Chapter 356 Offended
Lin Mansion.
Old Madam Lin leaned weakly on the big pillow. Dean Zhao prescribed some medicine to boost her appetite, which worked for a few days but is no longer effective.
I had no appetite for dinner, so I ate a few mouthfuls of rice. The small kitchen cooked some porridge. Mother Chen urged the old lady to eat some, but the old lady said, "No, it's easy to get up at night."
She stayed in bed to recuperate, sleeping several times intermittently during the day and easily suffering from insomnia at night. Old Master Lin was unwilling to live in the study and insisted on staying with her. When she got up at night, she would definitely disturb Old Master Lin's sleep.
When Old Master Lin came in, Madam Chen said, "Please persuade the old lady to eat a few bites."
Old Master Lin took the bowl and wanted to feed Old Madam Lin, but Old Madam Lin refused to eat. Old Master Lin said, "I will stay in the study. You can eat without worry."
Old Tutor Lin fed him a mouthful, and Old Madam Lin took a bite. Then she asked, "I heard from the maid that Prince Jingbei sent someone to call Steward Li away?"
Old Taifu Lin was also wondering why the Prince of Jingbei had asked the steward of the Lin Mansion to leave. Fearing that Old Madam Lin would worry, Old Taifu Lin said, "Don't think too much. You'll know when Steward Li comes back."
Madam Lin became increasingly worried. "It's curfew on the streets at this hour, and Manager Li hasn't returned yet?"
At this time, the maid came in from outside, "Old Master, Manager Li is back and said he has something important to report to you..."
"Let him in."
The maid retreated.
After a while, Manager Li came in.
Manager Li walked forward and glanced at the people in the room. Madam Chen then asked the maids who were serving in the room to leave.
Manager Li was still worried, "Mother Chen, go and guard the door."
What's going on? Why did you send the maid away, but you're still worried and want Mama Chen to go out and guard the door?
Mother Chen knew that Manager Li was not worried about her, so she hurried out.
After the sound of the door closing was heard, Old Master Lin asked, "What's so serious?"
Manager Li said, "The Prince of Jingbei asked me to identify Lu Qiao..."
Old Master Lin asked in surprise, "Have you found Luqiao?"
Manager Li asked, "Where do you think Luqiao has been staying all these years?"
How could they guess this?
Madam Lin coughed anxiously, "Whose house is Luqiao staying at?"
"Pei Mansion."
Old Master Lin was startled, thinking he had misheard. "In Pei's residence?"
Steward Li nodded repeatedly, "Does the old lady know who the fourth young master Pei is?"
A hint of speculation flashed through the minds of Old Tutor Lin and Old Madam Lin, but they suppressed it with all their might, not daring to imagine such a good thing.
Manager Li whispered, "Young Master Pei is my aunt's son, your grandson..."
Even though Mother Chen went out to guard the door, Steward Li did not dare to speak loudly. He lowered his voice so low that only Old Tutor Lin and Old Madam Lin could hear it.
Old Master Lin stood up happily, but he stood up too fast and felt dizzy.
Manager Li quickly helped him up.
How could Old Master Lin not be happy? A few years ago, when he saw Pei Huaijin in Lianzhou, he liked him from the bottom of his heart. He knew that Pei Huaijin was not Old Master Pei's biological grandson, and that Old Master Pei had six or seven grandchildren, so he wanted to poach him. However, Old Master Pei refused to agree no matter what, so he had to give up.
Unexpectedly, Pei Huaijin was his grandson, and Old Master Lin was so happy that he cried.
Steward Li said, "The old lady and the old lady not only have a grandson, but also a granddaughter. Back then, my aunt gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl..."
At this point, Manager Li felt ashamed. He had gone to Suizhou in person to check the jewelry, but he didn't even get such important information. He only knew that the aunt and Luqiao were holding children in their arms, but he never thought that each of them was holding one.
Madam Lin's face turned pale with anxiety. "Who is the other child?"
Steward Li said, "She is the Crown Prince's Consort of Prince Jingbei."
Old Master Lin couldn't believe it, "Wan'er?"
Manager Li nodded repeatedly.
Madam Lin's tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried with joy, "Wan'er's eyes are exactly like Qingyin's. I never thought she was Qingyin's daughter. Why didn't Duke Ding tell us?"
Steward Li said, "Duke Dingguo didn't want to tell you, he just didn't dare to. He didn't know who the father of the two children was before."
Old Taifu Lin did not blame Chen Ji. Lin Qingyin committed a capital crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of her clan. Chen Ji was gambling with the life of the entire Duke Dingguo's Mansion by keeping Shen Wan by his side.
Moreover, over the years, whenever Shen Ji had time, he would come to pay his respects to them. Even among his own sons, there might not be many who were so filial.
Yun often brought Chen Wan to the Lin residence to fulfill her filial duty as a granddaughter.
Old Master Lin felt only gratitude in his heart.
But Manager Li's words made his face darken suddenly, "Have you found out?"
Manager Li nodded slightly.
Madam Lin said angrily, "Who the hell is that bastard?!"
When Manager Li heard the word "bastard", his heart trembled violently.
Old Master Lin was also angry, "Tell me, are you still hiding it for him?!"
Steward Li gritted his teeth and whispered, "It's the Emperor..."
Old Tutor Lin and Old Madam Lin's faces both froze.
Even the emperor made Old Lady Lin breathless with anger.
Manager Li quickly told Old Tutor Lin and Old Madam Lin everything that had happened since he went to the Pei Mansion, including the Chinese medicine Lin Qingyin had taken and how the Emperor had detoxified her. "The Concubine Chen who is about to be welcomed back to the capital is my aunt..."
Old Madam Lin burst into tears.
Knowing that Lin Qingyin faked her death and left Beijing, Old Lady Lin kept comforting herself, thinking that her daughter was not dead and was still alive, but that they would never see each other again in this life. As long as her daughter was alive, she would be happy even if she never saw her again in her life. After all, her daughter was unlucky and was killed by someone.
Old Master Lin was mentally prepared that his daughter might have passed away long ago, but when he heard the news, it was like experiencing his daughter's death again, and he was heartbroken.
However, Old Tutor Lin did not feel sad for long. When he learned that someone was using the name of the Pei Mansion to poison Pei Huaijin in the death row of the Ministry of Justice, Old Tutor Lin and Old Madam Lin no longer had time to feel sad. The Emperor allowed Pei Huaijin to be detained in the Pei family, but there was no such precedent before. Duke Song and Marquis Wucheng would definitely join forces with the Censor to ask the Emperor to revoke his order.
Only when the person is locked up back in the Ministry of Justice prison can they take action.
Their daughter went through so much hardship to give birth to a pair of children, so there must not be any mishaps.
Two major events happened yesterday. One was that Dongliang wanted Ningchao to send a princess to marry, and the other was that Pei Huaijin was almost poisoned to death in the death row of the Ministry of Justice. The emperor made an exception and allowed him to be detained in Pei Mansion.
It is said that the princess's marriage is more important, but no one mentions this matter. Instead, they keep harping on Pei Huaijin's case.
As soon as the court started, Marquis Wucheng stepped forward to oppose the emperor's actions. Several ministers echoed him, asking the emperor to withdraw the grace given to Pei Huaijin.
The Emperor sat on the dragon throne and looked at the Minister of Justice. "Is the Minister of Justice confident that he can protect Pei Huaijin?"
It should be there.
But if you ask this, there is definitely no answer.
The Minister of Justice pleaded guilty, "This minister has failed in his duty. Please, Your Majesty, punish me."
The Emperor glanced at the ministers, "The Minister of Justice isn't so sure. You know the Ministry of Justice better than the Minister of Justice. Do you know what the Prince of Jingbei said to me yesterday when he asked for my order?"
Several ministers hurriedly shook their heads.
How could they know what the Prince of Jingbei and the Emperor said?
The Emperor said, "Pei Huaijin was assassinated twice on his way to the capital and was imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's death row. Someone also poisoned him. The fact that they were so eager to kill him just proves that he is innocent."
"The Ministry of Justice isn't a completely impenetrable place. There are many people coming and going. There's no guarantee that the person who poisoned him wouldn't resort to another scheme if one failed. Imprisoning him in the Pei residence is a last resort. We can't just leave him alone knowing he'll be harmed if he stays in the Ministry of Justice."
"Anyone who opposes me will be sent to the death row of the Ministry of Justice to be locked up with Pei Huaijin so that I can test him for poison. Or if I send him to your house and you fail to provide adequate care and Pei Huaijin is killed, I will execute all nine generations of your clan."
The emperor's cold voice echoed in the hall.
The emperor glanced at the faces of several dissenting ministers and asked, "Have you decided who will accompany Pei Huaijin to the death row of the Ministry of Justice, or are you planning to go together?"
Several ministers were so frightened that they fell to their knees. "Let's detain Pei Huaijin in the Pei Mansion..."
Only when a knife cuts yourself will you feel the pain.
The Emperor looked at Marquis Wucheng and Duke Song and asked, "Are we sending him to your residence for custody?"
Duke Song was startled.
I don’t know if it’s just their illusion.
He always felt that the emperor looked at him with murderous intent.
Duke Song said, "Detaining Pei Huaijin in the Pei residence is barely justifiable, but imprisoning him in my residence... is unacceptable."
He is locked up in his own house. Not only can he not kill Pei Huaijin, but he is also responsible for his life and death. Only a fool would take this job.
What is the relationship between Pei Huaijin and the Prince of Jingbei? The Prince of Jingbei is so devoted to him, yet he has offended so many ministers before he even holds an official position.
But what if the injustice is cleared?
The person that Duke Song wants to kill can escape on the first day, but he can't escape on the fifteenth day either.
No one stood up to oppose it, and the detention came to an end.
Then they discussed Dongliang's request for Ningchao to send a princess for marriage.
Because the emperor had only one princess of marriageable age, Princess Shouzhen, and Prince Cheng's followers did not dare to mention it. Could sending Prince Cheng's own sister to marry be something their own people would do?
The other ministers did not want to run into this bad luck either. They had no choice, so why bother to speak too much and make others hate them?
Without any ministers bringing it up, the Emperor took the initiative to speak. "Yesterday, an urgent message arrived from the border crossing eight hundred miles away: the Crown Prince of Gaoyang of Dongliang died in our Ning Dynasty. The Emperor of Dongliang was furious and demanded that our Ning Dynasty send a princess as a bride. What do you think, my dear ministers?"
This is unbearable to watch.
Either send the princess to marry or go to war.
If we send the princess to marry, the emperor will be unhappy. If we go to war, both the emperor and the people of the world will be unhappy.
No minister spoke, so the emperor looked at the left prime minister and asked, "What is your opinion?"
The Left Prime Minister regretted not asking for leave today.
Being mentioned by the Emperor, she couldn't help but express her own opinion. "Usually, when encountering such a matter, they would choose a noble lady from the royal family, make her a princess, and send her to marry. But a few days ago, the Empress Dowager drew lots at the Huguo Temple, and the Emperor wanted to adopt a daughter. The Empress Dowager is worried about her life..."
King Jingbei said, "Does the Left Prime Minister mean that we should not marry and be prepared for war?"
Fearing that the emperor might misunderstand, the Left Prime Minister hurriedly said, "That's not what I meant..."
He would rather fight a war than agree to send the princess to marry. If this matter gets out, everyone's spit will drown him, the left prime minister.
The princess was born into a life of luxury and wealth, and should sacrifice herself for the court when necessary.
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