Yan Guanqing’s cold interrogation immediately left Empress Jiang speechless.
The Yan family’s status was special, not to mention Yan Guanqing was her son’s teacher. With this web of connections, even as the Empress, she had to give him some deference.
Besides, in this matter… she was not in the right.
Empress Jiang was about to explain, but how could Xie Yuantang possibly give her the chance?
She played up her nine-year-old childlike nature, skipping over and tugging on Yan Guanqing’s sleeve. “Uncle, Uncle~”
Yan Guanqing, who was in the heat of his anger, was startled to see the Little Fire Chicken run up to him and couldn’t help but pause.
Faced with that small, scar-covered yet still innocent face, Yan Guanqing couldn’t help but soften. Even his voice was much lower than before. “What is it?”
“Uncle, come with me!”
Xie Yuantang’s small hand, which was pulling on Yan Guanqing’s sleeve, tugged slightly. Yan Guanqing glanced down at the little hand. He was actually a bit of a neat freak, but at this moment, his heart was moved. He subconsciously followed her, standing up and walking over to Si Tu Yan.
Si Tu Yan was still kneeling there. No one had told him to rise, so he didn’t.
Xie Yuantang pulled him up and blinked at him. “Husband, roll up your sleeves.”
The matter of the steamed bun was just the beginning. She had never intended to argue with the Empress today about whether Si Tu Yan was right or wrong to steal the bun. What she wanted was to present the evidence of Si Tu Yan’s injuries before the Emperor.
To force the Emperor to deal with Du Wei!
Hearing Xie Yuantang tell him to roll up his sleeves, Si Tu Yan obediently nodded, rolling them up to reveal several bruises on his arm.
“This…”
Yan Guanqing’s expression suddenly darkened.
The three of them were huddled together, which piqued the Emperor’s curiosity. He simply walked over to join them. Just as he approached, he saw the bruises on Si Tu Yan’s arm, and his steps faltered to a halt.
“There’s more, there’s more~”
Xie Yuantang lifted the fringe of hair falling across Si Tu Yan’s forehead, her short, small fingers pointing to the purple bruise on his temple.
“Uncle, look here, and Father Emperor, look here too…”
“He has them on his legs too!”
“These vile servants! How utterly audacious!”
The Emperor’s face had turned completely black.
Yan Guanqing’s brow also furrowed, his cold, gloomy gaze sweeping over Empress Jiang with an unreadable meaning.
Empress Jiang glared viciously at Xie Yuantang, wishing she could tear that mouth of hers right off!
She was clearly just a discarded pawn, so why did she have so much to say!
Didn’t Xie Zhaoqing say he had fed her the Dumbness Drug?
Could it be that he had fed her a fake, shoddy product!
“Heh.”
A sudden sneer rang out. Yan Guanqing’s expression was cold, but the words he spoke were venomous.
“The people under Her Majesty the Empress’s command are truly one of a kind. Not even the Emperor would treat the princes this way. Is a mere eunuch trying to put himself on par with the Emperor?”
Empress Jiang’s face changed, and she immediately knelt. “Your Majesty, this consort… this consort truly knew nothing of this matter. This consort has been wronged…”
The Emperor gave her a cold glance, but this time, he did not tell her to rise.
Yan Guanqing paid no mind to whether the Empress was kneeling or sitting. For the first time, he let his gaze linger on his nephew for a long while.
“Who made you kneel?”
“Do they often hit you?”
“Do you remember the names of those eunuchs?”
Three consecutive questions, no longer dwelling on whether Si Tu Yan was at fault to begin with, but only cementing the fact that Si Tu Yan was being bullied!
It transformed Si Tu Yan from an uneducated, foolish simpleton into a pitiful child with no one to dote on him!
Xie Yuantang felt like applauding him. He was worthy of being the Grand Tutor!
Such bearing, such wisdom, such eloquence!
Uncle was truly amazing!
“Yes, Yan’er, you tell me. Which vile servant did this?” the Emperor asked in a cold voice, suppressing his rage.
Si Tu Yan was bewildered by the questions and subconsciously looked at Xie Yuantang.
In fact, the Emperor was also looking at Xie Yuantang. After all, his son was a simpleton, and from her series of actions since the beginning, it was clear that this little girl was the one in charge between the two of them.
Xie Yuantang’s mind raced. At least for now, both the Emperor and the Grand Tutor were willing to stand up for Si Tu Yan.
That being the case, she couldn’t answer on Si Tu Yan’s behalf anymore. She had to let Si Tu Yan speak for himself. After all, no matter what, she was just an outsider. The only one who could truly soften the Emperor’s heart was his own son, Si Tu Yan.
Having made up her mind, Xie Yuantang turned to Si Tu Yan with a sweet smile, shook her little fist, and encouraged him in a soft, glutinous voice:
“Don’t be afraid, husband. Just tell them what happened this morning. Father Emperor and Uncle aren’t like those eunuchs. They won’t call you a fool, they won’t drag you by the arm, they won’t kick your shins, and they certainly won’t slap your face…”
Empress Jiang: “…”
How could this brat be so glib at such a young age?
You might as well tell them about every time he coughed or stumbled!
The Emperor nodded. “Yan’er, speak freely.”
Si Tu Yan clutched the already cold, dirty steamed bun. Under Xie Yuantang’s expectant and affirming gaze, he nodded heavily.
His wife had already said so much and must be tired. He had to help too.
Si Tu Yan began to speak haltingly, “This morning, my tummy rumbled… I ran to the kitchen, they hit my head with a rolling pin…”
He pointed to his head, frowning as he recalled with some difficulty, “I snatched the steamed bun… I’m useless. I snatched two, but I dropped one…”
His Peach Blossom Eyes blinked, calm, without a trace of sadness or grievance. He just hugged the dirty steamed bun tighter. “They called me a fool, called my wife a Little Bean Sprout. Du Wei made me kneel, Xiao Shunzi hit my face, Xiao Li Zi kicked me…”
“My wife wouldn’t let me kneel. My wife fought with Du Wei. I helped my wife fight…”
In the silent hall, only Si Tu Yan’s stuttering voice could be heard.
The Emperor listened and watched, his heart aching terribly.
He had always thought Si Tu Yan was being cared for, that it wouldn’t matter if he remained a simpleton for his entire life. He never imagined that these people were abusing his son right under his nose!
Looking at those fear-filled Peach Blossom Eyes, Situ Qing momentarily saw the shadow of another person in him.
“Guards!”
Situ Qing was enraged, roaring in a cold voice, “Go to the Prince’s residence and bring those vile servants here!”
Yan Guanqing swept a hand over his official robes and knelt. “Your Majesty promised my father in his early years that you would treat Yan’er well. If you cannot do so, this subject will take him back to the Yan family.”
Situ Qing’s breath caught in his throat. He said in a deep voice, “Rest assured, my dear subject. I will certainly give you a proper account of this matter.”
“Your Majesty…”
Empress Jiang’s face turned pale. She raised a hand to wipe away non-existent tears and choked out, “This consort truly did not know that Du Wei was so audacious as to make Yan’er suffer such grievances. Please punish this consort, Your Majesty.”
Situ Qing glanced at her and said in a low voice, “The Empress may rise for now. I will be the judge of this matter.”
Before long, Du Wei and the others were brought over, bound hand and foot.
Without even looking at them, Situ Qing gave the order without a second thought, “Guards! Drag these vile servants into the courtyard for me. Give them Two hundred heavy strikes first, and we’ll talk after!”