Chi Yan secretly handed the letter to the Censor, who was an upright and incorruptible official and had a good relationship with Liu Yifu. It would be more appropriate for him to present it to His Majesty.
The next day, after court, Emperor Chongde summoned the censors alone. Chi Yan glanced in the direction the two had left, his gaze deepening.
The censor did not choose to report this matter directly at the morning court session, presumably due to a number of factors.
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Imperial Censor said with a solemn expression: "I found this letter at the entrance this morning. I suspect that Lord Liu may have been framed and is unsure of what to do, so I have come to ask Your Majesty for a decision."
Emperor Chongde quickly glanced through the contents of the letter, his face darkening.
Liu Yifu had no reason to get into trouble earlier or later, but he did at this particular time. He realized that someone was trying to frame him, but to silence the gossip, he had to temporarily wrong the other party.
I thought it was just a case of forgery that would cause such a big fuss from the mastermind, but I never expected that there was such a deep connection behind it, and now they've dragged out some kind of ghost masked messenger!
Seeing the emperor's uncertain expression, the censor bowed and said, "Your Majesty, if what Lord Liu is investigating is true, then what is the purpose of this group of people infiltrating Yanjing, and who is instigating them? This concerns the fate of the nation, and we must be on guard!"
Emperor Chongde spoke slowly with a stern face: "What you say is exactly what worries me. However, the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is a fourth-rank official, yet they do not even take him seriously. This shows how extremely arrogant they are! If we want to investigate thoroughly, I am afraid there will be many obstacles!"
The Imperial Censor frowned and sighed, "This matter needs to be dealt with slowly, but Lord Liu has been unjustly implicated this time. I wonder how Your Majesty intends to respond?"
Emperor Chongde narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them: "The reason they are scheming like this is simply because what Liu Shaoqing is investigating has touched their interests. They are currently unaware that we have already discovered this matter. The best course of action is to remain still. Although it is unfair to Liu Shaoqing, I really cannot release him at the moment."
The censor frowned, understanding the emperor's dilemma. If Liu Yifu were released, he would need to prove his innocence, which would alert the enemy.
Moreover, the other party has already set their sights on Liu Yifu. If the plan fails once, there will always be a next time. The imperial prison is heavily guarded, making it a relatively safe place.
"Your Majesty is far-sighted, and Lord Liu will understand Your Majesty's difficulties."
A shadow crossed Emperor Chongde's eyes: "Openly framing a court official, they are clearly fearless. These people are truly audacious and infuriating! What I am worried about now is, without Liu Yifu, who should be entrusted with handling this case?"
The Ministry of Justice is a good choice, but it is under the watchful eyes of many, and it may not be clean. Since the other party's influence has already infiltrated the court, does the Ministry of Justice not have their eyes on it?
The Imperial Censor frowned and said slowly, "Given Lord Liu's example, this case has undoubtedly become a hot potato, and everyone is probably trying to avoid it like the plague."
His eyes suddenly lit up. "I do have someone in mind."
Emperor Chongde looked up at him: "Oh?"
The censor smiled slightly: "It is indeed the newly appointed top scholar, Chi Yan."
"Chi Yan?" Emperor Chongde's eyes flashed with thought, and he hesitated slightly. "He has only recently entered officialdom and his foundation is still shallow. I'm afraid he is not a suitable candidate."
“Your Majesty is mistaken.” The censor smiled calmly. “It is precisely because Chi Yan entered officialdom that he is the most suitable candidate. Firstly, no one believes that Your Majesty would entrust such an important matter to him. Secondly, he has no connections in the court and does not belong to any faction; he relies solely on Your Majesty.”
"The Hanlin Academy is only meant to hone one's skills. Entrusting this matter to Chi Yan is also a test for him."
After careful consideration, Emperor Chongde also felt that there was some truth to it. He looked at him deeply and said, "Then it shall be as you wish."
——
Chi Yan was caught off guard by this hot potato, and was more surprised than happy.
"Why would His Majesty entrust such an important matter to me?"
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