The Twin

14. Everything On The Line

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Yizheng's question made Ruoxing freeze.

They both pulled away their weapons at the same time and then leapt apart.

"W-what do you mean?" She stammered out. "What happened to General Wei?!"

Yizheng shook his head. "Silly little girl. Did you think General Wei wouldn't try and rescue you?"

Ruoxing staggered back a step.

She hadn't considered the fact that news of her arrest would have reached Xinghua by now, and somehow it never occurred to her that General Wei would go to any great lengths to save her.

Yizheng scoffed. "It's clear you thought they wouldn't do anything. What an insult to General Wei and Wei Furen! Even if you're adopted, are they the type to sit back and do nothing?

"Tsk tsk tsk... General Wei has sent in a petition, asking for audience, but Grand Chancellor Shao has been doing everything in his power to counter it, and wont even let General Wei into the Capital.

"Because of their scuffle, the Emperor likely already knows that you're General Wei's adopted daughter, so General Wei will pay the price if you escape, and speaking of the Emperor, he wouldn't want to go back on his words, or he'll be admitting he was easily fooled by Grand Chancellor Shao.

"And finally, the only thing General Wei can use to prove you weren't in the Capital, is your identity as his 'Son' or 'Night Warrior', which is the same as tossing the entire Wei family into trouble."

Ruoxing had turned completely white, but Yizheng continued.

"I was wrong for bullying you all this while, but 'he who dresses like a beggar will likely be treated like one'. And besides, I'm not the only sinner here... If you had told me who you were sooner, I would have sent a message to General Wei, before he took such drastic action."

"Don't judge my actions." Ruoxing forced out. "Without knowing whether you're friend or foe, how can I say anything?! If you were planted by Lord Shao, saying anything would have harmed my family!"

"Silly! I kept asking you about an old case that Lord Shao, and even the Emperor would have long forgotten. If I was planted by Lord Shao, I would already know Shao Linjin was the one I was looking for. I wouldn't have wasted my time questioning you!"

"But how was I to know all that?" Ruoxing asked calmly. "It was silly of me to assume General Wei and Wei Furen would ignore me and stay safely in Xinghua, but it was equally silly of you to simply accept Lord Shao's word and believe some unknown twin was the culprit!"

She sat heavily on the bed and turned her back to him.

A tense silence passed, before Yizheng turned and strode out, leaving a distraught Ruoxing behind.

Her experience in the Shao Mansion must have affected her far more than she realized.

Since her own biological parents had done such a thing to her, she had subconsciously started assuming she wasn't worth too much to any one.

But it didn't matter if she was worth a lot or a little.

She knew General Wei and Wei Furen were too kind for their own good, so she should have known they would do something risky to save her!

'Mother! Father! Please be safe!' She silently prayed.

---

Meanwhile, on the Wei family's end, things were indeed as grim as Yizheng had said.

General Wei had written four letters in the first few months, but each time, a watery reply was received, assuring him that Ruoxing was in good health, and was travelling with her sister.

But General Wei knew his daughter well.

Ruoxing was someone who had given up finery and the ways of a proper lady, just to make his 'dreams come true'.

Perhaps Ruoxing had a change of heart after meeting her biological family, but there was no way she wouldn't have personally sent word.

Especially since her first letter had stated that she would be back in a month at most.

What was even more alarming was that Lao Zhen had been turned away when he went back to the Shao Residence, and that had happened six times.

Feeling apprehensive, General Wei sent several spies to go and investigate, but the Capital was not an easy place, and it took a while for his spies to get a foothold.

One managed to sneak into the Shao Residence and had overhead what they were doing to Ruoxing.

This was around the time they had been bloodletting her to cure Shao Linjin, and General Wei nearly marched with his men to rescue Ruoxin, but Wei Furen stopped him.

"If anyone finds out Xing'er has been pretending to be a man, she will be killed!" Wei Furen reminded him. "Let's first go ourselves!"

But even when they both went to the Capital, Grand Chancellor Shao had met them at the City Gates.

General Wei had instantly challenged him, accusing him of maltreating his daughter,  but Grand Chancellor Shao smiled smugly.

"General Wei, from what we hear, you do not have a daughter, but a son." Then he raised his voice. "Who is this child you're asking for?! Was your daughter pretending to be a man all along?!"

That was a subtle threat reminding them that openly challenging him would open a box both parties wanted shut.

After that, General Wei arranged several plans to sneak Ruoxing out of the Shao Residence, but the Shao Residence was too well-guarded, and his men kept getting killed.

And before long they received word that 'Shao Ruoxing' had been arrested for treason, and was being tortured in Black Palace.

This made Wei Furen wail miserably, because the only way to prove Ruoxing's innocence, was to challenge Grand Chancellor Shao, who was one of the three major powers.

But General Wei didn't give in to fate.

If they didn't act quickly, Ruoxing might still face execution, so it was easier for him to make a decision.

"Furen, we're going back to the Capital!" He said. "To save Xing'er, we must put everything on the line!"

And that was how he had sent in a petition.

Naturally, Grand Chancellor Shao had done everything in his power to block the petition, but eventually General Wei had enlisted the help of the Grand Secretary, and it finally reached the Emperor.

"Who is 'Wei Ruoxing'?" The Emperor asked before the Government meeting, but it looked like majority of those in the hall genuinely had no idea who this 'Wei Ruoxing' was.

Till Jiang Qinyun, the Grand Secretary, stepped forward with a smug smile.

"May the Emperor Live for thousands of years!" He saluted. "Your Highness, as I understand it, Wei Ruoxing is one and the same as Shao Ruoxing, who was discovered recently, she was raised in Xinghua by General Wei and his wife, living as their daughter." He shot a triumphant look at Lord Shao, who seemed flustered.

Grand Commandant Ming was also flustered. He knew General Wei well, but he hadn't known he had a daughter.

"Your Highness. According to General Wei," Lord Jiang continued. "'Shao Ruoxing' had never set foot in the capital until recently, and she only came because Grand Chancellor Shao sent a letter asking her to return!

"By that time, Shao Linjin had already been arrested and fallen ill, so if Shao Ruoxing wasn't at the capital by that time, we must wonder if she is actually the criminal we're looking for!"