Chapter 192 Young Master Chen, do you regret it?
Jiang Wuyu suddenly hugged Zhou Mujiao tightly, then released her abruptly: "Ajiao, the imperial decree has been issued!"
Zhou Mujiao's heart pounded: "What did you say?"
"Last night, the Dali Temple interrogated the Eighth Prince and his cronies overnight. The Eighth Prince confessed that the disaster relief funds and supplies from that year were transported to his military camp under the cover of Hu Laosan! An hour ago, the Dali Temple Minister reported this matter to the Emperor. After reading it, the Emperor publicly declared your maternal grandfather innocent, clearing the Li family's name! The imperial edict will arrive soon. In addition, the Emperor said he will issue a decree of self-reproach!"
"Also, the Emperor has returned the Li residence to us! He personally wrote a new plaque on the spot, and it's already on its way. I came back ahead of time to tell you, so you can tell your mother now and prepare her mentally so she won't get too excited."
Jiang Wuyu left in a hurry after finishing her sentence. Zhou Mujiao quickly processed the news and immediately told it to Old Madam Li. Old Madam Li was indeed agitated, but fortunately it was still within a controllable range.
"Ah Jiao, I've waited for this! I've waited for this! Our Li family is innocent, we are innocent!"
At this moment, Mr. and Mrs. Zhao also rushed over. After learning about this, they were happy for the two of them.
Half an hour later, the imperial edict arrived.
Old Madam Li and Zhou Mujiao and her siblings went out to greet the imperial decree. When they saw that it was the Crown Prince himself who had come, Zhou Mujiao was surprised, but also felt that it was reasonable.
Once the Crown Prince proclaimed the imperial edict, followed by the Emperor's decree of acquittal, the whole world knew of the Li family's innocence and that Zhou Mujiao was a descendant of the Li family. In an instant, the descendants of the Li family became the focus of the entire capital. Not only were all of Zhou Mujiao's actions magnified and analyzed, but even Xiao Wu and Xiao Jiu's grades at the academy were obtained and widely discussed in the marketplace.
Fortunately, the siblings' words and actions were all plausible. In particular, when everyone learned that Zhou Mujiao had contributed to the increased grain production in Taohua County, and that her clothing workshop had supported the people of several villages, and especially after learning that she frequently went to the villages to provide free medical consultations after coming to the capital, everyone praised her as worthy of being a descendant of Lord Li and a descendant of a prestigious family.
Xiao Wu and Xiao Jiu were also praised to the skies. They were praised at the academy, and when they went down the mountain to go home during their break, someone recognized them and stopped their carriage to praise them as well.
For a time, the whole country was full of praise for Zhou Mujiao's family. If Zhou Mujiao hadn't been mentally strong enough, she probably would have been carried away by the praise.
It's not surprising that the descendants of the Li family were praised, nor is it surprising that Zhao Yunjing was praised, since husband and wife are one. However, as a very important part of the Li family's retrial case, Young Master Chen was never mentioned, and even the sacrifices made by his father, Chen Zhi, were not mentioned.
Seeing Zhao Yunjing greeted with flowers and applause every time he appeared, while he himself always walked in his shadow, anyone would feel resentful.
"Do you regret it?"
A figure slenderly descended from the roof beam. It was a woman wearing a veil. She sat opposite Young Master Chen, resting her chin on her hand and smiling: "If you regret it, leave everything to me from now on. I guarantee that within three years, you will be able to overshadow Zhao Yunjing and become the most outstanding person in the Great Liang Kingdom. Only then will the Emperor notice you, and he will see the sacrifices your father made for the Li family."
Young Master Chen remained silent, and the woman was not in a hurry, only gazing at him tenderly.
"I have said before that I will not associate with people who are secretive and coy."
"Does Young Master Chen want to see my face?"
The woman stood up, reached her hands over the desk, and climbed onto his shoulders.
She had a seductive figure and a faint fragrance. When she bent over, half of her chest was exposed. When Young Master Chen looked down, he saw a beautiful sight and quickly looked away.
But then the woman said, "If Young Master Chen wants to see my face, of course you can. And if Young Master Chen wants to see other parts, I can show them to you as well."
As she spoke, the veil fell off, revealing a beautiful face that was as white as snow.
This face is in no way inferior to Zhou Mujiao's.
"My name is Yan Yu, please remember it, young master."
"Your master isn't the Eighth Prince. Who is he?"
“I have no master, but if you do not mind, I will be yours.”
Young Master Chen pushed her away and turned his face away: "You are very beautiful, and have a good figure. You are the most attractive of all the women who have been with me. However, I am not interested in you, I will not marry you, and I will not cooperate with your master. Please leave, young lady. Also, don't ever appear in front of me again, otherwise..."
Yan Yu pressed herself against him, giggling, "I know I'm ugly and unworthy of you, young master. How dare I force you to marry me? I don't ask for anything else, I only ask that you let me stay by your side and give me a place to live. If you don't take me in, I'll be beheaded. Young master, I'm only nineteen years old, the same age as your sweetheart. Can you bear to watch me die?"
"Since you've chosen to oppose the current emperor, I assumed you were already prepared to die," Young Master Chen laughed. "The current emperor is a wise ruler, worthy of my following. You cockroaches who dare not face the light, stay as far away from me as possible!"
After driving Yan Yu away, Young Master Chen lost all interest in reading. He kept asking himself if he regretted it.
If he hadn't told Zhao Yunjing about the Eighth Prince's plot to rebel, and the Eighth Prince had succeeded in his rebellion and become the new emperor, would he have become a meritorious official and entered the cabinet at a young age? Or would his situation be better today if he had directly told the Crown Prince about the Eighth Prince?
No.
Since the Eighth Prince has contacted him privately, Zhao Yunjing, who is more outstanding than himself, must have been contacted as well. With Jiang Wuyu by Zhao Yunjing's side, even if the Eighth Prince doesn't show his face, Jiang Wuyu will naturally find his way back to the Eighth Prince. So even if he doesn't tell Zhao Yunjing, the Eighth Prince will still fail.
If he had chosen to tell the Crown Prince the news back then... he would have been completely invisible to the Crown Prince. Moreover, the Crown Prince had always respected the Eighth Prince. If he suddenly went to tell the Crown Prince these things, the Crown Prince might not believe him and might even imprison him on charges of spreading witchcraft.
In conclusion, even if he regrets it, there's no turning back. So what's the point of regretting it? A true man does what he does, and there's no going back!
Young Master Chen closed his eyes, and images of Zhou Mujiao, Meng Jingjing, Yan Yu, his mother, and his sister kept popping into his mind, keeping him awake for most of the night.
At dawn, Young Master Chen arrived at the Ministry of Revenue on time to report for duty. Mei Xijie had arrived before him and was chatting and joking with his colleagues. In the huge department, he was the only one talking non-stop.
Mei Xijie spoke for a while, then turned around and saw that Young Master Chen was staring blankly. Thinking that he was disappointed, he came over to comfort him: "Brother Chen, don't be sad. After we go out with Brother Zhao to endure three years, we can go to the front to attend court when we come back. We are still young, no rush, no rush. As long as Brother Zhao goes, it's fine. Anyway, we'll just be dozing off there. It's better to be comfortable here!"
Is this a question of taking a nap or not taking a nap?
But even after thinking about it for a long time, Young Master Chen still couldn't figure out what the problem was. In short, he was in a bad mood all day.
Just before the end of the workday, a eunuch came to announce: "Chen Liangjin and Mei Xijie, His Majesty summons you to the Imperial Study for a meeting!"
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