Chapter 379

As a member of the Imperial Court, how could Fang Heng not know what was happening outside the Imperial City? How could he not know who the kneeling person was?

But there are certain protocols to follow, and certain questions that must be asked.

Fang Heng responded in a proper manner, "Fang Heng, the son of Fang Huaiyi, requests an audience with the Emperor. After my father died in battle, my uncle and his family, in their ruthless pursuit of power, brutally murdered my mother and sent people thousands of miles to chase and kill me. I am powerless and helpless, and can only implore the Emperor to seek justice."

Being the son of a military general, Fang Heng was straightforward and frank.

With just a few simple sentences, the family feud within the Fang household was exposed for all to see. As the surrounding ministers discussed it fervently, the patriarch of the Fang family, Fang Heng's own uncle, turned red with anger.

"Don't talk nonsense," he retorted, then knelt down on both knees. "I beseech the Emperor to see the truth. After my eldest brother passed away, my sister-in-law fell ill and left. As the second uncle, it was my duty to take care of my nephew and niece. However, this child, for some reason, deemed that I was responsible for the death of his mother and left in anger."

"For five years, I have been searching for this child, wasting countless resources and manpower. Little did I expect that he would come to the gates of the Imperial City at this moment. My heart is filled with anguish..." The patriarch of the Fang family choked up, vividly portraying his sense of grievance and concern.

Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth—both sides held to their own stories, making it difficult to discern the truth.

At this moment, it would depend on whom the Imperial Court was willing to believe.

On one side was Fang Heng, the respected patriarch of the Fang family and a prominent court official.

On the other side was a frail and weak young man with no status.

The siblings in the crowd held their breaths, their eyes fixed on the pensive Imperial Court, even their breathing seemed elongated.

Only the eldest son, Lang Yan, spoke nonchalantly, "He will ask for evidence."

Sure enough, the Imperial Court spoke with authority, "Do you have any evidence?"

"I do," the patriarch of the Fang family hurriedly interjected before Fang Heng could speak, "I have correspondences proving that I sent people to search for my nephew, as well as records of the gold and silver spent over the years in the relentless pursuit of finding him. As long as these can make the child understand the lengths I have gone through, it will be worth it!"

Saying this, he sent someone to retrieve the evidence from the Fang family. The attention shifted back to Fang Heng, who pursed his lips, his resolute face betraying a mix of emotions. Then he shook his head, "I don't have any evidence, but it's true that I have survived all these years while being hunted."

The crowd erupted in astonishment.

In truth, he did have evidence—letters from the Fang family to the Wang family, his scheming aunt Sun Shi, and the gold and silver bestowed upon the Sun family by the Fang family. All of these could be presented as proof.

But the power of these things was too weak; the Fang family could easily find a scapegoat and escape unscathed.

What Fang Heng wanted was the complete destruction of the Fang family and for his uncle's family to grovel and beg for mercy, even if it took ten or eight years.

He would wait until he became a general and returned victorious.

He would wait until his elder brother became a rising star and stood firmly in the court.

Right now, they were merely testing the waters, searching for the hidden moves and trump cards of the Fang family.

Fang Heng kowtowed to the ground once again and spoke in a deep voice, "I may not have evidence, but it is a fact that I have suffered and wandered alone all these years. It is also a fact that my home and family property have been seized. If my uncle were kind-hearted, how could I have suffered so much?"

The smiling face of the patriarch of the Fang family froze.

What good is presenting evidence? Sometimes, the human heart cannot be swayed by evidence.

Those who wield the power and connections of the Fang family are already in a position of strength, while the young Fang Heng, only fourteen years old, is visibly disadvantaged.

Five years ago... he was merely nine years old.

What could make a nine-year-old child feel uneasy, abandon a comfortable life, and embark on a journey of hardships and growth?

The Fang family patriarch is unable to provide a satisfactory explanation, as the surrounding people's accusations alone are enough to drown him.

To kill a person is to kill their heart. It's that simple.

"Great, our plan is working," exclaimed Jiang Sheng in the crowd. "Can the Imperial Court restore justice to Third Brother?"

"How is that possible?" Xu Mo shook his head. "Public opinion can only fuel the fire but cannot determine the outcome."

At the level of noble families, rumors are like insignificant feathers. What truly matters is how the people who hear these rumors think and judge.

The Imperial Court, dressed in bright yellow dragon robes, fell into contemplation once again.

It seemed that he often lowered his head in deep thought, taking a long time to make a decision, which left the surrounding people anxious with anticipation.

"Just putting on a show," sneered Chang Yan. "In the end, it's all just compromise." As if in response to these words, the Imperial Court spoke with solemnity, "Since both sides insist on their own positions despite being blood relatives, why not sit down and have a proper conversation? Each side can take a step back and turn hostility into friendship."

The key lies in how to step back.

Fang Heng is unwilling to surrender the position of family patriarch that his Second Uncle fought so hard to obtain, as well as the Fang family's assets and connections.

Fang Heng is also unwilling to let go of his hatred for his mother's killer and the resentment that has plagued him for five years.

Turning hostility into friendship is just empty talk. No one is willing to give up what they firmly believe in, and they cannot step back that half step.

The face of the Fang family patriarch turned pale and he remained silent.

On the other hand, Fang Heng didn't hesitate to kneel down and said, "I'm willing to do so. I ask my Second Uncle to hand over the position of family patriarch, along with the deeds to the ancestral treasury."

It sounds like a trivial matter, but after kowtowing for so long, it turns out that it's only for the Fang family's assets and power, completely forgetting about his mother's vengeance.

But this is part of the plan.

The Imperial Court likes compromise, the Fang family patriarch remains silent, and with Fang Heng's retreat, it's like placing both sides on a burning fire—either hand over all the Fang family possessions or make a true decision.

At the entrance of the Imperial City.

The Imperial Court, dressed in bright yellow dragon robes, frowned, and the kneeling Fang family patriarch began to contemplate with all his might.

Both of them wanted to resolve the situation, standing from their respective perspectives, using the simplest means to quell the unrest.

The Fang family patriarch truly lives up to his reputation for being cunning and sly. He gave a signal to his trusted aide, and the Zhu family patriarch immediately bowed down, "How can a mere child contribute to the nation? The succession of the family patriarch has always been the rightful duty of the eldest son. If there is no heir in the main branch, it would be understandable, but in this case, when there is a living person, it is unnecessary for the inheritance to go to the uncle from the second branch. This has caused great sorrow to the hearts of the thousands of soldiers, Your Majesty."

Openly and secretly, he shifted all the blame onto the general's wife, Wang.

Fang Heng clenched his teeth and restrained himself from retorting after several attempts.

On the other hand, the He family patriarch couldn't help but kneel down, bowing deeply, "Your Majesty, please see clearly. The position of family patriarch has always been inherited by the eldest legitimate son. If the main branch lacks an heir, it would be understandable to pass it to the second branch. But in this case, when there is a living person, it is unjust to let the uncle from the second branch inherit it. It also fails to treat the general's orphan properly, causing great grief to the hearts of thousands of soldiers."

Receiving Jiang Sheng's subtle hint, Jiang Jizong straightened his bent knees, filled with doubts, but he didn't voice them.

In the arrangements made by the siblings, their intention was to pressure the Imperial Court into making a decision.

However, the Imperial Court often needed to assess the strengths of both sides in order to reach a verdict.

The Fang Family Patriarch corresponded to Fang Heng, and initially, the Zhu Family Patriarch intended for Jiang Jizong to balance the scales. If there were also the Yao Family Patriarch, they would have arranged for the He Family Patriarch to kneel as well, so that both sides would forever remain evenly matched.

Who could have expected that the He Family Lord would emerge unexpectedly and snatch away all of Uncle Jiang's accomplishments?