Chapter 213: The Truth of That Year

Imperial Tutor Feng seemed not to notice the scorn in Song Junzhan’s eyes. He struggled to his feet and came to the edge of the cage, studying Song Junzhan through the bars, his eyes filled with excitement.

"It’s you. I remember what you looked like as a child. You really are Song Yun’s grandson. You’re still alive... The Song Family still has an heir..."

Imperial Tutor Feng’s expression was not what Song Junzhan had expected. For a moment, he couldn’t tell if the man’s excitement was genuine or just an act.

"You turned on your allies and betrayed your closest friends to become the Emperor’s accomplice. Why the hypocritical act now?"

’The Song and Wan Families were exterminated, their homes ransacked, yet the Feng Family emerged completely unscathed. Who is this act for?’

Imperial Tutor Feng saw the hatred in Song Junzhan’s eyes. He slowly shook his head, his own eyes welling with tears. "It wasn’t like that, child. I never betrayed Younger Brother Song or Wan Xian..."

"It was the late Emperor. He couldn’t withstand the pressure from the aristocratic families and was forced to burn the edict he had already written. He then had to issue a decree of punishment to appease their anger."

Song Junzhan’s tone was cold and mocking. "If it was a punishment, why were you completely unaffected?"

Imperial Tutor Feng slowly explained, "The late Emperor never truly wanted to kill anyone. He ordered their homes seized and the families exiled. I was left behind because I was the Crown Prince’s tutor, held the highest official rank, and belonged to one of the Six Great Families. My position allowed me to shelter the others."

He looked as though he’d just remembered something, his eyes filled with anguish. "Everything was arranged. As soon as you left the Capital City, I was going to have my men find a chance to retrieve you all. You would have lived in hiding, waiting for the right moment. But your father was too radical. He couldn’t accept this defeat. He hated His Majesty for going back on his word. He not only made outrageous remarks but also publicly insulted His Majesty. Left with no choice, His Majesty had to order the executions."

"When the others were sent into exile, I immediately sent my son with a group of men to wait in Lingchuan. As soon as you passed through, he was to rescue you and take you to safety. But alas..."

He gripped the bars tightly, his voice filled with grief. "Unfortunately, tragedy struck before you even reached Lingchuan. And my son... only his corpse was returned to me..."

Song Junzhan knew that Imperial Tutor Feng’s only son had died away from home and his body had been carried back. The official story had always been that he was the victim of a tragic accident, killed by mountain bandits. But no one knew he had actually gone to Lingchuan to intercept the exiles.

Song Junzhan had hated Imperial Tutor Feng for years. He had never imagined this could be the truth.

Thinking back, he realized that while he knew Imperial Tutor Feng had been involved in the plan to reform the imperial examinations, neither his father in his crazed state, nor his grandfather when he gave his final warning in the Heavenly Prison, had ever mentioned or cursed Imperial Tutor Feng as a traitor.

Perhaps, just as Imperial Tutor Feng said, they knew his purpose in being left behind was to protect both families. Their silence was meant to distance him from their fate, to leave their families a chance at survival.

Song Junzhan didn’t want to believe this was the truth.

’The Song and Wan Families were annihilated, leaving only him and Ziyue. Were they not allowed to hate the Feng Family, which still stood strong?’

’Imperial Tutor Feng’s son had died trying to save them...’

He felt a wave of dizziness wash over him and instinctively took a step back.

A hand pressed against his back. The touch was light, but it instantly gave him strength.

He turned, his gaze trembling. "Your Majesty..."

Song Junzhan’s expression was sorrowful. He had come seeking vengeance, only to be staggered by the truth.

The sight of Xiao Li immediately gave him an anchor. She was the only one he was willing to trust and rely on.

To see a man as beautiful as an Immortal show such an expression was enough to make anyone’s heart ache with pity.

Xiao Li gently patted his back. "You shouldn’t just listen to one side of the story. We have another witness right here, don’t we?"

"Mr. Wang, aren’t you going to say something?"

Wang Changwen, who had been enjoying the show only for the spotlight to suddenly fall on him: "..."

He had been one of the officials who opposed the late Emperor’s plan to reform the imperial examinations. What could he possibly say?

Then again, it wasn’t as if he had nothing to say.

"When the late Emperor wanted to reform the imperial examinations, the first to disagree was Lu Cang. Everyone talks about the Six Great Families, but the Lu family held fifty percent of the power, while the other five families only held ten percent each. When the Lu family spoke out against it, the lesser aristocratic families all flocked to their side. We merely followed suit and voiced our opinion."

’He wasn’t the mastermind, nor had he personally acted against the Song Family. Song Junzhan had no reason to seek revenge from him.’

At this thought, he seemed to cast off a heavy psychological burden. "Our Wang family is powerful, and we always wanted to contend with the Lu family for influence. But no matter how strong we were, we were never powerful enough to force an Emperor to compromise. The Lu family led the charge back then, and the Wang, Shangguan, Qin, and Xue families had no choice but to take a stand. After all, the reform of the imperial examinations was a genuine threat to all of us."

"Besides..." He paused and glanced behind him. "Regarding the deaths of the Song and Wan family members, you’d be better off asking the people from the Lu family. They should know more."

The officials connected to the Lu family were locked in a separate cage. But with Lu Cang dead, it was hard to say how much the others knew.

Xiao Li’s eyes narrowed. "I suspect you know more than that."

Wang Changwen looked at Xiao Li, a calculating glint in his eyes. "I do indeed know a great deal. But if I tell you, will the Empress spare the Wang family?"

Xiao Li shook her head. "No."

Wang Changwen asked, "Then how does the Empress intend to deal with me?"

Xiao Li replied, "I haven’t decided yet. For now, you will remain imprisoned. But your time as an official is over."

Wang Changwen studied Xiao Li. "I was shortsighted back then. I only thought Princess Xuanyang was unusual, but I never expected you to achieve such greatness."

"I can see the Empress cares a great deal for this man," he said. "I happen to know a thing or two about what you want to find out. As for whether I talk... that depends entirely on how much he means to the Empress."

To put it bluntly, he was trying to use what he knew as a bargaining chip.

Before Xiao Li could respond, Song Junzhan’s demeanor turned sharp. "There’s no need to trouble Master Wang. I will find out the truth myself."

With that, he moved to stand between Xiao Li and the cage. "Your Majesty should return for your midday meal."

’He would resolve his own affairs. He couldn’t let Her Majesty be put in a difficult position over this, much less allow her to compromise on his behalf.’

’His family had been dead for years. Now that he held power, he had all the time in the world to investigate slowly.’

Seeing him act so sensibly, Xiao Li felt a sense of relief. She reached out, touched the lapel of his robe, and with a gentle push, moved him aside.

"If you won’t speak, then how about I do?"

"Years ago, the late Emperor was forced to sacrifice the Song and Wan Families to appease the wrath of the aristocratic families. But someone saw through his true intentions. They accepted the outcome on the surface, but secretly sent assassins to wipe them out completely. And in all likelihood, this was the handiwork of Lu Cang."

"As for what happened to the Feng family, I don’t know if it was the same group, but in any case, the perpetrators must have known about Imperial Tutor Feng’s plan. They followed his son and murdered him, using mountain bandits as a cover. This completely eliminated any chance for the late Emperor to restore those he had exiled."

"As for the truth of what happened back then, Mr. Wang is likely not the only one who knows. By now, Imperial Tutor Feng ought to know as well. After all... He Changyu should be on the verge of death by now, shouldn’t he?"

Imperial Tutor Feng’s expression shifted. ’It was true. He had secretly detained and interrogated He Changyu, and he had indeed learned some things about what happened back then. But how could the Empress know everything in such detail?’