Chapter 482 Evidence of Treason
In the court, everyone listened attentively to Shen Chunlai's complaint.
The court officials' gazes shifted from Chen Chunlai to Qiao Rushi from time to time. Everyone knew that after today, the sky in the capital would change.
The two high-ranking and powerful people in the court took action, bringing years of grievances to the surface.
I won't give up until we both die.
It is bound to be impossible to return to the previous superficial calm.
Chen Chunlai said, "Please understand, Your Highness, Qiao Rushi is a senior official of the imperial court who is trusted by the royal family, but he has done something extremely treasonous, such as raising a private army and colluding with the remnants of the previous dynasty to attack Jiuwei Pass."
"Jiuwei Pass is the only way between the steep mountains to the capital from the north and south. In the past, it was a place of contention for military strategists. Taking Jiuwei Pass means blocking the northern and southern armies from supporting the capital. Qiao Rushi's intention is clearly treason and his deeds are beyond description!"
Qiao Jibai said: "Master Prime Minister, what you said is too harsh. Do you have any evidence? Master Qiao is the Minister of Six Ministries and a loyal minister assisting the emperor. Why would he risk the execution of his entire clan to do such a thing?"
Everyone knows that although Qiao Rushi is a third-rank minister, he is in a high position and has great power. The emperor appears to be respectful to him but he always wants to get rid of him, completely eradicating him.
Shen Chunlai naturally knew about it, but he didn't dare to say it out loud.
If you speak frankly, it would be an act of treason and trying to guess the emperor's intentions.
Chen Chunlai: "Of course I have evidence. A few days ago, I went to the Dali Temple and accidentally heard some nonsense that Master Qiao's eldest daughter said. I didn't take it to heart, but what she said was reasonable and well-founded. Even when her life was in danger, she was still clear-headed and asked me to stop her father from making the same mistake again."
"It's a serious crime of treason. I know how serious it is, so I don't dare to alert the enemy. So I set fire to the Shangshu Mansion and took the important evidence from the place where Qiao Yihuan said the evidence was stored. I know this is a wrong move, but since it concerns Dayu, I am willing to bear all the consequences."
Qiao Rushi looked calm, willing to bear all the consequences? If he didn't get the evidence, he would never admit that he set the fire even if he was beaten to death.
Tsuru Chiyu looked at the evidence on the guard's tray.
Chen Chunlai said, "Second Prince, there are account books showing how Qiao Rushi instigated the imperial merchant Jin family to pay for the private army, as well as a distribution map of the private army's hiding places, and even letters exchanged with the remnants of the former dynasty."
"Second Prince, the remnants of the previous dynasty have never been tracked down. Although this matter was not mentioned in the letter, I believe that as long as Qiao Rushi is severely interrogated, we will definitely find clues and solve the worries of the royal family."
He Zhiyu didn't pick it up to read, but just looked at Qiao Rushi and asked, "Master Qiao, the evidence of the Prime Minister has been delivered to me. Do you have anything to say?"
Chen Chunlai turned his head and looked at him. This evidence was not found in the Shangshu Mansion.
Since the old thief Qiao Rushi knew that his daughter had accidentally found the evidence, he would definitely move the evidence. The Shangshu Mansion was no longer the best hiding place, so he would naturally find a way to move it to a safer place.
The old house is not a safe place, and the farm outside the city that everyone knows about is not a safe place either.
The spies he kept in the capital found the mansion that Qiao Ru bought in the name of someone else, and the evidence was hidden in the most inconspicuous house.
Burning down the Shangshu Mansion was just a way to divert everyone's attention.
Originally, he had never thought of doing it so decisively and so quickly. He let him jump around for a few days like a grasshopper in autumn, which was a gift from himself to him.
But since he was so blind as to attack the Shen family, there was no need for him to hide it.
Qiao Rushi said: "I have a clear conscience and have nothing to say about the trumped-up evidence."
Shen Chunlai: "I hope you can stay calm and composed for a while."
Qiao Rushi remained calm: "I have been loyal to Dayou and the imperial family all my life. I don't understand why Prime Minister Shen, who is in such a high position, wants to make things difficult for me. He set fire to the Shangshu Mansion to fabricate false evidence. Have you ever thought about what would happen if someone died in the fire?"
"You dare to act without confidence. Is human life so cheap in the eyes of the Prime Minister? We are the ministers of Dayu. We are working hard to relieve the worries of the emperor and to clear the way for the people to live and work in peace and contentment. But the Prime Minister's actions seem to betray his faith as a court official."
Qiao Rushi's words were flawless. She downplayed the treason and accused Shen Chunlai of taking human life lightly. Her calm expression made people wonder whether he was so anxious and reckless in setting fire to the Shangshu Mansion because he was in a hurry and made a wrong move because his granddaughter was taken away by the Censorate.
Shen Chunlai narrowed his eyes, "Master Qiao is very eloquent, I admire him."
Qiao Rushi said: "The word eloquent is a sarcastic remark that people make when they are defeated in an argument. If this is the case, then the Prime Minister has admitted that he has disregarded human life."
"You!" Chen Chunlai was speechless.
He retracted his gaze, "Your Highness, please understand that for the future of Dayu, sacrificing some people is to sacrifice the small to protect the big."
He Zhiyu picked up the account book and opened it to read. Everyone couldn't see what was written on the account book and looked at his expression. From his expression, they could tell whether the Prime Minister's evidence was true or false, and from his expression they could also tell whether Qiao Rushi was alive or dead today.
However, after watching for a long time, no one could catch any sign of the wind direction from his face.
He was calm and composed, as if he wouldn't show any panic even if the sky fell.
He Zhiyu finished reading the account book in his hand and picked up a few secret letters and opened them, but everyone still couldn't figure out what was going on.
He looked over all the evidence, and everyone waited with bated breath for him to speak.
"Chen Chun is here."
Shen Chunlai said, "The old minister is here."
"You are so brave." He Zhiyu lowered his eyes and spoke calmly. The next moment, his voice was filled with a chilling sinisterness, "How dare you!"
Chen Chunlai immediately knelt down and said, "I am a fool. Your Highness, please tell me what mistake I made."
A bad premonition suddenly arose, but Chen Chunlai didn't know what went wrong.
He had personally seen the evidence before organizing it and sending it to the Second Prince. Why did the Second Prince become furious after seeing it instead of punishing Qiao Rushi?
"Take a look at this evidence of treason and see if it can convict a third-rank minister of treason!"
Chen Chunlai was stunned for a moment, then he took the evidence brought by the guard and checked it one by one, but he fell to the ground after seeing the handwriting on it.
"How could it be...how could it be..."
"This is impossible! Something must have gone wrong, it must have! I checked it with my own eyes this morning, it can't possibly be like this!"
Shen Chunlai was deeply shocked. In his decades of service as an official, he had never felt his inner walls collapse in an instant like this.
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