The Marquis doesn't support his beloved wife's ambitions, so I'll take the imperial e

The atmosphere in the Golden Palace was so heavy it was almost palpable.

The smoke from sandalwood rose gently, but it couldn't dispel the bloody smell of "factional strife" in the air.

"Father!" The eldest prince, Xiao Chengze, dressed in a bright yellow python robe, knelt in the hall, tears streaming down his face, his words earnest and pleading, "Your Majesty, I am heartbroken! The grain and funds sent south for disaster relief are the life-saving money for countless victims. My third brother... he dared to be so audacious as to embezzle it all! We have witnesses and evidence to prove it. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth, punish him severely, uphold the law, and appease the people!"

Behind him, a group of officials knelt down in unison, their voices a deafening roar: "We beg Your Majesty to punish him severely!"

On the dragon throne, Emperor Xuande's face was ashen, revealing neither joy nor anger.

His gaze passed over the kneeling Crown Prince and landed on the man at the front of the line, a man who had not uttered a word from beginning to end and whose posture was as upright as a pine tree.

Marquis of Ningguo, Xiao Qingyan.

"Marquis Ningguo," Emperor Xuande's voice carried the unique majesty and weariness of an emperor, "the Third Prince has entrusted you with the full authority to handle this matter. Do you have anything to say?"

All eyes of the court officials instantly focused on Xiao Qingyan.

Xiao Qingyan slowly stepped forward, his dark court robes making his face appear even more stern. He did not look at the heartbroken eldest prince, but instead bowed slightly to Emperor Xuande on the dragon throne.

"Your Majesty, there are many suspicious points in this matter."

His voice was not loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire hall.

The eldest prince whirled around, a venomous glint in his eyes: "Marquis Ningguo! The evidence is irrefutable, what doubts are there? Does Your Excellency intend to shield your third brother and disregard the facts? If there were problems, why is the investigation still ongoing with no results?"

"Your Highness, please calm down." Xiao Qingyan's tone was calm and without any ripples. "I am simply stating the facts. The accounts of the grain transport are complex and cannot be completed in a day. To convict a prince based solely on a few suddenly appearing account books and an official who 'committed suicide' in prison is far too hasty."

He deliberately emphasized the phrase "committed suicide out of fear of punishment," and the shrewd people present could all understand the deeper meaning behind it.

"The transfer of grain to the army requires verification and stamping by the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Granaries, with checks at every level. Yet this disaster relief grain, which concerns the lives of tens of thousands of disaster victims, has such a simple process—it's gone just like that, embezzled so easily. Doesn't Your Majesty think the process is far too smooth?" Xiao Qingyan raised his eyes, staring directly at the First Prince, his gaze as cold as a knife. "It's so smooth, it's as if someone paved a path in advance, just waiting for the Third Prince to step into it."

"You...you're slandering me!" The eldest prince's heart skipped a beat under his gaze, and he retorted sharply, "Are you saying that the officials of the Court of Judicial Review and the Censorate are blind and would wrong an innocent person? Or do you think that I'm framing my third brother?"

"I didn't say that." Xiao Qingyan's lips curled into a faint, cold smile. "Whether it's a frame-up or not, an investigation will tell. I'm just afraid that this vine will pull out too many melons, and too big of a bunch, and some people will end up looking bad."

This is already a blatant threat.

The eldest prince was trembling with anger and wanted to argue further, but Emperor Xuande on the dragon throne suddenly slammed his hand on the armrest.

"That's enough!"

A furious shout silenced the entire hall instantly.

"Shut up, all of you!" Emperor Xuande's gaze swept over his two sons and his most trusted minister like a hawk, his heart filled with irritation.

How could he not know that this was a power struggle? The eldest brother was ambitious, while the third brother seemed indifferent to worldly affairs, but behind him stood Xiao Qingyan, the god of death.

He was happy to see this happen, hoping his sons would check and balance each other. But now, the fire has spread to the national granary and burned his own face!

"This matter concerns the very foundation of the nation, and even more so, the dignity of the imperial family!" Emperor Xuande's voice was as cold as ice. "Xiao Qingyan!"

"Your subject is here."

"I'll give you ten more days! You will personally lead the team, in conjunction with the Court of Judicial Review and the Censorate, to re-examine this case! Investigate every inch of it! From the release of grain from the granary to every ship and every boatman on the canal, uncover every detail!"

"If it is found that the Third Prince is truly guilty, I will show no leniency!" The Xuande Emperor's tone was filled with resolute killing intent. "But if I find out that anyone dares to harbor any wicked intentions in this matter, to frame the prince, and to shake the foundations of the nation..."

He didn't say anything more, but his cold gaze said it all.

"Your subject obeys the decree." Xiao Qingyan bowed and accepted the order, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes that went unnoticed.

Ten days.

enough.

After the court session, the Third Prince Xiao Chengqi caught up with Xiao Qingyan at the palace gate, his handsome face filled with fear and unease.

"My lord, this time... thank you for speaking up for me. But my elder brother is too well-prepared; all the evidence points to me. I'm afraid... I'm afraid that in ten days, it will still be..."

"What's the panic?" Xiao Qingyan didn't stop walking, his voice as cold and hard as ever. "The more thorough his preparations, the more flaws he leaves behind. What's truly flawless is never a scheme, but a dead man's shroud."

Xiao Chengqi was taken aback, but then he understood.

"What does Your Excellency mean?"

"You just go back to your palace, shut yourself in and read, write a few poems expressing your concern for the country and its people, and present them to His Majesty." Xiao Qingyan turned his head and glanced at him. "No matter how strong the wind and rain are outside, they won't blow into your study. I'll take care of the rest."

After saying that, he went straight to his carriage, leaving the Third Prince alone on the spot, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Upon returning to the Ningguo Marquis's residence, the moment Xiao Qingyan stepped into the study, the fierce aura he had forcibly suppressed in the palace could no longer be concealed.

He irritably unbuttoned his collar, feeling restless at the thought of the eldest prince's smug face and the deeply entrenched power behind him.

This game of chess was more difficult than he had imagined.

Hou House.

With a loud bang, a valuable Ru ware teacup was smashed to the ground and shattered into pieces.

The atmosphere in the study was as cold as an icebox.

Dressed in black, Xiao Qingyan sat upright behind his desk, his handsome face etched with an unyielding frost.

He had only been away from the capital for a little over a month, yet the situation in the court had deteriorated to this extent.

"My lord." Night Hawk appeared silently in the center of the study, kneeling on one knee, his expression more solemn than ever before. "The Crown Prince's side has been handled flawlessly. All the forged canal transport documents used old files and official seals from three years ago, and the accounts are also meticulously detailed. The canal transport official who was identified committed suicide in prison the day before yesterday out of fear of punishment, and all leads have been cut off."

"Committed suicide out of fear of punishment?" A cold smile curled at the corner of Xiao Qingyan's lips. "To silence him, isn't it?"

His long, slender fingers tapped lightly on the cold table, producing a dull sound, one tap after another, as if pounding on everyone's heart.

"My lord, I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should." Night Hawk hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.