Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Results
The Xue family still temporarily lived in the Jia Mansion, but there was a door in the courtyard leading to the outer street, and Xue Pan and other men from outside the family came in and out through this door.
It was already late today, and Wu Tianyue did not delay. Hearing Jia Lian still crying, he felt disgusted with such a person with no bottom line. He ordered his men to block his mouth and rode quickly to the Xue family.
The Xue family had cooperated with Wu Tianyue, so they were very familiar with the people around him. When the doorman saw that the person knocking on the door was the one who often followed Wu Tianyue, he was surprised and happy. Just as he was about to greet him, he saw a row of awe-inspiring soldiers outside, and he was so scared that his legs went weak.
Wu Tianyue was very ashamed and angry that the people around him did not find out that Xue Pan was responsible for the murder. At this time, he saw that his family member was flattering at first, but then knelt down cowardly after realizing something was wrong.
I couldn't help but think of Xue Pan's character, who bullied the weak and feared the strong, and took advantage of his power to bully others. If I hadn't warned him from time to time, he would have used me as a backer to bully the people and kill others.
Moreover, only Aunt Xue, Xue Pan, and Xue Ke, who had come to seek refuge a few days ago, lived in the Xue family courtyard. Wu Tianyue was not afraid of disturbing anyone and making Daiyu worry, so unlike when he was in the Jia Mansion, he did not let the servants go in to report. Instead, he directly ordered someone to watch the person on guard at the Xue family and went straight to Xue Pan's room.
When they arrived outside Xue Pan's house, Wu Tianyue randomly asked a little maid to go in and check, fearing that Xue Pan's concubines were also there.
Not long after, Xue Pan, wearing only pajamas, stumbled out. When he saw so many people, he was frightened and fell to the ground as usual.
Wu Tianyue was too lazy to look at him. He finished reading the imperial edict and ordered his men to tie him up and take him out.
As soon as they left the house, Fei Yan stepped forward to report, "I've sent someone to pass the news to the young lady."
Wu Tianyue nodded, mounted his horse and entered the palace.
The emperor did not meet him, but sent Cai Rang out to deliver a message: "Your Highness, you have worked hard. You have also been deceived by a villain. Your innocence is clear to His Majesty. The rest of the matter can be handed over to the Censorate."
The Censorate was on good terms with Wang Ziteng, and the Emperor was almost telling him directly that this was all his plan. Wu Tianyue was indignant, but he also knew that he couldn't arouse his suspicions again. He lowered his head and replied, "It's also because I don't know people well. I have to rely on my uncle to check."
Cai Rang replied with a smile: "The prince is still young, and he will experience more things in the future." After that, he hurriedly asked someone to send Jia Lian and Xue Pan to the Censorate.
Wu Tianyue sneered in his heart, handed the person over, and turned to leave the Yangxin Palace.
Prince Zhongshun had been waiting outside the palace for a long time. He had seen him lead his troops to arrest people, and then he saw him hurried back, but he didn't dare to disturb him. Now that he saw only him coming out, he hurriedly asked, "What happened?"
Wu Tianyue felt a little dejected and didn't feel like replying, so he shook his head and just said, "It's okay."
Seeing his son's dejected face, Prince Zhongshun felt sorry for him and sighed, "You've learned today that you can't just do whatever you want in this world. You should change that in the future."
Wu Tianyue did not reply, but was thinking in his mind if there was any way to make the emperor agree to let him take his wife and family members to be sent away. If that didn't work, he could just give up the position of crown prince.
Prince Zhongshun didn't know what he was thinking. He just thought he was young and his impetuousness was suppressed, making him feel a little lost. He consoled him, "There's more to this world than just one path. Rest for a few days until His Majesty has calmed down."
Wu Tianyue didn't know whether it was because his father was old or because he had experienced too much outside, but he felt that his father was not as strategist as he had imagined, but rather very naive. However, he didn't say anything, just curled his lips and said, "Son, I understand."
It was already midnight, and Prince Zhongshun still had to go to court, so the emperor kept him overnight in the palace. Wu Tianyue returned to his residence alone, replied to Princess Zhongshun who had been waiting for him, and then went back to his room to rest.
They had extinguished the candles and gone to bed, but the lights were still brightly lit at the Jia Mansion.
Daiyu had also rested, but when Lady Jia learned that Jia Lian had been arrested, she became extremely anxious and hurriedly sent someone to call her.
Although Lu Chen stopped her, Daiyu was a light sleeper and had only slept for a short time, so she woke up naturally and asked, "What's wrong?"
Not long after, Lu Chen pushed the door open and came in. He told Daiyu what Wu Tianyue had sent to tell her, and then said, "Yuanyang is waiting outside the old lady's room."
Daiyu frowned and thought for a while, then stood up and said, "Change clothes."
Then he took Lu Chen and Yuan Yang to Jia's mother's courtyard.
Soon, they arrived at the courtyard. People from both mansions had not yet dispersed and were surrounding Lady Jia in panic. Even Aunt Xue was sitting aside with her hair disheveled.
When everyone saw Daiyu coming, they hurried forward and asked, "Young lady, you are good friends with the prince. Do you know why you are here today?"
"The prince has been away for a long time. What could Yu'er know?" Grandmother Jia dismissed everyone and pulled Daiyu to sit down. She hesitated and said, "Yu'er, do you have any way to contact the palace?"
Daiyu comforted Lady Jia: "Grandmother, don't worry. The prince just sent someone to pass on a message..."
Before he could finish his words, Aunt Xue came forward crying, "Good boy, tell me, is your brother okay?"
Lu Chen said solemnly, "Our girl doesn't have a brother."
She was the one given to Daiyu by the princess. When everyone heard this, they dared not say a word. By chance, Baochai also got the news and rushed over. Seeing this scene, she grabbed her mother and said, "Don't worry, mother. Let Sister Lin finish her words first."
Daiyu dismissed Lu Chen and embellished Wu Tianyue's words, saying, "This matter was discovered by the Second Prince and reported directly to His Majesty. The Crown Prince was present and was afraid that others would disturb the female relatives, so he took the initiative to summon Second Brother Lian and Sister Bao's brother. However, the Crown Prince said that they did commit a crime. The evidence is conclusive and it is impossible to distinguish them. However, Uncle Wang is highly regarded by His Majesty. For his sake, His Majesty will not impose a heavy punishment."
After hearing this, everyone thought of Wang Ziteng. Aunt Xue hurriedly asked someone to help her wash up and go to the Wang family to find her brother.
Mrs. Wang quickly stopped her, "It's so late. Regardless of whether it's disturbing or not, it's curfew outside. Pan'er has just been arrested, and you've given him evidence. Wouldn't that make him commit another crime?"
When Aunt Xue heard that her son would be harmed, she stopped immediately. Then she remembered that her daughter had been summoned by the Crown Princess to speak about the matter of providing seeds to the farm. She wept and grasped Baochai's hand, "My child, the Crown Princess has summoned you today. She has given you a meal and a reward. You will surely be able to have a say in her affairs..."
Baochai was anxiously trying to find a solution, but she didn't expect her mother to say such a thing, and her face turned pale.
The Crown Princess only sent for a meeting because she saw that I was doing a good job. I have no use to her now. This matter was ordered by the Emperor himself. How could she still ask the Emperor for me? Moreover, my brother did do that wrong. If I still go to plead for him, wouldn't that be blocking the path I had finally found in vain?
Daiyu, watching from the sidelines, knew that if Baochai went to ask the Crown Princess for help, she would most likely be rejected. She had spent the past few months studying and burning the midnight oil just to do that, and she had become so busy that she was thin. It was not worth it to cut off that path for an impossible solution, so she spoke up to help her out: "This is an order from the Emperor. Not only the Crown Princess, but even the Crown Prince probably wouldn't have a say."
Seeing Aunt Xue so panicked and at a loss, Grandmother Jia also advised: "The fewer people involved in this matter, the better. Uncle Baoyu also helped cover up the matter with Pan Xiaozi. The emperor will definitely ask him about it. It would be best for him to handle this matter."
Only after everyone said so did Aunt Xue stop and sat back crying.
Grandmother Jia was also in a state of confusion. She ignored her and said to everyone, "There is an early sacrifice tomorrow. Everyone go and rest first. Zheng's wife will take a leave tomorrow morning and wait for news at home."
After hearing this, everyone quickly agreed to leave.
The next day, Wang Ziteng sent someone to inform him that his life was not in danger, but his official position could not be kept. However, he would try his best to mediate and let everyone not worry.
Official positions are all nominal, as long as the person is fine, it's fine. So when Jia Mu and others heard this, they all breathed a sigh of relief. They sent money and gifts to the Wang family, asking them to pass them on to Jia Lian and Xue Pan in prison. Then, according to the method previously discussed, they reported that Youshi was pregnant and packed up to send the body away.
Wu Tianyue lay at home for a long time. It seemed that he had no choice but to listen to the advice of Prince Zhongshun and others, take the imperial examination, wait for the emperor to die, and then plan for military generals after the prince came to the throne.
But if that were the case, Daiyu would have to suffer in the backyard for a long time. Wu Tianyue didn't want to trap Daiyu. Besides, when the emperor was gone, he would be old, and even if he switched from civil to military, he could only wander around in those small places. But there was no other way for the time being, unless he really gave up the position of prince, turned against his parents, said goodbye to Daiyu, and ran to the border to kill the enemy and make meritorious deeds.
On this day, Wu Tianyue was feeling irritated when he heard that the matter between Jia Lian and Xue Pan had been settled. Jia Lian was stripped of his official position and fined to compensate the people who were harmed by the loan and the families of those who died because of him. Xue Pan was even more lenient and only lost his position as an imperial merchant. He was also sentenced to compensate the relatives of Feng Yuan who was beaten to death and to set up a longevity tablet for Feng Yuan.
Wu Tianyue was not satisfied with this at all, and since he had been feeling unhappy for some days, he went to the emperor to make a fuss.
The emperor didn't expect him to come here for such a matter. He thought he felt the punishment was too severe and frowned. "The Censorate has already made the decision. Even if these two are friends with you, you cannot show favoritism."
"Your Majesty, I'm not trying to plead for mercy on their behalf," Wu Tianyue said. "I simply feel that even if they didn't kill intentionally, it was still a human life. If the punishment is so lenient, wouldn't it make people think that killing someone doesn't require a life sentence?"
"So what do you think is the best punishment?"
Wu Tianyue sneered, "People say the borderlands are bitterly cold. Why not let Jia Lian and Xue Pan go there to atone for their sins?"
The emperor looked up at him, but Wu Tianyue did not dodge or avoid.
The emperor thought, "I still have some temper." Then he lowered his head and thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Xue Pan is fine, but Jia Lian's grandfather served the country during the rebellion of the former Prince Yi Zhong, and those who died were not caused by Jia Lian. Dismissal is already a severe punishment."
Wu Tianyue also knew that if Jia Lian was exiled, the Jia family would most likely no longer care about the victims of loan sharking, so he didn't dwell on it: "Your Majesty is wise."
The emperor nodded and said, "You may withdraw. The imperial examination will be held in a few days. You can go and take the exam."
Wu Tianyue paused for a moment, then agreed to leave.
The next day, the verdicts on Jia Lian and Xue Pan came out. Needless to say, the second branch of the Jia family, since Jia Zheng was not there, the others naturally would not do anything for Jia Lian. But in the first branch, except for Feng Jieer, who was bedridden and struggled to get up to beg Wang Ziteng, Jia She and Mrs. Xing accepted the result well and had no intention of running around for Jia Lian.
The Xue family still wanted to make a fuss, but was suppressed by Wang Ziteng. In addition, the Xue family's business had shrunk a lot in recent days because of Xue Pan's affairs. Aunt Xue had no choice but to busy herself with bribes to the officers and soldiers who escorted Xue Pan to the border, and then supported Xue Pan's cousin Xue Ke to take charge of the situation.
Baochai had just tasted the power, so naturally she didn't want to give up the things in her hands. She didn't care about other people's opinions and went to the store to inspect it all day long with a veil on.
The Crown Princess valued her, and because she did not ask for favors for her brother, she looked upon her with a higher regard and secretly supported her. Therefore, even though there were rumors, as long as Baochai did not take them to heart, no one could hurt her.
However, despite so many things happening, the Rongguo Mansion remained calm. Even after Aunt Xue sent Xue Pan away tearfully, Baoyu was still in the mood to treat his sisters to a meal and fun on his birthday because Lady Jia and Lady Wang were not at home.
Wu Tianyue had lived in the garden for quite some time. Although Baoyu didn't want to invite him, he sent a letter to ask him out of courtesy.
Wu Tianyue had been detained these days preparing for the imperial examinations, and his life was really depressing. After receiving the post, he thought that although the garden was inevitably disturbed by the outside world, it was not as full of intrigue as the outside world, and it was also a paradise. It would be good to go there to relax, and Daiyu was there, and he hadn't seen her for a long time, so he replied to the post.
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