Chapter 75 075 I Don't Like You
Qingli was prepared. Some of the officials' families, unaware of what was going on, were making a fuss, but soon they all found out. Besides her grandfather, there were also the three senior officials from the Hanlin Academy who had set the questions, the Prefect of Jingzhao, and more than a dozen others.
Song Shuo, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, looked at the thick stack of testimonies in front of him, but had no interest in even flipping through them. He simply asked, "How is the search of the Duan family going?"
The officials below exchanged glances. Chen Fu, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, said, "The Duan family is unlucky. They had only been transferred back to the capital for less than half a year, and the whole clan had just settled down when they suffered such a calamity of extermination. There are no witnesses, but we found some physical evidence..."
"profound?"
"What seems plausible is not conclusive evidence."
"Let me see it." Song Shuo looked at the letter in front of him, and then took out Duan Heng's exam paper. There was no overlap in the words, but upon closer examination, it could be seen that they belonged to the same question, just with different answers.
"Snap." Song Shuo put the two items together and said, "That's enough."
Song Shuo had been in the Dali Temple for many years and had accumulated considerable influence. He controlled the Dali Temple very tightly, and no one could get involved in trivial matters. The officials below him had to go through him again and again. Over the years, they had become completely subservient to him.
The official behind him nudged Chen Fu in the lower back. Chen Fu understood what he meant. The Dali Temple was known for its integrity and its aversion to court intrigues. It was impartial in its dealings. This was clearly a power struggle among the princes. If this evidence were presented, who knew what kind of bloodshed would ensue.
Chen Fu pretended not to know, saying that the past was the past and the present was the present.
However, Chen Fu thought of something, "Sir, Huang Pu has been silent, neither eating nor drinking since he entered the Dali Temple. Could there be a problem?"
This stubborn old man was tough and had a foul temper. These officials had all passed the imperial examinations and listened to his lectures, so they were more or less his teachers. He just glanced down at them, and none of them dared to utter a sound.
After serving as an official for a long time, one can still retain a lingering air of classical Chinese.
"Let him be."
Song Shuo stood up and straightened his official robes; it was time to enter the palace.
Just before leaving, I paused, a thought rising in my mind. I turned around, the candlelight casting a halo, and everything in front of me was a white light. When my vision cleared, I chuckled.
Inside the council hall, Emperor Ming Kang slammed the document heavily onto the floor. Song Shuo, kneeling in the center, was inevitably hit by it, but he didn't even flinch.
Meng Qingshan stood to one side and took a deep look.
"Your Majesty, please calm down," Dexi whispered, trying to persuade him.
"They're all trying to fool me!"
The hall fell silent for a moment. Song Shuo sneered inwardly. The emperor, high above all others, was as suspicious as ever, wishing he could peel back people's hearts to examine them.
After apologizing profusely, Song Shuo finally stepped out half an hour later. Standing on the high steps, he saw only darkness in the distance, with lanterns hanging, providing only a small patch of light. From afar, they looked like crimson eyes staring at him in the night.
"Commander Meng, are you adapting well?"
Meng Qingshan stood to one side and said in a deep voice, "It's acceptable."
“I used to be on good terms with Commander An, but he went astray and angered the Emperor. By some strange twist of fate, he ended up at the Dali Temple. Considering our past relationship, all I can do is spare his life.”
As soon as Song Shuo finished speaking, he felt a surge of power around him, sharp and intimidating. He narrowed his eyes and thought to himself that this young man was not to be underestimated. The Imperial Guards were unbreakable under his command, and even he could not get involved.
"Commander Meng, be careful not to follow in the footsteps of those who came before you."
Meng Qingshan watched Song Shuo walk into the darkness step by step, his threatening words still echoing in his ears. He frowned, somewhat displeased, when a heavy creaking sound came from behind him.
Dexi, supporting her waist, stepped forward, looked at Meng Qingshan's cold face, glanced into the distance, then looked away. After a moment, she complained, "I'm such a miserable person, I can't even have a moment of peace."
That old fellow, with his shifty eyes just now, I wonder what wicked thoughts he was harboring. He's managed to gain Emperor Mingkang's trust for so many years; he must be quite cunning.
"The government delegates small tasks to its subordinates; otherwise, what's the point of keeping them around?"
"Oh dear!" Dexi moved closer to him and whispered, "Our family is destined to be hardworking."
Dexi raised his chin, indicating, "Our family can't compare to Lord Song. Lord Song has devoted his whole life to serving the country. His Majesty has wanted to promote him many times, but he always humbly said that his abilities were limited and kept quiet. But now, at this critical moment, we still have to rely on him."
Meng Qingshan deliberately asked, "Rely on what?"
Dexi exclaimed "Oh!" and leaned closer, asking, "What does the Dali Temple do?"
"He was naturally in charge of investigating all officials."
"Even if you are an inspector, you must have a reason and evidence. This time, it was thanks to him that he obtained the evidence."
After Dexi finished speaking, she let out another groan, and, supported by the young eunuch, went down the steps, saying leisurely, "Not everyone has evidence, so why does he have it?"
Meng Qingshan chuckled softly. Interesting.
After laughing enough, he summoned a guard, gave him some instructions in a low voice, and finally said, "Have Lu Yunye come to see me tomorrow."
The next day, when it was already broad daylight, Lu Yunye finally arrived late, wearing an official robe that was loosely draped over his body, the smell of rouge mixed with the scent of wine emanating from him.
Lu Yunye has been riding high these days, both in love and in business. He's only been in the Ministry of Revenue for a little over a month, and he's already won over all the old hands there. They're all smiles, looking around as if they're back in an old haunt, completely oblivious to the awkward silence that's building up.
As soon as he sat down, the chair beneath him was kicked away with great force. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and managed to regain his balance after a couple of stumbles.
"Meng Qingshan, what are you trying to do!"
"I don't like the look of you." Meng Qingshan was too lazy to argue with him. If Qingli hadn't been worried about Ling Shuyao, he wouldn't have said a word. It's no wonder that a princess could be teased by a few servants.
After hearing this, Lu Yunye sat down in disbelief, his lips parted slightly, then he thought of his grandmother's temper and realized she was capable of doing such a thing.
After a long pause, he gave up and said, "I'll handle this."
"This matter is of great importance."
"I understand."
Lu Yunye arrived in high spirits but left dejected. After he left, the Fourth Prince came out from the inner room with a furrowed brow, clearly displeased.
Meng Qingshan got down to business, "What's your opinion on the military camp outside Beijing?"
"The waters are deep, unfathomable. Haven't you been there before?"
"He was seriously injured."
"Self-directed and self-acted?"
"Driven by circumstances."
Ling Zizhan, out of suspicion, attempted to enter the main camp on the outskirts of the capital, but due to other matters, he could only observe from afar. "This place is a vital location for protecting the safety of the capital, and no mistakes can be made."
"Perhaps the mistake was already made."
The room fell silent for a moment. The repeated incidents at the camp in the outskirts of Beijing were already unusual. Meng Qingshan had felt an inexplicable eeriness everywhere when he was at the camp in the outskirts of Beijing.
Ling Zizhan instinctively asked, "The First Prince?"
"Whether it is or not, we'll find out by trying." Meng Qingshan didn't want to beat around the bush with things that weren't proven. Aside from her matter, nothing else could give him the patience. "How are the plans for tomorrow?"
"My mother replied that you can rest assured." Ling Zizhan was a little confused. "Since my cousin kept it from you, she must have her own plans. Why drag her into this matter? It's already a mess, and the situation can change in an instant."
"Now is the best time." The Second Prince knows her identity and is unsure how he will use this information. Rather than being terrified, it's better to take the initiative. Besides... he must protect her from the worsening situation. No matter who becomes emperor, she must be safe and sound.
He would kill anyone who tried to harm her.
Ling Zizhan sensed a powerful aura and analyzed, "I'm worried that my maternal grandfather won't be able to withstand it."
"You could bear the death of your son, but now that it's time to see who your enemies are, you can't bear it?"
How arrogant and rude! Only then did Ling Zizhan realize that the general who had killed foreign tribes on the border could not possibly be a good person. The peaceful life in the capital had blurred his true nature. Or perhaps it wasn't blurred, but rather that he had deliberately hidden it.
At noon, Qingli received an invitation from the palace for a banquet that had been arranged earlier for the eldest princess's marriage. With her grandfather's affairs on her mind, she took the opportunity to go to the palace.
The next day, Qingli entered the palace. In the flower hall, the women gathered in twos and threes, whispering among themselves. As she walked along, she heard mostly about the recent events and their doubts. At this time, who would have the heart to hold a banquet?
Another person gave a shove and scolded, "Be careful, the eldest princess's marriage is also an important matter."
"Your Majesty the Empress, Your Highness the Imperial Concubine, Your Highness Consort Mu, Your Highness Consort De, and Your Highness Consort He, have arrived!"
"Princess, Second Princess, you've arrived!"
After paying their respects, the group rose, exchanged glances, and then focused their attention, listening intently.
The Empress's complexion was rosy, showing no signs of illness, while the Consort beside her, though still dressed in fine clothes, revealed her fatigue in her eyes.
The rustling around Qingli's ears included discussions about why Consort Mu had come out this time. After all, she had been silent in the palace for years, almost as if she were staying in the cold palace. Some who knew the intricacies pointed out that the imperial examination was related to Lord Huang.
Everyone was startled, then suddenly realized and gasped. Alas, it seemed that everyone had forgotten that Consort Mu was from a high-ranking family. After entering the palace, she was indifferent to worldly affairs and rarely appeared in front of others. Many years ago, when such a big incident happened in the Huang family, no one knew where the lost child was.
Qingli looked at the eldest princess kneeling to thank the empress. Perhaps it was because she was getting married, the eldest princess's face was rosy and she looked much gentler.
She turned her eyes away, exchanged a glance with the Second Princess, and the two understood each other perfectly before heading towards the back of the flower hall.
"Looks like you've taken care of it."
"certainly!"
The second princess raised an eyebrow. They were nothing but lowly servants. With her weakness gone, her aura shifted, and she quickly subdued them, silencing them. However... the joy of marriage diminished, and her heart no longer pounded so much. She then cursed herself for being too stupid and naive.
The second princess was unwilling to say more, and Qingli, seeing that she was alright, lost interest in thinking about the matter.
"Sister, you really know how to find peace and quiet." The eldest princess stepped forward gracefully, followed by several young ladies. They were respectful to the second princess, but when they looked at Qingli, they only glanced at her briefly, as if she were someone who couldn't be presented to the public.
Qingli was happy to have some peace and quiet, so she took a step back and signaled to the Second Princess not to hold a grudge. The Second Princess took a deep look back, remembered these people, and then exchanged words with the First Princess. The Second Princess was about to get married, and she did not want to cause trouble, so she was quite amicable.
The girl, more beautiful than any flower, attracted countless eyes the moment she stood there. The Empress chuckled softly, glancing over her briefly, "She's young and beautiful after all."
Consort De glanced at it, then suddenly lowered her head and began to wipe away her tears. The thought of never seeing her daughter again in this life was like a knife stabbing her heart.
Consort He, quick-witted and articulate, replied, "When I saw it, my eyes lit up. I am very grateful for the opportunity Your Majesty has given me."
"Sister, don't be sad, the eldest princess is sad too."
Consort De stopped crying, her eyes red, and looked at the eldest princess, thinking that she had raised this daughter in vain, wondering what she was so excited about day and night. She couldn't help but glance at the Empress.
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