Chapter 151 The Daughter of a Guilty Minister vs. the Disabled Prince 65
The emperor stared at Sun Zhi for a long time but couldn't remember who he was. Sun Zhi was just a seventh-rank official and had no qualifications to attend court.
After Liu Xi reminded him, the emperor vaguely remembered that this person was the historian of the Hanlin Academy, and that Sun Zhi's daughter was the eldest prince's former princess.
The emperor thought Sun Zhi was here to plead for the deposed princess, so he shouted at him, "This is just nonsense! Today is the day for peace talks between the two countries, how can you be so presumptuous? Get out of here immediately!"
Sun Zhi turned a deaf ear to him. He took out a stack of letters from his bosom and held them high above his head. "I am guilty! Eleven years ago, I forged eighteen letters for Wu Xin, fabricating evidence that Duke Ji was colluding with the Chiyou tribe, causing the entire family of Duke Ji to be wronged..."
There was a buzzing noise in the Hall of Supreme Harmony! The civil and military officials all had different expressions on their faces, whispering to each other, and it was as lively as a vegetable market.
The jade seal in the emperor's hand fell on the dragon table, and a red mark, as bright as blood, was stained on the bright yellow scroll.
"Shut up! Shut up! Someone, drag him away!"
No one obeyed the emperor's order. Xiao Yan straightened his robe, stood up, and glanced at Sun Zhi with a calm look.
Sun Zhi knew that this was the only way for him and his daughter to survive, so he could only continue speaking despite the emperor's wrath.
"Eleven years ago, the Chiyou tribe invaded our border on a large scale. Marshal Ji had been guarding the border for many years and could have defended our border, but Wu Xin colluded with the Chiyou tribe and leaked our border defense map, cutting off Marshal Ji's supply and causing the loss of the northern border."
"It seems that Chiyou's tribe is about to march south, and the capital is in danger. Duke Ji knows that this is unusual, but he still drags his old body to request to go north to protect the people of the northern border."
"After that, Wu Xin brought a forged letter to the capital, slandering Duke Ji and Marshal Ji for betraying the country. Your Majesty, you believed the slander of this villain and sentenced the entire family of Duke Ji to death despite the opposition of the whole court!"
"Eighty thousand Changhong soldiers died in the northern border to recapture the eight cities in the northern border and defend the border of Xiao State, but all the credit fell on Wu Xin. Your Majesty is not good at judging people, framing loyal people and favoring treacherous people..."
The emperor sat slumped on the dragon chair, shaking with anger. With shaking hands, he smashed the teacup on the table towards Sun Zhi, "How outrageous! This is nonsense! Kill him! I want to kill him! Come! Kill him and tear him into pieces!"
The teacup rolled to Sun Zhi's feet. The emperor's luck had run out and even his rage seemed so powerless.
"I swear on my life and property that if I tell even a single lie, I will be put to death by slicing."
The furious emperor was like a clown on the dragon throne. The guards looked straight ahead and the eunuchs lowered their heads and hands. Only Liu Xi walked down the steps and picked up the teacup.
"Your Majesty, calm down and take care of your health. Your Highness the Crown Prince will handle these trivial matters."
The emperor turned his gaze to Xiao Yan, pleadingly, "Ah Yan! The old case has been settled. The nonsense of a seventh-rank official cannot be counted."
Xiao Yan said calmly, "Don't worry, Father. I will definitely investigate this matter and will never let you bear the blame."
Elder Tian stroked his beard and said thoughtfully, "It is quite simple to investigate this matter. Lord Sun is just a small historian and cannot have access to the physical evidence from that year. If the contents of the letter are consistent with the physical evidence from that year, then what Lord Sun said is certainly true."
The case files were quickly retrieved, and when the two were compared, every word and sentence was identical.
Xiao Yan looked at the identical letter in his hand. Sun Zhi had deliberately kept an extra copy of the letter and kept it secret. Otherwise, a ghostwriter like him would have been killed by Wu Xin long ago.
"In that case, let the three courts hold a joint trial and re-examine the case of the Duke of Ji's Mansion."
The emperor actually forced himself to stand up, holding onto the dragon case, and said sternly, "No! I don't agree! I am the emperor, and the crown prince is only responsible for the regent. Or, Xiao Yan, do you want to rebel?"
As soon as these words came out, all the civil and military officials knelt on the ground. Xiao Yan looked at the emperor calmly and said, "Father, you have misunderstood. I dare not do that."
The emperor breathed a sigh of relief. "Hmph! It's good that you know the limits. This matter ends here. Even if the letter is false, the loss of the northern border is true, and the Duke Ji's Mansion is guilty!"
Ji Yunhuan had already stood in the center of the hall without knowing when. She was pregnant and did not kneel.
"Guilty? The Duke Ji's family is full of loyal and brave people, what crime have they committed? Your Majesty, why are you unwilling to review the case? In the middle of the night, have the souls of those who died unjustly and the people who died in vain ever looked for your Majesty? Don't you feel a little guilty?"
"Back then, your majesty was determined to exterminate the entire Ji family, not even sparing the young children, but the country has its own laws, and I still survived." Ji Yunhuan pulled down his sleeves, revealing the hideous "slave" mark on his forearm. "Wu Xin is just a knife in your hand. The sinner who destroyed the Ji Guogong Mansion and harmed tens of thousands of people in the Northern Frontier is you, Xiao Qiping!"
"How dare you! How dare you! How dare you!" The emperor angrily slammed the dragon table, "Traitor, remnant of the Ji family, drag her away and beat her to death with sticks!"
Ji Yunhuan opened the system. The bowl of ginseng soup was just a cover. What could really make people speak the truth was the "truth serum" of the system. She wanted Xiao Qiping to admit his sins in person. For eternity, Xiao Qiping should be cursed even after his death!
The "Truth Serum" column lit up white, and the progress bar was getting shorter rapidly.
The emperor was stunned for a moment, then he laughed, very proudly, "People are dead, why would I be afraid of a bunch of dead people? I am the Son of Heaven, the supreme ruler, whoever I want to die, must die!"
"The Grand Ancestor despised my mediocrity and even considered passing the throne to Ji Chengpeng! Ji Chengpeng commands a large army and has tremendous power. I have to be on guard! Duke Ji deserves to die, Ji Chengpeng deserves to die, and the entire Ji family deserves to die!"
The emperor acted like a madman. He wanted to shut up, but he couldn't control his mouth. The words that he had suppressed for many years poured out like a waterfall.
"And there's the Qi family! Taizu asked the Qi family to assist in the administration and forced a queen on me! I hate Queen Qi's arrogant face the most, and she looks down on me too! The Qi family deserves to die. Once the Qi family dies, I will be completely relieved, hahahaha..."
Xiao Qiping's hearty laughter echoed in the hall. Xiao Yan felt empty inside. He had no expectations of Xiao Qiping for a long time, so there was naturally no disappointment. He just felt sad for his mother and the Qi family.
He knew that his mother did not love Xiao Qiping, but his mother also worked tirelessly for Xiao Qiping, balancing the political situation for him and raising the prince for him. If it were not for the support of his mother and the Qi family, Xiao Qiping would not have been able to sit firmly on the throne!
But in Xiao Qiping's eyes, the queen mother's advice and her dignity and virtue all became sins.
Ji Yunhuan held Xiao Yan's hand and comforted him silently.
The progress bar of the "truth serum" has finished, and Xiao Qiping finally realized what he had said. His face turned pale, and he was eager to step down from the stage to explain to Xiao Yan.
His legs were too weak to move, and Xiao Qiping rolled down the stairs as soon as his hands loosened. His hair crown was broken, his gray hair was scattered, and there were purple marks on his face.
"Ayan, I am still ill and talking nonsense. It is the treacherous ministers who are ruining the country. It is Wu Xin's slander that has deceived me. I will order the extermination of the entire Wu family... I am a wise ruler, I am right!"
Xiao Yan supported Ji Yunhuan and took a step back, avoiding the hand that Xiao Qiping extended. His tone was cold, without a trace of emotion.
"When the truth comes out, people will judge right from wrong and merit from demerit. Your Majesty is tired today, you should go back and rest."
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