The imperial study in the palace.
The old emperor learned from Ankou what happened in the capital and in the prime minister's home.
"Who spread the news about the Prime Minister's family affairs?"
An Yi lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, it was the Prime Minister who sent someone to spread the news. The Prime Minister is very determined to drive away his mother and uncle's family.
He had started planning this matter after leaving Prince Kang's Mansion. Now public opinion in the capital has completely turned to the Prime Minister's family.
Everyone supports the Prime Minister severing his relationship with his mother."
The old emperor took a deep breath and felt a little pain in his heart. He fumbled out of his arms and took out a small porcelain bottle, poured out a small black pill and swallowed it.
"What's the current situation in Prince Kang's Mansion? I remember asking you to find an opportunity to plant spies there last time."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I cannot find a suitable opportunity to plant a spy in Prince Kang's mansion. The mansion is like an iron cage right now. I cannot find an opportunity to take advantage of it."
An Yi's words made the old emperor's face darken.
"You just said that the Prime Minister's wife went to Prince Kang's Mansion twice, and the Prime Minister went once. After they left, they started to create public opinion and drove his mother out of the Prime Minister's Mansion?"
"yes."
The old emperor sneered, "It's obvious that Prince Kang had said something to the Prime Minister and his wife, otherwise why would the Prime Minister do this for no reason.
Okay, continue looking for opportunities to plant spies in Prince Kang's mansion, and send someone to find out where the Prime Minister sent his mother and uncle's family."
"Yes." An Yi breathed a sigh of relief, agreed and was about to leave, but the old emperor stopped him again.
"An Yi, is Prince Gong's situation going according to plan?"
"Your Majesty, Prince Gong has been staying at home recently except for visiting the palace. I haven't found a suitable opportunity to assassinate him yet."
The old emperor was displeased, his face darkening, "Useless! You're still looking for a suitable opportunity for such a small matter?
In the next few days, send someone to assassinate Prince Gong's mansion as soon as possible! Remember to leave evidence!"
"yes!"
An Yi agreed and left.
The old emperor closed his eyes, rubbed his eyebrows, and called out in a dragging voice, "Fuquan."
Grandpa Fuquan, who was waiting on the side, watching the nose and the heart, trying hard to reduce his presence, almost couldn't help but shiver.
"Yes, I am here. What are your commands, Your Majesty?"
"Let the Prime Minister come to see me today."
"Yes, I will go right away."
Eunuch Fuquan returned after being away for a while. "Your Majesty, the order has been given. The Prime Minister will be here soon."
After reporting, Eunuch Fuquan seemed to be hesitant to speak, with beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
The old emperor glanced at him and asked, "Do you have anything to say?"
Eunuch Fuquan chuckled, "Your Majesty has a good eye, nothing can be hidden from you. Your Majesty, it's only a little over ten days away from the New Year.
I wonder if you will allow the three princes who are away to return to Beijing to celebrate the New Year this year?"
At this time of year in previous years, the emperor would have already issued the imperial edict.
This year's emperor didn't even think about this matter.
After hearing what Eunuch Fuquan said, the old emperor finally remembered.
These days, things that are beyond his control have happened one after another, making him forget about this matter.
"Since there are only ten days left, there's no need to send them back. Send someone to deliver a message, saying that I sympathize with their hardships in guarding their fiefdoms and that they don't need to rush back to the capital.
After the New Year, I will find an opportunity to let them enter the capital."
The old emperor made up a random excuse to get away with it.
"Yes, I will go right away."
Not long after Eunuch Fuquan agreed and left, Prime Minister Leng Zhuning arrived.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
"My dear, please stand up. There's no need to be so polite. My dear, your family affairs have caused a lot of uproar in the capital these past two days, and I have heard about it."
The old emperor mentioned the matter directly and directly.
"Yes, Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have no choice but to do this. If I don't do this, my wife will probably be tortured to death by my mother.
For my wife to live well, I have no choice but to do this."
Leng Zhuning lowered his head and replied.
The old emperor played with the jade ring on his thumb and said, "Well, so the rumors in the capital are true?"
"Your Majesty, it is all true."
"I see. I didn't expect that Prince Kang could do such a good thing. I am very pleased."
Leng Zhuning heard this and did not think about why the emperor knew about this.
"Yes, I am very grateful to Prince Kang and Princess Kang. If it weren't for them, my wife and I would probably still be kept in the dark, or even separated forever."
Leng Zhuning's gratitude to King Kang's family was beyond words.
The old emperor felt it was dazzling, so he narrowed his eyes and changed the subject.
"What do you think about the matter of Concubine Shu?"
When the name of Concubine Shu was mentioned, Leng Zhuning's high spirits immediately cooled down.
"Your Majesty, Consort Shu is my cousin, so logically, I should plead for her.
I have indeed pleaded with Your Majesty on her behalf.
But ever since I found out that the reason my mother treated my wife like that was because of my cousin, in my heart, she was no longer my cousin.
It is a fact that Concubine Shu sent people to assassinate Princess Kang and several princes. In addition, in recent days, some people in the capital who had been harmed by Concubine Shu have spontaneously gathered together, hoping that the emperor will punish Concubine Shu and give them justice.
Your Majesty, I believe that in order to stabilize the people's hearts and to provide justice to the people and Prince Kang's family, you should punish Concubine Shu."
The old emperor looked meaningfully at Leng Zhuning, who lowered his head. "Then, in your opinion, how should I deal with Concubine Shu so as to stabilize the people's hearts and bring justice to the people and Prince Kang's family?"
Leng Zhuning bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I don't know. It's entirely up to Your Majesty to decide."
Leng Zhuning said something but it seemed like he said nothing.
The old emperor hadn't noticed it before, but now he had clearly discovered Leng Zhuning's cunningness.
The old emperor didn't say much, just said he would think about it, and let Leng Zhuning leave.
On that day, the old emperor issued an imperial decree, beating Concubine Shu with twenty strokes of the cane, demoting her to Zhaoyi and sending her to Jinchan Temple to practice and atone for her sins. She was to worship Buddha by the green lamp for the rest of her life and was not allowed to enter the palace again.
As soon as this imperial edict came out, Concubine Shu was demoted to Concubine Zhaoyi, and she became angry.
In the prison, she shouted that she wanted to see the emperor, the queen, and the prime minister.
But this time no one paid any attention to her.
After being beaten with the twenty boards, the always spoiled Jiang Zhaoyi was left with only one breath left.
The palace servants quickly asked the palace maids to apply some medicine on her and then sent her to Jinchan Temple.
After hearing this, the queen breathed a sigh of relief.
She felt a sense of relief as if the burden that had been weighing on her shoulders for decades had finally been lifted.
From now on, she can finally stop cleaning up the mess for her cousin Jiang Yilu!
The content of the imperial edict reached the capital.
Few people are happy.
Because everyone hoped that the emperor would directly sentence Concubine Shu to death instead of sparing her life.
Lu Jianan, who still lived in Prince Kang's Mansion, felt very sorry after hearing the news.
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