Chapter 094: The Imperial Edict Is Invalid

Twenty years ago, the Xiao and Yan families were in-laws.

However, with the unfortunate death of a child under seven during Prince Pingnan’s siege of the capital, the fragile relationship connected by marriage easily shattered.

Xiao Yuan had held the position of Duke for over twenty years.

Back then, the old Duke had three legitimate sons, and the position of Duke was not originally his to inherit. But everyone in the capital knew he was lucky. The eldest legitimate son, who was supposed to be the heir, fell seriously ill and became mentally impaired. While the family was deciding who to appoint, Xiao Yuan met Yan Mu, the new Marquis Yongyi, through a fight that turned into friendship. He then married Yan Mu’s sister, Yan Min, easily reversing his disadvantage in the household. He gained a capable wife and the support of her family. Soon, the old Duke requested the title for him, and he became the heir. After the old Duke’s death, Xiao Yuan rightfully became the Duke.

Xiao Dingfei was his only legitimate son with Yan Min.

The child was intelligent and carried the blood of both the Xiao and Yan families. From birth, he attracted the attention of the entire capital and was appointed heir by the emperor at the age of five.

But Xiao Yuan did not like this child.

Especially after the siege by Prince Pingnan, he would become angry and even hostile whenever someone mentioned the child’s name.

Because Yan Min divorced him after the incident!

The Marquis Yongyi’s family had only recently gained their status through battlefield achievements, while the Duke’s family had been a prominent family for hundreds of years.

Before Xiao Yuan, no Duke had ever divorced his wife!

For a man, divorcing a wife was a disgrace, but being divorced was a great humiliation!

Women, with their limited understanding, couldn’t grasp the importance of political affairs.

Xiao Yuan wanted to keep his wife, but Yan Min had the support of her family, and the royal family felt guilty towards the Yan family. After persuasion from Empress Dowager Xiao, he finally wrote the divorce letter and separated from Yan Min.

Since then, the Xiao and Yan families had no contact.

Twenty years passed, and the Xiao family never set foot in the Marquis Yongyi’s residence.

Today was the first time in twenty years!

The soldiers in heavy armor, with swords in hand, followed him. The imperial edict, written by the emperor himself, was in his hand. All the grievances and anger he had endured were now being vented!

Xiao Yuan climbed the steps, his hair already gray. He wore a deep robe and high shoes, with a tall crown on his head. He stopped in the hall, his dangerous gaze sweeping over everyone present. He frowned when he saw Xie Wei still crowning Yan Lin, then looked at Yan Mu, who had already stood up.

Yan Mu’s face was dark and cold: “The Marquis Yongyi’s family has always been loyal and dutiful. What does the Duke mean by this?”

Xiao Yuan sneered, “Of course, it’s the emperor’s will! An hour ago, news came from Tongzhou that someone secretly incited a mutiny among the fifty thousand troops stationed there, claiming to seek justice for the Marquis Yongyi’s family! Yan Mu, during Prince Pingnan’s siege, both our families suffered greatly. Who would have thought you would secretly contact the rebels? The emperor, in his mercy, wanted to spare your family, but you dared to plot rebellion! Your time has come!”

A mutiny in the Tongzhou camp!

Everyone present was a court official.

When they heard Xiao Yuan mention a mutiny, they had their suspicions. Now, hearing the details, they felt a chill down their spines and turned to look at Yan Mu.

Yan Mu was stunned to hear about the mutiny, but when he heard “both our families suffered greatly,” his sorrow turned into boundless anger!

He slammed the table beside him!

The teacups on the table shattered on the ground!

Yan Mu glared at Xiao Yuan, his eyes bloodshot, and asked through gritted teeth, “How dare the Xiao family claim to have suffered greatly from Prince Pingnan’s siege?!”

The large hall was silent.

On one side was the arrival of the imperial edict, signaling the imminent downfall of the Marquis Yongyi’s family; on the other, the confrontation between the once-prominent Xiao and Yan families, tense and hostile!

Some of the companions who came today were already pale with fear.

Even Jiang Xuening felt as if someone was choking her neck—

Knowing was one thing, experiencing it was another.

The young man’s coming-of-age ceremony was inevitably tainted with blood, overshadowed by the impending doom of the family.

For a moment, Yan Lin wanted to stand up, to stand by his father’s side and face the cruel and unknown fate together. But Xie Wei, in front of him, simply reached out again.

The officiant had never seen such a scene.

Holding the lacquer tray, his legs went weak, almost kneeling.

Xie Wei extended his hand, but no one handed him anything for a while. He lifted his eyelids and said softly, “Hairpin.”

The hall was silent, everyone tense, fearing something would happen. Xie Wei’s calm voice startled everyone. Some even twitched their eyebrows, and the soldiers gripping their swords almost drew them, but then they saw it was Xie Wei.

The officiant didn’t react.

Until Xie Wei frowned slightly and repeated, “Hairpin.”

The jade crown for binding the hair was paired with a set of wooden hairpins. One had been inserted on the left side, but the other side was still empty.

Who would have thought that with a sword hanging over his neck, he would still be concerned about completing the crowning ceremony?

The officiant finally realized and handed the wooden hairpin to Xie Wei, almost in a daze.

Xie Wei didn’t look at anyone else, holding the wooden hairpin and inserting it into the jade crown.

Duke Xiao Yuan’s gaze also fell on him, his already furrowed brow tightening further. He knew that this Master Xie was a close aide to the emperor, from the prestigious Xie family of Jinling, a highly capable person. But his calm demeanor in the face of such a crisis showed he didn’t regard anyone present.

Xiao Yuan couldn’t be bothered to argue with these people.

To him, the Marquis Yongyi’s family were as good as dead, so he waved his hand and coldly ordered, “Enough talk. All those attending the banquet today, do not move. Arrest all the Yan family’s followers!”

“Yes!”

The soldiers behind him obeyed and moved forward.

Unexpectedly, a voice suddenly asked, “According to the laws of the Daqian Dynasty, an imperial edict must be read aloud by the recipient. Since the Duke has brought the edict, why hasn’t it been read before arresting people?”

Xiao Yuan was taken aback.

According to the law, this was true, but could he be accused of forging an imperial edict?

His eyes turned cold.

He looked towards the voice and saw a tall, thin young man standing at the back of the crowd, wearing a dark blue robe, not in formal attire. He couldn’t tell his rank but guessed it wasn’t high. The man’s face was cold and indifferent, unfamiliar to him. He coldly asked, “Who are you?”

The man had his hands in his wide sleeves, standing calmly, not nervous at all. He said, “I am Zhang Zhe, a clerk in the Ministry of Justice.”

Zhang Zhe.

Hearing the name, Xiao Yuan remembered the troublesome former censor who had caused quite a stir in the court recently. His eyelid twitched.

The imperial edict was in Xiao Yuan’s hand.

With everyone watching, he couldn’t refuse to read the edict publicly, even if he felt embarrassed.

Reading the edict would only take a moment.

Xiao Yuan hadn’t thought much about it, sneering as he thanked Zhang Zhe for the reminder. He unfolded the edict and began to read, “By the emperor’s command…” The content was as he had stated earlier: a mutiny in the Tongzhou camp, collusion with Prince Pingnan’s rebels, and the order for Duke Xiao Yuan to lead the imperial guards to confiscate the Marquis Yongyi’s residence and arrest everyone.

After the final “By imperial decree,” Xiao Yuan abruptly closed the edict and said darkly, “Now that the edict has been read, you should believe it. Even if I had the courage, how could I forge an imperial edict? Men—”

“Duke, the Marquis Yongyi has not yet received the edict.”

Zhang Zhe, watching from the side, saw him about to order the arrests and calmly added.

“……”

“……”

“……”

This time, not only was Duke Xiao Yuan stunned, but even the Marquis Yongyi, who had resigned himself to his fate, was taken aback, not understanding what this Master Zhang was trying to do.

Xie Wei raised an eyebrow at the mention of “Zhang Zhe.”

With the crowning ceremony complete, Yan Lin stood up and bowed to Xie Wei, then turned to look.

Xie Wei’s gaze remained quietly on Zhang Zhe, saying nothing.

Xiao Yuan was almost choked by Zhang Zhe’s words, his face turning red and green. He gritted his teeth and said, “Do you think I don’t know? Do I need your reminder?”

He then handed the edict forward, “Marquis Yongyi, come receive the edict!”

Yan Mu stepped forward to receive the edict, but seeing Zhang Zhe, he felt unfamiliar and wondered what this person was up to.

Xiao Yuan thought everything was settled and waved for the soldiers to arrest people again.

But before he could speak, his eyelid twitched!

He saw Zhang Zhe step towards Yan Mu, taking his hand out of his sleeve as if to examine the edict, but turned to Xiao Yuan and asked, “Duke, you said the news of the mutiny in the Tongzhou camp came an hour ago, and the emperor issued the edict to confiscate the Marquis’s residence?”

What is this person trying to do?

Xiao Yuan, already gripping his sword hilt, coldly replied, “Yes.”

Zhang Zhe said to Yan Mu, “May I see the edict?”

Xiao Yuan was furious, “A low-ranking official showing off, what are you trying to do!”

Yan Mu’s eyes turned, and he handed the edict over.

Zhang Zhe took it, his long fingers gently unfolding it, and said, “Duke, calm down. Confiscating a family and exterminating a clan is a serious crime. Even if it’s the emperor’s will, the decree must be stamped by the Secretariat before it can be issued. I heard yesterday that Lord Chu Xiyi of the Secretariat is ill. If the news of the mutiny came an hour ago, it would take time to summon Lord Chu to the palace, and then to issue the decree and come here. An hour might not be enough. Therefore…”

At this point, his gaze fell on the edict.

The secret he had heard from Gu Chunfang in his previous life was true—

The edict to confiscate the Marquis Yongyi’s residence was indeed written by Shen Lang, but at the time of the decree, it only bore the emperor’s seal, not the Secretariat’s. The edict in the case file later had both seals, reportedly added after half the Marquis’s family was killed.

The original Secretariat official, Lord Chu Xiyi, was dismissed, returned home ill, and died within six months from poverty and illness.

Only Gu Chunfang attended his funeral.

This was how he learned the story, estimating that Lord Chu Xiyi, once a high-ranking official, had fallen to such a fate.

Zhang Zhe’s gaze moved from the blank space where the Secretariat’s seal should have been to Xiao Yuan’s face, saying, “Duke, this edict cannot be executed or counted.”

Xiao Yuan, unable to bear it, drew his sword and pointed it at Zhang Zhe’s throat!

He was furious, “How dare you speak nonsense! The emperor’s decree, and you dare question it? I will execute you as a rebel today!”

Jiang Xuening never expected Zhang Zhe to stand up and say such things. She knew the laws of the Daqian Dynasty well, but didn’t know what had happened on this day in her previous life. Her heart pounded, almost leaping out of her throat!

Chen Ying had quietly distanced himself from Zhang Zhe as soon as he started speaking.

But Zhang Zhe remained calm.

He handed the edict back, his cold, indifferent face reflected in the gleaming sword blade, showing no emotion. He calmly said, “Duke, killing me doesn’t matter. The edict must be sent back to the palace and stamped by the Secretariat before it can be issued.”

The edict had been delivered, the soldiers had surrounded the residence, and this man said the emperor’s words didn’t count and had to be sent back for a stamp before confiscating the residence!

Unbelievable, unbelievable!

Xiao Yuan, in nearly fifty years, had never encountered such a bizarre situation. He was so angry he almost exploded, smoke practically coming out of his ears, unable to form a complete sentence, his hand trembling, “You! You, you—”