Chapter 1292: Step by Step Closing In

Just then, the video mirror glowed, and everyone in the room was startled, realizing the court was connecting.

Sang Hong subtly glanced outside, not seeing Zu An, and let out a silent sigh. Zu An had promised to return, and he had clung to an unrealistic hope. A moment's thought would have revealed that it would take at least half a year for anyone to travel from Yunzhong Commandery to the demon territories and back.

He composed himself, ensuring no one noticed anything amiss. Then, he solemnly walked to the video mirror and manipulated the runes. Soon, a ripple spread across its surface, and the image of the Golden Imperial Hall appeared within.

Inside, two rows of ministers stood, clad in either python robes or purple attire. Although the room was filled with influential figures from various factions in Yunzhong Commandery, their ranks were considerably lower than those of the capital's high-ranking officials. Many had never even had the opportunity to witness an imperial court session in person.

Even through the video mirror, one could sense the vibrant qi and commanding presence of the court's most powerful figures.

However, these individuals were not the focus. All eyes were drawn to the yellow-robed man on the dragon throne at the head of the hall. He was like a blazing sun; even the most brilliant officials were but stars whose light was completely eclipsed the moment the sun appeared.

“Greetings, Your Majesty, may you live for ten thousand years!” The officials in the room dared not look directly at the Emperor. Trembling, they instinctively knelt and prostrated themselves.

Sang Hong couldn't help but feel a touch of superiority. These individuals had been incredibly arrogant lately, yet they all appeared so pathetic in the Emperor's presence.

Yet, he knew he couldn't blame them; his own reaction had been quite similar the first time he had an audience with the Emperor.

“Rise, all ministers!” The Emperor remained silent, but a reedy voice called out instead. Upon seeing the eunuch's attire, those well-informed instantly recognized his identity.

It was Eunuch Wen, the Emperor's trusted confidant and an immensely powerful figure.

Sang Hong, meanwhile, discreetly observed and noticed that many officials on screen belonged to Prince Qi's faction. His heart immediately tightened.

Zu An's actions in Yunzhong Commandery had completely ruined Prince Qi's long-standing plans. It would be a miracle if Prince Qi's faction were to let him go unpunished.

However, even though these were clearly actions taken on behalf of the Emperor, His Majesty surprisingly chose not to protect Zu An, instead convening this sort of trial. It seemed Zu An had already been abandoned as a pawn.

Based on Sang Hong's understanding of the Emperor, he knew this was His Majesty's usual tactic. The Emperor always cherished his reputation, willing to push any responsibility onto his subordinates as scapegoats, which was why ministers privately considered him cold and unfeeling.

Sang Hong hadn't expected the Emperor to abandon Zu An so quickly this time. He couldn't help but feel a surge of dissatisfaction and even resentment, but he dared not show it.

He specifically scanned the head of the court but did not see Yu Xuanzhong. As the Left Minister of the Department of State Affairs, Yu Xuanzhong was usually ranked highest among all officials.

It seemed that first, Yu Nan, the imperial son-in-law, was impeached and dismissed for a scandalous brawl in a brothel, tarnishing the royal family's reputation. Now, with the Yu Yanluo incident, Yu Xuanzhong's position was clearly precarious.

The only thing that brought him comfort was the Crown Princess's unprecedented appearance in court; it seemed she intended to protect Zu An.

These days, Zu An had grown into a major general for the Eastern Palace, and the Crown Princess naturally couldn't give him up so easily. Furthermore, he had heard that Zu An was highly esteemed by the Crown Princess, having even saved both the Crown Prince and Crown Princess in the National Academy's secret realm. In comparison, the Crown Princess seemed far more principled and compassionate than the Emperor.

Even though he had always been a staunch royalist, upon seeing the Crown Princess's graceful and charming demeanor, he couldn't help but lament that pairing her with the Crown Prince was akin to placing a beautiful flower on a pile of manure.

At that moment, the Emperor spoke: “How is the disaster relief work progressing at the mines?”

The officials in the room felt a chill. The Yu family mines were no longer mentioned, indicating the Emperor's determination to completely uproot the Yu family.

Some officials had previously been hesitant, worried that the Yu family might resurface.

After all, the Yu family was a prominent aristocratic clan. Yu Xuanzhong held the high position of Left Minister of the Department of State Affairs, his son Yu Nan was an Assistant Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and his son-in-law Lian Yu was a Director of the Imperial Secretariat. Furthermore, the Yu family had marital ties with other top noble clans like the Pei and Jiang families.

The matter of Yu Yanluo having demon blood was, after all, a personal one. If the authorities chose not to pursue it further, another elder from the Yu family could easily be appointed as clan head.

Moreover, Yu Yanluo enjoyed a high reputation; it was even rumored that the Emperor himself had once been captivated by her.

Consequently, there was considerable speculation during this period that the Yu Yanluo incident might be handled leniently.

However, with the Emperor's understated remark, the shrewd individuals present quickly grasped the underlying meaning, and each began to plot how to carve up the Yu family's vast assets.

Xu Yu hastily replied, “These days, we have kept Your Majesty's teachings firmly in mind…”

Knowing the Emperor valued his reputation, Xu Yu spoke elaborately, reinforcing His Majesty's image as one who cared for his people as his own children.

Of course, he knew even better that the Emperor didn't genuinely care about the common people, but was more concerned with whether the mines could resume operation and continue supplying vast amounts of cultivation resources to the court.

So he subtly indicated approximately how much longer it would take to resume full production, leading the Emperor to nod repeatedly in approval.

Sang Hong couldn't help but marvel at Xu Yu's mastery of rhetoric. What was clearly a major disaster was portrayed by him as a completely destroyed mine that, thanks to his tireless efforts, could now be restored in a few years.

The Emperor asked a few more questions, all of which received satisfactory answers. Then Eunuch Wen stepped forward and shrilly announced, “If there are any matters to report, present them; otherwise, the court is dismissed.”

At that moment, an official stepped forward in court and declared, “I have a memorial to present. I have recently received numerous secret reports impeaching the Earl of Green Hat, Zu An, the Crown Prince's Household Manager, for secretly rescuing Yu Yanluo, colluding with the demon tribe, and betraying the court!”

Everyone in the room looked grim. The main event of the day had finally arrived.

Sang Hong recognized the official as Yi Chong, the Deputy Imperial Censor-in-Chief. Ordinarily, his subordinates would be responsible for impeaching officials, but for him, the head himself, to step forward, meant Xu Yu truly wielded significant influence.

“Lord Yi, that is incorrect!” At that moment, a young official stepped forward. “It is well known that after Lord Zu arrived in Yunzhong Commandery, he dedicated himself wholeheartedly, solving numerous major cases and restoring peace and order to the commandery, including a demon smuggling case. How, then, could he possibly collude with demons and betray the nation?”

“Who is this person?” The officials from Yunzhong Commandery whispered among themselves. They had initially marveled at how handsome this young man was, but his words then seemed to be a slap in the face to the entire officialdom of Yunzhong Commandery, naturally turning their impression sour.

Well-informed individuals recognized him: “This is Jiang Gui, Jiang Boyang's grandson, a renowned handsome man in the capital and the current Grand Master of the Crown Prince's Household. As an official of the Eastern Palace, he naturally speaks on behalf of Zu An.”

Sang Hong knew an even deeper layer: besides receiving instructions from the Crown Princess, Jiang Gui's mother was Yu Xuanzhong's youngest daughter. Therefore, for both public and private reasons, he would undoubtedly assist Zu An.

“Achievements are achievements, and faults are faults. Lord Zu indeed made significant contributions in Yunzhong Commandery, but it is also a fact that he later rescued the demoness Yu Yanluo. Furthermore, according to intelligence reports, Yu Yanluo has returned to the Snake Clan, accompanied by someone who, based on descriptions, strongly resembles Zu An,” another Duke, clad in a python robe and jade belt, stepped forward and declared. “Connecting these events, it's possible Lord Zu's suppression of demon smuggling in Yunzhong Commandery was merely an elaborate charade.”

Sang Hong's expression changed. This person's identity was extraordinary: Zhao Shu, the Duke of Jiyang County and Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary.

Crucially, his father was Prince Fufeng and Grand General Who Suppresses the West, Zhao Zang—who also happened to be the Emperor's uncle!

It seemed Prince Qi's faction had suffered heavy losses in Yunzhong Commandery this time, and its core members could no longer remain silent.

Under such circumstances, Sang Hong naturally couldn't stand idly by. He stated loudly, “Lord Zhao, that is incorrect. I am the imperial envoy for this mission, fully responsible for investigating demon smuggling. All officials in the imperial envoy delegation can serve as witnesses. If Lord Zhao claims all of this was merely an act, does that imply our entire imperial envoy delegation has collectively committed treason? Or are you suggesting His Majesty is poor at judging character?”

Cold sweat instantly trickled down Zhao Shu's back: “That is certainly not what I meant. Do not try to frame me.”

“Who, then, is truly framing whom?” Since the Crown Princess found it inconvenient to intervene personally, her elder brother Bi Ziang naturally came to his sister's aid. “The demon territories and Yunzhong Commandery are far apart; the fastest round trip would take at least half a year. Yet Lord Zhao claims that intelligence reports indicate Yu Yanluo has returned to the demon tribe, and based on vague, unsubstantiated descriptions, says Zu An is with her. May I ask where this intelligence originated?”

Zhao Shu's face flushed crimson: “This matter involves military secrets, so it is naturally inconvenient to disclose it publicly. If Young Master Bi is truly interested, he may accompany me to the Imperial Study to seek His Majesty's judgment.”

Sang Hong's heart lurched in surprise. Could it be that the empire truly had spies within the demon tribe?

Bi Ziang frowned, but his mind was quick. He immediately concluded that even if there were spies, such accurate information could never have been obtained in such a short time. So he stated loudly, “If there were indeed concrete evidence, why would such a grand assembly be convened today?”

Zhao Shu was momentarily speechless. The intelligence was indeed rather vague, making it impossible to definitively prove Zu An's guilt.

At that moment, Xu Yu spoke: “Information from a single spy is naturally not enough, but when combined with Zu An's mysterious disappearance after Yu Yanluo's escape, it raises many questions.”

He then turned to Sang Hong: “If I'm not mistaken, Lord Sang, you said at the time that Zu An's disappearance was due to his assisting in a secret mission for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, correct? Now, Commander Zhu Xie is here. Why don't we ask him if such a secret mission truly exists?”