Qing Ye was standing guard at the door. When he saw Xie Fengran come out without anyone behind her, he quickly stepped forward. "Miss, do you have any orders?"
Xie Fengran sized him up and down, then lifted her chin. "Take me around."
Without hesitation, Qing Ye nodded. "Yes, Miss, this way please."
So, Xie Fengran followed Qing Ye and started strolling around.
This place was one of Qin Junxing's strongholds. Although it was hidden underground, apart from a few secret chambers, the rest of the place didn't have that gloomy and terrifying feeling.
There were even some rooms above ground. Xie Fengran went up to take a look.
She found that it was actually an elegant courtyard. Every aspect of its layout and feng shui was delicate and well - thought - out, which really impressed her a bit.
"Who designed this courtyard?"
"Replying to you, Miss. This is where our lord stays. He designed it himself."
This time, it was Xie Fengran's turn to be surprised. "Your lord... can do this?"
Qing Ye said with a smile, "When we were in the Northern Frontier, both the General's Mansion and the Princess's Mansion were designed by our lord. The princess was very strict in teaching our lord. Although he may not be proficient in everything, he's pretty close."
"I see!" Xie Fengran suddenly understood. No wonder this man could fit into the life in the capital so quickly. He had come prepared!
Curious about what deal those two had discussed, Xie Fengran asked Qing Ye to take her around and then they came back.
Just then, Qin Junxing came out. There was no sign of abnormality on his face. She didn't know if that chief steward had taken out the evidence in his hands.
Perhaps knowing that Xie Fengran was curious, Qin Junxing said directly, "He said that as long as I marry you, he'll take out the evidence in his hands!"
Xie Sheng, who was being escorted out behind them: "..." Are you being polite?
Xie Fengran's face darkened. "Did you agree?"
"I didn't!" Qin Junxing said seriously. "I want to marry you. It has nothing to do with the evidence. I've wanted to marry you for a long time!"
"… I didn't ask you this!" Xie Fengran was a bit annoyed. "What exactly did you two talk about?"
"Prince, don't forget what you promised me."
Xie Sheng, being escorted, shouted excitedly at Qin Junxing.
Ignoring him, Qin Junxing walked to Xie Fengran's side and whispered, "He wants me to help the Marquis's Mansion get rid of the control of the royal family."
Xie Fengran: "… What do you mean by that?"
"Steward Xie said that the emperor should have suspected that the old Marquis Xie had evidence in his hands for a long time. That's why he let the crown prince get close to you, and the Wang family also fanned the flames in the middle!"
Xie Fengran remembered the things in her grandfather's last letter. Her heart gradually sank. "Sure enough, it's the Wang family!"
Qin Junxing nodded, glanced back at Xie Sheng, and then led Xie Fengran away.
"Let's talk in the study."
Xie Fengran stopped in her tracks, looked back at Xie Sheng. "What about him..."
"Don't worry. I'll make proper arrangements for him!"
Xie Fengran felt relieved and followed Qin Junxing away.
Qin Junxing's study was decorated exactly the same as the room in the backyard of the Lingfeng Teahouse, only a bit bigger.
Qing Ye came in to pour tea for the two of them, and then pulled He Xiang out.
With only the two of them left in the room, it suddenly became quiet.
"What's the evidence that the chief steward mentioned?"
The last letter said that the current emperor's throne was not obtained justly. Emperor Dezong intended for the Grand Princess to be the heir. But at that time, there was a war in the Northern Frontier, and the Grand Princess took on the responsibility in a critical moment, put on her armor, and fought against the foreign enemies.
That's how the throne fell into the hands of the current emperor.
The chief steward said he had evidence. Could it be...
As if knowing what she was thinking, Qin Junxing nodded. "Just as you think. The old Marquis Xie had the imperial edict of Emperor Dezong back then, as well as the evidence of the Wang family colluding with foreign enemies!"
"Colluding with foreign enemies? That's treason!"
Xie Fengran suddenly stood up. There was no mention of this in her grandfather's last letter. "Did Steward Xie say this?"
Qin Junxing pushed a cup of tea over. "Yes. Actually, this thing was not in the hands of the old Marquis Xie. It was in my grandfather's hands. After my grandfather... passed away, he personally handed the thing to the old Marquis Xie."
"The old Marquis Xie kept the last letter and the evidence separately. Guess where the evidence is?"
A blood - thirsty look appeared on the corner of Qin Junxing's mouth, which made Xie Fengran a bit scared. She subconsciously asked, "Where?"
"In the National Protection Temple!"
That bald donkey, Yuanning!
Qin Junxing wished he could overturn the National Protection Temple right away.
He clearly knew the truth of all these things, but he pretended not to know anything and quietly served as a Buddhist master. Was he going to take all these secrets to his grave?
"Bang!" Qin Junxing punched the table.
"Qin Junxing!" Xie Fengran frowned and said disapprovingly, "If you're angry, what's the use of overturning the National Protection Temple? Why bother getting entangled here!"
"I will never let the National Protection Temple off, but, Ranran... I hate!"
Qin Junxing suddenly turned around and pulled Xie Fengran into his arms. Xie Fengran was stunned for a moment, and then was tightly wrapped in an embrace.
The strong masculine aura rushed towards her, making her stand still on the spot.
When she came to her senses, her face flushed red and she struggled.
The harder Xie Fengran struggled, the tighter Qin Junxing hugged her. "Ranran, can you let me hug you for a while?"
His voice was low and desperate!
Xie Fengran was shocked by the desperation in Qin Junxing's voice and didn't dare to move.
"Ranran, I thought he really committed treason. I thought he deserved what he got. I thought it was really the Zhou family that didn't want me anymore... Ranran!"
The hoarse and struggling voice buried in her ear was filled with deep - seated hatred and pain.
That's right!
The Zhou family didn't commit treason, and the Duke Zhou didn't collude with foreign enemies. All these were just sacrifices under the change of imperial power.
Emperor Dezong knew that the current emperor was not capable enough and was easily influenced. When he had to hand over the throne to him, he wrote two imperial edicts at the same time.
One was to ask the old Marquis Xie to assist the emperor, and the other was to ask the Duke to supervise the country.
These two imperial edicts were given to the old master of the Zhou family and the old Marquis Xie respectively. But unexpectedly, the Wang family found out in advance, and that's how the incident of the Zhou family's treason happened.
Before his death, the old Marquis Zhou managed to give the imperial edict in his hand to the old Marquis Xie. But at that time, the Wang family was powerful. With the support of the Wang family, the emperor quickly cleaned up the dissidents.
To protect the Marquis's Mansion, the old Marquis Xie gave the imperial edict to Master Yuanning, wrote a last letter, and calmly faced death.
If the old Marquis Xie had stood up back then, he might have been able to bring down the Wang family. But he flinched. With the entire Zhou family wiped out, he chose to protect the Marquis's Mansion.
Xie Fengran let out a long sigh and reached out to wrap her arms around Qin Junxing's back.
She found that she had started to feel sorry for this man from just trusting him.
Qin Junxing smelled the fragrance on Xie Fengran's body and gradually calmed down. He straightened up and looked directly at the girl in front of him. "Ranran, I'm going to overturn the National Protection Temple!"