Chapter 928 I can't believe it, I can't bear to believe it
Although the sun shone brightly and the warm breeze was gentle, making it a scene of springtime beauty, as soon as they entered the Xuanzheng Hall, they suddenly felt a darkness before their eyes, and then an invisible pressure came from all directions. The excitement they had felt along the way because they were about to get the opportunity to send troops down suddenly sank down at this moment.
Lou Yingxiong even suddenly felt an indescribable sense of foreboding arise within him.
When Crown Prince Yuwen Qian, who was half a step ahead of him, looked up and saw Yuwen Yuan sitting upright in the main hall without a single minister around him, he couldn't help but think to himself—if it really was about to announce Lou Yingxiong's appointment to send troops, at least someone from the Ministry of War should be present.
Thinking of this, his gaze became even more serious.
But he made no unnecessary movements, immediately stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Father Emperor."
Lou Yingxiong then knelt down as well.
Yuwen Yuan sat behind his desk, his face calm. However, because the doors of the Xuanzheng Hall had been closed immediately, there was no light in his eyes; instead, a thick gloom shrouded them, making it impossible to discern his emotions. He calmly said, "Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The two then stood up, but neither of them spoke afterward.
Yuwen Yuan squinted at Lou Yingxiong, his gaze finally settling on Yuwen Qian, who was bowing his head, and said, "Qian'er, yesterday you recommended General Ningyuan to lead troops to aid Cijian, didn't you?"
"……yes."
"Then tell me your reasons for recommending him."
"Firstly, General Ningyuan is eager to fight the enemy and has repeatedly expressed to me his desire to serve the country and the court. Secondly, General Ningyuan has been stationed in Anyang for many years and has fought against the Wanggangzhai forces several times, so he is quite experienced. If we encounter Xiao Yuansui's troops on this eastern expedition, he is the only one who is familiar with their fighting style and will surely win!"
As Yuwen Yuan listened to his words, he gently tapped the table with one hand. Each tap felt like a speck of dust settling on one's heart, each speck pressing down on one's heart, making it hard to breathe.
After a long pause, he said, "Do you still think that way today?"
"yes."
"Why?"
"As the saying goes, one should not avoid kinship when recommending worthy people. As the Crown Prince, and General Ningyuan as my father-in-law, if he has the loyalty to serve the Emperor and the ability to serve the court, I will not disregard the Emperor and the court for the sake of my own reputation."
"Good, what a fine example of recommending the virtuous without regard to personal relationships."
Yuwen Yuan nodded repeatedly, but as he nodded, his eyes grew increasingly cold. Even without looking up to meet his gaze, the two people in the hall could almost feel the bone-chilling coldness piercing their bodies. Yuwen Yuan said, "But is the one you recommended truly 'virtuous'?"
Yuwen Qian finally raised his head, looking puzzled: "Your Majesty, I do not understand your meaning."
Yuwen Yuan said, "I ask you, a few days ago, you intercepted and killed Pei Xingyuan, causing him to flee with the rebels from Wanggang Village. Did you continue to investigate that case?"
Yuwen Qian's heart sank immediately.
But his face showed no other expression, only deeper doubt and confusion. He said, "Didn't Father Emperor send the Left Guard to investigate this matter? Your son dares not act on his own and overstep his bounds."
Yuwen Yuan sneered, "Then do you know what the Left Guard found out?"
"Your subject does not know."
"General Ningyuan, do you know?"
This was the first time Yuwen Yuan had spoken to Lou Yingxiong since entering the main hall. And the first question he posed touched on the most sensitive and fearful spot in Lou Yingxiong's heart. Although Lou Yingxiong tried his best to control his emotions, his trembling voice betrayed his unease and fear: "Your humble servant... does not know."
Yuwen Yuan suddenly looked up and shouted, "Come on!"
The roar of a tiger and the cry of a dragon suddenly exploded in the closed Xuanzheng Hall, like muffled thunder, startling the two people in the hall and making their hearts sink again.
Immediately, they heard the door of the main hall behind them being pushed open, and a heavy footstep entered. The two turned around and saw that it was General Lü Qianfeng of the Left Guard.
Upon seeing him, Yuwen Qian's eyes widened, his gaze quickly sweeping over Lou Yingxiong beside him, whose face had suddenly turned deathly pale. He seemed to understand something, and his expression shifted from surprise to confusion, then to disbelief and heaviness. He immediately turned to Yuwen Yuan and said, "Father, this is—"
Yuwen Yuan said, "Lü Qianfeng, tell the Crown Prince what you did."
"yes,"
Lu Qianfeng bowed and accepted the order, then turned to Yuwen Qian and said, "Your Highness, last night I discovered a group of people at a manor twenty miles west of the city. They practiced martial arts regularly in preparation for any eventuality. There were a total of 143 people. Sixteen of them died a few days ago, and 126 were executed last night. Except for one who escaped, all of them have now been captured and brought to justice."
"Bring them to justice? What did they do?"
"They received a secret order to enter the city, ambush, and kill the prisoner Pei Xingyuan."
"What?! Such a thing actually happened?"
"Yes. Your subordinate also found Pei Xingyuan's portrait and the route map of the escorting carriage at the manor. The sixteen men were carefully selected from more than one hundred people. Apart from the six who were killed in the city by the guards and Prince Qin's close attendants, the bodies of the other ten were found by your subordinate in the valley outside the city. The perpetrators were also people from the manor. They have confessed."
After speaking, Lü Qianfeng presented the portrait and route map in his hand to him.
Yuwen Qian took the document and glanced at it hastily, his eyes filled with disbelief. Once he confirmed that everything was indeed true, he immediately turned to Yuwen Yuan and asked, "Father, who is responsible for raising these assassins?"
"..."
Yuwen Yuan didn't speak, but glanced at him, then looked down at the confession in front of him, and said, "You really don't know who this person is?"
Yuwen Qian said, "Father, are you implying that you suspect me?"
Yuwen Yuan frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but before he could speak, Yuwen Qian said, "Your subject is upright and honorable. Even though I hate the serious criminals who colluded with the rebels of Wanggang Village, and I hate even more that they dared to plot against Your Majesty in the Tangquan Palace, the greatest punishment for these people is to be punished in accordance with the law. Your subject would never dare to take matters into his own hands to deal with prisoners! Please, Your Majesty, see the truth!"
Yuwen Yuan looked at him for a while and said, "You are my son, of course I trust you."
"..."
"But don't you have anyone who doubts you?"
"..."
Yuwen Qian remained silent for a moment, then said in a hoarse voice, "Your subject dares not believe it, and cannot bear to believe it."
After he finished speaking, he slowly raised his head and looked at Lou Yingxiong, who was standing to the side with a pale face.
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