She Came to Heal, Stayed to Conquer

“Your Majesty!”

Princess Changle suddenly fell down on the steps, her plain dress spreading over the blue bricks like fragmented moonlight.

Tears intertwined on her face, her nails digging deeply into the ground.

“Your Majesty, do not listen to his sophistry… Please, Your Majesty, uphold justice for Changle!”

The last few words of Princess Changle were almost cried out in blood, echoing for a long time in the empty palace hall.

Emperor Jing took a deep breath, looking at Prime Minister Wei’s graying head, his back bent like a broken bow.

“Mr. Wei.” Emperor Jing’s voice carried a tired authority.

Prime Minister Wei bowed heavily, his head making a dull thud on the stone bricks: “This old minister… has nothing to say.” His cracked lips trembled: “If it is truly this traitor… let… let Your Majesty deal with him as you see fit.”

The gavel exploded loudly again, the raspy voice of Sun Wenlin of the Ministry of Justice announced.

“Detain the suspect in the celestial prison! The trial will be held on a selected date.” As he spoke, Sun Wenlin waved his hand. “All other innocent parties are to be released in court. Dismissal!”

“It’s a wrongful accusation!” Wei Dabao suddenly burst out a pig-slaughtering howl, two government officials nearly unable to hold down his large body.

As he struggled, his collar was torn open, revealing the inner garment embroidered with the Wei Family coat of arms.

“Your Majesty!” Princess Changle’s sharp voice overshadowed everything, “Since the evidence and witness are both present, why delay? He should be executed immediately.”

Her nail polish-stained nails deeply embedded into her palm, her eyes filled with hatred as she looked at Wei Dabao.

When Emperor Jing rose, his Dragon Robe stirred a fierce wind, he looked down at his niece, who had become insane due to hatred.

“Changle, since the culprit has been caught, the Ministry of Justice has its own protocol. You should not interfere any further, return!”

Emperor Jing’s words were like ice, freezing all of Princess Changle’s subsequent laments in her throat.

“Your Majesty, Royal Uncle…”

Princess Changle called unwillingly. But Emperor Jing had skirted around the table and departed swiftly.

“Respectfully send off Your Majesty!”

The people in the hall immediately respectfully sent off Emperor Jing.

Two government officials came up to take hold of Wei Dabao, who struggled while proclaiming his innocence. Yet Emperor Jing departed, and the Minister of Justice also stood up and proceeded into the inner hall, leaving his cries unresponded.

“No, no. It’s not me, I didn’t do it… Ah…” Wei Dabao cried, howling.

The usually pampered nobleman ultimately slumped like mud and was dragged out of the hall, leaving a meandering trail on the bluestone tiles beneath his robe.

Mrs. Wei fainted on the spot, the maidens frantically sounded hollow while pinching her philtrum, mixed with distant, indistinct wails echoing for a long time inside the Ministry of Justice as twilight came thick.

In the entire Ministry of Justice, only one person believed Wei Dabao’s words. That is—Wei Chengchao, Prime Minister Wei’s son.

He was innocent and released on the spot. When leaving the Ministry of Justice and passing by Wei Dabao, he looked deeply at Wei Dabao, eyes full of sympathy.

Earlier, when Wei Dabao mentioned Han Lei’s name, his heart skipped a beat.

Wei Dabao lived in Canzhou, that vile woman Han Lei also stayed in Canzhou. Although not controlling with poison like him, this style of action, however he thought about it, felt like Han Lei, that vile woman.

It’s just, he did not have enough evidence.

He only speculated, hence dared not mention it.

If he raised it and couldn’t prove it was Han Lei, that vile woman, he would likely be caught back into this muddled affair. By then, his life would be at risk.

Besides, he was managing businesses as the listed owner, everything belonging to Han Lei. He had too deep a connection with Han Lei, he could not mention her. Otherwise, he couldn’t wash off suspicion.

Therefore, he only dared sympathetically to look at his fellow Wei Dabao, and not dare to lend a hand rashly.

By the time the Ministry of Justice came to an end, the sun had already set behind the western hills, twilight gradually smearing across the horizon.

The red lanterns in front of the Drunken Immortal Brew House lit up one after another, swaying beautifully in the dusk, reflecting the three golden words “Drunken Immortal Brew” exceptionally prominently.

Inside the tavern, people were lively, the intermingling sound of the glasses and dishes filled with rich aroma of wine, just when business was at its peak.

In an upstairs private room, Tang Xiaotong, the shopkeeper of Brocade Workshop, had been sitting alone for the entire afternoon.

On the Huanghua pear wood table before him, three or four porcelain wine pots were placed messily, and the dishes accompanying the wine had only leftovers and scraps remaining.

The last ray of twilight slanted in through the carved window frames from outside, casting shadows across his handsome face.

“Another pot…” Tang Xiaotong raised his hand and loudly commanded, his voice carried a hint of drunkenness, yet couldn’t conceal the stubbornness.