The Husband I Snatched Is Not Right!

Chapter 512 - 507: Setting Things Right

The carriage stopped in front of the Duke Shun Mansion.

Wei Zhao assisted Shen Jin down.

Shen Jin knew there were still many matters to handle in the palace, fearing to delay Wei Zhao’s affairs. Just as she was about to speak to let him attend to his business,

Yu Tingwan appeared at the door, her sight fleetingly scanning the man, seeing him safe and sound, her heart settled.

She lifted her skirt, running down the steps with a cheerful smile.

"Aunt, have you had breakfast?"

"I had some pastries on the way."

Yu Tingwan acted sweetly: "I prepared those pastries!"

"You are very thoughtful."

Yu Tingwan also thought so, nodding heavily, not forgetting to put down Wei Zhao.

"He’s a man, naturally not as considerate as I am."

Wei Zhao chuckled in anger: ...

Convinced.

Yu Tingwan: "Uncle’s courtyard has been tidied up early. The layout and furnishings are still the same, the old items have all been kept."

She intimately linked arms with Shen Jin, leading her into the mansion, not at all unfamiliar despite only meeting twice.

Speaking plainly, yet it was soothing.

"I don’t know Aunt’s preferences, so I didn’t dare make decisions. And thinking this will be where you reside in the future, it must satisfy you, so I took the liberty, hoping you’ll add whatever you find necessary in your own time."

The gentleness in Shen Jin’s bones overflowed, she said warmly: "Alright."

"I wish to first pay respects to your mother-in-law."

Yu Tingwan: "She is preparing in the ancestral hall, also waiting for you to go over."

"Though your name was added to the family registry early on, Aunt has yet to pay respects to the Wei family’s ancestors."

Moreover...

Shen Jin hadn’t had the opportunity to offer even a single incense stick to Wei Fengxing.

Wei Zhao walked leisurely behind them, intending to report peace to the ancestors in the hall and also to retrieve an item.

Suddenly, Yu Tingwan’s steps halted in front.

She stepped back gazing, instructing.

"Don’t hurry to leave later."

Wei Zhao: "Hmm?"

Yu Tingwan: "I need to check if you have any injuries."

This man is too good at enduring, she still remembered the matter of his arm previously.

Wei Zhao chuckled sulkily: "Be dignified, it’s not even dark yet, and you want to strip me?"

"I haven’t rested all night, feeling a bit tired. Bear with it."

Yu Tingwan: ???

Wei Zhao half-heartedly suggested: "Or, let me have a few cups of Deer Blood Wine?"

——

The court officials entered the palace one after another, the bloodstains on the palace path not yet cleaned, bloody severed limbs were visible everywhere.

Mostly civil servants, unfamiliar with such a gruesome scene, except for Gu Fuju and a few old ministers, the younger ones were covering their mouths and noses.

All are shrewd individuals.

Along the way, the disbanded Wei Family Army and the long-unseen Xiao Family soldiers under the Duke Zhongyong were visible everywhere. Duke Shun was forced to death by that person, so how could they not think much?

The pedantic civil servants walked faster and faster, their steps filled with wind. They paid no heed to the road, stepping on puddles of blood, staining the hem under their official robes.

Someone called out to He Xuran.

"That person may be guilty of heinous crimes, but if General Wei is involved, it might appear as if the monarch was endangered. The current situation is chaotic, the emperor has passed, people might worry more, encouraging foreign adversaries."

"Though he calls you uncle, don’t forget, you are of the Imperial Censorate!"

"Even if the Holy Emperor had countless wrongs, it’s not a subject’s place to rectify the court, such disorder is unprecedented!"

He Xuran didn’t speak.

He is indeed of the Imperial Censorate, but so what.

He still felt Wei Zhao did well.

Some officials turned pale, feeling dizzy, fearing implication.

Inside the hall.

Ying Fuyan hadn’t slept all night, clearly his body somewhat unable to endure, he closed his eyes to feign sleep, slightly easing his discomfort.

"I..."

Just one word was spoken.

Xiao Huaian, nervous: "What’s wrong? Do you want to go lie down in the inner hall first?"

Ying Fuyan uttered: "I get a headache just thinking about cleaning up the mess the dog emperor left before he died."

Xiao Huaian: ...

Ying Fuyan: "I need someone good to share the burden with me."

Xiao Huaian fell silent.

"What is there to fear, it’s not as if I’m asking you."

Then who can you command?

Would Wei Zhao pay you any mind?

Suddenly, Xiao Huaian thought of something.

He Xuran!

That person has good stamina!

Every time he handles a case, he can go several days without sleeping!

Xiao Huaian breathed a sigh of relief: "You should’ve said so earlier."

"I can’t be blamed for overthinking, but truly you and that dog Wei Zhao aren’t good at being people."

The hall had been tidied up, the corpses thrown outside, and the windows opened for ventilation.

For a moment, no one spoke.

After a while, the voice of Gu Fuju came from the side: "They’re here."

Ying Fuyan slowly opened his eyes to see a large number of ministers entering in single file.

Pedantic ministers held a belly full of rage. Before even seeing who was in the hall, they loudly spoke.

"How could you leave the Holy Emperor outside! Whose idea was this!"

"The moral principle of the ’Spring and Autumn Annals’ prioritizes status. Monarch, monarch; minister, minister; father, father; son, son; this is the natural order, yet General Wei resorts to violence, setting a precedent for future traitors and rebels to follow."

"Disregarding rituals, prolonging this way, people will not respect people, nation will not be a nation!"

"Enough!"

Duke Xian, who was playing chess with Gu Fuju, stood up.

"So early in the morning, and already my head hurts from the noise."

The crowd fell silent.

Has Duke Xian arrived so early?

He’s been showing up quite frequently these days.

Someone’s eyes brightened.

"Duke Xian!"

"You must stand with us, and not join in their corruption!"

Duke Xian said nothing.

Xiao Huaian laughed.

"When the Dog Emperor slaughters the loyal and oppresses the people, could those Spring and Autumn Annals in your mouth save even one person?"

"Mencius said, ’The people are precious, the state follows, the ruler is light. If the ruler is unprincipled, do you wish to remain a stubborn loyalist, turning others into unjust souls?"

The officials were baffled: ??

Duke Zhongyong was beaming with pride: "My son, yes, it’s my son. He knows Mencius!"

The officials were speechless: ...

...You’re really quite arrogant.

Duke Xian: "What are you all standing there for? First, look at who that is."

Reminded by him, the officials finally raised their eyes to look.

Hmm??

It wasn’t the Fourth Prince sitting on the dragon throne!

It was...one of the advisers, Jia, next to the Fifth Prince??

Are they mad, or is Duke Xian mad?

Ying Fuyan straightened up, allowing them to scrutinize him.

He Xuran furrowed his brows tightly.

"This—"

Ying Fuyan smiled at him.

After all, he’s someone who will assist him in the future.

He Xuran: "Why are you here?"

Gu Fuju rose and spoke: "Xuran, don’t be rude. Quickly pay respects to the new emperor."

Gu Fuju introduced with a smile for everyone to hear: "This is...the Princely Heir of King Yan."

He Xuran was thunderstruck.

He looked at Gu Fuju, then at Xiao Huaian, and finally at Ying Fuyan.

If he still couldn’t figure it out, he’d really be a fool.

He Xuran: ...

Great.

They kept it a secret from him alone?

Yes, they did.

But they still need him to do things.

Everyone’s eyes widened.

The Princely Heir of King Yan is actually still alive?

Where is the Fourth Prince?

Some officials clenched their fists in their sleeves, their eyes faintly burning.

But...

"But according to the rites, how can he occupy that position?"

Someone expressed discontent.

Duke Xian lowered his eyes.

"Xuran, take out the evidence you have of the Holy Emperor’s persecution of the new emperor before his death."

"Let them see how the Holy Emperor, constantly praised for his benevolence, tormented his own nephew to a fate worse than death behind closed doors."

He Xuran took out a box, distributing statement after statement, letting the officials pass them around for viewing.

Duke Xian: "Those three old fellows aren’t here today, so it’s just me running this errand."

"Do you know why we four resigned our posts back then?"

Without waiting for their response, he continued: "For those who retired, they retired. I stayed in the Capital, yet never involved myself in worldly matters."

"It wasn’t because of age or inability to serve the court. We were simply weary."

"Back then, when King Yan got into trouble, Old Master Lu sought redress and was carried out bloodied. Us few old fools wanted to stand up, but were intercepted by Wei Fengxing mid-way."

What could standing up achieve, but ending up like Mr. Lu?

"Despite our bold daily remonstrations, we never crossed the emperor’s red line."

King Yan and Duke Shun were targets Emperor Ying was determined to eliminate; anyone persuading against it would face opposition and death.

The emperor was a scourge not easily written off by us pen-holders.

"After Wei Fengxing’s death, did you not see the crookedness? It was merely self-preservation, just like us who could do nothing but shrink back and compile the ’Record of Benevolent Governance.’"

Haven’t enough people died over these years?

"When King Yan, Duke Shun, and Old Master Lu ran into trouble, no one dared to speak out. Instead of fearing the dragon’s power, it’s more about preserving a false reputation, yet what’s shed is real blood!"

How could one not be weary?

The hall fell completely silent.

They understood the reasoning, yet felt deeply helpless.

"But..."

"But the sage said, ’With a father’s death, the son succeeds; with a brother’s end, the brother follows.’ When did it say ’Abandon the son for the nephew’? This reasoning is inconsistent, and not sufficiently justified, unable to quell the public’s doubts."

"How is it not justified?"

Wei Zhao strode into the hall.

Holding an imperial edict.

Thanks to the late Emperor’s schemes.

It should have been empty, but now it was filled.

"Setting everything else aside, when the late Emperor passed, he left three imperial edicts, one of which was secretly given to my grandfather."

"Everyone says the late Emperor valued King Yan, but he wasn’t the one who ascended the throne. Didn’t anyone think there was something fishy about it?"

His words mixed truth with falsehood, but were enough to blur the lines between them.

"The Dog Emperor hastily forced King Yan and my father to death because King Yan was the original choice for the new emperor, and our Duke Shun Mansion possessed something that could utterly disgrace him."

Wei Zhao calmly corrected: "You’ve all read books, so choose your words carefully. It’s not a threat, not violence for violence, this is called...rectifying the chaos."