Chapter 285 forbids severing the father-son relationship, but Marquis Anping can.
Since ancient times, we have only heard of fathers resenting their sons' disobedience and wanting to sever their father-son relationship.
Li Mu is the first person to take the initiative to sever ties with his father.
"How can a son sever ties with his father? That's the greatest act of filial impiety!"
"Could it be that the heir of the Marquis of Anping suffered some kind of shock at the very beginning of the year?"
Well-informed officials had learned of the fire at the Marquis of Anping's residence the previous night, as well as the arrest of the Marquis of Anping and Li Yao by the Imperial Guards. They exchanged glances and remained silent.
The emperor learned of last night's events from a message delivered by the Imperial City Guard as soon as he got up this morning.
But the necessary procedures still had to be followed. His gaze swept over the ministers below, and his expression darkened slightly.
"How dare you, Li Mu! Since ancient times, the father has been the head of the family. How can a son voluntarily sever ties with his father?"
Li Mu crawled forward on his knees and handed the folded document in his hand up again.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I know that this is a treasonous act, and I would not have taken this step unless absolutely necessary."
Marquis Anping has gone too far. More than 20 years ago, he had an affair and even brought his child home.
They switched my mother's biological child, and that child's whereabouts are still unknown.
"It was bad enough that he used a concubine to claim the title of heir, but he also conspired with that woman to mix fireworks laced with kerosene into the fireworks set off by the Imperial Guards."
They attempted to blow up my family as my carriage crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Fortunately, my daughter was quick-witted and noticed his plot, thus narrowly escaping disaster.
“And my mother’s illegitimate son, Li Yao, took advantage of the fact that no one was home and actually sent people to set fire to the house, which almost burned her to death.”
Li Mu recalled the events of last night and couldn't help but burst into tears.
“Your Majesty, Marquis Anping is an unjust husband, an unkind father, and a disloyal subject. If I do not sever my father-son relationship with him, I will not be able to stop him from doing so.”
I fear my entire family is going to be killed. I beg Your Majesty to save my family!
The emperor was shocked.
"Is this really true?"
Shen Cong stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, I can testify that the Imperial Guards did indeed capture Marquis Anping and Li Yao last night. The woman they were having an affair with is Bai San Niang, the matriarch of the Chen family in Quanzhou.”
The Imperial Guards also found fireworks containing kerosene in Bai San Niang's residence, suggesting that Bai San Niang and Marquis Anping were illegally mining kerosene.
The emperor was furious.
"Outrageous! Oil mines are under the jurisdiction of the imperial court; unauthorized mining is a capital offense!"
"Your Majesty, I have already instructed the Court of Judicial Review to conduct the interrogation and investigation. Once we have obtained the evidence, I will report back to Your Majesty."
However, the fact that Marquis Anping, in collusion with Lady Bai, mixed fireworks soaked in kerosene into the Imperial Guards' fireworks in an attempt to cause an explosion at the Rainbow Bridge has been verified and is beyond doubt!
The emperor nodded.
Wei Yan stepped forward and also presented a memorial.
"Your Majesty, when the Anping Marquis's residence caught fire last night, I led the yamen runners from Bianjing Prefecture to help put out the fire."
The arson suspect was later apprehended, and under interrogation, he confessed that Li Yao was the one who ordered him to set the fire.
The emperor was so angry he laughed.
"Well, during the New Year, Li Yongfeng and Li Yao, father and son, one killed his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, and did not hesitate to drag the common people down with him."
The other one, who set fire to and murdered his stepmother, was simply courting death.
"Guards, immediately issue an edict to strip Li Yongfeng of his title, and after the investigation into the illegal mining of petroleum is completed, have him beheaded and his head displayed to the public."
Her son, Li Yao, was a heartless and unscrupulous man who attempted to kill his mother. He was beheaded along with Li Yongfeng!
Without hesitation, the emperor issued the first imperial edict of the new year.
All the civil and military officials immediately knelt down, and the sound of cheers erupted like a tidal wave.
"Your Majesty is wise!"
Li Mu kowtowed deeply, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for upholding justice for me. As for severing ties... I beg Your Majesty's permission!"
"I wish to break away from the Li clan and establish my own lineage."
Once His Majesty agrees, no one will criticize this matter in the future.
This is why Li Mu submitted a memorial requesting this!
The emperor pinched the bridge of his nose.
As the emperor, he could not openly agree to a son's request to sever ties with his father.
What if people start to imitate this in the future?
Moreover, Li Mu is now the head of the Water Conservancy Bureau, and he is counting on Li Mu to manage the Bian River well.
If Li Mu sever ties with Marquis Anping, it will become a pretext for court officials to attack him.
Moreover, he started his own sect, without the help of his clansmen, and it was too difficult for him to support himself alone.
Just as they were in a dilemma, Shen Cong suddenly spoke up.
"The ancestors of the Marquis of Anping's family served Emperor Taizu diligently and made outstanding military achievements, which is why they were granted the hereditary title of Marquis."
Now that Li Yongfeng has committed such a heinous crime, he has truly let down the ancestors of Marquis Anping. Such a person is simply a disgrace to the Marquis Anping's family.
"Perhaps Your Majesty would issue an edict to remove Li Yongfeng and his son Li Yao directly from the Li clan's genealogy. This would preserve the honor of the Marquis of Anping's ancestors."
The implication was that severing the father-son relationship was not allowed, but Marquis Anping could be removed from the family genealogy.
The emperor pondered for a moment, his eyes brightening slightly.
“A Cong’s suggestion is excellent. Let’s just consider the title of Marquis of Anping as being passed directly from the old Marquis of Anping to Li Mu.”
In this way, Minister Li, you won't need to establish a separate sect.
Li Mu was dumbfounded.
Is this even possible?
How could the Marquis's title be preserved even after things had come to this?
He really didn't expect that.
What was even more unexpected was that Shen Cong would speak up for him. That kid has always been ruthless, and who knows what kind of trick he's up to.
Shocked, he blurted out what was on his mind.
"Is Your Majesty still willing to allow me to inherit the title?"
The emperor smiled slightly.
"Why not? Your daughter has become a county princess. You, as her father, can't be worse off than her, can you?"
However, the title of Marquis of Anping will only go as far as you. As for your future descendants…”
The implication is that once Li Mu is gone, the court will revoke the title of Marquis of Anping.
Li Mu quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude.
"Your Majesty's kindness is deeply appreciated!"
As the pilgrimage concluded, two imperial edicts were issued from the palace.
One message was sent to the Dali Temple prison, and another was sent to the Li family of Changyuan.
Marquis Anping and Li Yao were handed over to the Court of Judicial Review by the Imperial Guards last night.
Upon receiving the imperial edict, Marquis Anping and Li Yao, holding the edict, were both struck dumb as if by lightning.
It was expected that he would be sentenced to beheading; what was shocking was the sentence handed down to Li Yao.
As soon as the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree left, Marquis Anping couldn't help but grab Li Yao's collar, his face full of disappointment and frustration.
"Why did you set fire to the He family's residence? What were my instructions? Didn't I tell you to follow orders obediently?"
Li Yao hung his head, looking dejected.
“I…I was thinking of my mother too. I thought that since Li Mu was gone, I would be the heir.”
If Lady He were gone, my mother could become the Lady of the Marquis. Was I wrong to think that way? Or is it that Father is reluctant to part with Lady He, his principal wife?
Snap!
Marquis Anping couldn't help but slap him hard across the face.
"Utterly stupid!"
Do you think I'm keeping the He family business because I can't bear to part with it?
"If Li Mu and his family of three were to die, do you think the He family could still survive?"
"You could have accomplished this effortlessly, but you deliberately dirtied your hands. You've really disappointed me!"
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