Upon hearing this, Mu Cheng exchanged a glance with Qin Feng, both understanding unspokenly, while Princess Zhi Rou at the side felt somewhat uneasy.
Yan Jun entered with a refined middle-aged man, bowing to Mu Cheng with a smile.
It was the Left Prime Minister Yan Liu, the current head of the Yan family!
"Prime Minister Yan, why have you brought your own daughter?" Mu Cheng asked with a smile, then appraised Yan Jun, "Moreover, such beauty should not be unknown."
Yan Liu explained, "I heard His Majesty was selecting consorts. My eldest daughter, Yan Jun, has been traveling abroad for years and returned home this year. Under my tutelage, she is willing to enter the royal family. Your Majesty understands..."
Mu Cheng sighed, "Let this matter be put aside for now."
Put aside for now?
Father and daughter were both startled.
The Emperor's selection of consorts had been the talk of the town!
But a royal decree was hard to defy, and Yan Liu dared not insist.
Mu Cheng then asked, "Prime Minister Yan, do you have any report regarding Liang Xiao?"
Yan Liu nodded, glancing around.
"You don't trust my beloved daughter and son-in-law?" Mu Cheng asked, displeased.
"Never!" Yan Liu said with a serious expression, quickly adding, "My daughter recently traveled through Da Gan and encountered Liang Xiao while purchasing 'A Drunken Hundred Years'. Through the skilled individuals in the Jiangnan region, she learned a world-shattering piece of news: that Liang Xiao must be the Heavenly General himself!"
Before Mu Cheng could respond, Yan Liu continued, "Around the time of the Luzhou Defense War, someone saw the Heavenly General's divine steed enter Liang Xiao's residence! Furthermore, I just received news that Liang Xiao was assassinated by followers of the Spring Revival Cult, yet he managed to kill dozens of them!"
"Perhaps it was the Heavenly General's divine intervention. Let's wait for confirmation. We cannot spread rumors, nor should this matter be leaked, lest the people of Da Liang believe it and revere Liang Xiao even more," Mu Cheng nodded slightly.
Yan Liu and Yan Jun were even more surprised, as their report did not elicit the expected shock from Mu Cheng, Qin Feng, and Zhi Rou.
"Your Majesty, we must eliminate this person!" Yan Liu sighed.
"Let this matter be put aside for now as well. With the unrest at the borders, Da Liang has no need to offend Da Gan, a nation of the same origin, at this time. However, I must quickly send people to replicate the 'Heavenly Thunder' that Liang Xiao created," Mu Cheng said.
Yan Liu had no choice but to leave with Yan Jun. Before departing, he volunteered to supervise the replication of the 'Heavenly Thunder', which Mu Cheng permitted.
Mu Cheng's smile vanished, replaced by coldness.
"These noble families actually want me to oppose Da Gan at this time, so they can fish in troubled waters and gain complete control of the royal family! It is my son-in-law who is reliable!"
Qin Feng remained silent.
He merely regretted that he could not, like Liang Xiao, defiantly oppose the noble families.
"Good son-in-law, what do you think of this beauty, Yan Jun, who has suddenly returned to Da Liang?" Mu Cheng asked.
"This woman is indeed a national beauty. How could Father Emperor..."
Mu Cheng shook his head, "Firstly, even if I were confident in controlling this woman, there is no need to let someone from the Yan family into the palace as a consort, lest it cause chaos. Secondly..."
Mu Cheng's expression became even more complex, "Even if this woman were not from the Yan family, I would never take her into my harem. Because my spies in Da Gan have sent news that mentions this woman. When purchasing 'A Drunken Hundred Years', she had shown favor to Liang Xiao, who politely declined. How can I take in a woman whom Liang Xiao does not fancy!"
Qin Feng and Zhi Rou were speechless.
Mu Cheng was right, but they could sense that Liang Xiao, far away, was already invisibly influencing their Father Emperor...
The Yamen in Jinling was an institution independent of the Prefectural Office. The head of the Yamen was an elder of the Gongyang clan, the eldest nephew of Grand Tutor Gongyang He, Gongyang Teng.
Gu Hai, an official from the Ministry of Justice, with a dignified demeanor and an imposing presence, was reviewing all the cases.
Gongyang Teng sat to the side, inwardly overjoyed.
The Gu family had indeed sided with the Son of Heaven, but Gu Hai was upright and incorruptible; he wouldn't be swayed!
It was the strong recommendation of Duguan Qun and others in the capital, and Emperor Xiao Qing's approval, that led to Gu Hai being assigned to this case.
This was not because Duguan Qun and the others were intent on upholding justice, but because Gongyang Teng and Gongyang He were sufficiently confident that the case could not be overturned.
Therefore, they decided to send Gu Hai to deliver the final verdict, leaving no room for complaint!
As expected, Gu Hai also believed that Nie Yuan's case was unnecessary to overturn.
This was precisely what the Gongyang clan desired!
A moment later, Gu Hai nodded, "Please prepare, Door Master. I will personally interrogate Nie Yuan to definitively rule on this case, providing an explanation to the public and, in passing, propagating the majesty of Da Gan's laws."
Gongyang Teng was ecstatic and immediately agreed. He then added, "Official Gu, why not hold a public trial, so the common people can witness the sentencing firsthand!"
"Why?" Gu Hai frowned.
Gongyang Teng sneered, "I fear that Marquis Anguo might again incite public opinion and lead the masses in protest. A public trial will leave no room for any objections!"
He had already heard about Liang Xiao making his Grand Tutor uncle cry.
As Grand Tutor, Gongyang He had cried before, but most of the time it was just for show.
To be truly angered to tears by Liang Xiao showed how much his uncle resented and felt wronged!
You, Liang Xiao, can incite public opinion, but can't we the Gongyang clan?
Gongyang Teng chuckled inwardly.
Upon learning that Gu Hai was suddenly going to interrogate Nie Yuan, and moreover, hold a public trial, Zhuo Zifang and Liang Xiao were startled and immediately rushed to the Yamen.
The public trial was held in a square outside the Prefectural Office. Thousands of citizens had come to watch, curious to see how the judges of the Ministry of Justice handled cases.
Gu Hai sat at the head, with Gongyang Teng and the Yamen officials seated on either side.
Nie Yuan, with his hands bound behind him, stood below, his head held high, unyielding.
Shi Liuyun stood behind Nie Yuan, and He Jingyun was present to observe, both with worried expressions.
Except for He Jingyun, no one else was present. If Gu Hai made a swift judgment and ruled that the case could not be overturned, it would be truly difficult to handle!
"On the twenty-seventh day of the second month of the second year of Jianyuan, Nie Yuan, due to a quarrel with Zhao Wu, harbored resentment and, on the night of the twenty-eighth, wielding a knife, killed Zhao Wu. The boatman Duan Sheng and Zhao Wu's wife rushed to the scene and witnessed it. There are eyewitnesses and physical evidence."
As Gu Hai recited, a wooden tray was brought over by a yamen runner, holding a short knife with dried bloodstains.
"For such a minor matter, he wielded a knife and killed someone, what a villain..." The common people stared at Nie Yuan in fear.
Gu Hai then glared at Nie Yuan and shouted, "Nie Yuan, do you now realize you are covered in filth!"
Nie Yuan responded coldly, "How many in this world are pure?"
Everyone was shocked.
At this critical juncture, he still dared to talk back to the judge?
Gu Hai was also taken aback, then shouted, "Then do you admit guilt?"
"I am inherently innocent, so why should I admit guilt?" Nie Yuan proudly replied.
Gu Hai said gravely, "The knife is yours, and it is inscribed with the character 'Nie'. You cannot deny this, can you?"
Nie Yuan replied, "That is my family's heirloom saber, but it was stolen long ago. I was merely led to the scene."
Gu Hai shook his head, "Stolen? Your defense is weak and unconvincing!"
"Zhuo Lingjun and Marquis Anguo arrive!"
As Liang Xiao and Zhuo Zifang arrived, Shi Liuyun and He Jingyun's eyes lit up.
Gongyang Teng and others sneered, "What if they have arrived?"
After rising and bowing to Liang Xiao and Zhuo Zifang, Gu Hai said sternly, "Marquis Anguo, Zhuo Lingjun, I have heard that you both wish to overturn Nie Yuan's case? But this is a matter for the Ministry of Justice, and Marquis Anguo should not interfere. If you insist on using the Emperor's decree, I would rather lose my head than allow anyone to tarnish the laws of Da Gan!"
Gongyang Teng and the others clapped and cheered, and the onlookers also cast looks of admiration at Gu Hai.