Chapter 768 The Marquis of Yongchang Forces the Emperor to Abdicate
Qiao Qinghe was startled. She couldn't have been lost in thought for long, could she?
Didn't we just confirm that the Marquis of Yongchang's household had committed murder?
How did it suddenly become that the King of Qi committed murder and framed the King of Chu and the Marquis of Yongchang's family?
Then Emperor Xiaozhao threw a memorial at the Prince of Qi.
"You did not kill the deposed crown prince, and you did not slander the Prince of Chu or the Marquis of Yongchang's mansion, but..."
"You killed the entire Wu family!"
"That's a total of seventeen lives!"
"Just to expose the cause of the deposed crown prince's death as soon as possible and bring down the King of Chu, you were so heartless as to murder seventeen members of the Wu family??"
King Qi was completely stunned, his eyes filled with confusion and doubt. "I didn't, I didn't... Father, I didn't..."
King Qi prostrated himself on the ground, frantically flipping through the testimonies in the memorial.
However, before he could see what he wanted to see, Emperor Xiaozhao said coldly, "The Prince of Qi disregarded the law and treated human life like dirt. For his own selfish gain, he murdered seventeen members of the Wu family. Now, his title of prince is stripped, he is demoted to a commoner, and he is exiled three thousand li away."
"His birth mother, Lady Liu, failed to properly educate her son and aided and abetted the tyrant. She was stripped of his title, demoted to a commoner, and imprisoned in the cold palace, never to be released again."
Everyone gasped in shock.
This mother and son are completely finished!
Qiao Qinghe stared in disbelief at everything.
Why did the King of Chu not fall yet, and the Marquis of Yongchang's family not be convicted, but the King of Qi and Consort Liu and her daughter suffered the consequences first?
Shocked, Qiao Qinghe couldn't help but think of the seventeen members of the Wu family who "committed suicide".
Although the seven children who died inside were not Wu's children, it was still seven lives lost!
In an instant, Qiao Qinghe realized that something was wrong!
If it was really King Qi who did it, then there's no reason for him to replace the seven children of the Wu family with the children of seven servants, and to secretly send the Wu family's children away from the capital...
This is clearly not something that King Qi and Consort Liu would do.
Leave a few children behind, let them grow up with hatred in their hearts, and then guide and exploit them.
This is definitely Min Ji's work!
Qiao Qinghe suddenly turned to look at Zhong Hao, then slowly turned to look at Liu Wenyan.
The next moment, Emperor Xiaozhao asked Liu Wenyan in a cold voice, "Minister Liu, do you think my judgment is appropriate?"
Liu Wenyan stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "This old minister has failed in educating his daughter properly. I am already deeply grateful that Your Majesty has not held a grudge against me. I dare not and have no face to plead for my wretched daughter and her child any further."
Emperor Xiaozhao waved his hand, and Liu Wenyan retreated to the side of the line with a complex expression of dejection, sadness, gratitude, and relief.
Emperor Xiaozhao nodded in satisfaction and coldly ordered, "Take the commoner Li Chengrui away."
Soon someone came in and took away the King of Qi, who was limp and filled with despair.
Seeing the King of Qi, who no longer even dared to protest his innocence, being dragged away, the King of Chu trembled like a leaf.
"Father, Father, Father Emperor..."
Before the King of Chu could speak, Emperor Xiaozhao gave him a sharp look.
The King of Chu immediately shut his mouth.
"Marquis of Yongchang".
Emperor Xiaozhao looked at him coldly, "Do you know your crime?"
Marquis Yongchang froze, his already kneeling and huddled posture making him appear even more humble and pitiful.
Everyone knew that it was Yongchang Marquis's turn next.
Even the Prince of Qi, the son of Emperor Xiaozhao, ended up being demoted to a commoner and exiled with a fine of three thousand taels of silver.
As the murderers who plotted to kill the deposed crown prince, how could the Marquis of Yongchang, the Princess Consort of Chu, and the Marquis of Yongchang's mansion possibly get away with it?
Considering the King of Chu's eagerness to distance himself from the situation in order to protect himself, he would certainly not plead for the Marquis of Yongchang's family.
Emperor Xiaozhao has already dealt with the Prince of Qi, so he probably won't punish another son who looks "simple and innocent".
Therefore, no matter how you look at it, the crime of murdering the deposed crown prince should be borne solely by the Yongchang Marquis's mansion.
Moreover, Emperor Xiaozhao could take this opportunity to reclaim the title and power of the Marquis of Yongchang.
No matter how you look at it, the Yongchang Marquis's mansion has absolutely no chance of turning things around.
Everyone silently sympathized with the Yongchang Marquis's family.
As for whether the Yongchang Marquis's mansion really murdered the deposed crown prince, it should be true. However, is it really worth risking the entire Yongchang Marquis's mansion for the sake of a deposed crown prince?
Is it possible that Emperor Xiaozhao was actually plotting something from the moment he began to consider the deposed crown prince? Was he deliberately luring the Yongchang Marquis's family into making a move, and then eliminating them?
Qiao Qinghe shook her head at the thought that had suddenly popped into her mind.
That can't be possible!
But upon closer reflection, why is it impossible?
The Marquis of Yongchang's household has already produced an empress, and they are even marrying their daughter to the King of Chu. What are they plotting?
Why not let the Wen family produce another empress? Or even let all future empresses of the Dayan dynasty come from the Wen family?
If the Wen family could abandon the deposed crown prince back then, they can abandon the Prince of Chu now. In the future, they will naturally be able to abandon all the princes, and even the entire royal family, for their own benefit.
It's not impossible for Emperor Xiaozhao to eliminate a family that is ambitious but lacks loyalty and credibility.
Just as everyone was feeling sorry for the Yongchang Marquis's family, the Yongchang Marquis slowly raised his head and straightened his back.
"Your subject does not know what mistake has been made."
Marquis Yongchang gazed firmly at Emperor Xiaozhao, who stood high above him, and spoke with unwavering conviction.
At this moment, the Marquis of Yongchang was no longer the panicked, cautious, humble, and pitiful man he had been before.
As he spoke, he slowly and resolutely stood up from the ground.
"The deposed crown prince plotted rebellion and should have died long ago. I was merely eliminating a potential threat for Your Majesty."
Everyone stared blankly at Marquis Yongchang, wondering where he got the courage to confront Emperor Xiaozhao so recklessly.
However, even more unexpectedly, the Marquis of Yongchang bowed deeply and earnestly said, "Your Majesty, I beg you to issue an edict to sentence the deposed Crown Prince Li Chengjun to death and to establish the Prince of Chu as the new Crown Prince."
Li Chengjun was sentenced to death, and his execution naturally became a farce. The Prince of Chu was then appointed Crown Prince…
Well, nobody really thought Emperor Xiaozhao would listen to Marquis Yongchang.
Everyone thought he was courting death.
"Are you so confident that you have nothing to fear?"
Emperor Xiaozhao looked at Marquis Yongchang with amusement, "Let me guess, is there someone in the Imperial Guard who has been bribed by Marquis Yongchang's household?"
"These people who have been bribed have probably already surrounded the Imperial Study, right?"
"Is this your source of confidence?"
"Otherwise, you wouldn't have dared to enter the palace alone when you knew that the day the trial of the deposed crown prince was over would be your death day."
Everything was predicted correctly!
Marquis Yongchang felt a moment of panic, but remembering their plan, he quickly calmed down.
"Your Majesty is wise!"
"Two-thirds of the Imperial Guards have been bribed by us, and the remaining one-third who were disobedient have also been given a day off today."
"If nothing unexpected happens, the Empress has already taken control of the harem."
"I beg Your Majesty not to make a futile struggle, otherwise, I can only apologize today..."
Marquis Yongchang glanced around at everyone present, then slowly said, "Gentlemen present."
Everyone was taken aback. What did Marquis Yongchang mean by that?
When Emperor Xiaozhao refused his request, he took action against them.
As if to prove his words, a moment later, Wen Jue, dressed in full armor and with a large sword at his waist, led a group of soldiers in.
With a single glance from Wen Jue, dozens of soldiers rushed in and surrounded everyone in the imperial study.
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