Chapter 1222 - 898: Scheming
Inside Liangyi Hall, Eunuch Yu and his attendants had reset the tables and desks, while people from both sides of the Crown Prince and King Qin, including all Six Ministers, had sat down. Everyone silently listened as Yu Dingxing recounted how he braved the snowstorm to leave the city over the past two days, reaching a sparsely populated village in the freezing mountains, and how he interrogated these villagers day and night, all in pursuit of the truth and capturing the traitors to eliminate a hidden threat to the court.
Finally, Yu Dingxing spoke heavily: "Not a single person in that village knows Jiang Xian’s true identity."
"Oh?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Wenquan slightly squinted his eyes: "Not a single person?"
"Yes. Because the Jiang family father and son only left their original residence after Luoyang fell and migrated here with a large number of refugees. They did not enter the town but settled in this secluded mountain village outside the city."
"I see."
"And the villagers only know Jiang Yu as a semi-ordained fake monk, and Jiang Xian as a horse trader. Regarding his true origins, no one knows."
At this point, Yu Dingxing emphasized his tone further, saying: "I fear that these people, to escape culpability, are shielding the traitors, which is why I separated them and interrogated them continuously day and night over several days, but their answers were all the same. So—"
"So, they truly do not know."
Yu Wenquan uttered this, then let out a long sigh, saying: "No wonder, when you went outside the city to search for those patients earlier, you couldn’t discover this person’s true identity."
Yu Dingxing lowered his head: "It’s my negligence."
Yu Wenquan waved his hand: "Since this person hid from even his fellow villagers, it’s clear that he knew his identity would provoke the court’s pursuit, posing a threat to his life, and would naturally not reveal it casually to outsiders."
Upon hearing these words, Shang Ruyi’s gaze flickered, while the Crown Prince, sitting opposite her, slightly furrowed his brow.
Yet, neither of their expressions changed much, and no one noticed them, but Yu Wenye solemnly declared: "It is indeed very cautious of Jiang Xian."
Yu Wenquan turned to him: "Hmm?"
Yu Wenye immediately said: "I recalled these past events in recent days, realizing that back when my Imperial Brother hosted the Dharma Assembly at Dayan Temple, Jiang Yu once attended with his son Jiang Xian. Not only did they attend, but they participated in the Inner Altar Dharma Assembly personally presided over by my Imperial Brother."
Yu Wenquan suddenly widened his eyes.
If previously the assassin from Hot Spring Palace implicated Pei Xingyuan, who had contacts with Wanggang Village and was an ardent supporter of King Qin, and the suspicion subtly pointed toward Yu Wenye, his admission of having seen Jiang Yu at the Dharma Assembly served almost as an invitation to trouble.
This was highly dangerous.
However, his words also implicated another individual simultaneously.
The one who hosted the Inner Altar Dharma Assembly—the Crown Prince!
Indeed, after the startled glance from Yu Wenquan at Yu Wenye, he promptly turned toward Yu Wenqian with a complex expression, saying: "Qian’er, your Inner Altar Dharma Assembly—"
The Crown Prince’s expression was relatively calm, yet his voice was faintly hoarse when he spoke: "When I previously held the Dharma Assembly at Dayan Temple, whether it was the Inner Altar or Outer Altar, it was open to monks and laymen alike, regardless of their status."
Yu Wenquan said: "So, Jiang Yu indeed attended?"
"Indeed, he was present."
"Oh..."
Just as Yu Wenquan fell into contemplation, suddenly Yu Mingyue spoke: "Father, I have a bold speculation."
Yu Wenquan looked up at her: "Speak."
"I surmise that perhaps Jiang Xian not only concealed his identity from the villagers but also that his father is unaware of what he’s doing at Wanggang Village?"
"Oh? Why would you say that?"
"Jiang Yu is indeed a practitioner. When I lived at the foot of Ban Yan Temple, I saw him more than once; forced to relocate here with the refugees after the Eastern Capital fell is likely true; he loves Buddhist Law, and participating in the Inner Altar Dharma Assembly hosted by the Crown Prince is also sincere."
"Certainly, these all make sense."
"I also recall that he took his son to Dayan Temple to attend the Dharma Assembly, but his son didn’t enter. He stayed outside the temple. At that time, Xiao Yuansui from Wanggang Village had already joined forces with Liang Shide, opposing us. If we truly discovered Jiang Xian’s real identity, he would certainly not escape."
"Indeed."
"Under normal circumstances, Jiang Yu, as a father, should do everything to protect his son. Why would he let his son risk attending the Inner Altar Dharma Assembly, knowing full well the dangers involved?"
"..."
"The only plausible reason he did this is because he himself is unaware of what exactly his son is involved in!"
Finishing her sentence, she glanced at the Minister of the Ministry of Justice sitting nearby, who seemed somewhat uneasy: "Lord Yan, are there any results from interrogating Jiang Yu?"
Yan Shaoxuan, his gaze flickering, surreptitiously glanced at Princess Qin before replying: "Regarding the Crown Princess Consort’s query, as per reports, Jiang Yu has been interrogated for several days, firmly claiming his son is a horse trader and has done nothing as a bandit. Previously, we assumed he was stubbornly concealing, yet now——"
At this moment, Shang Ruyi sighed gently, as she handed Little Yuanzi, who was constantly wriggling and struggling in her swaddling cloth, to the nanny behind her, and said: "A parent’s love for their child, so deep and far-reaching. To plot far-reaching strategies yet not ensuring survival sounds implausible."
These words seemed to strike a chord with Yu Wenquan.
He sighed deeply, saying: "Princess Qin has logic. If even the father is unaware, then——"
Upon these words, some people’s expressions changed in the hall, especially Crown Princess Consort Yu Mingyue.
In fact, this outcome was precisely as she desired; her initial plan was to leverage Yu Dingxing’s interrogation of the villagers, using the Jiang family father and son’s concealment of their identities to deceive everyone to mitigate Yu Dingxing’s negligence fault, then attempt to exonerate Jiang Yu and Su Qinglan imprisoned, arguing that they too were duped, hence innocent.
To survive, Jiang Xian and Liang Youying would surely not return and risk capture. If these two "suspects" were exonerated also, the case wouldn’t be proceeding any further.
Consequently, the Lou Family father and daughter wouldn’t have a chance to appear before the Emperor.
Unexpectedly, the most crucial words were spoken by Princess Qin Shang Ruyi. Although she aided her, it made Yu Mingyue sound the alarm internally.
Princess Qin is unlikely to assist them without any reason!
At this moment, just handed to the nanny, Little Yuanzi suddenly burst into tears!