, but now seemed to be surprised, suspicious, and guessing at different times, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Take a look a little longer, you'll get used to it.
He's used to it.
When the young woman was about to bow when Jiang Yue, who had appeared at the foot of the imperial steps at some unknown time, stopped her, all the officials knew that his actions represented the will of Prince Su. The ministers, unaware of the true situation, vaguely sensed that something was amiss, but could not quite put their finger on it.
Fu Huaiqing's gaze swept over her body, then rose and settled on her almond-shaped eyes.
Her round, almond-shaped eyes sparkled with a unique light, a far cry from the somber mood of the previous night, carrying a hint of lighthearted laughter.
After a brief eye contact, Fu Huaiqing's dark eyes softened slightly.
In an instant, the officials in the Xuanzheng Hall felt as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.
Fu Huaiqing's gaze swept over the surprised faces of the court officials, and he said casually, "She is not the second daughter of the Qin family, but the youngest living daughter of the Bian family."
The officials exchanged glances, all able to see the undisguised astonishment in each other's expressions.
Having recovered from their shock, who were far more receptive than the average person, they were then struck by a sudden remark from His Highness Prince Su, whose clear, melodious voice carried a smile they rarely heard.
"She is also a woman I have my eye on."
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