The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

Chapter 507 This is called... setting things right.

The carriage stopped in front of the Duke of Shun's mansion.

Wei Zhao helped Shen Jin downstairs.

Shen Jin knew there were still many things to attend to in the palace and was afraid of delaying Wei Zhao's affairs. He was about to speak when he told Wei Zhao to go and get busy.

Yu Tingwan appeared at the door. Her gaze swept over the man, and seeing that he was alright, she felt relieved.

She ran down the steps, smiling, lifting her skirt.

"Aunt, have you had breakfast yet?"

"I had some snacks on the way."

Yu Tingwan feigned innocence: "I prepared those snacks!"

"You have a heart."

Yu Tingwan agreed, nodding emphatically, and not forgetting to belittle Wei Zhao.

"He's a man, so naturally he's not as considerate as I am."

Wei Zhao laughed angrily: ...

I'm convinced.

Yu Tingwan: "Uncle's courtyard was tidied up a long time ago. The layout and furnishings inside are still the same as before, and the old things have all been kept."

She affectionately took Shen Jin's hand and led him into the mansion, showing no trace of the awkwardness that came with only meeting twice.

His words are straightforward, yet comforting.

“I don’t know what my aunt likes, so I don’t dare to make a decision. But I also think that this is where my aunt will live in the future, and I want you to be satisfied. So I took some time to think that if my aunt wants anything, I can add it myself later.”

Shen Jin's inherent gentleness overflowed as she softly replied, "Okay."

"I would like to visit your mother-in-law first."

Yu Tingwan: "She's preparing in the ancestral hall, waiting for you to come over."

"Although your name has been added to the family genealogy for a long time, your aunt has not yet paid respects to the ancestors of the Wei family."

and……

Shen Jin never even had the chance to offer Wei Fengxing a stick of incense.

Wei Zhao walked at a leisurely pace, following behind the two, intending to go to the ancestral hall to report his safety to the ancestors and also to retrieve something.

Suddenly, Yu Tingwan, who was in front of her, stopped walking.

She stepped back, gazed at him intently, and gave him instructions.

"Don't rush off later."

Wei Zhao: "Hmm?"

Yu Tingwan: "I need to check if you have any injuries."

This man is so patient; she still remembers what happened to her arm.

Wei Zhao chuckled: "Be more serious. It's not even dark yet, and you're already trying to strip me naked?"

"I haven't slept all night, I'm a little tired. Just bear with it."

Yu Tingwan: ? ? ?

Wei Zhao casually suggested, "Or, how about I have a few cups of deer blood wine?"

-

The court officials rushed into the palace, where bloodstains on the palace roads had not yet been washed away, and bloody severed limbs could be seen everywhere.

Most of them were civil officials, and they had never seen such a bloody scene before. Apart from Gu Fuju and a few senior officials, the younger ones covered their mouths and noses.

They are all human beings.

Along the way, they saw the Wei family army, which should have been disbanded, and the Xiao family soldiers under the Marquis of Zhongyong, whom they hadn't seen for many years. And the Duke of Shun was forced to his death by that person... how could they be so suspicious?
The pedantic civil official walked faster and faster, his steps almost whistling through the air. He no longer cared where he was going, his cloth boots stepping on pools of blood on the ground, which also splattered onto the underside of his official robes.

Someone called out to He Xuran.

“That person is guilty of heinous crimes, but if General Wei is involved, he will be suspected of harming the monarch. In the current turbulent times, with the emperor gone, I am afraid that the people will become more and more fearful, which will embolden foreign enemies.”

"Even though he calls you uncle, don't forget, you're from the Censorate!"

"Even if His Majesty has a thousand faults, it is not his place as a subject to rectify the court and cause the collapse of propriety and music!"

He Xuran remained silent.

He is indeed from the Censorate, but so what?

He also thought Wei Zhao did a good job.

Some officials were pale and dizzy, fearing they would be implicated.

Inside the palace.

Ying Fuyan hadn't slept all night, and his body was clearly not able to hold on any longer. He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep to slightly alleviate his discomfort.

"I……"

I just said one word.

Xiao Huaiyan asked anxiously, "What's wrong? Why don't you go lie down in the inner palace first?"

Ying Fuyan uttered, "I get a headache just thinking about cleaning up the mess left behind by that dog emperor before he died."

Xiao Huaiyan: ...

Ying Fuyan: "I need good people to share my burden."

Xiao Huaiyan remained silent.

"What are you afraid of? I didn't say you could have it."

Who can you get to help?

Would Wei Zhao even acknowledge you?
Suddenly, Xiao Huaiyan thought of something.

He Xuran!

That guy has so much energy!

Each trial can last for several days without sleep!
Xiao Huaiyan breathed a sigh of relief: "You should have said so earlier."

"It's not that I'm overthinking it, it's just that you and that bastard Wei Zhao are both terrible at dealing with people."

The hall has been cleaned up; the corpses have been thrown outside, and the windows have been opened for ventilation.

For a moment, no one spoke.

After a while, Gu Fuju's voice came from the side: "They're here."

Ying Fuyan slowly opened his eyes and saw a large number of officials filing in.

The pedantic official was seething with anger. Before he could even see who was in the hall, he raised his voice.

"How could we leave the Emperor outside! Whose idea was this?!"

"The most important principle of the Spring and Autumn Annals is the proper order of things. The relationship between ruler and subject, father and son is the fundamental principle of heaven and earth. However, General Wei replaced violence with violence and defied his superiors. Once this precedent is set, all rebellious ministers and traitors in the future can follow suit."

"If people do not follow etiquette and laws, they will cease to be people and the nation will cease to be a nation!"

"okay!"

Duke Xian, who was playing chess with Gu Fuju, got up. "This noise has given this old man a headache so early in the morning."

The crowd fell silent.

Why did the Duke of Xian arrive so early?

He's been showing up quite frequently these past few days.

Someone's eyes lit up.

"Duke Xianguo!"

"You may agree with me and refuse to collude with him!"

Duke Xianguo remained silent.

Xiao Huaiyan smiled.

"When that dog emperor was indiscriminately killing loyal officials and oppressing the people, did the Spring and Autumn Annals you speak of ever save a single person?"

"Mencius said that the people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important. If the ruler is immoral, are you willing to be a pedantic and loyal minister, while those people have to become wronged souls?"

The ministers: ?

Marquis Zhongyong proudly declared, "My son, yes, my son. He knows Mencius!"

Ministers:...

...You're so arrogant.

Duke Xian: "What are you all standing there for? Let's see who that is first."

Only after being reminded did the ministers look up.

Um? ?

The one sitting on the dragon throne is not the fourth prince!

Is it... Jia, the advisor to the Fifth Prince?
Are they crazy, or is it Duke Xian Guo who's crazy?
Ying Fuyan mustered her spirits and let them look her over.

He Xuran frowned deeply.

"this--"

Ying Fuyan smiled at him.

After all, he was someone who would help him in the future.

He Xuran: What are you doing here?

Gu Fuju stood up and said, "Xuran, you mustn't be rude. Why don't you pay your respects to the new emperor?"

Gu Fuju smiled and introduced him to everyone: "This is... the Crown Prince of Yan."

He Xuran felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

He looked at Gu Fuju, then at Xiao Huaiyan, and finally at Ying Fuyan.

If he still doesn't realize it, he's really a fool.

He Xuran: ...

well.

Are you keeping it from him alone?
Yes, I kept it from him.

But he still needs to do things for us.

Everyone stared wide-eyed.

The Crown Prince of Yan is still alive?

Where is the fourth prince?

Some officials clenched their fists tightly in their sleeves, their eyes already burning with desire.

Can……

"But according to etiquette, what position is appropriate for him?"

Someone just voiced their dissatisfaction.

Duke Xian lowered his eyes.

"Xu Ran, produce the evidence in your possession of the crimes committed by the late Emperor against the new Emperor."

"Let them see how the emperor, who claims to be benevolent, secretly tortures his own nephew to the point of wishing he were dead."

He Xuran took out the box and distributed the confessions one by one, letting the officials pass them around to read.

Duke Xian: "Those three old fellows aren't here today, but they're thinking that I can make the trip for them."

Do you know why the four of us resigned from our official posts back then?

Before these people could respond, he said to himself, "Those who are retiring to their hometowns are retiring to their hometowns, but I will stay in the capital and not concern myself with worldly affairs."

"It's not that we're too old to serve the court. We're just tired of it."

"When the Prince of Yan got into trouble, Old Master Lu went to plead his case. He was carried out covered in blood. We old folks were also furious and wanted to stand up, but Wei Fengxing stopped us halfway."

What good will it do to stand up? It will only lead to the same fate as Old Master Lu.

"Don't be fooled by our daily bold remonstrances; it's only because we haven't crossed the line of the emperor's imperial authority."

The Prince of Yan and the Duke of Shun were both people that Emperor Yingqian was determined to eliminate. Anyone who tried to dissuade them would be considered an enemy and would only face death.

Emperors are an inescapable scourge for these writers.

"After Wei Fengxing died, couldn't you see the trick? He was just trying to protect himself. Like us, he couldn't do anything but stay in a corner and revise the 'Record of Benevolent Governance'."

Haven't too many people died in recent years?

"With the Prince of Yan, the Duke of Shun, and the old master of the Lu family in trouble, no one dares to speak out anymore. Rather than saying they dare not offend the emperor's majesty, it's more accurate to say they're protecting empty titles, but those people are shedding real blood!"

How can one not get tired of it?

The hall fell completely silent.

They understand the道理 (principles/reasoning), but they also feel deeply helpless.

"Can……"

“But the sage said, ‘When the father dies, the son succeeds; when the elder brother dies, the younger brother succeeds.’ When has the principle of ‘abandoning the son to establish the nephew’ ever been written? This is not reasonable, nor is it legitimate, and it is difficult to silence public opinion.”

"How is it not legitimate?"

Wei Zhao strode into the hall.

He held the imperial edict in his hand.

Thanks to the late emperor's cunning.

It was supposed to be empty, but it's been filled in now.

"Leaving aside other matters, when the late emperor passed away, he left behind three imperial edicts, one of which was a secret given to my grandfather."

"Everyone says that the late emperor valued the Prince of Yan, but he was not the one who ascended the throne. Haven't you all considered that there might be something fishy going on?"

His words were a mix of truth and falsehood, yet they were enough to pass for the truth.

"The dog emperor is so eager to force the Prince of Yan to his death, and to force my father to his death, just because the Prince of Yan was originally the candidate for the new emperor, and my Shunguo Duke's Mansion has something that can make him expose his ugly face and die."

Wei Zhao calmly corrected, "We're all educated, so watch your words. Don't come across as naive or ignorant. I'm not threatening you. What do you mean by 'fighting violence with violence'? This is called... setting things right."