Vermilion pavilions, elegant rooms, winding gardens, and long corridors. In the gentle breeze, it was picturesque.
Within the study of the Liang Estate's third courtyard, there were several folding screens and a few ancient bookshelves, dividing the entire room into several different spaces. The main hall was spacious and elegant, and when one occasionally caught a glimpse of the other entrances hidden by the folding screens, it gave off a feeling of winding paths leading to seclusion.
Wu Sansi was dressed in Yan Ju's attire, with a silk belt around his waist. He did not wear a headscarf on his head, only a Xiao Yao cloth. He stood beside the antique shelf, using a cotton handkerchief, he leisurely wiped an exquisite porcelain bottle.
The vase had a long neck and was as thin as a cicada's wing. When it was lightly tapped, it produced a pleasant sound. It was clearly an excellent collector's item. Next to him stood the Minister of Honor, Song Zhixun. From time to time, he would make a few comments, earning a pleased smile from Wu Sansi.
At this time, the sound of boots approached from afar. The housekeeper quietly appeared at the door. Wu Sansi carefully placed the vase back on the shelf and turned to look at him. The housekeeper bowed and said: "Your Highness, the wife of Yang Fan's Left Minister of the Imperial Guards, Lady Xie, requests an audience with Your Highness!"
"Yang Fan's wife?"
Wu Sansi's brows furrowed slightly. With his hands clasped behind his back, he paced a few steps in the hall and stood still. Shaking his head, he said: "Just say that this Prince has a minor illness and will not see any guests."
"Yes!"
The housekeeper acknowledged and turned to leave. Song Zhixun's eyes flashed. He lowered his head to think for a moment before following behind Wu Sansi. Cupping his hands, he said: "Your Highness, Yang Fan's wife must be here to beg Your Highness to save her husband!"
Wu Sansi frowned slightly. Throwing the handkerchief on the small green jade table, he said in a deep voice: "This Prince knows! It is precisely because this Prince knows that I cannot see her. This is a major case of rebellion. The Emperor is very concerned. Is this water something that can be waded into casually? "
As Wu Sansi's trusted aide, Song Zhixun was one of the few people who knew that Yang Fan had once offered the Turkic spy, Ye An, to Wu Sansi. It was precisely because of Ye An that Wu Sansi was able to overthrow Wu Chengsi and become the most prominent representative of the Wu Clan. Therefore, Yang Fan had contributed greatly to him.
However, Song Zhixun naturally couldn't directly say this matter and cause Wu Sansi's face to turn ugly. Thus, he could only tactfully say, "Your Highness has always favored Yang Fan. Now that Yang Fan is in trouble, Your Highness is indifferent. If this were to spread out, it would not be good for Your Highness's reputation."
It wasn't that Wu Sansi hadn't considered the fact that Yang Fan had given Ye An as a greeting gift to him. However, he really didn't want to be implicated in the crime of treason. On second thought, this matter was only known to a few trusted aides. Even if they didn't act, it wouldn't affect his reputation. Thus, he still shook his head and didn't say anything.
Song Zhixun smiled slightly and said, "This lowly official knows what Your Highness is worried about. In truth, Your Highness doesn't need to worry about this. Your Highness still needs to help with this matter. Even if it isn't to help Yang Fan, it is to help Your Highness yourself. "
"Oh?"
Wu Sansi was slightly moved. He said, "This Prince knows that you are intelligent and resourceful. How is it to help this Prince? Tell me."
Song Zhixun said, "If Your Highness doesn't want to be involved in this matter, then when you meet Lai Junchen, Your Highness doesn't need to say it so clearly. You only need to use words to point him out and let him know that Your Highness is very concerned about Yang Fan's matter. Then he will have to act with some caution. In the future, if Yang Fan's innocence is proven, then it will be Your Highness's contribution. If Yang Fan can't be cleared of the crime, Your Highness can be considered to be a loyal and righteous person and won't let others talk behind his back.
But this point isn't considered important. The most important thing is that the Prime Ministers, with the exception of Li Zhaode, are now all dead. A large number of officials from the Six Ministries and below have also been arrested. Lai Junchen is like a mad dog that randomly bites people. All the civil and military officials in the Imperial Court are in a state of panic. This is a good opportunity for Your Highness to recruit people.
Yan Zhaowang is using a thousand gold to buy a horse's bone. Can't Your Highness save Yang Fan? If Your Highness makes a slight gesture, regardless of whether or not you can save Yang Fan, as long as you make this gesture, to those officials who are in a hurry to find a big tree to shelter them from the wind and rain, you will be a wise ruler that they can pledge their loyalty to! "
Wu Sansi came to his senses and lightly nodded his head.
Song Zhixun said, "Your Highness should go to the Censorate. Not only should you go, you should go with great fanfare. Let everyone know that Your Highness has been to the Censorate. When you go to the Censorate, Your Highness doesn't need to directly say anything about protecting Yang Fan. Lai Junchen is an intelligent person. With a little nudge, he will naturally understand. In this way, if Yang Fan is safe, it will be Your Highness's merit. If something happens to Yang Fan, what does it have to do with Your Highness? "
Wu Sansi chuckled and relaxed his brows. He said, "I understand. Pick it up heavily and put it down gently! Hmm, not bad. Should I call someone to chase after Yang Fan's wife and tell her? "
Song Zhixun said, "That won't be necessary. Your Highness's action is for the world to see. So what if Madam Xie doesn't know? If Yang Fan can be released from prison and knows that Your Highness has been there, he will owe Your Highness a favor. If he is doomed, what use is this favor? "
Wu Sansi laughed loudly and pointed at Song Zhixun. He said, "You, you, you really are a devil!"
Wu Sansi turned around with a face full of smiles. He shouted outside, "Guards, help this Prince change clothes! Prepare the ceremonial guards of a prince. This Prince wants to go to the Censorate! "
…
The continuous rain disturbed one's thoughts. Listening to the pitter-patter of water, it made one want to sleep. Princess Taiping had worked hard for Yang Fan's matter for the past two days and was really tired. Therefore, after her afternoon nap, she woke up at this time.
Inside the boudoir, it was elegant, elegant, and magnificent. The dressing table, the small table, the silk curtain, and the embroidered pillow were all exquisite and beautiful. There was an incense burner on the table, which was burning with calming incense. Princess Taiping got up. She was wearing a fine silk nightgown. Her beautiful feet were bare as she stepped on the soft snow white carpet. She leisurely walked to the dressing table and sat down.
Her gown tightened and she bent her body to sit down. Her slender waist bent, revealing her round buttocks. Her posture was graceful.
A woman with a lazy expression and a charming appearance appeared in the bronze mirror. Her spring clothes were loose, her fragrant shoulders were exposed, and the tender and tall breasts on her chest formed a deep and seductive ravine. Her plump and smooth skin complemented her alluring curves, and she revealed a mature and elegant charm.
Hearing the sound, two personal maids came in and combed her long hair, preparing to tie it up with a hairpin.
Her beautiful face in the mirror gently opened her cherry lips and said, "What news?"
One of the maids answered, "The Censorate sent news that Xue Huaiyi went there and made a scene …"
The little lass was very eloquent. She vividly recounted the incident of Xue Huai Yi causing a ruckus in the Council from beginning to end, as if she was there at the scene. She said it word for word, as if she knew all the details like the back of her hand.
Princess Taiping smiled, revealing a smile that could turn all living things upside down in the mirror, "Alright, with Monk Xue's disturbance, he will at least be safe for the time being. Well, give him the rest of the title deed and add another 100 mu. Tell him that he is diligent, so I am very happy. Tell him to continue to look after it. I will reward him in the future! "
"Yes!"
The maid answered and tied up her long black hair. Princess Taiping sat still and thought for a while before asking, "Has Xu Yougong returned to the capital?"
The maid said, "Xu Yougong came back in the morning. He sent someone to tell me that he went to hand over the case and then came to pay a visit."
Princess Taiping bit her tender and beautiful red lips, and snorted softly from her nose.
Xu Yougong was now the Imperial Censor of the Imperial Envoy Station and was Lai Junchen's subordinate. However, this prosecutor, who was a few ranks lower than Lai Junchen, had the ability to challenge Lai Junchen.
Princess Taiping urgently asked him to return to the capital because she needed him for something important. This person was strongly recommended and recommended by her, so he was indebted to her. If Taiping had something to entrust to him, as long as it did not violate the national law, he would definitely agree to it.
Although he had received Taiping's great kindness, he was not the kind of person who would blindly follow Taiping's orders, who would listen to his advice, who would boast that he was under Taiping's tutelage. Taiping told him to put down the case on that side and immediately return to the capital, but in the end he waited until the case on that side was closed before he returned.
For him to come back so quickly, it seemed that he had sped up the speed of the case. However, the first thing he did after returning to the capital was to hand over the case, which inevitably made Taiping unhappy. It was just that this person's temperament was like this. Public affairs were public affairs and private affairs were private affairs. Public affairs must be placed before private affairs. Taiping already knew his character. Since he did not cause any delay, then it was fine.
Although Taiping's heart was in love with Yang Fan, she was an extremely calm person. This kind of temperament was somewhat similar to the young Wu Zetian. The more critical the moment, the calmer and more frightening she became.
When Yang Fan was imprisoned, she was not in a hurry to save him, nor was she in a panic. As soon as she heard that it was a crime of rebellion and that the Emperor already knew about it, she knew that if she could not get past the Emperor, no matter who it was, they would not be able to save Yang Fan.
Therefore, the first thing Princess Taiping did was to spare no expense to save Yang Fan's life.
Money makes the devil turn millstones! What were the people who gathered around Lai Junchen for? Wasn't it for profit? She could not ask them to betray because they did not have enough bargaining chips to make them betray. As long as there was enough money, this kind of person could be easily killed.
The second thing Taiping did was to obtain the crime of Yang Fan's rebellion.
She wanted to know if Yang Fan had really participated in the rebellion. She wanted to know what evidence Lai Junchen had. She wanted to know what crimes were laid out for Yang Fan. What was tied to Yang Fan's body was not shackles or ropes. Instead, it was a list of crimes that would put him to death. She already knew all of this.
Next, it was time to clear Yang Fan's name. This was the most troublesome step. She had to act carefully and plan carefully. If she failed at the last step, then that little enemy would not be able to come out alive.
Taiping gazed at that tender and charming face in the mirror. Just as she was pondering quietly, the steward of the Princess fu, Zhou Min, tiptoed in. When she came near her, she said in a low voice, "Princess, the Left Minister of the Imperial Guards, Yang Fan's first wife, Madam Xie, requests an audience."
"Huh?"
Taiping came to her senses. When she heard the word 'first wife', she felt very uncomfortable. Xie Xiaoman didn't need to think to know why she wanted to see her. Princess Taiping's jade-like face turned cold. She said coldly, "I won't see her!"
Zhou Min agreed. When she was about to leave, Taiping suddenly called out to her. After thinking for a moment, the charming face in the mirror revealed a trace of slyness and pride.
Princess Taiping said lightly, "Tell her that there is no need to go around asking for help. It's not that I don't want to help. In fact, Yang Fan's case is irrefutable. No one can save him. Tell her to make arrangements for Yang Fan's funeral. "
…
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