Chapter 616: Chapter 616: Resolution

At these words, Chen Songshi and Xu Fengchi both turned to look at Shen Yanchuan.

This was, in fact, what they wanted to ask as well.

Gao Yi was well-trained and had been extremely tight-lipped. Yet Shen Yanchuan had broken through his defenses with a single, simple question.

This proved that what he said was true—the grain from Qingzhou had indeed been hoarded in those two locations.

However, Quanzhou, Yizhou, and Qingzhou were not close to each other. An ordinary person would have found it difficult to connect the dots between these locations.

’Yet Shen Yanchuan has already uncovered so much in secret?’

At this, Shen Yanchuan smiled.

"My Lord, don’t you find these place names a bit familiar?"

"Hm?"

Su Wei paused, searching his memory.

Suddenly, his expression shifted. "I remember now! The men who openly tried to assassinate Second Miss Ye in the capital—didn’t they have accents from these two regions? If I recall correctly, all those assassins were recruited from out of town by Wu the Fourth..."

"An excellent memory, Lord Su," Shen Yanchuan said with a smile and a soft clap.

His comment only deepened the others’ confusion.

Xu Fengchi couldn’t help but ask, "But didn’t that Wu the Fourth betray Xiao Chengxuan long ago?"

"He did switch allegiances the moment Xiao Chengxuan ran into trouble. But he was once Xiao Chengxuan’s confidant. He would have known almost everything Xiao Chengxuan was and wasn’t involved in."

At first, Shen Yanchuan didn’t think much of it either, assuming Wu the Fourth had simply hired random assassins. But as he investigated him further, he discovered that he had frequent dealings in Quanzhou and Yizhou.

He was from the Capital City and spent his time running circles here, gathering information for Xiao Chengxuan. Why would he have any connection to those two places?

After that, Shen Yanchuan realized something was off. He secretly dispatched men to those areas, and after some digging, they confirmed his suspicions.

Over the past few years, large quantities of grain had been shipped into both of those regions.

At that point, everything pointed to one conclusion: while Wu the Fourth was gathering intelligence for Xiao Chengxuan, he was also responsible for transferring grain from Qingzhou to be stockpiled in Quanzhou and Yizhou!

He had spent years navigating the city’s underbelly, dealing with people from all walks of life. It was only natural that he knew some merchants.

Having him act as the middleman was both logical and a perfect cover.

And so, the whole operation was carried out in secret.

No one would have ever suspected him.

"If those assassins hadn’t been caught, exposing a weak link, and if it hadn’t been for me, this matter might have remained hidden forever."

"So that’s how it is..."

After hearing Shen Yanchuan’s explanation, Su Wei and the others were overcome with emotion.

"I bet even Xiao Chengxuan himself never imagined that after Wu the Fourth betrayed him, he wouldn’t just smear his name, but also accidentally drag this whole affair into the light! Now, he’ll have no choice but to admit it!"

Chen Songshi stroked his beard. "Foolish! Utterly foolish!"

’If only Xiao Chengxuan had reined in his ambition and acted with a little less arrogance, he wouldn’t have ended up in this position!’

Xu Fengchi also shook his head.

"Even without military authority, he had His Majesty’s favor and the backing of the Jiang family. What did he have to worry about?"

’Such insatiable greed!’

Su Wei laughed coldly. "The Jiang family? They can barely fend for themselves right now. How could they possibly have time to worry about him?"

This reminded Xu Fengchi of something. He turned to Shen Yanchuan. "Speaking of which, since His Majesty permitted arrests to be made from the Jiang family... doesn’t that mean he intends to abandon them completely?"

After His Majesty ordered Shen Yanchuan to write to Zuo Ci under Jiang Zhao Yuan’s name, luring him and Gao Yi back to the capital, the Jiang family members had already begun vacating the Jiang Mansion.

Now that they had Gao Yi’s testimony, the question of what to do with the Jiang family remained.

’Should they be allowed to return to the Jiang Mansion?’

Shen Yanchuan was noncommittal.

"That is for His Majesty to decide. If the Jiang family is innocent, they have nothing to fear. But if they are not..."

Su Wei asked with a startled frown, "Are you saying... the Jiang family also had a hand in what Xiao Chengxuan has done?"

Shen Yanchuan simply smiled without answering.

But his reaction was an answer in itself.

"Jiang Zhao Yuan... he’s truly grown old and lost his sense!" Chen Songshi let out a long sigh.

Although he and Jiang Zhao Yuan had their political disagreements and never saw eye to eye, he had never expected the man to commit such an act of high treason.

’How utterly idiotic!’

Xu Fengchi gazed toward the Imperial Palace, his expression complex.

"This time, there will finally be a resolution..."

...

「Imperial Palace, Qiyuan Hall.」

Emperor Muwu flipped through the booklet in his hands, coughing softly from time to time.

The vast bedchamber was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Jiang Zhao Yuan knelt on the floor, utterly silent.

He had held that position for a very long time.

This was his first time returning to the Imperial Palace since he had offered his resignation.

’I never expected it to be like this.’

Wisps of white smoke drifted from the brazier, carrying the faint scent of ambergris.

The room was as warm as spring, but Jiang Zhao Yuan felt a chill in his heart colder than the icy landscape outside.

After what felt like an eternity, Emperor Muwu finally finished the booklet. He slowly raised his eyes, his indifferent gaze landing on Jiang Zhao Yuan.

"Would Elder Jiang care to look over this testimony?"

Sweat immediately beaded on Jiang Zhao Yuan’s brow.

He slammed his forehead to the ground.

"I... am terrified!"

Emperor Muwu laughed. "So there is something in this world that you fear, Elder Jiang?"

Sheer panic felt like a raging fire in Jiang Zhao Yuan’s heart.

Not even when he had offered his resignation as Chief Cabinet Minister and Emperor Muwu had casually accepted it had he felt such fear!

Prostrate on the floor, his aged voice was thick with regret.

"I truly knew nothing of this! I implore Your Majesty to investigate clearly!"

THWACK.

Emperor Muwu tossed the booklet down in front of him.

"Xiao Chengxuan... for years he has hoarded grain and troops, embezzled public funds, courted officials, and formed factions to eliminate his rivals! Every last deed is recorded here in perfect clarity! The witnesses and evidence are all here! And you still have the audacity to claim... you knew nothing of it!?"

Xiao Chengxuan was incredibly bold and acted with wild arrogance. This was not only due to his own ambition but also because he had the backing of the Jiang family.

With such a behemoth for support, he naturally paid no one else any mind.

Jiang Zhao Yuan didn’t dare utter a word, his body trembling faintly.

He didn’t even have the courage to pick up the testimony, for he knew without looking that every word of it was true.

"I, too, am at fault. I had hoped to temper him, to cultivate his disposition, but who knew he could be so impatient... ahem, COUGH, COUGH—!"

Eunuch Li stepped forward, his face etched with worry. "Your Majesty—"

Emperor Muwu waved a dismissive hand, signaling him to retreat.

Eunuch Li had no choice but to stop.

’Ever since the testimony arrived at the Imperial Palace this morning, His Majesty has been furious. He ordered Jiang Zhao Yuan to be brought in at once for a personal interrogation!’

’A flicker of worry had sparked in my heart back then, and just as I feared... how can his body possibly endure such strain?’

But the Emperor’s will was not to be defied, so he dared not say more, merely lowering his head and casting his eyes down once more.

Emperor Muwu’s coughing fit finally subsided. His lips were pale, but his cheeks held an unhealthy flush, and his breath came in ragged gasps.

After a long moment, he slowly regained his composure.

"...He... and your family! You have all sorely disappointed me!"

Emperor Muwu shook his head, a rare look of desolation creeping into his world-weary eyes.

A greater unease settled over Jiang Zhao Yuan. "Your Majesty! I—"

Unwilling to hear any more arguments, Emperor Muwu waved a hand and closed his eyes. As if he had expended his last ounce of strength, he began to speak slowly.

"Xiao Chengxuan has committed grave, unforgivable crimes. Effective immediately, he is to be exiled to Yizhou. He is forbidden from ever setting foot outside Yizhou for the rest of his life."

"Jiang Cairen is to be bestowed poisoned wine."

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