Rebirth and Reversal of Fortune

Chapter 226 Sowing Discord, Love in Dilemma

Some treacherous officials in the court took the opportunity to sow discord between the emperor and Xiao Ling, which exacerbated the emperor's distrust of Xiao Ling.

These treacherous officials, with their silver tongues, fabricated all sorts of baseless charges against Xiao Ling. They vividly described how Xiao Ling cultivated his cronies within the army, how he plotted to seize more power, and even claimed that Xiao Ling harbored rebellious intentions. The emperor, already suspicious, became increasingly distrustful of Xiao Ling under the constant instigation of these treacherous officials.

Xiao Ling knelt outside the palace gates, utterly exhausted. He knew the situation was extremely unfavorable for him, but for the honor of the nation and his family, he was determined to persevere. Meanwhile, Su Jinxiu was frantic with worry in prison, fearing Xiao Ling's impulsiveness would worsen the situation.

Meanwhile, the situation on the frontier grew increasingly critical. The enemy army advanced rapidly, causing immense suffering to the people. Some righteous ministers petitioned the emperor to allow Xiao Ling to lead the army again to resist the enemy. However, treacherous officials vehemently opposed this, claiming it was a ruse by Xiao Ling and that if he were allowed to return to the frontier, he would inevitably become powerful and consolidate his own authority.

The emperor was caught in a deep dilemma, torn between the safety of the nation and his distrust of Xiao Ling. Just then, a mysterious figure appeared. This man claimed to be an old enemy of Xiao Ling and provided the emperor with so-called "evidence," further solidifying Xiao Ling's "crimes."

The emperor was furious and ordered Xiao Ling to be imprisoned in the imperial jail. The Marquis's mansion was also sealed off, and everyone inside was dispersed.

Xiao Ling suffered inhuman torture in the imperial prison, but his will remained firm. He firmly believed that the truth would eventually come to light and that his loyalty would be recognized by the emperor.

With the help of her fellow inmates, Su Jinxiu successfully escaped from prison. She searched far and wide for evidence, hoping to clear Xiao Ling's name. She found some witnesses who had been threatened by treacherous officials and persuaded them to come forward and tell the truth.

However, treacherous officials discovered Su Jinxiu's actions and sent assassins to hunt her down. During her escape, Su Jinxiu met a chivalrous swordsman. Moved by her perseverance and courage, the swordsman decided to help her.

With the help of a chivalrous hero, Su Jinxiu finally gathered enough evidence to prove Xiao Ling's innocence. Armed with the evidence, she risked her life to infiltrate the palace.

Despite facing the emperor's suspicion and the pressure from the court, Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling's relationship remained as firm as a rock.

While imprisoned, Xiao Ling suffered greatly both physically and mentally, but whenever he thought of Su Jinxiu, his heart was filled with warmth and strength. Meanwhile, Su Jinxiu tirelessly worked to clear Xiao Ling's name, while also constantly worrying about his safety.

In order to see Xiao Ling, Su Jinxiu risked everything to bribe the prison guards. When she finally saw Xiao Ling's haggard face through the cell door, tears welled up in her eyes. Xiao Ling smiled and comforted her, telling her not to worry and that they would definitely get through this ordeal.

The pressure at court did not lessen because of their love. The treacherous officials continued to advise the emperor, urging him to deal with Xiao Ling as soon as possible to prevent any unforeseen complications. Although the emperor was still hesitant, his heart was gradually tipping towards the advice of the treacherous officials.

Meanwhile, turmoil was brewing in the martial arts world. Some sects that had grudges against Xiao Ling seized the opportunity to kick him while he was down, spreading rumors that Xiao Ling deserved his fate. However, some righteous individuals were moved by the love between Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling and decided to secretly help them.

In her search for evidence, Su Jinxiu encountered numerous dangers. On one occasion, she was nearly captured by assassins sent by a treacherous official, but fortunately, she escaped with the help of a female knight-errant. Touched by their love, this knight-errant not only helped Su Jinxiu evade pursuit but also provided her with crucial clues.

Xiao Ling didn't remain idle in the imperial prison. Leveraging his prestige in the army, he persuaded some of his former subordinates to pass on messages for him. Although these subordinates dared not openly disobey the imperial court's orders, they secretly did what they could for Xiao Ling and Su Jinxiu.

However, time was of the essence; the emperor had already decided to put Xiao Ling on trial in three days. If Su Jinxiu could not produce sufficiently strong evidence before the trial, Xiao Ling would likely be executed.

Su Jinxiu worked tirelessly day and night, organizing the evidence in her hands, hoping to find the most powerful breakthrough. Meanwhile, Xiao Ling, in prison, prepared for the worst. He wrote a will, expressing his deep affection for Su Jinxiu and his loyalty to the country.

Just one day before the trial, Su Jinxiu finally discovered a crucial piece of evidence that proved Xiao Ling's innocence and exposed the treacherous officials' conspiracy.

However, the treacherous officials also noticed Su Jinxiu's actions, and they decided to strike at her the night before the trial and steal the evidence.