Chapter 237 Grand Tutor Jiang is also a tough nut to crack.
The Emperor reviewed the testimony, and after reading it, he was almost furious. He said coldly, "Imperial Guards, listen to my orders! Immediately search the Jiang residence, find the stolen silver, and arrest Jiang Huai. I will personally interrogate him."
The testimony also mentioned that Jiang Huai had directly peeked at the exam questions from the Emperor's study. Because Wang Qing was unsure of the authenticity of the questions, Jiang Huai claimed that he had seen them with his own eyes at the Emperor's place. Only then was Wang Qing reassured. He memorized the text outside the palace and then wrote it down from memory when he entered the examination room, thus avoiding being caught cheating.
Pan Taifu's testimony during his interrogation of Wang Qing was confidential and of great importance; no one would know it beforehand. Jiang Fenghua deduced Pan Taifu's testimony through logical analysis.
The emperor thought to himself: During that period, I did often summon Jiang Huai to the palace to chat, play chess, and even discuss academic matters. If Jiang Huai did not steal it, it means that someone else did see the test questions in my study, and Jiang Fenghua actually guessed the general content of the testimony correctly.
This woman is extraordinary! She is meticulous, logical, and her analysis is very insightful.
Jiang Fenghua wasn't afraid that the Emperor and Xie Shang would know she was smart; she never pretended to be a naive and innocent girl from the beginning.
Whether it was Jiang Huai or someone else who stole the exam questions, there were spies and informants in the palace, and he had always lived under surveillance. If he found out who it was, he would tear them to pieces.
“Father, the matter has not been investigated clearly yet. There is no need for the Imperial Guards to intervene. It would be better to ask Grand Tutor Jiang to find out whether it was him before making a decision,” the Crown Prince said.
"Am I supposed to give him time to destroy the stolen money?" the Emperor said angrily. "I know the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are deeply in love. The Jiang family is the Crown Princess's family. The Crown Prince just needs to remember that this matter has little to do with the Crown Princess." This meant that he should not speak up for the Jiang family. Jiang Fenghua had married out of the Jiang family and was no longer a member of the Jiang family.
"That's not what I meant. At this hour, Grand Tutor Jiang should have already entered the palace to give his lessons. I will go and invite him here myself," Xie Shang said.
The Emperor gave him a cold look. "Cao De, go to Taihua Palace and bring the man here. Shang Hong, take men to Jiang's residence to search for evidence."
In everyone's opinion, the Crown Princess's ability to influence the Crown Prince through her pillow talk is too powerful. There are witnesses and physical evidence, yet the Crown Prince is still speaking up for the Jiang family.
If it is confirmed that Grand Tutor Jiang was indeed the one who leaked the exam questions, then it will also prove that Jiang Jinyan's second place was not real. At that time, he will lose his official position, and the Jiang family's good days will come to an end.
The Crown Prince should take more concubines; everyone has long had this idea. However, the Crown Princess seems to be immature and doesn't care about taking concubines for the Crown Prince. She wants to be the Crown Prince's only favorite.
At this time, everyone is hoping that the Crown Princess will fall from power so that a new person can take over. It is not easy for Jiang Fenghua to protect her position as the Crown Princess.
Everyone is thinking about their own interests. When the wall falls, everyone pushes it down, and then they become the ones cutting the wall. Everyone wants a share of the pie.
The Emperor and Xie Shang need to put on a good show in order to join forces to eliminate the henchmen, but Jiang Huai is unaware of the truth.
-
Soon, Grand Tutor Jiang was brought to the outside of the Golden Palace. He didn't know what was going on, and Cao De dared not say anything about why the Emperor wanted to see him. He was only responsible for bringing the person there.
Just as Chief Steward Cao arrived at the Taihua Hall, Jiang Taifu had just arrived outside. Before he could even put down the book in his hand, Chief Steward Cao said, "His Majesty requests that Grand Tutor Jiang be summoned."
He replied, "Let me put the book down first."
Chief Steward Cao urged him, "No need to release him, Grand Tutor Jiang, hurry up and go."
Even Cao De kindly reminded him, saying, "The Emperor is angry, Lord Jiang, hurry up and take your books with you. If you're late, the Emperor will be furious."
Then Jiang Huai politely replied, "Please, Steward Cao."
Cao De was speechless for a moment. Didn't he ask why the emperor was angry, or how he had given birth to such intelligent children as the Crown Princess and the Marquis of Wu'an?
All that could be heard was Steward Cao reporting from outside the hall in a high-pitched voice, "Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Jiang has arrived."
"Let him in!" the emperor roared.
At this moment, Jiang Huai, dressed in official robes, slowly walked over, still carrying a stack of books in his hands. He respectfully knelt down before the emperor on the high throne and said, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."
Knowing that the emperor was angry, he hunched over and dared not raise his head. When the emperor saw his timid and cowardly appearance, he thought to himself, would he dare to steal the exam questions from the imperial study and sell them for embezzlement and bribery?
Seeing that the emperor was not letting him get up for a long time, Jiang Huai remained kneeling respectfully.
"Jiang Huai, do you know why I summoned you here?" the Emperor spoke first.
"Your Majesty, I was unaware," Jiang Huai replied honestly.
The Emperor took the dossier and threw it at Jiang Huai, saying, "Take a look. This is the testimony of Wang Qing, the good student you taught."
Jiang Huai was puzzled. "I don't know Wang Qing, and he is not my student."
"You still dare to argue? Take a look at the testimony before you start trying to argue. Stealing and selling exam questions, you're quite capable."
Jiang Huai then quickly finished reading the book. He knelt on the ground, trembling, and the book in his hands fell to the ground. "Your Majesty, I do not know Wang Qing, nor did I enter the palace to steal the exam questions for him. I am innocent."
"Whether you are innocent or not is not up to you to decide with just your words. There are witnesses and physical evidence. You can't save your head by denying it."
Jiang Huai was timid, but also a man of principle. "Even if Your Majesty kills me, I will not admit to something I did not do."
At this moment, Jiang Jinyan also knelt down beside Jiang Huai, saying, "Your Majesty, my father only wanted to teach properly. He would never steal exam questions to sell. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."
"Jiang Jinyan, I haven't even had a chance to interrogate you yet. Do you think you can escape? Your father could sell the exam questions to his students, so he could give them to you, his own son. Did you get second place in this imperial examination? Was there any fraud involved? I'll investigate your father thoroughly before deciding whether you're guilty," the Emperor said.
"Yes, I came in second, but I earned it all through my own abilities," Jiang Jinyan said. "I beg Your Majesty to investigate."
"Grand Tutor Pan, present me with the list of those who passed this year's imperial examination."
Grand Tutor Pan was prepared and quickly handed over a memorial, saying, "These students are all quite outstanding. In fact, many students studying at the Imperial Academy are on the list. The first-place winner, Xiao Yu, is Grand Tutor Jiang's student, as are many other students on the list."
In fact, Grand Tutor Pan did not believe that Jiang Huai would do such a thing. After all, he had been teaching at the Imperial Academy for more than 20 years, and his ability was beyond doubt. However, when he checked the list of students who made the list, he found that most of them were Jiang Huai's students, and they all did well in the exam.
This either proves that Jiang Huai was a good teacher, or that he helped them cheat, which involves a lot of vested interests.
"It seems I made the right choice in appointing you as the Crown Prince's tutor. All the students you've taught are quite promising. Is this a coincidence, or is it Jiang Huai's treacherous ambition?" The Emperor's anger blazed. "You knew the exam questions beforehand, didn't you!"
Jiang Huai was so frightened that he prostrated himself on the ground. "Your Majesty, I have no ambition. This is the result of everyone's hard work. Ten years of studying hard is for the purpose of passing the imperial examination and serving the court. Please do not be angry with them. It is not easy to pass the examination. If there is any mistake, I am willing to take responsibility. I absolutely did not know the exam questions in advance. I beg Your Majesty to treat them fairly and cherish the pillars of the country."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
