The Slender Waist-Chapter 667 - 481: Raising an Army to Punish the Guilty_2
The matters concerning Xu Yong were what Feng Yun had just seen on the wooden desk at the Imperial Cavalry Division.
The Inner Court archives were complete, and the Imperial Cavalry Division had also clandestinely investigated everyone’s past here, clearly uncovering the history of their ancestors up to eighteen generations.
There were hardly any doubts.
The only thing that made Feng Yun suspicious was that Xu Yong had had dealings with Fang Fucai...
Although in the end, they became enemies, never to interact with each other again, even unto death.
But it was exactly because of this that Feng Yun became suspicious.
Feng Yun had dealt with Fang Fucai.
That man was a true scoundrel...
During Li Sangruo’s regency, Fang Fucai was the head eunuch, and for him, controlling a little eunuch from a TaiFei’s side was simply a piece of cake.
"Xu Yong, having offended Fang Fucai, how did you manage to live until now?"
Xu Yong’s expression changed subtly.
But in the next moment, a cold laugh emerged from him.
"That would be a question for Fang Fucai himself, Princess."
Feng Yun said with a smile, "Very well, shall I send you down to ask him? As brothers of sorts, he must be missing you greatly right now down below."
Her voice was clear and pleasant, with no trace of malice, as if it were just a casual joke, but Xu Yong inexplicably felt a shiver run down his spine...
Fang Fucai had also died in the large prison of the Imperial Cavalry Division.
And it was this woman who had caused his death.
Xu Yong slowly raised his head, his eyes coldly gazing at Feng Yun.
"I cannot admit to things I have not done, Princess, no matter what you say." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
Feng Yun nodded, "There is one thing you have in common with Fang Fucai; knowing that confessing would not lead to a good end, you choose to grit your teeth and receive the mark of loyalty."
Xu Yong replied, "I do not understand what the Princess is talking about."
Feng Yun turned and smiled.
"You know perfectly well. When the Emperor of Xifeng passed away, he left behind only two princes. One was the son of the Empress Dowager Li, the Emperor of Xinghe, who has already passed away in Central Capital. The other was the one raised by Duan TaiFei, the son of the Emperor of Xifeng’s principal consort, the current Emperor..."
"Your falling out with Fang Fucai was merely to mislead others. Your true goal was to infiltrate Fanglan Garden to monitor every move of Duan TaiFei and the Prince of Qin, ensuring the safety of the Li family’s realm..."
Xu Yong quietly watched Feng Yun.
"What a joke! Why would I help the Li family?"
Feng Yun’s gaze was icy, "Of course, you were not helping the Li family, you were helping Fang Fucai. You met him when you were both insignificant, he saved you from danger, and you were grateful for his kindness..."
After saying this, she let out a long, cold snort.
"It turns out you are a person of blood and gratitude. Fang Fucai’s death has filled you with hatred towards the Grand Princess, towards me, towards the Western Capital Dynasty, thus you covertly aligned with the Yecheng Imperial Court and committed such a lunatic act... Am I right or not?"
Xu Yong said, "Does the Princess have any evidence? Without it, baseless accusations are nothing more than bullying the weak, leading to my wrongful death... If you ask me, the most suspicious ones who could have harmed the Emperor and the Empress Dowager are clearly the Grand Princess and the Prince of Zhuangxian..."
He gazed at Feng Yun with a sinister look in his eyes, sweeping over Pei Jue and Wei Zheng, among others.
"Who benefits, who is the culprit. Such a simple principle, honored nobles, surely you do not need me to remind you of this, right?"
Not only did he adamantly deny everything, but he was also trying to sow discord?
Wei Zheng was running out of patience.
With a clang, he drew his sword and pointed it at Xu Yong.
"You cur, do you think us all fools?" If you had nothing to do with it, why suppress the truth? Instructing everyone to fabricate the same story, saying that His Majesty fell in front of everyone’s eyes...
Xu Yong said, "His Majesty pined for his late mother and did not wish to sadden the Empress Dowager, allowing only me to attend to him. I feared I could not make things clear and would invite disaster upon myself, all in the interest of self-preservation."
Wei Zheng ground his teeth, "On the brink of death and still making excuses. It seems without severe torture, you will not speak up. Come, someone—"
As his voice faded, Feng Yun rose and bowed to Pei Jue.
"My lord, I can’t stand to watch this and don’t want to see bloodshed; I’m leaving first."
Pei Jue hummed in agreement, then stood up, "Let’s go."
Feng Yun glanced at him, "Isn’t your highness waiting for the end."
Pei Jue took her hand and turned back to Wei Zheng:
"Make sure he has a good time. Once he’s had enough, don’t waste any more food on him."
Wei Zheng was taken aback.
It took him a moment to understand Pei Jue’s meaning and bowed, "Understood."
Xu Yong also understood.
He fell to the ground, watching their departing figures and suddenly let out a loud shout.
"Pei Jue, Feng Yun, you cursed couple, you will meet your retribution! Struck by lightning, torn apart by five horses, doomed to hell’s eternal cycle, generation after generation... even as a ghost, I will not let you go..."
Knowing his end was near and still subject to living torture, he uttered every word with a bite, as if nursing a deep hatred.
Feng Yun asked Pei Jue with a smile.
"He called us a cursed couple. What does your highness think?"
Pei Jue looked at her, "I am."
His tone was calm and indifferent.
Feng Yun slipped her arm into his, drawing very close, "Doesn’t your highness want to know what Xu Yong is hiding?"
Pei Jue answered, "He won’t confess."
If he had something to confess, he would have done so already, not waiting till now.
Feng Yun inquired, "Then aren’t you curious who is behind him, pulling the strings?"
Pei Jue glanced sideways at her.
"Lady Yun has already made it very clear."
Feng Yun pursed her lips, a brief smile crossing her lips, then tightened them again, her eyes icy.
Ayuan, my dear, I will have vengeance for you sooner or later.
The opportunity for revenge came faster than Feng Yun had anticipated...
Just as the Western Capital Dynasty was internally scheming over the Young Emperor’s illness and the selection of the heir, criticizing and undermining each other, a sudden military dispatch arrived from the border of the two dynasties...
Li Zongxun had been recruiting and buying horses in Yecheng, accumulating strength. After a year of silence, he suddenly raised an army and proclaimed to all under heaven.
Claiming, "Imperial power is bestowed by heaven, and only those who carry a heart for the world may reside upon it. Today, treacherous officials dominate the Western Capital’s court, powerful ministers act arbitrarily, bringing hardship to the crown prince and misery to the people—a sign of heavenly punishment."
He added, "Yecheng has a sage ruler in power, government clear and just, people safe and healthy... For the sake of Dajin Country’s reign, today I raise the banner of justice to eliminate the prime evil, Pei Jue, follow the will of heaven, rectify the universe, and rescue the masses from catastrophe."
Furthermore, he declared this military campaign "a punishment of crimes without distressing the common people, not harming a single hair on their heads, and sparing the innocent. He hoped that all those with a righteous heart across the land would join this just cause, to restore a peaceful and prosperous Dajin..."
