Chapter 177: Marriage to Madam Tong’s younger brother?
Jian Ruocheng.
When he heard the door open, he turned around and hurried forward: "Your humble servant greets the emperor."
Zhu Feng only said "hmm" and walked in to sit at the table. Jian Ruocheng looked up and saw Nan Yan walking in with a pale face. He nodded at her and said, "Lady Officer."
Nan Yan looked at him, thinking of the figure she had seen in Nancheng. She wanted to say something, but Zhu Feng had already spoken coldly: "Ruocheng, how is the investigation going on?"
Jian Ruocheng saw Si Nanyan close the door, and hurried forward, whispering, "Your Majesty, I have questioned many people in Nancheng these past few days, and also met some refugees who had fled back from Yue State. Prince Jing—they are embezzling from the public office!"
Zhu Feng asked, "Oh? What did he do?"
Jian Ruocheng said, "More than a year ago, Prince Jing relocated people within Yongzhou City. However, he didn't move people in or out. Instead, he drove all the poor people to the South City and made the rich live in the North City."
"In every major battle, the South Gate is always opened first."
"The soldiers of Yue attacked the city and burned, killed, looted, and plundered the people in the south."
"Because South City is already impoverished, no matter how hard we fight, the losses will be limited and will hardly affect North City. However, the people of South City are suffering terribly."
"Some even had no choice but to escape their household registration and flee to the Kingdom of Yue."
With every word he spoke, Zhu Feng's expression grew darker.
After Jian Ruocheng finished speaking, he sneered and said, "Then, he reported his military exploits to the court, asking us to reward him for these 'merits'."
Jian Ruocheng was silent for a moment, then said, "Maybe, there's more to it than that."
"oh?"
"According to my investigation, the Yue army broke into the southern city, burning, killing, and looting, but did not harm the northern city at all. They can even be said to have strict military discipline. As long as the order is given, they will immediately withdraw from Yongzhou."
“…”
"The great general of Yue State is called Xiahou Jiu. I heard that he has a high reputation in the country because of his many military achievements."
“…”
"I suspect they are secretly colluding."
Zhu Feng's eyes flickered slightly: "Are you saying that Prince Jing is secretly communicating with the enemy country?"
Secretly communicating with the enemy country.
As these four words came out, even the candlelight on the table flickered.
Nan Yan had been listening on the side, and her whole body was shivering.
In this world, there are such people who treat the common people like grass and even help the enemy country to exploit and bully them!
She couldn't help but trembled and said, "It's too much..."
Zhu Feng and Jian Ruocheng both looked up at her.
Seeing the tears in her eyes, Zhu Feng frowned slightly, but said nothing. However, Jian Ruocheng's breathing became heavier. He turned to Zhu Feng and said softly, "Your Majesty, when I just entered the palace, I heard that Your Majesty wanted to marry the court lady to Madam Tong's younger brother?"
Upon hearing this, Nan Yan's heart sank.
Zhu Feng's already gloomy expression looked even more sinister under the candlelight.
He said coldly, "She even accepted the token of love from someone else. If I don't agree, it would seem that I am unreasonable."
Nan Yan was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she knelt on the ground hurriedly: "Your Majesty, I didn't mean that. It wasn't a token of love. He just gave it to me by force."
Zhu Feng slammed his palm on the table, and with a loud bang, the candlestick seemed to fall over.
"Then why have you been inseparable from him these past two days?!"
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