Chapter 224 Secret Rewards

After the court assembly, Duke Anguo did not return to his residence, but instead knelt outside the Hall of Diligent Governance.

He requested Emperor Xiao Jing to strip him of his title of Duke.

Emperor Xiao Jing ignored him and simply told him that the matter of the Marquis of Wuding was the Marquis of Wuding's own business.

Since there is no evidence pointing to Duke Anguo, then Duke Anguo is innocent.

Since Marquis Wuding has taken full responsibility for everything, this matter has nothing to do with Duke Anguo.

"Your Majesty, this old minister has failed Your Majesty and has failed Dayu." Duke Anguo kowtowed to the cold floor tiles.

Emperor Xiao Jing sighed and personally helped Duke Anguo up.

"Uncle, everyone makes mistakes when choosing people. No one expected that Marquis Wuding would do something like this."

If you are willing to be punished for this matter, then what about me?

The title of Marquis of Wuding was bestowed upon me by the late emperor, and he also helped me handle so many military affairs.

Should I then issue an edict of self-reproach?

Faced with Emperor Xiao Jing's words, Duke Anguo was speechless.

No one expected that, despite the magnitude of the Wu Ding Marquis's actions, the Duke of Anguo would not have been punished at all.

At the very least, they should be fined several years' salary as a warning!

Empress Dowager Zheng, Consort Zheng, and the newly appointed Consort Die in the palace were all on tenterhooks.

Treason is a serious crime. Even if it wasn't the Zheng family who did it, Marquis Wuding had close ties with the Zheng family, so he would probably be implicated to some extent!

However, the Duke of Anguo's mansion was not involved at all.

Empress Xu was also puzzled by this, so she took the opportunity to ask Emperor Xiao Jing indirectly while he was having a meal in her palace.

"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Wuding has committed a serious crime. Does the Duke of Anguo really know nothing about it?"

Emperor Xiao Jing smiled and accepted the teacup handed to him by Empress Xu.

"So what if you know? Do you have any evidence?"

Without evidence, I have no way to deal with him.

He is a Duke, an old man who has served three emperors, and he commands the Pingnan Army. I cannot treat him the same way I treat the Marquis of Wuding.

However, the King of Qin should know what he did.

Someone will question him.

"The good days for Duke Anguo have only just begun!"

After thinking about it carefully, Empress Xu immediately understood what Emperor Xiao Jing meant.

"Does Your Majesty mean that the King of Qin will question the Duke of Anguo?"

Emperor Xiao Jing nodded.

"Empress, you were not at the court meeting today. I have been watching the expression on Prince Qin's face the whole time."

When he learned of the crimes committed by Marquis Wuding, he immediately looked at Duke Anguo.

That look... it was like he wanted to devour someone.

I didn't send this child to the southern battlefield in vain.

Those who have been on the battlefield are not afraid of swords and spears, but they are afraid of being shot from behind.

The King of Qin was clearly unaware of these matters.

However, the King of Qin also understood that the Marquis of Wuding must have been doing these things with the guidance of the Duke of Anguo.

In the eyes of the King of Qin, what the Duke of Anguo and the Marquis of Wuding did was an unforgivable crime.

"That Prince Qin... I underestimated him..."

Seeing Emperor Xiao Jing's words, Empress Xu knew that, out of respect for Prince Qin, Emperor Xiao Jing would not take any action against Duke Anguo for the time being...

"After all, the King of Qin is a prince, so he must put the safety of Dayu first."

"I have never doubted this, it's just the people around me..."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, no one can touch the Crown Prince's position."

I have many princes, but the position of the crown prince is secure.

Because you are a good empress and a good mother, and the crown prince was raised by you, I am at ease.

I'll tell you the truth today too.

The King of Qin has the blood of the Zheng family, so I cannot give him the throne.

As for the arrangement for the Prince of Qin, I thought that he could stay away from the Duke of Anguo, so that when the Duke of Anguo got old, the Prince of Qin could take control of the Pingnan Army.

This is why I sent the Prince of Qin to the south to fight on the battlefield.

Let the King of Qin watch over the southern gate of Dayu.

As for the northern gate, with the Weiyuan Army there, I have nothing to worry about.

Now that you're on good terms with the Marquis of Changsheng's family and the Duchess of Dingguo, Weiyuan Army will be the Crown Prince sooner or later.

But the Crown Prince will be staying in the capital, so Xiao Qi will have to look after the northern regions for him.

As for the other princes, once they were sent to their fiefdoms, they would at most become wealthy and noble princes.

The Crown Prince really doesn't need to worry.

The important thing now is how to weaken the Zheng family's power. As for the Empress Dowager...

"She has at least helped me, so as long as she doesn't cause any major trouble in the palace, I will still respect her," Emperor Xiao Jing said solemnly to Empress Xu.

Emperor Xiao Jing's words truly startled Empress Xu.

Without a second thought, she quickly got up from the couch and knelt down before Emperor Xiao Jing.

"Your Majesty, I have never thought that much. I only wish for the Crown Prince's well-being and for the Great Yu to prosper."

"As a woman, I dare not casually discuss state affairs."

"Alright, you and I are husband and wife, there's nothing that husband and wife can't say to each other."

"Get up quickly, I have something to tell you." Emperor Xiao Jing quickly reached out to Empress Xu and helped her up.

"Your Majesty, what is it that I need to do?" Empress Xu quickly stood up with Emperor Xiao Jing's help.

"Pick some valuable gifts and send them to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion."

This isn't just any gift; the more expensive, the better.

Princess Pingning is no longer engaged; you should send her some nice gifts.

As for the reason for the reward, think of one.

This time, Changsheng Hou captured Leigu City in the north and dug out that bastard Wuding Hou. It was the good fortune accumulated by my sworn brother back then.

I was originally thinking of bestowing another title upon the Shen family.

But then I thought, now that the Duke of Dingguo's mansion is full of the elderly, weak, women and children, we can't be too conspicuous.

Furthermore, Marquis Wuding had many former subordinates. What if some of them, who had been kind to him, turned their hatred towards the Duke of Dingguo's mansion?

Let's hold off on giving rewards for now and give some items instead.

"As for the title... I'll find a pretext to bestow it upon you in two years," Emperor Xiao Jing said with a smile.

Empress Xu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, as it was a minor matter.

However, she sensed that Emperor Xiao Jing was now genuinely treating the Duke of Dingguo's mansion with sincerity.

I guess this is also to give Xiaoqi a boost!

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will handle this matter perfectly."

"As for Marquis Changsheng...does Your Majesty need me to choose a gift?" Empress Xu asked.

Emperor Xiao Jing shook his head.

"No need. I will just bestow the normal rewards upon Marquis Changsheng. He is currently enjoying great success and will not mind this little extra honor."

Besides, the rewards bestowed by the Marquis of Ever Victory will boost morale...

"Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress!" Jinxiu, the head palace maid, suddenly entered from outside the palace.

"You're getting more and more unruly. What's going on?" Empress Xu asked, her face displeased.

The head palace maid quickly knelt down.

"News has just arrived from outside the palace: the Duke of Qi... is dying!"

Emperor Xiao Jing and Empress Xu both stood up immediately.

"The Duke of Qi is dying? How could he suddenly be dying? Where is the imperial physician? Has he gone to the Duke of Qi's residence?" Empress Xu asked anxiously.

"Three groups of imperial physicians have already gone by."

The head of the Imperial Medical Academy has already passed away.

"I heard that the Duke of Qi's mansion has already begun preparations for the funeral," the head palace maid said.

Emperor Xiao Jing, Empress Xu...