A Willing Mistake, My Lady – Chapter 74
by Little PandaIn the Imperial Court
A War of Words
“The Shen family is the mainstay of our Great Qian. You, kneeling below—do you understand that falsely accusing a general to destabilize military morale is a capital offense?” The Emperor, whose natural presence on the dragon throne was always commanding even when not angry, now wore a distinct look of displeasure.
“Every word spoken by this lower official is absolutely true. I beg Your Majesty and Your Excellencies to examine this clearly.” Commander Feng did his best to keep his voice steady, refusing to let his trembling tone betray him. Now that the arrow was on the string, it had to be released; the only thing he could do was hold his ground and wait for those above him to pull him out of this.
Commander Feng’s letter was delivered into the hands of Lord Jiang. Shockingly, it was a secret letter leaking military intelligence to an enemy general.
“Your Majesty, this letter clearly outlines the time, location, and even the size of our forces. It is indeed a document that leaks confidential intelligence. However, Commander Feng, how can you prove that this letter was written by General Shen?” Although Vice-Minister Jiang appeared to maintain a neutral stance, he had just provided Commander Feng with the perfect opportunity to speak.
“This letter was handed to this lower official by the General himself. At the time, he merely instructed me to deliver it to the courier station, offering no further explanation. It was only when this lower official accidentally got the letter wet, and feared delaying military intelligence, that I was forced to transcribe a fresh copy to send out, keeping the General’s handwritten original in my possession.”
“What absolute nonsense from a lying rogue! If you knew there was something wrong with the letter, why did you send it out anyway?” Standing with his hands behind his back, Ye Huaiqing glared at the kneeling Commander Feng.
“At that time, this lower official believed the letter was intended for our reinforcements. Because of my trust in General Shen, I never harbored any suspicion. It was only when the reinforcements failed to arrive, and the enemy bypassed our traps to surround us instead, that I realized in hindsight how unusual the situation was.” For a military officer, Commander Feng’s speech was surprisingly coherent and articulate today.
“First, you cannot verify that this letter indeed came from General Shen’s own hand. Second, what led you to believe that this letter was intended for an enemy general?” Ye Huaiqing steadied his mind. This debate would likely be a long, drawn-out affair; he could not afford to be impatient.
“At first, this lower official didn’t know to whom the letter was addressed. However, I later learned by chance that the Eagle Eye Private Seal on this correspondence was the personal mark of Xiao Qiye. Only then did I understand that General Shen had indeed leaked military intelligence. After he went missing, this lower official harbored many doubts and dared not make the matter public. Now, General Shen has taken a wife and settled into a peaceful life, but this lower official dreams of our unjustly slain brothers every single night, unable to sleep!” Commander Feng wept bitter tears, his voice cracking with a sorrow that seemed incredibly authentic. Whispers immediately rippled through the grand hall.
Shen Hetang knitted her brows slightly. Her gaze toward Commander Feng was as sharp and disgusted as if she were looking at a rat in a sewer. Hearing him speak so smoothly only fueled her resentment; if these conspirators hadn’t deliberately sabotaged them behind the scenes, why would they have had to endure such a grueling struggle, sacrificing so many soldiers for nothing?
She had actually given a brief report of this matter to the Emperor when she first returned to the capital. At the time, however, the elder General Shen was on the verge of death, leaving her with no time to root out spies. Now that she had only just reestablished contact with those forces, someone had already grown impatient.
“Commander Feng is likely unaware that Xiao Qiye isn’t an enemy general at all,” Shen Hetang countered. “He’s merely a nephew of the King of Liao. He’s always been an insignificant figure with absolutely no standing in their military. Furthermore, the eagle eye is a standard insignia utilized across the entire Liao army. Commander Feng’s story seems to be riddled with holes.”
“But General Shen, you clearly know Xiao Qiye. No matter what his status is within the Liao State, he’s still a member of their royal family. Moreover, you’ve only just returned to the capital, so you probably don’t know that the King of Liao is gravely ill, and his younger brother, Prince Xiao, is highly likely to inherit the throne. When that happens, Xiao Qiye will be far from an insignificant figure. General Shen, do you dare swear to His Majesty that you have no personal relationship with Xiao Qiye?” Commander Feng pressed aggressively, staring intently at Shen Hetang.
At this point, the atmosphere in the court grew tense, and the Emperor turned his gaze onto Shen Hetang.
“Commander Feng’s words are completely unreasonable,” Ye Huaiqing spoke up first. “As the commander of the Shen Family Army, General Shen must naturally understand the details of our enemies. How does gathering intelligence on the enemy equate to having a personal relationship with them?”
“Lord Ye, you are close friends with General Shen. You should recuse yourself from this matter to avoid suspicion. I am questioning General Shen; whether he knows him or not must come from his own mouth,” Commander Feng said relentlessly, as if he had finally caught Shen Hetang in a trap.
“May Your Majesty discern the truth. This subordinate indeed had a single chance encounter with Xiao Qiye. He once disguised himself as a merchant at the border to purchase salt, tea, and other goods. This subordinate happened to travel along the same path as him for two days, only learning later that he was a citizen of Liao. However, this subordinate’s pledge of allegiance when leading troops in battle was the severed head of the enemy’s great general. To suggest that I would collude with the enemy’s royal family is equivalent to saying I was actively seeking my own death. Therefore, your claims are entirely groundless.”
“The matters of the court are ever-changing. For the sake of immense power, they might not care about a defeated general who fell by General Shen’s hand. Your Majesty, this matter is of grave consequence. It is still best to have the Censorate and Dali Temple conduct a thorough investigation. Although this old man also believes in the integrity of the Shen family and General Shen, anything involving a hostile nation is no small matter. I hope Your Majesty will prioritize the overall situation.” Lord Li, the Right Prime Minister1, spoke slowly from the side.
Seeing this official step forward, Shen Hetang exchanged a look with Ye Huaiqing, a clear understanding forming in her mind. Her lips curled into a faint, disdainful smirk as she watched the actors perform their show. This Lord Li was the father-in-law of the First Prince; the two of them were grasshoppers tied to the same string.
The First Prince was not born of the Empress, but of Noble Consort2 Shu. The reason the Emperor had delayed appointing a Crown Prince was that the legitimate son of the middle palace was too young, currently under ten years of age. Furthermore, the Emperor’s offspring were sparse; even counting every last one, there were not even five children in total.
The First Prince, born to Noble Consort Shu, was twenty-three years old. The Second Prince, born to Imperial Concubine3 Ning, was eighteen. The Third Prince, born to the Empress, was only nine. In addition, there was a little princess, roughly three and a half years old, born to the Emperor’s recent favorite, Beauty4 Hu.
With only these few princes—excluding those who didn’t survive infancy, of course—there was also her cousin, who was essentially a wildcard. She didn’t know why the Emperor hadn’t yet officially recognized him and brought him into the light. Did these people suspect something? Why did they seem so unable to sit still the moment they saw him head to the border and acquire actual authority?
However, since the Emperor was currently in his prime, he likely had no intention of appointing a Crown Prince so early. The First Prince was probably terrified that if things dragged on, the legitimate son of the middle palace would grow up, so he had started to trip up these few potential threats.
Shen Hetang was not particularly panicked. Although the empire seemed peaceful for now, everyone was merely building up their strength. If she were removed from her post, where could the Emperor find another commander in the short term who could command the absolute obedience of the Shen Family Army’s two hundred thousand soldiers? Even though the military force had been dispersed, with some units reassigned and others sent to work agricultural colonies, their loyalty remained firmly with the Shen family. Replacing the chief general would fail to win the troops’ respect, which would only lead to disaster.
From her current perspective, she was still quite useful to the Emperor, and she hadn’t yet reached the point of evoking his suspicion. It was a perfect balance.
“Your Majesty, this concerns the vital affairs of the state. It is better to err on the side of caution than to let a threat escape. While we naturally believe in General Shen’s character, we beg Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate this matter and restore General Shen’s spotless name!” Lord Jiang, the Vice-Minister of War, chimed in once more, his expression righteous and unyielding.
At this, the officials below began to discuss the matter in low voices, whispering and exchanging murmurs.
Naturally, there were some officials who spoke up on General Shen’s behalf. However, since Shen Hetang had only recently returned to the capital, she had not yet established her own circle of allies. Most of the court was simply waiting to see which way the wind blew; those who did speak for her did so only half-heartedly, lacking the fierce determination of the faction demanding her imprisonment.
Her cousin had single-handedly taken on the entire room. By now, even his palms were slick with sweat, and he cast an anxious, silent glance toward the Emperor.
The Emperor was caught in a difficult position. Now that allegations had been raised, failing to address them would never silence these officials. Yet, if he ordered an investigation into the young General Shen, he feared alienating him and creating a rift between them. It was truly a delicate dilemma!
Furthermore, if he indeed had a prior acquaintance with a member of the Liao royal family, it would actually be for the best to clarify the matter once and for all.
“Are you all clear on the penalty for falsely accusing a general? If the investigation proves that General Shen was wrongly accused, Commander Feng shall be executed immediately for destabilizing the foundations of Great Qian. As for the Right Prime Minister and Vice-Minister Jiang, are you two willing to be demoted by two ranks as an apology?” Having developed a severe headache, the Emperor proposed this compromise to maintain a semblance of impartiality.
Cold sweat beaded on the foreheads of both the Right Prime Minister and Vice-Minister Jiang. However, having already come this far, they could only steel themselves and press forward, firmly insisting that General Shen and the accuser, Commander Feng, be detained together for interrogation.
In the end, as if left with no other choice, the Emperor ordered both of them to be detained in Dali Temple.
“Your humble servant is completely innocent and naturally has nothing to fear from a thorough investigation. You two lords had best keep a tight grip on your official hats for these next couple of days, lest they be replaced very soon!” Shen Hetang said with a hollow smile, staring down the two officials without a trace of fear.
The imperial guards who stepped forward to take her into custody merely followed behind her as a formality. Unlike their treatment of Commander Feng, they didn’t dare hold their blades to her neck.
For three generations, the Shen family had been the God of War for Great Qian. Although the elder Generals of the Shen family were no longer with them, the family remained an object of profound reverence. The guards were merely putting on a show with their weapons behind her; none of them actually dared to point a blade at the young General.
After the imperial court adjourned, Ye Huaiqing was kept behind in the palace. It was unclear what the Emperor spoke with him about.
Meanwhile, Hua Rong had been waiting outside in a state of high anxiety. Seeing Shen Hetang being led away, any lingering hope in his heart completely died, and his palms grew cold. To be saddled with a general for a son-in-law, only to receive none of the benefits while facing the very real threat of political ruin—what a mess!
Nevertheless, he still made his way to the Shen Manor to deliver the news to Jiang Chenyu, so that she could prepare herself.
“What did you say? Ah Tang has been imprisoned by the Emperor? How could that be?” Jiang Chenyu had found it rather strange when she first heard that Hua Rong had come to see her.
“Someone accused him of colluding with the enemy and leaking military secrets. The Emperor has already detained both of them in Dali Temple to await a thorough investigation,” Hua Rong briefly explained the situation.
“That’s impossible! Ah Tang would never do such a thing! Then… then… what should we do now?” Jiang Chenyu’s face turned pale with fright, her fingers turning ice-cold. For the first time in her life, she felt completely helpless and lost.
“You don’t need to panic too much either. For now, the most important thing is to find evidence proving he had nothing to do with this. But as a young woman, there’s very little you can do about a matter like this anyway. Just focus on taking care of the household first!” Hua Rong said, feeling somewhat helpless himself.
“Yes, your daughter will look after the manor first.” Squeezing her fingers to force herself to calm down, Jiang Chenyu replied in a low voice. Now that Ah Tang was not at home, she could not afford to panic.
“Also, you must prepare yourself for any outcome. If your husband truly meets with disaster, you should at least secure an escape route for yourself,” Hua Rong advised before his departure.
“Yes, yes…” Jiang Chenyu gave a half-hearted response. What escape route did she need? She had no other path.
Hua Rong had met with Jiang Chenyu in private, so the rest of the Shen Manor remained unaware of the situation. She didn’t know whether she should break the news to Madam Shen, and was temporarily left in a state of anxious confusion, unsure of her next step.
After some consideration, she decided it was best to head to the Marquis Manor first to see the Heir’s Wife.
Tonight, many were destined to have a fitful sleep.
However, even worse news arrived the following day. Commander Feng, the man who had accused General Shen the day before, had been shot dead with a single arrow in his cell. With his death, the finger of suspicion pointed squarely at General Shen once more…!
Footnotes
- One of the highest civil official ranks in the imperial court, leading the administrative cabinet.
- One of the highest ranks for imperial consorts in the inner palace, second only to the Empress.
- A mid-ranking imperial consort rank in the inner palace.
- A lower-ranking imperial consort title in the inner palace.
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