Wei Xin Seeks the Empress's Protection

By the time Di Qingyu returned to Yaohua Hall, dusk had fallen, and a bank of cirrus clouds burned across the horizon.

Di Qingyu had barely sat down in the hall when word reached her.

"Master, His Majesty summoned Wei Ning for a private audience." This was Wei Ning's first time entering the palace since he had been caned after submitting his resignation for the third time.

Hearing this, Di Qingyu, who had picked up a cup of tea to soothe her throat, remained unruffled, as though she had already expected it.

"Don't contact Wei Xin for the time being. Imperial Father has already begun investigating the Wei Family. The Du Family will be next."

"Yes." Chunzhi nodded, then frowned. "Master, should we have our people spread word about Du Yutao?"

Di Qingyu lowered her head and took a small sip of tea. Calm and unhurried, she had already seen the whole situation clearly. "There's no need. People are watching both openly and from the shadows. We've already made three moves on the board; all we have to do is wait for the others to get involved."

The Zhu Family, for instance, would probably make an issue of Du Yutao's attempt to assassinate her and Zhu Wuyang. The people's resentment toward the Du Family would only grow more uncontrollable. That would make it worthwhile for her to have personally handed out porridge before the people a few days ago, deliberately refraining from volunteering her identity while still earning a good reputation and winning their hearts, all for this move today.

Wei Ning did not know that she had arranged the attack on the Wei Family. He would only assume that the Du Family had struck first. No matter how much the emperor suspected him, he would know nothing when questioned, leaving no opening.

As for the empress's faction, they would find a way to seize on other evidence against the Du Family and deal the empress dowager's faction a heavy blow.

Chunzhi nodded. "Yes."

In Fengyi Palace.

"Were these two incidents truly not Di Qingyu's doing?" the empress demanded of Wei Xin from the seat of honor.

Hearing this, Wei Xin was so frightened that she hurriedly knelt on the floor.

"Your Majesty, I would not dare deceive you. If the Sixth Princess had such an ability, why would she have needed to wager her own life to frame Du Yutao? That was a force capable of breaking a bridge outright. If she possessed it, she could easily have claimed credit before His Majesty. She could not possibly have taken such a risk for the Ning Family."

After a pause, Wei Xin added, "As for the method of releasing papers from a kite, I visited the Sixth Princess just yesterday. She is still weak and recuperating, and she even asked me whether my father had arranged it."

The empress half-closed her phoenix eyes and drew a deep breath as she pondered. After a moment of silent thought, she spoke.

"Does your father truly no longer have any evidence of what happened back then?"

Now that Du Chengji's affairs had been exposed, the people had surrounded him and were denouncing him. They were convinced that the strange phenomenon from the heavens that day was a warning about Du Chengji's deeds, and that he had to be removed to appease Heaven's wrath and safeguard the people of the royal city.

Once there was evidence, the Du Family would be in danger.

"In answer to Your Majesty, he truly has none. Otherwise, my father would not have sat waiting for death, with no choice but to send me into the palace for protection." Wei Xin's brows were tightly furrowed as she tried to prove her claim.

"..."

Seeing this, the empress rested her gaze on her, her eyes unreadable. With no evidence concerning the Wei Family's affairs, they truly were a hot potato. If Du Chengji did not fall from power, he would take revenge on them.

Even if Wei Xin could serve as a piece she had planted at Di Qingyu's side, the loss would outweigh the gain.

Just as the empress hesitated one last time over whether to lend the Du Family a hand, Wei Xin seemed to sense that she intended to abandon her. She hurriedly raised her head, her expression agitated, and spoke.

"That's right, Your Majesty. When I visited the Sixth Princess, she said the empress dowager had visited her yesterday. Not only did she bring a great quantity of tonics, she also offered to execute Du Yutao as an apology to her. The Sixth Princess said her body was weak, and taking such potent tonics would harm her foundation. The empress dowager had no good intentions at all!"

"Why do you think the empress dowager is in such a hurry to execute Du Yutao? Clearly, there really is something wrong with the Du Family, and it is not just what happened back then. I fear other matters are involved as well. The Wei Family is isolated and weak now, with no means to protect ourselves. I only ask that Your Majesty investigate the Du Family's affairs. If the Du Family falls, the position of minister of punishments will be vacant. Once my father takes the post, would the Second Prince not gain another adviser?"

Every word Wei Xin spoke was earnest and intensely loyal, yet a trace of greed showed in her eyes.

The empress gave a cold laugh. "Heh, you are greedy. Not only do you want me to protect your Wei Family, you even dare covet the position of minister of punishments."

Wei Xin lowered her head. "I would not dare. It is only that my father has served as vice minister of punishments for seven years. If the empress dowager had not obstructed him, how could he have remained beneath others for so long?"

"..." The empress narrowed her eyes. As she listened, her gaze grew much clearer, and she made a decision.

"Enough. Get up." Her tone had softened considerably.

"I have already had the Duke of Anguo investigate the Du Family's affairs. Even if nothing comes of it in the end, your father is entirely innocent, so he will not fall prey to Du Chengji's schemes. With the Second Prince and me here, your Wei Family can remain safe and sound." These words clearly meant that she intended to take the Wei Family formally under her wing.

Wei Xin looked up in surprise, then nodded and rose, her expression excited.

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty!"