Cang Lan Dao - Chapter 44.1

Chapter 44.1 
That’s Jiang Shaoyan’s position 
 
 
After exchanging pleasantries, Zheng Biyue calmed down and returned to stand beside Li Guiyu and say something to him. When Li Guiyu glanced at Luo Wanqing and withdrew his gaze, he knew what Zheng Biyue feared. This person was too similar. Even her smile looked similar to Luo Wanqing’s. But even if she were more similar, he wouldn’t be surprised. His Young Miss couldn’t appear here, and even more couldn’t have such good martial arts and those sharp-blade eyes. He pretended to care about this fake only because he wanted to lure Xie Heng to Fang Fei Pavilion. 

But Young Miss would be forever Young Miss, and a fake would always be a fake. 
For a fake, it didn’t have a meaning except for death.
 
Li Guiyu’s killing intent surged. He raised his hand and rubbed his jade thumb ring without changing his expression. 
  
Luo Wanqing looked at the two people from afar, confirmed their identity, and did not bother to give them one more look. Then, she looked around.  Between them stood a middle-aged man. He talked to Zheng Biyue from time to time. He should be Zheng Biyue’s father, the Minister of Justice, Zheng Pingsheng. 

In addition, there was a eunuch in purple; Luo Wanqing felt last night seemed to see him vaguely. Because he could stand there, he must be the eunuch from the Imperial Household, Yang Chun. 
 
Luo Wanqing combed the people once and waited for the call from inside the imperial study. Then, the eunuch guided her into the inner hall, kowtowed, and respectfully said, “Liu Xiniang has seen His Majesty. Long live the emperor.” 
  
“Rise.” A middle-aged man’s loving voice came, “You have injuries on your body. Heng’er said, last night, you escorted the Crown Prince. Give her a seat.” 

Luo Wanqing dared not lift her head. With the maid’s guidance, she sat on a soft-padded chair. 
  
The emperor, Li Zong, saw the situation and couldn’t help but laugh. He turned aside to Xie Heng and said, “Finally, there’s someone who knows the rules in your department.” 
  
Xie Heng glanced at Luo Wanqing, who was sitting upright. She sat like an ordinary boudoir woman, only touching the edge of the chair and sitting upright. There are few such rules in the jianghu. 

Xie Heng guffawed and answered, “She is a timid one.” 
 
Li Zong waved his hand and laughed. He glanced at the paperwork on the table and said, “How can there be a timid one in your department? There’s a death row inmate who traffics in salt, right?” 

Luo Wanqing flinched, but Li Zong did not continue, saying, “What happened last night? Tell me.” 
  
Li Zong spoke gently, entirely unlike an emperor. Luo Wanqing said as Xie Heng told her to. The emperor asked a sentence or two now and then, and when Luo Wanqing finished, he fell into deep thought and said softly, “So …… you don’t know who assassinated the crown prince?” 

“I don’t know.” Luo Wanqing lowered her eyes, not understanding why Li Zong was completely unsuspicious of the Inspection Department. 
  
Li Zong nodded and then said, “The Crown Prince got hurt and poisoned. He’s not awake so far. If it is true as you say, I call him to thank you when he wakes up.” 

“This is what I should do. I dared not to take credit.” 

“One should be rewarded when necessary. Otherwise, who will do something for me?” Li Zong laughed. He pointed his head outside and spoke lightly: “Call the Third Highness, Zheng Minister, and Biyue to come in. ” 
  
Luo Wanqing heard, raised her eyes, and saw Li Guiyu walking in with Zheng Pingsheng and Zheng Biyue. Listening to Li Zong’s tone, the emperor seemed intimate to Zheng Biyue, like an elder. 
  
Luo Wanqing analyzed all the information while looking at the three kneeled and saluting. 
 
Li Zong pointed at Li Guiyu and said lightly: “Guiyu, you say it,”

Li Zong lowered his head and stroked the jade seal, “You reported that you suspect that the Inspection Department is plotting against the Crown Prince; how do you know about this matter?” 

“I received a letter sent by someone.” Li Guiyu respectfully answered.

Someone at the side immediately brought a note to the table. Li Zong glanced at the content, lifted his head, and asked, “Do you know who sent it?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“Then why do you send the news to the palace?” Li Zong laughed. “How do I not know you have such a hasty temper?” 

“I worried about the Crown Prince and do not dare to be half-hearted.” 

“If you worry, you have good martial arts; why didn’t you go to Fang Fei Pavilion to save him?” Li Zong’s words were sharp, but Li Guiyu’s expression did not move. 

“I dare not.” 

“Why?” 

“After I received the news, I immediately notified the palace. To avoid suspicion, I deliberately went to the minister’s house. It would be hard to explain if I was on the spot.” Li Guiyu seemed disheartened, and his tone was flat. 
  
When Li Zong saw the situation, he paused his stroking the jade seal movement. Li Guiyu never explained and said much, but this attitude, with his depressed demeanor, actually made him a bit pitiful. 
  
Li Zong was silent momentarily before turning to Xie Heng: “Heng er, why do you say that you suspect that Guiyu assassinated the crown prince?” 

“Replying to Your Majesty,” Xie Heng calmly said, “Because I saw a person extremely similar to the Third Highness. That’s why I wrote ‘suspect’ in the report. The Inspection Department has checked the scene and found that the traces left by the murderer are consistent with the Third Highness’s skill.” 
 
There are traces, although not ironclad evidence, but they also have more weight than people’s words. 
  
Li Zong fell silent, seemingly thinking. Between the silence, outside suddenly came the sound of clamor. Everyone raised their eyes, and Luo Wanqinq saw a woman wearing a gold-thread-embroidered phoenix palace dress and a golden crown. She led a group of people with cold faces, stepping into the hall with fierce anger. She seemed angry and anxious, entering the hall silently and bowing toward Li Zong. 
  
Li Zong froze and said, “Empress, why do you ……” 
  
The words did not finish. The Empress turned back and violently slapped Li Guiyu’s face! 
  
Li Guiyu calmly suffered this slap. The Empress stared at Li Zong with teary eyes: “Your Majesty, how do you still let this rebellious son here?” 

Li Zong’s face was ugly; Xie Heng hung his eyes, fiddling with the Thousand Machine on his wrist. 
  
Luo Wanqing watched all this and saw the Empress pointing at Li Guiyu, gnashing her teeth: “The Crown Prince is his brother, and he can even lay his hands on him. Such a wolf! Your Majesty does not throw him into the Imperial Prison immediately. What are you waiting for?” 

“Empress.” Li Zong coldly voiced, “Things are still uncertain.”  

“Won’t a trial make it certain?!” The Empress stared at Li Zong and reminded, “Your Majesty, that’s the Crown Prince! He even dared to touch the Crown Prince. What else would he not dare to do? Such a heinous crime, Your Majesty is not even willing to pass the sentence. How can I, as a mother, rest?” 
  
These words gave Li Zong’s move pause. Everyone waited for Li Zong’s intention. Zheng Biyue hurriedly said, “No, Your Majesty, the Third Prince is wrongly accused. Last night, he was in the Zheng House. I can…” 

“Shut up!” Zheng Pingsheng shouted at Zheng Biyue, but everyone heard that Zheng Biyue was planning to use her reputation to protect Li Guiyu.

Zheng Pingsheng scolded Zheng Biyue, so she quieted down and glanced at Li Guiyu with apologies. The two parties were in a stalemate. Li Guiyu laughed softly and looked at the Empress. 
  
“Empress mother,” Li Guiyu calmly looked at her. “Seventh brother is your child, but I’m not?” 
  
The Empress paused and turned to him. Her eyes looked disappointed. “You are. That’s why Mother is more disappointed.” 

When Li Guiyu heard this, he bitterly laughed, kowtowed to the ground, and respectfully said, “Father, in that case, put me in jail for the trial.” 
  
Hearing this, Li Zong raised his eyes at him. At this moment, if outsiders were present and saw Li Guiyu’s posture, everyone would feel pity. The Empress looked at him hatefully and squeezed her fists. Li Guiyu calmly kowtowed to the ground. Li Zong pondered, seemingly hesitating. 
  
After a long time, Xie Heng faintly voiced, “Your Majesty.” 

Li Zong turned his eyes. Xie Heng thoughtfully said, “How about a secret trial? This matter will only known to those present. A trial,” Xie Heng looked at the Empress,” due to the Empress’ love for her son.” 
 
The Empress’s expression turned sharp, but Li Zong seemed to solve the big problem. He said, “A secret trial is good. Then by ……” 

Li Zong hesitated and looked around. Secret trial, of course; the fewer people know, the better. But who will do the trial? 
  
In the Imperial Household? 
It was the eunuch’s place to manage all the inner palace things. They rarely had the experience of torture ministers. Their hand was not light, and many of the Empress’s people were inside. One would probably not come out alive.
  
The Ministry of Justice? 
That was Li Guiyu’s future father-in-law. Aside from the Empress, Li Zong himself felt that it was inappropriate. 
  
The Imperial Censorate? 
If he had sent Li Guiyu there, another group would have learned about this matter. Also, that was the Empress’s own family; Li Guiyu wouldn’t have been able to come out alive.
  
The only one he could believe was the Inspection Department, which was involved in this matter. Although the Inspection Department was involved in the case, Xie Heng and Li Guiyu have no grievances. Logically, he and Li Guiyu should be in the same position, but he was still willing to prosecute Li Guiyu. Compared to the Imperial Household, Xie Heng has a bottom in his hand; he wouldn’t let Li Guiyu have an accident. The most important thing was that Xie Heng was his person. 
  
Li Zong had a result after a brief thought. “Then let the Inspection Department conduct a secret trial.” 
  
“Your Majesty!” Hearing this, the Empress immediately frowned. “The Inspection Department is involved in the case. Why not let the Imperial Household hold the trial?” 

“Empress,” Li Zong raised his eyes and said lightly, “Stop at the right time.” 
  
Empress’s expression stiffened. Li Zong turned to Xie Heng and seriously said, “Investigate properly, understand?” 
  
Xie Heng instantly understood Li Zong’s meaning. He rose and saluted, respectfully saying, “I understand.” 
  
Luo Wanqing couldn’t help but look at Xie Heng. On the way here, he said that he would hand him over to her for trial if he got Li Guiyu into the Inspection Department. What he said came true—using the Empress’s appearance putting Li Guiyu into the Inspection Department? How did he do it? 
  
Luo Wanqing had doubts but dared not to speak. The guards came up, intending to take away Li Guiyu. At this time, Zheng Biyue suddenly stepped forward, pulled Li Guiyu away from the guards, and anxiously said, “Your Majesty, so many people, why only punished the Third Highness?” 

Everyone looked together and saw Zheng Biyue sharply raise her head. She met Xie Heng’s cold and bland gaze when she was about to say something. 

Zheng Biyue’s voice paused. She dared not look at Xie Heng, but she seemed unwilling. Remembering the quiet Luo Wanqing, she quickly looked at Luo Wanqing, gritted her teeth, and said: “What about her?” 
  
 
Li Zong’s eyebrow slightly wrinkled before hearing Zheng Biyue pointing to Luo Wanqing and say, “She took the crown prince as a hostage, Your Majesty; you even let her go,” Zheng Biyue’s face paled. “Won’t you spare the Third Highness?” 
  
“Biyue.” At these words, Li Guiyu coldly looked over, seemingly warning, “There is no need to say much.” 
 
However, Zheng Biyue obviously didn’t listen. She anxiously raised her voice: “Your Majesty!” 
  
Without waiting for her to say more, Luo Wanqing softly said, “This young lady knows a lot.” 

The crowd turned to Luo Wanqing.

Luo Wanqing stared at Zheng Biyue, seemingly interrogating a prisoner, and earnestly said, “Who told you I’m taking the Crown Prince as a hostage?” 
  
These words let Zheng Biyue pause, and Li Guiyu coldly looked at her. 
 
The matter of Luo Wanqing taking the Crown Prince hostage was only known by the Feng Yu Pavilion. She was a boudoir woman; even if her father were Zheng Pingsheng, she wouldn’t received such quick news. 

Luo Wanqing unintentionally mentioned a sentence: “If not the people present, who will receive the news so fast?” 
  
Xie Heng glanced at Luo Wanqing; his eyes carried shallow smiles. 
  
Zheng Biyue’s complexion slightly stiffened and said, “It was the person who came to search the mansion who said it.” 

“Which soldier?” Luo Wanqing pursued. 

Zheng Biyue stiffened, then remembered. She stared at Luo Wanqing and snapped, ” What is your identity? How dare you question me!!” 
  
“Hm?” Xie Heng heard and turned his eyes over. He coldly asked, “Miss Zheng’s identity, is someone the Inspection Department can not ask?” 
  
“Biyue.” After Xie Heng opened his mouth, Zheng Pingsheng reminded: “It’s a hearsay. You talk nonsense.” 
  
Being admonished, Zheng Biyue finally calmed down a few points, lowering her voice and saying, “Yes, it is Biyue who talked nonsense. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me.” 
  
Hearing Zheng Biyue admit her mistake, Li Zong sighed and shook his head, “Alas, you child, you are confused when you meet the matter of Guiyu.” 

Zheng Biyue’s tears fell. 

Li Zong seemed tired, waved his hand, and said, “That’s it. You guys withdrew. The Inspection Department will secretly interrogate Guiyu, and the Imperial Household will continue to pursue other clues. Wait for the Crown Prince to wake up, then discuss it. The Empress stays,” Li Zong looked at the Empress and said gently, “I want to talk with you.’ 
  
Everyone got up, answered yes, and each went out, leaving only the Empress alone in the Imperial Study to ‘talk’ with Li Zong.