As the saying went, when a wall collapsed, everyone pushed it. On top of that, Wan Qixie and Zhang Jun had committed countless wrongs over the years and offended a great many people. Now that an opportunity had arisen, everyone swarmed in like sharks that had scented blood, quickly drowning out the two men's protests.
Feeling the fury of the crowd, Zhao Gou was alarmed, afraid that he himself might be implicated. He made a prompt decision and summoned guards right there in court to throw the two men into the Heavenly Prison.
The censorial system, the students of the Imperial Academy, and petitions from the common people all listed the pair's various crimes. Even Wan Qixie's hiring of assassins to murder his daughter-in-law was dragged into the open.
There was no longer any suspense regarding their fate. The only surprise was that the two men committed suicide in the Heavenly Prison out of fear of punishment. When Song Qingshu heard the news, he merely sneered. Clearly, someone in the palace did not want them alive, lest they reveal things they should not.
After Wan Qixie and Zhang Jun were dealt with, Yue Fei's rehabilitation followed naturally. The court soon proclaimed to the realm: "The late Yue Fei rose from the ranks and, in fewer than several years, attained the position of general and minister. He served his sovereign with loyalty, commanded his troops with discipline, never boasted of his merits, and his legacy endures even to this day. Last winter, the troops dispatched from Ezhou marched without disturbing the people, moving with discipline at every turn. Those along the roads all credited Yue Fei for this. Though Yue Fei died on account of his case, His Majesty has never forgotten him. We now respectfully carry out the imperial will: