My father ordered me to kill the emperor, but His Majesty bestowed a princess upon me instead.

After Wang Song was taken away, the court session did not end in Xuanzheng Hall.

As soon as Gu Xingzhi led the people out of the palace gate, an old censor stepped forward and knelt down.

The action is fast.

So fast was this fold of paper that it had been hidden in the sleeve for half a day, just waiting for Wang Song's figure to disappear.

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present."

The emperor said, "Speak."

The old censor looked up and glanced at me first.

"Wang Song's crimes should be investigated."

"But Shen An's identity should also be investigated."

finally come.

I'm not surprised.

What officials in the capital are best at is not providing timely help.

If you see a boat capsize, immediately prove that you never boarded that boat, and at the same time, casually drill a hole in another boat next to it.

As soon as Wang Song handed over his seal of office, the entire court wanted to recalculate my account.

That makes perfect sense.

After all, I am Shen Lie's son.

Originally ordered by his father to enter the capital to assassinate the emperor.

Currently serving as a supervising censor.

He is again the consort of Princess Zhaoning.

Any one of these identities alone would be enough for an imperial censor to write three pages of memorials.

It's really a bit unreasonable to apply this to the same person.

Another official stepped forward.

"I second that opinion."

"Since Shen An is the son of the rebel leader, his investigation into the Wang family's old case and the Jiangbei disaster relief case may be suspected of being a purge of important officials in the court on behalf of the Southwest. This should be re-examined."

Another person said, "Shen Lie commands troops in the southwest, and the Wang family's supply lines extend to Qingxia. Shen An has repeatedly contacted people in the southwest before, and even met with Xu Sandao in private."

The moment Xu Sandao's name was mentioned, the discussion in the hall intensified.

I looked at Gu Xingzhi.

Not many people know about this.

The fact that this can be said in the palace shows that although Wang Song was imprisoned, his disciples still had ears.

The emperor did not speak immediately.

The old censor continued, "Your Majesty, I request that you temporarily confiscate Censor Shen An's seal and order him to remain at home pending investigation."

"The marriage between Princess Zhaoning and Shen An should also..."

He paused for a moment.

I guess I dared not say the second half of the sentence.

Xiao Lingyi spoke for him.

"And what should be done?"

The old censor bowed even lower.

"The princess's marriage was bestowed by His Majesty, and I dare not make any comments."

"I dare not speak presumptuously, yet I dare to include you in my memorial."

Xiao Lingyi's voice was not loud.

"That's all."

The old censor's forehead was pressed to the ground.

"Your Majesty, I am only worried that if Shen An's identity is already known to the Princess, what will happen to the Princess's residence...?"

"Did they conspire with the Southwest?"

The hall fell silent.

Xiao Lingyi looked at him.

"I will speak for you."

"You suspect that I am using the late Empress's old case to join forces with Shen Lie's son to eliminate old officials, and that my next step is to use the Southwest Army to force me to abdicate."

No one dared to answer.

Not answering is still an answer.

I suddenly realized that this scene was exactly the same as the one described in Wang's false confession.

The late queen died.

Zhao Ning plotted a rebellion.

Shen Lie's son is Dao.

Although the false confession did not bear Sun Ajin's fingerprint, the story had already entered the minds of many people.

The most impressive thing about the accounting committee is not that it can make lies sound like the truth.

The approach is to first break down the true story, and then let everyone piece it together to form the worst possible picture.

I walked into the hall and took off the imperial censor's seal from my waist.

If Ah Liu were here, he would probably feel sorry for her.

Although this seal wasn't worth much money, it was the only thing I had that made me look like a proper official after arriving in Beijing.

I placed the seal on the long table.

"Your Majesty, I request an investigation."

The old censor looked up, seemingly surprised that I had submitted it so quickly.

I continued, "I am indeed the son of Shen Lie."

"Upon entering the capital, I did indeed carry out my father's order to kill the emperor."

The audience in the hall had already heard it once.

However, the recognition given in front of the disaster victims in the south of the city carries a different weight than repeating it again in the imperial court in front of all the civil and military officials.

The former is for the purpose of stabilizing people.

The latter is putting one's head on the tent.

"I have had contact with Xu Sandao."

"I have also received letters from Shen Lie."

"I was unaware that the Wang family's grain supply route led to the southwest."

"Now that the matter has been uncovered, I am willing to hand over all letters, contact records, and clues from the southwest to the Censorate, the Imperial Guard, and the Princess's Residence for joint sealing."

Someone asked, "Did you ever change your father's wishes?"

That's a very good question.

That's so good I don't know how to answer for a moment.

The father's orders remained unchanged.

It was written very clearly in the letter.

But the knife is in my hand.

I am no longer the person who, when I first arrived in the capital, only wanted to find an opportunity to get close to the emperor.

I said, "My father's orders remain unchanged."

An uproar erupted inside the hall.

I looked up.

"But I did not carry it out."

"It's not because of my loyalty."

Upon hearing this, even Zhao Guanlan glanced at me.

I continued, "If I were to say that I have been moved by Your Majesty's grace in just a few months since I entered the capital, and that I am now willing to serve Your Majesty with my life, would you all believe me?"

No one spoke.

well.

At least the officials in the court weren't that stupid.

"I did not kill Your Majesty because I have investigated to this day and found that killing an emperor would not clear the list of dead people in Jiangbei, nor would it make up for the old taxes in the southwest."

"Wang Song has fallen, but the Accountability Committee still exists."

"If His Majesty dies, someone like Wang Song can still put another emperor on the throne."

"When I came to the capital, I thought that the person on the dragon throne was the master of all the old debts."

"I later learned that some of these accounts were ones that even the emperor dared not investigate."

The emperor looked at me.

That's not a pleasant thing to say.

But he didn't tell me to shut up.

The old censor asked, "So, to whom does Censor Shen now pledge his loyalty?"

I thought about it.

"Living people."

The hall became even quieter.

I said, "Whoever writes a living person as dead, I will investigate them."

"The Ministry of Revenue writes this; check the Ministry of Revenue."

"Written by Wang, investigated by Wang."

"If the Southwest Army also writes, I will investigate accordingly."

"Including Shen Lie?"

The person asking the question was hidden in the crowd.

I didn't see it clearly.

Or perhaps he never intended for me to see clearly.

I replied, "Including."

Saying those two words actually made me feel a little relieved.

If my father knew, he probably wouldn't have let it go.

The emperor finally spoke.

That's enough.

Everyone fell to the ground.

He looked at the imperial censor's seal on the long table.

"Wei Zhi".

Wei Zhi stepped forward and presented the seal to the foot of the imperial steps.

The emperor did not allow him to take it away.

"Give it back to Shen An."

The old censor exclaimed urgently, "Your Majesty!"

"Aren't you asking me if I knew beforehand?"

The emperor's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"I knew it all along."

As those four words fell, it was as if the entire hall had been silenced.

Someone suddenly looked up.

Some people turned pale.

Some people also subconsciously looked at Xiao Lingyi.

Xiao Lingyi stood very steadily.

Only I know that she probably really wants to take the sheath from the table right now.

It's not about killing me.

They might kill her father first.

The Emperor said, "I knew who Shen An was the first day he entered the capital."

The old censor asked in a trembling voice, "Since Your Majesty knew this, why did you still appoint him to an official position?"

"Because I need someone to audit the accounts."

"All the officials in the court have their own origins."

"Some people come from prestigious families."

"Some of them are Wang Song's students."

"Someone has received favors from the Ministry of Revenue."

"Some people were recommended by the Secretariat."

"Some families have farmland, banks, and in-laws, all of which are connected to old debts."

"It's not that they can't investigate."

"They dare not investigate down to where they stand."

The emperor looked at me.

"Shen An also has a background."

"He comes from the southwest."

"Therefore, he doesn't need to cover up for any family in the capital."

One official said, "But he will cover for Shen Lie."

"meeting."

The emperor answered quickly.

I looked up.

The emperor continued, "Therefore, I bestowed upon him an official position, gave him a seal, and placed him before everyone."

"If he covers for Shen Lie, I will be able to see it."

"If he really wanted to kill me, he wouldn't need to hide in the shadows."

I felt a chill in my heart.

That sounds like trust.

In fact, every single word is locked.

The emperor never simply trusted me.

He simply placed me in the brightest spot, preventing me from secretly becoming anyone's weapon.

The old censor asked, "What about an imperial marriage?"

Finally, they got to the most crucial point.

The emperor remained silent for a moment.

"This marriage is my decision."

Xiao Lingyi suddenly said, "Father, do you want me to keep an eye on him?"

The emperor looked at her.

"That's the intention."

No one dared to breathe loudly inside the hall.

Xiao Lingyi smiled.

It's cold.

"Then Father Emperor will also use him to keep an eye on me?"

The emperor did not deny it.

This makes things even more complicated.

The emperor tied up the son of a rebel and gave him to the princess.

I will both make the princess my rope and make myself the princess's rope.

If either of us makes a move, the other will be dragged down with us.

This is indeed something an emperor would do.

Very stable.

They're also shameless.

Xiao Lingyi asked, "Was the Empress Dowager's past case also planned by Father Emperor?"

"no."

"Then Father Emperor miscalculated."

She looked at me.

"Shen An is not a good rope."

I think that sentence sounds like a compliment.

But it doesn't quite look like it.

The emperor coughed softly twice.

Wei Zhi tried to hand over the medicine, but he raised his hand to stop him.

"I have used Shen An."

"I also guarded against him."

"His discovery of Wang Song today is not due to my benevolence."

"It's because I made a mistake back then."

"If any of the civil and military officials were willing to open this account eleven years ago, I would not believe him today."

finally come.

That phrase that everyone has heard, yet no one has ever truly understood.

The emperor looked at me.

"Of all the officials in the court, I only trust you."

No one moved in the hall.

When I first heard this, I thought the emperor had gone mad.

Later I realized he was using me as a weapon.

I only understand now.

This is not a favor.

It wasn't a deep bond between ruler and subject.

It is an emperor who admits that all those who seem loyal to him may be connected to past grievances.

The son of a rebel, who was ordered to kill him, was the most trustworthy for the time being because he was disloyal to everyone.

This is absurd.

It's as absurd as the Liang Dynasty court.

The old censor prostrated himself on the ground and remained silent.

The emperor looked at the crowd.

"I have known Shen An's identity for a long time."

"The evidence in the cases he investigated was jointly examined by the Censorate, the Imperial Guard, and the Princess's Residence."

"If anyone believes the evidence is false, refute it point by point."

"Those who are to be convicted based on their birth should first report their students, relatives by marriage, estates, and banks."

No one stepped forward.

This order is fair.

It was so fair that even the entire court of officials didn't really like it.

Wei Zhi returned the imperial censor's seal to me.

The seal is still the same seal.

When we took it back, it was heavier than when we handed it over.

After the hall was closed, Xiao Lingyi was the first to walk out.

The emperor called her to a stop.

"Orderly ceremony."

She stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Your subject is tired today."

"If Father wants to explain, wait until the accounts are checked."

She walked to the palace gate, and I followed her.

"Your Highness."

Xiao Lingyi turned to look at me.

"You want to explain too?"

I think it's best to say what you think.

But her eyes told me that whatever she said today would be like courting death.

"I may confess my guilt first."

"Pleading guilty is cheap."

"Then I will return to my residence and wait."

She looked at me for a moment.

"Princess's Residence".

"Settle the accounts."

After saying that, he got into the car.

I stood there, holding the imperial censor's seal that had just been returned to me.

Wang Song's account ends here for now.

The emperor openly admitted that he had known my identity all along.

The entire court finally realized just how dangerous the phrase "I only trust you" truly was.

But I wasn't relaxed at all.

The court's accounts can be settled with evidence.

The evidence of the debt I owe Xiao Lingyi is all in her hands.

Especially the knife that she had found under the bed on their wedding night.