Yun Qianmeng followed the two girls through the corridor to the backyard. Perhaps because there were not many people in the prime minister's residence, the backyard felt as quiet as night!
"Madam, please come this way!" One of the pleasant-looking maids saw Yun Qianmeng pause slightly, and immediately reminded her considerately, and then slightly turned her body towards the courtyard she was about to go to, suggesting which direction Yun Qianmeng should go, but avoiding the embarrassment of Yun Qianmeng not knowing the way!
Seeing that a little girl in Prime Minister Chu's mansion was also so clever, Yun Qianmeng smiled lightly and nodded, then walked towards the direction pointed by the little girl!
Compared with the solemnity of the front yard, there are many rare and exotic plants planted in the backyard, which exude bursts of fragrance. Moreover, the fact that they can bloom so lushly in this cold winter is somewhat beyond Yun Qianmeng's expectation!
As the two little girls slowly walked through the flowers and plants on both sides of the cobblestone road towards the southeast, a majestic courtyard gradually came into Yun Qianmeng's sight!
On the red sandalwood plaque directly above the circular archway, the words 'Meng Xin Xiao Zhu' were written in dark green ink. The vigorous and powerful brushstrokes held a touch of tenderness, which made Yun Qianmeng smile. She then asked, "Was this the original name of this place?"
The little girl smiled slightly and immediately answered seriously, "To answer my madam, this was originally the Prime Minister's residence, named 'Zuisongxuan'! 'Mengxin Xiaozhu' was the name that the Prime Minister ordered Butler Hong to change before he left for Luocheng!"
After saying that, the two little girls couldn't help but open their eyes wide and observe Yun Qianmeng carefully. They felt that the new lady was really beautiful. Although she gave people a feeling of being a little cold, she did not give people the feeling that she was difficult to get along with. In addition, Chu Feiyang cared for Yun Qianmeng very much. Thinking of this, the two little girls respected Yun Qianmeng even more. They stood on both sides of the archway, waiting for Yun Qianmeng to step into the 'Meng Xin Cottage' first!
Yun Qianmeng walked slowly along the path under her feet, through the archway, and stepped into the courtyard where she would soon live. What caught her eyes was a sea of green. The most eye-catching of them was the towering cedar tree in the northeast corner of the courtyard. It stood tall and straight, elegant and radiant, which made people awe-inspiring. It was very consistent with Chu Feiyang's image!
However, there are many new mints planted next to the cedar. The ancient walls are densely covered with mint leaves. The refreshing mint fragrance immediately fills the entire "Mengxin Cottage", which makes people feel refreshed!
"Madam, it's cold outside, please go inside first!" The two little girls saw Yun Qianmeng standing there admiring the scenery in the garden. They were afraid that Yun Qianmeng would catch a cold if she stood for too long, so they immediately reminded her!
Seeing how cautious they were, Yun Qianmeng didn't make things difficult for them. She nodded slightly and walked along the path to the house in the middle. A maid was already waiting outside the door. Upon seeing Yun Qianmeng coming, she immediately bowed and then lifted the thick cotton curtain, welcoming Yun Qianmeng in!
As soon as I stepped into the main house, I felt a wave of heat hitting my face, and in that heat was mixed with a faint mint scent. I guess the mint in the yard was used as scented tea!
However, compared with the strong scents that the ladies and ladies usually choose, this mint scent is very unique, and it makes people feel happy and relaxed when they smell it!
"There is only one place in the Prime Minister's Mansion that can be used for cooking, the big kitchen?" Thinking of what she had just promised King Chu, Yun Qianmeng turned around and asked the two maids!
"Madam, the Prime Minister recently asked Butler Hong to send someone to rebuild a small kitchen in the northwest corner of 'Meng Xin Cottage'. It has all the necessary items. If Madam is tired of the dishes in the big kitchen, you can ask the small kitchen to cook for you!" The little girl pointed in the direction of the northwest corner and answered Yun Qianmeng's words crisply!
Listening to the little girl's explanation, Yun Qianmeng waved her over and whispered a string of food names in her ear. Then he asked her to go down and prepare them first, while he continued to familiarize himself with the environment inside the house!
This is an inner room with a style completely different from that of a young lady's bedroom. Although Chu Feiyang has had it redecorated and added many feminine items to soften the original overly tough style of the room, the long sword hanging on the wall and the military books on the desk reveal a masculine aura!
Her bare hands couldn't help but touch the long sword that had been wiped extremely clean and shiny. Yun Qianmeng slowly adapted to Chu Feiyang's life. A smile flashed in her soft eyes, and she was very satisfied with her current environment!
"Miss!" At this time, the four maids, Mu Chun, Ying Xia, were standing at the slightly opened door curtain, and the one who led them over was Nanny Shangguan, an old lady from Prime Minister Chu's mansion!
Retracting her hand, Yun Qianmeng turned around with a faint smile and said to Nanny Shangguan, "I'm sorry to have worried you!"
During the period when Chu Feiyang was away, it must have been Nanny Shangguan who decorated the new house according to Chu Feiyang's instructions. This new house was particularly elegant, which made Yun Qianmeng like it very much. It was only right to say thank you!
Nanny Shangguan had never expected Yun Qianmeng to thank her. For a moment, she felt a little uncomfortable, but she was an old nanny who had gone through many ups and downs. She immediately put on a humble smile and replied respectfully, "Madam, what are you talking about? This is what I am supposed to do!"
As she spoke, Nanny Shangguan raised her hand slightly, and several maids who were originally standing outside came in with trays in their hands!
"Madam, these are the account books of all the expenses in the Prime Minister's Mansion. Before the Prime Minister got married, I and Butler Hong were in charge of the account books of the inner courtyard and the front courtyard respectively. Now that you have a wife, I will hand them all over to you!" After listening to Nanny Shangguan's words and seeing that there was no displeasure or dissatisfaction on her face, Yun Qianmeng knew that she must be a loyal and intelligent person who cared wholeheartedly for the Prime Minister Chu's Mansion. She knew how to retreat in time and how to get along with others!
Yun Qianmeng nodded to Mu Chun, indicating that she should take over the account books. She smiled and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you, Madam! But I'm just a new bride, and there are many things I'm not very clear about. I'll need you to give me some pointers when the time comes!"
"I will serve Madam with all my heart!" Nanny Shangguan remained calm in the face of praise or criticism, and looked at Yun Qianmeng with a gentle gaze. She must be very satisfied with her!
Yun Qianmeng smiled back. Looking at the darkening weather outside, she knew it was going to snow. Chu Feiyang and the King of Chu had been gone for a long time, so they would probably be back soon. Yun Qianmeng untied her cloak and asked Yuandong to keep it. She then walked over to Nanny Shangguan and whispered, "Nanny, please lead Qianmeng to the small kitchen!"
Seeing Yun Qianmeng actually make such a request, Nanny Shangguan was surprised, and finally understood the intention of her master to let her build a small kitchen. She immediately put away the surprise in her eyes, smiled and nodded, and helped Yun Qianmeng walk carefully towards the small kitchen not far away!
The maids and servants in Prime Minister Chu's mansion were very quick and agile. When Yun Qianmeng arrived at the small kitchen, the food she had requested had already been cleaned and prepared, and was even sorted into bowls, plates, and bamboo baskets. Everyone lined up at the door of the small kitchen, waiting for Yun Qianmeng's arrival!
"Greetings, Madam!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng walking towards them gracefully, who looked like a lady despite her young age, everyone saluted with sincere admiration. Her respectful attitude was accompanied by Chu Feiyang's usual caution. She didn't say much and didn't flatter, but just did her job seriously, which made people admire and satisfied!
"Thank you for your hard work!" Yun Qianmeng took every step very steadily on the bluestone bricks under her feet. The faint smile on the corner of her mouth was polite but did not lose her status. Beneath her beautiful face was a kind smile and innate nobility. Although she was approachable, she had a slight sense of alienation, which made people realize her identity and status in an instant, and they dared not act rashly in front of her!
"Madam, if you want to eat something, just ask the kitchen to make it. Why bother making this trip in person? The weather outside is very gloomy and cold right now. Don't catch a cold!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng walked into the kitchen and asked Mu Chun and others to slightly roll up her sleeves, Nanny Shangguan spoke with some concern. After all, this master was too precious. If she was hurt by a knife or splashed by a frying pan, she was afraid that Prime Minister Chu would fight them to the death. Therefore, she began to persuade her earnestly!
Yun Qianmeng simply curled her lips in a smile, but her movements did not pause or slow down at all because of Nanny Shangguan's words. Instead, she dismissed Nanny Shangguan from the small kitchen and said, "Nanny, it's getting late. Please go and invite the Prime Minister and the Prince over!"
Nanny Shangguan watched Yun Qianmeng's skillful movements, but she was still a little worried in her heart. She wanted to persuade her a few more times, but Mu Chun and Yingxia smiled and pushed her out of the small kitchen. Mu Chun said with a smile, "Don't worry, Nanny, we are here to watch over the Madam. Nothing will happen!"
Nanny Shangguan looked at Mu Chun's smiling little face and laughed for a moment. Then she sternly instructed the cooks beside her to carefully serve and protect Yun Qianmeng. Then she turned around and left with the two maids who had just led Yun Qianmeng!
Meanwhile, in the study, Chu Nanshan was holding a piece of letter in his hands and reading it carefully. His eyes were full of confusion. He turned to look at Chu Feiyang, who had already calmly handled his official business, and asked suspiciously, "Is it really a letter from him? Why did he suddenly want to come back?"
Hearing him ask this, Chu Feiyang's eyes slightly left the memorial in his hand, glared coldly at the distressed Chu Nanshan who frowned, and said bluntly, "Didn't you already know this a long time ago? Why are you pretending to be so surprised!"
The King of Chu lost his previous arrogance and instantly turned his gaze away from Chu Feiyang. He coughed lightly and unnaturally before slumping his shoulders and saying with a bit of grievance, "Knowing is one thing, seeing the letter is another! Does Meng know about this?"
Hearing this, Chu Feiyang nodded slightly. A hint of tenderness appeared in his stern eyes at the mention of Yun Qianmeng. He then spoke, "So, Grandpa, you should go back to the palace to prepare! My prime minister's residence cannot accommodate so many distinguished guests!"
His voice was extremely cold, and his tone was also extremely indifferent. Seeing that he had no intention of discussing the matter further, the King of Chu put away the letter and changed the subject. "It is best to send those people from Northern Qi away as soon as possible! The longer Prince Rui remains in their hands, the more dangerous he will be! Now that Hai Tian has become Qi Jingyuan's Crown Princess, I am afraid the situation will only become more severe and complicated in the future! Moreover, from my observation, Qi Jingyuan seems to have no intention of negotiating this time. He has only been attending banquets in various mansions all day, but he has not visited the Sea King at his mansion. Such intentions are very puzzling!"
Chu Feiyang, however, simply picked up the ink-dipped brush beside him and wrote a line of comments on the memorial he had just read. He then spoke, "No matter how secretive the intentions are, they will eventually be revealed over time. Why bother with this, Grandpa? Besides, we don't need to worry about Qi Jingyuan's affairs. There will be anxious people who will bring them up first. By then, the emperor won't dare to keep them even if he wants to!"
Listening to his grandson's analysis, Chu Nanshan nodded in agreement. However, he stared at Chu Feiyang's calm face with a gleam in his eyes. With half-closed eyes, he suddenly asked, "Have you already seen something?"
Listening to his grandfather's threatening voice, Chu Feiyang didn't want to panic like others. He calmly put the already processed memorial aside, picked up another one, and replied calmly, "I don't know!"
Qi Jingyuan was such a smart man that he was able to unexpectedly turn defeat into victory when Haichenxi was already victorious. Only such a person could ascend to the throne of the Crown Prince of Northern Qi!
If his intentions and goals could be seen through so easily, then he would not be able to stay on the throne of the crown prince for long!
However, what puzzled Chu Feiyang was that there seemed to be other emotions in Qi Jingyuan's eyes when he looked at Meng'er!
Just like a few days ago in the Prince Chu's Mansion, when Meng'er had obviously offended Qi Ling'er, Qi Jingyuan, despite his bloodthirsty nature, actually made a big deal out of it and just left the Prince Chu's Mansion. This really puzzled Chu Feiyang, and made him even more curious about his purpose and motive for coming to Western Chu this time!
However, after hearing his grandson's ruthless answer, Chu Nanshan was furious. He felt that as Chu Feiyang grew older, he really was not as cute and innocent as he was when he was a child. Now he was even hiding things from his grandfather. Chu Nanshan was very dissatisfied. Just as he was about to speak in dissatisfaction, he heard a series of soft and delicate footsteps coming from outside the door. After a while, Nanny Shangguan's voice came from the door, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please go to Mengxin Cottage!"
"What happened?" Upon hearing this, Chu Feiyang immediately stopped what he was doing and looked up. He then realized that the originally bright sky had become gloomy at some point. He put down the brush and paper in his hand, walked to the door, opened the carved wooden door, and asked Nanny Shangguan!
Seeing her master so nervous, Nanny Shangguan smiled faintly and replied, "Madam is preparing dinner for the prince and the prime minister in the small kitchen right now. She has specially sent this old servant to invite you two over!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Nanny Shangguan felt a whirlwind blowing around her. When she looked towards the study again, the figure of King Chu was gone, and Chu Feiyang also walked past her quickly, frowning slightly as he chased after the figure of King Chu. She looked at the two people who hurried to "Mengxin Cottage" with some amusement. Nanny Shangguan carefully closed the door of the study and then turned back!
"Hmm, it smells so good! I didn't expect that after not seeing you for a while, Meng girl's cooking skills have improved again!" Just after stepping into the archway of 'Meng Xin Cottage', the King of Chu's extremely sensitive nose smelled the aroma of food wafting in the yard, and he couldn't help but start boasting!
While Chu Nanshan paused for a moment, Chu Feiyang had already passed his grandfather and walked quickly towards the small kitchen!
At this time, the door of the small kitchen was already crowded with maids and old women. They were all very curious about what delicious food the new lady had made. The aroma was so fragrant that everyone's appetite was aroused. They put down their work and ran over to find out what was going on!
"What are you all gathering here for? Madam is working here, but you are standing there slacking off. Don't you want the year-end reward?" At this time, Nanny Shangguan, who had followed Chu Nanshan and Chu Feiyang, saw this situation and immediately shouted loudly. The group of little girls were so scared that they turned around immediately, only to see the King of Chu and the Prime Minister of Chu standing behind them. Everyone's faces showed panic, and they quickly saluted the two of them!
"Forget it, go away!" Chu Nanshan's attention had already been attracted to the delicacies in the small kitchen. Naturally, he had no mind to manage these little girls. He waved his hand and let them go back!
However, Chu Feiyang's gaze was fixed on the slender figure inside. Due to the dim sky outside, candles had already been lit in the small kitchen. In the dim candlelight, Yun Qianmeng's beautiful figure loomed, which made Chu Feiyang feel warm in his heart. The feeling of home was engraved in his heart without words. After half a lifetime of ups and downs, all he sought was this touch of warmth in front of him!
At this moment, Yun Qianmeng seemed to feel the burning gazes on her. She raised her head from her busy work, only to see Chu Feiyang staring at her intently. She smiled and said, "Are you hungry? You can eat soon!"
Such a homely question warmed people's hearts. Chu Feiyang immediately followed her smile and was about to step into the small kitchen, but was stopped by Yun Qianmeng, "This place is not big, don't come in and make trouble!"
There were already five people standing in the kitchen. If Chu Feiyang was added, it would be difficult for them to even turn around!
Seeing Yun Qianmeng say this, although Chu Feiyang did not step into the small kitchen again, he stood by the door frame, gazing at her overlapping figure with deep affection!
Chu Nanshan shook his head somewhat unbearably, and seeing that it was already completely dark outside, he ordered Nanny Shangguan to add a few more garden lights in the yard to prevent anyone from falling while walking. He then left first and went to the side room to wait for dinner!
After a while, several hot dishes were placed in front of Chu Nanshan and Chu Feiyang. Because it was winter, in order to ensure that the dishes could be kept warm for a long time, Yun Qianmeng chose ceramic pots and casseroles as the containers!
Looking at the fragrant and steaming dishes in front of him, the King of Chu didn't know which one to start with!
"Grandpa, these dishes are boiled cabbage, stir-fried garden dishes, braised eggplant, braised pork with white radish, carp with scallions, and ginseng chicken soup!" Seeing that King Chu didn't know where to start, Yun Qianmeng introduced the dishes in order from light to strong according to their saltiness and color. Chu Nanshan followed the directions indicated by Yun Qianmeng, first tried a small bite in turn, and then nodded with satisfaction. However, when it came to the last dish, ginseng chicken soup, he did not pick up his chopsticks. Presumably, he had eaten a lot of this kind of meals in the palace on weekdays, so this ginseng chicken soup was not as attractive to Chu Nanshan as the previous dishes!
On the contrary to Chu Nanshan, Chu Feiyang set his sights on the ginseng chicken soup. He used chopsticks to slightly lift a piece of stewed chicken that melted in the mouth, and was surprised to find that the chicken's belly was stuffed with other foods. After counting carefully, there were seven or eight kinds of ingredients hidden in it, including glutinous rice, wolfberry, red dates, mushrooms, chestnuts, etc. No wonder this ginseng chicken soup smelled of an extremely special fragrance. It turned out that all the answers were in the chicken's belly. He used a spoon to scoop out the food inside and put it into his mouth. He felt that these ingredients were blended with the fragrance of chicken, with a hint of sweetness, which made people's appetite increase!
Seeing Chu Feiyang eating so happily, Yun Qianmeng smiled with satisfaction, and then sat down next to him, picked up her own bowl and chopsticks and ate silently!
However, Chu Nanshan found that Chu Feiyang was only staring at the ginseng chicken soup in front of him. He looked up and realized that the whole chicken was actually hiding a lot of treasures. He immediately threw away the other dishes and attacked the ginseng chicken soup directly. But Chu Feiyang would never let the King of Chu succeed. The two of them started fighting with their chopsticks on the table!
"Chu Feiyang, do you know how to respect elders?" After fighting for half a day, Chu Nanshan tightly gripped the chopsticks in his hand and glared at Chu Feiyang with a ferocious face!
"Grandpa, you have to learn to love children!" But as a grandson, Chu Feiyang also had something to say in response. After he said this, he raised his chopsticks, gently picked up a piece of tender and delicious chicken, and slowly put it into his mouth!
After swallowing it, Chu Feiyang said again, "Five dishes in exchange for this one and a night's stay, grandpa is still a good deal, isn't it?"
Listening to Chu Feiyang's words, King Chu was in a dilemma for a moment. Just thinking about the numbers five and one, it seemed that he was indeed at an advantage. He frowned, retracted his hand, and swept the other five dishes into his stomach!
However, Yun Qianmeng secretly shook his head, thinking that Chu Feiyang really knew what he was doing. The time spent on preparing the five dishes combined was not as long as the ginseng chicken soup in front of him. This time, Grandpa Chu really suffered a great loss!
The next day, when Yun Qianmeng woke up, the seat beside her had already cooled down. She gently called out to Mu Chun who came in. Yun Qianmeng propped up her upper body and slowly sat up. Her shiny and smooth black hair cascaded down from her shoulders as she moved, forming a beautiful scene. Mu Chun, who had lifted the curtain, was stunned for a moment, and it took him a while to continue what he was doing!
"Miss, it's still early, you should lie down for a while! The Prime Minister specifically told us not to disturb you when he left!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng sitting up in only a thin inner garment, Mu Chun quickly took the neatly folded lotus-colored jacket and put it on Yun Qianmeng's shoulders, fearing that she would catch a cold!
But Yun Qianmeng shook her head, cleared her throat, and asked, "Is the Prime Minister attending the morning court?"
In ancient times, the nightlife was not as rich and colorful as it is today. Once night fell, all people could do was go to bed. Therefore, although it was still early, Yun Qianmeng had already had a good sleep. If he lay down again, he would probably get a headache!
Besides, I am a newcomer after all. Although Chu Feiyang loves me, if I don’t show some courage, I will inevitably be looked down upon by the people below me. It is better for me to be diligent so as not to make things difficult for Chu Feiyang in the future!
"The Prime Minister left the Prime Minister's residence at 3:00 AM! Miss, what would you like for breakfast? I'll ask the kitchen to prepare it!" Mu Chun swiftly took out the purple-red winter clothes that Yun Qianmeng was going to wear today from the wooden box and put them on her. Then she put a small waistcoat on her shoulders and carefully picked up the wooden comb to tie Yun Qianmeng's hair!
"Have some red date porridge! I'll ask Yuandong to invite Butler Hong and Nanny Shangguan over later. I want to know the situation in the Prime Minister's Mansion!" Yun Qianmeng picked out a hairpin made of gold thread and handed it to Mu Chun, speaking lightly!
"Yes!" Carefully taking the golden hairpin, Mu Chun put it on Yun Qianmeng's right bun. The golden hairpin sparkled brightly in her hair, and the slightly hanging pearl the size of a soybean swayed slightly with Yun Qianmeng's movements, looking extremely spiritual!
At this time, in the main hall of the imperial palace, Su Yuan was kneeling in the center of the hall with sweat all over his forehead, with his head lowered, listening to the Right Censor of the Censorate beside him reading aloud what he had done over the years!
At this time, in the hall, except for the clear voice of the Right Censor-in-Chief, there was silence. Everyone had different thoughts in their minds. They didn't understand why the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate suddenly reported the Minister of Justice for corruption, bribery, and abuse of prisoners!
The central figures of various factions in the court had indifferent expressions and calm eyes, and listened to the lavish list of crimes without being moved at all. Only the ministers who depended on them were terrified and silent, wondering in their hearts which side the Right Censor of the Censorate belonged to. Most of the people looked up at Prince Chen, wondering whether Prince Chen would speak out to protect Su Yuan!
But to their disappointment, Prince Chen stood at the head of all officials as usual, his expression even more stern than before, and his eyes looking straight ahead were filled with a cold chill, causing the ministers who were looking at him to quickly retract their gaze, for fear of being frightened by his terrifying expression!
"You Minister of Justice, you really wasted my trust in you. I have given you so many important positions over the years, but you have not failed to commit any of the crimes of corruption, bribery, and prisoner abuse. If this gets to the ears of the people, won't I become a tyrant and incompetent ruler? Where do you put my face? You are so familiar with the criminal law of Western Chu, but you didn't expect that this criminal law is just a tool for you to deal with enemies and make money. It's really unheard of. You make me very disappointed!" After just listening to a short while, Emperor Yugan's angry voice drowned out that of the Right Censor of the Censorate, and roared at Su Yuan, who was already cold all over!
When Su Yuan was questioned by Emperor Yugan, his face instantly turned pale and lifeless. He could only kneel in the hall with his whole body trembling slightly, but in his heart he hoped that King Chen could exonerate him!
After all, he was already dependent on King Chen, and his official position was not low. If he was overthrown at this time, the current situation would be unfavorable for King Chen!
Thinking of this, Su Yuan's trembling heart calmed down a little, but his face was still pale as he cried out to the Jade Emperor on the dragon throne, "Your Majesty, I have been working diligently all these years and have never done anything out of line! I have never moved to another residence in decades, which is enough to prove that I have never embezzled or accepted bribes, and the accusation of abusing prisoners is completely false! In my position, I do sometimes use torture to make prisoners tell the truth, but this is within the scope of the criminal law, and I have absolutely not abused the punishment privately. Your Majesty, please be clear-headed, I am truly being wronged!"
As he said that, Su Yuan kowtowed to Emperor Yugan hurriedly, as if to prove his loyalty!
However, the accusations against Su Yuan that were just read out by the Right Censor of the Censorate had already been deeply rooted in everyone's mind. No matter how eloquent Su Yuan's defense was, it could not erase the doubts in everyone's mind!
What's more, the Ministry of Justice is one of the Six Ministries, in charge of punishment. If it is managed properly, it can make the court clean and bright, and build trust in the people. If it is managed improperly and is associated with the corruption in the court, then the court will definitely be dark, and if the officials are not honest, how can the people trust the court and the emperor?
Emperor Yugan originally entrusted Su Yuan with such an important position because he saw that he was a serious and neat person. However, he did not expect that over the years, Su Yuan's violent temper became more and more intense, and his greed became even greater. This really made Emperor Yugan heartbroken and hated him to the core!
"What you said, Lord Su, is nice. I heard that the families of your concubines are doing very well, and their style is no less than that of a fourth-rank official's mansion! And the fire that happened before the imperial examination caused Western Chu to lose so many talented people, but the Ministry of Justice has not found the arsonist until today! As for the abuse of prisoners, Your Majesty, I heard that Su Yuan accepted bribes from male prisoners and let them enter the prison for female prisoners and do whatever they want. I ask Your Majesty to send someone to investigate this matter thoroughly!" But how could Su Yuan say anything better than the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate? He himself made a living by defending others, and he was in charge of supervising the every move of the ministers in the court. Since he was able to stand up and testify against Su Yuan today, he was naturally completely sure, and would not give Su Yuan a chance to escape. Otherwise, if such a court parasite continued to stay in the court, it would only bring disaster to the country and the people!
Hearing this, Su Yuan instantly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a sinister look, and he said in an excited tone, "Lord Liu, I have no hatred towards you in the past or in the present, so why are you framing me? The Ministry of Justice is responsible for punishment. If you can persuade prisoners to tell the truth with kind words, then what is the need for the Ministry of Justice? Your Majesty, in order to eliminate all kinds of criminals and restore peace and tranquility to the court and the people over the years, I have naturally made enemies. But if you convict me of this, I will never rest in peace!"
While speaking, Su Yuan couldn't help but glance at King Chen, only to see that King Chen today was even more cruel than before. Facing the fact that he was framed, there was not a single ripple on his face. This made Su Yuan's heart tighten slightly, and a bad premonition suddenly surged in his mind!
"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to submit!" At this time, Jingzhao Yin Qian stood out from the ministers in the back row, holding the already written memorial in his hands and walked quickly to Su Yuan's side!
When Eunuch Yu saw Emperor Yugan nodded at him with a gloomy face, he quickly walked down the steps, took the memorial from Jingzhao Yin's hand, and respectfully placed it on the dragon table!
During the time Emperor Yugan was reading the memorial, Su Yuan felt the sweat pouring down his back. He was even more confused as to what kind of memorial the Jingzhao Yin had submitted. Was it related to him? Or was it to exonerate him?
But Prince Chen's reaction today was really too strange. He knew clearly that without him he would be like losing an arm, but at this moment even the look in his eyes did not change, as if the person impeached by the Right Censor of the Censorate was someone else!
This series of thoughts flooded into Su Yuan's mind in just a very short time, but he understood one thing very clearly: as long as King Chen did not speak up to plead for him, no one in King Chen's faction would stand up to speak for him!
Su Yuan was very annoyed by such a passive situation. If he had known that the Right Censor of the Censorate would unexpectedly report him today, he should have let Yue'er enter the gate of the Duke of Han's Mansion at that moment. Otherwise, based on the relationship of kinship, he was afraid that Prince Chen would not speak at this moment?
All the regrets in his heart suddenly surged up, but knowing in advance is priceless. How could Su Yuan have expected so many things to happen!
Emperor Yugan remained silent after reading the memorial. When the officials in the hall saw that Emperor Yugan did not say anything, they all felt uneasy and began to speculate in their hearts about the contents of the memorial from Jingzhao Yin, hoping that it would not involve them!
The silence at this moment increased the tense atmosphere in the hall, and Su Yuan, who was kneeling in the center, was even more uneasy. He felt that he was suffocating at this moment, but he did not dare to ask about the contents of the memorial!
"Prime Minister Yun, what do you think about this matter?" Compared to his previous anger, Emperor Yugan seemed to be much calmer at this time. He asked Yun Xuanzhi, who had been standing aside and remained silent, with a questioning tone in his voice!
After being called by Emperor Yugan, Yun Xuanzhi stepped out of the line and glanced coldly at Su Yuan lying on the ground. Then he slowly said, "Your Majesty, what I know is almost consistent with what Lord Liu said just now, but there is one point that Lord Liu did not mention!"
Having said that, Yun Xuanzhi paused slightly, and his gaze shot towards Su Yuan again. His cold eyes were filled with deep hatred, which made Su Yuan's face look ashen, and his heart sank to the bottom again. If he could still refute the Right Censor of the Censorate just now, he could not refute Yun Xuanzhi's words. Whatever he had done in these years could escape Yun Xuanzhi's eyes?
However, Yun Xuanzhi was very cunning, and Su Yuan had no leverage over him. This made Su Yuan extremely upset, but he was helpless. He could only watch Yun Xuanzhi's mouth and slowly said, "Su Yuan's mansion has a cunning slave who bullies men and women everywhere. This has caused a lot of resentment among the people. Please, Your Majesty, take a look!"
Yun Xuanzhi was very smart. He did not point out Su Yuan's mistakes in officialdom, so as not to be blamed by Emperor Yu Gan for not reporting the knowledge. Instead, he only pointed out the situation in Su Yuan's mansion, so that everyone could understand his daily behavior and the behavior of the servants in the mansion. This made people more likely to believe that Su Yuan was indeed not doing his job as the Minister of Justice, and that he had wasted Emperor Yu Gan's trust!
For a moment, everyone in the court was talking about it, and they all looked at Su Yuan with contempt and disgust. Even the ministers who originally stood on the same side with Su Yuan avoided such people and whispered to each other in private!
"King Chen, what do you think about this matter?" However, Emperor Yu Gan was not in a hurry to punish him. Instead, he teased Su Yuan like a mouse caught by a cat. After asking Yun Xuanzhi, he turned to King Chen again, allowing Su Yuan's face to become more and more ugly!
Prince Chen had long anticipated Emperor Yugan's question, especially when his calm, snow-white eyes, now concealed a subtle glint. This made Prince Chen feel slightly displeased, but he replied in a deep voice, "Your Majesty is always clear-headed. I naturally believe that Your Majesty will handle this matter impartially!"
As soon as these words came out, the tight string in Su Yuan's heart broke. King Chen's words just now told him that he had become an abandoned pawn. Not only did he lose King Chen's protection, he was afraid that the wolves and tigers around him would tear him apart and swallow him in the next moment!
"The Ministry of Rites has drafted an edict to dismiss Su Yuan from his post as Minister of Justice and to imprison him in the Ministry of Justice pending interrogation. His family members will also be imprisoned and will be punished together after the matter is investigated!" Prince Chen's response prompted Emperor Yugan to issue an edict immediately, and Su Yuan's body instantly went limp in the hall!
"I wonder if you have any recommendations for someone to take over the position of Minister of Justice?" At the same time, Emperor Yugan glanced at the officials in His Highness, selecting a candidate who could take on the position of Minister of Justice!
"Your Majesty, our dynasty has always had the precedent of subordinates replacing their superiors!" At this time, the Minister of Rites, who had already recorded what Emperor Yugan had just said, responded!
"Lord Shen is confused! Since Su Yuan has been able to conceal the truth for so many years, there is no guarantee that the Ministry of Justice is not in a state of chaos. How can his subordinates be used again?" At this time, Yun Xuanzhi objected!
Su Yuan instantly looked up at Yun Xuanzhi, and saw that underneath this man's elegant face was a truly vicious heart. If Minister Xing had taken his place, he might have received a lighter sentence, but Yun Xuanzhi didn't even give him this chance and directly extinguished all his hopes. No wonder Yun Xuanzhi was so ruthless in the matter of Qing'er!
"Your Majesty, the position of Minister of Justice is extremely important and should be considered carefully! Moreover, many talented people were selected in this year's imperial examination. If you give them a chance, I believe they will not let Your Majesty down!" Yun Xuanzhi pondered for a moment and spoke tentatively!
Little did he know that this risky move of his would attract a lot of opposition!
Because the post of Minister of Justice is so important, people choose people with prestige in the court to take the post. Those who are only qualified by imperial examinations
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