Chapter 888 Choice
Many people saw with their own eyes the corpse carried out of the imperial study. After knowing that it was Wang Huailu's daughter who was given poisoned wine by the queen herself, news came from the prison soon after that Wang Huailu also died along with his daughter after being given poisoned wine by the palace.
Many people felt sad when they learned about the fate of the Wang father and daughter. Wang Huailu had been noble for most of his life, but he took the wrong path at the end.
However, compared with King Hui and those aristocratic families, they had a good ending. Only Wang Huailu and his daughter died in the Wang family, and no one else was implicated.
…
Yue Jian went to the prison and sentenced Wang Huailu to death. He then personally escorted the "corpses" of Wang's father and daughter out of the city. When he came back, the moon was already at its highest point in the sky.
"Sent away?"
"Yes, everyone saw with their own eyes the death of the Wang family father and daughter. From now on, there will be no more of them in this world."
After Yue Jian finished speaking in a low voice, she saw Tang Ning lowering her head and looking through the things in her hands. She hesitated for a moment but finally couldn't help but said, "Your Majesty, I don't understand. There are so many people plotting rebellion this time, and you haven't let any of them go. Although Wang Huailu is not the culprit, he also played a role in it."
"Your Majesty trusted him so much back then, sending him to the noble family. You also took good care of the Wang family. He was so ungrateful and betrayed your grace. Why did you spare them alone?"
The palace was extremely quiet. Tang Ning closed the memorial in her hand and whispered, "Do you think that if Wang Huailu really married into an aristocratic family, Wang Yuzhen would still be able to enter the palace to report her biological father?"
"ah?"
Yue Jian was stunned.
Tang Ning raised his eyes and sighed softly, "Wang Huailu is extremely intelligent, a noble and self-respecting person who doesn't get involved in power struggles. Back when the deposed emperor was in power, it wasn't that no one tried to win him over. If he truly coveted power and wealth, with his abilities, he would have long since risen above being a mere lowly official."
Xiao Yan had a very sharp eye, and with the black-armored guards under his command, he knew the details of almost all the officials in the capital. If Wang Huailu was not really capable, he would not have used Wang Huailu even if she had some friendship with Wang Yuzhen.
What's more, if Wang Huailu was not really capable, how could Liang Guangyi and others look up to him when they pushed him to the side of the Shi family?
If a noble family wants to go with the flow, the water must be deep enough and the boat must be strong enough. Otherwise, if you are just a waste, it is impossible for you to catch the eye of a person like Liang Guangyi.
Wang Huailu is a truly capable man, and his mind is more insightful than many people in the court. Otherwise, he would not have taught Wang Yuzhen so seriously. He did not look down on her at all because of her girl status. Instead, he tried his best to teach her to become a useful person like a son.
Tang Ning leaned back in his chair and said, "Madam Wang is critically ill. Mingke used witchcraft to lure Wang Yuzhen into the scheme. By the time she realized something was wrong, she was already tied up. Wang Huailu probably realized Mingke's identity even before we did. He was willing to become a pawn for his daughter, but he didn't want to become the sinner who destroyed his country and his clan with Wang Yuzhen."
Wang Yuzhen was able to enter the palace to report her father because Wang Huailu left a way out for her, but it was also a dead end he left for himself.
Otherwise, with his means, how could Wang Yuzhen easily discover that he was meeting with Xie Zhuo and Min An?
Wang Huailu probably knew his daughter too well, and he also let Wang Yuzhen know about the current border troubles and the situation of the Wei Dynasty. Therefore, Wang Yuzhen entered the palace partly because of her guilty conscience after hesitation and struggle, and the other half was because she cut off her own path due to Wang Huailu's deliberate indulgence.
Tang Ning said calmly, "Think about Wang Huailu's behavior recently. Don't you find that he is impulsive and reckless, unlike his usual self?"
Yue Jian seemed to be lost in thought after hearing this. The aristocratic families had some misunderstandings about the Empress and His Majesty, but Wang Huailu did not. He had had "contact" with the Empress in private and also knew His Majesty better. He should have acted more cautiously when the news from the South came back.
However, the aristocratic families seemed to have lost their minds during this period and acted extremely impulsively. Wang Huailu not only did not try to persuade them, but seemed to be bewildered by the "merit of following the dragon", instigating the aristocratic families to add fuel to the fire. He never reminded them to be cautious and did not hesitate at all about the news coming from the palace.
This is indeed not like Wang Huailu's usual temperament.
Yue Jian seemed to understand why the Empress had spared the Wang father and daughter. Seeing this, Tang Ning stopped talking about the father and daughter and said to Yue Jian, "Go and get all the letters His Majesty has sent back recently, as well as the war reports from Southern Qi and the Northwest."
Yue Jian's expression changed slightly: "Your Majesty, do you want to send her to Shoukang Palace?"
She had heard what Lady Qin had said before. The Empress Dowager was hanging on by a thread. If she knew that His Majesty was safe and the war was going well, her breath would dissipate...
Yue Jian hesitated and wanted to say something, but Tang Ning just said, "Find it out first."
She lowered her eyes, her expression unclear, but the pursed corners of her mouth revealed her restlessness. She didn't know if this was right or wrong, but if her brother were in the capital, he would surely be reluctant to see his beloved Grand Empress Dowager suffer so much pain...
But, if the Empress Dowager really...
What should I do, brother?
"Find it out first, and then I'll think about it."
…
Tang Ning couldn't make a decision about the Empress Dowager's matter, and the court was in turmoil for two days because of Prince Hui's rebellion. It took four days before all the people involved were completely dealt with.
Tang Ning originally wanted to go to Shoukang Palace to visit the Grand Empress Dowager, but unexpectedly ran into the Grand Empress Dowager who was ill.
All the palace maids were driven out, leaving only Nianxia and Qin Niangzi. Perhaps because there were no "outsiders", the Empress Dowager no longer had the spirit she had that day. Her face was pale as if she were not alive. She lay on the edge of the bed and vomited blood. She was in so much pain that she was sweating and shaking on the bed. Even Qin Niang's acupuncture was of little use.
Nian Xia, who was standing by the bed, had red eyes and was crying. The Empress Dowager weakly grabbed Qin Niangzi's hand and whispered, "Don't tell the Queen" and "Don't distract His Majesty."
"Your Majesty..." Yue Jian's eyes were slightly red.
Tang Ning grabbed the door tightly and lowered her voice for a while: "I haven't been here tonight."
Several palace maids around hurriedly nodded their heads.
Tang Ning did not sleep all night after leaving Shoukang Palace. After the morning court the next day, he went to Shoukang Palace with the battle reports from Southern Qi and the Northwest.
The Grand Empress Dowager had long known that the war in Southern Qi was going smoothly, and there was no surprise on her face until Tang Ning took out a letter sent back by Xiao Yan from the northwest, and then the Grand Empress Dowager suddenly became happy.
"Chen An has delivered the letter back? When did he deliver it?"
"Yesterday. I should have brought it to you earlier, but I was busy with court affairs yesterday and it was late at night when I finally had some free time. I thought my great-grandmother would have been asleep by then, so I kept it until today."
Tang Ning handed the letter to the Empress Dowager with a smile.
The outer cover of the letter had been opened long ago, but when the letter paper was unfolded, the Empress Dowager recognized it as Xiao Yan's handwriting. She read it with joy. In the letter, Xiao Yan talked about the war situation in the northwest, saying that the overall situation was set, and that Beiling had already prepared a response to mobilize the northwest.
The words in the letter were full of sharpness and high-spirited control over the situation, as if Xiao Yan was right in front of him saying that victory was imminent.
The Empress Dowager's eyes turned red with joy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com