Chapter 325: The Lady of the Marquisate vs. the Younger Prince 68
The emperor did not want to make a big deal out of this matter. The second prince was not as popular as Jing Yu. If he was involved in imperial examination fraud, it would be even more impossible for him to compete with Jing Yu.
The emperor personally helped the second prince up, and in front of all the officials, he sighed, "My son is innocent and kind, and it is inevitable that he will be deceived. It is just a small matter. My son does not need to blame himself. He will have to share more worries for me in the future."
Minister Zhao didn't understand why the major case of cheating in the imperial examination could be covered up so easily. Officer He was just a fellow examiner, how could he have such great ability? It was obvious that Pei Ci Fu was manipulating this matter behind the scenes.
It is obvious that the Second Prince is in cahoots with Pei Ci Fu, otherwise why didn't the Second Prince report Liang Wanzhou blatantly accepting bribes at the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall?
Liang Wanzhou was just a target pushed to the front, a scapegoat. The Second Prince and Pei Ci Fu were the masterminds!
Minister Zhao knelt on the ground and said loudly: "The second prince's new concubine is the daughter of the Zheng family, and Pei Ci Fu's concubine's daughter is also going to marry into the Zheng family. Pei Ci Fu is evading the main issue and talking about the crime of negligence. It's clearly... Why are you pulling me in, Ji Shoufu?"
Prime Minister Ji saw that the emperor was very unhappy. The emperor didn't care whether Marquis Xuanwu lived or died, but he definitely wanted to save the second prince. If the fuss continued, not only would Minister Zhao not gain any credit, he might even be charged with a crime.
He pulled Minister Zhao up and told the servant beside him, "Minister Zhao is tired. Please take him down to rest."
Minister Zhao was pulled away by his servants, and the Golden Palace instantly became quiet.
Kong Liang knelt on the ground, as if everything had nothing to do with him. He suddenly felt that the title of Huiyuan was not important. His Majesty had always been known in Penglai Restaurant for his diligence and love for the people, but after seeing it today, it was nothing special.
Did His Majesty really love the people like his own children when he dealt with corrupt officials many years ago, which was very satisfying to the people? Does His Majesty really care about the lives of the people?
Ji Shoufu bowed to the emperor and said carefully: "Minister Zhao is bold and careful. He uncovered the conspiracy of the imperial examination and brought justice to the students of the world. Minister Zhao lost his manners in front of the palace in a hurry. Your Majesty, please don't blame him."
"Although the Marquis of Xuanwu is my son-in-law, the whole capital knows that my daughter is divorcing the Marquis of Xuanwu. I will never disregard the law for personal reasons. Except for the Marquis of Xuanwu and examiner He, all the people who brought secrets into the examination room should be imprisoned and handed over to the Ministry of Justice for trial."
"The test papers of the remaining candidates will be re-evaluated and the list of candidates will be posted again. Your Majesty will be able to preside over the palace examination as usual and select talents for the country. The new Jinshi will ride on horses and parade through the streets, which will still be a grand sight in spring."
The emperor nodded in satisfaction, "Lord Ji, you have thought it through. I will do as you say."
Ji Shoufu knew that the emperor just wanted to whitewash the situation, and that the emperor would not even punish Pei Ci Fu. He must not involve Pei Ci Fu, as this would only make the emperor think that it was a fight between two factions. Pei Ci Fu must stay in the position of second assistant to balance his power, so that the emperor would feel at ease.
The emperor took the second prince away and the court meeting was adjourned.
As soon as Prime Minister Ji walked out of the palace, he saw Minister Zhao with a livid face.
Shangshu Zhao was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue. He was famous for his bad temper and inflexibility. Everyone in the Ministry followed his temper and sometimes even refused to give face to the emperor.
Minister Zhao stopped Ji Shoufu and said sternly, "Sir Shoufu is really good at playing both sides. He made His Majesty smile and even sold a favor to the Second Prince. He is really calculating!"
"Prime Minister Ji, don't leave! Are you feeling guilty? His Majesty has entrusted this matter to you, and you will definitely not investigate it thoroughly. I tell you, I will not let the Second Prince go..."
Prime Minister Ji originally placed Minister Zhao in this position because he had eyes for his temper and the ability to revive the messy Ministry of Revenue. Now that this stick has hit him, it is quite a headache for him.
He was entangled by Minister Zhao and could not get on the carriage. Fortunately, Kong Liang came and persuaded Minister Zhao, so he was able to escape.
In early March, the imperial examination cheating case that had caused a sensation in the capital quickly came to an end.
In addition to Examiner He, two deputy examiners were also implicated and sentenced to prison and execution.
Pei Ci Fu was scolded by the emperor for a few words, but the incident passed without any serious consequences.
The second prince was not affected at all. The emperor listened to Concubine Liang's advice and transferred him from the Ministry of Rites to the Ministry of Personnel in order to elevate the second prince's status. The Ministry of Personnel was in charge of the assessment, promotion, demotion and appointment of all officials. The second prince finally had real power.
Jing Yu was still a figurehead prince, and he didn’t even know which way the doors of the six ministries faced.
Liang Wanzhou was originally doomed to die, but the old marquis had the red seal of honor bestowed by the late emperor, and the emperor could not go against the late emperor's will, so he had to spare Liang Wanzhou's life.
However, the death penalty could be avoided, but the living punishment could not be escaped. The emperor stripped Marquis Xuanwu of his title, and the Marquis Xuanwu's Mansion completely disappeared from the capital.
Without the title of Marquis, Liang Wanzhou could no longer rely on imperial favor to serve as an official in the court, and the Liang family was completely finished.
All the Liang family relatives who had come to seek refuge changed their expressions and no longer supported Liang Wanzhou. They even came to the Marquis' Mansion to cause trouble and demanded that Liang Wanzhou return the sacrificial land.
Liang Wanzhou's followers were originally street thugs. A group of them were arrested for cheating in the imperial examination, and the rest ran away. No one was willing to follow Liang Wanzhou who had no title.
The Xuanwu Marquis Mansion was empty, and all the valuable things had been taken away by the Fugui Gambling House to pay off debts.
With a bang, the plaque of Xuanwu Marquis Mansion was taken down and smashed into several pieces on the ground.
Liang Wanzhou hadn't had time to change out of his prison uniform, which had become sore. He ran out like a madman with sunken eyes, a haggard face, and dishevelled hair, yelling:
"Who told you to smash the plaque of the Marquis' Mansion? Do you believe that I will kill you? Get out! Get out!"
The government also acts according to the rules. The title of the marquis is gone, so naturally the plaque cannot be retained.
The officer spat fiercely and said with disdain, "You still think you are a marquis? Why are you acting like a marquis? You are delaying my work. I can arrest you right now."
Liang Wanzhou shrank back. He was so scared of being in prison that he didn't dare to fart when he heard that.
The policeman left with a big laugh. Liang Wanzhou pretended to be crazy and stupid to send away the Liang family members. Before he could enter the house, the people from Fugui Casino came again.
Brother Fei stepped on the plaque of the Marquis' Mansion, making a crackling sound, which scared Liang Wanzhou.
Liang Wanzhou gave Brother Fei a flattering smile, "Brother Fei, give me two more days. Ji Yunhuan is in Fuguang Temple. She is still my legal wife, and Ji Shoufu is still my father-in-law. They will not ignore me."
"Ji Yunhuan has so much dowry. Wasn't it her dowry that you were eyeing in the first place? As long as I dismiss my concubines and treat her wholeheartedly, women are the most tenderhearted and will definitely change their minds. By then, I will be able to pay off any gambling debts."
Brother Fei arrogantly patted Liang Wanzhou's face and said sarcastically, "The Marquis has become a gigolo. I'll give you two more days. If you can't pay me back, I'll take over the mansion and your beautiful concubines to pay off the debt."
Liang Wanzhou nodded and bowed, grateful, "Brother Fei, don't worry, this little gambling debt is nothing. Prime Minister Ji's power is infringing on the government and the country. With the Ji family, I will definitely be able to make a comeback."
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