The matter of the Marquis of Anchang's family colluding with Wu Guangping to betray the enemy caused a great uproar in the capital.
Even worse, some took advantage of the chaos to loudly proclaim their intention to crush the Tatars and refuse to allow the women of the Great Jin to be sent to the Tatars for marriage alliances.
With the marriage alliance imminent, such a huge uproar occurred at the last minute.
Upon learning the news, the emperor, who was in the capital city, threw the memorial to the ground with great force.
Startled, Li Defu lowered his head and curled up, standing aside carefully serving him.
"These people not only fail to help me solve my problems, but now they are inciting the people and forcing me to abandon the ten-year peaceful coexistence between the Great Jin and the Tatars!"
The emperor braced his hands on the desk, his face flushed with anger, and he was breathing heavily.
Li Defu listened quietly without responding.
He had served the emperor for many years and knew the emperor's temperament very well. If he made the slightest sound at this moment, he would surely incur the emperor's wrath.
The emperor, growing angrier the more he thought about it, slapped his desk twice with his right hand, a ferocious look appearing on his face.
"These officials submitted a memorial to the capital, which contained rumors that the Great Jin Dynasty had never had a precedent for a marriage alliance since its founding."
Isn't this blatantly calling me a foolish and incompetent ruler?
What's even more infuriating is that, as the emperor, he was not allowed to arbitrarily punish these officials who had the responsibility of oversight.
If these officials were to bang their heads against pillars in the main hall to offer their remonstrances, his life's achievements would be tarnished.
This is definitely not the outcome he wanted.
Thinking of this, the emperor glanced at the man three steps away from him and said, "Li Defu, the Tatar princess will be arriving in the capital soon. Has the Ministry of Rites not yet decided on a noblewoman for the marriage?"
Li Defu, who was suddenly called out, bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites has not yet decided on a noblewoman for a marriage alliance."
Fortunately, the Tatar envoy stayed in the capital for quite some time, and returned home after attending the Tatar princess's wedding banquet.
Presumably, the Ministry of Rites will give His Majesty a satisfactory answer in due course.
The emperor also knew that this matter could not be rushed, after all, it was sending someone to the Tatars for a marriage alliance, and the Ministry of Rites still had to consider many things, as well as appease the officials' complaints.
Just then, a young eunuch shuffled into the imperial study and bowed to report.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince of Libei requests an audience."
Thinking of the matter of the Earl of Anchang, the Emperor's anger intensified. "Summon him."
After the young eunuch received the order and withdrew, Song Yanqing strode into the study shortly afterward.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
"No need for formalities. Is there any progress on the matter of the Marquis of Anchang?"
Song Yanqing came here for this matter: "The Earl of Anchang has confessed to colluding with Wu Guangping to resell military equipment."
This is a confession.
After saying this, Li Defu handed the confession in his hand to the emperor for review.
The emperor unfolded the confession and examined it; his face turned ashen.
Qu Zifu and Wu Guangping corresponded frequently, and countless military supplies were transported to the border city.
To obtain money from the arms trade, they had Qu Ziyang and Qu Zikun launder money in gambling dens and brothels.
With each word Song Yanqing spoke, the emperor's expression grew even darker.
The emperor put down the confession and looked at Song Yanqing, "Has anyone confessed to being behind this?"
Song Yanqing said, "The Anchang Marquis family insists that the whole thing was planned by the First Prince, and that they were just doing things for him."
Upon hearing this, the emperor's expression faltered slightly, but the look did not linger on his face for long and vanished in an instant.
Even with this extreme speed, Song Yanqing's eagle-like eyes still couldn't detect it.
When the eldest prince confessed his crimes and accepted punishment, he was seriously injured. If it weren't for Lu Qiqi saving him, he would probably have died long ago.
However, upon returning to the capital, he learned that the eldest prince had embezzled disaster relief funds and was using them to win over important officials in the court.
They even corresponded with the Tatars, plotting to lose a city and intending to usurp the emperor's power.
Song Yanqing grew up with the eldest prince since childhood; they were not blood brothers, but they were more like brothers.
The eldest prince was handsome and prosperous, and was even secretly praised by the late emperor for his talent in governing the country.
How could such a person be concerned with money, and how could he possibly witness the Tatars harming the people of the Great Jin Dynasty for the sake of the throne?
When he returned to Beijing, it was too late. The matter was settled, and all the evidence vanished like sand in the air.
He then ordered the Shadow Guards to investigate, only to discover that the Emperor had already erased the matter entirely.
The Crown Prince's wife remained silent, bearing the truth with her as she was buried with the Crown Prince.
Li Defu took in the emperor's unnatural expression but wisely ignored it; the eldest prince had already been demoted to a commoner.
Therefore, Song Yanqing was not reminded.
After a long while, the emperor finally came to his senses and said, "Although that brat is wrong in many ways, he is not someone to be blamed for everything!"
Since nothing can be found, then confiscate the Anchang Earl's mansion, liquidate the dowry of the Lin'an Marquis's mansion, and confiscate everything remaining.
After Song Yanqing left, the emperor leaned back in his chair, pinched his brow, and asked, "I wonder if Binyu's leg is getting any better?"
Song Binyu had been taken back to the Empress Dowager's palace to recuperate for several months, and Li Defu had never heard this name mentioned by the Emperor.
It was as if Song Binyu had become an invisible person in the palace.
When the emperor suddenly mentioned it, even Li Defu, who was quite astute, couldn't help but be taken aback for a moment.
"Hmm?" Upon receiving no reply, the emperor let out a slightly displeased sound.
Li Defu immediately realized what was happening and whispered, "Your Majesty's grace is boundless. I imagine the eldest grandson is recuperating well in the Empress Dowager's palace."
The emperor suddenly felt exhausted. He put down the hand that was pinching his brow and opened his slightly red eyes. "Send the imperial physicians to the Empress Dowager's palace to check her pulse. Send her plenty of precious medicinal herbs and tonics."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
......
Handle everything with care!
The yamen runners from the Dali Temple carried the items into the Lin'an Marquis's residence.
Chen Xianming and Chen Zirong stood in the center of the front hall.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review first bowed to Chen Xianming, and then had someone present the list.
"My lord, the dowry list of the Marquis of Lin'an's mansion, everything that can be recovered is here."
Chen Xianming took the gift list and handed it to Chen Zirong, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review."
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review smiled and said, "You're too kind, Lord Marquis."
"Although the disgraced Marquis Anchang used your esteemed household's money to fill the gaps in the army's lost weapons, many things could not be recovered."
The Crown Prince of Libei then sold off the Anchang Earl's residence and the land in the capital, converting the proceeds into silver.
Upon hearing this, Chen Xianming and Chen Zirong exchanged a knowing glance.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review delivered the items, and the case came to an end. The matter was finally resolved, and he felt relieved.
Watching the figure disappear from sight, Chen Zirong examined the boxes that filled the front hall.
"Unexpectedly, even after the Anchang Marquis's mansion was raided and its property confiscated, they were still able to recover all the dowry that had been sent out!"
Chen Zirong's words struck a chord with Chen Xianming.
In fact, not only Chen Zirong thought this way, but he also thought so in his heart.
After all, the amount of silver confiscated from the Anchang Marquis's residence was pitifully small, and the news had spread throughout the new capital.
Chen Xianming said, "Consider this your nephew-in-law's greeting gift."
Upon hearing this, Chen Zirong was stunned. He hadn't expected his father to have made up his mind about Song Yanqing so quickly.
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