Ye Cunsi was primarily held responsible for this "rebellion".
So even though Madam Zhou's condition was not optimistic, Ye Qingxue still brought Ye Cunsi into the palace with her.
Wen Bin and several other key members of the grain transport team also came with them.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Ye Qingxue and the others knelt down to pay their respects.
The emperor did not immediately tell them to rise, but stared at them for a long time before saying, "Princess Jing, tell me why Ye Cunsi stayed outside the city, and what exactly happened with the mountain bandits' prison break and the students' kidnapping."
Ye Qingxue calmly and meticulously recounted the entire story.
Ye Cunxi and Wen Bin testified that Ye Qingxue's statement was entirely true, and stated that members of their team could also testify.
The emperor then recounted the incident where General Lan and Jiang Minzhi had accused Prince Xuan Yunxun, and asked Ye Qingxue, "You were there at the time, what do you have to say?"
Ye Qingxue said, "Father, it is true! Prince Xuan led his troops out of the city not to investigate the truth of Cunsi's 'rebellion,' but only to surround and kill his daughter-in-law and Cunsi, thereby establishing our crime of rebellion!"
“At the time, he believed we couldn’t escape alive, and he didn’t know that General Lan and Lord Jiang were hiding in the bushes. Therefore, he confessed his many evil deeds to his daughter-in-law! His daughter-in-law can testify that what General Lan and Lord Jiang accused him of is indeed true!”
Everyone gasped.
So, is this really true?
The ministers looked at each other in disbelief, finding it hard to believe that the seemingly honest and gluttonous Prince Xuan would commit such a heinous act!
General Lan said, "Your Majesty, Prince Xuan is wicked. Although the ten outstanding students were rescued, three of them died and the rest were injured to varying degrees!"
"Countless officers, soldiers, and guards died or were seriously injured because of his selfishness! Even more innocent members of the grain delivery team perished as a result!"
"Now that the evidence is conclusive, Your Majesty, please arrest Prince Xuan immediately and bring him to justice, so as to give an explanation to the innocent people who died and to all the subjects of the land!"
Jiang Minzhi chimed in, "Your Majesty, please arrest Prince Xuan immediately!"
Ye Qingxue, Ye Cunsi, and Wen Bin immediately echoed the request.
However, at that moment, Yun Xun's voice came from outside the hall, "Father, I will not accept such slander!"
Everyone turned to look at the palace entrance and saw Yun Xun, covered in injuries, being carried in by guards from outside the palace.
His clothes, face, and hair were stained with countless drops of blood, and the wounds on his exposed skin were so obvious.
His right leg, in particular, which was lying on the stretcher, was covered in blood—which indirectly explains why he was carried in rather than walked in to pay his respects.
His wife, Ji Mingwei, came with him.
Ji Mingwei knelt down and bowed: "Your daughter-in-law greets Your Majesty. My husband, Prince Xuan, should have bowed to Your Majesty, but he was seriously injured during the bandit suppression and is now unable to stand. Please forgive him, Your Majesty."
Yun Xun struggled to get up, but he aggravated the injury on his leg, causing him to hiss in pain. His face turned even paler, and he slumped back down.
"Father, I went with Princess Jing to find Young Master Ye, and together we surrounded the bandits and captured the fugitives. I may not have made any great contributions, but we certainly worked hard. I even lost a leg in the process, yet we are being slandered like this... I refuse to accept this!"
Yun Xun seemed to be so angry that he almost couldn't catch his breath.
But he continued, "If we're talking about witnesses, then all the officers and soldiers who followed me out of the city are witnesses! Even Lord Cui can testify for me!"
"When did I collude with those bandits? Who saw me set fire to the prison and release the escaped prisoners? Who witnessed me kidnapping the students?"
Yun Xun was filled with righteous indignation, as if he were the one who had been wronged.
Cui Shao was stunned. Although he had also gone, he was responsible for rescuing the students from another route up the mountain and had not witnessed Yun Xun's evil deeds.
He only saw the scene of Yun Xun being kicked down the mountain by the bandits.
Ye Qingxue said, "The Prince of Xuan personally admitted his evil deeds, and General Lan and Lord Jiang heard it with their own ears. Lord Jiang even recorded it. Aren't these enough to prove it?"
Ji Mingwei said, "Father, the Lan family and the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion have always been on good terms. I believe that General Lan's testimony is unreliable!"
General Lan retorted angrily, "Even if my testimony is unreliable, isn't there Lord Jiang Minzhi? Lord Jiang is loyal to the Emperor. Does Princess Xuan think that Lord Jiang's testimony is also unreliable?"
At the time, Ye Qingxue's people reminded him to bring a colleague with him when he traveled, in order to prevent Xuan Wang and Ji Mingwei from turning around and biting him like this.
As expected, Ye Qingxue's reminder was correct.
Ji Mingwei said, "I do not doubt Lord Jiang's loyalty to the Emperor, but I am worried that Lord Jiang may have been threatened by General Lan or Princess Jing to give false testimony for you."
General Lan was taken aback, seemingly enraged by Ji Mingwei's shamelessness: "Princess Xuan is spouting nonsense; the Emperor will not easily believe her! If you say so, then produce the evidence!"
Ji Mingwei said, "Of course I wouldn't dare to slander an official of the imperial court without cause, especially General Lan, who has made meritorious contributions in battle."
She turned to face the emperor: "Father, your daughter-in-law dares to say such things, of course she has evidence!"
General Lan said, "What evidence does Princess Xuan have? Just produce it!"
Jiang Minzhi said, "Your Majesty, I have not been threatened by anyone. Everything I have seen and said is based on my own eyes and ears! There is not a single falsehood in it!"
Ji Mingwei suddenly looked at Ye Qingxue: "Princess Jing, General Lan has always listened to you. Now that things have come to this, do you want to persuade him to change his mind? Otherwise, once I present the evidence, no one will be able to save General Lan."
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