The next morning, Su Cen was awakened by Zheng Yang’s door-pounding. Opening his eyes, he discovered daylight was already bright—calculating the time, it was nearly past mid-morning.
While hurriedly putting on clothes, he glared viciously at the person beside him who was gloating. As expected, the two had frolicked until the latter half of the night. Despite his hoarse pleas, Li Shi refused to give him relief. He had no memory of how he finally fell asleep—whether he had fallen asleep or fainted.
Time was already precious, and wasting it like this meant he might as well pack up and wait for New Year.
What was even more infuriating was that the culprit had been awake long ago, sitting there with a cup of tea watching him sleep without making a sound, apparently afraid of waking him.
Su Cen frantically put on his clothes, not having time for his outer robe as he grabbed it and left. Before leaving, he glanced at Li Shi, who calmly pointed to the food box that had just been delivered, raising an eyebrow with a smile: “Won’t you eat before leaving?”
“No!” Su Cen gritted his teeth hatefully and stormed out.
Only after exiting Xingqing Palace’s main gate and seeing Zheng Yang did Su Cen gradually slow his pace.
Zheng Yang had been standing outside for nearly half an hour. Unable to enter or call out the person inside, he had spent half an hour staring at the two gate guards. His complexion was either frozen or angry—terribly ashen.
“Little ancestor, you’re finally out,” Zheng Yang exhaled heavily. “I understand your feelings of reunion after separation, but everything should prioritize the bigger picture. If you exhaust yourself at night, how can you investigate during the day?”
Su Cen: “…”
“Uncle is the same—at his age, he doesn’t know priorities,” Zheng Yang said while pulling Su Cen along. “With old arms and legs, isn’t he afraid of breaking his back?”
Su Cen thought those weren’t old arms and legs at all, but steel and iron bones. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he changed the subject: “We’re going to the imperial prison today. There are some things I need to ask Qi Lin clearly.”
Zheng Yang nodded and after walking a few steps said: “By the way, do you know something happened at morning court today?”
Su Cen’s steps halted: “What happened?”
“Two officials submitted memorials saying Uncle’s case still has doubts and shouldn’t be confined so hastily.” Zheng Yang helped Su Cen into the carriage. “As a result, Li Sheng directly imprisoned them.”
Su Cen’s expression grew stern: “Arbitrarily imprisoning court officials? Does Li Sheng really think the court is his Secret Door? On what charges did he imprison them?”
Zheng Yang pressed his lips: “Associates of Prince Ning. That charge alone is sufficient.”
Su Cen frowned: “What about the young emperor? What about the full court of ministers? They just let Li Sheng act so recklessly?”
“Empress Dowager Chu is seriously ill, and the young emperor hasn’t attended morning court for several days. The others… most are still taking a wait-and-see attitude and haven’t taken sides.” Zheng Yang sighed and continued: “That’s why I’m anxious. Even if you rescue Uncle, if Li Sheng has arrested all the people who dare to speak up in court, leaving only a bunch of fence-sitters, who will work for Uncle?”
“What about Wen Xiu?” Su Cen asked. “Is he also taking a wait-and-see approach?”
After a moment, Zheng Yang nodded: “Wen Xiu is leading the wait-and-see faction.”
Su Cen pressed his lips and remained silent for a moment, then suddenly knocked on the carriage wall and instructed the driver outside: “We’re not going to the imperial prison. Go to the Wen residence.”
Zheng Yang looked up: “You’re going to find Wen Xiu?”
“We can’t let Li Sheng distort facts and do whatever he pleases. Prime Minister Wen was originally on the Prince’s side, and he has the old Prime Minister’s group of veteran ministers under him. As long as he takes a stance, naturally many will follow. I don’t believe Li Sheng can arrest half the court officials.” Su Cen lowered his head and said softly: “The Prince’s foundation cannot collapse. Though these people are still taking a wait-and-see attitude, they should have their own judgment about right and wrong. That someone is willing to stand up now already proves this point—there will be more people in the future.”
Zheng Yang nodded and finally said no more.
When they reached the Wen residence gates, they were still blocked outside. The Wen household servants were prepared—upon seeing Su Cen’s calling card, they directly handed it back with a rather perfunctory tone: “Our master is not in. Please return.”
This attitude was within Su Cen’s expectations. Previously, Wen Xiu didn’t know about his unseemly relationship with Li Shi and treated him as a fellow advisor and ally with considerable courtesy. But after experiencing that great upheaval a year ago, and now with him breaking his engagement and coming here without hesitation, his relationship with Li Shi was no longer a secret. The man’s sister was the legitimate Princess Ning, while he was an overstepping interloper making demands—it would be strange if Wen Xiu received him well.
“I’m not here to see your master,” Su Cen pressed his finger against the returned card. “May I ask if the Old Prime Minister is in?”
“This…” The servant at the gate hesitated slightly, then quickly waved his hands: “Not in, not in. No one’s home.”
“You servant…” Zheng Yang couldn’t stand it and stepped forward, but was pulled back by Su Cen.
Su Cen nodded to the servant, put the card back in his chest, and pulled Zheng Yang away. After walking a few steps, he turned back: “May I boldly ask what position you hold in this residence?”
The servant replied with a contemptuous eye roll: “I’m my master’s personal attendant. I’ve followed him since childhood.”
“Can you make decisions?”
The servant raised his chin: “Naturally.”
Su Cen’s expression suddenly turned stern as he asked coldly: “Can you bear responsibility for the lives of the dozens of people in your entire residence?”
The servant was stunned: “What… what?”
“I came to save the lives of everyone in your residence, yet you presumptuously block me outside. When a great mistake is made affecting the entire household, can you bear the responsibility?”
“You… don’t talk nonsense,” the servant’s expression showed some panic. “Our ancestors were founding heroes, officials for generations. How could we fall just like that?”
“With a treacherous prince causing chaos, even the dignified regent prince has been framed and confined. What does your Wen residence amount to?”
The servant opened his mouth, rendered speechless.
“What are you standing there for?” Zheng Yang said sternly. “Why don’t you go announce us quickly?”
The servant considered for a moment, left them with “wait here,” and ran into the courtyard.
Soon another person came, with much gentler features. He opened the gate wide and respectfully invited the two inside.
He led them all the way to the main hall, instructed servants to bring tea, said only “please wait a moment,” and then bowed and withdrew.
This “moment” lasted the entire day.
They drank pot after pot of tea, but no one came out. Zheng Yang became restless several times, standing up to look around at the door, then returning to see Su Cen still sitting motionless with his teacup, showing no sign of anxiety.
Time was so precious—he wished he could split one day into two. He didn’t know how Su Cen could sit there so calmly.
Only when the sun was setting in the west did Su Cen stand up and say to Zheng Yang: “Let’s go.”
“Just… leave?”
“If not, should we stay for dinner?”
Zheng Yang’s face showed three parts anger and seven parts unwillingness: “Wasn’t this whole day wasted then?”
Su Cen shook his head and got up to leave.
Just as they reached the door, they encountered Wen Xiu coming toward them.
Su Cen smiled knowingly and cupped his hands in greeting: “Prime Minister Wen has returned?”
Wen Xiu looked somewhat embarrassed, casually grunted to brush it off, then led the way back to the main hall and sat down. He picked up a cup of cold tea, took a sip, then said: “What brings you to my residence?”
Having waited the entire day, Su Cen was too lazy to play riddles and said directly: “I’d like to ask Prime Minister Wen to stand up and speak for the Prince.”
Wen Xiu held his teacup and smiled lightly: “Did Li Shi send you?”
Su Cen shook his head: “The Prince knows nothing of this.”
“Didn’t you make an agreement with Prince Yu to investigate the facts by year’s end? What’s wrong? Afraid you can’t find anything?”
“Whether I can investigate is one thing; court public opinion support is another.” Su Cen stood and said: “The Prince must be innocent. Revealing the truth is substance, while court vocal support is momentum. These should all belong to the Prince, and now not one can be missing.”
“Such big words,” Wen Xiu smiled coldly. “You must have heard about today’s events. The two ministers who petitioned for the Prince were all thrown into prison by Li Sheng. Why should I risk my family and life to be that scapegoat?”
“Do you think staying silent will preserve your family and life? Without the Prince to depend on, given Li Sheng’s character of leaving no survivors, how long will he let Prince Ning’s faction remain under his nose?” Su Cen said coldly: “When the skin is gone, how can the hair remain? Without the Prince as a pillar, when the great mansion collapses, the entire Wen residence will sooner or later become rubble in the current!”
“You!” Wen Xiu slammed his teacup heavily on the table, tea splashing everywhere. “I’m not afraid to tell you—I’m not playing ambiguous games between Li Shi and Li Sheng. Today I’ll lay it out clearly: I won’t say a single word to help Li Shi! Whether he lives or dies has nothing to do with the Wen family!”
Su Cen frowned: “Why?”
Wen Xiu slammed the table: “You go back and ask him how exactly my sister died!”
Su Cen stood frozen in place, suddenly not knowing how to speak.
He had always known Li Shi had such a legitimate Princess Ning, and knew she had died under mysterious circumstances not long after entering the residence. He had even pressed Li Shi about how she died, but Li Shi hadn’t answered him at the time.
Zheng Yang murmured: “Didn’t Sister Wen Shu die of illness?”
Wen Shu had died so suddenly back then that he hadn’t changed how he addressed her, still using the old way.
“Who told you that? Li Sheng?” Su Cen forced himself to focus. He didn’t believe that after all this time of peaceful coexistence, Wen Xiu would suddenly realize the cause of Wen Shu’s death at this critical moment. Someone must have told him something to incite him against Li Shi.
Seeing Wen Xiu remain silent, Su Cen knew he had guessed correctly and said angrily: “You believe his words? He was originally the Prince’s mortal enemy—he’d definitely try every means to put the Prince to death. Besides, what benefit would Miss Wen’s death bring the Prince? If she were alive, the marriage alliance between the Prince and the Wen family would be even closer. How could the Prince possibly cut off his own retreat by killing Miss Wen?”
“Right, Uncle couldn’t possibly harm Sister Wen,” Zheng Yang also said.
“Whether it’s true or false, I have my own verification,” Wen Xiu said sideways. “He just found my sister an obstacle to his affairs. With Xiao Shu dead, he could… could engage in those illicit acts with you!”
“The Prince isn’t that kind of person,” hearing Wen Xiu say this, Su Cen’s heart suddenly felt relieved. “Prime Minister Wen has known the Prince much longer than I have. You must understand the Prince’s character better than I do. As long as Miss Wen was alive, the Prince would never do anything to wrong her.”
Just like when he was to marry Miss Wang—though he knew he could never entrust such feelings to another person again, as long as they were married, he would definitely bury his feelings for Li Shi deep in his heart and never reveal them again. With that responsibility on his shoulders, as a husband he would fulfill a husband’s duties. If not for that incident at the last moment, he probably would never mention anything related to Li Shi for the rest of his life.
Su Cen spoke righteously: “The Prince has lived an upright life, a gentleman’s promise, keeping his word. I think this is also why the former emperor chose to entrust the orphaned emperor to the Prince. Even though it wasn’t his empire, since he agreed, he would do everything to protect it. He gave up the supreme position above all others—how could he harm his own wife for mere physical pleasure? Moreover, has the Prince treated the Wen family poorly all these years? Without the Prince, could the Wen family really have preserved this century-old foundation? It’s still unclear whether it’s the Prince supporting the Wen family or the Wen family supporting the Prince!”
“Shut up!” Wen Xiu stood up and slammed the table. “In any case, until my sister’s matter is clarified, I won’t help him. Someone come, see the guests out.”
When the servants came to escort them out, Su Cen gritted his teeth, flicked his sleeve, and left angrily.
After the people had completely left, someone slowly walked out from the inner room—silver-haired but still in good spirits. He looked in the direction Su Cen had left for a long while and sighed: “What a formidable tongue.”
Wen Xiu stepped forward to support him, also sighing: “Indeed, I almost couldn’t continue.”
##
![Flying Dust [Fei Chen]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9k.png "Flying Dust [Fei Chen]")
