Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Gong Zhiyuan was 'escorted' all the way to the Hall of Coolness by the Palace Guard. The oppressive clatter of their armor was suffocating, and he had no chance to ask what was happening from anyone along the way.

His thoughts were a tangled mess during the journey. He pondered repeatedly, even considering the possibility that the Emperor was having second thoughts about punishing Wen Zuo.

But the torture had just begun. Even if the Directorate of Ceremonial agents reported back immediately, an imperial order couldn't have gotten here that fast.

What had gone wrong?

That question was answered the moment he stepped into the Hall of Coolness and looked up to see Shen Zheng standing beside the Dragon Throne.

Still caught up in the fervor of the trial, upon seeing Shen Zheng, he instinctively assumed Shen Zheng had begged the Emperor to spare him.

Wasn't this precisely the opportunity they had been waiting for!

His eyes lit up with fanatical intensity. Not even bothering with his disheveled state, he only wanted to get the first word in.

He wrenched himself free from the hands of the Palace Guard, threw himself to the ground with a thud, and addressed Emperor Shunyuan, whose expression was inscrutable on the Dragon Throne, with righteous indignation: "Your Majesty! The trial of Wen Zuo is reaching its climax, yet the Fifth Prince blatantly abandons his vital duties overseeing maritime transport, racing back to the capital solely to plead for the traitor Wen Zuo! I simply don't understand. Could it be that the Fifth Prince and Wen Zuo have been close personal friends? Or perhaps Wen Zuo is the one behind the Fifth Prince's rise!"

He knew his words were radical, but it was the best method to poke at the Emperor's greatest paranoia.

Emperor Shunyuan had always regarded Wen Zuo as a minister with no faction, his most trusted aide. If he learned that this person had long ago secretly chosen a prince and was scheming for the heir apparent position on his behalf, he would be furious, his killing instinct aroused.

However, the expected imperial wrath did not arrive. Emperor Shunyuan didn't seem to be considering his words at all, only fixing him with a pair of cold, heavy eyes. Those already aged and turbid eyes now projected a terrifying aura.

Gong Zhiyuan's heart skipped a beat.

Shen Zheng slowly turned around and shot him a cold smile. "So the Chief Grand Secretary thought I returned to the capital to plead for Master Wen."

Gong Zhiyuan trembled from head to toe, never expecting Shen Zheng to so bluntly expose their scheme before the Emperor.

His heart sank abruptly, with a sinking feeling that matters were far from as simple as he had imagined. He hurriedly looked up at Emperor Shunyuan.

Sure enough, upon hearing Shen Zheng's words, the Emperor's gaze towards him darkened further, the anger in his eyes seeming to have accumulated to its limit.

"Have him enter," Emperor Shunyuan suddenly spoke, his gaze passing directly over Gong Zhiyuan.

Gong Zhiyuan's heart tightened, a chill running down his spine. Have whom enter?

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the hall entrance. He whirled his head around and saw the hauntingly familiar face of Bo Zhangyi.

Gong Zhiyuan stood frozen, his old eyes wide. Why was Bo Zhangyi here? Could it be that Prince Xian's remaining faction was still unwilling to give up, and the Emperor intended to reinstate him?

Bo Zhangyi wore a plain, coarse linen robe. Though kept relatively clean, it could not conceal its shabbiness.

The hard labor at the saltworks had worn him down to skin and bones. The linen robe hung loosely on his frame, making him appear even more frail.

Yet his eyes still burned with fighting spirit, and when he looked at Gong Zhiyuan, it was with the same adversarial hostility from their court days.

Stumbling forward, his knees hit the golden bricks heavily, and he prostrated himself on the ground, his voice trembling: "This guilty official Bo Zhangyi kowtows to Your Majesty! I know my days are numbered. My heart is filled with shame towards Your Majesty, tormented day and night. Fortunately, the Fifth Prince traveled to Jinhai, allowing me this opportunity to follow His Highness back to the capital to confess my crimes to Your Majesty and expose the arch-traitor in the court!"

"Bo Zhangyi! What nonsense are you spouting!" Gong Zhiyuan shouted sternly, glaring at him with furious eyes.

Bo Zhangyi ignored him, continuing his prostrate report: "I swear every word is true! That year at the Guanlin Terrace, Chief Minister Gong pulled me into a corner. Several court officials witnessed this scene at the time: Transmission Commissioner Hao, Censor Fan of the Thirteen Circuits, Hanlin Academy Compiler Song, and also... Minister Wen."

Mentioning Guanlin Terrace, Gong Zhiyuan felt as if struck by lightning, instantly understanding Bo Zhangyi's purpose in coming.

This also meant Shen Zheng's return to the capital was absolutely not to plead for Wen Zuo, but for the hidden truth of the Spring Terrace Chess Association!

A cold dread washed over him. The flesh on his already slack face twitched uncontrollably, and he went deathly pale.

"Your Majesty! Do not listen to Bo Zhangyi's nonsense! He's a dead man trying to drag me down with him!"

Emperor Shunyuan slowly spoke, his tone so calm it was bone-chilling: "It seems you also know what Bo Zhangyi is reporting to Us."

"This old subject... this old subject does not know!" Gong Zhiyuan stammered a denial, but his voice was already trembling.

"We long knew you were the Former Crown Prince's tutor, harboring intentions to assist him, but We never imagined your malice towards the Fifth Prince ran this deep!" Emperor Shunyuan suddenly brought his fist down on the dragon table. In his towering rage, he even let out several muffled, heavy coughs. "You not only sought to put him to death at the Spring Terrace Chess Association, but now you even use the Wen Zuo affair to try to drag him into the mire! Gong Zhiyuan, you are utterly despicable!"

Shen Zheng, hands clasped behind his back, walked step by step to stand before Gong Zhiyuan, looking down at him from above. "Having received Minister Bo's report, and mindful of Xie Pingzheng dying as a scapegoat, I deeply understood the gravity of this matter. I immediately brought people back to the capital to report the truth to Father Emperor. Yet I never imagined that within the capital, another trap had long been laid, waiting for me to step into it."

He turned and bowed deeply to Emperor Shunyuan, his face bearing unconcealed grief. "Father Emperor! Your son lay low at Nanping for ten years. Upon returning to the capital, my sole wish was to bring joy to your knees and fulfill my filial duties, offering my meager strength for our Great Qian! But your son is utterly perplexed. Why must they weave such treacherous plots, seeking to put your son to death with such haste? Is it because your son's vigorous promotion of maritime transport touched their private interests, or is your son's very existence an obstacle to their wolfish ambitions?"

"If those who work for our Great Qian must suffer such obstruction from court ministers under the name of 'justice,' if even the Chief Grand Secretary of the court casts aside public spirit, pursues only profit, and openly engages in framing others, then all aspiring individuals in the realm will grow disheartened and retreat. The illustrious reputation Father Emperor has built over a lifetime will also flow away like water!"

Listening to Shen Zheng's impassioned speech, Gong Zhiyuan was finally crushed by panic, unable for a moment to think of a way to extricate himself.

He hurriedly crawled forward on his knees, throwing himself before the dragon table, crying out in sorrowful pain: "Your Majesty! I am wronged! My loyalty to Your Majesty is sincere, witnessed by heaven and earth! How could there be any act of framing? Bo Zhangyi, with empty words and bare teeth, splashes dirty water on me. I am willing to die to prove my innocence!"

At that moment, two Directorate of Ceremonial Memorial Drafting Eunuchs, dressed in crimson wide-sleeved python robes, entered the Hall of Coolness. They brushed the cold mist from their shoulders, knelt on both knees, and performed the kowtow ritual to Emperor Shunyuan.

Emperor Shunyuan frowned slightly, his gaze falling on Liu Quan.

Liu Quan respectfully bowed his head, leaning close to the Emperor's ear to report softly: "This slave heard rumors circulating in the alleys and lanes. Fearing the common folk might believe them, disturbing public sentiment, I dispatched agents to investigate. They have been investigating for two days now; it seems they have results."

Emperor Shunyuan's expression eased slightly. This matter had been a recent worry on his mind. That day, his harsh decision regarding Wen Zuo was also forced by the 'public opinion' reported by the Office of Transmission.

He immediately raised his hand, pointing at the two Memorial Drafting Eunuchs, and said sternly: "What is the actual state of popular sentiment?"

One eunuch replied: "This slave reports to Your Majesty. The Directorate of Ceremonial dispatched a hundred agents, thoroughly investigating the streets, alleys, and teahouses of the capital. They found the reality is absolutely not as exaggerated as reported by the Office of Transmission! In teahouses, wine shops, chess houses, and music halls, almost no one discusses the injustice of Wen Zuo's sentencing. Apart from some sporadic disturbances previously in front of the Office of Transmission's yamen, there were no gatherings of riotous commoners elsewhere. The populace is peaceful and harmonious. This slave, shocked, randomly detained a few scholars for questioning and discovered some didn't even know about Wen Zuo's involvement in the case, let alone signing petitions!"

Emperor Shunyuan, who had been leaning forward to listen, slowly straightened his dragon body upon hearing this. His knuckles clenched the armrests of the imperial throne, and he let out two cold laughs. "Good... very good!"

The other Memorial Drafting Eunuch suddenly raised both hands high, holding two crudely made hemp paper booklets, abruptly changing the subject: "However, during this slave's investigation, another matter was found to be even more urgent. It is now causing a great clamor among the people. Street vendors, porters, literati, and scholars all vie to discuss it as an amusing tale, already damaging Your Majesty's prestige!"

Emperor Shunyuan's brow furrowed sharply, the beads on his Imperial Crown swaying slightly. "Speak plainly!"

"These two booklets detail palace secrets. The content is bold and rebellious, the described matters shocking and horrifying..." The eunuch's voice paused slightly, his gaze timidly sweeping over Liu Quan. With everyone standing around the hall, the content was filthy and difficult to utter aloud. He didn't know if he should report it publicly.

Emperor Shunyuan, already immersed in anger, would not tolerate his hesitation. He angrily rebuked: "Why look at him! We command you to speak!"

The eunuch hurriedly prostrated himself heavily on the ground, kowtowed three times with audible thuds, and then reported with a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, please see. One of these actually defiles the late Imperial Consort Chen, saying she... she was actually a man, yet won Your Majesty's deep affection, remaining unforgettable for many years."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Shunyuan's eyelids flew open. He suddenly sprang to his feet. The beads before his eyes clashed violently, like jade urns shattering.

Seeing the Emperor's furious state, the eunuch dared not delay, continuing at an extremely fast pace: "The other says... says Master Wen's appearance bears a seventy percent resemblance to Imperial Consort Chen. That Your Majesty's trust and favor towards him over the years are all because he resembles Imperial Consort Chen!"

Emperor Shunyuan's eyes bulged as if about to split. His body swayed several times and then abruptly fell backward, heavily dropping back onto the imperial throne!

"Father Emperor!"

"Your Majesty!"

"Summon the imperial physicians quickly!"

...

In an instant, the Hall of Coolness descended into chaos. Shen Zheng rushed forward in swift strides, one hand pressing hard on Emperor Shunyuan's philtrum, the other lightly patting his back to help him breathe. Liu Quan quickly stepped forward to take the two booklets, waving his hand to dismiss the two Memorial Drafting Eunuchs.

Bo Zhangyi was utterly stupefied, left kneeling on the ground with wide, disbelieving eyes.

What kind of absurd talk was this? How could the Imperial Consort be a man?

As for Gong Zhiyuan, he felt as though he had plummeted from a cliff into an abyss, a sharp ringing filling his ears.

He finally realized something utterly terrifying: Wen Zuo’s imprisonment might have been a trap all along!

And his Gong family—along with the Xie family—would be dragged into this scheme, doomed to utter ruin.

Darkness swam before his eyes, not a glimmer of light in sight. In that moment, exhaustion washed over him, and a wave of desolate emptiness took hold.

He wanted to open his mouth and defend himself—to tell the Emperor that *Evening Mountain Rhapsody* was indeed genuine, that Wen Zuo truly favored men, that they had all fallen into Wen Zuo’s cunning trap—that those two booklets must be Wen Zuo’s handiwork, that he had entered the game himself, playing the victim to firmly pin the blame for this transgression on the Gong and Xie families…

But would the Emperor still believe him?

Probably not.

Wen Zuo was still young. How could he possibly know he resembled Imperial Consort Chen?

Only a few senior officials who had participated in selecting the top scholar that year knew of this—and he was among them.

Imperial Consort Chen had passed away over two decades ago; even he had only seen a portrait. As for the details of the past, Liu Zhangbai had always remained tight-lipped. The claim in the booklet that Imperial Consort Chen was a man was pure nonsense—more like someone’s deliberate fabrication to solidify suspicion of Wen Zuo’s preference for men.

But now, everything was intertwined—from the appearance of *Evening Mountain Rhapsody*, multiple testimonies, to the fabrication of public opinion and the submission of petitions, and now these two booklets emerging out of thin air. Each piece seemed aimed at Wen Zuo, designed to drive him to his death—

Yet the one fatal flaw was that the other protagonist in this scheme was the Emperor!

The Emperor might tolerate a favored minister embroiled in rumors of male companionship, but he would never allow his own reputation to be tarnished so freely, nor would he permit the dignity of the imperial family to be trampled underfoot!

Sure enough, once Emperor Shunyuan caught his breath, his eyes fixed on the dome of the hall, his fingers clawing into the armrest of the throne, he muttered to himself, “I understand now… This was never aimed at Wanshan—it was aimed at me!”

In an instant, he grasped the crux of the matter. If this case confirmed Wen Zuo’s preference for men, coupled with the rumors from these two booklets, then gossip about the Emperor loving a male consort and having an improper relationship with a favored minister would run rampant among the people—impossible to ever suppress.

Wen Zuo’s habit of frequenting entertainment houses without indulging in intimacy with performers, and remaining unmarried at twenty-five—all these peculiarities would become evidence that he was secretly controlled by the Emperor, serving as a substitute for Imperial Consort Chen!

What shocked Emperor Shunyuan even more was that the accounts in the booklet largely matched the truth: Xingluo was indeed a man, and Xingluo did resemble Wen Zuo. But he had never treated anyone as a substitute for Xingluo—his favor toward Wen Zuo stemmed solely from their shared bloodline!

Now it seemed the authenticity of *Evening Mountain Rhapsody* no longer mattered. Wen Zuo was merely a pawn dragged into this scheme. Someone with malicious intent had dared to lay a hand on the Dragon Throne itself!

“Guards!” Emperor Shunyuan’s cheeks were sunken, his face twisted with rage, crimson veins crawling across his eyes, his voice hoarse with fury.

Gong Zhiyuan trembled like a sieve, crawling forward on his hands and knees, tongue-tied and babbling incoherently: “Your Majesty! There is more to this matter! There must be more!”

Emperor Shunyuan ignored him completely, his gaze sweeping across the hall as he spoke each word like a heavy hammer: “Gong Zhiyuan, for framing the Fifth Prince and disrupting the court, is to be arrested immediately and imprisoned in the imperial prison. Xue Chongnian is to conduct a rigorous investigation, and all implicated are to be punished accordingly! Xie Langyang, having long plotted to forge *Evening Mountain Rhapsody* to slander the reputation of Hanlin Academy’s Wen Zuo, and further inciting rumors, fabricating public opinion, and damaging Our reputation—the Fifth Prince Shen Zheng is appointed to preside over this case, to investigate and adjudicate swiftly, and to announce the truth to the world to quell the rumors!”

Gong Zhiyuan felt as though all the bones had been pulled from his body, collapsing limply to the ground, his face ashen.

Shen Zheng knelt on one knee, his voice solemn: “Your son obeys the decree!”

Imperial guards surged forward, hands of iron seizing Gong Zhiyuan and dragging him out of the hall.

Bo Zhangyi was also escorted away under guard. The imperial physician hurried in with his medicine box, kneeling before the throne to check Emperor Shunyuan’s pulse and examine him.

Shen Zheng retreated outside the door, his heart burning with anxiety. Emperor Shunyuan was breathing laboriously, and he could not leave without permission—yet all he wanted was to conclude this case quickly and bring Wen Zuo out of the prison of the Court of Judicial Review.

As soon as he stood still, he saw Liu Quan follow him out.

Liu Quan’s hands were tucked into the sleeves of his python robe. He nodded slightly, a faint smile on his face, his tone calm: “This servant has a word of advice for Your Highness. Though this matter is absurd, it remains a hidden danger to the court and the imperial family. The Emperor’s intention is clear—this case must be one of framing. Only if both the Emperor and Master Wen are proven innocent, and those with ulterior motives confess and accept punishment, can the rumors among the people be dispelled.”

Shen Zheng looked deeply at Liu Quan: “I understand.”

“Your Highness is wise.” Liu Quan bowed and retreated inside.

By dusk, the sky suddenly cleared, the glazed green tiles bathed in the glow of sunset.

A gentle warmth filled the air, dispersing the oppressive gloom that had lingered for days.

In the main hall of the Court of Judicial Review, with the presiding judge Gong Zhiyuan suddenly taken away, the room fell into a deathly silence. No one dared move a muscle, holding their breath as they awaited news from the palace.

Yet no one could have imagined that the decree arriving an hour later would strike like a thunderbolt—

“By the Emperor’s decree: Xie Langyang is suspected of framing Hanlin Academy Director Wen Zuo, weaving rumors, and fabricating public opinion. The Fifth Prince Shen Zheng is appointed to preside over this case and adjudicate swiftly!”

Luo Mingpu stared blankly at the decree-bearing eunuch, almost thinking he had misheard, rooted to his position as assistant judge, unable to move.

Xie Langyang felt as though struck by a heavy hammer, his heart stopping for a moment, his limbs going numb.

“Where is the framing? Where is the framing!” He leaped up suddenly, eyes bloodshot, roaring at the decree-bearing eunuch. His trembling hands tried to grab the other’s robe but could muster no strength, flailing uselessly in the air.

The decree-bearing eunuch merely looked at him expressionlessly, ignoring his hysterics.

Xie Langyang, appearing deranged, staggered across the hall, shouting at everyone present: “Where is the framing? Everything I said is true! How is this framing!”

The courtesans shrank back in fear at his appearance. Liao Zongqing also panicked, his lips trembling as he repeated, “That… that rhapsody is…”

Xie Langyang suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Liao Zongqing’s sleeve as if clutching his last lifeline, his voice choked with tears: “You know—that *Evening Mountain Rhapsody* is real! Come with me to see the Emperor! Tell him it’s Wen Zuo’s own handwriting! It’s real!”

Liao Zongqing, already elderly, could not withstand such violent pulling and fright. A few weak whimpers escaped his throat before his vision darkened and he slumped to the ground.

“Why! Why! Why is this happening!”

The mournful roar echoed through the hall, crashing against the cold walls and rebounding to strike Xie Langyang’s own face.

Tears and mucus streamed down his face, his voice broken: “I told the truth! I did everything I could! Why did I lose? Why did I lose!”

Deep down, he refused to admit it—he seemed to have fallen into Wen Zuo’s trap once again, completely ensnared in the other’s calculations from start to finish.

Wen Zuo had just emerged from his nightmare, his dark hair still tangled across his cheeks, his fingertips stained with dried blood. Yet when he saw Xie Langyang’s deranged and broken state, the corners of his lips couldn’t help but curl into a smile.

At first, it was a low, suppressed chuckle, but soon it erupted into unrestrained, hearty laughter.

The laughter was clear and bright, and the eyes that had just broken free from fear and pain now shone with dazzling brilliance.

This unrestrained, almost wild demeanor did not seem strange at all. Instead, it was as if a moonlit deity had descended to the mortal world, touched by the烟火 of humanity, gaining a vivid, almost bewitching vitality.

He lifted his shackled wrists, the chafed skin still slowly oozing blood, yet he seemed oblivious. Step by step, he walked toward Xie Langyang.

When he drew near, he bent slightly, his captivating eyes glinting with amusement as he leaned close and whispered to Xie Langyang: “I told you long ago—you’re not fit to contend with me. Every strategy you could think of was already part of my plan. If you had stayed quiet, you might have lived longer. But you had to be clever, throwing an egg against a stone.”

His voice was soft, like drifting snowflakes: “What’s the matter? Can’t figure out when you fell into the trap or why you ended up like this? Even though everything you said was true, even though you nearly pushed me to the brink—why did the Emperor suddenly stop believing you and order your arrest?”

“Did you think I knew you had *Evening Mountain Rhapsody*, knew you were a hypocritical, sanctimonious beast, and yet made no preparations at all?” Wen Zuo’s gaze held no pity, only mockery. “These twenty-some days in the cold prison were indeed hard to endure. But when I think of your Xie family being confiscated and exterminated, of you dying without a burial place—this suffering becomes bearable again.”

Xie Langyang trembled violently all over. Staring at Wen Zuo before him, not a trace of his former affection remained—only bone-deep fear.

Such appearance, such cunning—how could he return from death to live again? This was no human ability. Only a demon, a true demon!

“I want to see the Emperor… I want to see the Emperor!” As Wen Zuo drew closer, Xie Langyang’s once dignified face twisted in distortion. He stumbled backward in panic, tripping over a crack in the blue bricks and falling heavily to the ground.

Wen Zuo brushed aside the strands of hair clinging to his face. The blood on his fingertips accidentally smeared across the corner of his eye, blooming into a bewitching red. He slowly crouched down, like Yama descending to the mortal world, and spoke mercilessly: “The Emperor will never listen to you again. Remember New Year’s Eve? Every oath I, Wen Zuo, swore will come to pass!”