Chapter 449 - 227: What a Loyal and Righteous Grand Tutor, Entrusted by the Late Emperor

Chapter 449: Chapter 227: What a Loyal and Righteous Grand Tutor, Entrusted by the Late Emperor

Song Yunzhao was never one to be ruled by her heart. Ever since she’d transmigrated into this world, she had faced the constant challenge of survival. Therefore, her first priority was always to place herself in the most advantageous position.

Only after she had secured her own footing could she spare the energy for anything else.

After entering the palace, her approach to Feng Yi was no different. With every step, she schemed to win his power, his men, and his heart.

She had never been a good person.

She just didn’t want to be cannon fodder.

She wasn’t a person with an abundance of goodwill. She always put herself before anyone else.

But in this very moment, meeting Feng Yi’s eyes, the conscience she kept buried deep inside her suddenly gave a sharp pang.

His gaze was so sincere, and the guilt it held was practically overflowing.

Song Yunzhao found it a little hard to bear. She abruptly lowered her head.

Watching Yun Zhao’s eyes redden as she avoided his gaze and lowered her head, Feng Yi’s guilt deepened. ’It’s because I, the Emperor, haven’t been firm enough. That’s why she always has to suffer.’

Summer nights were always lively. This was especially true at the traveling palace; walking along the paths, one’s ears were filled with the constant chirping of insects.

The clouds were heavy, hiding the moonlight.

Meng Jiuchang led the way with a palace lantern. He had thought His Majesty would stay with Song Zhaoyi tonight, but to his surprise, after coaxing her to sleep, the Emperor had left.

’And the Emperor still thinks Song Zhaoyi was wronged! My heavens, Song Zhaoyi was so fierce today. The offending palace maid nearly died from those fifty strikes of the plank, and she even stepped on the woman’s face to assert her authority. Does that sound like someone who would quietly suffer a grievance?’

’And yet the Emperor thinks Song Zhaoyi was bullied. I’m starting to forget what the word "bullied" even means.’

However, on second thought, Meng Jiuchang hadn’t expected the Qin Family to be so audacious, either. Nor had he imagined that someone with Qin Wan Yi’s seemingly gentle and kind disposition could do such a thing.

Although Chen Ran had taken the blame, everyone had their own suspicions about the truth of the matter.

Meng Jiuchang was a servant himself, so he naturally knew how people like them lived and worked.

’For a servant to try and right a perceived wrong for their master by framing a concubine... you’d have to be a complete idiot to do something like that.’

’Being a servant is hard enough. Who isn’t just focused on surviving day to day, trying to save up a bit of Silver? And if you could buy your freedom, that would be even better.’

’Who wouldn’t want to stand tall and proud in the sun?’

’And now, the Emperor had them all locked up. The imperial guards were probably interrogating them right now.’

’If that Chen Ran really confessed, the Qin Family behind him would be in grave danger.’

Feng Yi returned to the front hall but did not retire for the night. Instead, he summoned the Imperial Guard Leader for questioning. Meng Jiuchang stood guard outside the door. Seeing Xu Sixi sidle up to him, he lifted an eyelid. "What are you doing here?"

Xu Sixi was cursing up a storm in his head, but his face was all smiles. "Manager Meng, you’ve had a long day. I just thought I could help share your burden and see if there’s anything I can do. Why don’t I watch the door for you so you can get some rest?"

Xu Sixi used to be evenly matched with Zhang Maoquan, but ever since Zhang Maoquan successfully latched onto Song Zhaoyi, Xu Sixi had been left completely in the dust.

Xu Sixi couldn’t believe how useless the three concubines were. The three of them together couldn’t even take down a single Song Zhaoyi. He’d had a minor run-in with Song Zhaoyi before, so he didn’t dare get too close now. Besides, that bastard Zhang Maoquan would never give him the chance.

As a result, Xu Sixi’s status among the three of them had hit rock bottom. He had painstakingly waited for Zhang Maoquan to be transferred to serve Song Zhaoyi, thinking his opportunity had finally arrived. Who knew that Zhang Maoquan was rotten to the core? That man actually played both sides.

He had been completely boxed out, leaving him with no other choice. Since the three concubines weren’t pulling their weight, he had to swallow his pride and beg for favors himself.

Meng Jiuchang shot Xu Sixi a look. ’On any other day, I would have agreed,’ he thought. ’But not tonight.’

’Wasn’t he just fated to a life of toil?’

’So infuriating.’

This irritation soured Meng Jiuchang’s tone. He said sarcastically, "What a kind thought. It’s just that the Emperor himself ordered me to stand guard, so I daren’t slack off."

Facing Meng Jiuchang’s mocking expression, Xu Sixi’s own smile faltered. He gave an awkward laugh and turned to leave.

Inside the hall, the Imperial Guard Leader, Feng Shike, was making his report.

"In the 23rd year of Hongjia, Grand Tutor Qin accepted thirty thousand taels of silver from Prince Ji. He then told the late Emperor that the Crown Prince had an arrogant and impetuous temperament, which led to the Crown Prince being reprimanded and punished by the late Emperor."

"In Hongjia the 24th year, Grand Tutor Qin was impeached by the former Marquis Gaoyang for privately colluding with the Crown Prince. Grand Tutor Qin was demoted and exiled by the late Emperor, but three months later, he was summoned back to the capital. During that time, Duchess Qin gave Duchess Qi a golden Buddha cast from solid gold."

The former Marquis Gaoyang was the brother of the Highly Noble Princess Consort. He was later stripped of his title and sentenced to death by the late Emperor, and his family was exiled.

Duchess Qi was the sister-in-law of the late Emperor’s Empress Lin.

Empress Lin and the Highly Noble Princess Consort fought each other their entire lives. Consequently, the Marquis Gaoyang and Duke Qi also fought for a lifetime. Having been drawn into the whirlpool of the succession struggle, not a single one of them managed to escape unscathed.

"In the 26th year of Hongjia, Duchess Qin accepted silver notes worth twenty thousand taels from Madam Changning Bo. Grand Tutor Qin then secured the Third Prince’s release from the Imperial Ancestral Temple."

Madam Changning Bo was the mother of Consort Li, and the Third Prince was Consort Li’s son.

"In the 27th year of Hongjia, Qin Yuanjing beat a student from the Imperial College to death while drunk. It was Duke Qi who submitted a memorial to the throne claiming the student had provoked him first, and that Qin Yuanjing had killed him accidentally in a fit of rage. This smoothed the matter over."

The expression on Feng Yi’s face shifted continuously. He had once been an unfavored prince, living in a quiet, forgotten corner of the palace, unnoticed and ignored. He’d had no way of knowing about these things.

He never knew that the Grand Tutor he had once respected had secretly done so many things that violated both conscience and law.

He had always thought that although Grand Tutor Qin was overly arrogant, he still possessed the integrity of a true scholar. For that reason, he had always been more lenient with him than with others.

After speaking, Feng Shike handed over the item in his hands. "Your Majesty, this is a ledger your subordinate dug up from the backyard of Chen Ran’s residence. It is not the original, but a transcribed copy. It seems Chen Ran kept it for self-preservation."

Feng Yi casually flipped through a few pages, his expression growing ever colder.

"Does anyone else know about this?" Feng Yi finally asked after a long moment.

"Only I know. As soon as the ledger was unearthed, I secured it immediately," Feng Shike replied.

Feng Yi let out a cold laugh. "So this is the loyal, filial, benevolent, and righteous Grand Tutor to whom the late Emperor entrusted his heir!"

Feng Shike lowered his head and said nothing.

"Take this ledger to Grand Tutor Qin. Watch him read it from beginning to end," Feng Yi said in a low voice.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Feng Shike stepped forward, took the ledger, and bowed before retreating.

Feng Yi rose and stood by the window, gazing up at the night sky. A lonely crescent moon hung high above, just like him in that moment—fighting all alone.

’Grand Tutor Qin should understand my intentions,’ he thought. He was giving him one last chance, a final gesture to honor the years of counsel Grand Tutor Qin had provided.

’If he fails to appreciate this gesture, then he can’t blame me for being ruthless.’