Many memorials impeaching Xiao Yujue appeared in the court.
Although he had been demoted to a commoner and imprisoned in the Black Bamboo Forest where he could not move, some people still dug up some of the state affairs he had handled in the past to attack him, trying to make the emperor believe that he had the intention of seeking power.
Shangguan Yue was secretly following the development of the situation.
After the morning court session, the emperor kept Shangguan Yue and went to the imperial study to talk alone.
"What do you think of the prince's affairs, my dear?"
Shangguan Yue paused and thought quickly.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has been very low-key over the years, and has been humble and easy-going. He has been dealing with state affairs for a very short time, and even if he wants to gain power, he may not succeed. Moreover..."
Shangguan Yue smiled softly, looked up at the emperor, and said, "Your Majesty, since the King of Qin left the capital, he is the only one you can enjoy the company of. How could he be unfilial to you and have other intentions?"
The emperor seemed very satisfied with Shangguan Yue's words. He nodded slightly with a faint smile on his lips.
"My dear, what do you think of the Ling family?"
This question is somewhat sensitive.
Shangguan Yue didn't understand why the emperor suddenly asked this.
"Lord Ling has guarded the border for many years and has made great military achievements. He is a rare pillar of the court. If Your Majesty can have such a talented general guarding you and he is loyal to you, it will be a blessing for the country."
"Hahaha." The emperor laughed and pointed at Shangguan Yue and said, "You, you are really an old fox."
"Your Majesty, the eldest princess is outside seeking an audience." The chief eunuch came in to report.
"What's the wind blowing today? She actually came to the imperial study to ask to see me?" The emperor loved this sister very much. After she finally came back after being married for many years, he doted on her even more. "Let her in quickly."
Soon, the eldest princess came in under the guidance of the chief eunuch. She just bowed and did not perform the proper etiquette between the monarch and his subjects.
"Brother, it's really not easy to see you."
"You have been visiting the palace less often since you got married, and you have been staying at home with your husband every day. Why do you blame me?"
The emperor looked at the eldest princess with a doting look and ordered, "Tell the imperial kitchen to send some cakes over."
After that, he stood up and walked down from the dragon throne. "Come with me to the Imperial Garden later. It's been a long time since I've had fun with you."
"Your Majesty, I will take my leave now."
"etc."
The eldest princess called Shangguan Yue, waved her hand and dismissed the guards and eunuchs in the imperial study, her expression somewhat serious.
"Brother, I came here today to tell you something important."
"Oh?" The emperor rarely saw the eldest princess so calm, so he asked, "What's the matter?"
"About the case of the prince being demoted."
This was an extremely sensitive topic. If someone else had brought it up, the emperor would probably have been furious. However, facing his own sister, he remained extremely calm.
"What's wrong with the case?"
"Brother, the murderer is not the prince, but someone else."
"Royal sister, this matter is of great importance. Do you have any evidence?"
"I have both the witnesses and the physical evidence." The princess said softly, "The witnesses are waiting outside the palace gate. As for the physical evidence, as long as the emperor gives the order, we can find it in the murderer's room immediately."
The emperor's face darkened and he looked at Shangguan Yue.
"Your Majesty, since the princess has found new evidence, it would be okay for you to listen to it. After all, the Crown Prince is your own flesh and blood."
Shangguan Yue’s words touched the softest string in the emperor’s heart.
Even if it is an ordinary family, it is not a glorious thing for one's son to do such a shameless and unscrupulous thing, let alone he is the king of a country?
"pass."
The emperor sat back on the dragon throne, and soon the chief eunuch came in with two men and one woman.
The men are Huo Gang and Lao Ding, and the woman is Qin Liu.
Huo Gang secretly escorted Qin Liu all the way to the capital.
The two men explained to the emperor the murder that occurred in the southeastern prefecture and the tyrannical behavior of the Ling family father and son in the local area.
Old Ding told the emperor about the body he had secretly carried out and buried in Ling Mansion.
The emperor's face turned livid.
"Are what you three said true?"
"Your Majesty, I am willing to guarantee with my life that everything I said is true. If not, I am willing to be cut into pieces and die as an apology."
Huo Gang's words were sonorous and powerful. The emperor looked at the young man and nodded secretly.
"Your Majesty, it is not enough to hastily convict Lord Ling with only three witnesses. It would be better..." Shangguan Yue said at the right time, "Send someone to search the Ling family to see if they can find any physical evidence. If not, it will be considered as clearing the Ling family's name."
The emperor listened and hesitated.
"You should know the influence of the Ling family in the court..."
"Brother, it is because the Ling family has too much influence in the court that we need to fight quickly. Otherwise, if we give them time to react, it will be easy for complications to arise."
The eldest princess' words were exactly what the emperor was worried about.
After all, the Ling family is the maternal family of the empress dowager and the queen, and the combined forces of the previous dynasty and the harem are a powerful resistance.
"Ling Ruiying has a huge influence, and he is also a highly skilled martial artist. If we rashly send people to search his home... who will lead the team?"
When the emperor asked the question, he looked at Shangguan Yue.
Ordinary people would not dare to provoke Ling Ruiying. Maybe he would just pretend to come back. By then, not only would they not be able to find evidence, but they would also alert the enemy.
"If my brother trusts me, please let the prince consort go."
The emperor's eyes lit up.
Zheng Binghong is indeed a suitable candidate.
Like Ling Ruiying, he was a veteran of many battles and had the same high martial arts skills. Moreover, he did not need to fear Ling Ruiying's power.
The emperor hesitated for a moment, then immediately asked the chief eunuch to summon the eunuch to draft an imperial edict, ordering Zheng Binghong to lead a thousand imperial guards to surround the Ling Mansion and search every corner of the mansion.
Zheng Binghong had already made preparations. As soon as he received the imperial edict, he set out with the imperial guards and killed Ling Ruiying by surprise.
Seeing a group of imperial guards rushing in, before the two men could start talking, the imperial guards had already broken into the Ling Mansion and started searching, which caught everyone in the Ling family off guard.
Ling Ruiying was even more furious.
Seeing that the imperial guards were about to rush into Ling Yuwen's room, he immediately stepped forward and slapped the imperial guards.
On the other side, a strong wind blew and deflected his palm power.
The figure that flashed by confronted him in mid-air with a palm strike.
The two of them each took two steps back before they could stand firm.
"Oh, who did I think it was? Turns out it's the Prince Consort."
Ling Ruiying looked at Zheng Binghong and felt a strong sense of uneasiness in his heart.
He is not afraid of anyone else, but Zheng Binghong... is a hard nut to crack for him.
"Lord Ling, someone has filed a complaint in front of the Emperor, accusing Master Ling of murdering an innocent girl. The Emperor has ordered me to come and investigate, and I ask Lord Ling to cooperate."
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