Chapter 242 Summoning Lady Feng to an Audience
Meanwhile, the Emperor was not in a hurry either. He was also waiting, wondering if Jiang Fenghua's talk of catching ghosts referred to Su Dehai.
The Emperor said in a deep voice, "Although it can be proven that Grand Tutor Jiang and the examinee Wang Qing did not meet at the clothing shop, the silver was found in the Jiang residence. Jiang Huai, what evidence do you have to prove that this silver was not a bribe from Wang Qing?"
The Emperor's question was clearly intentional, but it was also what everyone wanted to ask. Fortunately, Jiang Huai could confirm that someone might have deliberately framed him.
Jiang Huai was stunned for a moment. His main point was to be sincere. He said, "Your Majesty, I really can't answer Your Majesty's question. This thing was found by Commander Shang in the Jiang family's warehouse. I don't know how it got into the warehouse."
The Jiang family is managed by my wife, Madam Feng, so the keys to the storeroom are usually on her person. I don't know why the Jiang family has so much silver.
However, I believe that if I am to completely clear my name and even prove my students' innocence, merely investigating the silver and Wang Qing's exam questions is insufficient to prove that the students did not cheat. As their teacher, I cannot escape suspicion.
He said respectfully, "I have a request that I cannot make."
"Speak," the Emperor said.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that the students present themselves to Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Pan, and all the ministers to prove that they were admitted through their genuine talent and learning, and that I did not help them get on the list through favoritism and fraud. These students of the Imperial Academy are truly rare, and I do not wish to affect their careers because of me."
"Of course, there are other students who didn't pass, or those who did, who might have doubts or even feel it's unfair. They can also come and watch, so that the students will be convinced and have no complaints," Jiang Huai said in a deep voice. "My son is also among the students taking the exam this time. To prove that I haven't favored him, I'll have him and all the other students in the world prove it."
The crowd murmured, "Are they going to make them take the exam again in front of the Emperor? Who would dare to cheat if they were taking the exam in front of the Emperor?"
"Anyway, there's still the final imperial examination. We'll find out what it's like once we put it to the test."
The emperor, however, was thinking about something else and did not speak.
At this moment, Grand Tutor Pan also said, "The outside world is indeed in complete chaos. The students are still waiting for my reply. Even if it is proven that Grand Tutor Jiang did not give Wang Qing the test questions, I will not convince the public. Among the students taught by Grand Tutor Jiang, 90% passed the exam. People will still be suspicious and feel that it is unfair."
"I second Grand Tutor Jiang's suggestion," Grand Tutor Pan said in a deep voice.
At this point, another official said, "We second that proposal."
The officials also expressed their agreement, saying that Grand Tutor Jiang had always been a breath of fresh air at the Imperial Academy. If he hadn't been suddenly appointed Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince by the Emperor, he would still be a teacher at the Imperial Academy.
Just then, Chief Steward Cao returned and said urgently, "Your Majesty, there's a disturbance outside the palace gates."
"The students are making a fuss." Grand Tutor Pan was in a panic. He had to get to the bottom of this today, otherwise how could he answer so many students demanding justice?
"No, it was Madam Feng, the wife of Grand Tutor Jiang, who ran to the palace gate to see the Emperor. She was pleading for Grand Tutor Jiang's innocence..." said Chief Steward Cao.
The Emperor was so struck by the thought that someone like Jiang Huai could have a daughter as beautiful as Jiang Fenghua that he suddenly wanted to see what Jiang Huai's wife looked like. He even found it unbelievable that Jiang Huai would buy her sexy lingerie.
"Your Majesty..." Chief Steward Cao reminded him.
"Summon Lady Feng to an audience," the Emperor said in a deep voice.
Soon, Madam Feng, along with the Jiang family steward, the Crown Prince's steward Cheng and his son Cheng Feng, and Hongxiu, entered the palace.
A large group of people entered the Golden Palace in a grand procession.
During the month that Granny Wang stayed at the Jiang residence, Feng Jingyuan also learned some court etiquette from her.
She clasped her hands together, lowered her head slightly, and gracefully knelt in the center of the hall, performing a proper greeting: "Your Majesty, I, Feng, pay my respects. Long live the Emperor!"
Her entourage followed suit and bowed in the same manner.
Jiang Huai was also anxious when he saw her arrive, and wanted to ask her what she had come for.
Feng Jingyuan came to plead for her husband's innocence. After the Imperial Guards left, she did not panic. Instead, she asked the steward about the silver in the storeroom. The steward then said that it was a gift sent by the Crown Princess.
She didn't rush to find Jiang Fenghua, but went directly to Hongxiu. Hongxiu then told her that Steward Cheng had also sent a gift. No one expected that Steward Cheng would send money. When asked, Steward Cheng said that he hadn't sent money at all, but had instead sent a set of fine writing materials to congratulate Young Master Jiang on his success in the imperial examination.
After considering this, Feng Jingyuan concluded that the Imperial Guards entering the mansion to search the house must mean that something had happened to Jiang Huai.
She felt increasingly uneasy, so she led her men to the palace gate to plead her case. She was afraid that Jiang Huai might actually commit a crime because of the money and be killed.
The Emperor only saw a side profile of Feng Jingyuan and already knew that she was indeed a beautiful woman. She had given birth to four children and was not young, yet she still had such a slender waist as a young girl. No wonder Jiang Huai would buy that kind of thing.
Jiang Huai is truly blessed; his children didn't resemble him, but rather his wife. No wonder Jiang Huai doesn't take a concubine.
The Emperor said, "No need for formalities. Why were you crying out for justice outside the palace, Lady Feng?"
“Your Majesty, I am speaking out for my husband. He absolutely did not embezzle any money. The money was actually sent to the Jiang residence yesterday by Steward Cheng from the Crown Prince’s residence, along with a chess manual that the Crown Princess had brought back.” Feng Jingyuan said in detail.
The officials were also in an uproar: "How could the silver have been sent from the Crown Prince's residence to the Jiang residence...?"
Xie Shang was also puzzled, "Cheng Zhong, what exactly happened? Why did you send this money to the Jiang residence?"
Butler Cheng explained in detail, "This old servant did not send silver. Knowing that Young Master Jiang has passed the imperial examination, this old servant sent a set of inkstones from Mingyuzhai to express congratulations. This old servant can confront the manager of Mingyuzhai to confirm that it was inkstones that were sent. This old servant does not know why the contents inside turned into silver. The style of the gift box is the same as that of Mingyuxuan gift boxes."
Cheng Feng also said, "Your Highness, this servant did not open it to see what was inside. I only know that my father gave it to me and instructed me to deliver it to the Jiang family for Young Master Jiang. It was not delayed on the way. We do not know when it was switched. I swear that this silver has nothing to do with us."
He added, "When we were still at the Crown Prince's residence, I changed to a better carriage to pick up Miss Hongxiu. The gifts were also left in the carriage for a while, and it was probably at that time that they were switched."
The Jiang family steward and Hongxiu confirmed that these items were indeed delivered to the Jiang family yesterday. Because their master was not present, they were placed directly in the storeroom before they could be opened.
Butler Jiang has a key to the Jiang family's storeroom.
The fact that Commander Shang brought the chess manual along with the game records proves that they were not lying.
Xie Shang frowned upon hearing this and glanced at the emperor. It seemed that there were spies in the Crown Prince's residence. The fact that the silver could be delivered to the Jiang residence in such a short time clearly indicated that they wanted to frame Jiang Huai.
He walked to the gift box, but it looked the same as the one from Mingyuxuan. Inside, someone had deliberately written the character "王" (Wang), proving that it was a gift from Wang Qing to Grand Tutor Jiang.
Now, it's probably impossible to find the person who switched the gift boxes. The testimonies of Butler Cheng and Butler Jiang cannot be fully accepted because they are suspected of aiding and abetting, and no one in the world would believe it if they were told.
Grand Tutor Pan frowned. "This is an act of dereliction of duty by an old minister. The students outside are talking about it and want an explanation. They believe that some officials are accepting bribes and selling exam questions."
Xie Shang said, "It seems that only by using Grand Tutor Jiang's method can we quell the suspicions and grievances among the people."
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