Liu Sheng naturally knew that if this charge was brought against him, their Liu family would be finished.

But he was indeed unaware of the replacement of the death row prisoners. He had prepared a hundred ways to counterattack King Xiang's reckoning. Who could have expected that King Xiang would actually find the death row prisoners who had been replaced many years ago.

Now that the person has been brought back to bite him, he won't even have room to defend himself.

"Your Majesty, I want to meet the death row prisoner." A spy had already escaped, but risked his life to come back and frame him. He must have other intentions.

There may be a bigger conspiracy, or someone has evidence against him. If they want to overturn the verdict, they must find a loophole by using the death row inmate.

"He died. After identifying you and leaving the letters you had exchanged with the Gentiles over the years, he committed suicide."

Liu Sheng frowned slightly. As expected, the prisoner had another purpose for this trip. "What about the Minister of Justice?"

"He's dead too. The Jinyiwei tortured him too much. He was seriously injured and died of illness in prison last night."

When Liu Sheng heard this, he suddenly smiled and said, "Your Highness Prince Xiang, you are really well prepared."

The emperor glanced at him. Although he was a little annoyed, he softened his tone and said, "It's not your fault. You schemed against him for my sake and made him hate you for so many years. I am sorry for you."

"Your Majesty, your words are too kind. I am very lucky to be able to serve you."

Even at this time, Liu Sheng was still very calm and did not show any sign of panic.

It’s not that he is not afraid of death, but he knows very well that panicking is useless, only solving the problem will be helpful.

"Now that there is no evidence, all that is left are a few letters and the testimonies of two dead people. If you deny it, I can still help you." The emperor suddenly spoke.

"I thank your majesty."

"Don't be in a hurry to thank me. Although I can protect you, I can't stop the gossips, so I thought of a way..."

The emperor said to keep half and half, obviously asking him to make some sacrifices.

Liu Sheng was stunned for a moment, and then quickly asked, "May I ask what solution your majesty has?"

"The Seventh Princess has reached the age to get married. I will grant you marriage and make you my consort. The rumors of treason will be dispelled."

Liu Sheng was so frightened when he heard this that he raised his head and stared at the emperor in horror. After being stunned for three seconds, he immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, you must not do this."

After he finished speaking, he realized that he had overreacted, and quickly softened his tone: "Your Majesty, I... your official position is low, and I have no achievements. I really dare not marry the princess. Please withdraw your order, Your Majesty."

The emperor looked at him, but he was not anxious: "If that's the case, then I have no choice but to grant King Xiang the title of Crown Prince and let him testify and plead for you."

Liu Sheng couldn't believe it. His Majesty would actually give the crown prince position to King Xiang for him? Wasn't this equivalent to the Emperor giving in to King Xiang?

How can the emperor, as the emperor, be so tolerant?

As expected, the emperor immediately said, "Since Prince Xiang is the crown prince, I will issue an edict soon to allow Ye Qingwan, the daughter of the prime minister's mansion, to be his wife and crown prince consort."

Liu Sheng was dumbfounded. The emperor didn't mean to compromise with Prince Xiang at all. He was clearly threatening him.

"What do you think, my dear minister?" the emperor asked knowingly.

Liu Sheng hesitated for only a moment, then said, "Thanks to your Majesty and the princess for not abandoning me, I..."

The four words "I accept the order and thank you" kept lingering in my throat, but I couldn't say them out.

This was the first time he felt wronged in all his years as an official.

But in the end, he still shouted loudly: "I accept your order and thank you for your grace."

After saying that, he slammed his forehead heavily to the ground.

Before he left the palace, the imperial decree granting the marriage had spread throughout the streets and alleys of the capital and became known to everyone. However, Ye Qingwan did not know about it because she had been waiting for the old tutor at the palace gate.

He even let Honghong sneak into the palace to gather information. Would the emperor kill the old tutor himself in the palace?

She was so anxious that she paced back and forth at the palace gate until night fell. The temperature kept dropping. She was so cold that her shoes seemed to be filled with water. Her feet were so freezing that she almost lost consciousness.

After a while, Liu Sheng walked out of the corridor in a trance.

Seeing him, Ye Qingwan immediately ran over: "Master, are you okay? Has the emperor punished you?"

Liu Sheng was in a daze until he heard Ye Qingwan's voice. Then he came to his senses. Looking at her red face from the cold, his eyes felt a little hot and he suddenly wanted to hug her tightly.

Ye Qingwan was suddenly hugged, a little confused, and instinctively wanted to push away. But Liu Sheng's low and hoarse voice came to her ears: "Just hold me for a while."

She hesitated for a moment, but did not move in the end. She patted his back again and again, comforting him: "It's okay, we can definitely investigate it and clear your name."

"Yeah." Liu Sheng responded in a neutral tone.

After a long time, he suddenly let her go and said to her with a smile: "Go back quickly. It's cold. Don't catch a cold."

"What about you?"

"Shihu, harness the horse and wait for me." Liu Sheng said and turned to walk towards Shihu next to him.

Ye Qingwan pulled him and said, "Why don't you take my carriage? It's warm here."

Unexpectedly, Liu Sheng gently avoided her hand, did not turn around, and said in a distant tone: "No, men and women should not be intimate, Miss Ye should go back early."

What... are you doing? You were hugging me so tightly just now, and suddenly you turned into Miss Ye?

You learn Peking Opera, right? You change your face so quickly.

"Master, what's wrong with you?" Ye Qingwan felt confused.

"Miss Ye, you are no longer my student. Please call me Master Liu."

After saying this, without waiting for Ye Qingwan to react, he took the reins from Shihu's hand and rode away on his horse.

Ye Qingwan was left alone in the wind, what happened to him? Did I make him angry? Why did he suddenly feel like he wanted to draw a line between us?

Could he have misunderstood and thought that my father did it?

No, I need to explain it to him clearly.

Ye Qingwan had just gotten on the carriage and was about to ask the driver to chase after him, but Honghong came in and said, "Don't chase him. It's useless even if you catch up."

"What did you hear?" Ye Qingwan quickly grabbed him and asked.

Hong Hong shook her head: "I didn't hear it. He had already come out when I went in. But I heard that the emperor issued an order to marry him to the Seventh Princess."

Granting him a marriage and making him a prince consort is really a good idea. It can immediately stop the news about the old tutor's treason. After all, have you ever seen a prince consort who would commit treason?

So the old tutor kept his distance from her because of the Seventh Princess?

He loves the Seventh Princess very much, right?

Her mind was a little confused. Looking out the window at the deserted streets, she suddenly felt a little lonely.

She should be happy. The old tutor was saved, and the plot did not collapse. Even if he married the seventh princess, it would not hinder the development of the subsequent plot.

But why couldn't she be happy? She even felt a little lost.