Chapter 602 He's not human!

Gu Qianhan sneered: "If Xiao Qingyuan had that ability, he wouldn't be so idle all day long, only knowing how to chase after women."

Prince Ning does have the ability to help Shen Guannian regain his official position, but Prince Ning has been very cautious for many years and has never dared to touch any power, because if he touches any power, the emperor will become suspicious of him, and then he will be killed!

It's not like the emperor hasn't killed his brothers before; he killed them before ascending the throne and he killed them after ascending it. With such a precedent before him, how many heads does Prince Ning have to lose? He would never make an exception for Shen Guannian!

Shen Guannian is using the Ning Prince's Mansion's fabrications to elevate his own status!

Shen Guannian was unaware that his carefully crafted lies had been seen through. This was a plan he had devised long ago. In front of Xiao Qingyuan, he told him how many benefits the Duke's Mansion had given him, creating a sense of crisis for Xiao Qingyuan. In front of Gu Qianhan, he told her how many benefits the Prince of Ning's Mansion had given him, giving Gu Qianhan the illusion that if he didn't give her benefits, Shen Wantang would marry Xiao Qingyuan.

In summary, they deceived both sides to make them compete with each other!

In the end, he will marry Shen Wantang to whoever offers the highest price.

The other one won't be left out either; he can just marry Shen Mingxuan. Anyway, the two sisters are pretty much the same. The family that didn't marry Shen Wantang but married Shen Mingxuan will definitely not lose out.

However, Shen Guannian did not expect Gu Qianhan to be so ruthless. He had originally thought that he could use his position as father-in-law to keep Gu Qianhan in check, but now it seemed that he could not possibly control such an arrogant and ruthless person.

Seeing that Gu Qianhan was about to get angry again, Shen Guannian quickly said, "Second Young Master, I know that you are much more capable than Prince Xiao. Actually, I also want to marry my daughter to you, but if you don't have any sincerity, I won't feel at ease letting my daughter follow you. After all, Tang'er is my precious daughter, and I have to entrust her to someone I can trust, right?"

Shen Guannian thought he had figured out that Gu Qianhan had fallen in love with his daughter, so he felt that he still had room to bargain. After all, as long as he, as the father, did not agree, Gu Qianhan would never be able to marry Shen Wantang!

So, he gritted his teeth and endured the pain to ask Gu Qianhan for something in return: "If you agree to two things, Second Young Master, I will consider you sincere. I can forgive your offense today and marry my daughter to you."

Gu Qianhan looked at him coldly without saying a word.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Shen Guannian thought he was going to compromise, and he breathed a slight sigh of relief. He then said to himself, "First of all, you have to respect me more than the Prince Ning's Mansion. The Prince Ning's Mansion values ​​me, so they have already agreed to help me regain my original position. The Second Young Master is even more capable, so it shouldn't be difficult for you to help me become a fourth-rank official."

"By the way, I was originally a fifth-rank official. If it weren't for the three-year mourning period, I would have been promoted to the fourth rank long ago. With my qualifications and abilities, I am more than qualified to be a fourth-rank official."

"Secondly, my eldest daughter went to your Duke's mansion tonight and then disappeared. Your Duke's mansion also bears responsibility for this. You must help me find my daughter tonight no matter what."

“Xuan’er is Tang’er’s older sister. The two sisters have always been close and affectionate. If Tang’er finds out that her sister is missing, she will definitely cry in distress. Moreover, if something happens to Xuan’er, it will be bad for Tang’er’s reputation. If the Second Young Master wants to protect Tang’er, he must first protect Xuan’er and not let anything happen to her.”

Shen Guannian spoke eloquently, believing he had used all his power of coercion and enticement to get hold of Gu Qianhan's weakness. But when he finished speaking, he found that Gu Qianhan's expression did not change in the slightest.

His expression was cold and indifferent, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking. At this moment, Shen Guannian even doubted his previous judgment—could someone like Gu Qianhan really fall for someone else? Did he really like Shen Wantang?

Gu Qianhan remained silent, and the room fell silent for a moment.

The night was as dark as ink, a gentle breeze swept through, and the candlelight flickered. Gu Qianhan's cold face became intermittently lit and darkened. He seemed like a demon that had crawled out of hell, sharp, cold, and devoid of any warmth.

After an unknown amount of time, Gu Qianhan's cold voice finally rang out from inside the room: "Jixiang, recite."

Upon hearing the order, Jixiang immediately took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, unfolded it, and read aloud: "On the winter solstice of the eleventh month of the year Guiyou, Chen Yifeng and two others from the Ministry of Rites falsely reported sacrificial items during the sacrificial celebrations and stole sacrificial silverware, from which they profited 67,000 taels!"

"In the eighth month of the year Yihai, before the autumn imperial examinations, Gao Fengxue and four others from the Ministry of Rites leaked exam questions to the candidates, taking the opportunity to amass over 800,000 taels of silver!"

"In the twelfth month of the Dingchou year, seven people from the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Personnel, and other departments colluded with local salt officials to sell smuggled salt, making a profit of 1.2 million taels of silver!"

"January of the year Wuyin..."

With each line Jixiang read, Shen Guannian's face paled a little more. After Jixiang finished reading more than a dozen lines, he was completely ashen-faced.

He knelt down in front of Gu Qianhan with a thud, and said in great fear, "Second Young Master, I have nothing to do with these cases. I am just a fifth-rank official, and I don't even have a word in the Ministry of Rites!"

"How could I dare to steal sacrificial silverware? My rank isn't high enough to even have access to the autumn imperial examination questions!"

“There are other cases, but they have nothing to do with me. I am not capable enough to be given important positions in the Ministry of Rites. I never get the chance to do any lucrative jobs!”

Gu Qianhan's expression remained indifferent: "Lord Shen, the main culprits in these cases have been beheaded, demoted, or exiled. What should be the punishment for the accomplices?"

"Second Young Master, I... I really have nothing to do with these cases!"

"Many accomplices have already been caught, most of them have been imprisoned, and a few have been beheaded. But there are still some who haven't been caught. Lord Shen, do you think I should rid the people of this scourge and report those who have slipped through the net to the Emperor?"

Shen Guannian was trembling like a leaf. He had calculated everything, but he hadn't expected Gu Qianhan to have such great ability to dig up all the cases he had been involved in before!

You see, he was timid, so he didn't get involved in anything too deep, which is why the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review couldn't find him.

Unexpectedly, Gu Qianhan actually found out!

He's terrifying! Terrifying!

He's not human!

"Lord Shen, why are you shivering? Are you cold?"

Gu Qianhan looked at him indifferently and instructed his subordinates: "Hei Yao, help Lord Shen up and put a coat on him so that he doesn't catch a cold and be unable to send the Second Miss off to her wedding next month."

Shen Guannian suddenly looked up: "Second, Second Young Master, what did you say?"

"Lord Shen, the marriage between our two families is already arranged. My wedding date with the second young lady is set for the sixteenth of next month. Have you forgotten?"

"When was the marriage arranged? I haven't agreed to this marriage..."

"Lord Shen, think it over before you speak."