20demayo Chapter 145 Implicated by Association
Chapter 145 Implicated by Association
royal palace.
An atmosphere of bleakness and desolation permeated the air.
Armored guards stood outside the Xuanzheng Hall, their silver armor as white as frost, gleaming coldly.
The court officials stood in the hall in order, their court robes dark and their expressions varied.
It was an open secret that the Wen family belonged to the Crown Prince's faction. The discovery of their illegal weapon-making activities subtly shifted the political winds at court, and the intentions of the officials were self-evident.
Ning Zhi stood before the officials, his clothes neat and his expression solemn. He naturally knew what these civil and military officials were thinking.
"Your Highness." A low voice suddenly came from beside him.
Ning Zhi turned his head, cupped his hands, and said, "Teacher."
Duan Zhian glanced at him and said in a serious tone, "The Wen family case has reached a critical point. If Your Highness wants to protect yourself, you should distance yourself from them in time. First, clear your name and silence the gossip, then observe how things develop."
Ning Zhi lowered his eyes and remained silent for a moment.
Duan Zhi'an continued, "Today in court, some former officials of the Third Prince may use this matter to cause trouble. His Majesty is extremely suspicious, so it's not advisable to leave any grounds for criticism. I have already instructed Minister Cao of the Ministry of Justice to pave the way for Your Highness; at that time, Your Highness only needs to..."
"The Emperor has arrived——"
Before he could finish speaking, the imperial eunuch had already sung loudly.
Footsteps came from the steps of the palace.
The palace doors opened and closed immediately, and all the officials prostrated themselves in worship.
"Long live my emperor! Long live!"
The emperor's expression was stern and cold; his gaze swept across the room, and everyone fell silent in fear.
"Everyone is safe."
He sat down before the throne and said in a deep voice, "What are your opinions on the Wen family case?"
The officials nodded, a sense of unease rising within them.
Duan Zhi'an stood with his hands behind his back at the lower end, his gaze sweeping over the officials inch by inch, finally settling on Lord Cao.
Lord Cao, with his keen eyes and clear mind, was about to step forward to speak, but Ning Zhi had already stepped forward first, cupped his hands, and said loudly—
"Your Majesty, I have personally inspected the weapons and found that the Duke's mansion has discovered hundreds of weapons, all bearing a white ram's head mark, used by the enemy for identification. Whenever a weapon with this mark is used, the enemy simply gives up. This is consistent with what Vice General Pang said in his letter. This evidence is irrefutable. I implore Your Majesty to punish him severely as a warning to others!"
Upon seeing this, Lord Cao quickly added: "Wen Ziyuan has abandoned the city and fled, and his whereabouts are currently unknown! Deputy General Pang has held out for several days and even died to plead with His Majesty that the Wen family, these treacherous officials, should not be allowed to run rampant."
"Your Majesty, we beg Your Majesty to execute the entire Wen family in order to uphold the law of the land!"
"Your Majesty, please punish him!"
"Your Majesty, please punish him!"
"..."
The ministers inside the hall shouted in unison, their powerful voices resounding throughout the palace.
The emperor sat solemnly on the dragon throne.
Suddenly, Li Qian, the head of the censors, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, the Wen family's collusion with foreign enemies is an unforgivable crime. However, given their close relationship with His Highness the Crown Prince, I believe it is also necessary to thoroughly investigate whether the Crown Prince was aware of it."
These words caused an uproar in the hall.
Minister of Personnel Chi Boshan sneered and stepped forward, saying, "Lord Li, you are mistaken. His Highness the Crown Prince has always been upright and honest. How could he possibly collude with the Wen family? Such unfounded speculation is not without the suspicion of sowing discord."
Pei Fang also stepped forward to echo: "The Wen family's crimes will be judged by the law. To involve the Crown Prince in this is far-fetched."
"Lord Chi and Lord Pei's words are perhaps too biased. Although the Crown Prince's marriage to the Chi family is imminent, how can private matters be tolerated in the court? I am merely stating the facts."
Ning Zhi quickly knelt and explained, "Father, although I have some relationship with the Wen family, it is only as a matter of courtesy, and there is absolutely no involvement between us."
The officials discussed the matter animatedly, and the atmosphere in the court became increasingly tense.
Seeing this, Duan Zhian stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, it was Your Highness's repeated suggestion to send Wen Ziyuan into battle. I believe that if Your Highness was aware of this matter, why did you repeatedly request that Wen Ziyuan be sent into battle? Isn't that a contradiction?"
Li Qian remained unyielding: "If the Grand Tutor believes that the Crown Prince has no involvement in this matter, then why not investigate?"
Duan Zhi'an turned his head, his words becoming more stern, and said, "Your Highness has always been diligent in governing and loves the people, and is deeply trusted by His Majesty. If there is no solid evidence, it is easy to implicate others, which may invite ridicule from all over the world. How can the people dare to trust the court? Lord Li's insistence on investigating is disregarding the face of the royal family."
"I did this precisely for the sake of the royal family's reputation..."
"Enough, I didn't come here today to watch you quarrel."
The emperor frowned, his expression growing increasingly somber.
After pondering for a long time, just as Duan Zhi'an was about to speak again, the emperor looked at the second prince.
"Ning Chang, tell me, what should be done about this?"
Ning Chang was weak and his health deteriorated after returning to the palace. He stayed in the palace and did not go out. Duan Zhi'an went to teach him twice, but seeing that he was weak and powerless, he gave up.
The emperor summoned him to court today, and he came despite his ailing body.
He had intended to sit quietly to the side and wait for the court session to end, but he never expected to be called upon by the emperor.
He coughed twice, stood up and replied, "Your Majesty, I believe that the Wen family case involves a wide range of issues. Since the court officials have doubts about Your Highness, it would be better to hand the case over to Your Highness to investigate personally. The whole world is watching, and I think Your Highness will be able to restore justice to the court and clear your name."
The emperor pondered for a moment and asked, "Crown Prince, this matter is of utmost importance. Do you know what the consequences will be if someone tries to cover it up?"
"Your Majesty, I am willing to shoulder this heavy responsibility. After a thorough investigation, I will punish those who should be implicated according to the law, without any leniency!"
Ning Zhi knelt down on both knees and performed the kowtow ceremony.
Li Qian gritted his teeth and remained silent.
The officials standing behind him also shook their heads.
The hall was silent except for the sound of the emperor tapping his index finger on the back of his chair.
Duan Zhi'an stood before the officials, his expression unchanged, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
When he initially planned to send Wen Ziyuan to conquer Fengyu Pass, his original intention was simply to send him away from Wen Qian and, incidentally, to do Jiang Mian a favor.
But to his surprise, the Wen family was so audacious as to collude with the enemy, managing to deceive even him.
In order to protect the Crown Prince, it is necessary to sever ties with the Wen family.
However, according to the emperor's wishes, the Wen family would be implicated and sentenced to death.
That Wenqian...