History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 389 Wei Yao Digs a Pit for Wang Xian

The steward, having become wiser with each reply, took the initiative to confess before Wang Xian could even ask: "Lord Pingyuan also instructed that when imitating the meow of a raccoon, one should mix it with the cry of 'wrong' from a person crying out for justice. I have not served Lord Pingyuan for long and do not have the courage to ask why the Lord instructed me to do this."

Wang Xian: "Since you bribed the servants of the Duke of Chengcheng, did those people report back to you whether they succeeded in their task? What was the Duke of Chengcheng's reaction? Was he frightened?"

The steward said, "This task was only assigned to Lord Pingyuan two days ago, and there has been no report yet."

After Wang Xian finished asking his questions, Wei Yao followed him to the neighboring courtyard.

When Chengcheng Gong learned that the court had sent officials, he dared not hide any longer. He opened the door and saw that the jade hairpin on his head was crooked, his collar was not straight, and there was no trace of a slap on his cheek, only a small scratch at the corner of his eye.

"It was His Majesty who appointed the Vice Minister..."

Wei Yao immediately interrupted him: "Your Highness, please take care of yourself and do not grieve too much. Your Highness is the only remaining member of His Majesty's maternal relatives."

"The matter of the drowning of the Duke of Pingyuan must be thoroughly investigated." She glanced at the imperial physician Wang Xian and the Duke of Bohai, Gao Meng, then looked back at Gao Xian and approached him, assuring him, "But the Duke's innocence cannot be falsely accused!"

What?! Wang Xian, who was behind, realized something was wrong.

However, if you are slow to react, it will be difficult to turn the tide.

Wei Yao gave him no chance to react, looked at him again, and said eloquently: "Wang Xian, when the Duke of Pingyuan was in trouble, only the Duke of Chengcheng was by his side, but this does not prove that the Duke of Chengcheng intended to harm the Duke of Pingyuan. If he really had such intentions, would he have left obvious evidence? The Duke of Chengcheng is unaware of the intricacies and complexities of the trial. In order to prevent him from being wrongly accused, from now on, I will be questioned by you along with the Duke of Chengcheng."

When Wei Yao mentioned court officials to the Gao brothers, Gao Zhao and Gao Xian, the brothers showed a hint of displeasure at the fact that they shared the same names as the officials "You Zhao" and "Wang Xian".

Sure enough, the slight displeasure at that time turned into hostility after she deliberately guided it!
As the commander of the forces outside the palace, Imperial Physician Wang Xian had heard of and witnessed countless conspiracies and schemes, but this time, due to his carelessness, he fell straight into the trap dug by Wei Yao.

His Majesty brought the Gao family to Luoyang, which means he intends to give them important positions. A dead uncle, no matter how he died, is unfit for such a position! The living Duke of Chengcheng not only cannot be accused of harming his brother, but must also clear himself of all charges in this accident.

Wang Xian: "Minister Wei, you flatter me. I share the same thoughts as you."

He then said to the Duke of Chengcheng, "Your Excellency has been frightened. Please rest assured and recuperate. I will return to the palace to report to the Emperor. If there are any new decrees, I will come back to inform him."

Gao Meng still doesn't understand what happened; Wang Xian just left like that, and he's completely bewildered.

Wei Yao gave Gao Xian a wink, and the latter scolded his nephew Gao Meng: "What are you standing there for? Go take care of your fourth uncle's funeral arrangements and comfort the clansmen. I'll be there later."

Gao Xian then ordered all the servants in the courtyard to leave the courtyard.

Wei Yao: "Time is short, and who knows what Wang Xian will say to His Majesty when he returns to the palace, so I'll keep it brief."

Gao Xian: "Please speak freely, Vice Minister."

Wei Yao said, "Prepare pen and ink. I will tell you what to write... My fourth brother, Gao Zhao, has passed away. I am heartbroken. I recall that my parents and three elder brothers fled to Pingcheng in their early years to escape the calamity, and now they are separated by death. Now that my father and brothers have all received imperial honors, they should be reburied in their hometown of Bohai County. Therefore, I am writing to request that my nephews Gao Meng, Gao Zhi, and Gao Zhan escort my brother's coffin to be reburied with him." After Gao Xian finished writing, Wei Yao asked him, "Are you saddened when you mention your deceased relatives?" She gestured with one finger below each of his eyes.

"Things can be done like this? Gao Xian has learned something!" He immediately squeezed out a few tears, staining the still-wet handwriting.

Wei Yao: "No matter who comes to offer condolences, if they try to speak to the Duke, he should respond with grief and say little. Those who care about you may not truly care, and those who harm you may not be your enemies; they may be targeting His Majesty."

"Furthermore," she said, waving the memorial in her hand, "if His Majesty asks you in the future whether I taught you to write it, just answer truthfully. Because I am protecting you for His Majesty's sake, not because I have any personal relationship with you. I'm going back to the palace now. Do not go out for the next few days, Your Excellency."

Wei Yao's official and straightforward remarks completely dispelled Gao Xian's suspicions.

"Vice Minister Wei!" he called out to her.

Wei Yao had anticipated that the other party would call her back. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips as she turned around, her demeanor still composed yet slightly serious. "Please speak, Your Excellency."

Gao Xian: "Isn't Vice Minister Wei curious about how my brother fell into the well?"

Wei Yao: "That is Wang Xian's responsibility. My task is to help the Duke of the Prefecture to avoid disaster and harm."

"Wang Xian!" Gao Xian said the other person's name with disgust. He went back to his room to wash up quickly, straighten his hair, and change into a hemp-colored dress. When he looked in the bronze mirror, he stroked his eyebrows a few times to erase the fierce look between his brows, which had been the result of killing someone.

It was indeed he who pushed his elder brother, Gao Zhao, into the well, pressing the back of his head down. Only by getting rid of his elder brother, who stood in his way, could he become the pillar of the Gao clan. From then on, he would be the great tree, the wall of the house, while everyone else would be just vines or tiles!
He chuckled coldly, imagining his reflection in the bronze mirror as his elder brother, and said, "You can't blame me. I hadn't even figured out how to get rid of you. You were courting death, handing me this opportunity. If I didn't take it, I'd be cursed by the heavens. Weren't you so imposing when you were scolding me? You even dared to hit me today. Do you still want to trample me under your stinking feet and crush me like an ant in the future?"

"Fourth brother, so you're so curious about where I've been these past few days and who I've been associating with? I only told you this after I asked you to dismiss your steward and servants. I wasn't lying to you; I told you everything after you fell into the well. Tsk tsk tsk, but you were flailing your arms around in the well water, so you probably didn't hear me clearly. Hehe, hehehaha."

"By the way, from now on, all those books in your room belong to me. They should have been mine all along! If I hadn't told you back then that learning the Han language was very important, would you have been able to read? Just because I'm your younger brother, you haven't mentioned a single thing about my contribution to Vice Minister Wei."

He finished packing, got up and left the room. This small courtyard, and the largest courtyard in the future, would belong to him!
"Fourth brother, from now on, you don't need to worry about my credit anymore."

When Wei Yao rushed back to the palace, the hunt at Jingyang Mountain had already ended. She had gambled correctly. Although the emperor was concerned about the cause of Gao Zhao's death, his thoughts immediately changed when he learned that Gao Zhao had only his maternal uncle, Duke Chengcheng, by his side before his death.

The dead Gao Zhao is of no use, and we absolutely cannot drag Gao Xian down with us!
Imperial Physician Wang Xian made another mistake. Just as he finished giving a detailed account of the interrogation of the steward, Wei Yao arrived and presented Gao Xian's memorial requesting that his father and brother be reburied in their hometown.

"He's finally made progress." The emperor wrote "approved" on the memorial and instructed Wei Yao: "Have the Secretariat draft an edict to remove Cui Guang from the post of 'Attendant-in-Ordinary' and transfer him to the post of 'Grand Master of Ceremonies'."

“Gao Xian was appointed as the ‘Attendant-in-Ordinary’.”

The emperor looked at the imperial physician Wang Xian and continued to issue the decree: "Wang Xian has followed me for many years and has made both merits and hardships. I hereby appoint Wang Xian as General Who Pacifies the North and Governor of Xiangzhou."

Wang Xian hailed from Xiangzhou, and returning to his birthplace to serve as its governor was a triumphant homecoming, a rare honor for a minister. However, this glory also meant that Wang Xian was no longer suited to command the secret guards and spies.

As he expected, after he handed over the bronze plaque bearing his special status, the emperor said, "Give it to Yu Yao."