Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 212

“Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, greet you. Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor for ten thousand years!”

Prince An bows deeply, showing great humility. Even though Emperor Liang Ping always tells him not to stand on ceremony, he still does so each time. This gesture, in turn, makes Emperor Liang Ping feel more comfortable, especially since the two have once been rivals, each sabotaging the other. Seeing his younger brother, who had once appeared docile but was actually full of pride in front of him, now acting so humble, Emperor Liang Ping is pleased and invites him to every imperial banquet.

“There’s no need for such formality, Fourth Brother. Sit down,” Emperor Liang Ping waves, signaling for the servants to bring tea.

As soon as Prince An sits down, he stands again and salutes. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Liang Ping speaks, “It’s been a while since we last gathered during the Mid-Autumn Festival. I wonder if my fourth brother is doing well?”

Prince An is suddenly concerned and he perfectly shows his gratitude, replying, “Thank you, Your Majesty. My health is well. How is the Emperor’s health?”

Ha ha, I have the palace doctors to take care of me, so I’m naturally fine. If you’re ever unwell, Fourth Brother, just send a message, and I’ll have Doctor Liu come to your residence to examine you. I remember when you were sick before, it was Doctor Liu who treated you…” Emperor Liang Ping casually inserts a jab, subtly reminding him of the difference between the winner and the loser.

Prince An smiles and nods occasionally, showing his agreement. When he notices his older brother rambling on, he grows a bit impatient. Seizing an opportunity, he asks, “May I ask, Your Majesty, why have you called for me today?”

As soon as he finishes speaking, Emperor Liang Ping’s expression changes. He slightly furrows his brows, looking somewhat troubled.

“Fourth Brother, the reason I’ve called you here today is because someone has filed a complaint against you, and they wish to confront you in person.”

A number of speculations immediately surge in Prince An’s mind. He has been staying in the royal residence and hardly goes outside. Who could he have possibly offended? Could it be that someone is using his name to bully others?

At this thought, Prince An immediately says, “I am willing to face that person. If I have been too lenient with my subordinates and allowed them to make mistakes, I am willing to apologize. May I ask who the aggrieved party is, and where they are now?”

“Let them in,” Emperor Liang Ping orders.

Prince An looks toward the rear, and as the footsteps draw closer, the first thing that catches his eye is a young man with a cold expression. The man stands tall and graceful, his beauty unmatched. With just one glance, it reminds him of that person from years ago—equally handsome, but always wearing a gentle smile, like the warm sun in early March.

“Shijie…” He instinctively calls out, then suddenly realizes that Pei Shijie has already passed away. The person before him must be his eldest son, Pei Che.

“Fourth Brother, the one who has filed a complaint against you is Pei Che. He is the heir to the Duke of Zhongguo’s estate. Over the years, you’ve only attended family banquets and not state banquets, so you probably don’t know him?” Emperor Liang Ping says.

Prince An sighs. “In recent years, my health has been poor, and I rarely go out. I still remember him as a child. I didn’t realize so many years have passed already.”

After saying that, he then raises his eyes to look at Pei Che. “My dear nephew, you look so much like your father. In the past, I was closest to your father when we studied together. What a pity…”

Pei Che coldly stares at him. This man has caused his father’s death, yet here he is, pretending to be nostalgic in front of him.

“I wonder why you’ve come to file a complaint against me today. If my subordinates have done something wrong, I will not shield them,” Prince An says, noticing that Pei Che doesn’t respond, and decides to shift the conversation to the matter at hand.

“Your Highness Prince An, do you remember how my father was killed all those years ago?” Pei Che faces Prince An, bows, and then asks.

Prince An sighs, showing some sorrow on his face. “Ah, of course, I remember. When the news came back to Liangjing, I couldn’t believe it at first. I never imagined Shijie would be taken from us by an accident. It is truly regrettable.”

“What if I tell you it isn’t an accident?”

“What?!” Prince An suddenly stands up, his expression full of anger. “Could it be that Shijie was murdered?”

“Yes, my parents are wrongfully killed. Fortunately, heaven shows mercy and leaves a clue, allowing me to uncover the truth.”

Prince An speaks with relief, “That’s great. At least their spirits can be comforted.” But then he feels something is wrong.

“Just now, my royal brother says you want to confront me. Could it be that you suspect I harmed your father? Ridiculous! Who doesn’t know that your father and I were close friends? How could I harm him? Nephew, you mustn’t listen to others’ instigation!” Prince An says with great anguish, as if he would tear his heart out and show it to Pei Che if he could.

Jiang Miao watches his performance with cold eyes, his heart unmoved. While others might not notice, he sees clearly—when he first hears that Pei Che’s father hasn’t died by accident, Prince An’s face shows nothing but a display of anger, with no trace of surprise. If he had truly been unaware, it would be hard to convince anyone.

“It’s because you and my father were close friends that no one has ever suspected you. Don’t think that your actions are unknown to everyone. There’s one universal truth in this world: If you want something to remain a secret, you must first refrain from doing it,” Pei Che stares directly into his eyes, as if trying to peer into the depths of his soul.

Prince An’s pupils dilate sharply, but he quickly regains his composure, forcing a stiff smile at the corner of his lips. “Nephew, you truly have a sense of humor. I have never done such things, so why would I fear that others would find out?”

“Is that so? Then, does Prince An still remember someone named Cheng Kaihua?”

“Cheng Kaihua?” Prince An mutters the name, then shows a look of sudden realization. “I remember he was once the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, but wasn’t he dismissed and sent back to his hometown for incompetence by my royal brother? What does this person have to do with this case?”

Pei Che replies, “Prince An, perhaps you leave out some details. Cheng Kaihua married a daughter from the Wu family. By rights, you should address him as your ‘uncle by marriage.’ Why, then, is Your Highness Prince An so unfamiliar when he mentions this person?”

“I don’t have much contact with my relatives of the Wu family in the past, and I always address people based on their official titles. If everyone addresses people by relations in such a way, this court would become a family gathering place,” Prince An’s face darkens as he speaks coldly.

“You must understand, outside of laws and principles, there’s also human sentiment. In the court, one is a ruler and a subject, but off the court, we are family. If one disregards their own kin, would that not be heartless and ungrateful?”

“Utter nonsense!” Prince An retorts angrily. “When did I ever disregard my own kin? But you, why are you bringing Cheng Kaihua into this? What does he have to do with me?”

Jiang Miao and Emperor Liang Ping both watch the back-and-forth between the two of them. The conversation seems calm, but there is an underlying tension that makes it feel like watching a spectacle. As for Prince An, his threatening attitude reveals only three words: he is desperate.

Pei Che says, “Because he plays a crucial role in this case. One of the assassins sent to harm my father is the nephew of his second wife.”

“Heh, so what you’re saying is that anyone related to him could possibly be the one who gave the orders? If that’s the case, why don’t you dig through his family tree and investigate them one by one? By logic, I shouldn’t even be at the top of your list, should I?” Prince An sneers, speaking with a sarcastic tone.

“From my investigation, after his second wife’s nephew enters the palace, he is assigned to the Sixth Prince’s residence as a bodyguard.”

Prince An laughs. “That’s even stranger. He’s one of Sixth Brother’s subordinates, so how could he possibly follow my orders? It seems to me that you, Nephew, are simply grasping at straws in a desperate attempt to implicate me. Or perhaps some people dislike me and are using you to eliminate me?”

Upon hearing his insinuation, Emperor Liang Ping’s first reaction is not anger, but nostalgia.

This is the feeling! His fourth brother’s ability to make others take the fall for him is as sharp as ever. After seeing him act so meek and submissive for so long, he finds himself missing the cunning and devious streak his brother once had.

“Your Highness Prince An need not worry. You’re now keeping a low profile, so who would still be after you, trying to frame you?” Pei Che reminds him of his current situation as a prisoner, still holding the title of a prince, but essentially confined to a luxurious prison. What is he so afraid of now?

Prince An’s face darkens upon being reminded of his vulnerable position.

Pei Che continues, “Although that nephew of his is a bodyguard under the Sixth Prince, he’s not loyal to him. Secretly, he’s already allied with his uncle, and he’s been working for you, Prince An. Though his official position is as a bodyguard to the Sixth Prince, the orders he receives come from your mansion. You know my father has already made up his mind, so you grow discontent and send someone to follow him. Upon hearing that someone is trying to recruit him, you fear my father might waver, so you try to sow discord. But unexpectedly, the rain is too heavy that day, and the speed at which the trees fall is uncontrollable, pushing the carriage my parents are in off the cliff. It is you who causes their deaths!” Pei Che’s eyes are bloodshot, and the person who killed his parents is standing right before him. As a son, he cannot immediately take revenge, and this feeling is unbearable.

Prince An listens expressionlessly, remaining silent for a while before suddenly clapping slowly, “Haha, excellent! This story is well made up. Nephew, you should give up your post at the Ministry of Revenue and become a storyteller; it would suit you better. But rulings must be based on evidence. If you can simply fabricate a story to convict someone, then there’s no need for the imperial exams every three years to recruit talented people.”

“Who says there’s no evidence?” Pei Che laughs as well. “Prince An, you should know the details of the incident, right? So you should also know that their success came from bribing a monk in the temple. Although the monk was stabbed with a sword, he is fortunate enough to survive, and he’s been hanging on to life all these years. All we need to do is call him in and ask, and the truth will be clear.”

“Who knows where you found a wild monk to slander me? I’ve seen such tactics before.” Prince An dismisses him with disdain, though if one notices the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, they would realize that he is not entirely unconcerned.

“Then what about the silver notes from the Fourth Prince’s mansion? They can’t be fake, can they? We can take them to the silver merchant, and we’ll know exactly who they were given to!” Pei Che presses on relentlessly.

“Heh, my mansion is large, and there are countless accounts going in and out every year. If someone else steals the silver notes for their own purposes, what does that have to do with me?” Prince An says fearlessly.

“Your Highness Prince An, the only person still alive from that time isn’t just that monk. If one person’s testimony isn’t enough to be trusted, what about two? Especially when one of them knows many of the secrets of your mansion,” Pei Che says with firm confidence.

If Jiang Miao hasn’t remembered that the bones are still in their home, he might think that Zuo Shun has come back to life.

“Impossible! Zuo Shun is dead!” Prince An blurts out. He has been informed by his subordinates that Zuo Shun has been killed by a sword through the heart, and the body is personally buried by him. How can he still be alive?

Pei Che looks at him with a half-smile, “Prince An, I never mention the name Zuo Shun. Nor do I say that he was stabbed with a sword back then. Aren’t you confessing yourself?”