Chapter 710: Chapter 711: It’s Over

"And what crime have you committed?" Emperor Muwu asked in return.

Fan Chengzhuo took a deep breath. "As his elder, I failed to guide my nephew properly. That in itself is a dereliction of my duty! He has made a mistake, and I am not without fault. It is only right that I share the blame! However... I pray Your Majesty will take into account my many years of loyal service and investigate this matter with clarity!"

Every word he spoke was steeped in sincerity.

"My nephew, though he lacks talent, would never dare to commit such a treasonous act! There must be some misunderstanding. Your Majesty is wise and discerning—"

"So you’re saying you’re quite certain that the four major crimes Miao Sheng has accused him of are all baseless?" Emperor Muwu leaned back in his chair, cutting him off coolly.

Fan Chengzhuo choked on his words.

He had dealt with this Miao Sheng a few times. The man was stubborn and iron-fisted. Without evidence, he would never have made such a move during a court session.

He couldn’t figure out just how much Miao Sheng knew.

But he was running out of time. If he was even a step too late, he feared...

Fan Chengzhuo gritted his teeth. "Your Majesty, since Lord Mou has submitted a memorial, he must have heard some rumors. But that so-called evidence may not be entirely true. The Northern Border is thousands of miles away, and Lord Mou has long been in the capital. It’s impossible to know if someone is deliberately stirring up trouble..."

As he spoke, his tone filled with indignation and sorrow.

"Zheng Baosu has led his men to guard the border for many years. If not for his merits, then for his toil! He has charged into battle countless times, disregarding life and death. How can a few rumors now erase all his past achievements? Who could bear such a stain on their name? I implore Your Majesty to dispatch someone to conduct a thorough investigation—"

Just as he was speaking, Fan Chengzhuo saw Emperor Muwu’s expression suddenly turn peculiar. His gaze fell upon Zheng Baosu, who stood to the side. His emotions were unreadable, but for some reason, he suddenly let out a short, soft laugh.

In the quiet hall, the sound of that laugh was particularly sharp and piercing.

Fan Chengzhuo’s heart began to pound. An intense feeling of unease washed over him for reasons he couldn’t explain.

A rare look of helplessness appeared on his face.

"...Your Majesty?"

Almost instinctively, his eyes darted around. He saw that Xie Anjun’s face was ashen, while all the color had drained from Zheng Baosu’s, leaving it a ghastly white.

’What... what’s going on?’

Fan Chengzhuo didn’t understand, but as a seasoned veteran of the court, how could he not sense that something was terribly wrong?

In the next moment, Emperor Muwu’s words nailed him to the spot.

"Fan Aiqing, your concern for your nephew is truly heartfelt, but it seems this nephew of yours isn’t quite so close to you."

Emperor Muwu’s tone was calm, yet it carried an invisible pressure.

He raised his hand and pointed gently.

"Did you know that just before you arrived, Zheng Baosu confessed? He admitted to colluding with foreign enemies, secretly selling military supplies and weapons to Master Wa for a huge profit."

A bolt from the blue!

Fan Chengzhuo was completely stunned, his mind buzzing and then going utterly blank!

’He confessed... Zheng Baosu actually confessed of his own accord!?’

In disbelief, he slowly turned his stiff neck, his eyes meeting Zheng Baosu’s as the latter looked back at him.

The moment their eyes met, Zheng Baosu guiltily looked away first.

He never would have imagined Fan Chengzhuo would come!

After the torment of the journey here, his spirit had already shattered. There was no need for any harsh methods; the moment Emperor Muwu asked, he had spilled everything!

If only, if only he could have held out a little longer...

But now—it was too late for regrets!

In an instant, Fan Chengzhuo felt as if he had been plunged into an icy abyss.

At this point, what was there left not to understand?

He had rushed here as fast as he could, but he was still too late!

The rest of his words were stuck in his throat, unable to come out.

Xie Anjun found this scene utterly ridiculous.

’—That idiot!’

’I thought he might have some trick up his sleeve, but in the end, he didn’t even figure out what was going on before barging into the palace!’

’And to think Fan Chengzhuo had just put on that heartbroken, righteous act. Little did he know, his "dear" nephew had already blocked off any chance of escape!’

’Just great!’

’Each telling a different story right in front of Your Majesty. Even a fool would know the consequences!’

Xie Anjun cursed inwardly.

He had previously thought Fan Chengzhuo was just being a bit impulsive about Zheng Baosu’s situation, but he never expected him to do something so monumentally stupid!

’He’s completely lost his mind!’

’To think he was once a man who painstakingly climbed to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Justice! How has he become so dull-witted!’

’If I’d known this would happen, I should have sent someone to stake out the Fan Family residence yesterday and watch him closely!’

Xie Anjun lowered his eyes, his thoughts racing.

’Fan Chengzhuo’s blunder isn’t necessarily all bad for me.’

’At first, I thought Fan Chengzhuo had come to confess, which nearly scared me to death. But now that it’s clear he only came to save his nephew, things are much easier to handle...’

After weighing his options, Xie Anjun finally spoke up: "Your Majesty, I see that Mr. Fan looks unwell and his mind seems unclear. Perhaps we should have him return home for now and discuss this further once he has recovered?"

Emperor Muwu was lost in thought. He neither agreed nor disagreed, simply stating coolly, "Mr. Fan does indeed look to be in poor condition. It seems he is gravely ill. Why hasn’t he seen an Imperial Physician after all this time?"

Xie Anjun immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I did previously advise Mr. Fan to prioritize his health, but this illness came on so suddenly. Before he had a chance to see an Imperial Physician, he was already in this state..."

Emperor Muwu’s gaze was icy. "I wasn’t asking you."

A chill shot through Xie Anjun’s heart!

His face turned shades of green and white. He quickly bowed his head and admitted his fault, "I have spoken out of turn!"

Emperor Muwu glanced at him emotionlessly. "From what you just said, it sounds as if the two of you are quite close?"

Alarm bells screamed in Xie Anjun’s mind!

He hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, please see the truth! Mr. Fan and I have only... only discussed literature a few times. We have no other private relationship! I would not dare deceive Your Majesty, this—"

He was so nervous he started to stammer.

Emperor Muwu said nothing, leaving it unclear whether he believed him or not.

Xie Anjun was filled with regret, wishing he could bite his own tongue off. ’Why did I have to open my big mouth at a time like this!’

’Anyone who heard that would suspect I have some connection to Fan Chengzhuo!’

Fan Chengzhuo’s arrival had made an already chaotic situation even worse, causing Xie Anjun to lose his composure completely.

At this moment, Fan Chengzhuo finally came to his senses.

He, too, was secretly regretting his impulsiveness. ’I shouldn’t have just barged in here!’

’At the very least, I should have found out what was going on first, and then—’

But it was too late for any of that now.

He looked at Zheng Baosu again, his heart filled with despair.

Countless images flashed through his mind, a roar filling his ears, until only a single thought remained.

’It’s over.’

Finally, a jolt shot through Fan Chengzhuo’s chest, and he violently spat out a mouthful of blood!

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