Chapter 235: The Truth
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On the elevated seat, the emperor gazed at the letter presented by the palace servant, remaining silent for a while.
He Rufei’s heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, causing him pain. At this point, he could be very certain that on the night of the He family’s intrusion, the person who stole the letters from the Ling Long box was indeed Xiao Jue. However, how did Xiao Jue know how to open the Ling Long box? The He family’s premises were like an uninhabited place. Without an internal traitor, how… he looked at He Yan, suddenly remembering the “big brother” she called him when they were sparring.
It contained myriad emotions, like a vengeful ghost coming to collect a debt.
Could it be true…
“The real Flying Phoenix General once studied together with the humble minister at Xianchang Academy,” Xiao Jue said, “After the Battle of Huayuan, this minister found discrepancies in General He’s identity. After returning to the capital, I visited Xianchang Academy once. Someone tried to set the book depository at Xianchang Academy on fire, attempting to burn Flying Phoenix General’s old notes. Fortunately, the arson attempt failed. The minister compared the notes at Xianchang Academy with the military books Flying Phoenix General had read before, and the handwriting matched. However, Young Master He’s handwriting showed no resemblance.”
“With just this, how can it prove Flying Phoenix General’s identity?” Xu Jingfu spoke slowly, staring at Xiao Jue with a profound and unreadable gaze, “A person’s handwriting doesn’t remain unchanged forever. With the passage of time, it’s not impossible for it to change.”
He never expected that Xiao Jue would take such a big detour, and the thing he wanted to talk about turned out to be this, something that sounded absurd and laughable.
He Rufei’s cousin was the real Flying Phoenix General, and He Rufei was just a stand-in taking credit for her achievements, a counterfeit? How was that possible? What was the name of He Rufei’s cousin, no one knew it. Moreover, how could a woman have such great ability?
He thought Xiao Huaijin was simply joking, but when he saw He Rufei’s expression, he was shocked.
In an instant, many things that were previously unclear suddenly became clear. He Rufei had a good reputation among the military, and he didn’t rely on this civil official to support him. Even if he wanted to participate in the struggle for the throne, there was no need to hastily cooperate with him, as if wanting to use him to cover something up.
Although Xu Jingfu had suspected before, the results of the investigation revealed nothing, so he temporarily dispelled the doubts. Now it seemed that what Xiao Jue said was probably true. Although he didn’t understand how Xiao Jue knew these secrets, if He Rufei really had a problem, it would be detrimental to him. Considering this, even if he was unwilling, at this critical moment, Xu Jingfu could only speak up for He Rufei.
“This is just one piece of evidence,” Xiao Jue said calmly, “Bring in the witnesses.”
Someone was brought onto the square by the guards, a woman who was timid. As soon as she arrived on the square and saw so many people, she was scared and collapsed on the ground.
“Surname Jiang,” Xiao Jue said, “In front of the emperor, tell everything you know without omission.”
Xu Zhiheng’s face turned pale as paper, shaking and on the verge of collapse. He had been looking for Jiang Momo’s whereabouts all along. Previously, he had clearly found some clues, but the people he sent out came back empty-handed. Later, because of Fuwang, he thought Jiang Momo had been found by He Rufei, and He Rufei intended to use Jiang Momo to threaten him. However, he never expected that Jiang Momo had been found by Xiao Jue.
As soon as Jiang Momo saw the emperor, she was so scared that she repeatedly kowtowed, tears almost falling out, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty… this humble woman really doesn’t know anything. This humble woman served Concubine Xu for a long time. On that day, she said she wanted to kill the madam, it was Master’s idea… This humble woman only dared to watch from a distance. They pressed the old madam into the water and drowned her alive. This humble woman heard her calling the madam General He… The madam’s eyes were also blinded by them. This humble woman didn’t do anything, this humble woman really doesn’t know anything!”
“Oh my god! What does this woman mean? So, the previously drowned Madam Xu is the real Flying Phoenix General, and they killed her to silence her?”
“If that’s the case, does Master Xu also know about this? But wasn’t Master Xu deeply in love with his deceased wife?”
“Deeply in love? It’s downright chilling!”
Lin Shuanghe muttered, “Brother He… is Madam Xu?”
Yan He couldn’t hide the astonishment in his eyes, wondering if he was dreaming.
Wei Xuanzhang was pushed by his colleagues on the side. “Mr. Wei, it turns out that the General He in your academy was actually a woman? Didn’t you notice?”
Wei Xuanzhang remained silent, his mind filled with disbelief. He didn’t like He Rufei at the beginning, and if it weren’t for the teacher’s plea, he wouldn’t have allowed He Rufei into the academy in the first place. The young man was diligent and studious, but unfortunately, he lacked talent in academics. If we talk about martial studies, he was not outstanding either. Xianchang Academy cultivated talents for the future of Great Wei, and ordinary people like him would be better suited for an ordinary academy.
But later, when He Rufei led the Fuyue Army against the Western Qiang, he had to admit that he had to look at him differently for a while. Those who could protect their homeland were all good young men.
Now, thinking back, when He Rufei was in Xianchang Academy, he had already shown a different side from the other young men. For example, he always wore a mask and was always alone. The teachers always thought that he was self-conscious because of his ugly appearance, but now everything was clear.
The clumsy and hardworking young man back then turned out to be a girl, afraid of being discovered, always alone.
He couldn’t express the strange feeling in his heart. Wei Xuanzhang had always believed that women should stay at home to manage the household and educate children, and should not show their faces. Women were long-haired and short-sighted. Now, it was hard to say a harsh word, feeling that the deceased Flying Phoenix General was both respectable and pitiful.
The Fifth Prince Guangji quietly pulled the sleeve of his companion Guangshuo, “Fourth brother, why don’t I understand what they’re talking about? What happened to Flying Phoenix General?”
Guangshuo suppressed the astonishment in his heart and said, “Nothing.” He looked at He Rufei kneeling in front of the emperor, feeling a sense of sorrow.
He remembered He Rufei. Initially, He Rufei gained fame in the Fuyue army, and later it was discovered that he was the eldest son of the He family, earning praise from everyone in the court. For a well-born young man from a prestigious family to go to war is undoubtedly a courageous act. Moreover, Flying Phoenix General’s heroic demeanor is legendary among his subordinates, and he greatly admires him. But now, Xiao Jue revealed the truth, exposing the fact that the brave general who disregarded her own life on the battlefield is, in reality, a delicate daughter beneath the armor.
And after winning the battle, the merits were not hers, the praises were not hers, and even the identity was not hers. In the end, she died under the conspiracy of her own people, making it all seem cruel in the eyes of the beholder.
The emperor’s gaze was heavy, looking towards the civil officials, “Xu Zhiheng, do you also know about this?”
“No… no… I have been wronged!” Xu Zhiheng’s legs give way, kneeling on the ground, “It’s this villain who slandered me! I never… it is her master! Her master, He Wanru, was jealous and secretly harmed the Madam. The Madam drowned because of it. After learning about this, I killed He Wanru to avenge the Madam, but I never knew the lady was Flying Phoenix General! I really didn’t know!”
He was tearful and sincere, and anyone who saw him would think he was innocent. He Yan looks at Xu Zhiheng with a cold eye, and suddenly felt that this man in front of her, this soft-hearted man, was no longer anything like the young man in the green clothes she met in the hunting ground.
The crown prince couldn’t help but speak, “Commander Xiao, can you really condemn General He with just a few letters and the words of a servant? This is the Great Wei’s Flying Phoenix General, and what you’re saying sounds a bit unbelievable, doesn’t it? Is a woman that formidable?”
Guangyan had no dealings with He Rufei but knows that there seems to be some connection between He Rufei and Xu Xiang. At this moment, he spoke not for He Rufei or Xu Xiang but to shut Xiao Jue up. After all, to him, Xiao Jue is more of an enemy than a friend.
“Just with these, of course, it’s impossible to convict Young Master He. Furthermore,” his eyes are mocking, “Young Master He’s guilt is not just limited to this.”
Guangyan was stunned, and Xu Jingfu secretly thought this was not good. Xiao Jue continued, “He Rufei colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country. To avoid exposing his identity, in the battle at Huayuan, he secretly communicated with the Wutuo people, sacrificing the innocent lives of our soldiers to gain favor from the Wutuo people.”
Maningbu, who was just watching the show from the sidelines, never expected this fire to suddenly burn in his direction, making his face change slightly.
No one spoke.
The cold wind on the square whistled through the fluttering flags, like the vengeful souls of the dead on the battlefield finally arriving at the table of justice.
“He Rufei,” Xiao Jue sneered, “you are truly timid.”
“Commander Xiao, some things haven’t been clarified yet; don’t speak without evidence,” Xu Jingfu said.
Xiao Jue remains unmoved, only instructing his subordinates to present the evidence to the emperor.
“The He family’s residence had theft, and it was said that antiques and cultural relics were stolen. Even though it was just external wealth, it made the He family panic, and they searched the city to find the thief,” Xiao Jue casually said, “Why? Because Young Master He himself knew that once the stolen items were made public, he will surely suffer a loss of reputation and status.”
He Rufei gritted his teeth, “You…”
“Three letters,” the young man turns to the emperor, “Two are related to the Wutuo people, and one,” he glances at Xu Jingfu, a smirk playing on his lips, “is from Xu Xiang.”
Emperor Wenxuan suddenly raised his gaze.
If the previous revelation about He Rufei was only shocking and unbelievable to him, Xiao Jue’s last sentence evoked anger and a profound sense of betrayal.
Xu Jingfu… collaborating with the Wutuo people?
He may be a mediocre emperor who liked to delegate authority, but that doesn’t mean he enjoys being played and trampled upon. This is an affront to the dignity of the imperial family, and how can he endure it?
Xu Jingfu was taken aback, instinctively kneeled down, and hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, this old minister is absolutely loyal, unaware of where Commander Xiao forged those letters to slander the old minister. The old minister’s loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as day! “
He had no idea where Xiao Jue obtained the letters, nor when He Rufei hid them. He didn’t put much thought into He Rufei, considering him just a domineering military general not worth his attention. However, his carelessness had led him into a trap – He Rufei actually kept a letter, didn’t destroy it, and Xiao Jue found it!
Emperor Wenxuan looked at the letters in his hand. The more he read, the darker his expression becomes. Ultimately, he showed no emotion.
He already had an idea whether the letters were real or not. For so many years, he turned a blind eye to Xu Jingfu’s actions, only remembering the assistance he provided when he first ascended the throne. He thought of himself as an emperor with a sense of humanity, unlike the previous emperors. Yet now, it seemed that the loyalty between ruler and subject was not appreciated by some. He granted Xu Jingfu power and status, but it was never enough.
The words “colluding with the enemy and betraying the country” have severed the bond between them in the emperor’s eyes.
“Commander Xiao,” Yan He, a military officer, suddenly asked in a loud voice, “Did He Rufei really, for her own selfish desires, ignore the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers in the battle at Huayuan?”
Xiao Jue remained silent, calmly watching him.
Yan He’s eyes suddenly turned red.
Generals are different from scholars; they step onto the battlefield and carry swords and spears. The comrades they live and die with on the battlefield have a different bond, an emotional connection unlike others. When generals are in battle, they wish to save as many comrades as possible and despise meaningless sacrifices. To betray one’s own people, to watch them go to their deaths for the sake of one’s wretched life, is abhorrent.
Yan He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and kneeled before Emperor Wenxuan, “Please, Your Majesty, punish He Rufei severely! Avenge the innocent soldiers who died unjustly in the battle at Huayuan!”
The generals were first shocked, then silent, and finally, one by one, they removed their swords and spears, kneeling down. “Please, Your Majesty, punish He Rufei severely! Avenge the innocent soldiers who died unjustly in the battle at Huayuan!”
The cries shook the heavens, and Maningbu realized things were taking a bad turn. Looking at Emperor Wenxuan, even he was visibly moved.
Xiao Jue coldly spoke, “The Wutuo people conspired with officials in the court, leading to the carnage in the battle at Huayuan, unjust deaths of soldiers. Now, feigning peace, they hide their malicious intent. Your Majesty,” Xiao Jue bowed, “the Wutuo people are ambitious and their intentions are clear. I implore Your Majesty to revoke the peace agreement. As for establishing a marketplace in Great Wei, it’s an absurd idea. The urgent task at hand is to eliminate those officials in the court colluding with the Wutuo people.”
Xu Jingfu rebuked, “Xiao Huaijin, you’re spouting nonsense!”
“One who is clear of conscience needs not be agitated, Prime Minister Xu,” Xiao Jue sparingly gave him a glance, then looked directly at Emperor Wenxuan, saying, “I implore Your Majesty to reconsider the decision.”
Emperor Wenxuan suddenly felt weary.
After being emperor for so many years, there haven’t been many easy days. Most of the time, he’s been tired, but never before has he felt so old, so worn out, sitting in this position, feeling too high and too cold.
“Royal father,” the Fourth Prince, Guangshuo, who had been silent, finally stood up and addresseed Emperor Wenxuan, “Regardless of whether Commander Xiao’s words are true or false, at this moment, our relations with the Wutuo nation must be reevaluated. As for Young Master He and Lord Xu… until the truth is revealed, we cannot let things slide. The matter of Flying Phoenix General is not trivial. If Commander Xiao speaks the truth, everyone involved in this matter cannot escape responsibility.”
In these words, Xu Jingfu was also included.
Xu Jingfu felt a lump in his throat, a surge of pressure building up in his chest, almost making him vomit blood. Though he supported the Crown Prince Guangyan and guards against Guangshuo, in Xu Jingfu’s mind, Guangshuo had no courage to vie for the throne. If he did, it wouldn’t have dragged on until now. Guangshuo’s temperament was similar to Emperor Wenxuan, carrying a useless kindness of a monarch, so he was destined to be no match for Guangyan.
And at this moment, Guangshuo’s words would be the final straw that broke the camel’s back.
Indeed, Emperor Wenxuan glanced at Guangshuo. At this critical juncture, he didn’t disdain Guangshuo’s involvement in state affairs. Instead, he felt that Guangshuo’s words offered a solution to the current situation, awakening him from the feeling of betrayal.
Xu Jingfu looked at Emperor Wenxuan’s expression and realized it was not good. If Emperor Wenxuan spoke up now and accepted Guangshuo’s words, then there would be no chance for He Rufei to turn the situation around. If He Rufei had no chance to overturn the situation, the letter will become evidence that nailed him. He cannot be taken away here and now, leaving only Guangyan outside. Guangyan is a fool who won’t be able to extract him, and Xiao Huaijin won’t miss this opportunity. After today, he will have no chance of turning the tables!
“Your Majesty…” Xu Jingfu sheds tears, “The old minister is wronged. The old minister believes that Commander Xiao’s words are all lies, fabrications, and baseless rumors. It is said that Flying Phoenix General and General Fengyun have never gotten along, and now it seems to be true. The old minister just doesn’t know how General He provoked Commander Xiao to make him commit such a heartless act!”
Even at this moment, he refused to give up.
“Commander Xiao did not lie!” A woman’s voice suddenly rang out, sharp and piercing.
He Yan was surprised and turned to look. A disheveled woman was stumbling towards the crowd, as if she rolled somewhere, appearing out of nowhere. Her clothes were dirty, and her hair was messy, but her face was still pretty.
Surprisingly, it was Second Madam He.
He Yan was stunned, wanting to step forward but fearing to reveal her identity, so she stayed in place.
Xiao Jue was also surprised. He Rufei’s expression changed, but Second Madam He didn’t look at anyone in the crowd. She rushed to the front of the Tianxing Terrace, prostrating herself before Emperor Wenxuan and loudly declared, “Your humble subject can testify, Your Majesty! Your humble subject can testify! He Rufei is not really Flying Phoenix General; he is an impostor. When He Rufei and my daughter were born together, He Rufei was weak, and the physician predicted that he wouldn’t live past three years. To secure the title, my husband and elder brother-in-law switched my daughter, He Yan, who disguised herself as a man, with He Rufei.”
He Yan’s hands tremble slightly.
Second Madam He took a couple of steps forward, gasped for breath, and angrily pointed at He Rufei not far away, “My daughter went to the battlefield at the age of sixteen, luckily earned military merits. When she returned to the capital, He Rufei had already recovered. When Your Majesty awarded promotions, He Yan and He Rufei had already resumed their respective positions. This might not be a big deal,” she took a breath, pointing at He Rufei with hatred, “but they were ruthless! To prevent her identity from being exposed, they poisoned my daughter. First, they blinded her with poison and then drowned her in a pond.”
“Commander Xiao did not deceive you, Your Majesty,” Second Madam He shouted, “My daughter, He Yan, is the real Flying Phoenix General!”
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