Chapter 644 If you are ruthless to me, don't blame me for being cold-blooded!
Everyone thought that Shen Lanxi would delay for a few days before taking action against the Shen family. Unexpectedly, after a short rest, she brought up the topic herself the next day in the Golden Palace.
"While I was in Tianjin, Shen Congyi believed the news that I was seriously injured and could not be cured. He took advantage of the chaos to force me to abdicate and rebel. My beloved ministers, you do not need to care about my identity as a member of the Shen family. I have always advocated that the emperor should be punished the same as the common people. Even if I have made a mistake, I will not escape the punishment of the Great Zhou Law."
Now that the matter has been brought to the forefront, the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Personnel must express their opinions.
"I believe that we should distinguish between principal offenders and accomplices and deal with them according to the crimes they committed."
"Your Majesty, I agree."
"Your subject also agrees."
Shen Lanxi appointed the officials in charge: "The Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Personnel shall jointly investigate Shen Congyi's treason case."
"Your Majesty, we obey!"
"Get it done immediately!"
The three officials, who had been appointed by the emperor, had barely been in court for a quarter of an hour when they hurriedly went to the imperial prison.
Heavenly Prison
Madam Shen and Shen Congyi were still treated well and imprisoned together.
Previously, the Heavenly Prison was always overcrowded, but ever since Shen Lanxi took power, she has issued an order to implement it.
She argued that the imperial court should not support any idle people, especially criminals who had committed crimes. They should be expected to contribute their labor, both to atone for their past sins and to earn their own living.
The Heavenly Prison, as a place for holding serious criminals, was even worse. Basically, after being sentenced, those who deserved to be killed were killed, and those who didn't deserve to be killed were all exiled to harsh and cold places to reclaim wasteland. Every year, a certain amount of grain was even required to be handed over as atonement grain.
Therefore, there was no need to make special arrangements once they entered the prison, because only members of the Shen family were inside.
"Mother, His Majesty certainly won't kill us, right?"
Madam Shen seemed to have aged more than ten years overnight. After spending just one night in the prison, she was already listless and had completely lost the imposing manner she had shown yesterday.
"Don't worry, she wouldn't dare." Although she said this, she wasn't really sure.
"Mother, you must protect your son and grandchildren. She... she's heartless and ruthless." Shen Congyi lowered his voice to express his concern, afraid of being overheard.
Among the four branches of the family, only the two legitimate sons, Yuan Kang and Yuan Ning, were outstanding, and they were both assigned to positions in places that were neither too close nor too far away.
I thought I had a chance when I came back this time, but I never expected to end up like this.
If they had known this would happen, they would never have come back.
"Grandmother, Father, we don't want to die..."
"Grandmother, go and tell my eldest sister that we are willing to be exiled to Dongchuan, we only beg her to spare our lives!"
They served in the military, so they naturally knew more about Shen Lanxi than her grandmother and father did.
Shen Lanxi will absolutely not show them any mercy; they will be killed without hesitation, just like she did with Shen Yuanzhan.
"Grandmother, Father, please come with us to Dongchuan!"
“We’ve figured it out. We should have stayed in Dongchuan instead of returning to the capital.”
As she listened to her grandchildren's pleas, Old Madam Shen stared blankly at the cage.
Dongchuan, again Dongchuan.
Was their final fate always to be exile to Dongchuan?
What's this?
Is it a matter of going around in circles, or is it a matter of fortunes changing? Why must it be Dongchuan?
The words "exiled to Dongchuan" were a nightmare for Old Madam Shen.
She never dreamed that one day her grandson would take the initiative to ask her to go with Dongchuan.
How ridiculous!
"Amitabha! Don't worry, even if it costs me my old life, I won't let Shen Lanxi touch you!" Old Madam Shen gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with boundless hatred.
"I want to see Shen Lanxi. I want her to come see me!"
"I want to see Shen Lanxi. I want her to come see me!"
"I want to see Shen Lanxi. I want her to come see me!"
Madam Shen shouted angrily, and the prison guards reported the incident up the chain of command, eventually reaching Shen Lanxi.
"Bring her here!"
Since she has something to say, let her say it all at once.
The order was relayed up and down, and soon Madam Shen was brought out of the prison.
She was taken to the Cining Palace, the palace where the Empress Dowager had previously lived.
Madam Shen had been here more than once, and she recognized the road to Cining Palace from afar.
Why did you bring this old woman here?
"Did Shen Lanxi instruct you to bring me here?"
The Imperial Guards didn't utter a word, and all of Madam Shen's questions were meaningless. Without His Majesty's order, would they dare bring people here?
As Madam Shen looked at the plaque of the Cining Hall, her heart sank deeper and deeper.
She had barely entered the main hall when Shen Lanxi arrived.
"Grandmother, do you still remember this place?"
"Since the Empress Dowager passed away, no one has touched the furnishings here. When the late Emperor was on the throne, he would occasionally have people clean it. After I ascended the throne, I specially assigned palace maids to clean this place every day."
"This place is exactly the same as it was before the late Empress Dowager passed away."
Madam Shen began to ponder Shen Lanxi's meaning. Wasn't the Empress Dowager supposed to have died of old age? How come Shen Lanxi said she died of illness?
What does she mean?
“Lanxi, your grandmother has already explained this to you before. Whether you listened or not, Congyi is your uncle, and his sons are your cousins.”
"When you were conquering the country, they also contributed their share."
Shen Lanxi smiled and said, "Grandmother, this place should have been yours to live in."
Madam Shen's face stiffened. She had indeed thought about moving in here countless times before, but she was wary of Shen Lanxi's methods.
What's the point of her saying all this now?
"Lanxi, spare your fourth uncle's family, and you can do whatever you want with your grandmother!" She had already gone all out, and she didn't believe that Shen Lanxi would really dare to let her die.
"Grandmother, it is already an exception for me to see you today!"
"Now that we have met, I will make things clear to you."
"A country has its laws, and a family has its rules!"
Before he could finish speaking, he was stopped by Old Madam Shen.
"They are your relatives, your family, how can you be so heartless!"
Shen Lanxi coldly looked at the seemingly insane man: "Didn't Grandmother already know my character on the way to Dongchuan?"
Madam Shen stared blankly at Shen Lanxi, as if she couldn't believe that she would say such cold-blooded and heartless words.
she……
she is……
It's all fake. The way things were after they returned to the capital was all fake!
"Shen Lanxi, you've lied to me so much!" Old Madam Shen seemed to have finally seen through the truth and could no longer accept the blow, bursting into tears.
A cold-blooded and ruthless butcher is what Shen Lanxi should be like.
How could she forget?
"Since Grandmother already understands, then I don't need to explain any further."
"If they can behave themselves, I am not intolerant of them."
Why can't they just behave themselves?
"Am I not good enough to them?"
"I promoted them one by one, arranged their futures, and helped them rise to power, and in the end, this is how they treat me?"
"I have never been one to repay kindness with ingratitude!"
"Since they are ruthless towards me, don't blame me for being cold-blooded!"
At this moment, Shen Lanxi revealed her true self.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
