Accusations from loved ones always pack more punch than insults from enemies.
This principle holds equally true within the realm of politics. An official may remain unscathed by the fiercest attack from political opponents, but witness testimonies from a confidant can bring him down such that he never recovers.
As he listened to Zhao Zhang's account, Sui Zaihua turned his eyes to the man and woman before him, his expression gradually turning somber. He cast a calm gaze towards Shang Huaitong. Clearly, he was regarding this issue with renewed seriousness.
As Luo Defeng had worried earlier, reputations can be marred without the need for evidence. If the elder chose to believe the accusations, the path for Shang Huaitong to join the Sword Repair Institute would become littered with countless new trials and difficulties.
Could they endure through them all, given their limited time?
With the pressure from Tianshan Cui Yu weighing down, the answer to everything seemed to be negative.
