Free Web NovelChapter 416: Chapter 416: Accusation
The sky was heavy and gray.
The court officials proceeded slowly toward the grand hall. Unlike their usual morning pleasantries, today everyone held their tongue, remaining silent in the cold wind.
The only sound was that of hurried footsteps.
Everyone knew this was no ordinary day—today marked the ten-day deadline for the case of Xu Jie and Huo Yucheng.
His Majesty demanded an answer, so no matter what, there was bound to be an outcome today!
A cold wind gusted past. Xie Pei took a deep breath, feeling the chill seep deep into his lungs.
He caught sight of a familiar figure in his peripheral vision and turned his head slightly.
Murong Yang met his gaze for a moment, then quickly lowered his head in a bow.
Xie Pei nodded in acknowledgment, but his mind refused to settle.
He looked up ahead and saw only vast, gloomy clouds gathering, threatening to shroud everything below.
The grand hall stood tall and imposing, yet it gave off an inexplicable chill.
...
As soon as he took his place in the hall, Xie Pei’s gaze fell upon Xiao Chengxuan, who stood at the front.
At the heart of the storm, Xiao Chengxuan had spent most of his time secluded in his manor. Even Xie Pei was seeing him for the first time since the ordeal began.
Xiao Chengxuan had grown thinner and had the pallor of sickness, but this only served to make his features sharper, heightening his resemblance to His Majesty.
Xie Pei sighed to himself.
’It was no wonder His Majesty showed this son such favor.’
’His strategic prowess aside, in looks and temperament alone, Xiao Chengxuan was the one most like him.’
’If he could just get through today safely, then...’
"His Majesty has arrived—"
Eunuch Li’s high-pitched announcement cut through Xie Pei’s thoughts.
As the figure in imperial yellow appeared, everyone fell to their knees in unison.
"Long live Your Majesty! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand upon ten thousand years!"
Emperor Muwu swept his impassive gaze across the hall. His sharp, cold eyes felt like a physical weight, pressing down on the hearts of all present.
After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice low and heavy:
"Xu Fengchi."
Xu Fengchi immediately stepped out from the ranks. "Your humble servant is here."
Emperor Muwu narrowed his eyes. "The case I tasked you with investigating—what have you found?"
The moment he spoke, the very air in the grand hall seemed to freeze.
All eyes turned to Xu Fengchi, each official lost in their own thoughts.
Ten days was an incredibly short amount of time. Thoroughly investigating a wrongful conviction from several years prior would be a monumental task.
But His Majesty’s stance was unyielding. If Xu Fengchi failed to produce a result today, he would have a difficult time answering for it.
In the dead silence, Xu Fengchi’s voice rang out as he answered with his head bowed, "Reporting to Your Majesty, regarding the case of Xu Jie’s plot against Huo Yucheng, we, your humble servants, have found evidence and identified the mastermind behind it all!"
His every word, resonant and forceful, fell clearly upon the ears of everyone present:
"Xu Jie was indeed acting under orders back then. He framed Huo Yucheng, which led to the entire Huo Family being wrongfully condemned!"
At these words, the hall fell even more silent.
This was, in truth, a fact that everyone already acknowledged. The crucial point was that Xu Jie could not possibly have accomplished this on his own back then.
There was clearly an unseen hand behind the scenes, manipulating everything!
This person was the focus of today’s proceedings!
Emperor Muwu’s expression was cold and severe. "Who was it?"
To deceive the throne and bring ruin upon a loyal subject—it is a capital crime!
Xu Fengchi held his breath and slowly raised his head.
His gaze swept over a figure standing near the front.
Xiao Chengxuan suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and he shivered inexplicably.
Just then, Xu Fengchi finally spoke:
"Xu Jie confessed in prison with his own mouth. He stated that he was acting on the orders of Prince Qi when he framed Huo Yucheng! The lives of the more than one hundred members of the Huo Family were all lost at the hands of Prince Qi!"
Every word landed with the force of a hammer, exploding like a clap of thunder in the hearts of all present!
