The emperor was reviewing memorials when the chief eunuch came to report: "Your Majesty, Prefect Li Wan of the Capital Prefecture requests an audience."
The Emperor said, "Let him in."
Upon seeing the Emperor, Li Wan knelt on the ground and said, "This humble official has something to report to Your Majesty."
The emperor put down his pen and said, "Rise, my dear minister, and speak freely!"
Li Wan stood up: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Today, someone from the Jingzhao Prefecture came to file a complaint, but..." Li Wan dared not continue.
The emperor asked, puzzled, "This is a matter for your Jingzhao Prefecture. Why didn't you handle it yourself? Who did you sue?"
Li Wan said cautiously, "The one being sued is the Second Prince Hongshi."
The emperor frowned and said, "What did you say! Hongshi! What happened to him?"
Li Wan took out the letter: "Your Majesty, a farmer named Ruan Dafeng from Geshan Village said that the disaster in Geshan Village was deliberately caused by someone, and that person is the Second Prince Hongshi."
He continued, "It is said that they had previously ordered the food supply to Geshan Village to be stopped, and sent people to prevent the villagers from leaving the village, which resulted in many people starving to death."
After listening to his account, the Emperor remained silent. Li Wan was terrified. This Ruan Dafeng had audacity to dare to accuse a prince. If the Emperor were to be enraged, he would lose his official position.
The emperor didn't notice Li Wan's fear. He was thinking about how he had sent spies to investigate Ge Shan Village, and how the spies reported that Hong Shi had done a good job there. Why would this person come to accuse him? He knew that Hong Shi, as a prince, dared to accuse him, which meant that the matter was true. But the spies' reports couldn't be wrong. Could it be that they hadn't found out, or that they had been bribed? Moreover, he said that the "disaster" in Ge Shan Village was caused by Hong Shi and Lao Ba. What was going on?
After a long while, when Li Wan felt that he had been there for an eternity, he was already considering how to apologize to the emperor. Finally, the emperor spoke: "Go back first! Lock that Ruan Dafeng in jail and keep an eye on him. I will go and see him in person after a while."
The prefect of Jingzhao accepted the order and left. The emperor sighed and said to the chief eunuch, "Go and summon Zhuifeng to me."
Li Wan returned to the Jingzhao Prefecture government office and instructed the yamen runners, "Take Ruan Dafeng to the prison and deal with him later."
Ruan Dafeng was extremely disappointed while in prison. He felt that the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture was no different from the other officials. He was sure that he was in big trouble this time. He had made preparations, but what would happen to his family if something happened to him? His mother, wife and children, and his sister who was still with Hongshi, what would happen to them!
Not only was Ruan Dafeng anxious, but Li Wan was also troubled. She had told the Emperor everything Ruan Dafeng had said, but the Emperor had not made a statement. It was precisely this silence that left Li Wan at a loss. Ruan Dafeng was a big problem, and keeping him locked up in prison was not a good thing!
Li Wan has been unable to eat or drink these past few days, fearing the emperor's wrath, and living in constant anxiety.
Fortunately, two days later, the Emperor himself came to the Jingzhao Prefecture government office. However, he did not come as the Emperor. Instead, he concealed his identity and secretly came to the Jingzhao Prefecture government office with his personal guards, without telling anyone else.
The emperor had his own considerations. After all, Hongshi was his own son. If the case were to be tried publicly, it would not only be bad for Hongshi but would also bring shame to the royal family. Moreover, this matter was not only related to Hongshi, but according to Ruan Dafeng and the letter, the Eighth Prince was also involved. If the Eighth Prince was involved, then this was no ordinary matter.
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