I will go even if there are millions of people.
The phrase "five years ago" seemed like some kind of curse. Xiao Diting straightened up, a flash of astonishment crossing his eyes.
She had little contact with this man and could not agree immediately, so she had to suppress her temper and respectfully said, "Then I will trouble you, Second Brother."
When she left the Embroidered Spring Palace, she was trembling all over and almost couldn't stand. This unexpected turn of events was something she hadn't anticipated; her initial assumptions about the relationship were flawed from the start.
The one who obstructed and maliciously warned was not the Crown Prince, but the Second Prince, Xiao Yunheng.
"Damn it." Xiao Diting cursed inwardly, realizing he had been tricked. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Xiao Diting wasn't stupid. At first, he thought Chunlan's death was someone's prank, but now it seems that it was just a spy sent by Xiuchun Palace.
Having suffered a loss in silence at Xiao Yunheng's hands, the matter couldn't simply end there. The Second Prince had just promised to protect Pei Wenjin, and the corresponding price was that she had to comply with his wishes and complete the deal.
So what does the second prince want?
It's still uncertain, but she still has time. Her immediate priority is to find Pei Wenjin. There are too many unanswered questions, and she needs to clarify many things in person.
Thinking of this, Xiao Diting knew he couldn't wait any longer.
She immediately went to find her father, the Emperor, who was, unsurprisingly, in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. She rushed there at breakneck speed.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony was adorned with layers of golden bricks; returning here now, her state of mind was entirely different. She entered alone without hindrance; the hall was utterly silent, with civil and military officials lined up on either side, their gazes all fixed on that slender figure.
Xiao Diting walked in with heavy steps, the sound of his brocade robe scraping against the ground clearly audible.
As she stepped into the palace, she immediately saw Pei Wenjin kneeling before the people.
He was dressed in casual clothes, looking as if he had been captured without any warning. His clothes were stained with mud, his hair was not tied up, and his head was slightly lowered, making it impossible to see his expression.
Beside him stood a young official with a terrified expression. Without a doubt, he was the Dali Temple Sizhi who had "accidentally" unearthed the old documents.
The magistrate held a stack of yellowed files in his hands, his body trembling slightly. When he saw the princess walking gracefully towards him, his mental fortitude gradually crumbled, and he knelt down with a thud.
Xiao Diting forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, walked into the hall, bowed, and said in a deliberately feigned bewilderment, "Your subject greets Your Majesty. May I ask why Your Majesty has summoned me here so urgently?"
The old emperor leaned back on his dragon throne, his fingers tapping on the armrest, making a jarring "tap-tap" sound that pierced the silent hall. He chuckled, his gaze sweeping over her like a hawk's: "My daughter, you've devoted so much effort to the old case in Longcheng, running around for days. Now that the evidence and witnesses are all there, you dare ask me what it's all about?"
Xiao Diting frowned, following his gaze to Pei Wenjin and the magistrate, his tone increasingly bewildered: "Father, you are joking. Your subject has only investigated a little and has not yet made any progress. How do you know that there are witnesses and physical evidence? Your subject really does not understand what Father means."
"Don't understand?" The emperor slammed his hand on the table, his voice suddenly rising. "Back then, Longcheng's betrayal and defection to the barbarians shocked the court and the country. I thought the matter had long been settled, but I didn't expect to find old files recently and discover that there was another hidden story—he did not defect voluntarily, but was forced by someone!"
He pointed at Pei Wenjin, his voice filled with boundless rage: "And the mastermind behind this is none other than your loyal Lord Pei! I was so enraged back then that I allowed the real culprit to remain at large until now!"
These words struck like a thunderbolt, causing a low commotion among the officials. Their gazes turned to Pei Wenjin, some with curiosity, some with disdain, and some with schadenfreude.
The old emperor spoke with righteous indignation and great emotion, seemingly truly enraged to the extreme. He leaned back on the dragon throne, his chest heaving violently—every move seemed utterly absurd to Xiao Diting.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards acted for the emperor in public, but were omnipresent in private. Most officials were wary of Pei Wenjin, and now that the emperor had suddenly launched an attack, there were plenty of people watching to have fun.
Xiao Diting's heart sank, but her expression remained impassive. She knew all too well that this was the emperor's usual tactic: first pinning down a crime, then presenting so-called "evidence," leaving no room for argument.
She turned her head and looked down at the heart of this farce. Seeing Pei Wenjin's still silent appearance, as if he had completely acquiesced to the emperor's control, the sense of absurdity in her heart grew stronger—was the person who fought the epidemic alongside her in Huaizhou, who knelt for her in the snow as punishment, and who was tender with her in the mansion really a treacherous official who forced a good general to his death for the sake of his official career?
"Father," she suppressed the turmoil in her heart, raised her eyes to look directly at the emperor, and said firmly, "There must be more to this matter than meets the eye. Lord Pei has always been loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and he risked his life in the Huaizhou case. How could he have committed such a treasonous act? I beg you, Father, to investigate thoroughly!"
"A thorough investigation?" The emperor sneered, raising his hand to signal Eunuch Shouxi, "Present the evidence so that all the officials and my good daughter can have a good look at it!"
Eunuch Shouxi hurriedly stepped forward and distributed a stack of documents to the officials. Each document had clear handwriting, recording the correspondence between Pei Wenjin and the grain transport official. The words were full of schemes to "embezzle grain" and "lure the enemy deep into our territory." There was even a secret letter that supposedly "turned the Xiongnu against the Xiongnu," and the signature was clearly Pei Wenjin's private seal.
As the documents circulated, the discussions grew louder and louder, and even several military officers who had always been on good terms with Pei Wenjin showed hesitation.
Xiao Diting's gaze was fixed on the documents, her fingertips icy cold. She recognized Pei Wenjin's handwriting and his personal seal, but the contents of these documents were terrifyingly unfamiliar to her. She abruptly turned to look at Pei Wenjin, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly: "Lord Pei, are these... all true?"
Pei Wenjin finally raised his head, and his gaze met hers.
There was no panic, no explanation in his eyes, only a deep, unfathomable calm, as if everything happening in the hall had nothing to do with him.
He shook his head slightly, his lips moved, but he ultimately said nothing and lowered his head again.
This tacit approval instantly fueled the discussions among the officials.
The Emperor watched this scene with satisfaction, his tone softening slightly, yet still carrying an undeniable air of authority: "My son, you have served in the Dali Temple for many days and have considerable experience in solving cases. Now that the evidence is conclusive and all the officials are present, you will thoroughly investigate this case for me—I want you to clarify this old case in front of everyone, to give General Longcheng justice, and to restore order to the court!"
He paused, his gaze falling on Xiao Diting, with a hint of subtle probing: "You are very close to him. I believe you can distinguish between public and private matters and will not disappoint me, much less the officials, right?"
All eyes were once again focused on Xiao Diting, filled with anticipation, scrutiny, and schadenfreude.
She stood in the center of the hall, with her father, the emperor, and his court officials on one side, and Pei Wenjin, whom she trusted deeply but remained silent, on the other.
what do I do?
She took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness and panic in her heart, and slowly walked up to Pei Wenjin, looking down at him.
The candlelight inside the hall was dim, casting a warm yellow glow over the two of them. She stepped forward, blocking Pei Wenjin's path, and slowly bent down, her throat tightening.
"Pei Lang, look up at me."
The voice was very soft, like a whisper. Pei Wenjin did as he was told, and the two looked at each other. He noticed her unease and anxiety, and was about to say something when Xiao Diting stopped him loudly.
Xiao Diting twitched the corners of her mouth, revealing a cold smile, and her voice clearly echoed throughout the hall: "Lord Pei, by order of the Emperor, with all officials present, I will personally interrogate you in this old case today."
She paused, her gaze sharp as a knife, and pressed her hand down on his shoulder: "Tell me the truth. Five years ago, when the food supplies to Juyan Mountain ran out, did you collude with the grain transport official to embezzle military rations? Did you instigate General Longcheng to defect? Did you incite the Xiongnu to rebel and use others to kill, all for your own career advancement?"
Every word struck like a heavy hammer against the golden bricks of the main hall, and also against Pei Wenjin's heart.
He suddenly looked up, a ripple finally appearing in his eyes—a look that was a mixture of pain, helplessness, and determination. He stared at Xiao Diting, his lips moving, and finally uttered three words: "I didn't."
His few words were like water droplets falling into a hot oil pan. The officials were astonished that he was still being stubborn even at this point, yet he could not provide any evidence to refute them.
Even if he really did climb up to the princess's level as rumored, so what? Everyone knows the princess herself is in dire straits. Anyone with eyes can see that the emperor could handle things himself, yet he still summoned that "Di Ting" (a high-ranking official)—why else would it be if not to reprimand her?
She wanted to protect Pei Wenjin, but given the current situation, the urgency, the numerous doubts, and the watchful eyes of everyone, she, who was usually eloquent, was at a loss for words.
Just when all hope seemed lost, a clear, melodious female voice broke the deathly silence in the Taihe Hall, and Xiao Diting almost instinctively turned to the side.
Yu Lanjiang was still dressed in her snow-white outfit, with remnants of snow from the outskirts of Beijing still clinging to her shoulders. Behind her followed Song Pingzhang, whose face was solemn, and a completely unexpected person... the Crown Prince.
Her pupils contracted sharply as she watched the three men enter the hall with steady, powerful steps that instantly drowned out the whispers of the officials.
From the moment the old emperor saw the crown prince, his face darkened to the point of being almost dripping with water. He preemptively asked, "Minister Yu, what brings you into the palace without permission?"
"Your Majesty, I dare not," Yu Lanjiang said, raising his hand in a fist salute. His gaze swept over Pei Wenjin, who was kneeling in the hall, and his tone was neither humble nor arrogant. "I only came because I heard that Your Majesty wanted to punish Pei. Five years ago, in the Juyan Mountain incident, I was the commander-in-chief, and Pei Wenjin was just a junior officer under my command. If there is any dereliction of duty, the one who should be held accountable is me, not a subordinate who was just following orders."
As soon as she finished speaking, the hall erupted in an uproar.
The old emperor was clearly surprised that she would directly take the blame upon him. He paused for a moment before sternly saying, "Back then, I already issued an edict to strip him of his military post and send him back to the capital to take up his post. This matter has long been settled! Now the evidence is conclusive. He colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country. It has nothing to do with you!"
"Your Majesty has forgotten?" Yu Lanjiang stepped forward, his gaze sharp as a knife. "When you issued the decree back then, you stated that 'considering his youth, his merits and demerits should be offset.' Since his merits and demerits have already been offset, how can you now accuse him of treason? Furthermore, on the day General Longcheng defected, Pei Wenjin chased him alone for thirty miles, sustaining three arrow wounds but still not giving up. These soldiers all witnessed it. How can Your Majesty sentence him to death based on a few documents?"
Just as the old emperor was speechless, Song Pingzhang stepped forward and said loudly to the officials, "Your Excellencies, I am a subordinate of Lord Pei and have followed him for many years. I am very familiar with his personal seal and handwriting."
He pointed to the documents distributed by Eunuch Shouxi and said sincerely, "On the inside bottom of Lord Pei's private seal, there is a tiny metal needle. It was accidentally damaged during the Northwest campaign and repaired. Whenever this seal is used, a small red dot will be left on the back of the paper."
As soon as he finished speaking, an official immediately flipped the document to the back to check, and sure enough, there was not a single red dot.
Song Pingzhang continued, "Moreover, the handwriting in these letters, while seemingly similar to that of Lord Pei, is actually stiff and lacks his usual strength at the turns, clearly indicating that it was forged by someone else! As for the so-called 'secret letter of defection,' it is riddled with loopholes—the leader of the Xiongnu five years ago was not the person described in the letter. How could such a common-sense error be made by Lord Pei?"
The officials immediately began to discuss among themselves, and those who had just been convinced that Pei Wenjin was guilty now showed hesitation.
The old emperor's face turned pale and then red. He slammed his fist on the table and said, "Nonsense! The document is an old file unearthed by the Court of Judicial Review. How could it be fake?"
“The old files of the Dali Temple are certainly genuine, but they can’t withstand someone secretly replacing them.” Yu Lanjiang sneered, took out a dossier from his pocket and threw it on the ground. “This is the grain delivery record of Juyan Mountain back then. It has the handwritten signature and official seal of the grain transport official, which is enough to prove that the grain supply was cut off back then because someone in the court deliberately delayed it, rather than Pei Wenjin embezzling it!”
Xiao Diting stood aside, his tense nerves finally relaxing, his back already soaked with cold sweat.
She watched as Yu Lanjiang and Song Pingzhang sang in unison, like gods descending from the heavens, challenging the emperor directly before him at all costs, and exposing the "evidence" presented by the emperor one by one. Only then did she realize that Pei Wenjin was no ordinary person. It turned out that they had already secretly laid a plan, and there was no way they would surrender without a fight.
Pei Wenjin raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Diting who was blocking his way, and landing on Yu Lanjiang and Song Pingzhang, a hint of emotion flashing in his eyes.
He slowly stood up, bowed to the old emperor, and said, "Your Majesty, I am not admitting to the crime, but I am well aware that this matter involves a wide range of people. Without witnesses and physical evidence, any explanation would be useless. Now that the commander-in-chief and Lord Song have presented the truth, I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."
The old emperor looked at the grain and fodder records on the ground, then at the questioning gazes of his officials, and his face grew increasingly grim.
He hadn't expected Yu Lanjiang to be so tough, nor had he anticipated that Song Pingzhang would produce such evidence. For a moment, he didn't know how to end the situation.
Seeing this, Yu Lanjiang pressed his advantage, saying, "Your Majesty, there are many suspicious points in the case of General Longcheng. The execution of his family members back then was too hasty, and now the old files have been replaced, which is obviously an attempt to cover up the truth. I implore Your Majesty to postpone the verdict and let the Third Princess and I investigate thoroughly to ensure that Pei Wenjin is exonerated and that General Longcheng is given justice!"
Xiao Diting immediately echoed, "Your subject is willing to go! This matter concerns the discipline of the court and the reputation of loyal ministers. Your subject will do everything in his power to find out the real culprit behind this!"
"You think you can do this?" The Crown Prince, who hadn't spoken since entering, sneered. Xiao Diting straightened his back and glared back at him with disgust.
Xiao Yiyu seemed to be holding back his eye-roll, turning his head away to stop arguing with her, and instead launched a tirade against the emperor: "Father, I believe that the soldiers have risked their lives for our dynasty, and we should not let them feel disheartened... The matter of Longcheng should be rectified."
The old emperor leaned back on his dragon throne, his face grim. He looked at his many children standing before him with a sinister gaze, and suddenly, as if making a decision, he waved his hand and said, "I grant permission."
"You've all done a great job, don't let me down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The crowd pretended not to understand the resentment and bitterness in the old emperor's words and bowed in unison.
As she stepped out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a cold wind blew against her face, and Xiao Diting realized that her palms were covered in sweat. She turned to look at Pei Wenjin beside her, whose gaze was gentle and whose tone was full of apology: "I'm sorry to have worried you."
"You scared me to death!" Xiao Diting couldn't help but punch him, her voice still trembling with fear. "Why didn't you defend yourself in the hall just now?"
Pei Wenjin grasped her hand: "Things happened too suddenly, and we weren't prepared enough, which dragged you into this... I apologize to you."
"you--"
Xiao Diting opened his mouth to speak, but after a moment of palpitation, he looked at the handsome features of the man and couldn't say a word. The general standing to the side was much more perceptive.
"Oh dear, now is not the time for romance; there are still some messes to clean up."
Yu Lanjiang winked at Xiao Diting: "It's getting late, let's find a place to talk things out together."
"I can answer all the questions Your Highness has had these past few days."
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