Ji Cheng had once met Jiang Songyi in the palace and had seen a purse she had embroidered. The rough stitching showed she wasn't skilled in embroidery. It was exactly the same purse Ji Lei had given him. However, he hadn't found the jade pendant Ji Lei had given her, so he couldn't be sure she was the fairy who had saved Ji Lei.
Surprisingly, Jiang Songyi gave the jade pendant to her brother Liao Lingxi. As far as he knew, her adoptive mother and adoptive brother were not kind to her.
Perhaps, the neglect and rejection she suffered after returning to the Yongding Marquis' Mansion was even worse than when she was in the Liao family?
Ji Cheng still had doubts in his heart. That day in the palace, he could feel the old lady and the wife of the Marquis' Mansion protecting Jiang Songyi. Even the Marquis of Yongding did not hesitate to remove Jiang Songyi from the Xu family witchcraft case, which shows that her status in the Marquis' Mansion was not low.
Liao Lingxi swore confidently, "That's right! My sister saw it with her own eyes. The stolen goods were buried by the Marquis of Yongding himself under the elm tree in Rongxi Garden. If the Jinyiwei go and investigate, the truth will be revealed."
"Do you know the serious consequences of falsely accusing an official of the imperial court and framing a loyal and honest person?"
Ji Cheng stared at him with deep eyes, like a cold light in the dark night, which made Liao Lingxi feel a chill on his back and cold sweat slowly slid down his spine.
Under the gorgeous long gown he was wearing, his originally steady legs couldn't help but tremble slightly.
You're kidding! Everyone knows that the Jinyiwei fabricate charges and frame loyal officials all the time, yet we've never seen them punished for it. So why the sudden change of tack today, asking about something else?
However, in such a tense moment, he needed to remain calm. "I know. I didn't see this with my own eyes, but heard it from my sister. I felt the gravity of the situation and dared not conceal it, so I immediately informed the Jinyiwei. If I have wronged the Marquis of Yongding, I am willing to bear all the blame and apologize."
He couldn't bear such a heavy accusation, so he let his sister bear it. After all, she was the daughter of the Yongding Marquisate and the concubine of the Fourth Prince, and the Marquisate would definitely protect her.
Ji Cheng sneered and waved at him lightly.
Liao Lingxi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized and hurriedly handed over the jade pendant in his hand, but he was secretly muttering in his heart that this Jinyiwei commander was really stingy. This was just a small favor for him.
He originally thought that Ji Cheng would agree without hesitation, tell him that this was his duty, and then let him continue to keep the jade pendant.
However, Ji Cheng simply took back the jade pendant and said calmly, "The Jinyiwei will conduct a thorough search of the Marquis' Mansion as you said."
This Liao Lingxi is really not worthy of Miss Jiang treating him as a brother and opening her heart to him.
Since Ji Lei gave this jade pendant to Jiang Songyi, it can only belong to Jiang Songyi.
…
The next day, the sky in the east was turning pale.
The officials put on their court robes with the help of maids and servants before dawn. They stood there with their hands outstretched, their eyes half-closed and with a hint of darkness under them, obviously having not slept all night.
This is all due to the rumors that have been circulating in the capital in recent days.
They could not help but listen to the stories told by the wives and concubines in the mansion all night long, and learned that the self-proclaimed devoted and devoted Duke of the Protectorate not only had a cousin who had been infatuated with him for many years, but also had a mistress in Xinghua Village and had a pair of children with a widow named Liao.
Moreover, his concubine's son is older than his three daughters!
The censors took a few sips of the sweet soup to moisten their throats, and rubbed their hands, eagerly looking forward to displaying their talents in the court and impeaching the powerful Duke Protector of the Country Hao Ren.
Among this group of censors, an official named Censor Zhang was particularly hesitant.
Many people have written letters to impeach him. Should he just follow the crowd?
If he is not impeached, it would seem that he is acting eccentrically, which might cause resentment in the Yongding Marquisate.
But if he is impeached...his future in-law status with the Protector of the Country cannot be ignored.
His son Zhang Dingqian had already been engaged to Hao Qingzhi, the daughter of the Duke of Huguo, and the wedding would be completed next month.
Although the Duke of Huguo's mansion was no longer as glorious as it once was, its title and family prestige remained prominent, making it a perfect match for the self-proclaimed Zhang family. His wife was also full of praise for this match.
However, in recent days, due to Jiang Shu's divorce and return home, his wife seemed dissatisfied, thinking that Jiang Shu was too willful and created such a scandal at her age, which affected the reputation of the young ladies in the Duke's Mansion.
His wife had whispered in his ear many times that if they were not afraid of the power of the Yongding Marquis's Mansion, they should cancel the marriage. After all, how could the eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhang family be a divorced woman?
But this was just a verbal complaint. After all, the Yongding Marquisate was at its peak, so who would dare to offend it easily?
However--
Just as the officials' carriages passed by the Yongding Marquis' Mansion, the coachmen stopped involuntarily.
Censor Zhang anxiously lifted the carriage curtain and asked loudly, "Why did you stop so suddenly? What happened up ahead? Please make a detour for me, or I'll be late for court!"
But when he saw the scene outside, Censor Zhang was shocked.
"Is there still a carriage jam at this moment?"
Everyone seems to be up late today?
The carriages of colleagues were jammed in the streets, and some even began to turn back.
Seeing that he still hadn't grasped the situation, an official on good terms with Censor Zhang enthusiastically explained, "Master Zhang, don't you know? Word has spread from the palace that today's morning court session has been canceled."
Censor Zhang keenly sensed something unusual and asked, "Why was today's morning court session cancelled?"
The emperor was renowned for his diligence. Since ascending the throne, he had never missed a single morning court session, regardless of whether it was the scorching heat of summer or the bitter cold. Even when he caught a cold, he would still sit firmly on the dragon throne, wrapped in a warm stove, and listen to the reports of his ministers.
A colleague pointed in the direction of the Yongding Marquis's Mansion and said gravely, "I'm afraid the situation is about to change."
The sunrise in the distance dyed the morning glow red, brilliant and dazzling. The sky was clear and cloudless, willows swayed gently, and birds sang. It should have been excellent weather.
However, at this moment on the long street, the Jinyiwei's cavalry swept in like a storm, surrounding the huge Yongding Marquis Mansion so tightly that even the spring breeze brought a hint of solemnity.
The officials who witnessed this scene pulled up the curtains of the carriages and urged the drivers to speed up and return home as soon as possible.
Censor Zhang poked his head out and learned the news from Minister Peng of the Ministry of Works. He was so shocked that he almost fell off the carriage. Even his raised beard trembled, and his face was full of confusion. "What? The Jinyiwei surrounded the Yongding Marquis' Mansion?"
He looked around, jumped off the carriage, and spoke to Minister Peng in a low voice:
"Is this the Emperor's order?"
Minister Peng glanced at him sideways and said firmly, "What else could it be? Even if the Jinyiwei and the Western Depot joined forces, it would be difficult to surround the Yongding Marquis's residence without authorization, right?"
This is true.
Although the Jinyiwei had the privilege of executing first and reporting later and secretly searching and arresting officials, even royal family members were not immune, but the Marquis of Yongding was an exception in the emperor's mind.
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