Chapter 60: Demoted to a commoner and exiled to Zhunan
"Because the Ministry of Works is most familiar with the structure of the imperial mausoleum, if they want to smuggle the burial objects, they must be well aware of the route to the imperial mausoleum." Minister Meng said seriously.
Emperor Liang nodded, agreeing with his statement. "I will leave this matter to Meng Qing with full authority. Any suspects found will be directly transferred to the Ministry of Justice for rigorous investigation. Anyone who refuses to cooperate will be considered disobeying my orders."
"I obey your order." Minister Meng bowed in thanks.
After the court session, Meng Ruhui took a black dog with a keen sense of smell to the Ministry of Works, checked every room one by one, and arrested all the third prince's gang members.
For a time, people were in panic.
Xie Yusui was furious in his mansion, and cups and tea sets were clattering to the ground. All his confidants were in the Ministry of Works, and now they were all wiped out!
Several people inside did not participate in the theft of the imperial tomb at all, let alone have some broken perfume powder on their feet. It was clearly done on purpose by that bastard Meng Ruhui.
All of this was directed at him.
Meng Ruhui had always pretended to be noble and aloof. Who had bribed Meng Ruhui to do his bidding, even telling outrageous lies and risking the crime of deceiving the emperor to harm him? Xie Yusui's eyes were bloodshot, and he clenched his fists. Was it King Xuan...
Apart from his good second brother, he really couldn't think of anyone else who could have such intentions.
Now all his men are in the prison of the Ministry of Justice. It would be extremely difficult to silence them all. When the time comes and dozens of tortures are applied, Xie Yusui doesn't think they can keep their mouths shut and not give him up.
Tomorrow when we go to court, everything will be over.
He paced back and forth in the room.
It doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter. The emperor has always loved and doted on him the most. As long as he sincerely apologizes, the worst that can happen is that he will be confined to his house for a year or two like the fourth brother. It won’t cost him his life.
Xie Yusui spent the whole night preparing the script in his mind, and even rubbed his eyes until they turned red, pretending to be pitiful.
As the day dawned, Xie Yusui went to the palace in a panic.
The people from the Ministry of Justice acted swiftly and decisively, interrogating all the suspects overnight and questioning them separately. In the end, everyone identified the third prince, without exception.
Emperor Liang was indeed furious. He stood up from the dragon throne and looked at Xie Yusui with disappointment.
Well, the son he valued most turned out to be a bastard who disrespected his ancestors. This was an unforgivable crime. Xie Yusui was so stupid!
Xie Yusui knelt on the ground and cried bitterly.
The other officials did not dare to plead for mercy, and all bowed their heads in silence. Only Prince Xuan Xie Yutong, despite the emperor's wrath, pleaded for him: "Your Majesty, my third brother was also confused for a moment. I beg Your Majesty to be lenient with him."
"Third brother has always been respectful, benevolent, filial, diligent, and self-disciplined. The ministers in the court can all testify to this, and even the people in the streets often praise his kindness. As for what happened today, he must have been bewitched!"
"Please calm down, Father."
Emperor Liang's expression changed instantly.
King Xuan looked so sincere and affectionate that Xie Yusui was so disgusted that he wanted to turn against him in the court. This was his good second brother. He seemed to be begging for mercy, but in fact he was reminding his father about the rumors among the people, making his father even more suspicious of him.
With such a good mind and strategy, Xie Yusui gritted his teeth and wished he could tear King Xuan into pieces.
Xie Yuting, who was standing aside, yawned lazily. He felt very uncomfortable watching them fighting each other.
Everyone was still wondering how Emperor Liang would deal with the Third Prince, but unexpectedly, the guards came to report that a seventh-rank official wanted to sue the Third Prince and was now kneeling outside the palace.
Emperor Liang already had a splitting headache and yelled at the guards: "Sue the prince, doesn't he want to live anymore?"
The guard knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Xi said...that the Third Prince had Old Tutor Du killed. I beg Your Majesty to take a closer look!"
When these words were spoken, all the civil and military officials in the court were shocked.
"Didn't Old Master Du resign and return to his hometown?"
"What's going on?"
The former disciples of Master Du no longer had the mood to watch the excitement of the fight for the throne. They all knelt down and begged Emperor Liang to allow Xi Ni to come to the palace and explain the whole matter in detail.
Under pressure, Emperor Liang had no choice but to summon Xi Ni to the palace.
Xi Ni's hands were still shaking. His rank was too low and he could not easily see the emperor. But if he did not tell the truth, Old Tutor Du would die innocently, and he could not go against his conscience.
Everyone stared at him with sharp eyes, especially the third prince Xie Yusui, whose face was full of disbelief.
Under countless gazes, he paid homage to the current emperor, then took out a letter written in blood from his bosom and presented it to him.
The blood letter was written by the wife of Old Tutor Du when he went to Liuzhou.
This blood letter could cost him his life, but he still brought it from Liuzhou to Kyoto without hesitation, just to let the world see the true face of the third prince.
The Third Prince is the most beloved prince of Emperor Liang. He cannot watch such a vicious person ascend to the throne!
After reading every word written by the old lady with tears in his eyes, Emperor Liang looked at Xie Yusui with disappointment. Xie Yusui was the best at guessing his father's intentions. With just one glance, he could understand everything. His father had completely given up on him.
The rumors of destiny, the theft of the imperial tomb, and the attempt to murder the old tutor made it not too drastic to put him to death.
All the officials dared not breathe, thinking that from today on, the situation in the court would change drastically.
Emperor Liang sat back on the dragon throne and said in a deep voice, "The third prince, Xie Yusui, has robbed the imperial mausoleum and plotted to murder the imperial tutor. Effective immediately, he is to be exiled from the royal family, demoted to a commoner, and exiled to Zhunan."
There was a roar in Xie Yusui's ears, and his expression was completely shattered, becoming desperate, hideous, and doomed.
All the officials were silent, while the other princes either pretended to sympathize or secretly gloated over the other's misfortune. Everyone in the hall had their own ulterior motives, and undercurrents were stirring.
No one expected that the once highly-anticipated third prince would be the first to be eliminated in the battle for the throne.
The smoke of gunpowder ended silently, and everyone left the court in panic.
Xi Ni walked anxiously on the palace road. The sunlight was so bright and dazzling, shining right in front of him.
The Crown Prince, who was always unruly, walked up to him and said with a smile, "Master Xi, so you went to Liuzhou specifically, not to pick me up?"
"Your Highness, I went to Liuzhou to pick up Your Highness and the Crown Princess. However, I really admired the old Grand Tutor, so I stopped by the Du Mansion..." Xi Ni lowered her eyes. "Who knew that things are so unpredictable? I didn't get to meet him in person after all."
Xie Yuting raised an eyebrow: "But if you expose this matter, you won't get any promotion, and you might even offend a lot of people. Don't you feel wronged?"
Xi Ni sighed: "Anyway, I am alone and helpless. As long as I can seek justice for the deceased, I will sacrifice my life at worst."
His voice was soft, but firm.
Although it was stupid, he never regretted it.
"I like fools." Xie Yuting patted his shoulder and walked away.
Xi Ni looked puzzled.
Who wants you to like it?
…
In the imperial study, a little white-feathered parrot squatted in a cage, peeking out.
"Your Majesty, Zhunan is a remote, poor and barren place. How can Sui'er go there?" Concubine Qiu shouted at the top of her lungs, with traces of tears on her pretty face.
Emperor Liang's face turned pale. "Every one of the things he did is enough for me to chop off his head! And you still have the nerve to plead for him!"
Concubine Qiu shed tears, looking pitiful: "Sui'er is still young, perhaps he was confused for a moment. Your Majesty has loved him for many years. Are you really going to watch him die?"
"With all the civil and military officials present, and everyone watching, how could I favor him?" Emperor Liang gritted his teeth. "Do you think I wouldn't be heartbroken? You know how high my hopes were for him! Yet, he's the most disappointing person, bringing shame upon me..."
Concubine Qiu heard the change in his words and immediately hugged Emperor Liang's arm, begging bitterly: "Your Majesty, please forgive Sui'er, even if... even if you have him imprisoned in Kyoto, as long as he doesn't go to that remote place..."
Emperor Liang was silent.
Concubine Qiu immediately knelt down and begged him for mercy.
Finally, Emperor Liang closed his eyes and said to her, "I have already made arrangements. On the way to Zhunan, I will arrange for bandits to assassinate him. When Sui'er suffers a little, I will take him back to the capital to recuperate and silence the gossips."
Concubine Qiu was overjoyed, for she knew that His Majesty would never be cruel to his own son.
"Your Majesty, I bow to you and thank you."
"You should go back to the palace first."
"I'll take my leave." She wiped away her tears.
After Concubine Qiu left, the imperial study was empty and quiet, without a trace of life.
The depressing atmosphere was unbearable. Emperor Liang walked to the parrot's cage with an expressionless face and knocked on the iron wire.
The white-feathered parrot immediately spoke: "Your Majesty, may you enjoy great blessings and a long life."
Emperor Liang smiled, and his tense expression relaxed slightly.
The parrot that Xie Yuting gave me was of no use other than repeating auspicious words over and over again. When I was worried about court affairs, it was nice to listen to it mutter a few words.
"Fuxi."
The old eunuch waiting outside the palace immediately came in and asked, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"
"Clean this parrot; its tail feathers are dirty."
Fuxi: "Yes, I will do it right away."
Fu Xi carefully took off the cage, carried the white-feathered parrot out, and handed the parrot to his apprentice: "Xiao Zhongzi, go and wash His Majesty's parrot."
"Yes, Master."
Xiao Zhongzi took the parrot and carried it all the way to the empty well. The little parrot was very docile from beginning to end.
He snapped his fingers in front of the parrot, making a strange gesture with his index and middle fingers. The parrot, which was muttering auspicious words, was stunned for a moment, and then started speaking.
"I have already made arrangements. On the way to Zhunan, I will arrange for bandits to assassinate him..." The parrot spoke a long paragraph fluently, and his tone was exactly the same as that of the emperor.
Xiao Zhongzi's eyes darkened, he snapped his fingers again and began to clean the parrot.
…
East Palace, small bamboo forest.
Jiang Yueying sat on the stone steps, with the Light Sparrow Sword placed aside. The wind blew across her face, making her feel warm.
Close your eyes gently and feel the gentle spring breeze.
Someone grabbed her waist from behind and stuck close to her.
Xie Yuting...
Some shameful memories emerged in her mind again. Jiang Yueying's ears turned red and she whispered: "I... I'm not ready yet!"
"Puchi." Xie Yuting was overjoyed.
"Little Princess, in your eyes, I am just a lustful, devilish beast with that kind of thing on his mind?"
She curled her lips and muttered softly: "Isn't it..."
Xie Yuting immediately pinched her fair and tender little face and threatened in a low voice: "Say it again, you little heartless person."
"snort."
"You still dare to humph? Could it be that I didn't serve you well enough that day? How about we try again tonight?"
Jiang Yueying stammered: "You...you have no shame, bringing up these things in broad daylight..."
Although she was sitting under the shade of a tree, the girl's cheeks felt like they were burning.
"Really don't like it?" Xie Yuting raised his eyebrows.
It’s not that she doesn’t like it, but if she says she likes it, it would be too embarrassing. Jiang Yueying is thin-skinned and blinks quickly out of shyness.
However, a certain malicious prince would not give up and stared at her, waiting for her to speak.
Jiang Yueying lowered her eyes and said in a very low voice: "It's okay that I don't like it, but don't use your mouth next time... I can't stand it."
Xie Yuting suddenly stretched out his hand and waved it in front of her.
"Does it look good?"
The man's hands were slender and clean, with distinct finger bones, the backs of his hands smooth as jade, and thin calluses on his fingertips. He often held a fan in his hands, so they were very dexterous.
Nature is beautiful, like jade and bamboo.
But she didn't understand why Xie Yuting suddenly became so proud of his hands.
Jiang Yueying nodded suspiciously: "Yeah, it looks good."
Xie Yuting raised the corner of his lips, leaned in close and blew on the tip of her blood-red ear: "How about using this next time?"
After being stunned for three breaths, Jiang Yueying suddenly realized what the other party was saying. She slapped his hand away, her face flushed, "You are obscene!"
"If using your mouth isn't obscene," Xie Yuting asked slowly, "then using your hands is obscene?"
Jiang Yueying covered her cheeks with her hands, feeling waves of shame stimulating her, rippling out layer upon layer, and she wished she could dig a hole right there and crawl into it.
I'm really afraid of Xie Yuting's mouth.
"Shut up..." The voice was soft.
He lowered his eyes to look at her. The girl's ears and cheeks were stained pink, as if shyness had penetrated into her bones. Her eyes were bright and charming, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her hands covered her cheeks, like a little bird hiding itself with its wings.
Young and cute.
I want to pluck the feathers off the little bird and watch it peck at people in anger.
He leaned over and hugged her again, kissing the little princess's red earlobe. Jiang Yueying's ears twitched and she muttered softly.
"By the way, there will be a royal hunting party in a few days. Do you want to go?"
"hunt?"
Xie Yuting: "Yes, the prince cannot be absent. I estimate he will be gone for more than half a month."
If it were in the past, Jiang Yueying would have been happy. It was rare that Xie Yuting was not in the East Palace, and she could be free. But now she couldn't be happy and didn't want to be separated from Xie Yuting.
"I'm going too," she said.
Some time ago, Xie Yuting was busy dealing with the third prince and could not accompany her all the time during the day, so she took Qingge and Xiaohong to the villa in the suburbs of Beijing and asked Qingge to teach her how to ride a horse.
As long as the horse is not too fierce, she can now ride it for a few steps, which means she has learned it well.
She began to be thankful that she had learned to ride a horse, otherwise she would not be able to go hunting with Xie Yuting.
Xie Yuting smiled with his eyes: "I knew you couldn't leave me, you clingy little thing."
"I'm not reluctant..." Jiang Yueying tried to argue.
"One thing you say, one thing you mean."
"You're talking nonsense."
The two were arguing when Yu Lang came running over from a distance. He was already accustomed to their intimacy and said calmly, "Your Highness, a secret letter from the palace."
He stuffed the secret letter into Xie Yuting's hand and flew away using his lightness skills.
Xie Yuting unfolded the secret letter, read ten lines at a glance, his face as gloomy as water.
It was rare to see him look serious. Jiang Yueying was a little uncomfortable and asked quietly, "What happened?"
Xie Yuting looked at her, and his tone softened instantly: "Father wants to stage a plot to assassinate the prince and allow the third prince to return to Kyoto."
"Then what should I do? How could the emperor be so partial to me? Even now, he's still on his side..." She frowned, "Could it be that one day, on a whim, he'll restore his status as the prince?"
After finally eliminating an opponent, is all the efforts going to be wasted? Jiang Yueying was so angry that her cheeks puffed up as if she had swallowed two quail eggs.
Xie Yuting crumpled the letter in his hand, a fierce look flashed across his brows, and he slowly raised the corners of his lips and said, "It's okay, who says fake play can't become real?"
"It just so happens that I also want to finish him off myself."
"Let him die clearly."
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