Chapter 214: The Truth Is Often So Absurd It’s Unbelievable

Imperial Tutor Feng did indeed interrogate He Changyu. After Madam Feng had summoned the Imperial Physician for Feng Yu, the physician reported that Feng Yu was in good health. However, she had been consuming substances like musk and safflower over a long period, making it difficult for her to conceive.

But Feng Yu insisted she knew these two substances affected one’s ability to have children and had never consumed them.

Everyone had seen how desperately Feng Yu wanted a child, so she would never harm herself. Coupled with the fact that He Changyu was keeping a mistress, it was hard not to suspect that he was the one behind it all.

Furious with He Changyu, Imperial Tutor Feng had him tied up and subjected to a bit of private punishment. He had only intended to vent his anger and demand why He Changyu was treating Feng Yu this way. But who would have thought that He Changyu was such a coward? After one round of torture, terrified that Imperial Tutor Feng would kill him, he confessed a heaven-shattering secret.

Years ago, Imperial Tutor Feng’s son, Feng Lin, was officially said to have been killed by mountain bandits. In truth, he had died in the Lingchuan River, his body floating downstream until it was found by Mr. He and his son. They recognized his identity from the ornaments on his person and returned his body.

Imperial Tutor Feng had investigated the He Family at the time. They were a minor aristocratic family from Lingchuan with no connections at court and no ties to the Lu family. Finding the body seemed to be a pure coincidence.

Once certain that the He Family was not involved in any conspiracy, the Feng Family naturally had to repay this debt of gratitude. The kindness of returning a body for proper burial could not be repaid lightly, which was why Imperial Tutor Feng betrothed Feng Yu to He Changyu.

This marriage served two purposes: first, to repay the debt, and second, for the Feng Family to use the opportunity to plant people in Lingchuan to investigate the truth.

For all these years, He Changyu thrived in the Feng Family, like a fish in water. Besides his silver tongue and constant acting, the most important factor was that the He Family was supposedly helping investigate the cause of Feng Lin’s death.

However, Imperial Tutor Feng never would have dreamed that for all these years, the true killer had been right under his nose.

The He Family was indeed innocent, but He Changyu was not the real He Changyu. His true identity was Li Changshun.

He was the son of a retainer to the Shangguan Family. Because he bore a strong resemblance to He Changyu, they killed the real He Changyu and had Li Changshun take his place.

And the true mastermind behind it all was the head of the Shangguan Family, Shangguan Run.

Shangguan Run and Imperial Tutor Feng had once been fellow students and close friends. They had both served as study companions to Emperor Taizhong and later followed the late Emperor. Their relationship could have been described as excellent.

When the late Emperor was deciding whom to appoint as Grand Tutor, he had long hesitated between the two of them. But right at that moment, Shangguan Run was caught consorting with a prostitute. The scandal caused an uproar throughout the city, and with Shangguan Run’s reputation damaged, the late Emperor decided to give the position of Grand Tutor to Feng Yuan.

Shangguan Run missed out on becoming the Grand Tutor, and because of his conduct, the Shangguan Family’s status declined. For this, he held a deep-seated grudge against Grand Tutor Feng Yuan.

Shangguan Run knew that Imperial Tutor Feng was involved in reviving the imperial examinations. While others involved had died, he alone remained unscathed. This greatly displeased Shangguan Run, who began watching him from the shadows. He had his men follow Feng Lin when he went out and then had them ruthlessly murder him.

During the assassination, they happened to discover the resemblance between He Changyu and Li Changshun. A plan formed in Shangguan Run’s mind, and he orchestrated a swap.

He had Li Changshun pose as He Changyu and pretend to discover Feng Lin’s body. Mr. He was so shocked by Feng Lin’s identity that he failed to notice anything amiss with his ’son’ at first. The two of them then traveled to the Upper Capital together to deliver the body.

Initially, Shangguan Run only wanted Li Changshun to keep an eye on Imperial Tutor Feng and see if the investigation led back to him. He never imagined that this clever scheme would go completely undetected by the Grand Tutor, who even betrothed his granddaughter to the imposter.

Li Changshun had long ago pledged his life to Wu Xiuyun. Although he was forced to marry Feng Yu, he knew it was all a sham, so he did everything he could to ensure Feng Yu could not bear children.

As the Feng Family’s trust in him grew, so did his ambition. He wanted to gain more resources from the Feng Family and climb higher, so he began to target Feng Yin, attempting to kill or ruin him on several occasions.

But unexpectedly, his plans always failed due to some twist of fate. Instead, it was Feng Yin who discovered his true identity, leading to his ultimate downfall.

This was a family disgrace, and Imperial Tutor Feng didn’t want to tell anyone. But Song Junzhan was different. He couldn’t let his closest friend’s only heir misunderstand him as a traitor.

He had been foolish, blind to not have recognized that treacherous villain, but he had never betrayed his dearest friend.

Unfortunately, Shangguan Run had died two years ago. Imperial Tutor Feng had finally learned the truth of his son’s death, only to find his enemy already gone.

Before he could deal with Li Changshun and the Shangguan Family, the Emperor met with disaster, and things have been spiraling out of control ever since.

After finishing his story, Imperial Tutor Feng slumped to the ground, utterly dejected.

Song Junzhan, too, was speechless for a long time after hearing it all.

The truth was often so absurd it defied belief.

Shangguan Run could never have imagined that his casual scheme would fool Imperial Tutor Feng for so many years. And Imperial Tutor Feng could never have dreamed that the murderer he had desperately sought was someone he himself had elevated and treated as an honored guest.

What was even more infuriating was that now that the truth was out, Shangguan Run was already dead. It was just like how Song Junzhan knew full well that Lu Cang was the one who had murdered his family, but now Lu Cang was dead and the Lu family had fallen.

Years of hatred with nowhere to go—that feeling was even worse than not knowing who the enemy was.

Xiao Li turned to Wang Changwen. "You just said you knew all this?"

Wang Changwen: "..."

’If I say I knew,’ he thought, ’Imperial Tutor Feng will tear me to shreds. I may be a few years younger and not afraid of him, but I’m not taking the blame for this.’

"I only knew that Shangguan Run seemed to have made a move, but I didn’t know the specifics. As for this He Changyu and Li Changshun business, I was completely in the dark."

"Your Majesty..." Song Junzhan lowered his eyes and turned, his lashes casting a shadow that hid all expression. He seemed exceptionally distant and somber. "Let’s go."

They had their answers. It was time to leave.

"Your Majesty."

Imperial Tutor Feng suddenly called out to stop her. He looked up from the ground, his gaze hollow. "How does Your Majesty intend to deal with this old man?"

Xiao Li, of course, had ways to deal with them, but not right now.

But Imperial Tutor Feng seemed to see right through her. "This old man is willing to take everyone in the Feng Family and leave, to never again meddle in the affairs of the court."

He deliberately stressed the words "everyone," his intention all too obvious.

CLINK.

Someone had lightly knocked against a pillar before quickly hiding again.

Xiao Li glanced over. "Old Sir Feng, are you saying you will not submit to Us?"

’Grand Tutor? No, he’s not the Grand Tutor anymore,’ she thought.

A sharp glint appeared in Feng Yuan’s eyes. "This old man is advanced in years and wishes to return to my ancestral home to live out my days in peace. Surely the Empress cannot force an old man like me."

It all came down to the same thing: The Feng Family couldn’t stop the Empress from ascending the throne, but the Fengs were unwilling to serve a woman.

Xiao Li found him rather naive. "I am not killing you, but it is not because I cannot. Nor is it because I am tolerating you for someone’s sake, as you imagine. If you insist on testing Our temper, then among all these people, We shall start with you."

With a raise of her hand, someone immediately dragged the person hiding in the corner out into the open.

The person didn’t resist, though their face was pale. Once pulled out, they obediently knelt on the ground. "Your subject, Feng Yin... pays his respects to Your Majesty."