Wei Wenda looked at the young woman before him.
In her clear, cold eyes, there was a hint of nervousness that she herself hadn't even noticed.
After a long silence.
Finally.
Wei Wenda slowly uttered four words.
"Colluding... with demons."
Hmm?
A hint of astonishment flashed in Jiang Yuechu's eyes.
"Colluding with demons?"
How could this be possible?
In her memory.
Jiang Xun was a person who was rigid, conservative, and even a bit pedantic.
His greatest hobbies were nothing more than tending flowers and plants, or reading books.
Would such a person collude with demons?
And how could he even manage to collude with demons?
"When I first saw the case file, I thought the same thing as you."
Wei Wenda sighed.
"May I ask, Duke Wei,"
Jiang Yuechu raised her eyes, her voice several degrees colder than before.
"Which demon was it?"
Wei Wenda gave a wry smile and did not answer directly.
He stood up, walked to the bookshelf, and turned an inconspicuous vase.
Click-clack—
A secret compartment opened.
He took out a roll of already yellowed case files and gently placed it on the desk.
"Sixteen years ago."
"On the Lantern Festival Night, ten thousand homes were lit."
"Inside Chang'an City, Demonic Qi soared into the sky."
"That night, a Great Demon, using unknown means, managed to bypass the surveillance of the Demon Suppression Division and infiltrate the Inner Imperial City."
Jiang Yuechu frowned slightly.
The region of Chang'an was where the world's Dragon Qi gathered.
Ordinary demons, let alone infiltrating, would have their strength suppressed just by getting close.
How could it possibly dare to enter Chang'an?
Let alone the Imperial City?
As if seeing the confusion in Jiang Yuechu's eyes, Wei Wenda explained, "This was also the suspicious point of the case back then."
"Chang'an is directly under the Son of Heaven, the place where the Great Tang's Dragon Veins converge, naturally suppressed by the Nation's Destiny."
"Don't even mention ordinary demons; even if a Demon Saint personally arrived and forcibly entered Chang'an, their Cultivation would be halved. Furthermore, that was the Inner Imperial City."
"That night, the Imperial Guards suffered over half casualties, and countless palace maids and eunuchs died, even..."
The old man raised his head, his gaze falling upon the young woman's face.
"Even Consort Ming tragically died in that catastrophe."
"Not only that, but during the chaos, a princess whom Consort Ming had recently given birth to... also went missing."
Jiang Yuechu frowned.
Consort Ming... who was that?
She hadn't heard of her.
Jiang Yuechu raised her head and asked doubtfully, "So..."
"What does this have to do with my father?"
Wei Wenda withdrew his gaze and sat back down in his chair.
"Originally, this cold case, along with all its doubts, had long been sealed away by time.
"But just half a year ago, someone filed a written complaint, accusing Jiang Xun, the vice minister of rites, of being one of the main culprits behind that catastrophe back then! Colluding with demons to disturb the Imperial Harem!"
Wei Wenda sighed, pointed to the case file, and his tone held a hint of helplessness.
"The accuser was an old night watchman from the palace back then. He had originally retired and returned home but suddenly came back to the capital."
"According to him."
"That night, before the demons rampaged and flames shot into the sky."
"He personally saw..."
Wei Wenda paused, his eyes deep.
"He personally saw your father, Jiang Xun, looking panicked and drenched in sweat, hastily leaving through the palace side gate!"
"And... he was coming directly from the direction of Consort Ming's sleeping quarters!"
...
Jiang Yuechu frowned, pondered carefully, and suddenly asked, "Just based on an old night watchman?"
"Events from sixteen years ago, carried out in darkness—perhaps the watchman's eyes were failing, and he made a mistake? Relying on the testimony of just one person seems too careless..."
Wei Wenda shook his head and continued:
"If it were only human testimony, we could still deny it, but the physical evidence... is irrefutable."
"Physical evidence?" Jiang Yuechu's brow twitched.
"Half a year ago, after the accusation was made, the Dali Temple received an imperial decree to search the Jiang Residence, and they discovered something in your father's study."
"What was it?"
"A jade pendant."
Wei Wenda explained, "It is entirely azure-green, contains threads of blood inside, and the carving is extremely ancient, not a common style found in the Central Plains."
"Its name is... the Azure Bird Dragon-Patterned Pendant."
Jiang Yuechu frowned slightly.
She had never heard of it.
Wei Wenda gave a wry smile and continued, "You are still young, and this item involves palace secrets, so it's not surprising you don't know about it."
"This object was Consort Ming's personal item before she entered the palace. It is said to be a supreme treasure passed down through her maternal clan. Its material is special: it sinks in water, floats on smoke, and the carving uses the lost Openwork Carving Technique. The Dragon pattern inside shifts with the light, appearing lifelike... There is only one in the world, making forgery absolutely impossible."
"When Consort Ming tragically died that year, her jade pendant went missing. Who would have thought... it would be found in your father's study."
Upon hearing this.
Jiang Yuechu finally understood.
The key point was here.
Consort Ming's personal item, a supreme treasure she had worn since before entering the palace.
Why... would it appear in the study of a vice minister of rites?!
If one claimed it was a reward, that was absolutely impossible.
A palace consort's personal item, even if gifted to her maternal relatives, had to be registered by the Imperial Household Department.
Much less gifted to an external official?
This was not only against the rules but a major taboo!
"What makes me even more helpless is..."
"Ever since he was imprisoned, no matter how I interrogated him, how I questioned him, or even privately suggested he offer an explanation."
"Your father, Jiang Xun, refuses to say a single word!"
"With human and physical evidence both present, and the accused refusing to speak, all I can do is bear the pressure and use the excuse of numerous suspicious points to keep dragging this out..."
"But I can't drag it out for much longer."
Jiang Yuechu fell silent.
Why did this sound increasingly strange?
Could this cheap old man... really have been so bold as to put a massive green hat on the Emperor?!
Wait... if he was only having a secret affair with a consort, why would he collude with demons?!
He could have totally eloped during the chaos!
Why go so far as to let demons into the palace and cause Consort Ming's death.
Unless... that night, he entered the palace not for a secret affair.
"You should focus on your duties in The Department. I will keep an eye on matters here in the prison. If your father finally speaks, I will find a way to send you a message. Do not try to see your father in private, remember this well."
"Thank you, Duke Wei."
Jiang Yuechu stood up, her expression having returned to normal.
"I will engrave your words today deep in my heart, Junior."
"Please, Duke Wei, delay this case for a little longer."
Wei Wenda looked at her, wanting to speak but holding back.
In the end, he just waved his hand tiredly.
"Go now."
...Leaving Duke Wei's study, the late autumn cold wind blew, instantly clearing her mind considerably.
Before she could even steady herself, a figure darted out from the shadow beneath the corridor.
"Yuechu!"
Wei Qing had clearly been standing in the wind for a long time; her nose was red from the cold, and her hands were tucked into her sleeves as she eagerly rushed forward.
She first cautiously peeked through the crack of the tightly shut study door, making sure her old man hadn't followed her out, and then lowered her voice, asking nervously:
"How did it go? How did it go?"
"My dad's face—it's fine if he keeps that stern look at the yamen, but even at home, he acts like someone owes him eight hundred taels of silver."
Wei Qing reached out and hooked Jiang Yuechu's arm, examining her up and down.
"He didn't give you a hard time, did he? If he said anything nasty, please don't take it to heart. The old man is getting old, he's a little bit crazy sometimes..."
Looking at the pretty face so close to her.
Jiang Yuechu's previously somewhat depressed mood lifted slightly.
"Duke Wei is a reasonable person. We just reminisced and talked about some old history."
"Eh?"
Wei Qing blinked suspiciously.
Reminisced?
Come to think of it.
She still didn't know Yuechu's family background.
But looking at Jiang Yuechu's calm face.
Wei Qing knew that if the other person didn't want to talk about something, she shouldn't ask.
"Alright, alright, as long as you weren't mistreated."
Wei Qing sniffed and displayed her carefree smile again.
"Since the serious business is done, we need to properly discuss the Liushang Banquet! Come on, let's go to my room..."
Jiang Yuechu allowed her to drag her toward the back courtyard.
Her gaze fell upon the chirping figure ahead, and she sighed inwardly.
Since Duke Wei and the others involved had tacitly chosen not to inform Wei Qing of her family background.
Then why should I speak up...