Chapter 252 Who Let the Mad Dog Out?

Chapter 252: Who Let the Mad Dog Loose?

People out shopping for New Year goods met acquaintances and started chatting about the hottest gossip in the capital.

"Have you heard about Sixth Miss Qiu being attacked in the street?"

"How could I not have heard? That day, Sixth Miss Qiu was invited to Prince Fu's mansion, and on her way home, someone shot an arrow at her..."

"That's old news. I'm talking about the culprit who did it."

"Was the culprit caught?"

"How could they catch him? That culprit's background isn't ordinary at all." The speaker lowered his voice.

The gossip listener asked eagerly, "What background?"

The man pointed upward: "Sent by His Majesty."

The listener gasped: "No way!"

"You don't understand. How did Sixth Miss Qiu get out of prison? Those Imperial students ran to the palace gates and begged for her, and His Majesty had no choice but to release her. Think about it—does that sit well with His Majesty?"

"So they wouldn't actually want her dead, would they?"

"Wouldn't? That's His Majesty! You can't compare him to us common folk—a quarrel doesn't just blow over. Besides, if something happened to Sixth Miss Qiu, the court could make up an excuse to explain it to Western Jiang..."

"These spineless officials!"

A sharp shout rang out: "Anyone spreading rumors about the court again will be arrested on the spot!"

At the sight of someone in the Imperial City Bureau uniform, the lively crowd scattered in all directions.

The new Imperial City Commissioner, Di Sheng, listened to the increasingly absurd rumors with a cold face.

Since the rumors involved His Majesty, he had to either stop them as soon as possible or report them to His Majesty.

But Qiu Heng had been a hot topic among the populace ever since she returned from Western Jiang, and any rumors involving her spread like wildfire, making it hard to silence everyone. Reporting it to His Majesty was also not a good time—New Year's was right around the corner, and with His Majesty busy with ancestor worship, blessings, court audiences, and banquets, talking about this would only add to his vexation.

Di Sheng knew very well that his position as Imperial City Commissioner was unstable. If His Majesty was in a bad mood after hearing his report, he might end up being the one who bore the brunt of His Majesty's anger.

He decided to let it slide. If the rumors hadn't died down by after the Lantern Festival, he would report them to His Majesty. Better if the rumors died down by then.

Di Sheng took the gamble and didn't report it, but Xue Quan wasn't about to let him off the hook.

The Imperial City Bureau had always been under his control. Because Xue Han was his adopted son, he had given the commissionership to Xue Han. This Di Sheng, taking advantage of the few days Xue Quan was sent to the Dali Temple by His Majesty, had become commissioner—he ought to know his place.

Knowing the rumors in the capital like the back of his hand, Xue Quan quickly arranged for someone to report the matter to Emperor Jingping.

The emperor saw the memorial on the fourth day of the first lunar month.

Even though there were still rituals and banquets on the fourth day, there were quite a few accumulated memorials, and he had to at least glance through a few.

This memorial was placed third.

The first two didn't catch his attention, but when he opened the third, his face instantly turned ashen. He threw the memorial harshly onto the imperial desk.

"Outrageous! They say I had Qiu Heng assassinated to curry favor with Western Jiang? That little girl is worth such effort?"

In the middle of the New Year, the emperor was furious. "Where is Di Sheng? Have him get his ass over here immediately!"

Before long, Di Sheng rushed in.

"Your subject, Imperial City Commissioner Di Sheng, greets Your Majesty."

"Imperial City Commissioner? Whose commissioner are you?" The emperor threw the memorial at Di Sheng's face. "Such preposterous rumors have been circulating for days, and you dared to hide them from me!"

Di Sheng quickly begged for forgiveness: "It was during the New Year, and Your Majesty was overwhelmed with affairs. Your humble servant feared it might sour Your Majesty's mood—"

"Whether I'm upset is for me to decide, not you!" The emperor grew angrier. "Looks like the post of Imperial City Commissioner is beneath you."

Di Sheng trembled, his face drained of blood. "Your humble servant is completely loyal. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me."

The emperor snorted coldly, immediately stripped Di Sheng of his post, and let the guards haul him out. To Xue Quan, he said, "The Imperial City Bureau is still better off in your hands."

Xue Quan promptly expressed his thanks.

"Have the Imperial City Bureau increase its manpower and find the assassin who tried to kill Qiu Heng." The emperor's anger flared at the thought of the rumors. "Also, is the Earl of Yongqing still in the Dali Temple prison?"

After receiving Xue Quan's affirmative answer, the emperor's mouth twitched in irritation. "Those rumors even cited the earl's imprisonment as proof that I wanted Qiu Heng dead. That was simply me forgetting about him!"

With the rebellion in the southeast, the invasion of Western Jiang, and harassment from Northern Qi, affairs both domestic and foreign were giving him a splitting headache. The Imperial students had also gathered to plead, and who would remember an insignificant Earl of Yongqing?

Xue Quan advised, "Your Majesty, calm your wrath. Most commoners are ignorant and easily led by rumors."

The emperor found it inauspicious. "Relay my oral decree: release the Earl of Yongqing immediately."

In the Dali Temple prison, the Earl of Yongqing was staring gloomily at the meal placed before him.

That day, he had watched Xue Han being taken away, and the boy never came back. He assumed the boy had been taken away to be executed, so he cautiously asked the jailer. But it turned out he wasn't punished—he was released.

Then he asked about his granddaughter—she was also released.

That wasn't right. He was imprisoned because of his granddaughter. Why was she out while he was still in jail?

Brimming with unanswered questions, New Year's arrived.

He'd spent the New Year's holiday in prison!

First day, second, third, fourth... Boo-hoo, it's already the fourth day! When would they let him out? Had His Majesty forgotten about him?

Hearing footsteps, the earl looked up.

The jailer unlocked the cell door and said curtly: "Earl, you can leave."

"Leave?" When the meaning sank in, the earl leapt to his feet. "I can go home?"

"You can go home now. Better get back and enjoy what's left of the New Year."

Hearing this, half of the earl's joy evaporated.

Celebrate, my foot! It's already the fourth day!

Stepping out of the prison, the earl looked around in confusion.

Nobody had come to fetch him?

The jailer urged: "His Majesty decreed you're to return home at once. Don't dawdle."

Not daring to hesitate, the earl, penniless, trudged home on foot.

The gate of Earl Yongqing's mansion was adorned with Spring Festival couplets, and the ground was strewn with red firecracker debris.

Earl Yongqing glanced at it, grief and anger welling up inside him.

So without him, the New Year just went on as usual.

A messenger boy quickly relayed the news to the inner courtyard.

"My Lady, the Elder Earl is back!"

In previous years, the mansion was busy with social calls and visiting relatives during the New Year, but this year it was much quieter because Earl Yongqing was still in prison.

The old madam was listening with a smile as Qiu Ying told a story; upon hearing the report, her smile gradually vanished.

So the old thing is back this early?

"Your grandfather is back. Go greet him."

Upon receiving the news, the three branches of the family quickly assembled to welcome Earl Yongqing home.

Earl Yongqing's gaze swept over the old madam's face, then from sons to daughters-in-law to grandchildren – all were rosy-cheeked and immaculately dressed.

Earl Yongqing's anger instantly boiled over.

That old woman picking fights and not giving a damn about him – fine, he could let that slide – but were all these children and grandchildren blind and deaf?

Especially the eldest son and his wife, who managed all the household affairs – were they really so half-hearted and negligent toward their father rotting in jail? The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He strode up to First Master Qiu and slapped him hard across the face.