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◎I want Yu'er to be the crown prince◎
In the imperial prison, Xue Ji's hands and feet were bound, his once fair wrists covered in bruises, and his thin white nightgown was soaked with blood. He was a physically fit man, but anyone would have been unable to endure the constant whipping and interrogation, without food or water.
The torturers were the most ferocious thugs under the Jinyiwei, and they were carefully selected. This was arranged by Fang Xinqiao, and Xue Ji also helped a lot in recruiting them.
Now, he is also using it on himself.
Xue Ji hung his head, and the hair on his forehead was dripping with blood, drop by drop, falling to the ground.
The executioner stroked his braid and looked at the palm print that was once high and mighty with great amusement, but now it has become a stray dog.
"My Lord, are you still unwilling to tell me? This material is the style of the palace. Why is it in your hands?"
Xue Ji laughed suddenly, his voice sharp and piercing.
Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. He is well aware of this truth. He is second only to the emperor and is flattered by everyone, but the person above him is enough to take his life.
Fu Hua has always been like this. He welcomes people when he needs them and kicks them away when he doesn't. Now is the time to take action against him.
He slowly raised his head, his eyes full of disdain, "I know the methods of the Jinyiwei best. Whatever punishment you want, just come and stop talking nonsense."
The executioner snorted coldly, pressed his hand hard on his wound, and said viciously: "You still think you are the seal of authority? Do you know that Lord Fang has been imprisoned at home because of you? Why bother to embarrass these innocent people?"
"What do you want to ask, I have an affair with the harem queen?"
"You and the Empress were close, that's an indisputable fact. When the Empress was injured from kneeling, you were the one who stayed by her side the entire time."
Xue Ji did not answer, but instead asked the man: "You used to be a general of the Jinyiwei, and you were promoted to a thousand households in one year. How did you climb up to that position, and who were you close to?"
"You're a prisoner, yet you still dare to speak so arrogantly!"
"In the previous dynasty, I was already the Supervisor of the East Factory and the Chief of the Imperial Household Department. It was because of my contribution to saving the emperor that I was appointed as the Chief of the Imperial Household Department by His Majesty's trusted confidant. Even if I were to give you a method, it would probably be far beyond your reach and you wouldn't be able to learn it even if you tried."
The executioner was very impatient and pressed the wound harder, "Master Xue is still so eloquent. Since you are not cooperating, don't blame me."
For ten days and a half, the prison was airtight, with no news coming in. Rong Qianyu slept restlessly for several nights, often waking up in a sweat.
Fu Hua and Rong Qianyu were having a quarrel. Fu Hua had been waiting for Rong Qianyu to come over, but no one showed up.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards have already begun to torture him, but he... refuses to speak."
"How's the Queen doing?" Fu Hua asked.
"Same as usual, nothing different."
"She can actually keep her composure."
"Do we still need to keep an eye on the Queen?"
"Stare."
Fu Hua said calmly, "Jinyiwei, please torture me as much as you can. I know your methods well. As long as the person doesn't die, that's all that matters."
"yes."
On the table was evidence of the interactions between Xue Ji and Rong Qianyu over the past few years. It could not be considered as evidence, nor could it be said to be very important, but it could be said to be insignificant.
The two of them did everything perfectly, and all that can be found now are a few occasional greetings during the New Year holidays, nothing else.
In the past, he turned a blind eye. He didn't care about Rong Qianyu, let alone who she was with or what kind of person she was. But this man was actually a eunuch. A eunuch could actually win her heart, while she, the emperor, could not catch her eye.
Rong Qianyu's feelings for Xue Ji were genuine, and her dislike for Fu Hua was also genuine. As past events piled up one after another, the gap between the two evil people, who already had many misunderstandings, grew wider and wider, gradually forming an irreparable rift.
"Empress, oh Empress, I want to see when you will come to beg for mercy." Fu Hua hoped that Rong Qianyu would come to beg for mercy, but ten days passed and Fengyi Palace was still as peaceful as before. This was something he did not expect.
Thinking about it this way, isn't it too abnormal that the relationship between Rong Qianyu and Xue Ji is not that stable? Even after being imprisoned, they remain calm, neither anxious nor afraid, and just eat and sleep as they please.
However, Rong Qianyu was not completely inactive. Her worries and fears were genuine, and she ordered people to spread the news of Xue Ji's imprisonment in the capital.
The gates of Fengyi Palace were locked, and outside the palace and in the capital, these rumors had already been spreading.
Yuanqing brought a bowl of calming tea. Rong Qianyu had been relying on it to sleep peacefully these past few days. "Master Xue's behavior was not bad in the past. Many people went to the imperial prison on their own initiative to ask for forgiveness."
"The most urgent thing right now is that we don't mess up, otherwise Jiming will really be hopeless."
"Empress, isn't it time to..." Rong Pan leaned close to Rong Qianyu's face and whispered.
Rong Qianyu took a sip of tea, her lips tightly closed, almost bloodless from being bitten. "If he keeps pestering me like this, I won't let him go."
The gates of Fengyi Palace were kept tightly closed for many days, and there were no servants guarding outside the palace, making it seem like a cold palace.
A little palace maid hurried in to announce, "Your Majesty, His Majesty has arrived."
Rong Qianyu didn't look up and said indifferently, "I'm resting. See you later."
As soon as he finished speaking, Fu Hua had already walked in. "Why doesn't the Queen want to see me? Is she depressed because of something on her mind?" He asked knowingly, as if he had come here to tease her deliberately.
"You all leave." Rong Qianyu ordered all the servants to leave. She bowed deeply before Fuhua, then stood up and asked again, "Your Majesty, if you're not accompanying Concubine Ke to nurse her pregnancy, how can you find time to visit me?"
Fu Hua avoided answering her question and instead asked her, "I am the emperor. Is there any place I cannot go?"
"I dare not." Rong Qianyu stood up, and Fu Hua sat down, looking straight at her without looking away.
The two of them seemed calm on the surface, but secretly they wanted to strangle each other to death, not only for Xue Ji, but also for the many unfair treatments they had received in the past.
Things have been piling up one after another, and no one is willing to give in.
Seeing that she looked unhappy, Fu Hua couldn't help but continue to provoke her, "Xue Ji is in prison. I'm sure you know about this. You should know what kind of cases the Imperial Prison handles. They won't arrest people without reason..."
"Your Majesty, please just say what you want to say." Rong Qianyu didn't care what he said. No matter how anxious she was, she couldn't let Fu Hua see it.
She didn't want to say anything more and turned around to go back to the bedroom, but was grabbed by Fu Hua.
Their faces were very close, and Fu Hua pinched her wrist hard, leaving some red marks on her delicate and smooth skin.
"I'll give you a chance. Kill him and prove that you have no personal feelings for him. I'll guarantee you a lifetime of prosperity. Mei'er and her child will never have any impact on you."
Hearing this, Rong Qianyu slowly looked up at Fu Hua. As long as she killed Xue Ji, he would let her melt for the rest of her life, and even forget about Cui, whom he thought he cherished and loved.
She really didn't understand what Fu Hua was trying to do. He was afraid of the power of Rong Qianyu's motherland and hated the affair between Rong Qianyu and Xue Ji, but he would not kill her.
"Do you still remember the imperial edict? I can take it back."
Rong Qianyu still didn't understand, so she asked again, "Your Majesty, why are you so anxious to investigate Xue Ji and me? Why didn't Your Majesty kill me, and why did you even let your beloved woman suffer for me?"
Fu Hua avoided answering and continued to talk about Xue Ji's recent situation, "Xue Ji's life and death is in your hands. You must get rid of him for me. Otherwise..."
Xue Ji was reluctant to do it himself, and just wanted Rong Qianyu to do it herself. As a minister who always had a good reputation, if he did it himself, it would inevitably lose the demeanor of a wise monarch, but if the queen did it, it would be much gentler.
"Yes, but I have a condition," Rong Qianyu said, "I want Yu'er to be the crown prince."
Outside the imperial prison, many people who came spontaneously gathered, and the prison was surrounded tightly inside and out.
"This is a prison area. No outsiders are allowed to approach. Leave!"
"What mistake did Lord Xue make that you can't let him go?"
No one in the common people believed Xue Ji's words or deeds, which was also the benefit of Rong Qianyu's propaganda. The officials in the court were corrupt, bribed, and sold official positions. On the other hand, this eunuch was wholeheartedly serving the people, and his loyalty was evident to all, including the sun and the moon, in every case of epidemic prevention and scientific research.
The jailers announced Xue Ji's despicable behavior and suspected corruption and dereliction of duty. He has now been imprisoned by His Majesty. Please leave as soon as possible and do not interfere with official business.
"What evidence do you have?" someone in the crowd questioned.
"That's right! How could what Lord Xue has done over the years be considered corruption or dereliction of duty? You've been forced to confess!"
"The capital has been in turmoil these past few years, and it was Lord Xue who handled it all. Where did you come from? Where is Lord Fang from before?"
"Master Fang has also been suspended by you!"
"Maybe he did something shameful and is looking for someone to be his scapegoat!"
"If you're an official who doesn't serve the people, you might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes. You tortured loyal officials into confessions, and you're so blind to the scourge of the Cui family!"
The prison guards ignored the situation and didn't explain much. They just kept driving the people away. "All of you leave quietly and don't disrupt the court's work. The truth will be revealed and no one will be wrongly accused!"
"I heard the Queen was also imprisoned! Damn official! Damn official!!"
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