When he learned of this news, King Xuan was in Fuzhou. The matter of Yintian had now been handed over to the Prime Minister, so it didn't matter much whether King Xuan was there or not. Therefore, he made a special detour to see his daughter and granddaughter.
King Xuan, who was holding Huan Jie, said upon hearing this, "Kill them all?"
"yes."
The speaker was Sun Qiao, who had also left the southwest with King Xuan. Since General Shi was now stationed in the southwest, it was not appropriate for him to stay.
However, since General Shi is still lacking an imperial edict, his actions seem somewhat illegitimate and improper.
Yan Shujin sat beside Prince Xuan, frowning. Although she had killed many people, and even wiped out several families when she first arrived in Fuzhou, the people she had killed were different from those the Prime Minister had ordered to be killed this time.
Sun Qiao said respectfully, "The news I received is that the Hu family of Qilu has been executed along with their entire clan for obstructing the Prime Minister's re-surveying of the land."
Yan Shujin asked, "Have you found out how they are obstructing us?"
“The local people blocked the official road leading to Qi and Lu by the Prime Minister and his entourage, and threw excrement at the Prime Minister’s carriage,” Sun Qiao said. “The Prime Minister ordered the people of Qi and Lu to be driven away and punished the Hu family.”
Yan Shujin frowned and said, "Is there any evidence that the Hu family did it?"
Sun Qiao's expression was also not good, and he said, "There is no evidence."
If there is evidence that the Hu family committed this crime, then executing nine generations of their family, while harsh, would be understandable. But there is no evidence? How could there be no evidence?
“The Prime Minister said that in Qilu, the Hu family is the most prestigious. Even the local prefects treat the Hu family members with great respect. So it could not be anyone else but the Hu family.” Sun Qiao said calmly, “So the Hu family was directly punished. The Hu family all cried out that they were innocent. When the old man of the Hu family was beheaded, he shouted that the heavens were unjust. Even many people said that it was not the Hu family.”
However, the Prime Minister did not listen. At that time, the Prime Minister was already in a dilemma. Should he admit that he had made a mistake in releasing the Hu family, or should he continue to make the same mistake? At that time, the Prime Minister had already offended the Hu family badly. If he really released them, the Hu family would appeal to the Emperor, and the Prime Minister would not be happy either.
After all, the Prime Minister's current actions are all offensive, and if he shows even the slightest weakness, he'll be devoured. But the Hu family's situation is somewhat...
King Xuan reached out and covered his granddaughter's ears. Huanjie thought King Xuan was playing with her, and happily kicked her little feet and laughed non-stop.
Yan Shujin pondered for a moment and said, "Something is not right. Moreover, the Hu family cannot be innocent. More likely... the Hu family and the Prime Minister were both framed."
It's likely that the Prime Minister has also realized this, but it's already too late.
Sun Qiao also analyzed the matter, but did not express his thoughts at this time, for fear of affecting Yan Shujin's judgment: "The Prime Minister has evidence that the Hu family instigated the people of Qi and Lu. However, the Censor accused the Prime Minister of settling personal scores, saying that the Prime Minister wanted to marry a girl from the Hu family, but the Hu family refused. The evidence in the Prime Minister's hands is forged. There are also testimonies from the people of Qi and Lu, saying that they acted spontaneously and that no one instigated them."
Regardless of whether these claims are true or false, they are all detrimental to the Prime Minister.
King Xuan listened to his granddaughter's laughter and said, "The Prime Minister is not that kind of person."
Yan Shujin nodded and said, "I am not familiar with the Prime Minister, but the Hu family is definitely not innocent in this matter. I'm afraid the Hu family didn't expect this outcome. They may know who it is, but they chose to acquiesce because they felt it was in their own interest. After all, in a place like Qilu, it's impossible not to notice when they make these arrangements to contact the people. Moreover, if they had just said a word to restrain themselves, things wouldn't have turned out this way."
Even so, the Prime Minister's actions were somewhat reckless.
How much was the Hu family involved, or whether they were the masterminds, should have been investigated and punished by the Prime Minister at that time. He should have adopted a policy of appeasement, because he was dealing with the entire Qi-Lu region.
However, it's too late to say anything now, and Yan Shujin doesn't want to comment on them: "What are Your Majesty's plans?"
King Xuan said, "At the very least, Your Majesty must protect the Prime Minister, but also appease the people of Qi and Lu."
Yan Shujin frowned slightly and said, "I'm afraid it's difficult to have both."
"Appeasement is a matter for later," King Xuan said coldly. "It's like killing a donkey after it has done its work."
Yan Shujin also understood and said, "It means suppressing them first. After the reform is over, I'm afraid it will be the Prime Minister..."
King Xuan's relationship with the Prime Minister was actually just so-so, but they had gone through the most difficult times together, so it was inevitable that they would feel a sense of shared sorrow now. In fact, King Xuan's heart had already turned cold when Empress Chen died, so it was not surprising that he did not feel anything now.
Yan Shujin sighed and said, "If it's just about retiring to one's hometown, that's fine too."
King Xuan said, "I will have someone send the Prime Minister back to his hometown and try my best to save his life."
Yan Shujin looked at Sun Qiao and said, "Have someone investigate the Hu family. I always feel there's something fishy about this, or rather, who was behind the massacre of the Hu family?"
Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution!
Thank you to the little angels who threw [landmines]: End White, Sophia? 1 each;
Thank you to the little angel who watered the [nutrient solution]:
60 bottles of Identity V; fanxy, Weicheng 10 bottles; Yixia 8 bottles; Xixi, Luluda, 秌, Weiwan° 5 bottles; That year, Summer 3 bottles; meme, Like a Ghost, Like a Demon 2 bottles; Moshaobai, Yiyi 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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