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墨書 Inktalez
The Imperial Hall was brightly lit, with civil and military officials lined up on both sides, the atmosphere heavy with tension.
"Bring him up," the Emperor said in a deep voice.
The Imperial Guards brought the disheveled Lord Zhou into the hall. His eyes still held a hint of defiance. "Your Majesty, I am wronged!"
"Wronged?" The Emperor scoffed. "Then how do you explain this?" He gestured for a eunuch to present a ledger. "This is evidence provided by the Empress, detailing how you funneled military funds to the Northern Rebels."
Lord Zhou's face turned ashen. "This... this is impossible! This ledger clearly..."
"It was left by my father," Xu Yuan stepped forward. "He entrusted it to Lord Yuming before his death."
"Bring forth the Yu Elder's Household Servant from Anyuan Marquis Manor."
An elderly man with white hair was assisted into the hall. Upon seeing Lord Zhou, a spark ignited in his cloudy eyes. "It was him! During the Great Fire at Xu Mansion, he sent someone to start it!"
"Nonsense!" Lord Zhou shouted angrily.
"The old servant witnessed it with his own eyes," the elder trembled as he spoke. "That night, the Marquis intended to hand over evidence to Master Xu but was stopped by Zhou Family's Death Warriors. They... they not only set fire to Xu Mansion but also aimed to wipe out the entire Anyuan Marquis family. If it weren't for the Marquis's preparations..."
"Enough!" Lord Zhou suddenly laughed maniacally. "Since we've come this far, I have nothing left to hide. Indeed, I orchestrated that Great Fire. Xu Shu, that meddlesome fool, dug into matters he shouldn't have; he brought this upon himself!"
The officials were in an uproar. The Empress suddenly spoke up, "Do you know who it was that provided you with information back then?"
Lord Zhou froze. "What?"
"It was I," the Empress said coldly. "My father ordered me to use myself as bait and feed you false information. That night, you were left empty-handed, allowing Xu Yuan to escape."
Lord Zhou felt as if struck by lightning. He finally understood why he had been unable to find Xu Yuan back then.
"Zhou Naicheng," the Emperor's authoritative voice rang out, "out of respect for your father's contributions, I did not wish to eradicate your entire line. But you failed to restrain yourself and even sought to collude with Rebels on Qixi Night..."
"Your Majesty, please see reason," Lord Zhang stepped forward. "I have verified that Zhou Naicheng secretly bribed the guards at North City Gate, preparing to assist the Rebels into the city. If it hadn't been discovered in time..."
Lord Zhou collapsed onto the ground. "I... I know my crimes..."
"Take him away," the Emperor waved his hand. "Execute him after autumn!"
Once Lord Zhou was dragged out of the hall, the Emperor's gaze turned towards Xu Yuan standing below: "Xu Yuan."
"I am here."
"Your father was a loyal minister but met with such misfortune. I am deeply pained by this. From this day forth, I restore the Xu family's title; you shall be the new Lord Xu."
Xu Yuan bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"This matter is largely thanks to Liu Ying," the Empress said gently. "If she hadn't deciphered the celestial code and unveiled the secrets within the mirror, the truth might never have come to light."
Liu Ying stepped forward and bowed, "This humble servant does not dare to take credit."
"You deserve this recognition," the Emperor replied. "From today onward, you will serve as the Chief of the Qintian Observatory, holding a rank equivalent to Fourth Rank."
The hall erupted with congratulatory voices. However, Liu Ying noticed that the expressions of the Xu family and Wang Zhengdao were far from pleasant.
After the court session, Xu Yuan intercepted Liu Ying. "Tomorrow is Qixi, and the time for calculations is approaching. You mentioned..."
" master Xu." Wang Zhengdao suddenly approached from a side hall, wearing a knowing smile. "Congratulations on your reinstatement. However, regarding tomorrow's calculations, I wonder if master Liu will be able to win everyone's trust?"
"What do you mean by that, Lord Wang?" Xu Yuan frowned.
"Nothing much," Wang Zhengdao replied with a smile. "I merely heard that scholars from the Northern Thirteen Provinces are already waiting outside the city, eager to witness the validity of this prophecy firsthand. If there are any discrepancies..."
"Tian Ji has its own destiny," Liu Ying said calmly. "Why should Lord Wang worry so much?"
At that moment, a young eunuch hurried over. " master Xu, master Liu, His Majesty commands you to go to Tai Chi Hall immediately; he wishes to discuss matters regarding tomorrow's calculations."
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