Chapter 469 Zhou Ruyuan had no choice but to compromise!
When Zhou Ruyuan arrived, he saw that the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the Chief Clerk of the Ministry of Personnel had come together, and he had a bad feeling.
“Your Highness, we have obtained important evidence that the assassination of the Regent was instigated by the Princess Consort. We beg Your Highness to do us a favor.” The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review stepped forward to negotiate with Zhou Ruyuan.
When Bai Qingling saw Zhou Ruyuan, she cried out as if she had seen a savior, her heart breaking with grief.
Zhou Ruyuan, his face dark, confronted the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review: "Gu Huaizhi, how dare you! The Princess Consort is a noblewoman whose name is on the imperial register. Without an imperial decree, how dare you arrest people at will?"
Gu Huaizhi is a young official who has been promoted from the lower ranks in recent years. Because he is incorruptible and shows no mercy to anyone, and his methods are ruthless, he has won the appreciation of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and has a bright future.
“Your Highness, we are only following orders to arrest people. We already have solid evidence. If Your Highness continues to obstruct us, it will be considered obstructing the investigation.” Gu Huaizhi confronted Zhou Ruyuan.
Zhou Ruyuan glared at him furiously: "Whose orders are you on? Show me those orders!"
Gu Huaizhi calmly replied, "We are acting on the orders of the Regent. If Your Highness is unwilling to cooperate, please do not make things difficult for us. The Regent was appointed by His Majesty, and we dare not disobey!"
Is this a sign of disobeying orders? Or is this using Shen Lanxi to threaten him?
Zhou Ruyuan's anger reached its peak: "Fine, I'll go find Shen Lanxi right now!"
Shen Lanxi is dealing with the aftermath of Zhou Ruan's rebellion.
"Any official who has a close relationship with Zhou Ru'an will be handed over to the Dali Temple for investigation. If they are found to have participated in treason, their entire family will be beheaded or exiled according to the severity of their crimes."
"Investigate the Second Prince's maternal clan as well. Hand this matter over to the Ministry of Justice. I have only one request: punish them severely!"
"yes!"
There's also the empress's maternal family.
Qi Yingqun has been placed under house arrest in the palace. Upon receiving the news, the Qi family sought help from Shen Lanxi, hoping to find a way to survive.
Thinking of the elite cavalry battalion controlled by the Qi family, Shen Lanxi had someone bring Qi Wei in.
"Long live the Regent! Long live the Regent!" Qi Wei, the head of the Qi family, immediately pledged allegiance to Shen Lanxi upon entering.
Shen Lanxi raised the corners of her mouth: "General Qi, please rise quickly."
Qi Wei was the father of Empress Qi Yingqun, a veteran official who had rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor's rise to power. He had always claimed to be old and senile and had long since disappeared from public view.
"General Qi, what brings you here today?" Shen Lanxi asked knowingly.
Qi Wei's hair was already gray, and his back was hunched over. He coughed a few times when he got up, and there was a faint smell of medicine on his body.
"This old minister has come to plead for a favor on behalf of the Empress!"
Shen Lanxi laughed and said, "General Qi, you flatter me. I am just a mere prince of a different surname. How could I be qualified to interfere in the internal affairs of the royal family!"
Although Qi Wei was old, he was not as confused and foolish as the rumors suggested. He had no choice but to relinquish power and pretend to be stupid in order to protect his family.
"If the Regent can spare the Empress's life, this old minister is willing to hand over the elite cavalry battalion under his command. I beg the Regent to plead with His Majesty on my behalf."
Shen Lanxi saw Qi Wei's sincerity. From the moment he stopped pretending to be stupid and chose to see her, she saw a father's determination to protect his daughter's life.
“General Qi, plotting against His Majesty is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one’s family!” Shen Lanxi said coldly, her eyes lowered.
Qi Wei: "This old minister is willing to offer up all his family wealth, take his clansmen, and retire to his hometown!"
Shen Lanxi smiled with satisfaction. Such a serious crime couldn't be exchanged for just one elite cavalry battalion.
The Qi family has a century-old heritage, a vast fortune, and countless disciples; if we're going to pull them out, we should do it thoroughly!
"Dongchuan is still lacking a garrison officer."
Qi Wei understood: "This old minister is willing to atone for his sins by devoting the strength of my clan to cultivate land for my Great Zhou."
Shen Lanxi smiled and said, "Let's pack our things and leave quickly before the news leaks out!"
Once this matter can no longer be concealed, it will be impossible for the Qi family to escape unscathed!
Qi Wei understood. After leaving the palace, he hurriedly returned home and immediately gathered his clansmen to pack their belongings.
In less than half a day, the entire Qi family quietly left the city before the city gates closed.
"Your Highness, the Qi family has packed a few things and left the capital. He left a letter saying that he would donate all his wealth to the court!"
Shen Lanxi said calmly, "Let the people from the Ministry of Revenue take over!"
Yes~
...
Zhou Ruyuan was eager to confront Shen Lanxi, but before he could even see her, he was stopped at the palace gate.
"I want to see Shen Lanxi." Zhou Ruyuan looked at the Imperial Guards guarding the palace gates, and the more he looked, the more alarmed he became.
None of these people were familiar faces.
"Your Highness has arrived at the right time. The Regent has already given an order that if Your Highness comes looking for her, she shall not be seen!" the Imperial Guards replied truthfully.
Zhou Ruyuan glared angrily, and it took him a long time to realize that the order to send someone to fetch Bai Qingling was given by Shen Lanxi.
Shen Lanxi probably already harbors resentment towards Qingling, and now that she has this opportunity, she will definitely retaliate against Qingling and will not let her off easily.
"Go and inform me again that I must see Shen Lanxi today!" Zhou Ruyuan was filled with rage, feeling frustrated but not knowing who to vent his anger on.
“Your Highness, the Regent has ordered that if you insist on seeing her, she can only be dealt with according to the crime of trespassing.”
To put it nicely, it's called storming the palace; to put it bluntly, it's called treason!
It all depends on whether Zhou Ruyuan is willing to risk everything for Bai Qingling.
Obviously not.
Zhou Ruyuan returned to the palace in a rage.
The people from the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice hadn't left yet; they were waiting for Zhou Ruyuan to return.
"Your Highness, have you asked clearly?" Gu Huaizhi asked.
Zhou Ruyuan's face was dark, and he was filled with rage.
Jiang Wuyai has arrived.
"Your Highness, let's talk over there!"
Zhou Ruyuan, his face dark, followed Jiang Wuyai to the side.
“Your Highness, it’s obvious that Shen Lanxi wants to seize this opportunity to frame you and eliminate dissidents. We can’t let Shen Lanxi find any fault with you, otherwise she will use this opportunity to accuse you of treason, and our Zhennan Prince’s Mansion will be finished!” Jiang Wuyai quickly analyzed the pros and cons for Zhou Ruyuan.
"Are we just going to stand by and watch them take the princess away?" Zhou Ruyuan clenched his fists in hatred.
Jiang Wuyai was also helpless: "Your Highness, since you've come to arrest people in such a grand manner, the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice must have already obtained solid evidence. At this point, we can only cut our losses and try to survive."
It's all Bai Qingling's fault, that stupid woman. Why didn't she bribe an assassin to carry out the assassination? She had to send her own people instead. Now look what happened, they've given her a handle to use against her!
"Who are you that you're trying to make me abandon my queen?" Zhou Ruyuan had never imagined this before, and his eyes flashed with astonishment.
Jiang Wuyai sighed, "There is no other way now. It depends on Your Highness's choice: to sacrifice one person or our entire palace."
Zhou Ruyuan fell silent, his eyes filled with a turbulent mix of emotions, his chest aching with suppressed anger, yet he felt utterly powerless to do anything about it.
Jiang Wuyai waited for a while before finally hearing Zhou Ruyuan speak.
"Let the princess go with them. Tell them that if anyone dares to harm even a single hair on her head, I will not let them get away with it!"
"yes!"
"Tell the princess that I will find a way to save her as soon as possible!"
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