Chapter 178:178. Confrontation
Translator: 549690339
It’s about to rain.
After leaving the residence of the second prince, Su Liang rode home alone.
Passersby on the road looked at her with strange eyes, whispering behind her back.
As she passed by the Embroidery Workshop, she heard Yang Yu’s voice and dismounted to enter.
“Are you okay?” Yang Yu held Su Liang, looking her up and down.
Su Liang nodded, “I have something to do. I want to take a bath.”
She had been training in the military camp for half a day before suddenly receiving orders to return to the city. She hadn’t even washed her face nor changed her clothes.
Yang Yu let Su Liang sit down and poured her a cup of hot tea. “Go home and take a bath later. When I saw you riding a horse to the second prince’s mansion, I was worried. Did everything go well?”
Su Liang held the teacup with a smile, “Are you worried about me or about someone else?”
Yang Yu seriously said, “Both.”
“I’m fine, and he’s safe for now.” Su Liang said.
With a sigh of relief, Yang Yu said, “Knowing what you’re doing, I suddenly feel that my struggle with the Yang family is not worth mentioning. You’re too bold.”
Su Liang took a sip of tea and smiled without speaking.
But Yang Yu sighed, “Of course, I support you. I’m just afraid something will happen to you.”
Su Liang changed the subject, “Have you seen Ning Jing?”
Yang Yu nodded, “He went home an hour ago. I didn’t call him.”
“It seems that job in the Ministry of Revenue is really quite leisurely.” Su Liang finished the tea. “Are you busy? If not, go home with me. Someone told me to take good care of you, afraid that you might get dragged into trouble.”
Yang Yu chuckled, “He should take care of himself first. Let’s go home.”
Due to her uneasiness, Yang Yu had hardly checked her account books. She packed them up to take home to review later.
Su Liang rode with Yang Yu, sharing one horse, attracting a lot of attention.
However, Yang Yu was a new face in the capital city. Everyone knew that the current head of the Yang family was a young lady, but they didn’t know it was her.
When they arrived home, they found Wan Hui and Lu Yu had come with their child.
Wan Hui had known Yang Yu since they were children, and the last time they saw each other was several years ago. They had recently re-established contact through letters because of Su Liang.
Today’s reunion was quite emotional for both of them.
Yang Yu had prepared a gift for Zhengzheng, who happily took it and went to find his Uncle Ning.
Wan Hui and Yang Yu chatted as Lu Yu went out to the restaurant to get wine and food.
After bathing and changing her clothes, Su Liang tidied up, and Lu Yu returned.
The rain outside grew heavier, but the room was warm and cozy.
Wan Hui brought up the rumors that circulated in the capital today, her expression worried. After all, it involved two princes, and if Su Liang were to be saddled with the blame, the consequences would be very serious.
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen.” Su Liang remained calm.
Wan Hui sighed, “I trust you. You’re very capable, but when dealing with the royal family, you still have to be extra careful.”
Xing Yusheng sent Qi Jun to inquire about Su Liang. Receiving the reply “it’s okay,” he returned to inform Xing Yusheng, who went on to inform the Lin Mansion and Duke Qin’s Mansion.
After dinner, Lu Yu and Wan Hui left first, leaving Zhengzheng to sleep in Ning Jing’s bed. Ning Jing said he would take him home later.
Yang Yu went to check the account books, while Su Liang and Ning Jing copied medical books they had borrowed from Huguo Temple. As for interrogating Duanmu Ao, Su Liang decided to wait until night to do so.
Everything seemed peaceful and calm in Su Mansion.
In the Imperial Palace.
Duanmu Chen went to the palace after leaving the second prince’s mansion. Duanmu Yi asked with a serious face, “How is the second brother?”
Duanmu Chen replied respectfully, “Imperial Physician Su came from the military camp outside the city to treat the second prince, but… Imperial Physician Su said the second prince was not ill and wanted to kill her. The second prince said that it was Su Liang who wanted to kill him.”
Duanmu Yi’s face darkened, “What exactly happened?”
Sitting next to him, Duanmu Cheng’s back was soaked with sweat as he spoke, “Father, how could the second brother be alright? In my opinion, Su Liang poisoned him and then cured him, taking the opportunity to assassinate the second brother and lying that he tried to kill her first!”
Duanmu Chen sighed, “I don’t know what happened, so I let Su Liang go home first, and the second prince is still at home.”
“Fourth brother, you go back first.” Duanmu Yi looked at Duanmu Chen.
Duanmu Chen saluted and withdrew.
Upon turning around, he saw a large bead of sweat slipping down Duanmu Cheng’s forehead.
Duanmu Chen sneered in his heart, a good show was about to begin, but unfortunately, he could not watch it.
With things turning out like this, Duanmu Yi would have to investigate the truth behind Xiao Mulian’s death if he had any intention of using Su Liang.
As Duanmu Chen left the palace, a drizzle began to fall.
The carriage passed by Changchun Garden, shrouded in green trees, its red-lacquered main gate still tightly closed.
Chang’an glanced at it, his expression inexplicable, “I don’t know what’s going on with the trees in Changchun Garden, rumors outside say there are ghosts in the garden.”
Duanmu Chen said in a melancholy tone, “Some people have ghosts in their hearts, which makes the ghosts come out.”
Chang’an didn’t understand but felt that his master’s mood was exceptionally good today. Even when speaking sarcastically, the ending tone of his voice was rising.
Nian Jincheng knelt before Duanmu Yi with his head down, saying solemnly, “I didn’t fake my illness! I have no idea why I lost my senses. Su Liang put a pill in my mouth and suddenly it got better! She had a golden needle and was about to stab me in the center of my eyebrows! Even if she didn’t dare to kill me, she wanted me to lose my temper, force me to kill her so she could pretend to be innocent and clear herself!”
Duanmu Cheng’s face darkened, “Father, the second brother was framed by Su Liang!”
“And at Huguo Temple, I didn’t send anyone to assassinate her, but she accused me and I could not defend myself!” Nian Jincheng said coldly, “Father, I am telling the truth!”
“Father, I think Su Liang must be a spy sent by someone, intent on causing chaos in Qian Country!” Duanmu Cheng’s expression was full of urgency, “The incident with the fifth brother must have been her doing!”
Duanmu Yi’s face was as dark as ink, “If it was Su Liang’s doing, how did the rumors spread?”
Duanmu Cheng was stunned for a moment, then pondered, “I think this is also one of Su Liang’s cunning schemes, to clear herself in this way!”
“That’s right!” Nian Jincheng coldly said, “Her tricks these past days were to scare me and the crown prince! There could be no one else but her!” Duanmu Cheng nodded subconsciously but suddenly realized that something was wrong!
As expected, Duanmu Yi asked coldly the next moment, “What tricks? Scaring you both? Explain!”
Nian Jincheng’s face stiffened, “No… nothing…”
Duanmu Yi looked at Duanmu Cheng, “Crown Prince, you tell me!”
Duanmu Cheng’s biggest fear was that Duanmu Ao would blurt out the truth about Xiao Mulian’s death. However, what he feared the most had come.
At the moment, under Duanmu Yi’s cold gaze, Duanmu Cheng had no choice but to state, “Back then, Su Yuanzhou treated the second brother’s sister but ended up killing her instead. Knowing the gravity of his mistake, he committed suicide with his entire family. Su Liang must have blamed the second brother and thought that the Su family’s demise was the second brother’s fault. These past days, she has been scaring the second brother with her tricks. I only knew about it when I went to find the second brother.”
Upon hearing this, Duanmu Yi grabbed the inkstone and smashed it heavily on the desk, “Why did the second brother say that Su Liang scared both of you?
What does it have to do with you? What tricks did she play?”
“The second brother misspoke.” Duanmu Cheng said with an ugly expression.
Nian Jincheng glanced at Duanmu Cheng, his eyes flickering and lowered his head again, “Yes, I misspoke, it has nothing to do with the Crown Prince.”
“Then you tell me, why did Su Liang want to harm my second son?” Duanmu Yi said coldly, “Is it just because her family died, and she took her anger out on him? That’s all?”
Nian Jincheng immediately nodded, “Yes, that’s it! When Su Yuanzhou killed
Mulian, I didn’t hold Su Liang accountable, but she was unrelenting!”
“Fine.” The chill in Duanmu Yi’s eyes intensified. “Then you tell me, when your wife was seriously ill, why did you choose to invite Su Yuanzhou to treat her instead of so many other imperial physicians?”
Any normal person would know that there was something amiss in certain matters.
Although Su Yuanzhou was a good doctor, he was just an ordinary citizen. His family’s death wouldn’t have caught the emperor’s attention.
With the death of the Su family, the incident was also resolved.
It was only because Su Liang was outstanding enough to attract Duanmu Yi’s attention, that he would now question his two sons about the death of some commoners.
This was the reason Su Liang chose to progress through the Military Exam.
She needed to have value in order to seek justice for her family; otherwise, no one would care.
Duanmu Chen cooperated with Su Liang and secretly helped her precisely because her value to him was getting higher and higher. He was protecting his own self-interest.
Su Liang could have chosen to assassinate Duanmu Cheng and Duanmu Ao in secret. With Ning Jing’s help, it wouldn’t have been impossible.
But using such a simple and crude method would make it difficult to reveal the truth about the incident.
Su Liang didn’t want her family to die in vain.
She wanted the masterminds behind the crimes to know that they were paying the price for their evil deeds and that it was because of them that they would lose everything and not die well!
At this moment, Nian Jincheng lowered his head in the face of Duanmu Yi’s questioning, unable to speak.
He was not a good actor. Before the incident, many people perceived him as being stiff and upright.
However, after Su Liang had a plan, she went over with Ning Jing all the possible scenarios that might happen, one by one.
It was as if they had rehearsed the current situation in advance.
Nian Jincheng was inexperienced, but he was smart and brave. His nervousness earlier was more due to not wanting to ruin Su Liang’s plan.
Now, he hadn’t been discovered to be fake; he was already “getting into the swing of things.”
Just now, Duanmu Cheng thought that “Duanmu Ao” had impulsively brought up Su Liang’s trickery.
However, it was actually intentional on Nian Jincheng’s part.
Seeing that Nian Jincheng didn’t speak, Duanmu Yi turned his eyes to Duanmu
Cheng, “Is the Crown Prince aware of this?”
Duanmu Cheng lowered his eyes, covering his panic, shook his head, and replied, “I am not aware of this matter. Perhaps Su Yuanzhou had once treated my younger siblings, so they asked for him to come.”
Hearing Duanmu Cheng’s “hint,” Nian Jincheng immediately nodded, “Yes! It was Xiao Mulian who asked for Su Yuanzhou. I don’t know why she insisted on asking him!”
From beginning to end, the brothers’ panic and cooperation were evident to
Duanmu Yi.
“Since you both say it was a misunderstanding, why not let Su Liang come to explain?” Duanmu Yi said coldly, ordering Su Liang to be summoned to the palace.
Duanmu Cheng originally wanted to say that the matter had nothing to do with him and asked to withdraw first. But he was afraid that if he left, “Duanmu Ao” would say something he shouldn’t, causing the situation to spiral out of control. Therefore, he stayed seated, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles.
“Second son, get up,” Duanmu Yi’s voice didn’t reveal any emotion.
Nian Jincheng thanked him and got up, sitting across from Duanmu Cheng. He was unsure of Duanmu Yi’s thoughts. Despite all the suspicious things they’d said, Duanmu Yi hadn’t pursued further questions.
However, he was hoping for Su Liang to arrive. With her there, he would feel more at ease.
The Empress Dowager and the Empress both sent people to inquire about the situation. Duanmu Yi said he was discussing matters with his two sons and had no time, and even sent for a meal. It appeared as if he believed their words and was trying to mediate the conflict between them and Su Liang.
Since Nian Jincheng didn’t know what Duanmu Ao was allergic to, he barely touched the chopsticks, saying that he was feeling very stuffy and couldn’t eat. So he just drank some tea.
When the palace attendants arrived at Su Mansion, Su Liang was diligently copying a medical book. It not only helped her practice calligraphy but also allowed her to thoroughly read the medical book.
After learning that Duanmu Yi had summoned her to the Imperial Palace, Su Liang changed her outer clothes, habitually carried her medicine box, opened her umbrella, and went out.
Ning Jing sat by the window and watched Su Liang’s figure disappear in the rain before turning her gaze back to continue copying the books.
“Uncle Ning…” Zhengzheng woke up and walked out of the inner room with her bare feet.
Ning Jing put down his pen, stood up, and picked up Zhengzheng.
“Where’s Auntie?” Zhengzheng lay on Ning Jing’s shoulder, looking at the rain outside.
“She went to the palace.” Ning Jing replied.
Zhengzheng then asked, “Is the palace fun?”
Ning Jing shook his head, “Not fun.”
Zhengzheng asked with a grin, “When will Uncle Ning and Auntie give me a little sister?”
After thinking for a while, Ning Jing said, “Wait for your aunt to come back and ask her.”
After paying her respects, Su Liang was granted a seat, right next to Nian Jincheng.
Nian Jincheng kept his head down and didn’t look at Su Liang.
Duanmu Yi spoke up, “Second brother, explain the situation to Su Liang.”
Su Liang listened calmly as Nian Jincheng recounted the events of the past. He said that asking Su Yuanzhou to come was Xiao Mulian’s idea and that the deaths of Su Family had nothing to do with him.
After Su Liang listened, her beautiful eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Duanmu Yi’s command was filled with dignity, “Today, I summoned all of you to clear up the misunderstandings and to prevent any more incidents in the future. Su Liang, do you have anything to say?
With reverence, Su Liang replied, “Your Majesty, my grandfather has always taught me to examine myself first in any situation and never to speak recklessly without evidence.”
From the moment Duanmu Cheng saw Su Liang, he had a bad premonition and felt even stranger after hearing her words.
Duanmu Yi nodded, “Your grandfather is right.”
Su Liang continued, “As for the death of my family, I do suspect that they were
Duanmu Cheng blurted out, “Didn’t you say that you shouldn’t speak recklessly without evidence? What evidence do you have?”
With a calm expression, Su Liang replied, “Your Highness, the crown prince, I lost my memory after being injured before, but I have recently regained some of it and remembered what my grandfather said before he died.”
Duanmu Cheng’s face visibly stiffened as he heard Su Liang continue, “Your Majesty, the culprit behind my family’s deaths should not be the second prince, but someone else.”
Even Duanmu Yi was visibly stunned.
Nian Jincheng’s face lit up, “Father, it’s all a misunderstanding! The death of the Su Family has nothing to do with me!”
Su Liang sighed deeply, ‘Your Majesty, my grandfather was summoned by the second prince’s residence to treat the former second prince’s consort. Because something happened to the consort, he returned home in a panic and mentioned that she was pregnant. It was one life taking two, and he didn’t even know what had happened!”
Upon hearing the phrase “one life taking two,” Duanmu Cheng accidentally knocked over a teacup on the table, and Duanmu Yi frowned intensely, “What did you say?”
With her eyes downcast, Su Liang replied reverently, “The former second prince’s consort was pregnant when she died, and my grandfather could not have been mistaken. This is also the reason why I think there’s something fishy about the whole affair. Your Majesty doesn’t seem to know about this, and the second prince didn’t mention it earlier. It’s even stranger if he didn’t know either. My grandfather was puzzled as to why the consort would be in trouble. I still don’t understand why something so good as her being with child could lead to her death. Moreover, there were so many imperial physicians available, but they insisted on inviting my grandfather.”
Duanmu Yi’s face darkened significantly, “Second brother, what’s going on? You didn’t even know that your wife was pregnant?”
Nian Jincheng’s expression was panicked, “I knew… I don’t… I don’t know what happened…” He spoke incoherently and subconsciously glanced at Duanmu Cheng.
“I think the second prince may also be kept in the dark,” Su Liang continued solemnly, “Perhaps someone who didn’t want the former second prince’s consort to live resorted to unspeakable means and killed my entire family. I beseech Your Majesty to grant me permission to investigate this matter. This isn’t just for my family, but also for the former second prince’s consort!”
“Nonsense!” Duanmu Cheng’s face was filled with anger, “Father, don’t believe her! This is just her side of the story! How could the second brother not know if his wife was pregnant?”
Su Liang frowned, “If the second prince knew, it’s only human nature for him to blame me, given the gravity of one life taking two.”
Nian Jincheng’s face changed constantly, “Father, I…. I don’t know!”
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