"Alright, alright. Both of you are pleading for Wei Shuxuan. If I don't grant your request, it'll make me seem overly petty," Emperor Jinzheng said.
After being persuaded by Xin Zizhao and Ge Zian, Emperor Jinzheng no longer had the mood to be angry with Wei Shuxuan. Just now, Concubine Jie had also rushed into the main hall like this. If he were to punish Wei Shuxuan, he'd also have to punish Concubine Jie. It wouldn't be fair to punish only one of them.
"I won't discuss your crime of barging into the Golden Hall without permission," Emperor Jinzheng said, looking at the man named Nuhachi again. "Now, I'll give you another chance, Nuhachi. Tell me, who exactly instigated you to frame General Wei Tu?"
Nuhachi, who had been called by Emperor Jinzheng, raised his head. He didn't exchange any glances with Concubine Jie standing to one side. Instead, he looked directly at Emperor Jinzheng. "It was me, the lord of the Royal Dragon Kingdom. I framed General Wei Tu on my own. I wrote the informer's letter by myself, and it was my own will to monitor Eunuch Luo. No one told me to do so."
"Hey! Nuhachi, stop spouting nonsense!" Wei Shuxuan was really getting angry. If Xin Zizhao hadn't held her back, she would probably have rushed up to beat Nuhachi.
Since there was no direct evidence indicating that Concubine Jie had instigated Nuhachi to frame General Wei Tu and assassinate Eunuch Luo, Emperor Jinzheng couldn't convict Concubine Jie. However, this could clear General Wei Tu's name.
But Wei Shuxuan was not satisfied with this verdict. Why should an innocent person take the blame? Clearly, that hateful woman had done everything, yet Nuhachi was willing to take the blame for her. Didn't this man have his own thoughts?
Wei Shuxuan was not unhappy that General Wei Tu could have his name cleared. But what she wanted was to catch the real culprit, not a scapegoat. This was what made her most dissatisfied. However, there was nothing she could do. She and Xin Zizhao had no additional evidence to prove Concubine Jie's guilt.
Just as Wei Shuxuan was about to speak, Xin Zizhao covered her mouth. He whispered to her, "Come on, stop talking. No matter how much you say, you can't change the current situation. The most urgent thing now is to clear your father's name."
After hearing Xin Zizhao's words, Wei Shuxuan calmed down. She pulled his hand away from her mouth and glared fiercely at Concubine Jie, who was smiling smugly at her. One day, she would surely find evidence to arrest this Concubine Jie.
Although she was extremely dissatisfied, after hearing Xin Zizhao's words, Wei Shuxuan finally quieted down. She just stood to one side with a very gloomy face.
Emperor Jinzheng returned to his dragon throne and sat down. "After the investigations by Wei Shuxuan and the Fifth Prince Xin Zizhao, I hereby declare that the claim that the late General Wei Tu colluded with the Qiangfeng Kingdom is completely baseless. It was a frame - up. I will now clear General Wei Tu of the crime of collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country. I will revoke the exile order for the Wei family. All the property that was confiscated before will now be returned to Wei Shuxuan, and General Wei Tu will be posthumously granted the title of Protector of the State."
Although Wei Shuxuan was somewhat reluctant to accept this, Xin Zizhao kept nudging her back, urging her to go forward and receive the imperial edict. She had no choice but to go out with a gloomy face and thank Emperor Jinzheng. "This commoner, Wei Shuxuan, thanks Your Majesty for your kindness."
"Alright, get up," Emperor Jinzheng said, looking at Wei Shuxuan with a gloomy face. "To make up for my hasty decision regarding the Wei family, I've decided to compensate Wei Shuxuan. Is there anything you want?"
"Your Majesty, this commoner has nothing in particular that she wants."
All Wei Shuxuan could think about now was bringing that woman to justice.
"Is that so?" Emperor Jinzheng thought for a moment. "Since you don't have anything in mind, let me think for you. The morning court has been delayed for too long because of General Wei Tu's matter. Let's adjourn the court now. I need to go back and rest."
"Adjourn the court!" Hearing Emperor Jinzheng's words, the eunuch standing beside him shouted loudly.
"See Your Majesty off!"
The matter of General Wei Tu was finally coming to an end. Wei Shuxuan followed Xin Zizhao out of the Golden Hall. On their way out, they met Concubine Jie. Concubine Jie walked towards Wei Shuxuan, but Xin Zizhao pulled Wei Shuxuan behind him and looked warily at Concubine Jie.
"Concubine Jie, do you have anything to say? If not, stay away from us."
Concubine Jie had been a princess since childhood. Even after marrying into the Royal Dragon Kingdom and becoming a noble concubine, no one had ever dared to be so disrespectful to her or talk to her like this.
"You're really rude!" Concubine Jie said, looking at him with dissatisfaction.
"For someone like you, there's no need to be polite. Let's go."
Watching Xin Zizhao and Wei Shuxuan's retreating backs, Concubine Jie glared at them fiercely. One day, she would make them pay the price.
"Why did you stop me from talking to that woman?" Wei Shuxuan asked Xin Zizhao with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"She must have come to say something unpleasant. Don't listen to her. Do you think losing your temper like this will solve anything? You don't seem like such an impulsive person."
Xin Zizhao's honest comment made Wei Shuxuan's dissatisfaction with him disappear. "I'll find evidence to send this woman to jail. Will Nuhachi be sentenced to death?"
"Most likely. If he were just an accomplice, he'd at most be imprisoned for life. But now that he's the main culprit, the death penalty is probably inevitable."
"Humph, it's so unfair."
Wei Shuxuan also disliked the act of taking the blame for others in modern times.
The news that General Wei Tu's name had been cleared quickly spread throughout the Royal Dragon Kingdom. Many common people were very happy about this. They all knew General Wei Tu well and believed that he would never do such a thing as collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country.
Standing in front of the Wei family's gate, which was sealed with official notices, Wei Shuxuan looked up at the plaque hanging above with the words "Wei Family" on it. The plaque was a bit crooked, and since no one had lived there for a long time, it was covered with dust and spider - webs. It seemed that she had to find someone to clean it up.
"The environment here is quite nice," Xin Zizhao said as he walked around and observed. "Are you going to move out and live here?"
"Why would I move out? Live here alone? It would be so boring. I might as well continue living in the palace."
Wei Shuxuan didn't want to live alone. Now, she was the only one left in the Wei family.