Even if he were to be dismissed and punished in the future, it would only be for negligence, not a capital offense.
As long as he could stay alive, he would find a way to rise again!
This was his confidence.
Thinking of this, his head was held higher than those censors who came to impeach him. If an uninformed observer were to see them, they might even think that Wen Jingsong was accusing a group of censors of negligence and framing a colleague.
Wen Mengsheng stood behind him, looking at Yin Canwen's expression with utter disdain.
So what if you're first? You still need the fate to be!
He harbored a vicious plan in his heart. After this matter was settled, he would have to end his life, otherwise, prolonged trouble would arise!
Just as everyone was at a loss, someone suddenly walked in.
"Lord Wen is quite capable, but I wonder if he dares to confront Miss Wen?"
The tense atmosphere in the court was suddenly broken by Prince Ke's words. He strode in, followed by a frail and sorrowful Wen Yuwei.
Upon seeing her, Wen Jingsong's heart sank.
He quickly reviewed everything in his mind and pinpointed the First Prince as the mastermind behind his framing.
Without a doubt, he knew it was because he had sided with the Duke of Wei's manor and supported the Ninth Prince, thus incurring his furious retaliation.
With this thought, his heart suddenly relaxed.
There was hope for a reversal. As long as this matter was entangled in the factional struggle, even if Emperor Qi suspected him, he would not be too harsh.
Balancing the court and watching the tigers fight was Emperor Qi's way of governing. He had seen through this many years ago.
Therefore, no matter what Prince Ke said to him, he maintained a smiling demeanor, which infuriated the younger Prince Ke.
"Your Highness entered and immediately asked Yuwei to confront this minister. What is it you wish to discuss?"
"Lord Wen is indeed fearless, but your words are not so secure. When you discussed the matter of cheating with your son in the study, you forgot about Miss Wen outside the door."
As soon as Prince Ke finished speaking, Wen Yuwei stepped forward and knelt on the ground. After respectfully saluting Emperor Qi, she slowly said.
"Your Majesty, that day I intended to bring food to my uncle, but I happened to stumble upon him and my cousin discussing important matters in the study. I thought it would be inconvenient to disturb them and was about to leave when I heard the words 'cheating'. I found it strange and stood outside the door to listen carefully. To my surprise, I heard my uncle and cousin say that they had accepted money from several noble families to ensure their sons would pass the examination."
As she spoke, she feigned a look of terror and tears, making anyone who saw her feel pity.
"After hearing this, I was terrified, fearing that my uncle would treat me the same way he treated my brother. For days, I could not eat or sleep peacefully. Coincidentally, I met the Imperial Grandson at his hundred-day banquet. Through contact, I felt that only the upright and courageous Prince Ke and his consort could report this matter to Your Majesty. Therefore, I, this humble subject, have dared to speak out. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."
After her speech, several censors began to stammer.
They felt that with a witness present, how could he still argue with clever words!
Facing such an accusation, Wen Jingsong's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly put on a look of grief and indignation, exposing the "scandal" of Wen Yuwei, who was "righteous enough to condemn her own kin."
He cried out to Emperor Qi with sorrow.
"Your Majesty, Yuwei is my own niece. She was brought to Dongdu City from my hometown when she was about ten years old and raised by my side. Although there was no mistress in the household, I hired a retired palace嬷嬷 to teach her well. Firstly, for the unbreakable blood ties, and secondly, I wished for her to have a good future. I never expected that this would foster her ambition to climb the social ladder. Not only did she pick and choose among the young masters of noble families, but she also immorally slandered the reputations of the Liang family's young ladies, which led to the incident of Miss Liang slapping her face. After this incident, not only did I find someone to treat her injuries, but I also specifically went to apologize to the Duke and Lord Liang for her actions. As an uncle, I believe I have lived up to my late brother's trust. Yet, Yuwei still resents me, often speaking harshly at home, and now, for her own future, she falsely accuses me with baseless accusations. It truly chills my heart."
His acting was far more impressive than Wen Yuwei's.
The pain of his protective love being trampled upon was vividly portrayed.
This caused Wen Yuwei to cry out loudly on the spot, "You are lying! How have you treated us well? You sent my brother to the Grand Princess's manor and intended to send me to Prince Yu's manor, all to pave your way. Who are you putting on this act for now!"
The Great Jin dynasty had always valued etiquette and the hierarchy of elders and juniors. Wen Yuwei's scolding caused Emperor Qi's trust in her, which he had initially held, to diminish significantly.
Her testimony seemed less convincing than it had at first.
At this moment, Wen Mengsheng seized the opportunity, putting on a look of disbelief towards Wen Yuwei.
"Cousin, are these words not meant to pierce the heart! It was an immense honor for Cousin to be favored by the Grand Princess, and after becoming a consort, he and the Princess lived in harmony. How can you say it was Father's fault? As for sending you to Prince Yu's manor, it is pure fabrication. If Father truly intended to send you, would he have waited until now? You are accusing Father of cheating for these baseless reasons. We are family, all surnamed Wen! Aren't you afraid of not sleeping at night if you climb over our corpses?"
His gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, fell upon Prince Ke, his meaning being all too clear.
It was as if he was about to say, "Was it the First Prince who instructed you to do this? Are you trying to curry favor with the First Prince?"
"You are talking nonsense!"
Wen Yuwei, after being so deliberately misrepresented, was so angry that she could barely speak coherently.
How she wished she could reveal how the Grand Princess Changlin treated her brother. But she was not a fool. If she were to speak now, she and her brother might not live to see tomorrow.
For a moment, Wen Yuwei, who had initially spoken the truth, was suppressed by the Wen father and son.
Prince Ke frowned. This was not a good omen.
If Wen Jingsong's crime could not be proven this time, he would likely suffer the consequences as well.
The censors behind him were all instigated by him. If his father were to investigate deliberately, he might discover it.
At that time, he would be thought to have deliberately framed someone, which would be bad!
The father and son, with their back-and-forth accusations, almost managed to turn the tables, when Bai Dalang suddenly stepped forward and respectfully said to Emperor Qi.
"Your Majesty, the matters discussed by Miss Wen and Lord Wen are internal affairs of the Wen family. Their ambiguous interactions are merely domestic secrets. However, what Miss Wen said earlier aligns with the matter of Yin Canwen's examination paper being swapped. It is likely that not only Yin Canwen's paper was swapped, but perhaps others as well. I implore Your Majesty to issue a decree for a thorough investigation."