Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 80: Debate in the Palace
"Xiao Muchen, do you have anything to explain?"

Lai Junchen took the puppet in his hand, looked at Xiao Muchen and asked in a gloomy voice.

"I don't know what I need to explain. I don't remember having this thing in my house. How do I know that the Imperial Censor didn't deliberately leave it here when he was searching just now?"

Look! These young men from aristocratic families only care about the demeanor of a famous scholar who can remain calm even when facing a disaster. They are so calm. But I wonder if they can still remain as calm when facing those punishments?
"Xiao Muchen, you haven't even taken a look at what this thing is? How can you be so sure that it's not from your house?"

After saying that, Lai Junchen turned the front of the puppet to Xiao Muchen. When Xiao Muchen looked over, he indeed saw a look of shock and surprise in the eyes of this godlike man.

Just as that person said, Xiao Muchen attached great importance to the person who carved this puppet, and he would not deny that this thing was his.

"How do you know what my mother looked like when she was young? Who gave you this puppet?"

"So, Xiao Zhongcheng, you admit it? Then come with us!"

As Lai Junchen was speaking, the scarred man ran over and whispered something in his ear. His expression changed, and he looked at Xiao Muchen again: "Where did you hide that young lady?"

"Which little lady?"

"Xiao Muchen, you are a smart man. Don't play dumb with me. Since you have already enjoyed the young lady's body, there is nothing to be reluctant about. Just like Qiao Zhizhi, offer her to the King of Wei. It just so happens that the King of Wei is very interested in her. Maybe you will be able to offer her beauty to the Saint and ask for your forgiveness!"

"shut up!"

Unexpectedly, Xiao Muchen's face suddenly changed. More than a dozen guards rushed out of the yard, surrounded him, and pointed spears at him.

"Xiao Muchen, are you planning a rebellion? I'm here with the Holy Spirit's decree!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cold female voice came: "Then where is the Saint's edict? Come on, the censor should take it out and have a look!"

Lai Junchen was startled and turned his head suddenly, only to see Princess Taiping, dressed in gorgeous clothes and elegant, rushing towards him with a group of guards.

"Your Highness, I am only following your orders!"

"Show me the Saint's decree, and I will believe what you say."

Lai Junchen looked somewhat embarrassed and said, "The sage only gave me a verbal instruction, not an imperial decree..."

"Since there's no imperial decree, you can't just bring him to your court, bring the evidence you've found, and go before the emperor!"

"Your Highness Princess, this..."

"Why, you don't dare?"

Lai Junchen hesitated for a long time, and finally responded: "Okay, then go and see the emperor!"

……

Seeing Xiao Muchen coming out of the Xiao Mansion and leaving with Princess Taiping's guards and some officials brought by Lai Junchen, Murong Huan, who was hiding in the dark, breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly pulled A Shu to rush to the Dali Temple to seek help from Lu Ling and Lu Shiyilang.

At this time, Xie Zi'e found her and brought her a shocking news.

"I have some clues about the matter you asked me to investigate. Considering that Xiao Zhongcheng is currently being framed by cruel officials, I think I should inform you of the situation regarding the Third Master of the Su Family as soon as possible."

"What did you find?"

"Master Su Sanlang, Su Yu, owns several pharmacies and pawnshops. However, the medicines he sells aren't cures for illnesses. Instead, they're similar to... the Five Stone Powder from the Wei and Jin dynasties, as well as aphrodisiacs. He frequently sends people to transport these medicines to an underground bank not far from the White Horse Temple in exchange for silver and gold."

"Where is that underground bank? Have you ever been inside?"

When Murong Huan asked this, Xie Zi'e shook his head and said, "There are many secret sentries and military marquises similar to the Jinwu Guard and Qianniu Guard guarding there. We dare not act rashly."

Murong Huan nodded.

At this time, Xie Zi'e said: "There is one more thing... I think it may be related to this incident of informing on others."

"you say!"

"Su Yu has been in contact with Lai Junchen these days, and he seems to have gathered some people to put a letter of denunciation in the bronze box."

Hearing this, Murong Huan was shocked, but a glimmer of hope and an idea gradually emerged in his heart. He had never expected that Su Yu would actually be in collusion with Lai Junchen. Could it be that he had also been working for the King of Wei?

"Do we need to arrest and interrogate those who reported it?"

"Not yet. The Empress treats informants very kindly. When an informant makes a report, her subordinates are not allowed to question him. They are given post horses and fifth-grade food and sent to the imperial court. Even farmers and woodcutters will be summoned personally and given food in the guesthouse. If their report is true, they can be promoted like Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen. Even if it is false, they will not be held accountable. Therefore, arresting these people is pointless and will only attract the King of Wei's attention."

"What should we do then? You can't just watch Xiao Zhongcheng be framed and thrown into prison, right? I've heard that Lai Junchen is incredibly cruel. Even a seasoned general wouldn't last more than a few days under his torture."

This one sentence actually made Murong Huan's heart, which had been calm for a long time, feel as if it was being grabbed.

What does it feel like?
However, the words Xiao Muchen wrote in the letter seemed to echo in her ears over and over again:

"This time, I will personally intervene and find the place in Hong Xian's memory, as well as all the crimes committed by the King of Wei and Xue Huaiyi in secret transactions there."

"You can choose to follow my instructions, or you can choose to follow your heart. Ah Huan, no matter what my fate is, you must live well!"

After pondering for a long time, Murong Huan finally put aside his fear and anxiety. He looked at Xie Zi'e and said, "I won't. When the time comes, I only need Su Yu. You guys continue to help me keep an eye on him!"

Seeing her determined expression, as if she had a plan in mind, Xie Zi'e nodded and said, "Okay, girl, if there's anything else you need help with, just call us!" Then, she took out a bamboo tube and handed it to Murong Huan, "Use this to send us a message!"

……

In the Xuan Zheng Hall of the Ziwei Palace, the empress was holding a lifelike carved puppet in her hand. After seeing the contents of the secret letter hidden in the puppet, her expression was as gloomy and terrifying as the calm before the storm.

Lai Junchen couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips slightly, with pride in his eyes.

Suddenly, the empress flipped open the pile of secret letters on the table and looked at Xiao Muchen, who was kneeling below her. "Zicheng, how do you explain this?"

"Your Majesty, I am powerless to defend myself, but I only wish to say that harmony between heaven and earth brings life to all things, and harmony between ruler and subject brings peace to the state. Since the founding of the Great Zhou, countless officials have died in cases of treason. Even if they were innocent, they would admit to treason because they could not endure the torture.

Putting aside other things, Di Gong was a good minister who was promoted from a humble family by a sage who had a keen eye for talent. For Di Gong, the sage was kind to him, and Di Gong was grateful for the sage's kindness and loved the people wholeheartedly. How could he do such a foolish thing as rebellion when the country had just stabilized and everything was in need of reconstruction?
I also ask the saint to investigate this case clearly, and not to let loyal officials be lost, and the country be without good talents!"

After hearing this, the empress laughed and said, "Isn't this what you call defending yourself?"

"Okay, I promise you, I will investigate this case thoroughly!" Then, turning to Lai Junchen, he said, "If I hear you torture these officials to extract confessions again, I will not let you off lightly."

Lai Junchen was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly bowed his head and replied, "Yes!"

"What about you?" The empress changed the subject and looked at Xiao Muchen again. "You keep this carved wooden idol of your mother. Are you resentful of me?"

"I dare not!"

"In the second year of the Xianheng reign, several wars broke out between Tang and Silla. Your father, along with your grandfather, was among the armies Liu Rengui led against Silla. After the war ended, your father brought your mother back from Jialin City. Your mother's identity is highly suspicious. Not only did someone else expose her identity, but I also sent members of the Inner Guard to investigate, and they confirmed that she is indeed from Silla."

"Perhaps she realized her identity had been exposed, so she left your Xiao family. I sent people to look for her, but she was very cunning and hid her identity and escaped without a trace."

"If she really did take away the Great Zhou's maps or other military intelligence, your Xiao family would not be wronged if she was convicted because of you!"

Xiao Muchen said yes.

Seeing him like this, the empress seemed to feel sorry for him and sighed.

"Zicheng, I do value talent and pity you for being alone and poor, so I don't mind the mistakes your Xiao family made and promote you. However, I will never tolerate anyone who betrays me!"

"Yes!"

"I can't pardon you based on just a few words from you, so you should first accept their investigation and clear your suspicion before you come out!"

Xiao Muchen replied: "Yes!"

Lai Junchen couldn't help but show ecstasy on his face, but at this moment, he heard the empress say, "Lai Junchen, go back! I will not hand Xiao Muchen over to your court for investigation. I will let my inner guards investigate personally."

"Wan'er, go and call the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Inner Guard, Wuling Yue, to come to Xuanzheng Hall!"

(End of this chapter)