Chapter 1202 - 879: Vice Minister Pei’s Case
After returning to Qianqiu Palace, the sky had already lightened.
Yet everyone felt a thick haze looming over Qianqiu Palace, hanging over everyone’s heads.
Although Shang Ruyi felt a bit anxious, she wasn’t truly flustered. After returning to the palace, she still handled some trivial matters as usual. After lunch, she stayed by Little Yuanzi’s cradle and took a nap on the recliner.
Though, she almost hadn’t fallen asleep for a moment.
In the afternoon, the weather worsened, with howling cold winds carrying snowballs the size of eggs, pounding heavily on the walls and windows, the muffled thud seemed to strike the hearts of everyone inside the palace. Despite the noisy sounds, Shang Ruyi could still clearly hear the hurried footsteps of the palace attendants outside, those sounds steadily stepped onto her heart.
By the evening, Shang Ruyi instructed Wo Xue to fetch the medicine from the Imperial Medical Bureau. Although Su Qinglan had said before she didn’t need to take the decoction, she felt a headache after being blown by the wind for a while at Mingde Gate today.
Before long, Wo Xue returned with the medicine.
Upon returning to Shang Ruyi’s side, she immediately said, "Princess, the doors and windows at Liangyi Hall have been closed, His Majesty has not left after returning to the palace."
"Besides His Majesty, who else is inside?"
"I’ve heard that the Crown Prince and Concubine Lou have been with His Majesty all the while."
"Concubine Lou? Lou Chan Yue?"
This name slightly surprised Shang Ruyi. During this trip to the Hot Spring Palace, this Concubine Lou suddenly appeared in front of Yu Wenquan, supposedly because General Lou was responsible for this trip’s guards, but why is she still by the Emperor’s side after returning from the Hot Spring Palace?
Shang Ruyi thought for a while and asked, "Who else went to Liangyi Hall?"
Wo Xue replied, "I also saw Eunuch Yu bringing the Minister of the Ministry of Justice into Liangyi Hall."
"Minister of the Ministry of Justice?"
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath and turned to look at Yu Wenye, who was sitting on the other side, his brows were also furrowed.
For Yu Wenquan to meet the Minister of the Ministry of Justice at this time, there’s only one possibility, that something illegal and criminal happened at the Hot Spring Palace, which needs to be handed over to the Ministry of Justice for handling, and not only to the Ministry of Justice, but Yu Wenquan even summoned the Minister in person into the palace, clearly, he had matters to confess personally.
Recollecting the scene at Mingde Gate in the morning, a chill flashed in both their eyes.
But they didn’t say a word, for now, the information they had obtained was too little, it was not only difficult to speculate further but also hazardous to speculate rashly, fearing winding up in a mental trap and trapping themselves.
Yu Wenye thought for a moment, then said to Wo Xue, "Go wait by Yanming Gate. When you see the Minister of the Ministry of Justice pass by, invite him to Qianqiu Palace. Tell him that I wish to see him."
Wo Xue didn’t ask more questions, replied affirmatively, and went out.
Seeing her leave without a backward glance, Shang Ruyi furrowed her brows, turned to Yu Wenye, and asked, "Is this okay? Will Father know?"
Yu Wenye calmly said, "There’s nothing happening in the palace that Father doesn’t know of."
"..."
"Even if Father doesn’t know, Imperial Brother will let him know."
"Still, you’re having Wo Xue intercept the Minister of the Ministry of Justice?"
"We can’t remain completely ignorant,"
As Yu Wenye spoke, his eyes darkened a bit more than before, Shang Ruyi lowered her head and noticed the candle that had been burning for a long time was about to reach the candle stand, wax was spilling everywhere, almost about to drown the candle flame, she immediately signaled Chang Wan to bring a new candle, and just as the candle flame was switching over and the entire Qianqiu Palace almost plunged into darkness, Yu Wenye’s low voice resonated in the darkness—
"When blinded, one tends to stumble faster."
Thus, they waited patiently until after they had dinner, and the outside world was completely dark when Shang Ruyi finally heard a clear set of footsteps walking into Qianqiu Palace. Looking up, she noticed a middle-aged man with graying temples and penetrating eyes walking in with Wo Xue, it was none other than Yan Shaoxuan, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice.
It wasn’t her first time meeting this Lord Yan. Before Yu Wenquan ascended the throne, when Shen Shiyan was imprisoned over the word "demotion", she had asked the then Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Yan Shaoxuan, to release Shen Shiyan ahead of time. Although no Imperial edict was given and there was no Holy Decree, and the previous Minister of the Ministry of Justice was on perpetual medical leave out of dissatisfaction for Yu Wenquan monopolizing power, Yan Shaoxuan withstood the pressure and released Shen Shiyan.
Everyone knew that by taking the risk to help Shang Ruyi back then, he was pledging allegiance to the Yuwen Family.
Not long after, Yu Wenquan ascended to the throne, the previous Minister Zheng was promptly demoted, and Yan Shaoxuan naturally rose to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and though they didn’t have numerous interactions, their private relations were always good.
For this reason, he dared to venture over with Wo Xue tonight.
Upon seeing him walk into Qianqiu Palace, Shang Ruyi secretly sighed in relief, but didn’t fully relax, merely nodded at him. Yan Shaoxuan hurriedly approached and greeted Prince Qin and the Princess, while Yu Wenye stood up and said, "Sorry to trouble you, Lord Minister, for this trip."
Yan Shaoxuan forced a smile, directly saying, "Prince Qin, whatever you want to ask, feel free to. I can’t stay here for too long."
Actually, Yu Wenquan might not be unaware that Yu Wenye would intercept him midway, but since no one was sent to send him back to the Ministry of Justice directly, it was likely tacitly approved, hence his courage to come; but even tacitly approved, based on the oral instructions just received, and those words heard inside Liangyi Hall, he knew a storm was likely brewing in the court. Despite his good personal relationship with Yu Wenye, he instinctively didn’t want to be drawn into too deeply.
After all, aligning with the Yuwen Family was one thing, choosing between the Crown Prince and Prince Qin was another.
Hearing this, Yu Wenye and Shang Ruyi exchanged a glance, and Yu Wenye directly asked, "Alright, let’s get to the point. Has Vice Minister Pei already been put into the Ministry of Justice Prison?"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi gasped a little.
And what caused her heart to throb with pain was the next moment, Yan Shaoxuan nodded gravely: "Yes!"
This word caused the corners of Yu Wenye’s eyes to twitch slightly, yet he did not display too surprised an expression, then continued to ask, "When did it happen?"
"Early in the morning, only, they entered the city through Jingguang Gate."
No wonder, in the entourage at Mingde Gate, there was no sight of the Pei Family.
Yu Wenye then asked, "What about Lord Pei?"
Yan Shaoxuan said, "Lord Pei was not taken into the Ministry of Justice Prison, but the Emperor has ordered Lord Pei to return to his residence, and starting today, the Pei Family is not allowed to step outside their residence until—the case concerning Vice Minister Pei is resolved."
"Case?!"
These two words made Shang Ruyi even more tense, she finally couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, "What happened with Vice Minister Pei? What case got him arrested?"