Chapter 108
The news that the Prince of Wei was captured on the spot and imprisoned in the Ministry of Clan Affairs was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, causing huge waves throughout the capital.
In just an hour, the news spread to everyone, from the royal family and nobles to the common people. The usually arrogant and domineering Prince of Wei had been imprisoned overnight. Officials who had once been attached to the Prince of Wei's palace remained silent, terrified that the Crown Prince would follow the clues and lead them to justice. Meanwhile, those upright officials who had been oppressed by the Prince of Wei secretly applauded, feeling that the sky in the capital had brightened a little.
There was a joyous atmosphere in the East Palace.
Lin Xiaoshu became a well-deserved hero, surrounded by a group of young eunuchs and palace maids, who were talking about their "great achievements" last night with saliva flying.
"You didn't see it! The alley was pitch black! I, Little Hero Lin," he puffed out his chest, deliberately giving himself a prestigious nickname, "quietly and silently pulled up a hemp rope thinner than a hair! That kid, feeling guilty, ran faster than a rabbit, and with a 'clang', we were thrown to the ground, and our treasures were scattered all over the floor!"
As he spoke, he gestured with his hands and feet, making everyone laugh.
"Brother Xiaoshu, what is the name of this move of yours? It's amazing!" A young eunuch who had just entered the palace asked with admiration in his eyes.
Lin Xiaoshu cleared his throat proudly, shaking his head and saying, "This is called 'a little force to move a great force'! It's a military strategy taught by the Crown Princess herself! It's all about 'taking advantage by wits', understand? Our Crown Princess said that to deal with those stupid thieves, there's no need to wield swords or guns, just use your brain!"
Tingyu and Wanqing stood aside and couldn't help laughing at his smug look.
Song Qingyuan sat in the warm room, listening to the laughter outside, a long-lost smile on her face. She picked up her brush and painted a plum blossom bud on the rice paper. Her brushstrokes were smooth, and she was obviously in a very good mood.
Shen Yanzhi walked in from outside, took off his court robes, and changed into comfortable casual clothes, still carrying a hint of the morning chill. He walked behind Song Qingyuan, put his arms around her waist, rested his chin on her shoulder, and looked at the painting on the paper.
"What are you laughing at?" His voice was a little husky.
"The hero who laughed at us is outside asking for rewards." Song Qingyuan put down his pen and turned his head to look at him. "It seems that everything went smoothly for His Highness in front of the emperor today."
"It's more than smooth sailing." Shen Yanzhi kissed her cheek. The coldness between his brows had long since disappeared, leaving only warmth. "Father has entrusted this case to me. Prince Wei...don't even think about leaving the clan residence in this lifetime."
This was a tremendous victory. Not only did he defeat an opponent, but it also represented the emperor's complete trust and delegation of power to him. This meant that he could finally, with justification, eliminate the malignant forces entrenched in the court.
"What about Li Deyu?" Song Qingyuan remained sober amidst his joy. "The King of Wei is a fierce tiger, and he is the tiger's fang. If this fang is not removed, it will eventually become a disaster."
Shen Yanzhi's eyes darkened. "I've already sent people to keep a close eye on Prince Wei's mansion and Li Deyu's residence. He's in a difficult situation now, unable to protect himself. As soon as Manager Qian's confession arrives, no one on his side will be able to escape."
The two exchanged a smile, their words saying everything. The fruits of victory seemed within reach, and the entire East Palace was immersed in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere.
However, this relief did not last long.
In the afternoon, an unexpected news came in.
The Dali Temple Minister in charge of hearing this case sent someone to the palace urgently to ask for an audience with the prince.
In the study, Shen Yanzhi looked at the solemn Dali Temple official in front of him, his brows furrowed. "What did you say? Li Deyu...took the initiative to surrender to the Dali Temple?"
"Yes, Your Highness." The Supreme Court official wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Just half an hour ago, Li Deyu came in person and... presented a piece of 'evidence'."
"What evidence?"
"It's a collection of letters between him and Qian, the shopkeeper of Huichuntang." The Dali Temple's voice was a little dry. "In the letter, Li Deyu repeatedly 'admonished' Qian, asking him to behave himself and not violate the law. He also said that he had long noticed that Qian had ulterior motives, secretly colluding with unknown parties to privately resell contraband, and was preparing to gather evidence to report him to the court. He also said..."
The Dali Temple Minister paused and glanced at Shen Yanzhi cautiously. "He also said that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wei was kind and benevolent, but was deceived by Manager Qian and knew nothing about the inner workings of Huichun Hall. Manager Qian forged the accounts of the Prince of Wei's mansion and enriched himself. He may even have been instructed by someone to frame the Prince of Wei and provoke a dispute among the princes."
After listening to this, Shen Yanzhi remained silent for a long time. The air in the study seemed to freeze.
After a long while, he finally sneered.
What a great Li Deyu! What a great move! "Sacrifice the chariot to save the king"! No, this is not even sacrificing the chariot to save the king. He wants to get both the chariot and the horse out of this quagmire!
He did not defend the King of Wei, knowing the evidence was irrefutable. Instead, he portrayed himself as a "loyal minister" who had long since discovered the problem and was ready to rectify it. He placed all the blame solely on the shopkeeper Qian, portraying the King of Wei as an innocent victim who had been deceived. He, in turn, was portrayed as a meritorious minister who had discovered the treacherous treason and was about to report it, but the Crown Prince "beat him to the punch."
This move is really vicious!
Thus, while the King of Wei was still guilty of negligence, the nature of his crime had completely changed. He went from being the "mastermind" to the "deceived." And Shopkeeper Qian went from being an accomplice to the source of all the evil. Li Deyu was even more transformed, from being the King of Wei's top advisor to a meritorious official who exposed the crime.
"What else did he present?" Shen Yanzhi's voice turned cold.
"He also presented several stubs of silver bills, saying that they were private gifts given to him by Manager Qian. He felt that it was inappropriate and had never exchanged them. He planned to hand them over as evidence. In addition, he also provided a clue, saying that in addition to the Prince of Wei's Mansion, Manager Qian was also involved with another force in the capital. That force was the real mastermind behind the resale of drug powder." The voice of the Grand Court Minister became smaller and smaller.
Shen Yanzhi's knuckles tapped lightly on the table, making a thumping sound.
He understood. Li Deyu was intent on muddying the waters. He was throwing in the fabricated fabrication of an "other force" to divert the court's attention away from the Prince of Wei and toward the pursuit of the supposed "mastermind." By then, if the investigation proved to be futile and the case was ultimately unsolved, the Prince of Wei would have a chance of escaping the charges.
"Your Highness, there are already some rumors circulating in the court," the Grand Court official said worriedly. "Some say we might have arrested the wrong person and wrongly accused His Highness the Prince of Wei. Others say that there might be someone else behind Manager Qian..."
"Got it." Shen Yanzhi waved his hand, "You go down first. Remember, without my order, no one is allowed to come into contact with Manager Qian and his assistant."
"Yes, I obey your command." The Dali Temple Minister bowed and walked out as if he had been pardoned.
The door of the study was closed, and the warmth and ease on Shen Yanzhi's face disappeared, replaced by a frosty look.
He had never expected that Li Deyu could come up with such a cunning plan in such a desperate situation. He had underestimated the cunning and resilience of this venomous snake.
Song Qingyuan walked in at some point and placed a cup of warm ginseng tea next to him.
"I heard." Her voice was calm.
Shen Yanzhi looked up at her, a hint of apology flashed in his eyes: “I was careless.”
"I don't blame you." Song Qingyuan shook his head and sat down beside him. "We didn't expect him to be so decisive in giving up everything just to protect the King of Wei. He was gambling that my father would choose to believe a more 'reasonable' and less contagious explanation for the sake of the royal family's reputation and the stability of the court."
"He made the right bet." Shen Yanzhi's voice was a little cold. "What the emperor fears most is the princes fighting each other and the unrest in the court. Li Deyu's explanation just gives the emperor a way out. If Qian insists that it was his own doing and then insinuates a non-existent 'mastermind', the emperor will most likely go along with it and make a big deal out of it."
"So, the key comes back to Shopkeeper Qian." A sharp light flashed in Song Qingyuan's eyes. "Li Deyu's entire plan is based on Shopkeeper Qian taking the blame for him. He must have a way to make Shopkeeper Qian shut up or say what he wants him to say."
"That's right." Shen Yanzhi clenched his fists, "I can't let him succeed."
Outside the window, the sky, which had just been clear, suddenly gathered with dark clouds, and the sky suddenly darkened. A greater storm was brewing. The victory that I had thought I had secured now seemed like a mirage. The real battle had only just begun.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
