Chapter 356 Missing

The trial of the Wang family lasted for three days.

For the past three days, the people of Suzhou have witnessed the biggest spectacle of their lives.

So these nobles were actually worse than pigs and dogs?

From 7 AM to 5 PM, the prefectural government office in Suzhou did nothing but adjudicate cases for the next three days.

Well, it's called a trial, but it's really just a formality.

Basically, as soon as the plaintiff finished speaking, the defendant immediately pleaded guilty.

Then came the signing and fingerprinting, followed by the introduction of the next plaintiff...

The people went from being surprised at first to becoming numb to it later.

"The entire Wang family deserves to be executed! There isn't a single good person among them!"

"That's right! Who would have thought that the eldest daughter of the Wang family would hold a grudge just because the young lady of the Li family wore the same clothes as her?"

Not only did they tear someone's clothes, they also dumped them on a mountain!

"Alas! If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too. The Wang family is wicked to the core."

"Such a family deserves to have its entire clan exterminated."

"Now I'm wondering, how have we all managed all these years? With such a tyrant like the Wang family around, how have we all managed to survive?"

"What else can we do but endure it..." The onlookers chimed in with their opinions.

......

The Wang family's case was concluded on the nineteenth day of the first lunar month.

Shen Qingjun put the simple files he had organized into a box, wrapped them in several layers of oil paper, and finally wrapped them in brocade.

"Send it to the capital immediately by galloping horse."

It must be personally delivered to His Majesty.

The guard who received the bundle bowed respectfully, slung the bundle containing the box tightly over his shoulder, and turned to leave.

Shen Qingjun breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the guards leap onto their horses and ride away.

Now he was waiting for the imperial decree from the capital.

The rest is up to Your Majesty to decide!

As for the Wang family of Marquis Changning... they will not exist again.

The issue of the abandoned fields in Suzhou should also be resolved by now.

......

It was on the evening of the nineteenth day of the first lunar month that Princess Hui'an's carriage arrived in the outskirts of the capital.

Because Princess Hui'an was old, her carriage, though large, could not travel very fast.

Adding to the difficulty of traveling, it took her carriage a full half-month to travel from Suzhou to the capital.

After the carriage stopped at the post station, the nanny following Princess Huian made a suggestion in a low voice.

"Princess, why don't we go into the city tonight?"

Although the city gates are closed, you are the only Grand Princess of Dayu, and the guards will open them for you.

"The sooner we get to Beijing, the sooner we can make arrangements!"

The seventy-something-year-old Grand Princess Hui'an had a sharp look in her eyes.

"No need! Let's rest at the post station for the night and then head to the capital openly and legitimately tomorrow morning."

I am the Grand Princess.

Now that we're back in Beijing, we should still make the necessary show of it.

Going into town at night? What are you doing sneaking around like that?

Tomorrow, I will let everyone in the capital know that the Grand Princess has returned to the capital.

This world still belongs to Dayu, and it still belongs to my Xiao family.

"This isn't the domain of those nobodies, those lowly old women from the countryside," Princess Hui'an said solemnly.

The old woman dared not speak again.

Yes, you are the only Grand Princess of Dayu.

But the current imperial family isn't your brother's...

......

In the palace, Emperor Xiao Wu finished reading the last memorial, made annotations, and slowly put down his pen.

Hu Zhouquan, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, the Empress is already waiting for you."

"Are you going to see Mom now?" Hu Zhouquan asked.

Emperor Xiao Wu nodded, got up, and walked out of the Hall of Diligent Governance.

"Is there any news from Suzhou?" Emperor Xiaowu asked.

"Your Majesty, Princess Pingning sent a message this afternoon."

It is said that the trial of the Wang family in Suzhou began on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month.

"It should be over in three days, and the case files should be sent from Suzhou to the capital tonight," Hu Zhouquan said hurriedly.

Emperor Xiao Wu breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems my cousin is quite quick; he sorted out the Wang family's crimes in just three days.

"Spread the news of the assassination attempt on the Duke of Dingguo in Suzhou tomorrow morning."

"Do you know how to say it?" Emperor Xiaowu asked.

"This servant knows what to do! And knows what to say!"

"I will personally go to Chun Buwan in a moment," Hu Zhouquan said, bowing.

What else could we say? We had to make the situation sound as dangerous as possible, and the more serious the Duke of Dingguo's injuries were.

"Where is that imperial aunt? Has she not yet arrived in the capital?" Emperor Xiaowu asked again.

"We've reached the outskirts of the city, but for some reason, we haven't entered the city. Instead, we've stayed at a post station in the suburbs."

"I guess they're thinking of waiting until the city gates open tomorrow morning before entering the city!" Hu Zhouquan replied.

Emperor Xiao Wu gave a cold laugh.

I guess he's trying to show off!

"She entered the city around the time news of the assassination of the Duke of Dingguo spread."

She must have wanted to see me back then.

Remember, I won't see you!

After Emperor Xiao finished speaking, he flicked his sleeves and walked towards the direction of Empress Huangfu's palace.

Hu Zhouquan followed closely behind Emperor Xiao Wu.

Hmm, gone! They're definitely gone by now!

The case files from the Wang family haven't arrived yet, how can we see them?

The Grand Princess of Dayu? Haha, she's not the Grand Princess of the Imperial Family. You were somewhat useful during the late Emperor's time.

His Majesty has never even met you once, and you still dare to come here and put on airs...

I really don't know what they were thinking...

The next morning, everyone on Qianmen Street, whether they were running shops or shopping, was shocked by a piece of news.

The youngest Duke of Dingguo in Dayu was assassinated in Suzhou.

Early in the morning, the palace had already dispatched two groups of imperial physicians to Suzhou.

The old lady of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion and Madam Shen were so shocked by the news that they fainted.

The new Duchess of Dingguo has also fainted, and the Dingguo Duke's mansion is now in complete chaos...

Everyone was stunned when they heard the news.

Immediately afterwards, he ran to the Chunbuwan Teahouse.

That's where you'll find the latest news.

Similarly, that will be the place where the news is analyzed most comprehensively...

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the newly opened Chunbuwan Teahouse was packed with people.

Have you heard?

"I've heard! The Duke of Dingguo's fate is unknown! The imperial family has already dispatched imperial physicians to Suzhou overnight."

"Who do you think could have done it?!"

"Who else could it be? That local tyrant from Suzhou, the Marquis of Changning's family, the local bully!"

"How dare they! The Duke of Dingguo is no ordinary Duke of Dingguo! He's an imperial envoy!"

"What's there to be afraid of? Their family has the only Grand Princess of Dayu!"

"Oh! Is that so! Then this Grand Princess isn't a good person either!"

......