However, Wei Hui had barely uttered a few words when another thunderous voice resounded.
"Your Majesty, this old minister has a report to make."
"You may rise, Imperial Uncle." The Emperor sat upright on his golden throne, his dragon eyes slightly raised, glancing lightly at Wei Hui. "I wonder what brings you here, Imperial Uncle?"
Yu Xiao cupped his hands and stood up. "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. I have come today on behalf of someone to file a complaint against Mei Huarong, the Commandant of Zhaowu."
When Wei Hui saw that the old Prince Gong had something to report, he was about to leave and return to his seat, but when he heard the words "Zhaowu Colonel," his heart skipped a beat.
Mei Huarong is one of his people.
Prince Gong was never one to make baseless accusations.
Could it be that Mei Huarong has committed some serious crime?
The man lowered his eyes and heard the old Prince Gong continue: "Three days ago, Captain Mei rode his horse recklessly on Huagui Street in the east of the city, killing one father and daughter and injuring the other. Later, seeing that the daughter of the Sun family was beautiful, he forcibly took her as a concubine. The Sun family refused to agree, and now the entire family has been detained by Captain Mei in the Mei Mansion and is being tortured. Neighboring households often hear cries for help at night."
"Such a thing has happened! How dare Mei Huarong bully others like this, clearly disregarding the laws of the Great Yu." The emperor's face darkened.
"Lou Chao, go and take men to the Mei residence to investigate this matter. Once it is confirmed, bring Mei Huarong to me with his head."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take care of it immediately," said Lou Chao, the Prefect of Jingzhao, and left to carry out the order.
The officials listened with a tremor in their hearts, but at the same time, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Prince Gong rarely attended court, and every time he did, it was for a major, serious matter.
They had just caught a glimpse of the old prince; the skin on his back had been pulled up so tightly it was almost impossible to see.
Unexpectedly, the old prince came this time because of the case of the Zhaowu Colonel taking a concubine while riding a horse.
Upon hearing this, Wei Hui felt an urge to grab Mei Huarong and give her a good beating.
Riding a horse recklessly in the street is not a big deal, but this fool killed someone, and then, in the midst of the controversy, forcibly took a woman as a concubine, and abused his power to detain people and carry out private torture. One thing after another, he violated all the major taboos.
Not only did he lose his position as Zhaowu Colonel, but he also lost his life.
He knew that Mei Huarong had a weakness for beautiful women, but he never expected that she would be such a pig-headed person. Not only did she commit a crime, but she was also caught red-handed by the old Prince Gong's men. Wasn't she just asking for death?
Back then, he put in a lot of effort to get Mei Huarong to this position, but now it's all gone.
No wonder the old Prince Gong looked at me like a knife!
They probably think that Mei Huarong is abusing his power because he has his backing.
The emperor tapped his fingers on the throne, his phoenix eyes sweeping across the hall. "My beloved ministers, is there anything else you wish to report?"
Wei Hui composed himself, temporarily setting aside the matter of Mei Huarong, and said, "Your Majesty, I have a report to submit regarding Xiao Jinhan of the Zhennan Camp..."
"Lord Wei, please calm down. This old minister has another matter to report." He was interrupted by Yu Xiao halfway through his sentence.
Wei Hui quickly stopped smiling apologetically, but when he met the other's eyes, his heart skipped a beat for no reason.
Sure enough, before he could react, the old Prince Gong pulled out a slip of paper from his sleeve and announced, “I have come here today for two reasons. First, to arrest the Zhaowu Colonel for committing murder. Second, to investigate Zhang Yizhi, the Prefect of Zhongzhou, for accepting bribes by abusing his official position, totaling 300,000 taels of silver. Here is a detailed breakdown of each transaction.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the vast Golden Palace became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Officials who knew the intricacies of the situation instinctively looked towards Wei Hui.
On the throne, the emperor's handsome face turned completely somber. He waved to Eunuch Chaode, "Go and present the evidence."
"Yes," Eunuch De quickly replied.
Wei Hui was alarmed and cold sweat poured down his forehead.
This Zhang Yizhi, the Prefect of Zhongzhou, was none other than a distant relative of his wife's family. In terms of seniority, he should be addressed as her cousin.
Moreover, Zhang Yizhi's ability to secure the lucrative position of Prefect of Zhongzhou was inseparable from his behind-the-scenes maneuvering.
On the dragon throne, after reading the note, the emperor slammed his fist on the throne in anger. "That Zhang Yizhi! He puts on a show of honesty and integrity, but behind the scenes he is lining his own pockets, enriching himself at the expense of the public, and making a fortune by taking advantage of his position as the Prefect of Zhongzhou. His crimes are simply unforgivable!"
Everyone felt a pang of unease, and no one dared to raise their head.
Wei Hui was so frightened that his knees went weak.
It was only then that I realized that Prince Gong had come to court today not for anyone else, but specifically for me!
Who was Prince Gong?
That's the man who fought alongside the late emperor to conquer the world, and even His Majesty has to respectfully address him as Uncle Xiao.
He has always been cautious and prudent, and has never made an enemy of Prince Gong's Mansion.
He had instructed everyone in the mansion, including himself, that they must be polite and respectful whenever they saw anyone from the Prince Gong's mansion, regardless of age or seniority, and that they must never offend anyone from the Prince Gong's mansion.
Why did Prince Gong suddenly turn his attention to himself?
The more the man thought about it, the more confused he became.
Just then, a sharp gaze swept over.
He looked up and met the emperor's stormy face. "Minister Wei, what did you want to report to the General of Zhennan?"
Upon hearing the sound, Wei Hui snapped out of his daze and quickly lowered his head.
My chaotic mind suddenly cleared up.
Yes, as soon as he opened his mouth, Prince Gong immediately cut him off.
Could it be that Prince Gong has come today to support Xiao Jinhan?
The Prince Gong family is extremely protective of their own, a fact known to everyone in the capital. However, they only protect their own family members. Although Xiao Jinhan came from the Zhennan Camp, he had no connection whatsoever with the Prince Gong family.
Moreover, when Xiao Jinhan entered the Zhennan Camp, the old Prince Gong had already retired to the capital, and the person who took him with him was at most Yu Changqing.
Even if Prince Gong's Mansion wanted to support Xiao Jinhan, there was no need for the old Prince Gong to personally intervene. So why is there such a confrontation now?
Wei Hui became increasingly conflicted as he thought about it, completely unaware that the person on the dragon throne's eyes gradually turned to ice.
The officials had already regained their composure and dared not even breathe too hard.
Eunuch De coughed lightly and reminded him, "Your Excellency, the Emperor is asking you a question. What did he want to report about General Zhennan?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
