Chapter 118: Confrontation in the Golden Palace (Part 2)

  Su Dingbei hastily stood up, bowed to the emperor and said: "I have only one thing that is not clear, I would like to ask this... this self-proclaimed eldest grandson of Xiao Zhengyu to explain it to me."

  Su Dingbei walked quickly to Xiao Ziyang's front, and asked in a deep voice: "You said that the letter is evidence of my collusion with Cang Zhilong. I'd like to ask you, since I already knew that Cang Zhilong was going to rebel, why did I still sign my name on the envelope? Don't I know how to be careful and cautious when colluding with a rebel? Don't I know how to get someone else to write it for me?"

  At this point, Su Dingbei suddenly turned around and took two quick steps forward, bowing his head to ask the Emperor: "Your Majesty, I have accompanied you for nearly thirty years. If there is anyone in this world who understands me best, it must be Your Majesty. Do you think that I, a humble minister, would rashly plot treason?"

  The emperor coldly snorted and said: "If it weren't for this doubt, do you think you could still stand in this hall and debate with others?"

  Su Dingbei heard this and bowed his body, saying: "Wan shi Shengming." After finishing speaking, he turned around and came to the front of Xiao Ziyang, sternly asking: "Please answer for Ben Gong!"

  Xiao Ziyang gave Su Dingbei a cold glance, then bowed to the Emperor and said: "Your Majesty, I have also been puzzled by many unreasonable points in this letter. After careful consideration, I think there are only two possible explanations."

  The Emperor said: "Oh, tell me about it."

  Xiao Ziyang: "The date on this letter is still half a year before Cang Zhilong's rebellion. The first possibility is that the Duke of Fu did not know about Cang Zhilong's intention to rebel. The two were just in normal private contact, so they exchanged letters without any concealment."

  Su Dingbei listened to these words, but his face didn't show a hint of joy.

  Xiao Ziyang: "But if we make this inference, there are many doubts. In this letter, the Duke of Fuguo inquires about the major and minor matters of the Lingguan Road in detail, seemingly very concerned and clear. Moreover, between the lines, the tone of the Duke of Fuguo's words to Zang Zhilong seems to have a hint of instruction, clearly like the tone of a superior to an inferior. If it were just a private relationship, this would not make sense."

  Xiao Ziyang paused for a moment, seeing that everyone was listening intently, and continued: "This humble subject has thought it over and come up with a second possibility. Perhaps Auxiliary King is indeed colluding with the Lingguan Dao, harboring treasonous intentions, but at the time of writing this letter, they were still in the preparatory stage, and their plan was still years, or even decades away from being put into action. Therefore, Auxiliary King felt that there was no need for them to be secretive at this point, which would only arouse suspicion. The people of Xiliang revere Daoism, and many officials have dealings with the Daoist temples; Auxiliary King's interactions with the Lingguan Dao were not unusual."

  "But twenty years ago, that is, half a year after writing this letter, the sky showed purple vapors, the world was in great chaos, the national government was paralyzed, and the auxiliary king of the country and the dragon of Nacai thought it was a good opportunity given by heaven, so they hastily started the affair. It was precisely because of the haste that this book of letters that should not have appeared was left behind."

  At this point, Xiao Ziyang paused and bowed to the emperor: "The humble subject is foolish and can only think of so much. As for the actual situation, please let your majesty decide."

  Su Dingbei listened to Xiao Ziyang's narrative, his heart sinking constantly, but he didn't dare interrupt.

  As soon as Xiao Ziyang's words fell, Su Dingbei knelt down to the emperor and knocked his head, saying: "Your Majesty is wise, the handwriting of that letter can be forged, but it was not written by your humble minister."

  He angrily pointed at Murong Tiangu and said: "It must be that the old thief Murong harbors resentment towards me for seeing through his sinister plot, ordering people to forge letters to frame me. I beg Your Majesty to make a just judgment."

  Murong Tianguo got up and knelt down, knocking his head and saying: "Your Majesty, the authenticity of that letter I dare not speak rashly, but the Crown Prince's collusion with the evil cultivator this time is already conclusive evidence. This matter has shaken the foundation of our Western Liang dynasty. I hope Your Majesty will think thrice."

  The emperor closed his eyes and remained silent for a moment, then waved his hand wearily. "You may all withdraw."

  The crowd did not dare to say more and all retreated with a bow.

  Out of the palace, Su Dingbei took the lead and left quickly. Murong Tianyan looked at his gradually disappearing back and a smile appeared on his face.

  After Su Dingbei's figure disappeared behind a palace gate, Murong Tiange turned to Xiao Ziyang and said: "This time my Murong family was able to turn things around truly thanks to you, wise nephew."

  Xiao Ziyang hastily said, "The Duke of Weiguo is overpraising me. Even if I weren't here, the Duke would have only suffered two more days in prison. With the support of the Daluo Sect, what's there to fear from a mere Fuguo Gong?"

  Murong Tiangui shook his head and said: "Behind the Weiguo Gongfu, there is a big Luo faction supporting it, and behind the Fuguo Gong, there is also a figure of Ling Xiang Palace."

  Xiao Ziyang exclaimed: "Could it be that even so, we still can't bring down that Duke of Fuguo?"

  Murong Tianguan sighed, "It's not easy to move into the Auxiliary King Gong's mansion, but this time it's enough to make the Auxiliary King Gong's mansion dormant for ten years. This is also thanks to my virtuous nephew's proper response in the palace."

  Xiao Ziyang nodded thoughtfully.

  That night, Wei Guo Gong Murong Tiange set up a banquet to entertain Bi Chen Dao Chang and several Da Luo Pai cultivators. Xiao Ziyang was also invited to attend. During the banquet, Murong Zi Xuan toasted Xiao Ziyang with wine and apologized, and on the spot, he lifted the tracking curse, allowing Xiao Ziyang to put down a burden in his heart.

  The banquet didn't end until the third watch, and Xiao Ziyang returned to his own small courtyard, tidied up, left a letter behind, and disguised himself as a rough and bold Jianghu guest, quietly slipping away from the Weiguo Gongfu.

  Xiao Ziyang lightly vaulted over the high wall of the Weiguo Gong Fu, landing in a small alley, just as he was about to speed away, but suddenly stopped in his tracks, reached out to press down on his storage bag, and vigilantly looked ahead.

  A flash of spiritual light flashed before him, revealing a slender figure. It was none other than Murong Ling.

  Murong Ling looked at Xiao Ziyang, who had changed his appearance greatly, and shook his head: "Brother Xiao's disguise technique is truly impressive. If I hadn't seen you come out of the courtyard I arranged for you myself, I really wouldn't be able to connect you with your previous appearance."

  She paused and said, "Brother Xiao's aura-reading technique is also extraordinary. My cultivation is higher than Brother Xiao's by a significant margin, and the concealment technique I used is a secret method of the Da Luo Sect. I didn't expect to still be seen through by Brother Xiao's sharp eyes."

  Xiao Ziyang bitterly smiled and said: "I thought I was being secretive, but unexpectedly Miss Murong had already seen through my plans."

  Murong Ling smiled and said, "Brother Xiao wants to leave, it's a common human feeling. Our Murong House and the Auxiliary Country Duke's House both have the support of major cultivation sects behind us. Even if we temporarily lose out in a conflict, we will absolutely not secretly use cultivator methods to retaliate against each other. But Brother Xiao has no power or influence, whether it's the evil cultivators colluding with the Su family or the Lingxiao Palace backing the Su family, neither of them will let Brother Xiao off. Today when Brother Xiao asked me to plead on your behalf to Big Brother to remove the tracking technique from your body, I already guessed that you wanted to leave."

  Here is the translation:

  "Speaking of which, Murong Ling paused and continued: 'Today, discussing Tao with Brother Xiao, I feel that regardless of Brother Xiao's spiritual roots or innate talent, solely based on his exceptional comprehension, he will definitely have a boundless future in cultivation. Brother Xiao has saved my life, and I am unable to repay him. I wonder if Brother Xiao would be willing to become an outer disciple under the Great Luo Sect? Although being an outer disciple comes with many miscellaneous tasks, it is still better than Brother Xiao being a lone cultivator without anyone to guide him.'"