jdhmnovel Chapter 490 The Person Behind It All Emerges
Chapter 490 The Person Behind It All Emerges
Liu Peng told Jiang Xiaoqi and Xiao Ming about the news of Yang Guozhong, the Earl of Chengen, being imprisoned at the Hanlin Academy.
After all, his grandfather was the prime minister of the court, and he would always share firsthand information with his most valued grandson.
"The crimes of the Marquis of Chengen are too numerous to count. He seized all the people's land. No wonder he was reluctant to come back from the capital for so long. It turns out he was making a fortune outside!"
Xiao Ming was filled with righteous indignation; the passion of youth is always hard to extinguish.
That empathy for the country and its people has not been completely eroded by the ruthlessness of officialdom; a pure land still remains in their hearts.
"Alas, that's right. My grandfather said that many people were displaced and had to beg for food to survive. There were even more tragic cases of people exchanging children to eat."
This Yang Guozhong deserves to be torn to pieces! Why bother detaining him? Just execute him outright and make him pay for the people's lives!
Jiang Xiaoqi didn't participate in the discussion; he felt something was amiss.
However, if all of this is true, even the most brutal torture of one person cannot save so many lives. Is justice delayed still justice?
Why didn't anyone stand up when the people were suffering? Now that the consequences have been dealt with, and the dust has settled, no matter how you calculate it, the people have lost out!
"Hey? Mingfei, did you also investigate Marquis Chengen before?"
"Yes, but not that matter. It's something else. The evidence we submitted disappeared without a trace. Perhaps His Majesty has been waiting for this day to settle accounts?"
"That's quite possible. One crime alone isn't enough to bring down this imperial brother-in-law, but if multiple crimes are brought against him, he'll never recover!"
Even Jiang Xiaoqi himself didn't believe this, but Liu Peng and Xiao Ming did.
Jiang Xiaoqi was thinking, since Yang Guozhong was the Third Prince's man, would the Third Prince try to get him out?
And then there's the Empress. After all, he's her nominal brother. Would the Empress plead with His Majesty on his behalf?
In the Empress's Palace—
"Mother, Uncle has been arrested," said the Second Prince Zhao Hongchang expressionlessly.
"Okay, I understand. But Chang'er, that has nothing to do with us. You only have one maternal uncle, so remember that."
This person is just someone your father placed there to save face; in reality, he's the most disgusting.
The Queen gripped the golden scissors tightly in her hand, her fingertips turning white.
"Your subject knows that your uncle was killed by this person, and we must avenge this!"
With tears in her eyes, the Empress looked with satisfaction at her son, who was pretending to be stupid in front of outsiders. Her Chang'er was the future ruler of the Great Zhou Dynasty. All the other cats and dogs were not worthy of him!
"Mother, only my mother is worthy of sitting in the position of Empress Dowager. Those lowly concubines should all go and be buried with Father."
The Empress listened to her son's words and did not think that her son was too ruthless and heartless.
Instead, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes. "Chang'er, it's good that you have such ambitions, but you must not act rashly right now."
The third brother is no pushover either. You see, although he's been jumping around like a clown all these years, he's actually won over quite a few people.
Yang Guozhong is just one of the insignificant dogs. There are countless people in the court who are more influential than him. Chang'er, don't underestimate him.
Underestimating your opponent is always the beginning of defeat!
"Your Majesty, I have been following your teachings and enduring hardship for nearly twenty years. I will not lose my composure. Please rest assured, Your Majesty!"
"What belongs to us, mother and son, I will take back, one by one! Those who have harmed us must pay the price."
"Yang Guozhong cannot be kept alive, but I doubt the third brother will bother to rescue him. Let's see what he does next."
The second prince nodded, "Your subject understands, but I don't know if Father will really punish him."
The Empress sneered, "Since His Majesty chose to detain the person during court, he will naturally not let it go easily. Jiang Zhuangyuan of the Hanlin Academy sent so much evidence before, His Majesty must know what's going on."
By the way, have you managed to win over that Scholar Jiang and Compiler Jiang yet?
"Qiu Cheng said he is working on it, but there has been no progress so far."
The Empress's expression was somewhat strange as she recalled the face she had seen in her youth.
"Lord Qiu... wasn't he being a bit too subtle and euphemistic? Perhaps Scholar Jiang still doesn't know who he's working for."
Jiang Zhuangyuan and his family are among the few in the court who have not taken sides; such a family would not easily join any camp.
But if he knew he was going to support the legitimate heir, wouldn't things be different?
Just as the second prince was about to reply, a palace maid rushed in to report, "Your Majesty, the third prince requests an audience."
The Empress and Zhao Hongchang exchanged a glance. Zhao Hongchang said softly, "Mother, let's see what he has to say. I'll go to the back first."
The Empress straightened her appearance and said, "Let him in."
The Third Prince, Zhao Honghao, walked in anxiously. After bowing, he said urgently, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress. Your Majesty the Empress has been wrongfully imprisoned. I hope that Your Majesty will put in a good word for him before the Emperor, out of consideration for our sibling relationship."
The Empress's lips curled slightly, revealing a meaningful smile. "Your Highness, the Marquis of Chengen has committed numerous serious crimes. Even as family, one cannot be unable to distinguish right from wrong. Besides, His Majesty will make his own decision on this matter, and it is not appropriate for me to interfere."
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Chengen was framed. When someone wants to condemn someone, they will always find a pretext. Those so-called evidences are just one person's opinion and there is no substantial evidence to support them."
They accuse him of oppressing the people and seizing fertile land, but where is that land? Where are the victims? They accuse him of accepting bribes and extorting money from the people, but where is that money?
The Empress couldn't help but want to laugh out loud.
Sure enough, even the most heinous criminals will find people to plead for them, regardless of right or wrong, only concerned with personal gain.
Just like back then, even though his father and mother died suspiciously and his elder brother was not terminally ill, he had to swallow his anger and let the murderer enjoy wealth and honor for the sake of the so-called royal face.
"In the end, the Marquis of Chengen is a member of the Yang family, so why is the Third Prince so enthusiastic about him and going to great lengths for him?"
The Empress's expression was inexplicably unsettling. The Third Prince wanted to find a suitable excuse, but before he could come up with one, the Second Prince came out of the inner palace with a plate of pastries.
"Third brother, have you eaten?"
"Oh! I've already eaten. Oh, so my second brother is here too~"
This idiot is useless here; he can't understand anything I'm saying.
"Mmm, the osmanthus cake is especially sweet today!"
The Empress, playing along with her son's act, patted the Second Prince's head and asked, "Chang'er, why are you out here? Where's the nanny?"
"Granny has gone to get ginseng soup for Chang'er!"
Seeing the loving mother and son before him, the Third Prince suddenly interjected, "Second Brother, your uncle has been arrested by Father. Shall we beg Mother to plead for your uncle's life?"