Ning Dao Covered with Snow

Chapter 280 Meeting the Saint
Outside the Sizheng Hall, Yan Ciwan stood alone on the white marble ground.

Bright sunlight fell on her; she was all alone, with only her shadow at her feet for company.

She raised her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over the steps to the gate of the Hall of Political Thought. Four Imperial Guards stood on either side of the gate, dressed in light armor with swords at their waists, their postures upright and their eyes piercing.

She had just arrived here with Xiao Wenyi and Fu Zheng. Xiao Wenyi and Fu Zheng went into the hall to meet the Emperor, leaving her here alone to wait.

Fu Zheng wants her dead, Xiao Wenyi wants her to live, and the final decision rests with the Sage.

As the person involved, she could do nothing but stand there and wait for the final verdict.

Yan Ciwan imagined many possible outcomes in her mind. It would be best if she could survive, but if not, she would not accept her fate. Her gaze swept over the Imperial Guards. Their martial arts skills were not as good as hers, but they outnumbered her and were very familiar with the palace layout. If she were to fight them head-on, her chances of escaping unscathed would be very low.

She secretly pondered that if all else failed, she would reveal her identity and make a big fuss. The idea of ​​a real or fake Crown Princess sounded very bizarre and would definitely attract widespread attention. At that time, the Emperor would definitely investigate Princess Leyou's identity. Regardless of whether the truth could be found out in the end, she could use this to buy time and create an opportunity for herself to escape.

As Yan Ciwan was deep in thought, she suddenly heard someone call her name.

"Ning Ci, the Emperor summons you to the palace."

She perked up. Although she didn't know what Fu Zheng and Xiao Wenyi had said to the Emperor, the fact that the Emperor wanted to see her meant that he hadn't listened to Fu Zheng's one-sided story. Things hadn't gotten to the worst point yet, and she still had a chance!

Yan Ciwan walked up the steps, and a eunuch stood at the door, whispering instructions to her.

"Once you enter, you must not look directly at the sage. Answer whatever the sage asks you, but do not speak nonsense or deceive the emperor."

"Yes."

The eunuch led her into the Sizheng Hall.

Inside the hall, Xiao Wenyi and Fu Zheng stood with their hands at their sides, while only a middle-aged man wearing a round-necked yellow robe sat behind a table. He wore a black turban, had a handsome face, and his eyebrows and eyes seemed gentle, but in reality, they concealed a sharp edge.

This is Li Baizhou, the current emperor of the Daye Dynasty.

Yan Ciwan kept her head down after entering the room. She walked to the center of the hall, knelt down, and performed a proper salute.

"This humble woman, Ning Ci, pays her respects to His Majesty the Emperor."

Li Baizhou looked at her leisurely and asked, "Are you the woman who ran over and killed Fu Hui on horseback in the East Market today?"

Yan Ciwan immediately said, "Your Majesty, please understand that my horse was moving very slowly at the time, and there was absolutely no possibility of me hitting and killing anyone. There are other reasons for Fu Hui's death. If Your Majesty suspects that I am lying, you only need to order the coroner to examine Fu Hui's body, and you will know whether what I said is true or false."

Li Baizhou asked slowly, "Are you teaching me how to do things?"

Yan Ciwan bowed her head to the ground and said, "This humble woman dares not!"

What followed was a long silence.

Yan Ciwan felt like she was being scratched by a cat; she desperately wanted to look up and see what the Sage was doing and why he wasn't speaking.

However, looking directly at the emperor's face without permission is a taboo act. Her current situation is already bad, and she must not allow anyone to use it against her.

She could only wait patiently, secretly pondering the questions the Emperor might ask her next, such as why she was riding a horse at breakneck speed in Chongrenfang, why she happened to appear in the East Market at that time, and her identity and background, etc.

After waiting for a long time, the sage finally spoke again.

"You raise your head."

Yan Ciwan never expected the sage to say such a thing. She was stunned for a moment before slowly raising her head and looking up to meet the eyes of the sage sitting at the head of the table.

When Li Baizhou saw her face clearly, his gaze underwent a subtle change.

He stared at her intently for a moment before speaking. "Ning Ci, where are you from?"

Yan Ciwan replied, "Xizhou."

Li Baizhou smiled enigmatically: "What a coincidence, Princess Leyou is also from Xizhou. You are about the same age as her and look somewhat similar, so perhaps you can become friends."

Yan Ciwan's heart tightened. Was the Sage testing her? Had he already seen through her identity?

She tried her best to remain calm: "How can a commoner of lowly status be compared with a noble princess?"

Li Baizhou looked at her. Although she claimed to be of lowly birth, she dared to look directly at the emperor's face on her first meeting with him, and there was not a trace of cowardice or fear in her eyes.

His right hand rested on the armrest of the seat, his index finger tapping the armrest rhythmically, his eyes slightly narrowed, and he spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Many people in the East Market saw you hit Fu Hui on horseback. The Imperial Guards patrolling Chongren Ward stopped you because you were riding too fast. Their testimonies are enough to convict you. But Grand Tutor Xiao pleaded for you. I trust Grand Tutor Xiao's character. Someone he would vouch for so wholeheartedly must not be a heinous criminal."

Fu Zheng's expression changed. He was about to speak when Li Baizhou raised his hand to stop him.

Li Baizhou continued, "Since Grand Tutor Xiao has intervened in this matter, then the case of Fu Hui's murder will be handed over to the Dali Temple for investigation. The Crown Prince's wedding is in four days, and I hope to resolve this case before the Crown Prince's wedding. Can Grand Tutor Xiao do that?"

Yan Ciwan was overjoyed. Although they had only been given three days, it was much better than convicting and executing her now.

Xiao Wenyi cupped his hands and replied, "Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I will certainly live up to your expectations."

Li Baizhou continued, "Before the case is resolved, Ning Ci, as a suspect, must remain in the palace. I will order her to be kept under strict guard. Will General Fu feel at ease?"

This statement surprised everyone present.

Fu Zheng couldn't help but say, "Ning Ci is suspected of murder and is very dangerous. If he stays in the palace, it may be detrimental to His Majesty."

"She is just a weak woman, how could she possibly harm me? Besides, there are so many Imperial Guards in the palace, she would never have the chance to hurt me in the slightest. General Fu, you don't need to worry."

Fu Zheng wanted to say more, but Li Baizhou had already made up his mind and directly ordered him to leave.

"That concludes today's business. I am a little tired and wish to rest. You may all leave."

Fu Zheng could only swallow his words, lower his head, clasp his hands, and bow: "This humble subject takes his leave."

Yan Ciwan followed Xiao Wenyi out of the Sizheng Hall.

The three stopped outside the hall.

Fu Zheng glared fiercely at Yan Ciwan, his eyes looking as if he were looking at an irreconcilable enemy.

"Don't be so smug. It's just three more days. If Lord Xiao can't prove your innocence after three days, you'll still face death!"

After saying that, he flicked his sleeve, turned around and left with a gloomy face.

Yan Ciwan was not intimidated by Fu Zheng's threats. She looked at Xiao Wenyi and asked in a low voice.

"Lord Xiao, why does His Majesty want to keep me in the palace?"

Xiao Wenyi was also unaware of the details of this matter.

He sensed that the Sage's attitude toward Ning Ci was somewhat strange, but he didn't know why.

He gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid. Consort Jin is my daughter. I'll send someone to her later and ask her to help take care of you."

Thanks for pointing out the bug.