After the scholars were brought to the capital city, Yang Wen regained his spirits. As they looked at the bustling and prosperous city, they were moved to the point of tears.
"Gentlemen, you have safely arrived in the capital. We should take our leave," said the maidservant who was about to bid them farewell.
"Please wait, Miss," Wang Qi called out to the maid who was leaving, "Please pardon my rudeness, but may I inquire about the identity of your young lady? When we have the means, we would like to repay the silver to your esteemed estate."
The maidservant, who was stopped by them, smiled and said, "Gentlemen, there's no need to be so polite. This is our Junzhu's kind intention."
"The Junzhu's generosity in assisting us when we were in distress is truly benevolent. How can we not repay the debt?" Wang Qi bowed and said, "Please inform us."
"Alright," the maidservant shook her head helplessly, "Junzhu's estate is on the Eastern side of the capital, she is the daughter of the Great General."
Among the current generals who could be referred to as the "Great General", there were only two in Great Jin: Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue. Although Wang Qi and the other scholars had speculated that the person who had helped them was Fushou Junzhu, it was just speculation, and they couldn't believe that such a coincidence could happen.
"So it is Fushou Junzhu," Wang Qi deeply bowed, "Many thanks to Junzhu for her assistance. We will study diligently and live up to Junzhu's expectations."
"Cough, cough, cough."
A light cough came from inside the carriage of Fushou Junzhu. This time, she did not lift the curtain but spoke through the carriage, "Gentlemen, please don't be so courteous. When rivers and mountains meet, it is fate. You happened to encounter a problem, and I happened to pass by there. It shows that heaven sent me to help you. When something is destined, you don't need to feel pressured. Even without me, there would have been someone else to help you."
Wang Qi understood very well that even if they had received help from someone else, the person assisting them might not have been as considerate and mindful of their reputation as Fushou Junzhu.
As the carriage slowly moved away, Yang Wen couldn't help but sigh, "Fushou Junzhu is truly gentle and kind. No wonder the Crown Prince is fond of her, instead of..."
"Brother Yang," Wang Qi quickly interrupted him, "This is a sensitive matter in the capital. We must be cautious with our words."
Yang Wen suddenly realized, "Thank you for reminding me, Brother Wang."
Before they came to the capital, the evil deeds of the Xie family had already spread throughout the provinces. Although later, some members of the Xie family came out to claim that those acts were not committed by them, no one believed their excuses.
Especially the scholar who was pushed into the water by the Xie family. They had witnessed it themselves, but at the time, the river was turbulent, and by the time they reached the riverbank, the scholar who had fallen into the water had already disappeared.
They had regarded the Xie family as a noble family they could look up to, but little did they know that the Xie family was not as virtuous as they had imagined. They even daringly concealed the public announcement of the examination in the capital, delaying the progress of other scholars' studies. They were truly hypocritical pseudo-gentlemen.
"I never expected that I would casually save a few people, and it happened to be scholars coming from the south."
Yesterday, Hua Liuli went out of the city to inspect the estate and fields awarded to her by the Emperor. She had even stayed overnight at the estate. Unexpectedly, on her way back to the city, she encountered this situation.
"It shows that heaven is helping us," Yuan Yi said, "Junzhu, the envoys from the Daimao Kingdom and the Jinpo Kingdom are still in the capital. The Elder of the Xie family, for the sake of Xie Fuma, has also come to the capital. Nubi is worried that they may have other schemes. Junzhu must be careful."
"My dear Yuan Yi, have you forgotten?" Hua Liuli reached out and lifted Yuan Yi's chin, smiling, "Your Junzhu is a delicate and innocent young lady. If you were one of those people, would you think that I am the easiest person from the entire Hua family to deal with?"
Yuan Yi half-squatted in front of Hua Liuli and tapped her leg a few times, "Junzhu, it's just that there seems to be a lot happening in the capital recently. Nubi is a bit uneasy."
"It's alright," Hua Liuli held Yuan Yi's hand and had her sit beside her, "I still have you and Yurong. There's no need to worry."
Yuan Yi smiled helplessly, "Junzhu, we servants only understand fighting on horseback. We don't understand the ways of the capital."
"It's alright. Your Junzhu is very clever," Hua Liuli said as she opened the carriage curtain and glanced outside. The smile in her eyes gradually faded, "This is a beautiful and peaceful world. Anyone who wishes to disrupt it for their own selfish gain is an enemy of the people of Great Jin."
Since the Hua family could shed blood on the battlefield to protect this land, they could naturally protect the prosperity of the capital city amid changing times.
Five years ago, she dared to stay alone in the military camp. Five years later, she dared to accompany the Crown Prince and better protect the Great Jin Dynasty.
That was the motto of the Hua family.
In the imperial court, Emperor Changlong slightly raised the index finger of his left hand, and Zhao Sancai, who was standing aside, loudly declared, "If there is any matter to report, speak up; otherwise, the court is dismissed."
This was almost the standard procedure after the court meeting. Generally, when these words were spoken, it meant that the meeting was over and everyone could disperse.
But today, it was different. A censor stood up.
"This subordinate has a report."
Emperor Changlong sat up straight, his expression unchanged. He said, "Speak."
"Recently, this subordinate received a secret report related to the border," the censor turned his head and glanced at Hua Yingting, who stood at the forefront of the generals' side, "It has been discovered that General Hua Yingting's eldest son, Hua Jingyi, has had close contact with the imperial family of Jinpo. It has raised suspicions of collusion and treason."
The entire court was shocked; almost no one could believe that this was true.
"Your Majesty," Cao Jinbo stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, General Hua has been guarding the border with his sons for many years and has even defeated the bandits of Jinpo. How could they collude and betray the country? Please investigate this matter carefully, Your Majesty."
As Cao Jinbo looked up at Emperor Changlong, who had no expression on his face, his mind raced with thoughts. Could it be that the Crown Prince's betrothal to Fushou Junzhu was merely a ruse to deceive the Hua family? And now, was Emperor Changlong intending to suppress the Hua family?
Fortunately, the Crown Prince was present at today's court meeting. Cao Jinbo cast a hopeful gaze at the Crown Prince, hoping that he would speak up for the Hua family.
The Crown Prince, standing at the head of the civil officials, remained silent. The civil officials who stood behind him were unaware of his current expression.
"General Hua Jingyi is a talented and loyal general of Zhen. Do you have any evidence to support your claim that he colluded with the enemy?" Emperor Changlong looked at the censor with an impassive expression.
"These are the correspondences between Hua Jingyi and the enemy country. Please review them, Your Majesty," the censor took out several letters from his sleeve.
Zhao Sancai received the letters, confirmed that they were not poisoned, and then handed them over to Emperor Changlong. Instead of immediately reading the letters, Emperor Changlong turned his gaze toward the Crown Prince.
"Crown Prince, what is your view on this matter?"
The civil officials felt a sense of relief in their hearts. The Emperor still valued the Crown Prince, even in a situation like this, he still considered the Crown Prince's reputation. Of course, at this moment, they felt even more sympathy for Hua Yingting.
The suspicion of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country was a serious accusation, and once tainted, it would be difficult to cleanse oneself of it.
If the Emperor wanted to use this opportunity to strike at the Hua family, shedding just a layer of skin would not be enough for them. It might cost them half of their lives.
"This censor seems rather unfamiliar, a newcomer?" The Crown Prince glanced at the censor.
"Replying to Your Royal Highness, this subordinate was the second-ranked scholar in the recent imperial examination," Censor Xie made a bow, "This subordinate has just taken up my position at the Office of Imperial Censors."
"Oh," the Crown Prince nodded, "You do have a rather ordinary appearance. Gu can only remember the appearances of the top-ranked scorer and the third-ranked scholar. Gu seems to have forgotten about you."
Being publicly mocked by the Crown Prince for his appearance, Censor Xie's face turned pale and green, making for a rather interesting sight.
"Since you are a newly appointed censor, where did you obtain the evidence of Hua Jingyi colluding with the enemy and betraying the country?" The Crown Prince placed his hands behind his back, took a few steps forward, and stood in front of Censor Xie, "Gu suspects that when you saw Hua Changkong achieve a better ranking than you in the imperial examination, you were filled with jealousy. That's why you are intentionally spreading rumors."
"Your Royal Highness, this subordinate has never harbored such thoughts," Censor Xie hurriedly replied, "This subordinate came across this evidence unintentionally and spoke of it during the court out of concern that Hua Jingyi might commit further wrongdoing. Although Your Royal Highness is betrothed to Fushou Junzhu, Your Royal Highness cannot protect the Hua family from their heinous crimes just because of Your Royal Highness's personal feelings."
"Are you suggesting that Gu is shielding criminals?" The Crown Prince chuckled lightly but suddenly turned serious, "Whether the Hua family is guilty or not, neither Father Emperor nor Gu have made any statements yet. Do you think it is your place to pass judgment? Are you, a mere censor, assisting the Ministry of Justice in delivering verdicts or helping Father Emperor convict people?"
As he finished speaking, he kicked Censor Xie, sending him sprawling on the ground, "What nonsense you spout in front of Gu."
The other civil officials silently moved aside, creating more space to allow the Crown Prince to continue.
This newcomer, Censor Xie, truly had no fear of tigers in his infancy. It would have been enough if he had just targeted the Hua family, but he had to involve the Crown Prince as well. They had already experienced the Crown Prince's temperament and firmly remembered the rule of "better to anger the Emperor than to provoke the Crown Prince's madness" when attending court.
As officials, they still had their pride. Where could they put their faces if the Crown Prince scolded them or kicked them during court sessions?
Moreover, this censor...
Who has ever seen a traitor who has defeated the enemy country so resoundingly?
Whose intelligence is he trying to insult here?
Censor Xie, who was kicked by the Crown Prince, was unable to regain his composure for a long time. Wasn't this the imperial court? Wasn't the Emperor still present? Why did the Crown Prince dare to kick a court official without any hesitation?
"Crown Prince," Emperor Changlong cleared his throat, "Speak properly, no need for violence. When you return, copy ten scrolls of large characters to calm your mind."
And then? That's it?!
Censor Xie couldn't believe it. The Emperor was actually tolerating the Crown Prince to this extent?! You are the Emperor, can't you show some authority and discipline this bad-tempered Crown Prince?
Unfortunately, Censor Xie was destined to be disappointed. After uttering a few perfunctory remarks, the Emperor seemed to have forgotten about the Crown Prince's outburst. The other court officials also wore indifferent and inscrutable expressions.
Censor Xie: "..."
Are the officials in the capital all crazy?
"Your Majesty," the determined Censor Xie refused to give in. Struggling to climb to his feet from the ground, he endured the pain and said, "Your Majesty, these letters are personally written by Hua Jingyi. Please review them."
Emperor Changlong was familiar with Hua Jingyi's handwriting, or rather, he was familiar with the handwriting of all of Hua Yingting's children. Hua Yingting often showed him letters written by his children. Even when Hua Yingting was stationed at the border, he would include samples of his children's writing in the letters he sent to the Emperor.
As soon as the envelopes were opened, the Emperor recognized the handwriting, which indeed resembled Hua Jingyi's. These letters not only touched on certain political matters within the court but also discussed trade with foreign countries in Qinghan Province.
In some of the letters, Hua Jingyi implied that individuals on the Jinpo side should send him gold, silver, and jewels; otherwise, their cooperation would be terminated, and so on.
Closing these letters, Emperor Changlong looked at Hua Yingting. Hua Yingting's face still carried a sense of grievance, confusion, and bewilderment, but notably not guilt.
"After reviewing these letters, it indeed seems to be Hua Jingyi's handwriting," Emperor Changlong cast his gaze toward the assembled court officials, lightly tapping his index finger on the armrest of the dragon throne without saying a word.
"Your Majesty, this subordinate believes there may be some misunderstanding here," Zhang Shuo, the Minister of Justice, spoke up, "General Hua Jingyi has served on the border from a young age and has slain countless enemies. How could such a person collude with the enemy and betray the country? Your Majesty, please examine this matter carefully."
"This subordinate concurs," Pei Jihuai, the Deputy Minister of Justice, also stood up.
"Your Majesty, this subordinate suspects that this matter is an intentional framing and false accusation by a foreign power," Lin Zhou, the Minister of Works, also stood up. Although his relationship with the Hua family was quite awkward, he remembered that during his most difficult times, Hua Yingting had interceded on his behalf.
The Hua family had sacrificed their lives and shed blood for the Great Jin Dynasty for generations. It was too hasty to declare them guilty of collusion and treason based on a few letters with similar handwriting.
"Father Emperor," Ying Wang spoke directly, "In Erchen's opinion, it is this censor who has ill intentions. Look at his sneering appearance; he does not seem like a good person. He must be deliberately scheming against the Hua family."
Censor Xie: "..."
Can you imperial family members just focus on the matter at hand and stop bringing up appearances?
"Don't worry, esteemed ministers," Emperor Changlong said with a laugh, "When Zhen said that this handwriting seems to belong to Hua Jingyi, it's not because Zhen doubted him. Rather, Zhen wanted to tell you all that all of this was done by Hua Jingyi under Zhen's instructions," He placed all the letters in a tray and chuckled, "However, Zhen can't disclose what he was supposed to do at this moment. So, please refrain from speculating."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. So, that was the case. Once they understood, they became somewhat concerned. If this matter was exposed, Hua Jingyi's ongoing mission would likely fail.
With this in mind, they turned their heads to look at Censor Xie. Couldn't he have reported this matter privately instead of making it known to the entire court?
Now, the Emperor's plan had been jeopardized.
Facing the condemning gazes of many courtiers, Censor Xie felt a significant blow to his worldview. The person who had given him these pieces of evidence had clearly stated that they would make the Hua family unable to escape, but why was he the one caught in the situation now?
"This farce ends here," Emperor Changlong stood up, his tone indifferent, "You may all retire."
The Emperor did not punish Censor Xie, but many people looked at him with sympathetic eyes.
To offend the Crown Prince right after entering the court, he truly was a brave warrior.
Censor Xie wanted to inquire about some information from his colleagues, but as soon as he approached them, they avoided him as if he were a ghost.
"Wait."
Censor Xie watched as his colleagues hurriedly left, finally feeling a sense of fear.
"Censor Xie..." Pei Jihuai walked up to him, implying something in his words, "You are a distant relative of Xie Fuma, aren't you?"
Censor Xie nodded, puzzled, "Why do you ask, Pei Daren?"
Pei Jihuai smirked and walked away.
Censor Xie: "..."
What is wrong with these people?
Just now, Hua Yingting, who didn't say a word in the court, silently followed behind Emperor Changlong and entered the main hall of the Chenyang Palace.
"Your Majesty!" Hua Yingting shouted, kneeling before Emperor Changlong with a thud. He held onto the Emperor's leg, crying with snot and tears streaming down his face.
"Your Majesty, this subordinate feels so bitter in my heart!"
"Who is the bastard who dared to frame this subordinate? If it weren't for Your Majesty's protection, even if I had a hundred mouths, I wouldn't be able to explain myself."
At this moment, Hua Yingting became a child weighing 150 catties1Around 75 kg full of grievances.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Hua Yingting: Who isn't a baby? Crying generals deserve treats.
After the scholars were brought to the capital city, Yang Wen regained his spirits. As they looked at the bustling and prosperous city, they were moved to the point of tears.
"Gentlemen, you have safely arrived in the capital. We should take our leave," said the maidservant who was about to bid them farewell.
"Please wait, Miss," Wang Qi called out to the maid who was leaving, "Please pardon my rudeness, but may I inquire about the identity of your young lady? When we have the means, we would like to repay the silver to your esteemed estate."
The maidservant, who was stopped by them, smiled and said, "Gentlemen, there's no need to be so polite. This is our Junzhu's kind intention."
"The Junzhu's generosity in assisting us when we were in distress is truly benevolent. How can we not repay the debt?" Wang Qi bowed and said, "Please inform us."
"Alright," the maidservant shook her head helplessly, "Junzhu's estate is on the Eastern side of the capital, she is the daughter of the Great General."
Among the current generals who could be referred to as the "Great General", there were only two in Great Jin: Hua Yingting and Wei Mingyue. Although Wang Qi and the other scholars had speculated that the person who had helped them was Fushou Junzhu, it was just speculation, and they couldn't believe that such a coincidence could happen.
"So it is Fushou Junzhu," Wang Qi deeply bowed, "Many thanks to Junzhu for her assistance. We will study diligently and live up to Junzhu's expectations."
"Cough, cough, cough."
A light cough came from inside the carriage of Fushou Junzhu. This time, she did not lift the curtain but spoke through the carriage, "Gentlemen, please don't be so courteous. When rivers and mountains meet, it is fate. You happened to encounter a problem, and I happened to pass by there. It shows that heaven sent me to help you. When something is destined, you don't need to feel pressured. Even without me, there would have been someone else to help you."
Wang Qi understood very well that even if they had received help from someone else, the person assisting them might not have been as considerate and mindful of their reputation as Fushou Junzhu.
As the carriage slowly moved away, Yang Wen couldn't help but sigh, "Fushou Junzhu is truly gentle and kind. No wonder the Crown Prince is fond of her, instead of..."
"Brother Yang," Wang Qi quickly interrupted him, "This is a sensitive matter in the capital. We must be cautious with our words."
Yang Wen suddenly realized, "Thank you for reminding me, Brother Wang."
Before they came to the capital, the evil deeds of the Xie family had already spread throughout the provinces. Although later, some members of the Xie family came out to claim that those acts were not committed by them, no one believed their excuses.
Especially the scholar who was pushed into the water by the Xie family. They had witnessed it themselves, but at the time, the river was turbulent, and by the time they reached the riverbank, the scholar who had fallen into the water had already disappeared.
They had regarded the Xie family as a noble family they could look up to, but little did they know that the Xie family was not as virtuous as they had imagined. They even daringly concealed the public announcement of the examination in the capital, delaying the progress of other scholars' studies. They were truly hypocritical pseudo-gentlemen.
"I never expected that I would casually save a few people, and it happened to be scholars coming from the south."
Yesterday, Hua Liuli went out of the city to inspect the estate and fields awarded to her by the Emperor. She had even stayed overnight at the estate. Unexpectedly, on her way back to the city, she encountered this situation.
"It shows that heaven is helping us," Yuan Yi said, "Junzhu, the envoys from the Daimao Kingdom and the Jinpo Kingdom are still in the capital. The Elder of the Xie family, for the sake of Xie Fuma, has also come to the capital. Nubi is worried that they may have other schemes. Junzhu must be careful."
"My dear Yuan Yi, have you forgotten?" Hua Liuli reached out and lifted Yuan Yi's chin, smiling, "Your Junzhu is a delicate and innocent young lady. If you were one of those people, would you think that I am the easiest person from the entire Hua family to deal with?"
Yuan Yi half-squatted in front of Hua Liuli and tapped her leg a few times, "Junzhu, it's just that there seems to be a lot happening in the capital recently. Nubi is a bit uneasy."
"It's alright," Hua Liuli held Yuan Yi's hand and had her sit beside her, "I still have you and Yurong. There's no need to worry."
Yuan Yi smiled helplessly, "Junzhu, we servants only understand fighting on horseback. We don't understand the ways of the capital."
"It's alright. Your Junzhu is very clever," Hua Liuli said as she opened the carriage curtain and glanced outside. The smile in her eyes gradually faded, "This is a beautiful and peaceful world. Anyone who wishes to disrupt it for their own selfish gain is an enemy of the people of Great Jin."
Since the Hua family could shed blood on the battlefield to protect this land, they could naturally protect the prosperity of the capital city amid changing times.
Five years ago, she dared to stay alone in the military camp. Five years later, she dared to accompany the Crown Prince and better protect the Great Jin Dynasty.
That was the motto of the Hua family.
In the imperial court, Emperor Changlong slightly raised the index finger of his left hand, and Zhao Sancai, who was standing aside, loudly declared, "If there is any matter to report, speak up; otherwise, the court is dismissed."
This was almost the standard procedure after the court meeting. Generally, when these words were spoken, it meant that the meeting was over and everyone could disperse.
But today, it was different. A censor stood up.
"This subordinate has a report."
Emperor Changlong sat up straight, his expression unchanged. He said, "Speak."
"Recently, this subordinate received a secret report related to the border," the censor turned his head and glanced at Hua Yingting, who stood at the forefront of the generals' side, "It has been discovered that General Hua Yingting's eldest son, Hua Jingyi, has had close contact with the imperial family of Jinpo. It has raised suspicions of collusion and treason."
The entire court was shocked; almost no one could believe that this was true.
"Your Majesty," Cao Jinbo stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, General Hua has been guarding the border with his sons for many years and has even defeated the bandits of Jinpo. How could they collude and betray the country? Please investigate this matter carefully, Your Majesty."
As Cao Jinbo looked up at Emperor Changlong, who had no expression on his face, his mind raced with thoughts. Could it be that the Crown Prince's betrothal to Fushou Junzhu was merely a ruse to deceive the Hua family? And now, was Emperor Changlong intending to suppress the Hua family?
Fortunately, the Crown Prince was present at today's court meeting. Cao Jinbo cast a hopeful gaze at the Crown Prince, hoping that he would speak up for the Hua family.
The Crown Prince, standing at the head of the civil officials, remained silent. The civil officials who stood behind him were unaware of his current expression.
"General Hua Jingyi is a talented and loyal general of Zhen. Do you have any evidence to support your claim that he colluded with the enemy?" Emperor Changlong looked at the censor with an impassive expression.
"These are the correspondences between Hua Jingyi and the enemy country. Please review them, Your Majesty," the censor took out several letters from his sleeve.
Zhao Sancai received the letters, confirmed that they were not poisoned, and then handed them over to Emperor Changlong. Instead of immediately reading the letters, Emperor Changlong turned his gaze toward the Crown Prince.
"Crown Prince, what is your view on this matter?"
The civil officials felt a sense of relief in their hearts. The Emperor still valued the Crown Prince, even in a situation like this, he still considered the Crown Prince's reputation. Of course, at this moment, they felt even more sympathy for Hua Yingting.
The suspicion of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country was a serious accusation, and once tainted, it would be difficult to cleanse oneself of it.
If the Emperor wanted to use this opportunity to strike at the Hua family, shedding just a layer of skin would not be enough for them. It might cost them half of their lives.
"This censor seems rather unfamiliar, a newcomer?" The Crown Prince glanced at the censor.
"Replying to Your Royal Highness, this subordinate was the second-ranked scholar in the recent imperial examination," Censor Xie made a bow, "This subordinate has just taken up my position at the Office of Imperial Censors."
"Oh," the Crown Prince nodded, "You do have a rather ordinary appearance. Gu can only remember the appearances of the top-ranked scorer and the third-ranked scholar. Gu seems to have forgotten about you."
Being publicly mocked by the Crown Prince for his appearance, Censor Xie's face turned pale and green, making for a rather interesting sight.
"Since you are a newly appointed censor, where did you obtain the evidence of Hua Jingyi colluding with the enemy and betraying the country?" The Crown Prince placed his hands behind his back, took a few steps forward, and stood in front of Censor Xie, "Gu suspects that when you saw Hua Changkong achieve a better ranking than you in the imperial examination, you were filled with jealousy. That's why you are intentionally spreading rumors."
"Your Royal Highness, this subordinate has never harbored such thoughts," Censor Xie hurriedly replied, "This subordinate came across this evidence unintentionally and spoke of it during the court out of concern that Hua Jingyi might commit further wrongdoing. Although Your Royal Highness is betrothed to Fushou Junzhu, Your Royal Highness cannot protect the Hua family from their heinous crimes just because of Your Royal Highness's personal feelings."
"Are you suggesting that Gu is shielding criminals?" The Crown Prince chuckled lightly but suddenly turned serious, "Whether the Hua family is guilty or not, neither Father Emperor nor Gu have made any statements yet. Do you think it is your place to pass judgment? Are you, a mere censor, assisting the Ministry of Justice in delivering verdicts or helping Father Emperor convict people?"
As he finished speaking, he kicked Censor Xie, sending him sprawling on the ground, "What nonsense you spout in front of Gu."
The other civil officials silently moved aside, creating more space to allow the Crown Prince to continue.
This newcomer, Censor Xie, truly had no fear of tigers in his infancy. It would have been enough if he had just targeted the Hua family, but he had to involve the Crown Prince as well. They had already experienced the Crown Prince's temperament and firmly remembered the rule of "better to anger the Emperor than to provoke the Crown Prince's madness" when attending court.
As officials, they still had their pride. Where could they put their faces if the Crown Prince scolded them or kicked them during court sessions?
Moreover, this censor...
Who has ever seen a traitor who has defeated the enemy country so resoundingly?
Whose intelligence is he trying to insult here?
Censor Xie, who was kicked by the Crown Prince, was unable to regain his composure for a long time. Wasn't this the imperial court? Wasn't the Emperor still present? Why did the Crown Prince dare to kick a court official without any hesitation?
"Crown Prince," Emperor Changlong cleared his throat, "Speak properly, no need for violence. When you return, copy ten scrolls of large characters to calm your mind."
And then? That's it?!
Censor Xie couldn't believe it. The Emperor was actually tolerating the Crown Prince to this extent?! You are the Emperor, can't you show some authority and discipline this bad-tempered Crown Prince?
Unfortunately, Censor Xie was destined to be disappointed. After uttering a few perfunctory remarks, the Emperor seemed to have forgotten about the Crown Prince's outburst. The other court officials also wore indifferent and inscrutable expressions.
Censor Xie: "..."
Are the officials in the capital all crazy?
"Your Majesty," the determined Censor Xie refused to give in. Struggling to climb to his feet from the ground, he endured the pain and said, "Your Majesty, these letters are personally written by Hua Jingyi. Please review them."
Emperor Changlong was familiar with Hua Jingyi's handwriting, or rather, he was familiar with the handwriting of all of Hua Yingting's children. Hua Yingting often showed him letters written by his children. Even when Hua Yingting was stationed at the border, he would include samples of his children's writing in the letters he sent to the Emperor.
As soon as the envelopes were opened, the Emperor recognized the handwriting, which indeed resembled Hua Jingyi's. These letters not only touched on certain political matters within the court but also discussed trade with foreign countries in Qinghan Province.
In some of the letters, Hua Jingyi implied that individuals on the Jinpo side should send him gold, silver, and jewels; otherwise, their cooperation would be terminated, and so on.
Closing these letters, Emperor Changlong looked at Hua Yingting. Hua Yingting's face still carried a sense of grievance, confusion, and bewilderment, but notably not guilt.
"After reviewing these letters, it indeed seems to be Hua Jingyi's handwriting," Emperor Changlong cast his gaze toward the assembled court officials, lightly tapping his index finger on the armrest of the dragon throne without saying a word.
"Your Majesty, this subordinate believes there may be some misunderstanding here," Zhang Shuo, the Minister of Justice, spoke up, "General Hua Jingyi has served on the border from a young age and has slain countless enemies. How could such a person collude with the enemy and betray the country? Your Majesty, please examine this matter carefully."
"This subordinate concurs," Pei Jihuai, the Deputy Minister of Justice, also stood up.
"Your Majesty, this subordinate suspects that this matter is an intentional framing and false accusation by a foreign power," Lin Zhou, the Minister of Works, also stood up. Although his relationship with the Hua family was quite awkward, he remembered that during his most difficult times, Hua Yingting had interceded on his behalf.
The Hua family had sacrificed their lives and shed blood for the Great Jin Dynasty for generations. It was too hasty to declare them guilty of collusion and treason based on a few letters with similar handwriting.
"Father Emperor," Ying Wang spoke directly, "In Erchen's opinion, it is this censor who has ill intentions. Look at his sneering appearance; he does not seem like a good person. He must be deliberately scheming against the Hua family."
Censor Xie: "..."
Can you imperial family members just focus on the matter at hand and stop bringing up appearances?
"Don't worry, esteemed ministers," Emperor Changlong said with a laugh, "When Zhen said that this handwriting seems to belong to Hua Jingyi, it's not because Zhen doubted him. Rather, Zhen wanted to tell you all that all of this was done by Hua Jingyi under Zhen's instructions," He placed all the letters in a tray and chuckled, "However, Zhen can't disclose what he was supposed to do at this moment. So, please refrain from speculating."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. So, that was the case. Once they understood, they became somewhat concerned. If this matter was exposed, Hua Jingyi's ongoing mission would likely fail.
With this in mind, they turned their heads to look at Censor Xie. Couldn't he have reported this matter privately instead of making it known to the entire court?
Now, the Emperor's plan had been jeopardized.
Facing the condemning gazes of many courtiers, Censor Xie felt a significant blow to his worldview. The person who had given him these pieces of evidence had clearly stated that they would make the Hua family unable to escape, but why was he the one caught in the situation now?
"This farce ends here," Emperor Changlong stood up, his tone indifferent, "You may all retire."
The Emperor did not punish Censor Xie, but many people looked at him with sympathetic eyes.
To offend the Crown Prince right after entering the court, he truly was a brave warrior.
Censor Xie wanted to inquire about some information from his colleagues, but as soon as he approached them, they avoided him as if he were a ghost.
"Wait."
Censor Xie watched as his colleagues hurriedly left, finally feeling a sense of fear.
"Censor Xie..." Pei Jihuai walked up to him, implying something in his words, "You are a distant relative of Xie Fuma, aren't you?"
Censor Xie nodded, puzzled, "Why do you ask, Pei Daren?"
Pei Jihuai smirked and walked away.
Censor Xie: "..."
What is wrong with these people?
Just now, Hua Yingting, who didn't say a word in the court, silently followed behind Emperor Changlong and entered the main hall of the Chenyang Palace.
"Your Majesty!" Hua Yingting shouted, kneeling before Emperor Changlong with a thud. He held onto the Emperor's leg, crying with snot and tears streaming down his face.
"Your Majesty, this subordinate feels so bitter in my heart!"
"Who is the bastard who dared to frame this subordinate? If it weren't for Your Majesty's protection, even if I had a hundred mouths, I wouldn't be able to explain myself."
At this moment, Hua Yingting became a child weighing 150 catties1Around 75 kg full of grievances.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Hua Yingting: Who isn't a baby? Crying generals deserve treats.
