As members of the imperial family, how could they not know what was happening outside the imperial city, or who was kneeling before them?
However, some things are just procedure, and you still have to ask them.
Fang Heng replied respectfully, “Fang Shihui’s son, Fang Heng, requests an audience with the Emperor. After my father died on the battlefield, my second uncle’s family, in order to seize power, cruelly murdered my mother and sent people to hunt me down for thousands of miles. I am weak and helpless, and can only ask the Emperor to do justice and redress my grievances.”
The son of a military general, he was straightforward and outspoken.
With just a few simple words, the power struggle between the two branches of the Fang family was laid bare. While the surrounding ministers were discussing it animatedly, the head of the Fang family, who was also Fang Heng's second uncle, turned bright red.
"Stop talking nonsense." He retorted, kneeling down on both knees. "I beg Your Majesty to see the truth. After my elder brother passed away, my sister-in-law fell ill with heartache and left. As her uncle, I should have taken on the responsibility of caring for my nephew. However, this child was resentful and believed that I had harmed my sister-in-law, so he left."
"It's been five years. I've been searching for this child, wasting countless resources, but I never expected him to come to the capital at this time. My heart is breaking..." The head of the Fang family choked up, perfectly portraying the aggrieved and worried uncle.
Truth and falsehood are intertwined, with each side sticking to their own version of events, making it difficult to discern the truth.
At this point, it depends on whose side the imperial family is willing to believe.
One is the rightful head of the Fang family, a high-ranking official in the current court.
One was a thin, frail boy with no status.
The siblings in the crowd held their breath, staring intently at the pensive Emperor, their breathing becoming labored.
Only Chang Yan remained nonchalant, saying, "He'll need evidence."
As expected, the imperial family spoke, their voice authoritative, "Do you have any evidence?"
"Your Majesty, I have it," the Fang family head interjected before Fang Heng could speak. "I have correspondence with people searching for my nephew, as well as records of gold and silver collected over the years. As long as the child can understand the painstaking efforts of his uncle, it's all worth it!"
As he spoke, he sent someone back to the Fang family to retrieve the evidence.
Returning our gaze to Fang Heng, the young man pursed his lips, his handsome face filled with conflict, then shook his head, "I didn't, but I have indeed survived being hunted all these years."
The crowd erupted in uproar.
In fact, he had evidence: the letter the Fang family wrote to the Wang family, the aunt Sun who committed the murder, and the gold and silver that the Fang family gave to the Sun family.
However, these things are too weak, and the Fang family can easily find a scapegoat to escape unscathed.
Fang Heng wanted the Fang family to be completely destroyed, and his second uncle's family to kneel down and beg for mercy. He was willing to wait ten or eight years.
When I become a general and return from military service.
Once the eldest brother becomes a new nobleman and firmly establishes himself in the court.
They are just testing the waters now, trying to find the Fang family's backup plan and trump cards.
Fang Heng kowtowed again and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, although I have no evidence, it is true that I have been destitute and wandering all these years. It is also true that my home and property have been seized. If my second uncle were kind and compassionate, I would not have suffered so much outside!"
The Fang family patriarch, who had just begun to smile, froze.
So what if you produce evidence? Sometimes, people's hearts cannot be swayed by evidence.
Those who control the power and connections of the Fang family are inherently the dominant party, while the fourteen-year-old Fang Heng is visibly vulnerable.
Five years ago... he was only nine years old.
What could make a nine-year-old child feel uneasy, abandon a comfortable life, wander aimlessly, and stumble along the way?
The main problem with the Fang family is that they can't come up with an explanation; the spittle from those around them is enough to drown them.
Killing someone by destroying their spirit is that simple.
"Great! Our method worked!" Jiang Sheng exclaimed joyfully from the crowd. "Will the imperial family finally grant Third Brother justice?"
“How could that be?” Xu Mo shook his head. “Public opinion can only fuel the flames, but it can’t determine the outcome.”
At the level of a prestigious family, rumors and gossip are nothing more than a feather. What truly matters is how those who hear the rumors will think and how they will judge them.
The emperor, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, hesitated once more.
He often seemed to be deep in thought, taking a long time to make a decision, which made those around him anxious and expectant.
"Pretending to be something you're not," Chang Yan scoffed. "In the end, it's all just muddling through."
As if in response to this statement, Tian Jia spoke in a deep voice, "Both of you have your own version of events, but you are actually blood relatives. Why don't you sit down and have a proper talk, each of you take a step back, and turn hostility into friendship?"
How to withdraw is the key.
He was unwilling to let Uncle Fang relinquish the position of family head that he had worked so hard to seize, as well as the Fang family's assets and connections.
Even if you asked Fang Heng to give up his hatred for killing his mother and his resentment over five years of persecution, he wouldn't be willing.
Turning hostility into friendship is just nonsense. No one can give up what they believe in, nor can they back down even half a step.
As expected, the Fang family patriarch remained silent, his face ashen.
Fang Heng, without hesitation, kowtowed and said, "This humble subject is willing. I would like to ask Second Uncle to hand over the title deed for the head of the household, along with the land deeds for the central storehouse."
It sounds like he's a terrible person; he kowtowed for so long just for the Fang family's assets and power, completely forgetting about his mother's revenge.
But this is part of the plan.
The Tian family likes to play it safe, and the Fang family patriarch remained silent. Fang Heng's retreat put the two of them in a difficult position—either hand over everything in the Fang family or make a real decision.
The main gate of the imperial city.
The emperor, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, frowned, while the head of the Fang family, kneeling on both knees, also began to ponder deeply.
They all wanted to break the deadlock and, from their own perspectives, quell the storm in the simplest way possible.
The Fang family patriarch, true to his cunning nature, gave his confidant a look, and the Zhu family patriarch immediately bowed and knelt down. "How could a mere child serve the country? The two brothers of the Great General are from the same mother, and it is only natural for them to take over as patriarchs. It is this young brat who, because of a woman's two words of instigation, has caused unrest in the Fang family. He is truly lacking in discipline, Your Majesty."
Openly and secretly, they actually blamed all the crimes on the general's wife, Madam Wang.
Fang Heng gritted his teeth and restrained himself several times before he could refute her.
However, the head of the He family couldn't help but kneel down, clasped his hands and said loudly, "Your Majesty is wise. The position of family head has always been inherited by the eldest son of the legitimate wife. It would be fine if the eldest son of the family had no heir, but there is clearly a living person, yet you insist on letting the uncles of the second son of the family inherit the position. Moreover, you cannot treat the general's orphan well. This is truly heartbreaking for the hearts of millions of soldiers."
Jiang Jizong, having received Jiang Sheng's hint, straightened his bent knees, full of doubts, but said nothing.
In the siblings' plan, they intended to force the imperial family to make a decision.
However, the imperial family often needs to weigh the power of both sides before deciding on a course of action.
The Fang family head corresponds to Fang Heng, and the Zhu family head was originally intended to be counterbalanced by Jiang Jizong. If the Tao family head were also involved, the Yao family head would be arranged to kneel as well, so that the two sides would always be in a state of equal strength.
Who would have thought that the head of the He family would suddenly appear from the sidelines and steal all of Uncle Jiang's work?
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