"Wang Cheng, is everything this boy said in his memorial true?"
Wang Cheng had served the emperor for many years. Reading the imperial mind was what he did best.
But he knew even better that, in this matter, the emperor wanted facts, not guesses at his intentions.
And no personal eunuch of an emperor in those days earned his keep by doing nothing.
Wang Cheng was no exception.
As early as when Shen Duan began his impeachment and Feng Yan presented the screen, he had already sent men to investigate everything thoroughly.
"Your Majesty," Wang Cheng replied, his voice low but every word clear.
"This servant has had inquiries made. Not a single word in the boy's memorial is false.
Wei Nisheng is the grandson of Duke Wei Wenduan and the adopted heir of the late Wei Mingyuan.
His birth father is Wei Mingde, and his stepmother is Cui Shi.
His birth mother died in childbirth. He was raised in the Side Courtyard from infancy, neglected for ten years.
Everyone in the Wei Family treated him like a worn-out shoe.
Not until the early winter days at the beginning of this year did Lord Feng, pitying his lonely plight, invoke Duke Wenduan's last wishes to compel Wei Mingde to have him adopted as heir to the Eldest Branch.
But he was also expelled from the Wei Family's main lineage and has since undergone Lineage Separation to establish his own household.
Only this spring did he formally become Lord Feng's disciple." Having finished, Wang Cheng paused, then added,
"In short, he is a pitiful child."
Emperor Jing of Zhou fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Was this memorial written by Feng Yan on his behalf?"
Wang Cheng shook his head. "The child wrote this memorial in his own residence.
He