Chapter 212 Self-directed and self-acted
The second day, at the time of Si.
Liu Yuetang had just finished a bowl of bird's nest when Xiao Zhongzi came in from outside and took out a letter from his arms: "Your Majesty, the Minister of Rites has replied."
Liu Yuetang twisted the plain white letter with her fingertips, and when she read to the end, a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of her lips.
Wan Qiu smiled and said, "My Lady, is it done?"
Liu Yuetang smiled faintly, "Between the Liu family and Qi Rumei, father will naturally choose the Liu family."
The Minister of Personnel was afraid that his future would be ruined and was also worried about the secret note that was fabricated out of thin air, so he had to confess the matter.
Otherwise, the fact that he accepted bribes would be like a time bomb that could explode at any time.
If one person knows about it, then a second person will know about it, and the people who just put the matter to rest will be in a panic.
And Liu Ming... since the Minister of Personnel had given him a favor and told him this matter, he would never let himself be charged with bribery.
Naturally, whoever is guilty will be brought out.
She wrapped the envelope into a ball and threw it into the incense burner. The flames suddenly jumped up and slowly burned the white paper to ashes.
"That's great! The master is not confused after all." Liu Zheng's eyes were filled with tears of excitement.
"Your Majesty has finally waited for this day. Bribery is a serious crime punishable by fifty strokes of the cane!"
The twenty strokes of the cane that Qi received last time had already crippled her, and there was no way she could withstand another fifty strokes.
Liu Yuetang gently touched the incense burner lid with her fingertips, a charming smile on her lips. "Compared to Qi Rumei, I want to know more about Liu Yueyao. She vowed a happy marriage, but I wonder if it will end in complete failure."
"It seems that there is no movement from Concubine Ning. She is not an enemy." Wanqiu said in a low voice.
Liu Yuetang slowly covered the incense burner.
Perhaps, Concubine Ning also has her own survival strategy.
That is, don't make friends with others, don't offend anyone, and don't compete for favor.
She was just a princess, so she was not a threat to anyone in the six palaces.
However, Liu Yuetang was still a little surprised that Concubine Ning would ask her to discuss countermeasures.
After learning that Ningpin's father was the Minister of Personnel, Liu Yuetang thought about telling Ningpin directly and asking her to persuade her father to present the dirty things to Xiao Heng.
However, the Minister of Personnel had some friendship with Liu Ming, so there was no guarantee that the Minister of Personnel would give Liu Ming some face and allow the two families to negotiate peace.
Or maybe he was afraid that Liu Ming would protect the Qi mother and daughter.
People...
Only when a knife is held to your neck will you know how dangerous it is.
So Liu Yuetang devised a plan, asking the eunuch to throw the note written by himself over the wall at three o'clock in the morning.
She can copy handwriting, so naturally she can write in a style that is very different from her own.
Moreover, she specially fumigated the letter with incense and added musk.
In this way, Ningpin's doubts will be dispelled and she will not suspect that she is directing and acting in this matter herself.
After all, who would use musk when they are pregnant?
But if Concubine Ning had not come to find her today, she would have pretended that she had just found out that the Qi family was corrupt and someone was going to report it to the emperor, and let Liu Ming go to the emperor to confess his guilt first.
"There's one more thing..." Xiao Zhongzi bowed and said, "News came from the cold palace. Bai has died. After being beaten by those lunatics, she has been bedridden. A few days ago, she couldn't even lift her hands. She starved to death."
Liu Yuetang naturally had people pay attention to these things, including the guards in the cold palace, and also instructed them to inform her if any suspicious person entered.
So she was not surprised at all when Bai died.
"Alright, I understand."
"Wanqiu, go to Xinlan Palace and tell them to do as Concubine Ning said."
Wan Qiu quickly agreed: "Yes, I will go right away."
Liu Yuetang raised her hand to support her forehead: "I'll go in and rest for a while. I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep well in the afternoon."
Things happened faster than Liu Yuetang had expected. At 3 p.m. that day, Bu Zi'an came to Yaoyue Palace.
At this time, Liu Yuetang was leaning on the chaise longue and embroidering, and the golden dragon pattern embroidered on her was sparkling in the light and shadow.
Seeing Bu Zi'an coming in, she put down her embroidery and looked at him: "What's wrong, Eunuch Bu? What's the matter with the emperor that he wants to see me?"
Bu Zi'an said anxiously, "Something terrible has happened, Your Majesty! Your mother and sister bribed officials, and the Emperor is furious. Madam Liu is kneeling in the Qinzheng Hall right now, awaiting the Emperor's decision! Your Majesty, please go and take a look."
The fact that Liu Yuetang is the eldest daughter is now known only to the Liu family, so the six palaces all call Liu Yueyao "sister".
Liu Yuetang was struck by lightning, and her mouth opened slightly: "How could this happen?"
Fearing that Liu Yuetang might have miscarried, Bu Zi'an quickly said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Lord Liu is completely unaware of this matter. Instead, he heard about it from the Minister of Personnel and sent Madam Liu and your sister to the Imperial Court for punishment. He had no involvement in this and voluntarily confessed his guilt. I don't think it will harm you or Lord Liu."
"The Emperor just thought that since you are the daughter of the Liu family, he would let you go and listen."
Liu Yuetang quickly supported herself on the table and slowly stood up: "Okay, thank you, Eunuch Bu, I'll go right away."
When the sedan chair landed at the Qinzheng Palace, Liu Yuetang saw that the Fu family was also there.
Before he even stepped into the Qinzheng Palace, he heard Fu Ze'an's voice: "Your Majesty, this is a bribery scheme secretly carried out by my son and his wife. My father and I were completely unaware of it."
Fu Ze'an kowtowed, his forehead banging heavily on the cold, hard gold bricks, and spoke each word with passion and force: "I am willing to guarantee with the lives of my entire family that I will not lie!"
Fu Ze'an has made great contributions to flood control over the years and has been loyal, so Xiao Heng has never doubted him.
After all, if bribery was really necessary, given Fu Ze'an's current status, he would not let Liu Yueyao come forward, let alone bribe the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
Liu Ming's face was filled with regret. He kowtowed and said, "I failed to discipline my wife and educate my daughter properly. I am guilty!"
"I am also guilty!" Liu Yuetang took Wanqiu's hand and walked quickly into the hall.
She lifted her skirt and knelt, supporting herself with her hands as she kowtowed deeply. "It was my negligence that allowed my mother and elder sister to commit such a heinous crime! I willingly accept the punishment."
Seeing her fall to her knees with a thud and then bend over to the ground, Xiao Heng's heart tightened and he almost stood up to help her.
He breathed softly, his expression as cold and dignified as before: "Empress Xi lives deep in the harem, and the Minister of Rites is still unaware of what the Qi family has done, so how could you possibly know?"
"Get up first and sit next to me."
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