008 Following the Vine to Find the Melon

After a brief silence, Lin Miao spoke slowly, "Academician Chen, those rumors should not be fully trusted. This Academy does not believe Compiler Xue would attempt to end his own life by jumping into the river; there must be a misunderstanding here."

Chen Quan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and took the opportunity to respond, "I was foolish to take the rumors at face value. It is fortunate that the Head of the Academy provided guidance, or I might have wrongly accused Compiler Xue."

Lin Miao stopped there. Had it not been for the powerful figure standing behind Chen Quan—someone not to be trifled with—he would hardly have had the inclination to smooth things over for him. He did not believe the guards of the Princess's mansion would recklessly gossip, so if Chen Quan knew Xue Huai’s whereabouts that day, he had either been spying with intent or was inextricably linked to the matter.

With this thought, Lin Miao looked at Liu Pingshun, who was slumped on the ground, and said in a deep voice, "Do you choose to confess here, or shall I have you sent to the Ministry of Justice?"

Liu Pingshun’s complexion turned ashen, yet he stubbornly insisted, "My Lord, I am not lying. I truly saw Compiler Xue outside the Kuiwen Pavilion that day."

Though he had been utterly defeated by the flaws in his story exposed by Xue Huai, he knew in his heart that clinging to his claims was his only chance for survival; otherwise, he would never see tomorrow’s sun. Since neither side had concrete evidence—he could not prove Xue Huai left the pavilion with a bundle, nor could Xue Huai prove he hadn't—this might sound absurd, but it was predicated on the Ministry of Works' accusation that Xue Mingzhang had engaged in corruption and graft years ago, backed by old records in the archives. Thus, Xue Huai had a clear motive to destroy the records kept at the Hanlin Academy. Without this premise, Liu Pingshun’s claims would have no ground to stand on.

Lin Miao frowned slightly and summoned two scribes, "Take Liu Pingshun away and hold him in the kitchen quarters for now. We will decide his fate once the truth is uncovered."

The two acknowledged the order, stepped forward, and dragged Liu Pingshun away. Lin Miao then said to Liu Huaide, "Brother Xiwen, regarding the unexplained loss of the files, the Academy must conduct an internal investigation immediately. Will you oversee this matter?"

Although he had just smoothed things over for Chen Quan, he knew better than to be overly biased. Since Xue Huai had dismantled Liu Pingshun’s accusation on the spot, he needed to control the situation. Assigning the investigation to the upright Liu Huaide was reasonable, and he doubted the Assistant Minister Shen could find fault with that.

Liu Huaide, known for his rigorous scholarship and upright character, was not one for schemes. He readily agreed, "Please rest assured, Head of the Academy. I will do my utmost."

Xue Huai observed the scene, forming a rough assessment of the three academicians' stances. He was not surprised by Lin Miao’s ambiguous attitude, nor did he hold a grudge; he understood well from his past life that in officialdom, there is no such thing as groundless hatred or love. Furthermore, given his previous situation in the Hanlin Academy, Lin Miao’s neutrality was likely a courtesy to his mentor, Shen Wang.

As the farce temporarily drew to a close, Lin Miao looked at Xue Huai and comforted him, "Jingche, I trust you would not steal the files. The only reason I asked you here was because of Liu Pingshun’s denunciation and the Emperor’s decree for the Ministry of Justice to investigate the Yangzhou dike corruption case. I feared you might act impulsively and lose your way."

He was now all smiles, as if he hadn't been the one looking at Xue Huai with profound disappointment moments before.

Xue Huai bowed, "Thank you for your concern, Head of the Academy."

In truth, the Head of the Academy was a master of superficial courtesy, so Xue Huai accepted the gesture. This did not mean he lowered his guard; on the contrary, he became even more vigilant. Throughout history, such refined high officials were the most calculating. Who could say what his true thoughts were? Xue Huai now stood in a quagmire and could not afford a single moment of carelessness.

Lin Miao seemed exceptionally pleased with Xue Huai today and said gently, "I have always held your father’s integrity in high regard. He oversaw the construction of the Yangzhou dikes ten years ago; a decade is enough to change many things. I trust the consequences of this summer's flood have nothing to do with him, and the imperial court will surely clear his name."

Xue Huai took these empty pleasantries for what they were.

Lin Miao added, "However, the court will investigate strictly this time. You may be questioned by the relevant officials; I hope you will remain calm and not act out of haste."

Xue Huai lowered his eyes, "I understand. Thank you for the advice."

"Then we shall disperse." Lin Miao rose and headed toward the inner hall, and the others bowed to take their leave.

Outside, Liu Huaide said first, "Jingche, set your heart at ease. I will find the whereabouts of those files as soon as possible and ensure you are not wrongly accused."

A newcomer, Xue Huai would not easily trust anyone outside the Cui family, but he would not turn away goodwill. Knowing the relationship between Liu Huaide and Shen Wang, he considered him an elder and thanked him sincerely, "I appreciate your efforts, Academician."

Liu Huaide hesitated, "Did you truly go to the banks of the Jiuqu River that day?"

Xue Huai glanced at Chen Quan, who was whispering to a scribe nearby, and raised his voice slightly, "Yes. You know my recent situation, Academician. I was feeling distressed and took leave for a few days to wander the city. I wandered near the Green Jade Villa. Perhaps I was lost in thought, but I accidentally slipped into the water. Fortunately, I was rescued by Princess Yun'an’s guards."

Liu Huaide sighed, "I had no idea. It is fortunate you are unharmed. After this ordeal, you should temper your temper. You are still young; there is no need to carry such heavy burdens."

Xue Huai nodded, "You are right, Academician. I have reflected on my actions these past days and admit I was impulsive. In the future, I will think twice before acting."

Seeing the transformation in his junior, Liu Huaide was pleased, "That is good."

They parted ways, and Xue Huai turned to leave, but soon a sharp voice called out, "Compiler Xue, please stay a moment."

Xue Huai stood under the ancient locust tree, watching the approaching Chen Quan calmly, as if he had expected this.

"Compiler Xue, I did not mean to target you just now. Please do not take it to heart." Chen Quan wore a smile, though his eyes were sharp with scrutiny. Xue Huai’s behavior today was entirely out of character. Had he been his usual rigid self, he wouldn't have had the patience to set a trap for Liu Pingshun; he would have likely reacted with angry rebukes, which would have failed to clear his name.

Xue Huai knew what he was thinking and replied with a hollow smile, "Academician Chen, you are too kind. Liu Pingshun’s story was so vivid that even I almost believed it. You are known for your commitment to the law, and you cannot tolerate a single grain of sand in your eye. It is only natural that you would step forward. It was a matter of principle, not a personal vendetta; how could I be so petty?"

Hearing this, Chen Quan was more convinced than ever that Xue Huai was a changed man. His smile became more sincere, "There were too many coincidences, and it was my own negligence that nearly wronged you. I offer my apologies." He moved to bow.

Xue Huai quickly reached out to stop him, "Please, Academician, you honor me too much."

Chen Quan straightened up and probed, "This corruption case is fierce, but your father’s reputation must not be tarnished. If you need any help, do not hesitate to tell me."

Xue Huai, tired of his shifting faces, said firmly, "I appreciate your concern, but I firmly believe my father was framed by villains. The Emperor is sharp-eyed, and there are many virtuous officials in court. The truth will come out, and my father’s name will be cleared."

Chen Quan nodded, "Of course. It was fortunate you were quick-witted enough to expose Liu Pingshun on the spot. I am ashamed to say that, despite being a decade your senior, I was completely deceived by his lies."

"Liu Pingshun is but a menial servant; he lacked the courage and motive to frame me without cause. There must be a mastermind behind him." Xue Huai stared intently at Chen Quan, and as the man's attention was captured, he suddenly shifted the conversation, "Academician, I am grateful you told me about the issues with the Yangzhou dikes that day. It gave me time to prepare."

"How could you know about that letter—" Chen Quan’s voice cut off abruptly. He looked at Xue Huai with a flickering expression before forcing a fake smile, "Compiler Xue, do not joke. I am no prophet; how could I have known someone would open a case from ten years ago?"

Xue Huai smiled and replied unhurriedly, "I see. Then I must have remembered incorrectly. Do not mind me."

Seeing that Xue Huai did not press further, Chen Quan breathed a sigh of relief. But the next moment, he heard Xue Huai continue, "Come to think of it, if Academician Chen hadn't pushed me on the banks of the Jiuqu River, I would never have fallen into the water. Yet, I must thank you for that push; it allowed me to see some things clearly in the face of death."

Chen Quan’s face changed dramatically, and he barked, "Compiler Xue, do not make false accusations! I told you before, I only heard of your fall from others. We are colleagues with no deep grievances; why would I harm you? I offered my help, and you return it with malice. This is outrageous!"

With that, he flicked his sleeves and stormed off in a rage.

Xue Huai watched his retreating back with a mocking curve to his lips. If it weren't to find clues within the fog, he would have no interest in dealing with such a petty man. Fortunately, there was progress. It was clear the original owner had been plotted against; the letter from Chen Quan was the reason for his distress. As for the fall, even if Chen Quan was not the direct culprit, he certainly knew something.

The road ahead would be difficult. Xue Huai steadied his mind, turned, and walked away.