Chapter 188: Back Then
Princess Qingyang returned to her seat, her expression unreadable. She then heard Su Wei say, "It is said that one day before the incident, Han Yao personally visited Ye Heng, begging him to plead for Han Tong. However, their conversation apparently did not go well, and many people can testify to what happened that day."
After a brief pause, Su Wei continued, "Therefore, this official speculates that Han Yao held some form of leverage over Ye Heng, using it to blackmail him into saving Han Tong. After Han Tong was sentenced to execution by beheading, Ye Heng feared that a distraught Han Yao would try to take him down with him, so he decided to strike first."
Consort Ru looked stunned. "Leverage? What kind of leverage could make Lord Ye... so worried?"
Emperor Muwu scoffed. "Han Tong committed a capital crime, yet Han Yao actually wanted Ye Heng to plead on his behalf. He must have been remarkably confident. I would very much like to know where this confidence of his came from."
Anyone could hear the cold fury in Emperor Muwu’s words.
Su Wei said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this official has already interrogated Ye Heng, but he denies everything. He insists that he knows nothing and that Han Yao’s poisoning has nothing to do with him. However, according to the Han Family servants who were present, Han Yao claimed at the time that Ye Heng was deeply connected to the ’accident’ his older brother met with years ago."
The statement stunned the entire hall.
With Ye Heng imprisoned, everyone had simply assumed he and the Han Family had some irreconcilable differences. Who would have thought the matter was so complicated!
"You mean Ye Zheng?" Emperor Muwu narrowed his eyes, his tone inscrutable.
Su Wei lowered his head respectfully. "Yes."
Emperor Muwu’s expression turned grim.
He recalled the name Ye Zheng so quickly only because he had recently seen Ye Chutang and her three siblings at the polo match.
It had been a scene that was difficult to forget.
However—
After a moment to process, Consort Ru looked at Emperor Muwu and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I recall that Lord Ye Zheng was killed by bandits after leaving the Capital City. His wife and eldest son perished with him, did they not? Wasn’t it said to be an accident? Surely it couldn’t be..."
The assembled crowd exchanged glances, unable to hide their shock.
’What did this mean? Was Ye Heng involved in Ye Zheng’s death years ago?’
’But weren’t they blood brothers!?’
Many people couldn’t help but begin whispering amongst themselves.
"Could it be true? Did Ye Heng have a hand in Ye Zheng’s death?"
"That’s impossible! They’re full-blooded brothers. Besides, I remember the two of them were very close back then. How could Ye Heng do such a thing?"
"You never know. You can’t see into a person’s heart. Who knows what that Ye Heng was thinking?"
"If that’s true, then Ye Heng is simply... To think, it was because of Ye Zheng that he was transferred to the Capital City and was able to get a firm footing here!"
"You know, I always thought it was strange. When Ye Zheng was demoted, traveling north on the main road in the dead of winter... how could he have been so unlucky as to run into bandits? And besides, if they were only after their valuables, why did they kill them all? It’s just..."
Hearing all of this, Murong Ye was frantic with anxiety.
’If this goes on, there’s no way Ye Heng will be able to clear his name of these accusations!’
"Your Majesty!"
Murong Ye’s voice suddenly rang out, shockingly abrupt in the vast, quiet hall.
"There is something strange about this matter! I implore Your Majesty to reconsider!"
No one had expected Murong Ye to suddenly speak up at a time like this.
Murong Yang whipped his head around to look, unable to hide the shocked fury in his eyes.
"Aye!"
’What does he think this place is! He has no right to interject here!’
But Murong Ye was past caring about any of that.
He rose, walked to the center of the hall, and bowed with his fists clasped. In a solemn voice, he said, "Your Majesty, Lord Ye is a loyal and upright man. He would never commit murder in public. There must be a mistake somewhere. I beg Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly!"