Chapter 147 147: 146: Gloomy Aura_1

Chapter 147: Chapter 146: Gloomy Aura_1

“Shut up!” The Emperor roared in anger. How could he have fathered such a cowardly son?

Both King Liang and Tongji were terrified, shrinking back and not daring to make a sound.

Bai Qingyan stood behind the Eldest Princess, watching quietly without any emotional response.

The Emperor pinched the bridge of his nose and frowned at Minister Lu Jin of the Court of Judicial Review. “Lu Jin, you question them!”

Lu Jin respectfully bowed to the Emperor, then looked at Xiao Ruohai. “Did you capture Liu Huanzhang and the guards of King Liang’s residence?”

Xiao Ruohai nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty!”

...

“Explain the entire matter in detail…”

Covered in blood, Xiao Ruohai showed no trace of fear. After bowing respectfully, he said, “I don’t know how the close servant of King Liang arranged to meet our young lady’s maid Chun Yan. I only know that today, when the funeral procession had just returned, the steward nanny beside our young lady detained the maid Chun Yan along with the servant of King Liang and pleaded with the Eldest Princess to seek justice for the young lady. It’s said that King Liang wanted Chun Yan to place a love letter that the Prince wrote to the young lady in King Zhen’s study, planning for someone to discover the letter. Then, King Liang would use the Duke’s promise of celebrating the wedding upon his return from expedition to propose to the young lady and take Chun Yan as a concubine. Chun Yan agreed! That servants named Tongji even instructed Chun Yan not to open the letter because it wouldn’t be proper for someone else to read the Prince’s correspondence. Tongji said he would wait at the back gate for Chun Yan to quickly place the letter and inform him afterward!”

Xiao Ruohai spoke clearly and slowly, making it easy for others to understand.

Hearing this, Chun Yan finally couldn’t suppress her fear. She wanted to cry and plead with Bai Qingyan but feared the Emperor’s authority and nearly fainted several times.

“As a result, our straightforward Fourth Lady wanted to see what in the letter could force the young lady to marry King Liang, so she opened it in public! Unexpectedly… it contained letters of King Zhen conspiring with the enemy! Also attached was a handwritten letter supposedly from King Zhen, but the handwriting was of the Ancestral Emperor!” Xiao Ruohai looked up at Tongji. “At this point, my lord can ask the close servant of King Liang if this is true or not.”

Lu Jin looked at Tongji and Chun Yan. “Is this true or not?”

Chun Yan’s tears fell incessantly, and she opened her mouth but was too nervous to make a sound.

Tongji, however, timidly nodded. “It’s true, but…”

Before Tongji could continue, Xiao Ruohai said, “I was standing on the high step, seeing someone with a panicked expression squeezing through the crowd and hurriedly leaving. Sensing something unusual, I followed with a team and unexpectedly saw the panicked person entering King Liang’s residence! I sent someone back to report to the master and awaited instructions. Within half an incense stick’s time, the person emerged hurriedly from King Liang’s residence and galloped away…”

Xiao Ruohai glanced at Tian Weijun. “Thus, I led people to secretly follow and investigate. Who knew that the trail would lead to a paper-mache offering shop where I heard Liu Huanzhang’s voice! Liu Huanzhang, who betrayed our entire Bai family, with vengeance before us… the loyal servants of the Bai family wanted to capture Liu Huanzhang alive. Yet, this highly skilled master from King Liang’s residence, seeing Liu Huanzhang about to be taken from us, killed Liu Huanzhang with a sword! My lord can ask these two guards of King Liang’s residence if this is true or not.”

Gao Sheng remained expressionless, kneeling in silence.

Tian Weijun lowered his head without saying a word.

Xiao Ruohai paused, giving Gao Sheng and Tian Weijun a chance to speak. As neither spoke, Lu Jin said, “Continue…”

Xiao Ruohai continued, “After the skilled master killed Liu Huanzhang, seeing that we had also captured a messenger guard from King Liang’s residence, he aimed to kill that guard too. Ironically, we risked our lives to protect this messenger guard from King Liang’s residence and found a letter on the guard. The letter stated… that Liu Huanzhang’s entire clan’s lives were used as leverage to force him to go to the Court of Judicial Review and confess that the letter in Tongji’s possession was swapped by Liu Huanzhang, and to undeniably confirm that the letter swap was to frame King Zhen for treason! The letter is here, my lord can ask these two guards from King Liang’s residence to verify my words.”

As Xiao Ruohai spoke, he took out the letter from his robe and held it high above his head…

King Liang was greatly shocked, never imagining that Liu Huanzhang would be discovered by the loyal servants of the Bai family. He subconsciously looked in Bai Qingyan’s direction, only to see Bai Qingyan’s clear and composed eyes staring back at him.

In an instant, a thought crossed his mind. He recalled the list Bai Qingyan obtained from Qin Dezhao.

Could it be that he was tricked?!

“Your Majesty! It was Gao Sheng who killed Liu Huanzhang and Tian Weijun! It must be he who framed the Prince! Your Majesty, please see the truth!” Tongji cried as he kowtowed to the Emperor, “I received the letter from Gao Sheng! It was him! It must be Gao Sheng!”

Tongji’s cries sent a chill through King Liang’s heart.

Lu Jin stepped forward, took the letter from Xiao Ruohai’s hand, glanced at it, and was shocked.

It was a letter personally written by King Liang!

“This…” Lu Jin hurriedly turned to the Emperor. “Your Majesty, this handwriting looks like King Liang’s!”

Bai Qingyan was taken aback. A personally written letter?!

How could Du Zhiwei allow King Liang to be so foolish as to leave a handwritten letter… handing over evidence? Du Zhiwei would never make such a slip-up!

The Emperor saw the blood drain completely from King Liang’s face, as he stood there, almost gnawing his gums. “Bring it here!”

How could the Emperor not recognize King Liang’s handwriting, as his father?

Seeing the letter, the Emperor trembled in rage. Lu Jin stepped forward, saying, “Your Majesty, I believe… handwriting can be forged. Perhaps we should invite the elder Imperial Master Tan Song and Lord Shoushan… two masters in calligraphy, to judge it! Also, the paper and the ink on it… need thorough investigation to avoid wrongfully accusing Prince Liang!”

Imperial Master Tan Song had retired and spent his years fostering peace at home, known for his virtue and integrity, trusted by the Emperor.

Lord Shoushan was a famous character in Dadu City, unmatched in calligraphy.

“Go invite them!”

The Emperor had resolved to get to the bottom of this case today.

Gao Demao quickly ordered people to invite Imperial Master and Lord Shoushan.

Lu Jin asked Gao Sheng, “Do you have anything to say?”

Gao Sheng shook his head.

Tongji, seeing this, angrily cursed, “Gao Sheng, you heartless dog! If it wasn’t for our Prince back then…”

“Tongji!” King Liang interrupted Tongji. Gao Sheng was a former subordinate of the Second Prince. If the Emperor knew King Liang sheltered a survivor from the Second Prince’s residence, he would be doomed with no resting place even in death.