After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

The same desolate crescent moon hung in the sky, shining on the Princess's residence a thousand miles away.

Xiao Changgeng stood in front of the door, his dark green robe fluttering in the night wind, making him look like a cold, menacing spear.

Across from him, Qin Lie's chest heaved violently, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger.

"Brother, move aside! I need to explain this to the Emperor myself!"

Why should someone who just randomly taps a broken drum be considered a bastard born of the Northern Di?

Xiao Changgeng's face was somber, and he remained as still as a mountain.

"Ah Lie, calm down. Mother told you before she left that you shouldn't act impulsively. Have you forgotten?"

The current situation is clearly a long-planned trap, launched at a critical juncture when the adoptive mother left the capital and the floods in the southwest were still raging, just waiting for the third son, this wild bull, to jump into the fire pit himself.

Qin Lie was speechless when asked the question, but he stubbornly retorted, "But there's a lot of talk outside right now, and they're saying all sorts of things! If I don't go out and prove my innocence, what will the soldiers of the Northwest Army think of me?"

Xiao Changgeng's lips twitched. He really didn't know whether his third brother was naive or stupid.

Regardless of whether he is truly a descendant of the Northern Di people, even if he is not, once he proves it, he will face endless criticism and suspicion.

Even if nothing is found out, something will be discovered later.

"What proof do you have? Go kneel before Chengtian Gate, cut open your heart for the world to see, and say that the blood of the Northern Barbarians doesn't flow in your veins?"

Qin Lie was so angry that he kicked the stone drum next to him, making his toes go numb, but his eyes were red with anger.

"Then what do you suggest I do? Just let that person slander me?"

Seeing his younger brother's appearance, Xiao Changgeng's tone finally softened a bit.

"Third brother, use your brain. Since the Emperor hasn't sent the Imperial Guards to surround the mansion, nor has he summoned you to the palace, it means this matter hasn't reached him yet. Besides..."

He took a few steps forward and gripped Qin Lie's shoulders tightly with both hands.

"That person accused the Earl of Weiyuan of secretly colluding with the Northern Di. At this time, the one who should go before the Emperor to prove his innocence is Qin Feng, not you."

"Regardless of who your mother is, you grew up in Dayong, killed so many Northern Di people, and repelled so many Northern Di cavalry. The Emperor naturally knows the record. By jumping out now, you are actually taking the first wave of arrows for Qin Feng."

These words eventually reached Qin Lie's ears.

His tense shoulders gradually relaxed.

"Brother is right." Qin Lie wiped his face and gritted his teeth. "I have rendered meritorious service to Dayong. If I were to prove myself now, it would only make me look guilty."

Seeing that he had finally figured it out, Xiao Changgeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned to instruct his servants.

"Take the Third Young Master back to his room to rest and arrange for someone to take good care of him."

As he spoke, he gave Xuan Qi a wink.

Xuan Qi instantly understood; this meant to have someone keep a close eye on the Third Young Master.

After Qin Lie's figure disappeared around the corner of the corridor, Xiao Changgeng finally couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose.

He had just received news that the person was being held in the yamen by Lian Jiliang, the censor in charge of the petitioning drum, and that the matter had not yet been reported to the emperor.

He must have been struggling with whether or not to risk offending the Princess's residence and the Earl of Weiyuan by doing this.

Now everyone only knows that the person who beat the drum accused the Earl of Weiyuan of secretly colluding with the Northern Di, but only Lian Jiliang probably knows the specifics of the case.

He needs to come up with a solution first.

At this moment, Xuan Qi had already arranged for Qin Lie to return. Xiao Changgeng instructed, "Xuan Qi, prepare the carriage. I need to go to Lian Jiliang's residence."

Xuan Qi hesitated, "Master, if we visit at night, won't it give others something to say? Won't they think we're guilty and trying to pull strings beforehand?"

Xiao Changgeng shook his head, but continued walking.

"This case concerns the background of the third brother. If we remain unmoved and act as if it has nothing to do with us, it will make people think we are guilty and unusual."

"As the elder brother, it would be a normal reaction to inquire about the origins of the drummer from the censor."

Xuan Qi bowed his head and accepted the order: "Your subordinate will go and prepare the carriage immediately."

……

At this moment, inside the study of the Lian family mansion.

Lian Jiliang paced anxiously back and forth in front of his desk, his hands behind his back.

On the desk lay a transcribed petition, and next to it was a jade plaque with a wolf's head wrapped in coarse cloth.

The Dengwen Drum had not been sounded for over a decade during the Dayong Dynasty.

According to current practice, censors submit their memorials only once every ten days on average.

The woman struck the drum the day before yesterday, and he was supposed to report this to the emperor at the morning court session three days later.

But this case is a real hot potato.

The woman claimed to be the wife of Mr. Qian, an advisor to Qin Feng.

She said that Mr. Qian once spoke the truth while drunk, telling her everything about how the Earl of Weiyuan had an affair with a spy from the Northern Barbarians and had given birth to Qin Lie.

Now that Mr. Qian has disappeared, she is convinced that Qin Feng killed him to cover up the scandal, which is why she is desperately beating the drum to seek justice.

If it were a common false accusation, Lian Jiliang could have simply thrown the person into jail.

But in the woman's hand, there was a jade pendant with a wolf's head, which was said to have been left behind by a woman from the Northern Di tribe.

And when she played the drum, it was noon, and the people on half the street saw it.

The people of Dayong hate the Northern Di people to the bone. If this matter is forcibly suppressed, they will probably be drowned in the spittle of the Qingliu scholars tomorrow.

However, if the truth were reported, it would immediately offend two powerful figures: the Marquis of Weiyuan's mansion and the Princess's mansion.

Just as he was hesitating, a servant boy hurried closer and announced through the door, "Master, Commander Xiao of the Embroidered Uniform Guard requests an audience."

Lian Jiliang paused, his fingers gripping his beard, feeling a sudden, overwhelming headache.

How could he have almost forgotten that Xiao Changgeng was Qin Lie's sworn brother?

What good could this living devil possibly do by showing up at your door late at night, other than exerting pressure?

Lian Jiliang maintained his composure and instructed the person outside the door, "Understood. Please have Lord Xiao wait in the flower hall for a moment. Serve some tea, and I will change my clothes and then come over."

In his heart, however, he cursed the woman who was beating the drum, as well as the ancestors of the Marquis of Weiyuan for eighteen generations.

The princess was still far away in the southwest, yet the Embroidered Uniform Guard's sword was already at his throat. Being an official was truly a deadly job.

He forced himself to push open the study door, his heavy footsteps startling everyone in the courtyard.

A crow flapped its black wings and flew straight toward the cold moon.