“Who said I lost the test questions?”
Her words shocked everyone including the emperor who even leaned his body out of his seat and asked with surprise, “What?”
“Your Majesty, don’t you find it strange?” Feng Zhi Wei said with a smile, “There is a very important witness in this case, Li Changyong, who was said to have colluded with me, purchased the test questions through a large amount of bribe and then sold them off to others. This Li Changyong who was arrested by the Imperial Capital Guards right on the spot, why has he never shown up all this time?”
Her question caused everyone to suddenly realized that indeed, the very first witness that should’ve been summoned and brought up to court, never appeared.
Peng Pei’s expression turned even more sullen– this witness had gone missing!
This matter was not handled by him completely. He was only in charge of forcing a confession and killing Wei Zhi once he arrived inside the Ministry of Punishment. That important witness was arranged by someone else. He didn’t know who the person would be beforehand. This person was brought in by the Imperial Guards. To be safe, he had locked the person away from Wei Zhi and those who were with him. The person had been locked in the normal prison cell above ground but who knew this morning, right before the trial started, the prison guards would come to report that the prisoner had gone missing.
By then, the arrow was already notched and ready to go. He thought since they have plenty of other evidence and there would also be “helpers” during the trial, they have more than enough to get a death sentence on Wei Zhi. He ordered the prison guard to keep quiet about the matter while conducting a search for the man. His heart sank upon hearing Feng Zhi Wei’s question and realized immediately that Wei Zhi must have had a hand in the prisoner’s disappearance.
His heart was filled with hatred in that instance. The hatred wasn’t towards Wei Zhi, but at Second Prince who clearly knew that the situation had changed but didn’t notify him in time. The fire of fury in his heart was burning so brightly that he forgot about the bodily pain and just stared at Second Prince with a murderous glare. After a bit, he finally said through gritted teeth, “Your Majesty…that witness… disappeared from the dungeon last night inexplicably….”
“Disappeared?” The Emperor was surprised at first, then furious, “Preposterous!”
“Your Majesty.” Feng Zhi Wei smiled and said, “Please allow me to summon a few witnesses.”
“Permission granted.”
“Please bring Zong Chen, Li Changyong, Tian Liu!”
When Li Changyong’s name came out, everyone looked at each other blankly. The witness was actually in Wei Zhi’s hands?
In a short time, someone strode into the hall, wearing white clothes with an easy-going demeanor, wearing an ebony mask, and holding two people in his hands.
It was Zong Chen.
When he passed by Gu Nan Yi, he suddenly stopped, looked him up and down, anger flashing in his eyes. Zong Chen raised his hand to take Gu Nan Yi’s pulse. Gu Nan Yi did not refuse this time. Focusing on Gu Nan Yi’s ice-cold wrist, Zong Chen pulled his hand away right after his hand made contact and stuffed a fiery red pill into Gu Nan Yi’s mouth.
Only then did he salute the emperor and pushed the two witnesses forward.
Feng Zhi Wei turned around and pointed at the man kneeling on the left, and said: “Your Majesty, this is Tian Liu.” Then she said, “Tian Liu, in front of you on the left is His Majesty, bow, quickly.”
The man had been listening attentively, his eyes a little dull. Hearing Feng Zhi Wei’s words, he moved his knees and bowed in the direction of the Emperor.
“Tiansheng thirteenth-year, Qingming Academy student Tian Liu, salutation to Your Majesty!”
“Qingming?” Tiansheng emperor was taken aback, looked at Tian Liu’s obviously abnormal gaze, and said hesitantly, “Your eyes…”
“This lowly servant’s eyes have long lost the ability to see since contracting a strange disease in the thirteenth year of Tiansheng, which is why I had to drop out of Qingming midway.” Tian Liu’s voice was full of regret.
“You…” The emperor hesitated for a moment, wondering how this Tian Liu was related to this case.
“Your Majesty.” Tian Liu said unhurriedly, “I am Li Changyong who was captured by the Imperial Capital Guards for bribery and selling of the test questions. I had reported a fake name to the Imperial Capital Guards.”
“Li Changyong is you?” The emperor’s eyes flashed– Li Changyong is actually a blind man!
When the Imperial Capital Guards apprehended Li Changyong, he was acting suspiciously in an alley with the sealed test questions in hand. The test questions were seized but naturally, the Imperial Capital Guards Department did not dare to break the seal to confirm the content and immediately delivered it to the palace for Tiansheng Emperor to check. Judging by the time when the theft happened, Li Changyong must have just obtained the test. This meant, from the beginning to the end, the only ones who could’ve had their hands on the test question could only be Gu Nan Yi who was accused by the Ministry of Punishment of having stolen the test questions, and this Li Changyong. Gu Nan Yi has already proved that he never left Second Prince’s residence, and now that Li Changyong turns out to be a blind man…then that equals the test questions were indeed not leaked.
Tiansheng emperor’s expression relaxed a bit. No matter what, as long as the test questions had not been leaked, then the earth-shattering scandal of the spring examination will no longer exist and the reputation of the palace will more or less be saved.
However, there are still some things that are unclear. For example, why did this Tian Liu give a false name and how did he end up in Wei Zhi’s hands? Wasn’t he supposed to be Peng Pei’s witness? And this real Li Changyong…
His gaze turned to Li Changyong. This one looks like a rough character. Although he was dressed in a scholar robe, but his face was pugnacious and ferocious, his eyes darting everywhere, turning his head left and right restlessly. Zong Cheng stood guard behind him the whole time, looking as if he is ready to hold him down at a moment’s notice.
Feng Zhi Wei didn’t look at Li Changyong but kept her eyes on the few of the people in the hall. Since Li Changyong appeared, the faces of Peng Pei, and the Second and Seventh princes hadn’t changed. However, Scholar Wu, the one who had challenged her just now, suddenly lowered his head and started drinking tea.
After a single glance, Feng Zhi Wei understood that this wasn’t the work of just one person but was most likely the work of several parties, each responsible for their own segment, serving the purpose of ensuring secrecy and supervising each other. Yet, precisely because of this, none of them know the whole plan, and that, gave her the loophole she needed.
“Li Changyong.” Zong Chen kicked the man lightly and said, “Tell Your Majesty, who you are and why you are here.”
Li Changyong shuddered and glanced over at Scholar Wu who is utterly focused on drinking his tea with absolutely no intention of raising his head. The corners of his mouth trembled as he remembered the countless bizarre ways the man behind him can inflict harm on someone’s body. Swallowing hard, he said helplessly, “My…name is Li Changyong…a native of Dijing, who lives in Baiya Street, Xinghua Bridge, South Gate of the Imperial Capital… My family originally had a bit of humble fortune and was considered a wealthy family in our neighborhood. But I became addicted to gambling and accumulated a large amount of debt. The creditor came demanding money, forcing the children and their mother to cry and scream…my old mother also hanged herself (the wording here doesn’t indicate if the mother died, just that she did the act) …In a fit of desperation, I grabbed a knife and headed straight for my creditor’s house, ready to stab them to death. I figure even if I die, I wanted to die happily… I was stopped by someone in the alley outside of Xinghua Bridge…. I was told…since you are heading to your death anyway, why don’t you make the death one of value…As long as I showed up in West Alley holding something in my hand the next day, then I only need to walk over to the vicinity of Beisi Alley within the specified time. If I was caught by the Imperial Capital Guards…then I was supposed to say that I bought the thing through my connection in the Ministry of Rites… After the deed is done, my family will be given a thousand taels of silver, and a big house for my wife and children on Jianghuai Road…”
By this point, the Qingming Academy students who had been listening outside had already received Feng Zhi Wei’s secret signal and dispersed. The heads of various departments could no longer hide in the crowd and also left quietly. These people knew that even if they stayed, they wouldn’t be allowed to hear everything. Previously, the emperor had only let them in because there were fears that things would get out of hand as more and more people gathered outside. Now the crowds had dispersed, it would not be good to keep listening…especially if they hear something that can’t be unheard.
The hall gradually quieted down but the atmosphere just became more awkward and oppressive. Tiansheng Emperor listened to Li Changyong’s words with half-squinted eyes, his mood was unreadable, not saying a word for a long time. Everyone shifted restlessly in their seats, stealing glances at the emperor, unsure of what was on the old emperor’s mind. Only Ning Yi, did not look at his face but gazed softly past the emperor’s fingers.
Tiansheng Emperor’s fingers, hidden under the wide robe sleeves, are trembling convulsively.
Ning Yi’s eyes flashed, he knew that it wasn’t that the emperor is not willing to speak but it was because he was so angry that he is momentarily unable to speak with the furious fire burning in his heart.
All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com
🤞 Thank you so much for your hard work. I enjoy this and the last one very much
I love when it all comes together and the mastermind of Feng Zhiwei comes out! She had it under control the whole time 😀
Thank you Ninja! Have a great week.
Ahhhh! FZW is so wise, got the plot uncovered, and now the Emperor’s knows that this is bigger than expected. And he knows the Princes must be in involved, which one?