"What a fine old man! What a fine old man! He doesn't even spare my family. You will be punished! You will be punished!"
Lord Wang muttered to himself.
"Lord Wang is utterly unreasonable. How could I not even spare your own family members? The people who beat your illegitimate child to death were your first wife and her child. How powerful you are! Three lives, killed just like that. It's a pity someone witnessed it."
"If you hadn't tipped off my wife, how would she have known I had a mistress?"
"Hmm, that makes sense, but what can we do? I've already said it."
Ning Hong clapped her hands. "How about this, I can let your family go. Just tell me one thing."
"What is it?"
"What is it?" Lord Wang asked hesitantly.
"When the Ning family got into trouble, you were the most eager to help. Afterwards, you also used the Ning family as a stepping stone to rise from a nobody in the Ministry of Justice to the current Vice Minister of Justice. What role did you play in the Ning family's death?"
As soon as Ning Hong finished speaking, Lord Wang's eyes widened, but he pressed his lips tightly together, refusing to speak no matter what.
The Ning family is too involved.
Princess Shangyin is still alive, so what more could he say?
Saying too much will only lead to a dead end.
Just think how glorious the Ning family was back then; even the emperor married his own sister to a member of the Ning family.
Now the Ning family is ruined and its members are dead.
And just like that, it disappeared.
Some families who were on good terms with the Ning family back then quickly severed ties with them.
He was terrified that he would be implicated by the Ning family.
After the Ning family's death, some neighboring countries became restless and frequently came to provoke them.
They personally killed the God of War of the Great Sound.
Lord Wang had no idea how long it had been since he had heard the name of the Ning family.
His eyes instantly sharpened with wariness. "Who are you to the Ning family? Are you a fugitive? The Ning family's treason is common knowledge throughout the country." He couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.
Perhaps it was because she was castrated too early.
The Ninth Prince Ning Hong had a delicate and beautiful face, and seemed quite different from the Ning family.
He no longer bears any resemblance to Lord Ning from back then.
But, he also has the surname Ning?
“You must be one of those who escaped from the net back then. I want to see His Majesty and explain myself to him.”
The current emperor hates the Ning family to the core, yet he is also very wary of them. If the emperor were to find out that this person is a member of the Ning family, he would probably lose his position as the Grand Tutor.
The emperor will definitely hate him to the core.
Seeing Lord Wang's attitude, Ning Hong shook her head and said, "Just serve Lord Wang well, there's no need to be polite."
Ning Hong then turned and left the cell.
The stone door slowly closed, and faint screams could be heard from inside.
If you refuse a toast offered politely, you'll have to drink the penalty shot.
The next day, Lord Wang died in his cell, signing a document on his deathbed.
Seeing the bloodstains on the petition, the entire court couldn't help but feel a chill.
The emperor ignored the bloodstain, glanced at it hastily, and then issued an imperial edict confiscating the Wang family's property and exiling the rest of the Wang family to remote areas.
"Your Majesty, it is clear that Lord Wang was tortured into confessing by the Ninth Prince. Now that he is dead and there is no way to verify the testimony, the Ninth Prince can say whatever he wants, right?"
A civil official with thick eyebrows and large eyes stepped forward.
This civil official is not old. His name is Jiang Yunhua. He was the top scholar in the 23rd year of the Chengye era, which was three years ago. He now works in the Ministry of Personnel.
Looking into his eyes, one can tell that this man must be straightforward by nature.
Indeed, aside from being the top scholar in the imperial examination, he is also the current empress's nephew.
If it weren't for this, his personality alone would have offended many people, and he wouldn't have been able to survive in the imperial court.
"I admit it, I hit him."
"I also acknowledge the forced confession. You should also know that our Eastern Depot always operates as quickly as possible, so as not to waste His Majesty's precious time."
"you--"
Jiang Yunhua was furious. How could someone make such a forced confession sound so reasonable?
"Lord Jiang, His Majesty is discerning. Those who are arrested by the Eastern Depot are generally guilty. As for the innocent, that is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review. What does it have to do with me?"
"What you say is absolutely right."
The emperor nodded.
"My decision will not be wrong."
"emperor--"
Jiang Yunhua wanted to say something more, but was stopped by the person standing next to him.
"Lord Jiang, please stop talking."
"I'm just so angry." Jiang Yunhua muttered softly, but her eyes involuntarily fell on Ning Hongze.
But a mocking smile appeared on his lips, fleeting and indistinct; it was unclear whether it was genuine or not.
Emperor Chengye had four sons.
Crown Prince Zhao Qingqi was born to the Empress and was a cousin of Jiang Yunhua. In addition, there was the second prince born to Consort Hui, the third prince born to Consort Shu, and the fourth prince born to Consort Liu.
However, Consort Liu was merely a palace maid in Consort Hui's palace. It was assumed that Consort Hui was unwell that day and did not want the Emperor to favor other women, which is why she was pushed out.
Later, she gave birth to another prince and received the title of "Talented Lady," a low-ranking position. She was also low-key and always quietly followed behind Consort Hui. As for her fourth son, he was sickly and rarely appeared in public.
Since the Emperor became obsessed with Taoist cultivation, his health has deteriorated further. He not only frequently skips court sessions, but also entrusts almost all court affairs to Ning Hongze, and rarely visits the harem. Therefore, the entire harem consists of only four princes, two princesses, and Princess Shangyin.
Ning Hong was once the eldest sister-in-law.
The crown prince has already been chosen. Zhao Qingqi is not only the legitimate son but also the eldest son, making him the most noble and suitable.
The second and third princes were watching with growing anxiety.
They once tried to win over Ning Hongze.
Ning Hong has many cronies in the court, and with his Eastern Depot, if he can support them, he will surely be able to bring down the Crown Prince.
Their father, the emperor, was becoming increasingly senile and incompetent, yet he trusted this eunuch more and more.
With treacherous officials in power, they could only endure humiliation and live in shame. When they ascended the throne, the first thing they would do was to eliminate these treacherous ministers.
These people were unaware that the reason the emperor favored Ning Hongze was because he was skilled in Taoist cultivation.
Having just escaped from the world of cultivation, even though this world has no spiritual energy whatsoever, he still has the skill to fool the emperor.
He can also refine elixirs; that's one of his old professions.
However, the person in front of him was this body's enemy, so naturally he wouldn't refine pills for him.
I wish he would die sooner rather than later.
He stared at the elixir bestowed upon him by the emperor this morning and couldn't help but sneer.
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