Chapter 32

When Linchuan’s entourage returned to the capital, a heavy rain battered the city. That vast curtain of rain nearly obscured every color in the world, and the horizon was so dark it seemed as if it might collapse.

After Xie Yunyuan—who had long been detained—was escorted out of the city, he couldn’t help but have his eyes well up when he saw the neatly arranged coffins just outside the city walls.

“By the emperor’s decree, although the Xiao family case remains unresolved, His Majesty’s benevolence permits the Xiao family’s adopted son, Xie Yunyuan, to escort the spirit back to the capital.”

Xie Yunyuan clenched his hand into a fist, his eyes filled with deep, inky darkness. After a long moment, he managed to stand by propping himself up and knelt: “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Yang Hong, serving as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, followed at a short distance. Noticing that Xie Yunyuan staggered slightly as he rose, Yang Hong stepped forward and offered his support. “It’s raining so heavily outside, and since Master Xie’s legs and feet are injured, wouldn’t it be more convenient to take a carriage into the city?”

Luo Yu replied coldly, “One whose duty is to escort the spirit—how could he possibly take a carriage?”

Yang Hong frowned, his lips moving as if to argue further, but his words were lost in the roar of the rain. Xie Yunyuan released his hand and said, “Thank you, Master Yang. With the funeral caskets of my father and brothers before me, how could I possibly ride in a carriage?”

Casting a quiet glance at Luo Yu, he turned and leaned on his long staff as he strode toward the coffins. The servants of the General’s Mansion glared furiously at him, their eyes blazing at the sight of his broken, injured legs and ashen face. “Sixth Young Master…”

“I’m fine.” Xie Yunyuan’s face was utterly devoid of color, yet his phoenix-like eyes shone black as thick ink.

Changing into his mourning attire and tying a white cloth around his head, he embraced the uninscribed spirit tablet and declared to those around him, “Pay no mind to these despicable individuals and do not let them disturb the path for our father and brothers’ homecoming. Escort the spirit into the capital!”

Their eyes reddening, the onlookers glared venomously at Luo Yu before they proceeded to lift the coffin.

“Raise the spirit!!”

Xie Yunyuan led the procession. Amidst the torrential rain, white joss paper was flung into the air, splattering onto the muddy ground in mere moments. The coffins, arranged in order behind him, steadily advanced through the downpour toward the capital.

Watching their departing silhouettes, Yang Hong couldn’t help but exclaim, “Commander Luo, why must you act so extremely?”

“I am merely following protocol,” replied Luo Yu.

“But Xie Yunyuan is injured after all…” Yang Hong protested.

Luo Yu cast him a cold look and retorted, “What, Master Yang? Do you pity a traitor?”

“This case hasn’t been fully investigated yet, and the Xiao family hasn’t even been convicted. You can’t simply convict someone of treason based solely on your word, can you?”

Yang Hong’s expression grew even colder. “I’ve heard that although some have accused General Xiao of fraternizing with the enemy, one of the accusers was an enemy general who General Xiao nearly beheaded, and the other was a deputy general who survived when everyone else died.”

“Don’t these two look like they’re being deliberately targeted? Perhaps they were bribed and set up to destroy the backbone of Great Jin.”

“Besides, you claim that General Xiao is a traitor, yet there isn’t even an official document accusing him of colluding with the enemy.”

“The members of the Xiao family have spent their whole lives in the capital; before being given any command, none of them had ever even set foot in Linchuan. They can’t simply, by sheer will, conspire with a suddenly emerging rebel force and the Southern Yue to disrupt the realm of Great Jin, can they?”

Luo Yu’s expression instantly darkened at these words. He knew this all too well—in recent times, he had been trying desperately to force Xie Yunyuan to speak up. But Xie Yunyuan was stubborn to the extreme; no matter what was done to him, he resolutely endured and refused to testify against Xiao Jin—even if it meant his death.

Yang Hong continued, “The Xiao family has protected Great Jin for a hundred years, holding military power without ever overstepping any bounds. How can one simply say that treason is treason when we still don’t know the true nature of these charges? Aren’t you afraid that, driven by your personal grudge, you’ll end up suffering a backlash for shaming the Xiao family?”

“I am conducting a strict investigation following the emperor’s decree!” Luo Yu retorted.

“But the emperor also ordered Xie Yunyuan to be released from prison to escort the deceased’s spirit back to the capital.”

Yang Hong smirked and added, “Today, the gates of the Xiao family are flung wide open; the emperor has even permitted General Xiao’s remains to be returned to the family.”

“Luo Yu, I know you have a personal grudge against Xie Yunyuan, but don’t take things too far with him. Look—Xie Yunyuan is being allowed out of prison today to escort the spirit. How can you be sure that the Xiao family will never have a chance to rebound?”

Yang Hong said in a serious tone, “After all, the Xiao family once helped the emperor ascend the throne, and Xiao Jin has shared many years of loyal service with him.”

“Now that not one male heir remains in the Xiao family, even if they really did rebel, without concrete evidence, what can be done? Perhaps the emperor, mindful of old ties—and with a few veteran ministers pleading on the Xiao family’s behalf—will show considerable leniency in this matter.”

“By then, to display His Majesty’s boundless grace, he might even lavish generous rewards to appease the Xiao family. If you drive the matter to such extremes now, you’ll cut off your future path.”

“Sure, Duke Yu holds an exalted status, and if you offend him, then so be it—but you…” Yang Hong glanced up and down at Luo Yu and couldn’t help but click his tongue, “You’d better think of your own future; don’t end up being treated as nothing more than a discarded pawn.”

Luo Yu’s face turned ashen from Yang Hong’s words as he watched Yang Hong climb into a carriage and depart. Even though he was convinced that the Xiao family would never recover, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of panic in his heart. Duke Yu had clearly warned him that the emperor would not tolerate the Xiao family and would severely punish them all. And yet, during the morning court session today, so many people suddenly pleaded on behalf of the Xiao family—even the emperor reversed his previous stance and permitted Xie Yunyuan to be released to escort the spirit.

Clearly, he is a traitor colluding with the enemy—and a decree for a thorough investigation has already been issued. If His Majesty truly intended to punish the Xiao family, how could he possibly agree to allow the remains of its members to be returned to the capital?

Could it be that His Majesty, as Yang Hong claims, actually intends to pardon the entire Xiao family in a demonstration of his boundless imperial grace—in an effort to win over the hearts of the people?

Then what are we to do?!

Luo Yu’s eyelids couldn’t help but twitch. He detested Xie Yunyuan and still bore a grudge against him for aiding Qi Sheng in humiliating him back then. During Xie Yunyuan’s interrogation, he spared no cruelty—mixing in personal vendettas to inflict ruthless punishments.

If the Xiao family were to truly fall into obscurity, that might be one matter, but if Xie Yunyuan gets a chance to rise, the Xiao family could be resurrected to its former prominence. Then, could Duke Yu still protect them?

At that time, if His Majesty has to appoint someone to appease the Xiao family, then what?

“Sir,” one of the men at Luo Yu’s side urgently interjected, “if we truly can’t find any evidence of treason within the Xiao family—and His Majesty ends up sparing them—what are we supposed to do? The people of the Xiao family won’t let us off the hook…”

“Who do you expect me to ask!” Luo Yu snapped, his previously self-satisfied expression now turning grim. “Xie Yunyuan is incredibly stubborn—no matter how much I torture him, he refuses to divulge a word. Without obtaining any of the Xiao family’s correspondence, what can I possibly do?!”

“If Xie Yunyuan won’t talk, can’t we get someone else?” another voice suggested.

Luo Yu glared sharply at him. The man lowered his voice and continued, “Anyway, all Duke Yu desires is a forged document. Who can tell whether it was written by Xie Yunyuan or by you? Besides, since it is a document evidencing collusion with the enemy, it could just as well have been written by Xiao Jin to someone else—or naturally, by a traitor addressed to the Xiao family.”

“I’ve heard that the Xiao family has a private seal of the family head one of their old matriarchs keeps; it used to be in Xiao Jin’s possession and was often used when he conducted his correspondence. You could easily forge a traitor’s letter, slip it into the Xiao family’s possession, and then seize that old woman’s private seal.”

“With both the Xiao family’s sealed correspondence and a document from a traitor, not to mention the involvement of Feng Kui and his men, the downfall of the Xiao family is all but certain!”