Free Web NovelChapter 404: Chapter 404: Brushing Away the Snow
Shen Yanchuan looked at him and suddenly smiled.
"Why the panic, Second Prince? My meaning is that someone framed General Huo, resulting in this miscarriage of justice. It even implicated you, leaving you with the charge of negligent supervision. So, in a way, you’ve been wronged too, haven’t you?"
His tone was soft and unhurried, his expression nonchalant, as if it were a mere passing comment. It made Xiao Chengxuan’s reaction seem all the more excessive.
Xiao Chengxuan realized he had lost his composure. He swallowed and forced himself to calm down.
He clenched his fists, forcing a relaxed tone. "Ah, so that’s what you meant. Please don’t misunderstand, Princely Heir. I also never imagined someone would go to such great lengths, setting an inescapable trap to doom General Huo."
Shen Yanchuan gave a slight nod.
"Precisely. But one can never be sure about these things. It’s just like when I was ambushed, or when the Third Prince was stabbed. Everything was perfectly fine, and then suddenly—who knows who we offended that they would want to hunt us down and wipe us out."
Xiao Chengxuan’s eyelid twitched violently.
’Damn this Shen Yanchuan! He just had to bring up the one thing he shouldn’t!’
’The other matters were one thing, but why did he have to bring up the Third Prince getting stabbed!’
Xiao Chengxuan quickly glanced up, and sure enough, Emperor Muwu’s expression had grown even colder.
’Father Emperor was already suspicious of me. Now Shen Yanchuan’s words, whether intentional or not, would only make things worse when they reached Father Emperor’s ears...’
Xiao Chengxuan was about to explode with rage.
’If I had actually done it, that would be one thing. But I have no idea where those Southern Hu Blade Men came from!’
’How could these things be lumped together? How could all the blame be dumped on my head alone!?’
Xiao Chengxuan said anxiously, "This—"
"Enough."
Emperor Muwu interrupted in a cold voice.
"From this day forward, Xu Jie is stripped of his positions as Minister of Revenue and Suinan Governor and is to be thrown into the Heavenly Prison. The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Lin Xueping, will temporarily manage the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue. The Minister of War, Miao Sheng, will concurrently serve as the Suinan Governor."
The last trace of color drained completely from Xu Jie’s face.
"Your Majesty! This subject is innocent! I’m innocent!"
Emperor Muwu raised a hand. Immediately, guards came forward, stripped Xu Jie of his official robes, and forcibly dragged him away.
Xu Jie screamed himself hoarse, his voice gradually fading outside the great hall.
Emperor Muwu’s heavy gaze swept over those below.
"Interrogate him thoroughly! I want to know who was behind the incident all those years ago. Give me an answer within ten days!"
...
In late October, the weather in the Capital City was exceptionally cold.
The northern winds swept through the streets and alleys, carrying a chill that seemed to seep deep into one’s bones.
It was just past noon, but the sky was gloomy. Dark, heavy clouds hung oppressively low, making it seem as though dusk was about to fall.
There was almost no one on the streets; the bluestone roads were deserted.
Only a single, slender, upright figure walked forward step by step, her pace soft and unhurried.
The wind lifted the hem of her skirt, then let it fall gracefully.
...
Before the gates of Shuntian Prefecture, two guards stood on either side.
A cold gust of wind blew past, and one of them couldn’t help but rub his reddened hands together.
"Tsk, it’s freezing today! It’s not even November, and it’s already this cold. I can’t imagine what it’ll be like in the dead of winter!"
"Tell me about it. I didn’t feel it before, but these past few days have gotten colder and colder!" The other man looked up at the sky. "Looking at this weather, you don’t think it’s going to snow, do you?"
"Couldn’t be, right?"
Although winters in the Capital City were cold, it rarely snowed as early as October.
"I think... huh?"
As the man was speaking, he suddenly saw a figure approaching and couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.
"That woman looks... kind of familiar, doesn’t she?"
The other, sharper-eyed guard, had already recognized her.
"Isn’t that... isn’t that the Ye Family’s Miss Ye!?"
Not long ago, the uproar surrounding Mrs. Gao’s death had been the talk of the town, and everyone at Shuntian Prefecture had a very strong impression of Ye Chutang.
Even if they hadn’t known her before, they all remembered her after seeing her that day.
While the two were speaking, Ye Chutang had already come to a stop before the gates.
She seemed quite sensitive to the cold, dressed in a pale lilac brocade robe with a white fox-fur cloak draped over her shoulders. The snow-white collar framed a gentle and lovely oval face, yet even it paled in comparison to her flawless, jade-like skin.
Her full head of jet-black hair was held in place by a single White Jade Begonia Hairpin. Her dark locks were like clouds, her eyes like stars. Simply by standing there, with a gentle shift of her gaze, she exuded an invisible aura that inexplicably caused all the surrounding scenery to fade in comparison.
She was the only spot of color left, drawing one’s gaze irresistibly.
Both guards stared, somewhat stupefied.
It was Ye Chutang who broke the silence, her voice gentle:
"Could you please announce my arrival?"
Her clear and calm voice was like a babbling brook.
One of them came back to his senses and finally thought of something. "Is Miss Ye here for Ye Shixian?"
Ye Chutang’s expression was gentle as she nodded slightly.
The two guards exchanged a look, both feeling deeply emotional.
’Back then, what a huge scene that Ye Shixian had caused! Not only did she kill her own mother, she even tried to frame Ye Chutang for the crime!’
’Even though the truth later came out and Miss Ye’s name was cleared, she still had to endure being slandered and cursed for a long time.’
’After such a deep-seated grudge, she was actually willing to come and handle Ye Shixian’s final affairs.’
’Anyone else in her shoes would probably want to grind Ye Shixian’s bones to dust and scatter her ashes!’
"Please wait a moment, ma’am. I’ll go announce you right away!"
Ye Chutang nodded lightly.
Suddenly, she felt something cold on her forehead.
She looked up. Under the gloomy gray sky, a single, crystalline white snowflake came spiraling down.
One flake, then two.
More and more snowflakes began to drift down lightly.
The watching guard’s eyes widened. "It’s snowing!"
...
The first snow in the Capital City this year had come exceptionally early.
In just a few moments, the world was already a vast expanse of white.
The streets grew even more empty and desolate, and only the sound of heavy, rhythmic footsteps was especially clear.
As the cold wind blew snowflakes against his face, Xu Jie shivered and tugged at his thin inner clothes, trying to warm himself.
He had been stripped of his official robes in court, leaving him with only this thin layer. How could it possibly fend off the biting cold?
After walking just a short distance from the palace gates, his hands were already purple and swollen, his lips were pale, and he couldn’t stop shivering from the cold, his teeth chattering.
"Hurry up!"
A guard beside him barked harshly.
In the past, they would have been nothing but respectful upon seeing Xu Jie.
But times had changed. In just half a day, the once-revered Lord Governor had become a prisoner.
Naturally, he was now someone anyone could scorn.
The taste of blood filled Xu Jie’s mouth. His hair was a mess, his expression dazed, and his entire body was both cold and aching.
Even now, he still hadn’t processed how he had fallen to this state.
He had clearly come to the Capital City to resolve the trouble with the granary fire. According to the plan, he should still be the Suinan Governor, returning home safe and sound. How... how...
Suddenly, he felt a gaze fall upon him.
He instinctively followed the gaze and froze.
The street ahead was empty and desolate, save for a single woman in a white cloak, standing silently.
Snowflakes danced in the air, creating a vast expanse of white. Standing there, she seemed to almost merge with the world around her.
Xu Jie had never seen her before.
But she seemed to know him.
The moment their eyes met, a slight smile touched the young woman’s dark and chillingly clear eyes.
Xu Jie suddenly felt a bone-deep chill rise from the soles of his feet!
’She... she—!’
But the young woman seemed unconcerned by his reaction. She tilted her head slightly and, as if brushing away a speck of insignificant dust, casually swept the thin layer of snow from her shoulder.
