Wu Taiwei's face immediately darkened, and he flung Huo's hand away.
"The Emperor has begun to support your maternal family, the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion. Now that you've received the letter of divorce, are you going to abandon me?"
Madam Huo sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I am already this old, how can I leave my husband alone? What I said just now was just a foolproof plan. If my husband has a better way, I will not ask for a divorce letter.”
Seeing Huo's aggrieved and innocent face, Wu Taiwei's heart softened. "Forget it, forget it. Being afraid of this and that is not as reliable as being loyal to the Emperor."
Just then, a maid called out from the doorway, "Master, the bath water is ready."
Watching her husband head towards the washroom, Madam Huo muttered, "Even if there's no main wife, there are still concubines, right? What a stubborn man."
...
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, candlelight blazed brightly.
"Your Majesty, it's late. Why don't you have some midnight snacks and go to bed?" Eunuch Ma reported, then waved for the palace maids who were bringing the snacks to enter.
Seeing the Emperor sitting at his desk working for an hour without rest, Eunuch Ma felt heartbroken.
With such a diligent emperor, Wanling Kingdom will surely prosper, bringing blessings to its people.
Xiao Jingzhao hummed in agreement, looked up and pinched the bridge of his nose. Seeing the palace maids bowing and serving him as they put down the midnight snack, he waved his hand and said, "No need to serve anymore, all of you, leave."
The palace maid bowed and left, while Eunuch Ma withdrew from the inner hall to serve in the outer hall. He would come at the emperor's beck and call.
The late-night snack consisted of a plate of pastries and a bowl of bird's nest porridge, with a few slices of ginseng floating on top of the glistening porridge.
The imperial chefs in the imperial kitchen prepared a variety of dishes, with different menus every day, including different late-night snacks.
Xiao Jingzhao was busy with government affairs, unaware that the tonics served at his late-night snacks were prescribed by imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital.
The emperor was busy with state affairs, working day and night, so late-night snacks were of utmost importance.
Xiao Jingzhao was originally in good health, but he has been feeling unusually hot at night lately, whether it's due to the dry autumn weather or the supplements he takes at night.
Just as he was about to pick up the bird's nest porridge, a rhythmic knocking sounded outside the window; it was Xiang Song and Xiang Yang.
Xiao Jingzhao withdrew his hand and called out to the window, "Come in."
Before the words were finished, two figures leaped into the hall.
Xiao Jingzhao raised his eyes to look at Xiang Song, who was dressed in the uniform of a Jinyiwei commander, and slightly raised his chin. "Speak! Is there anything unusual?"
"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister's residence has been cleared out. The direct descendants of the Wei family have left the capital, while the collateral branches, perhaps prepared in advance, have transferred all their shops and scattered like birds and beasts in just one day."
As Xiang Song spoke, he glanced at Xiao Jingzhao and then continued, "No officials have been seen coming or going from either the Du residence or the Grand Commandant's residence, which shows that without the Wei family, they are now acting independently."
Xiao Jingzhao's eyes flickered slightly as he said, "The Du family has turned around and pledged their loyalty, and Jiang Shuyue deserves much credit for that. She's getting close to that girl from the Du family, so she shouldn't keep an eye on the Du residence anymore."
Xiangyang asked, "Your Majesty, when will Du Shizheng be reinstated?"
"After this incident, Du Shizheng should no longer dare to do favors for others. His rank will be reduced to the seventh grade, his position will be reduced to warehouse keeper, and he will be fined half a year's salary."
As Xiao Jingzhao spoke, he glanced at Xiang Yang and said that he would send someone to the Du family to deliver the message in a few days.
"Your Majesty is wise. No matter what, he should be left out for a few days so that he can reflect on his actions."
After Xiangyang finished speaking, he fawned, "The midnight snack is getting cold. It's not too late to listen to it after Your Majesty has eaten it."
Xiao Jingzhao pushed the late-night snack in front of him forward, "You two share it."
"Your Majesty, this... is inappropriate." This is not the military camp now, so Xiangyang dared not be presumptuous.
Xiao Jingzhao glanced at him. "There are ginseng slices in there. I'm feeling hot and bothered. Why are you talking so much nonsense? Just eat it."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Xiangyang and Xiao Jingzhao were used to living in the military camp, and the Emperor treated them as always.
He thanked him and accepted the late-night snack without hesitation, then picked up the bowl of bird's nest and drank half of it in one gulp.
He casually handed the remaining half-bowl to Xiang Song, saying, "You've worked hard today, this half-bowl is for you." Then, he casually picked up a piece of pastry and put it in his mouth.
Xiang Songjian saw the emperor pick up the wild apple that had been given to him year after year and slowly began to eat it.
He took the bird's nest porridge, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.
"It's so delicious," he smacked his lips.
Suddenly, something flashed through his mind.
It was he who led the search and raid on the Prime Minister's residence. While they were investigating, the family members in the Prime Minister's residence were looking for someone.
He frowned and thought hard for a long time.
Yes! He heard someone calling for Aunt Jiang, saying that Aunt Jiang and her maid had disappeared.
Xiang Song respectfully placed the cup back with both hands and reported, "Your Majesty, I have just remembered something. The Prime Minister's residence has been disgraced today."
"Of course! The powerful prime minister is now being accused by all the officials. He's completely humiliated." Xiangyang swallowed hard as he looked at the half-red, half-green apple in the emperor's hand.
He wasn't craving it; his mouth was just watering uncontrollably.
"Shut up, it's not what you think." Xiang Song interrupted Xiang Yang and glared at him.
After finishing the apple, Xiao Jingzhao picked up a handkerchief and wiped his hands.
"Speak your mind directly; there's no one else here."
The "others" Xiao Jingzhao was referring to were naturally the palace maids and eunuchs. The Hall of Mental Cultivation was surrounded by secret guards, who could hear everything being said inside.
Xiang Song continued, "When the Prime Minister's residence was searched today, someone said that a concubine named Jiang was missing."
"No, there was also Aunt Jiang's maid. I didn't pay attention to her at the time, nor did I ask whose concubine she was."
Xiao Jingzhao nodded slightly and said to Xiang Song, "You continue to investigate the officials' accounts. You can send someone else to investigate this matter."
"A woman is missing? Could it be that someone in the Embroidered Uniform Guard leaked the news and let her escape beforehand?" Xiangyang swallowed the pastry in his mouth and rubbed his fingers on his clothes.
"No, it must be a coincidence," Xiao Jingzhao said with certainty.
The people in the Embroidered Uniform Guard now are all soldiers he brought from Yannan; they are all soldiers who have risked their lives with him.
It is said that kings are suspicious, but he would never doubt someone who has shared joys and sorrows with him.
...
Two days later, the notice of the Prime Minister's conviction was posted.
Prime Minister Wei was exiled to the Northwest to do hard labor for ten years and was to be sent there immediately.
The streets were bustling with people, and luxury cars like BMWs came and went like a flowing stream.
The shouts of vendors rose and fell, and the scene of prosperity was even greater than before.
People gathered in small groups on the street, discussing the contents of the notice.
The notice also listed several people who had been stripped of their official positions.
The list of officials who were demoted was not published in the notice, which can be considered as giving them face.
"Prime Minister Wei must be over fifty years old, right? After ten years of forced labor, he probably won't be able to return in his lifetime."
"Sigh! They say you shouldn't be too greedy. What's the use of having so much money if you don't live to enjoy it?"
"It's not enough for him to be greedy for silver; he also steals weapons. He has no respect for the Emperor at all."
The crowd chimed in with their own opinions, sighs of approval rippled through the room, and even more people clapped and cheered.
Suddenly, a group of officials appeared in front and shouted to the crowd: "Move aside, make way, make way!"
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