48 Storm

When Xiao Juan walked out of the palace gate, the sky was already covered in dark clouds.

It looked like there would be a storm soon.

Beside the carriage not far away stood two old cabinet ministers.

They were originally talking in low voices. When they saw Duke Lang, one of the old officials suddenly raised his voice.

“Is he worthy of being an official with me? We tried our best to assist the emperor in governing the world, but he used all sorts of methods to fool the emperor!

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He dared to arrest someone without any evidence and dealt with him with a confession after that. Can you believe a confession made through torture?!”

Xiao Juan stopped and slowly turned around, his gaze landing on the six old officials.

The person who had spoken was Ye Zhaohai, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy.

He was the most impatient in the cabinet and noone dared to say anything when his temper flared.

However, because he was old and famous and was the current emperor’s mentor, no one dared to argue with him.

Xiao Juan enunciated each word.

“The confession is true.”

Ye Zhaohai questioned, “Do you dare to say that you didn’t torture Jiang Ze?”

Xiao Juan was silent.

Ye Zhaohai sneered, his tone filled with disgust.

“There’s nothing else to say, right?

“The Eagle Guards had never followed the rules. They could arrest and convict whoever they wanted.”

“If one does not confess, you will torture that person.”

“The judgment is meted based on what you say!”

“Where do you place the Son of Heaven? Where do you place the laws of the dynasty?!”

With that, he flicked his sleeve and stepped onto the low stool to wait for the carriage.

The other old minister sighed, clearly resigned, and finally got into the carriage.

Xiao Juan was left standing alone.

He lowered his eyes, his fingers curling into fists.

Ye Zhaohai’s voice was very loud just now, so the guards guarding the city gate heard it.

They stood motionless at their posts, but their eyes flicked to the Duke Lang.

They sighed in their hearts. Only Elder Ye dared to criticize Duke Lang and the Eagle Guards so openly.

Tap.

A drop of rain fell.

The Imperial Guards immediately came to their senses and hurriedly took out their bamboo hats and straw coats.

They noticed Duke Lang standing not far away and wanted to ask if he wanted rain gear. However, when they thought of Duke Lang’s famous reputation, no one dared to approach him.

More rain fell. In the blink of an eye, it was pouring.

The rain drenched his tired hair and clothes. The cold air drilled into his bones and seeped into his limbs.

Water dripped down his cold white cheeks.

The sound of rain was endless, and the world became exceptionally noisy at this moment.

He walked forward, alone.

Vague voices drifted from the distance, becoming unreal amid the noisy rain.

Xiao Juan stopped in his tracks and waited for a moment. He saw a carriage coming towards him through the heavy rain and fog.

The curtains of the carriage were lifted and a small head poked out.

Yu Niaoniao waved her arms at him and shouted.

“Your Highness!”

There was a rare change in Xiao Juan’s calm face.

Why was she here?

The carriage had just stopped when Yu Niaoniao quickly jumped out.

She straightened her arm and held the oil-paper umbrella high. The umbrella covered Xiao Juan’s head and helped him block the wind and rain.

“It’s raining too hard. Get in the carriage, Your Highness.”

Xiao Juan looked down at her and asked the question in his heart.

“What are you doing here?”

Yu Niaoniao said without hesitation.

“To take you home, of course!”

Xiao Juan could not help but be stunned.

Be it in the wind or the rain, or the mountains of blades and seas of blood, he was used to being alone.

He had never thought that someone would brave the rain to take him home.