Inside Prince Yu's Estate, Fu Nanli paced back and forth, the fire in his heart still burning; even after eating the iced lotus seed soup served by Xue Manman, his heart remained scorching hot.
The moment he thought of how Xue Tingxue dared to send cloth to Prince Ning'an's Estate in front of the entire Capital City, he felt he had lost face, as if his dignity had been dragged on the ground and rubbed.
"Vixen! What a promiscuous vixen!" Fu Nanli smashed a teacup fiercely onto the ground, producing a loud sound.
Xue Manman hurriedly squatted down, and while dealing with the shards, she softly persuaded, "Your Highness, please cease your anger; it is not worth ruining your health over her."
As she tidied up the fragments, she said as if unintentionally, "Older sister must have been pushed to the edge. With disaster looming over the Dingguo Mansion, she is perhaps trying to grasp at the final straw."
Fu Nanli gave a cold laugh: "What kind of straw is that cripple Fu Tingyuan? In this king's eyes, she is just a mad woman!"
Just then, a follower ran in with quick steps, his face filled with irrepressible joy.
"Your Highness! Your Highness, great news!"
Fu Nanli snapped irritably, "What matter is worth you being so happy?"
The follower bowed and said, "Your Highness, news just arrived from the Dingguo Mansion; that Eldest Miss Xue... she, she has hired a theater troupe to perform in the estate!"
Fu Nanli was stunned.
Xue Manman also stopped her movements, looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"What did you say? Performing a play?"
"Yes! This servant went to see it with my own eyes. The area outside the Dingguo Mansion is packed, while inside, the gongs and drums are deafening, and they are performing the Longsheng Palace! I heard Eldest Miss Xue even rewarded the troupe with quite a lot of silver!"
Fu Nanli was stunned at first, then burst into earth-shattering laughter.
"Hahahaha! Good! Very good! This king thought she had some great ability, but it turns out she has just given up and gone mad!"
He paced two steps, the pride on his face impossible to hide.
"Her father is about to be charged, her home is about to be gone, and she still has the heart to listen to plays! What a good daughter Xue Yuan has raised!"
Xue Manman stood up, walked to Fu Nanli's side, a flash of cunning from a successful conspiracy in her eyes, and said in a seductive voice.
"Your Highness, it seems the Dingguo Mansion has truly reached its end this time. Since older sister has given up, we..."
She did not finish her sentence, but the meaning was self-evident.
Fu Nanli looked at her, and the admiration in his eyes grew a little more.
"You are right." He gripped Xue Manman's hand, "It is time to close the net. As for Marquis Zhongyong, this king will handle it. At tomorrow's Morning Court, I will ensure Xue Yuan never rises again!"
Xue Manman pretended to be gentle and nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Everything will be as Your Highness wishes."
In her lowered eyes, there was nothing but ruthless calculation.
Hmph! Xue Tingxue, aren't you capable? I want to see how you turn the tables this time!
The next day, Golden Palace Hall.
At the Morning Court, the air felt as if it were infused with poison; even taking breaths felt like it could cost one's life at any moment.
The civil and military officials stood in two rows, not daring to breathe loudly, acting cautiously.
Marquis Zhongyong quickly stepped out with the court records, bowing respectfully yet speaking with a ruthless, sharp tone.
"I report to Your Majesty! Duke Dingguo Xue Yuan privately mobilized military equipment, and the evidence is conclusive; this is the crime of treason! Now that he is confined to his home, not only does he show no remorse, but his daughter Xue Tingxue is even holding banquets in the estate, hiring troupes to perform, showing contempt for imperial grace, and acting with extreme arrogance!"
Marquis Zhongyong grew more spirited as he spoke, and several officials behind him immediately stepped out to echo his sentiments.
"Please, Your Majesty, issue an edict to throw Xue Yuan into the Heavenly Prison for strict interrogation!"
"The Dingguo Mansion is arrogant and indulgent; if not strictly punished, it will not be enough to appease the anger of the commoners, nor will it be enough to uphold the laws of the country!"
The Emperor on the Dragon Throne had a gloomy expression, his fingers tapping on the armrest of the Dragon Throne, saying nothing.
Fu Nanli stood among the princes, a smile of successful conspiracy between his brows.
He glanced at the Crown Prince and found him looking solemn, as if he wanted to plead for mercy but dared not speak, which made him feel even more satisfied.
The Father Emperor feared military generals holding too much power the most; Xue Yuan had hit the blade's edge this time.
Seeing the Emperor remain silent, Marquis Zhongyong added more fuel to the fire.
"Your Majesty! Xue Yuan has held military power for many years and has many followers; if not dealt with quickly, I fear a mutiny may occur! Your subject implores Your Majesty to immediately issue an edict to arrest Xue Yuan and confiscate the Dingguo Mansion!"
"We agree!"
"Please, Your Majesty, issue an edict!"
Inside the hall, voices of agreement rose one after another.
The Emperor's expression grew increasingly ugly, and just as he was about to speak, a commotion suddenly came from outside the hall.
"Who goes there! How dare you trespass into the Golden Palace Hall!"
"Stop her!"
Following the guards' shouts, a figure in Begonia Red burst through the palace gate, rushing in like a ball of Raging Fire.
The person who arrived was none other than Xue Tingxue.
She was wearing a Tunic today, her hair tied up high, and though she wore no makeup, she was so bright and beautiful that people dared not look directly at her.
She held a golden medallion high in her hand, ignoring the shocked gazes on both sides, and walked straight to the center of the great hall, kneeling on one knee.
The golden medallion made a crisp sound as it hit the ground.
"I report to Your Majesty! Your subject, Xue Tingxue, has a great injustice to report!"
The entire Golden Palace Hall fell into a deathly still.
Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene.
An unmarried woman actually dared to hold a golden medallion and break into the Golden Palace Hall?
The smile on Fu Nanli's face froze.
He stared at Xue Tingxue, never having imagined that this woman he thought had gone mad would appear here in such a way.
The Emperor narrowed his eyes, looking at Xue Tingxue below the hall. "You are Xue Yuan's daughter? Where did you get the golden medallion in your hand?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, this was bestowed by the Former Emperor; seeing this order is like seeing the Former Emperor, and it allows one to reach the ears of the heavens!"
Marquis Zhongyong was the first to react, pointing at Xue Tingxue and shouting sternly: "Audacious sorceress! Your father has committed the crime of treason, and you still dare to engage in Spreading Heretical Teachings to Deceive the Masses here! Guards, take her down for this marquis!"
"Who dares!" Xue Tingxue suddenly raised her head, her gaze like lightning, staring directly at Marquis Zhongyong.
"My father is loyal to the country; how can there be any talk of treason? It is Marquis Zhongyong who is so eager to convict my father—what is your motive?"
"You!" Marquis Zhongyong was choked with anger.
"Enough." The Emperor finally spoke, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger. "Xue Tingxue, you say you have an injustice; tell me about it. I want to see what kind of great injustice it is."
Xue Tingxue took an account book and several depositions from her sleeve and presented them with both hands.
"Your Majesty, please look!"
The head Eunuch hurriedly walked down, took the items, and presented them to the Emperor.
Xue Tingxue's voice was clear and bright, resounding throughout the great hall, and everyone was waiting for the new development.
"Your subject accuses Li De, an official of the Armament Department, Wang Song, and others of stealing from the stores they were meant to guard, substituting inferior goods for quality ones, withholding military equipment for the Northern Border, and treating human lives like grass!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire court was in an uproar.
Li De, the official of the Armament Department, was none other than Marquis Zhongyong's brother-in-law.
Li De himself was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed on the ground.
Marquis Zhongyong shouted angrily: "Utter nonsense! You are slandering us; in order to clear your father's name, you are willing to frame court officials!"
Xue Tingxue did not give him a straight look and continued: "My father, Duke Dingguo, did indeed privately mobilize a batch of military equipment. But it was not with any ill intent; it was to root out these worms in the military!"
She paused, her voice rising a little, every word and sentence striking with force.
"That batch of military equipment that Marquis Zhongyong used as 'evidence' had long been secretly swapped by my father! What was sent to the Front Line at the Northern Border were high-quality weapons purchased by the Dingguo Mansion out of its own pocket!"
"And what Prince Yu 'found,' which Marquis Zhongyong used to impeach my father, were precisely the inferior military equipment that had been cut with corners and were fragile, taken from the Armament Department's warehouse!"
She turned her head abruptly, her gaze piercing straight at Fu Nanli and Marquis Zhongyong.
"That batch of inferior military equipment is the Ironclad Evidence of their theft and their Colluding with the Enemy and Treason!"
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