Fu Nanli pinched that thin slip of paper, his fingertips turning slightly white from the force.
There were only a few words on the paper, yet they made his heart race.
Xue Manman stood by his side, her voice soft and carrying just the right amount of worry. "Your Highness, this matter is of great importance. If we do not have absolute certainty... After all, Duke Dingguo holds high prestige in the military. If something were to..."
"If something were to?" Fu Nanli let out a cold laugh, his self-satisfaction and arrogance written plainly on his face.
"With this note, we have Ironclad Evidence! It even bears the personal seal of Duke Dingguo; he cannot deny it!"
He carefully tucked the note away as if it were a peerless treasure. "This king wants to see, once the Dingguo Mansion falls, what that bitch Xue Tingxue will use to act arrogant in front of me!"
After speaking, Fu Nanli strode out, his voice filled with impatient excitement. "Prepare the carriage! This king must enter the Palace immediately to see the Emperor!"
Xue Manman watched his retreating figure and slowly walked to the window. The night outside was deep, and the softness and worry on her face vanished in an instant, leaving only ice-cold calculation.
Fu Nanli, go ahead and cause a scene. The bigger the scene, the safer I will be.
..
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, a world-shaking piece of news emerged from the Palace, spreading like it had wings through every street and alley of the Capital City.
Duke Dingguo, Xue Yuan, was suspected of privately mobilizing a large quantity of Military Equipment with malicious intent. The Emperor was furious and ordered him to be confined to his mansion, commanding a Trial by the Three Judicial Offices to thoroughly investigate the matter!
In an instant, the court and the public were in shock.
In front of the Dingguo Mansion, the usual bustling scene had vanished, replaced by squads of Imperial Guards in armor and holding weapons, surrounding the entire mansion until it was Impenetrable, with an atmosphere of killing intent everywhere.
The servants inside were all anxious and uneasy, walking only on tiptoes for fear of making even the slightest Sound.
Bi Tao carried the morning meal and ran into Xue Tingxue's courtyard in a panic, her small face deathly pale. "Miss! It is bad! It is really bad!"
She placed the food container on the table and said through tears, "The Palace has issued an Edict to confine the Master! There are many Imperial Guards outside who have surrounded our mansion!" She looked anxious. "They even said... they said the Master is to be taken to the Heavenly Prison to be interrogated!"
Upon hearing this, Xue Tingxue paused in her sword-sheathing motion. Before she could respond, another young maid ran in, out of breath, and said, "I just went to the front courtyard to inquire. I heard from the gatekeeper, Brother Wang, that during the Morning Court today, Marquis Zhongyong took the lead to Impeach the Master. Many lords followed suit, saying terrible things, insisting that the Emperor must throw the Master into prison!"
Xue Tingxue listened calmly to the two maids' tearful complaints. The panic on her face was gone; she simply gave a light "Mm."
"Go, prepare tea for me. I want Longjing tea picked before the rains."
Bi Tao stamped her feet in anxiety. "Miss! The situation is critical, how can you still have the heart to Drink Tea!"
Xue Tingxue placed her sword back on the rack, walked to the Stone Table, and sat down. She picked up a piece of Osmanthus Cake and ate it in a leisurely manner. "The sky has not fallen yet, what is there to be anxious about?"
She Raised her eyes to look at Bi Tao, her gaze as calm as a deep pool. "Let them make a scene. The stage is already set; we must let them finish their performance. The bigger the scene, the more worth watching it is."
Bi Tao looked at her Miss and could not say a word, wondering if her Miss was truly in control of the situation.
Throughout the entire day, the Dingguo Mansion was shrouded in gloom. Madam Xue was so anxious that she shed tears in her room, sending people to gather information, but they were all blocked by the Imperial Guards. Duke Dingguo locked himself in the Study Room and would see no one.
Only Xue Tingxue's courtyard remained as usual.
As Nightfall arrived, the urgent Sound of horse hooves approached from afar, breaking the Deathly Still of the Dingguo Mansion.
Xue Zhen rushed in, covered in dust, not even having time to remove his armor. He headed straight for Xue Tingxue's courtyard and kicked open the door.
"Tingxue!"
He saw Xue Tingxue sitting under the candlelight, leisurely sipping tea, with a Map spread out on the table. The anger he had suppressed the entire journey exploded instantly.
"What time is it! You still have the heart to Drink Tea and look at a Map here!"
Xue Zhen was like an enraged Lion, pacing back and forth in the room, his Fist clenching until it creaked. "I just rushed back from the Xishan Great Camp. Everyone in the city is watching our family's joke! They say our Dingguo Mansion is about to be finished! Father is under house arrest by the Emperor, and that old dog Marquis Zhongyong is twisting the truth at court. You, on the other hand, are acting like nothing happened!"
Xue Tingxue slowly set down her teacup, the Collision between the cup and the Tabletop making a crisp sound.
"Eldest Brother, sit."
"How can I sit!" Xue Zhen roared with bloodshot eyes.
"Sit down." Xue Tingxue's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable Power.
Xue Zhen was stunned by her. He stared blankly at his younger sister, as if seeing her for the first time. Finally, he took a deep breath, pulled out a chair, and sat down heavily.
Xue Tingxue poured him a cup of tea again and pushed it in front of him. "Father privately mobilized Military Equipment; is this true or false?"
"Of course it is false!" Xue Zhen slapped the Table, splashing Tea Water everywhere. "Do you not know Father's character? But that note of accusation bears Father's personal seal! We have no way to defend ourselves now!"
"Since it is false, then someone is framing him." Xue Tingxue's tone was calm, without a ripple. She pulled a piece of paper from her sleeve and pushed it toward Xue Zhen. "This is the handiwork of Xue Manman and Fu Nanli."
Xue Zhen was startled. He picked up the paper and found it densely packed with names. "What is this?"
"These are the people of Marquis Zhongyong's faction, and some..." Xue Tingxue's Fingertips pointed to an Inconspicuous spot on the Map, which was a pass on the Northern Border defense line. "These are the people involved with that batch of 'missing' Military Equipment from the Northern Border last year."
She Raised her eyes; under the candlelight, her eyes were terrifyingly dark. "Eldest Brother, they are attacking Father openly because they want to Overthrow our Dingguo Mansion. But this matter of the Military Equipment is aimed at you."
Xue Zhen shuddered and suddenly looked up. "Aimed at me?"
"Do not ask for now." Xue Tingxue interrupted him. "You must leave the city immediately and return to the Xishan Great Camp. Say that there is a change in the military and you must handle it personally. Then, take this list and investigate secretly."
She stood up, walked to Xue Zhen's side, and lowered her voice. "Investigate all the dealings of these people on the list, especially regarding money, within the last Half a year. Do not miss a single detail; investigate everything to the bottom for me."
Xue Zhen gripped the list tightly, the edges of the paper wrinkling under his touch. He looked at his sister; her eyes were ice-cold and Sharp, no longer the little girl who would only cry behind Fu Nanli.
Xue Tingxue's voice seemed to carry shards of ice, striking his heart with every word.
"If they want us dead, then we must open our eyes wide and see who will die first."
✦✦✦