Chapter 17 The New Year Banquet
On New Year's Eve, the palace held a banquet.
Xiao Huai An sat in the main seat. I sat in the guest seat at his side. The silver bowl in front of me held scalding Tusu wine.
Songs and dances filled the hall. Then an attendant suddenly came to report that the Third Prince was seeking an audience outside.
Xiao Huai An's hand on the wine cup paused. A cold light flashed in his eyes.
"Let him in."
The Third Prince wore a plain brocade robe, a hemp rope tied at his waist. He knelt on the ground as soon as he entered. His voice was hoarse.
"This son is guilty. I ask Imperial Father to punish me."
It turned out he had colluded with outer kin, intending to launch a palace coup during the New Year ancestral rites. Xiao Huai An had caught him in advance, with both the man and the evidence in hand.
The emperor shook all over with rage and smashed the jade ruyi from the dragon desk onto the floor.
"Traitorous son! Do you know your crime!"
The Third Prince lifted his head. His gaze went straight to me. A strange smile hooked his mouth.
"This son deserves ten thousand deaths. I only wonder whether Young Master Wen should share the same crime. After all, that secret letter of collusion was delivered to this son's residence by Young Master Wen's own hand."
The whole hall erupted.
My hand on the wine cup tightened hard. The rim dug into my knuckles until they turned white.
"You are talking nonsense!" Xiao Huai An stood up sharply. The hem of his dragon robe swept the table and knocked the wine pot to the floor. "How could Wen Yan join the same filth as you!"
"Whether it is nonsense, Your Highness knows best in your heart." The Third Prince smiled even more brightly. "That private seal of the Wen Clan was stamped clear as day."
I looked at Xiao Huai An's suddenly tight profile, and I suddenly understood.
That Terrain Map from the West Border—he had not only used it to bring down General Wang. He had also copied the private seal of the Wen Clan and forged a secret letter of collusion, waiting for the Third Prince to walk into the net.
From the beginning, there could only be a discarded piece on the board. It was either me, or the Wen Clan.
"Your Majesty." I stood up. My voice was as calm as a lake that had frozen over. "Every word the Third Prince said is true. That letter was indeed sent by this subject."
Xiao Huai An snapped his head toward me. His eyes were full of shock and confusion.
He had probably not expected that I would willingly jump into this trap.
"Wen Yan, you..."
"Your Highness need not say more." I cut him off, turned, and bowed to the emperor.
"This subject was confused for a moment, bewitched by the Third Prince, and deserves ten thousand deaths.
Only, this subject has one request. I hope Your Majesty, remembering that the Wen Clan has been loyal for generations, will spare everyone in Wen Manor. "
The emperor stared at me for a long time, then suddenly sighed.
"Wen Yan, do you know what you are saying?"
"This subject knows." I lifted my head. My gaze crossed the crowd and landed on Xiao Huai An.
He stood in the candlelight, his face as pale as paper. The light in his eyes was shattered beyond shape.
"This subject is willing to atone with death. I only ask Your Majesty to preserve the Wen Clan."
The Third Prince had probably not expected me to be so blunt. The smile on his face froze.