In Kunning Palace, the Empress looked at her mother, who was tugging at her sleeve and crying, her forehead veins bulging.
"How many times have I told you?! You must control your second brother! You must control your second brother! I don't expect you to be of much help to the Crown Prince, but at least you can't hold him back! Kang'er has such a difficult time as the Crown Prince, and you still want to stab him in the back!"
The Empress's intense accusations startled even the weeping Old Madam Wang.
"Your Majesty, you must save your second brother! He is your own brother! We don't ask for anything else, just that Your Majesty's parents are old and can't take any more hardship, please spare his life."
Ever since she heard that Wang Hejun had been reported to the Fengtian Prefecture, Madam Wang has been restless day and night, and her tears have hardly stopped.
The current Prefect of Fengtian, Liu Quan'an, is a man who fears no authority and particularly despises the sons of the powerful who prey on the common people. Anyone who crosses his line will be severely punished, if not killed. Furthermore, Liu Quan'an is a member of the upright faction among the civil officials in the court, and he has only one friend, Lin Yucheng.
Now that Wang Hejun has fallen into the hands of the Imperial Concubine's faction, their son's matter absolutely cannot be resolved peacefully. Just thinking about it makes Old Madam Wang and Old Master Cheng'en unable to sleep.
"Spare my life! You make it sound so easy! Honestly, my second brother has completely disgraced both Kang'er and me!"
Holding her forehead, where veins were bulging, the Empress didn't even want to look at Old Madam Wang.
"Your Majesty, if Jun'er can survive, your father and I will keep an eye on him for the rest of our lives and never let him leave the manor. Please, Your Majesty, for the sake of our sibling relationship, save Jun'er."
Madam Wang's hair had turned completely white, and she looked particularly haggard these past few days because of Wang Hejun's matter, with red and swollen eyes. Although the Empress was furious, she couldn't bear it in her heart.
With a sigh, the Queen still promised her that she would try her best.
Despite her anger, the Empress ultimately couldn't sever the bonds of kinship. Thinking of Jun'er, who used to follow her around as a child, constantly calling her "sister," the Empress felt an overwhelming pang of sorrow.
If I had known this would happen, I would have kept him in check more before, so that he wouldn't have gone astray step by step.
The Empress had also heard about the crimes committed by Wang Hejun.
Wang Hejun was the youngest son of the legitimate wife and was spoiled by his mother from a young age. Not only did he rule the household like a king, but he also acted arrogantly outside the capital, relying on his status as the crown prince's uncle. Most people in the capital feared his status and gave him a wide berth. Therefore, in recent years, Wang Hejun's arrogance has become increasingly rampant.
Besides his domineering personality, Wang Hejun is also a womanizer, having affairs with both men and women without any taboos.
When he left the city earlier this year, he caught a glimpse of a soldier guarding the city from inside the carriage. The man was named Zhang Hu. He was handsome with red lips and white teeth, a fair face and rosy cheeks. His colleagues called him "Pretty Tiger".
At first glance, Zhang Hu caught Wang Hejun's eye, and before nightfall, Wang Hejun had Zhang Hu abducted and taken to his residence.
He knew his parents and brothers disapproved of his sexual orientation and dared not go too far, so he didn't take the person to the Duke of Cheng'en's mansion, but instead abducted her to his villa on the outskirts of Beijing, where he often indulged in pleasure. He frequented this villa to meet actors or keep young men for entertainment.
Zhang Hu was already married with children. Although he was a commoner with no power or background, he had some backbone. Faced with Wang Hejun's power and coercion, he not only refused to comply but also resisted forcefully. As a result, he not only angered Wang Hejun but also suffered even more unbearable humiliation.
When Zhang Hu's family found him in a mass grave on the outskirts of Beijing, there wasn't a single patch of intact skin left on his body. Both of his thigh bones were broken and twisted in a grotesque position. Upon seeing her husband in such a gruesome state, Zhang Hu's wife, Lin, collapsed on the spot.
After torturing the person to death, Wang Hejun was afraid that they would make a big fuss and that he would be scolded by his parents and siblings. So he specially sent someone to deliver fifty taels of silver to the family and threatened them with his status to behave themselves. He also sent people to keep an eye on the family's movements every day.
The fact that a living human life was treated so lightly in his eyes caused even more grief to the victim's family. In order to seek justice for her husband, Lin secretly ran away at night after settling her young child who was not yet three years old, and went to Fengtian Prefecture to file a complaint.
After enduring the excruciating pain of rolling on a bed of nails, Lin was nearly killed. Upon seeing Liu Quan'an, she insisted on pulling out a blood-written letter and recounting her husband's tragic fate.
Liu Quan'an was furious upon learning of the case, but was also moved by Lin's kindness. He personally promised her that he would bring Wang Hejun to justice. He also had other instances of Wang Hejun bullying men and women collected and compiled as evidence, which led to his detention.
After news of Zhang Hu's affair spread, it attracted considerable attention not only among the common people but also from Emperor Liu Heng in the imperial court, who was shocked and furious upon hearing the report. After all, Wang Hejun was his brother-in-law, a member of the imperial family, yet he had led the way in committing illegal and disorderly acts. Therefore, Liu Heng entrusted Liu Quan'an with full authority to investigate the case.
"Your Majesty has gone to so much trouble."
Hearing the Empress relent, Old Madam Wang also breathed a sigh of relief. She knew her daughter well; the Empress was a woman of deep feelings, and before she left home, she and Wang Hejun had a very close relationship.
As long as she was willing to put in the effort, Madam Wang believed that Liu Heng would surely give her face. However, she also knew that this matter was too thorny and could no longer be suppressed. Whether Wang Hejun lived or died depended entirely on whether Liu Heng would consider the Empress and the Crown Prince's feelings.
In fact, the Duke of Cheng'en opposed Lady Wang's request to enter the palace to submit her petition. Although he was also reluctant to part with his youngest son, Wang Hejun, the old Duke of Cheng'en cared more about the Empress and the Crown Prince. If the Empress and the Crown Prince were implicated because of Wang Hejun, that would be the worst thing.
Unlike the Duke of Chengen, who was able to think things through, Old Madam Wang loved her son the most and absolutely could not bear to see her white-haired self send off her black-haired son.
After Madam Wang left, the Empress sent someone to invite Liu Heng to Kunning Palace that evening.
So after leaving Zhengqing Hall that evening, Liu Heng went to Kunning Palace first.
He knew the Empress's intentions and that the Lady of Cheng'en had submitted her petition today, but he was not prepared to grant the Empress's wish. Wang Hejun's actions were too heinous, and he had a long history of misconduct. If he were let off this time, the impact on the court and the public would be even worse, and more similar incidents would occur in the future.
Moreover, he recently sought an opportunity to severely punish the arrogance of the imperial relatives and nobles. Besides the sons of powerful and wealthy individuals who held positions without merit and failed to perform their duties, there were also many like Wang Hejun who preyed on the common people. These people, relying on their birth and the protection of their fathers, disregarded national laws and regulations, causing considerable negative consequences.
Liu Heng planned to start by taking action against Wang Hejun to clean up the law and uphold the strictness of criminal law.
Upon entering the Empress's palace, Liu Heng was somewhat surprised to find that the eldest princess, Liu Ling, was also there.
“Ling’er hasn’t seen Your Majesty for a long time either. Back when we were still in the Prince’s residence, this child would often wait to have dinner with Your Majesty, and she still often talks about it to me.”
Seeing Liu Heng's stunned expression, the Empress quickly explained, and subtly nudged Liu Ling, encouraging her to get closer to Liu Heng.
“Ling’er is a young lady now.”
Liu Heng smiled and patted Liu Ling's head, looking at his daughter who was becoming more and more beautiful and outstanding, and felt a little emotional.
"Yes, my daughter has learned a lot of things now."
Liu Ling smiled brightly, sitting below Liu Heng, and spoke with a hint of pride.
The Empress seized the opportunity to join in, chatting intimately with Liu Heng and Liu Ling. The atmosphere among the three was harmonious and peaceful, while Granny Zhou secretly wiped the corner of her eye.
Such a situation hasn't been seen for many years. Before the Imperial Concubine entered the Prince's residence, the Empress and the Emperor had such a good relationship.
"Father, the lady-in-waiting praised my snow rabbit painting yesterday."
Speaking of her studies, Liu Ling's eyes lit up, and she tilted her head back with a radiant expression. Unlike the princes, the princess was tutored by a highly talented female official.
"Is that so? Have someone bring it over so Father can see it too."
Liu Heng always doted on his child, and seeing that Liu Ling was so interested, he didn't want to go against her wishes, so he went along with it.
"OK!"
After ordering someone to bring the portrait, Liu Ling, seeing that Liu Heng was in a good mood, exchanged a glance with the Empress and said:
“Father, this snow rabbit was sent by my second uncle a few years ago. My second uncle has always taken good care of us siblings. Back when we were still in the Prince’s residence, he would send any rare or unusual things he found to my brother, the Crown Prince, and me.”
Mentioning Wang Hejun, Liu Ling's eyes reddened slightly. She had a deep affection for this uncle. Indeed, Wang Hejun often sent things to her and Liu Kang. She used to like eating cherries, so Wang Hejun set up a farm for her in the suburbs of Beijing to grow cherries. Even now, he still sends cherries to the palace every year.
Ever since she learned that her second uncle had been imprisoned and might even lose his life, she had been very sad and made a special request to the Empress to say a few words on behalf of her uncle.
Upon hearing Liu Ling mention Wang Hejun, Liu Heng's smile slowly faded, and he looked towards the Empress.
She actually sent a child to plead for Wang Hejun; wasn't she afraid that Wang Hejun's misdeeds would offend Liu Ling's ears? Liu Heng was very dissatisfied with the Empress's actions, and therefore his gaze towards her became stern.
In fact, Liu Heng really wronged the Empress this time. It wasn't her who asked Liu Ling to do it; it was Liu Ling who heard rumors and took the initiative to do it. Moreover, she didn't know exactly what Wang Hejun had done; she only knew that a soldier guarding the city gate had died.
"Father, it wasn't Mother who made me do this; it was my own idea. Please, Father, forgive my uncle this time for the sake of me and my brother, the Crown Prince."
Seeing her father glaring at the empress, Liu Ling, fearing he would misunderstand her mother, quickly got up, knelt down, and, with tears in her eyes, looked up and continued to plead.
Liu Heng pulled Liu Ling up from her kneeling position, wiped away her tears, and remained silent for a long time.
A faint hope welled up in the Empress's heart; perhaps Liu Heng would spare Wang Hejun this time for his daughter's sake. This was also what she had thought of when she promised Liu Ling. Perhaps she didn't matter much to Liu Heng, but Liu Ling was different.
Liu Heng has always doted on Liu Ling, granting her almost every request. In this matter, Liu Ling's intervention might be more effective than his own pleading.
"Ling'er, go back first. This is an adult's matter."
Liu Heng glanced at the Empress and gently persuaded Liu Ling to go back. Liu Ling felt a little uneasy, but seeing that her father was not angry and his expression was alright, just like he had looked at her mother, she went back on her own.
"Your Majesty, my second brother's life or death is not of great importance, but he is, after all, the children's uncle. For the sake of Ling'er and Kang'er, please spare his life. I promise that once my second brother returns to the manor, I will detain him and never let him leave the house again."
After Liu Ling left, the Empress looked at Liu Heng, who was holding a teacup at the head of the table, gritted her teeth, and continued to plead for mercy.
No matter how much of a scoundrel Wang Hejun was, he was still her brother. How could she, as his older sister, watch him die in prison?
"Do you know what your precious younger brother has done? If you do, how can you say such things? The King and the Prince are insignificant, and those he killed are even less important. Is that what the Empress means?"
With a bang, Liu Heng slammed down his teacup and stared coldly at the Empress. Besides Zhang Hu, Wang Hejun had more than just one or two lives on his hands.
By forcibly buying other people's land, Wang Hejun not only abused his power to bully others, but also condoned his subordinates' illegal and disorderly conduct. Furthermore, several actors had been killed by Wang Hejun's influence. These matters have all been investigated and are now met with nothing but hatred from Liu Heng.
"His Majesty……"
The Empress initially wanted to clarify that she didn't mean what Liu Heng implied. However, seeing the coldness in Liu Heng's eyes, she dared not say anything more, only inwardly lamenting that Liu Heng would show no mercy whatsoever.
After fully expressing his meaning to the Empress, Liu Heng refused to look at her again and immediately turned and left.
The Empress actually dragged Liu Ling into this in order to plead for Wang Hejun. For such a beastly person, the relationship between father and daughter was affected, which made Liu Heng the angrier.
However, not long after, upon hearing the news that Wang Hejun was to be punished, Liu Kang could no longer sit still. After court, he went to the imperial study to request an audience with Liu Heng.
"Please, Father, show mercy and spare my uncle's life."
Liu Kang knelt before Liu Heng and pleaded bitterly.
Although the Empress had told him that he not only could not participate in pleading for him, but also had to distance himself from her and not let his uncle affect his reputation.
But seeing the sorrowful expressions on his mother's and Liu Ling's faces, how could he not care? Besides, Wang Hejun had always been very good to him. Before Liu Feng passed away, he loved raising dogs, and Wang Hejun searched everywhere for fine breeds to give to him. Even now, if there's anything rare or unusual, Wang Hejun will send it to the Eastern Palace.
Although he lacked nothing, and none of those things were valuable, his uncle's sentiment was invaluable.
Although Wang Hejun is now a sinner despised by everyone, in Liu Kang's eyes, he is still that gentle, kind, and genuinely loving uncle.
"Don't you know what Wang Hejun has done? How can you be so unable to distinguish right from wrong!"
Liu Heng looked at Liu Kang kneeling to the side, his chest heaving with anger. He could disregard the Empress and Liu Ling's pleas for mercy, considering them merely the opinions of a woman, driven by emotion.
However, Liu Kang knew that Wang Hejun was lawless and had a bad influence, yet he still dared to come and plead for mercy, which greatly disappointed him.
As the current crown prince and future heir apparent, Liu Kang was so short-sighted that he disregarded the law and regulations for the sake of kinship, and condoned his maternal uncle's family's evil deeds.
"Kang'er, you have truly disappointed me."
Liu Heng took a deep breath, woke up Liu Kang, who had an uneasy expression, and told him to leave.
He had poured his greatest hopes and most effort into his son since he was a child, but as his son grew older, he fell further and further away from his expectations. Liu Heng felt utterly exhausted whenever he thought of Liu Kang.
After Wang Hejun was executed for his crimes, Liu Heng ordered a detailed revision of the laws of the dynasty and abolished the system of rolling nails on the ground to appeal to higher authorities, which had been in use for more than a hundred years. A huge yellow bell was set up outside Fengtian Prefecture, so that any common people who were oppressed by the powerful and had grievances but had nowhere to seek justice could ring the bell to appeal their grievances.
In addition to improving the system, the inspection of officials was strengthened, and a special inspection department was set up to assess the reputation of officials and whether their daily behavior involved any illegal or disorderly conduct.
As a result of these measures, the conduct of Qin officials changed in a short time, and powerful families also became much more restrained, no longer abusing their status.
In addition, Liu Quan'an also submitted a memorial requesting that Zhang Hu's wife, Lin, be commended.
After Wang Hejun was executed, Lin finally succeeded in clearing her husband's name. She entrusted her young son to her parents-in-law and then committed suicide by banging her head against Zhang Hu's tombstone.
Liu Heng also admired her chastity and loyalty, so he bestowed upon her the title of "Lady of Chastity and Loyalty" and arranged for her to be buried with Zhang Hu in a grand manner, with a monument erected in her memory.
Since Wang Hejun questioned her, Consort Ning has become even more wary of Lin Yuqiao.
Liu Heng didn't even consider the Empress and the Crown Prince's feelings, which shows that they were nothing special to him. Consort Ning had a premonition that Liu Kang's position as Crown Prince was probably in jeopardy. However, even if Liu Kang fell, it still wouldn't be Liu Yan's turn to step forward.
She had waited so many years, how could she be willing to let the Lin family reap the final rewards?
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