The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Confrontation at the Court of Judicial Review, Xiao Jinyu’s Strategy

At this time, Lu Lingxuan was staying in the discipline room of the Court of Judicial Review prison, “enjoying” the treatment of being interrogated by Bi Yiyun and Sima Maozong in turn. After a round of interrogation, this woman still remained calm and composed, without revealing any information that was detrimental to herself.

Until Xiao Jinyu and Prince of Lanling arrived at this prison!

Seeing the discipline room full of torture instruments, Xiao Jinyu felt a burst of emotion. So this was the highest-level prison in Northern Qi, similar to the Ministry of Justice in the Southern Dynasty. However, the initial establishment of this Court of Judicial Review prison by Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi was nothing more than an important bargaining chip in the struggle between imperial power and civil officials. It was also the primary way for the emperor to pardon criminals.

And the “official redemption” in Northern Qi law was a common means of pardoning criminals. As long as enough money was paid or official positions were demoted, one could easily be exempted from punishment!

Seeing “Xie Zhen” arrive, Lu Lingxuan raised her eyebrows and asked, “You actually came to the Court of Judicial Review prison to see me?”

“How did you manage to set me up step by step and lure me into a trap?”

Xiao Jinyu smiled, “Lady Lu, you’re joking. It’s clearly you who couldn’t tolerate me and set traps for me step by step!”

Lu Lingxuan sneered. Thinking that the cause of all this was just because of a Murong Jue, she initially just wanted to capture Murong Jue and then frame Prince of Lanling for harboring a wanted criminal. But why did it turn out like this?

She was clearly the one setting traps for this Xie Zhen, but why did she fall into their trap step by step until today’s outcome?

Where did the two letters on Gao Anagong come from? And who could imitate her handwriting?

Indeed, as Gao Zhan said, this Xie Zhen was a stranger to her. If he was the one imitating, how did he see her handwriting?

She couldn’t figure it all out!

And all of this was indeed within Xiao Jinyu’s plan. Let Fenghuang lure Gao Anagong to the Northern Palace in the identity of Xie Zhen, then have Ling Ye kill this person, and then stuff the two letters into his arms as evidence.

She had seen Lu Lingxuan’s handwriting on the secret letter from Nie Yinniang back in Xuzhou Pengcheng. Moreover, there was Zu Ting, the cunning and resourceful genius, to imitate her handwriting!

Fenghuang then gained the trust of Yuwen Hu’s mother, Lady Yan, in the identity of a Northern Zhou spy, and took the real Lady Yan out of Yecheng with the diplomatic mission!

If Lu Lingxuan noticed this afterward, she would definitely send someone to chase after the diplomatic mission!

And as long as Lu Lingxuan went after the diplomatic mission, it would definitely arouse Gao Zhan’s suspicion. Because this matter was originally kept secret, and the fact that Lu Lingxuan knew about it could only mean that she had planted an insider by Gao Zhan’s side. This was something Gao Zhan could never tolerate!

The emperor could delegate power to his ministers, but if the ministers became arrogant and tried to usurp the emperor’s power, it would violate the emperor’s bottom line. The result was naturally self-evident!

Actually, there were flaws in the entire plan, such as why Xie Zhen went to the Northern Palace, and why Lady Yang became Lady Yan. These would also make Gao Zhan suspicious of Xie Zhen.

But Gao Zhan himself was also a suspicious person. Among all the civil and military officials, except for He Shikai and Lu Lingxuan, there were probably few people he didn’t suspect. And now, as long as Gao Zhan was suspicious of these two, it was enough. She could explain everything else!

……

Unaware of what was going on in Xiao Jinyu’s mind, Lu Lingxuan couldn’t help but sneer, “You two came to the Court of Judicial Review prison just to watch them interrogate me?”

Her gaze swept over Bi Yiyun and Sima Maozong.

The former lowered his head slightly, while the latter had a look of anger on his face.

“Lady Lu, this is the Court of Judicial Review prison, not a place for you to joke around!”

“But you haven’t found anything after interrogating me for half a day?” Lu Lingxuan said with a sarcastic smile, “Why not change direction and interrogate this Palace Attendant Xie?”

She pointed at “Xie Zhen” with her gaze.

“You—” Sima Maozong was so angry that he didn’t know how to refute.

At this time, “Xie Zhen” said, “Okay! I, Xie Zhen, have a clear conscience and am not afraid of interrogation!”

Saying that, she actually sat down on the low stool opposite Lu Lingxuan.

“I wonder what Lady Lu wants to interrogate me about?” she asked.

Lu Lingxuan smiled, “Tell me, how did you send Murong Jue out of Yecheng?”

When Murong Jue was mentioned, the expressions of Sima Maozong and Bi Yiyun both changed. Xiao Jinyu smiled lightly and replied, “May I ask who this person Lady Lu is referring to is? What does he have to do with me?”

She could actually lie through her teeth without blushing or a racing heart!

Her expression even looked a little innocent!

Lu Lingxuan smiled but her eyes were cold, “Okay, then let’s see if this diplomatic mission can find this person?”

“Hmm, sure!”

“Then it should be my turn to ask Lady Lu, you don’t need me to say more about your relationship with Gao Anagong. This person was recommended by you to become the commander of the Imperial Guards. You sent them to kill me, you have nothing to argue about, right?”

“Yes, I admit it!” Lu Lingxuan sneered, “However, I don’t admit that Lady Yang’s identity was swapped, and I don’t admit to colluding with Northern Zhou spies!”

“Speaking of colluding with Northern Zhou spies, I think you, Xie Zhen, are more likely. After the Hou Jing Rebellion, Yang Zhong led his troops south to Jiangling, killed Emperor Yuan of Liang, Xiao Yi, and captured a large number of scholar-officials, including your current emperor, Chen Xu, to Northern Zhou. Among these captured scholar-officials, it’s hard to guarantee that there wasn’t anyone from your Chenjun Xie Clan!”

“Hmm, Lady Lu has a point. Then, according to you, your husband, Luo Chao, also fled from Wei State to Qi State and was later killed for rebellion. Is it possible that Lady Lu also became a Northern Zhou spy because of the hatred of killing your husband and your husband’s relationship with Northern Zhou?”

“You—you’re simply eloquent!”

Lu Lingxuan was so angry that her willow eyebrows stood on end. Bi Yiyun and Sima Maozong, who were standing by the side, were dumbfounded. Why did they feel that this interrogation had nothing to do with them, the chief interrogators?

Even Gao Changgong, who was watching from the side, couldn’t help but laugh.

“Thank you for the compliment!”

Xiao Jinyu readily accepted the compliment and continued unhurriedly, “Actually, I don’t like to wrong good people. If there’s no real evidence, I won’t come to accuse you, Lady Lu!”

“So, you don’t have to speak so righteously. You have a tavern in Xuzhou Pengcheng called Phoenix Arrives Residence, and this place is your stronghold for communicating with Northern Zhou and hiding spies, right?”

When Xiao Jinyu said this, Lu Lingxuan’s face changed. Not only her, but even Bi Yiyun and Sima Maozong’s faces changed.

“Although I don’t know why you have correspondence with Northern Zhou, there’s a shopkeeper in Phoenix Arrives Residence. We took him along on our way back from Southern Chen. Now we’re treating him well, just waiting for him to confess the whereabouts of other Northern Zhou spies!”

Lu Lingxuan gritted her teeth hard, and heard her continue:

“Oh right, not long ago, we also received a letter from Northern Zhou in Phoenix Arrives Residence, saying that it was for you, Lady Lu. Northern Zhou wants to send spies to spread rumors in our Qi State and frame Grand General Hu Lu. They also said that they need you, Lady Lu, to add fuel to the fire and whisper in the emperor’s ear. This time, we must pull out this pillar of our Qi State!”

“Lady Lu, you must also hate Grand General Hu Lu very much, right? After all, he strongly opposes a woman like you holding power!”

When Xiao Jinyu said this, Bi Yiyun and Sima Maozong were no longer able to describe their shock and astonishment!

Even Gao Changgong’s face changed!

Sima Maozong was even more indignant and hurriedly asked Xiao Jinyu, “Palace Attendant Xie, are your words true? Where is that shopkeeper now?”

Xiao Jinyu bowed to Sima Maozong and said, “Please forgive Zhen for not being able to tell you at this moment. Otherwise, this shopkeeper is very likely to be silenced. Zhen and Prince of Lanling will never be able to get anything out of this person again!”

“However, Zhen can tell you two a direction. There are indeed spies sent by Grand Commandant Wei of Northern Zhou in our Yecheng, and these people are very likely hiding in the Northern City of Ye. I hope Minister Sima and Minister Bi will investigate this matter thoroughly!”

“Naturally!” Sima Maozong replied.

After saying these words, Xiao Jinyu gave Bi Yiyun a meaningful look and said, “I’ve heard that Minister Bi is strict with the law and once impeached nobles and relatives of the imperial family during Emperor Wenxuan’s reign. He was upright and uncompromising. I hope Minister Bi will not stain his lifelong reputation in his later years and enforce the law impartially!”

✿✿✿

After saying that, she bid farewell and left with Prince of Lanling.

Seeing the two of them leave, Lu Lingxuan’s face turned blue and purple with anger and doubt. She couldn’t help but grit her teeth and ask loudly, “Xie Zhen, since you and Prince of Lanling have captured this Northern Zhou spy, why did you only reveal his existence now?”

“That’s because the time wasn’t right. Acting rashly will only backfire. Just like that day when Princess Consort of Lanling accused you of falsely transmitting the imperial edict and sending someone to assassinate Prince of Lanling at the Ice Well Terrace banquet.

Weren’t all the witnesses killed by you?”

“You—you’re simply full of false accusations!”

When Xiao Jinyu said this, Sima Maozong’s suspicion towards Lu Lingxuan deepened even more. After all, this was the first time he had seen anger on this woman’s face! This woman had always been so aloof, mysterious, and unattainable, making it impossible for people to guess her true intentions.

Bi Yiyun also seemed to be reflecting on her last sentence!

……

After returning to Prince of Lanling’s Residence, Gao Changgong couldn’t wait to ask Xiao Jinyu, “You said that Northern Zhou wants to send spies to spread rumors in our Qi State and frame Grand General Hu Lu. When did you receive this news? Why didn’t I know?”

Xiao Jinyu smiled and said, “Changgong, I made that up. However, General Hu Lu has outstanding achievements and will definitely be envied by Gao Zhan. The people of Northern Zhou are also afraid of General Hu Lu. This matter may not come true in the future, but it’s not bad to take precautions early!”

In the original host’s memory, Hu Lüguang was the elder Gao Changgong respected the most, and Hu Lüguang’s ending was even more lamentable. He was lured into the palace and killed because of a rumor spread by a Northern Zhou spy!

The final destination of a generation of famous generals was not to die in battle, but to die in the suspicion between the monarch and his ministers, and in the schemes of treacherous officials. The person who killed him was Liu Taozhi, the emperor’s number one assassin. This incident had a great impact on Gao Changgong’s heart. It seemed that from that moment on, he could foresee his own ending. Therefore, when the last cup of poisoned wine arrived, he chose to accept his fate in extreme disappointment!

Thinking of this, Xiao Jinyu felt a little pity for General Hu Lu’s ending, and at the same time, she thought of Gao Changgong.

But Gao Changgong looked at her intently, his heart even more worried.

Xiao Jinyu smiled and cupped his face, “Changgong, what are you thinking about again?”

Gao Changgong smiled wryly and replied:

“A’yu, I annoyed Gao Zhan today. If it were in the past, I wouldn’t be afraid of having outstanding achievements and arousing the emperor’s suspicion. I always felt that this life was nothing more than fighting on the battlefield and living a carefree life. Even if I died in battle, my life would be short, but as long as I didn’t let down my country and myself, I would be content. ”

Speaking of this, he gazed at Xiao Jinyu affectionately, caressed her snow-white and delicate cheeks, and continued,

“But now I have you. Because of you, I have more greed. I want to spend this life with you forever.

I’m also afraid of you being alone…”

After hearing him finish, Xiao Jinyu laughed.

“There’s nothing wrong with having greed in your heart. We are human beings, not saints without desires!” After a pause, she asked with a smile, “Then can you tell me now, what did Gao Zhan say to you?”

Mentioning this, Gao Changgong felt uncomfortable. After pondering for a long time, he replied, “He considers himself the emperor, so he wants the best of everything in the world, including women. Now he still has you in his heart. Today is not the first time he has tried to take you away from me.

But I refused every time.

I think he probably won’t mention it again after this, but he won’t treat me kindly anymore either.

I don’t know what actions he will take in the future…”

So that’s how it is!

Xiao Jinyu smiled and said, “It’s okay, we’ll deal with whatever comes our way. I’ll figure something out. Just like this time when we sent Fenghuang away, in the end, didn’t we still win?”

Yes! It was originally full of danger, but under her painstaking planning, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise!

Thinking of all the things that had happened in the past few days, it was no less than a legend to him. Gao Changgong felt deeply moved. He didn’t expect her to be so intelligent. His uneasy emotions slowly dissipated, and he embraced her happily.

✿✿✿

After Mu Tipo learned that his mother had been imprisoned in the Court of Judicial Review, he rushed over in a hurry, wanting to ask Bi Yiyun for an explanation. But Bi Yiyun told him that all the personal troops selected to join the diplomatic mission were bestowed by the emperor. In other words, this batch of armed personal troops was very likely to be the Imperial Guards. If you were to say that Northern Zhou spies had infiltrated the Imperial Guards, wouldn’t that mean that the spies of Northern Zhou were already so powerful that they could infiltrate the Imperial Guards?

Moreover, Bi Yiyun had indeed verified and examined the identity of each member of the diplomatic mission. Even the recruited Imperial Guard soldiers, their names, where they lived, how many people were in their families, and when they joined the Imperial Guards, could all be found in detailed records, and their relatives could also be found for recognition.

“There’s no descendant of the Murong Clan you mentioned! Let alone a handsome eleven or twelve-year-old boy, there’s not even anyone under fifteen!”

Mu Tipo gritted his teeth in anger, “Are there no other people besides these? Or someone who was with that Lady Yan?”

“You brought everyone back. Lady Yan did have a maid, but she was pushed off the cliff by those bandits and her body was nowhere to be found!”

“What? A maid?”

“That’s bad. I thought there were no survivors, but it turns out we missed one. Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Mu Tipo cursed angrily and went to report this matter to Lu Lingxuan!

Lu Lingxuan let out a sigh of “So that’s how it is!”

“What should we do then? Mother, should we go to the bottom of the cliff to find this kid’s body?”

“Why bother looking for it? If he’s dead, then there’s no evidence. If he’s alive, he would have run away long ago. Is he still waiting for you to catch him?”

“Then this matter… just ends like this? We admit defeat?”

Mu Tipo was very unwilling, but Lu Lingxuan said, “Now, this Xie Zhen has already gained Gao Zhan’s trust. It’s not good for me to continue to dwell on this matter, otherwise, it will only make Gao Zhan unhappy. First, find a way to get me out of this Court of Judicial Review prison, no matter how much official redemption it takes!”

“Yes!”

Mu Tipo was about to leave when Lu Lingxuan called him back and said, “Wait, tell Prince of Lanling and his princess consort about that kid’s death and see what their reaction is?”

“Yes!”

✿✿✿

The next day, the housekeeper sent a letter to Prince of Lanling and Xiao Jinyu. When she saw the contents of the letter, Xiao Jinyu was indeed scared for a moment. But then she thought about it, Fenghuang had once fallen off a cliff with the original host, but he survived. This should not be a fluke, but his own ability.

And sure enough, seven days later, Xiao Jinyu received a letter from Fenghuang via carrier pigeon. It said that he had arrived safely in Jinyang and told her not to listen to others and to rest assured!

She was very familiar with Fenghuang’s handwriting, which was quite sharp. Seeing these words, Xiao Jinyu couldn’t help but burst into tears, and her heart, which had been hanging for a long time, finally settled down a little.

But half a month later, Gao Zhan suddenly sent an imperial edict through an eunuch. The content of the edict was actually to order Gao Changgong to guard Jinyang Bingzhou!

At the same time, he issued another imperial edict to Xie Zhen, ordering her to be an envoy to Northern Zhou. But the first condition for the peace talks with Northern Zhou was actually to have the Northern Qi envoy go to Yubi and discuss the peace talks with Grand Commandant Wei, who was appointed as the governor of Xunzhou in Yubi!

Yesterday, I was very grateful for the monthly votes from linlintae, Feather Bamboo Flying, the reward from book friend 20200816100149522, and the continuous support from Yanzhihu1 and Purple Bamboo Ha! Thank you all for your recommendation votes.