Wei Dongling rolled her eyes and said, "Considering what she did, a one - month house arrest is already a light punishment."
Cui Huan said, "Rumors are spreading outside that the Cloud Prince will probably marry that princess. What if it's true? Miss Qi might be heartbroken."
Wei Dongling was speechless. "How do you know Miss Qi has a crush on the Cloud Prince?"
Cui Huan glanced at her. "I'm not blind! When we were in the prince's mansion, Miss Qi used the excuse of visiting you and sent supplements to the mansion every day. The way she looked at the Cloud Prince with love in her eyes, even a fool could tell!"
Wei Dongling said speechlessly, "We can't decide whom the prince will marry. There's nothing she can do even if she's sad. Moreover, it has nothing to do with me anymore."
Cui Huan nodded. "It's good that you can think it through."
Three days later, Lord Shen brought the recovered witnesses back to the Ministry of Justice to cooperate in the investigation of the case of Prime Minister Su's alleged treason.
Since the emperor had ordered a thorough investigation of Prime Minister Su's unjust case, the Ministry of Justice didn't dare to be negligent. Three days later, the case was closed, confirming that it was indeed an unjust case.
The case files were presented to Lord Yu of the Censorate, who also didn't dare to be careless. He went to the palace several times to discuss the matter with the emperor. Finally, it was determined that the case was an unjust one.
Once this matter became known, all the civil and military officials were in an uproar.
Zhao Chuanyi, the main suspect who had framed Prime Minister Su back then, was imprisoned and immediately dismissed from his official position and exiled to serve in the army.
All the officials who had participated in the trial of this case were fined one - year's salary.
The crown prince was ordered to personally go to the dungeon seven days later to release the former Prime Minister Su, who had been wrongfully imprisoned for thirteen years.
After Uncle Li excitedly brought back the news, Wei Dongling's eyes instantly turned red.
The truth was revealed to the world, and Prime Minister Su's unjust accusation was cleared.
Her father, Wei Jiang, finally had his long - standing reputation cleared after so many years of his death.
Uncle Li's eyes were slightly red. He stroked Wei Dongling's head and choked, "Heaven has eyes! Old Lord Su has finally waited for this day."
Wei Dongling's lips trembled, and two lines of hot tears rolled down. With a sobbing voice, she said, "My father's unjust accusation has finally been cleared too."
That night, the guard of Lord Rong came.
Wei Dongling welcomed him into the wing - room, served him good tea personally, and asked in a hurry, "Why didn't Lord Rong come today? I might have been drunk that day after drinking some fruit wine. I behaved badly in front of the lord. I'm sorry for making you laugh."
The guard waved his hand. "Lord Rong has been very busy recently and really has no time to come. Miss Wei, don't worry. You didn't talk nonsense that day."
Wei Dongling nodded quickly. "That's good, that's good!"
The guard took out a handkerchief wrapped in oil paper from his robe and handed it to her. Nodding, he said, "Lord Rong has always been grateful to Miss Wei for saving his life that night. He specially sent me here to return this to its rightful owner."
Wei Dongling took the handkerchief and recalled that when Lord Rong was injured last time, she had used this handkerchief to apply hemostatic herbs on his wound.
She didn't expect that Lord Rong had always remembered it. He had it cleaned until it was as good as new and specially sent someone to return it.
He also sent generous gifts when the Listening Wind Tower opened.
It seemed that this Lord Rong was quite an honest man.
When the guard turned to leave, Wei Dongling quickly took out two cans of good tea and asked the guard to take them to Lord Rong.
The guard bowed in thanks, took the tea leaves, and left.
On the day Prime Minister Su was released, Ah Cheng and Old Master Lin were left to guard the Listening Wind Tower teahouse. The others went to wait at the gate of the Ministry of Justice dungeon early in the morning.
Unexpectedly, some people had arrived earlier than them. Under a big tree across the road, there were two monks chanting scriptures and praying.
It was quite rare to see monks chanting scriptures at the gate of the Ministry of Justice dungeon.
Wei Dongling glanced at them and then silently waited on one side.
The people from the Listening Wind Tower were unusually quiet. They stood in a row by the roadside. It wasn't until they saw Lord Shen's carriage coming from afar that they surrounded it and bowed in salute.
By mid - morning, the sun was shining brightly and a bit dazzling. Uncle Li asked the women to wait in the carriage and pulled Lord Shen aside to chat.
Wei Dongling saw the crown prince's carriage coming late. The crown prince, with a slight limp, got off the carriage, straightened his back, and strode into the Ministry of Justice. He didn't come out for a long time.
At noon, the side door finally opened. A group of people quickly surrounded it. They saw inside the door that the crown prince's servant was supporting an old, white - haired, and emaciated old man out.
The old man's beard and hair were in a mess, his face was sunken, and he was walking bare - footed and tremblingly at an extremely slow pace.
The crown prince's servant impatiently pushed and pulled the old man. The old man staggered and almost fell. Then he was grabbed and dragged out of the door.
Uncle Li's eyes were filled with tears instantly. His body trembling, he choked and said to the old man inside the door, "Li Lang is here to welcome Lord Su!"
Hearing this, the old man stopped in his tracks. His body couldn't help trembling. He tried to speak with his trembling lips, but he could only make some indistinct sounds, which were hardly audible.
The crown prince's servant was annoyed by his slowness. He waved his hand and pushed the old man, shouting angrily, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up!"
The old man staggered forward. Uncle Li quickly stepped forward, knelt down with a thud, and stretched out his arms to catch the emaciated old man firmly.
Everyone's eyes were red. They carefully supported the old man and walked towards the carriage across the road.
Just as they were about to get into the carriage, suddenly a voice came from behind, "Amitabha!"
Wei Dongling looked back and saw that the monk who had been sitting and chanting scriptures was now standing behind them. He bowed to the group and said, "I, Hongming, was hungry during a famine when I was young. I received a meal from Lord Su. I'm here today to thank Lord Su."
Hongming? Master Hongming, the abbot of Lan Shan Temple?
Wei Dongling was stunned for a moment. She quickly curtsied and said, "Thank you, Master, for your kindness. Lord Su is not in good health. We need to take him back for treatment immediately. Please go back, Master!"
Master Hongming looked up at Wei Dongling. He took off a long string of Buddhist beads hanging on his chest, held them with both hands, and said piously, "I hope the benefactor can pass these on. Amitabha."
Wei Dongling nodded, took the beads, and watched Master Hongming leave.
Uncle Li carefully carried the emaciated Lord Su into the carriage. He nodded to Lord Shen and said, "My lord, you still have things to do in the court. Please go back. We'll gather later."
Lord Shen nodded, bowed to Lord Su, and left in a hurry with his servants.
Wei Dongling curtsied in return.
Ruan Niang had already felt Lord Su's pulse in the carriage. Luo Xunlong drove the carriage ahead.
Wei Dongling, Cui Huan, and Yu Haiming got into the following carriage.
The two carriages galloped towards the Listening Wind Tower one after another.
Cui Huan hugged Wei Dongling's waist and whispered, "It's good that Lord Su has been taken out. We can take good care of him later. We all trust Ruan Niang's medical skills!"
Wei Dongling nodded, grabbed a cushion, and leaned on it, lowering her eyes lost in thought.
Suddenly, the two carriages braked sharply. Everyone in the carriages swayed violently. Wei Dongling almost hit her head on the carriage compartment.
They heard Luo Xunlong shouting loudly from the front, "Who are you?"
Wei Dongling's heart tightened. She lifted the curtain and looked out. She saw that there were sparse black - clothed men in the woods by the roadside.