On the third day of the new year, the Qi family was attacked by bandits, and even Miss Qi’s residence was half-burned. If she hadn’t happened to be in the old madam’s room at the time, helping pick out prayer beads, she might not have made it out alive.
This kind of incident couldn’t be kept quiet, and it quickly spread like wildfire.
Not that it could avoid becoming a hot topic.
The Qi family had just been accused of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country—Old Marquis Qi and Qi Zhen had both been thrown into the Imperial Prison. The family was already on the verge of collapse, and yet someone was still targeting them, as if wishing for the entire Qi clan to be wiped out.
Tsk tsk.
Among the common folk, there were quiet whispers:
“Could it be those military households from Jizhou?”
“Yeah… if it’s like what they said, that the Qi family made all the money while the blame falls on them—how could they be willing to accept that?”
“If it were me, I’d risk everything too!”
And it wasn’t just the common folk thinking this way.
This new year was destined to be anything but peaceful.
By the seventh day of the new year, the moment the yamen offices reopened, they were flooded with memorials—
All denouncing the Qi family for smuggling and treason.
Each one more forceful than the last.
At the first grand court assembly of the year, once the formal New Year greetings were over, officials immediately began to impeach Qi Zhen and the Old Marquis.
Wu Cheng, a censor from the Six Ministries, spoke bluntly in court: “The Qi family is drinking the soldiers’ blood and eating the people’s flesh! Where do they place the citizens of Great Zhou?!”
Yang Liming, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, followed: “Exactly! The dynasty granted them noble titles, high offices, and a life of luxury. And instead of repaying that grace, they’ve lined their own pockets and colluded with the enemy!”
Pu Wuyong stood silently at Emperor Yongchang’s side, flanked by Eunuch Xia. His face bore a faint, mocking smile.
Secret letters?
Even if there were secret letters—could they ever reach the emperor?
If they couldn’t be delivered, they might as well not exist.
He knew that Xiao Yunting and Qi Yuan were close. A noble young lady like Qi Yuan—if she had secret letters, who else could she hand them to except Xiao Yunting?
But could Xiao Yunting really get them into the emperor’s hands?
He was underestimating the influence of this Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies.
Eunuch Xia, meanwhile, shook his head regretfully.
The court was in an uproar.
Whether civil or military officials, the phrase “colluding with the enemy and betraying the country” hit them like a punch to the gut. For them, it was an unforgivable crime.
And now, even the Jizhou soldiers’ families were coming forward—some even trying to assassinate Miss Qi, denouncing the Qi family with their dying breaths.
It almost seemed like the case was sealed.
Today was the Grand Court Assembly, and originally, Xiao Yunting was supposed to attend.
But he still hadn’t appeared.
Eunuch Xia grew increasingly anxious. He knew the prince’s relationship with the Qi family—there was no way the prince would stand by and do nothing. So where was he?
Amid the chaos, Emperor Yongchang asked coolly from behind his ceremonial crown: “So, you all believe that the Qi family is unquestionably guilty of smuggling?”
Yang Liming immediately knelt and cupped his hands. “Your Majesty, there is both testimony and material evidence. The proof is irrefutable! What the Qi family has done is not only a betrayal of the people and the border troops, but also of Your Majesty. It is disloyal and unjust!”
Jiang Yanzhen, who had long been waiting for his chance, immediately chimed in: “And it’s more than disloyal and unjust—it’s outright rebellion! Smuggling, colluding with the enemy—how is that any different from treason? They deserve death a thousand times over! Their entire clan should be executed!”
He had been holding back this anger for a long time!
Ever since Liu Wangfei returned, everything had gone downhill for him.
Well, maybe not exactly downhill—
No one had really bothered with him, since everyone was too busy dealing with Duke Chu’s household.
Then the Noble Consort Xiao Liu died too—so many things happened that no one remembered he even existed.
But he remembered.
And he was scared.
His sister had never been one to repay grievances with kindness.
She would definitely come for him, sooner or later.
When it came down to it, all of this was the Qi family’s fault.
If the Qi family hadn’t gone looking for Liu Wangfei, none of this would have happened.
So now that an opportunity had finally come, of course he had to stomp on the Qi family—hard.
Pu Wuyong found it all the more laughable. When he noticed Xu Huan nervously glance up at him, he shifted his gaze away in warning.
Xu Huan quickly lowered his head.
His neck still hurt.
So did his stomach.
Just thinking about how vicious that girl Qi Yuan was made him uneasy.
His heart was all over the place. Even now, the entire court was attacking the Qi family, yet Xiao Yunting still hadn’t shown up—only then did he finally let out a breath of relief.
It looked like Pu Wuyong had been right—he really did have a way to make the evidence in Xiao Yunting’s hands disappear.
Tsk tsk.
And Qi Yuan had the nerve to say that killing him would only make the Qi family look guiltier?
Could the Qi family really clear their name now?
Xu Huan gradually relaxed, watching as the court seethed with righteous fury, demanding that Emperor Yongchang pass judgment on the Qi family. A faint smile began to creep across his face.
Until—Emperor Yongchang let out a soft chuckle.
The entire court fell silent.
This was a massive scandal, happening right at the start of the new year and right after the death of Liu Wangfei. Shouldn’t the emperor be furious? Shouldn’t he have already ordered the Embroidered Guards to ransack the Qi household?
As long as the Embroidered Guards got involved—
Pu Wuyong’s goal would be achieved.
Once it was in their hands, everything would be under his control.
He could turn black into white and white into black.
But now—Emperor Yongchang laughed?
Even Pu Wuyong subconsciously turned his head slightly to sneak a look at the emperor.
He saw Emperor Yongchang expressionless, suddenly toss a stack of letters onto the floor, then call out in a cold voice:
“Xu Shilang—why don’t you tell us what these are?”
Pu Wuyong’s expression changed instantly.
And not just his—Xu Huan’s knees buckled as he nearly collapsed to the floor on the spot.
He looked at Pu Wuyong in disbelief.
Wasn’t everything agreed upon?
Hadn’t Pu Wuyong said he could stop Xiao Yunting and destroy the evidence?
Then what… what the h*ll was happening now?!
Pu Wuyong reacted even faster than he did—realizing at once:
He’d been played by Xiao Yunting.
Xiao Yunting had never kept the evidence on him at all. But then—how had he gotten it into Emperor Yongchang’s hands?
As the Grand Chamberlain of the Inner Court, Pu Wuyong had countless eyes watching every movement in the palace. Xiao Yunting hadn’t even met the emperor!
So how had he done it?!
The hall fell into a deep, oppressive silence, the calm before a storm.
Emperor Yongchang asked again, voice heavy with menace: “Xu Shilang—I’m asking you. What exactly are these documents? Read them aloud.”
Xu Huan collapsed completely to the floor.
Read them?!
Read them?! He’d rather die than read them!
The ministers began to sense that something was very wrong. They were the most politically sensitive group of all—and they instantly picked up on the shift in momentum.
No one said another word.
They just waited, pensive and watchful, to see what those letters actually contained.
Eunuch Xia glanced sideways at Pu Wuyong—only to see him standing there with a face like someone whose father had just died.
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