Chapter 326 Xie Shang's Doubts
Xie Shang only needs to connect all the facts to know the truth. It seems that Xiao Yu was able to find out the Qin family's crimes in such a short time because he used a lot of Qin Tai's daughters!
Truly, "No poison, no man"—fast, ruthless, and accurate.
At this moment, the Emperor had finally finished reading all the petitions and evidence. Before Qin Tai could offer any excuses, the Emperor coldly asked, "Where is the Imperial Censor?"
"Your Majesty, I am here." Imperial Censor Zhu quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, I have already received the memorial impeaching Qin Tai, the prefect of Quanzhou, for embezzlement and bribery. I am just waiting to present it to Your Majesty when I meet with you."
"Bring it here."
The Emperor knew that Qin Tai had no way out. The Crown Prince had planned this all along, and the Emperor was cooperating with the Crown Prince. Qin Tai had become too greedy after becoming the Prefect of Quanzhou. Keeping him around would only harm the imperial family's rule.
"Your Majesty, I confess my guilt, but my family is innocent. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and spare the lives of my wife and children. I am willing to hand over all the embezzled funds in exchange for the lives of my family." Qin Tai knew that even the Censorate was prepared. It seemed that the person who wanted to investigate him was the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince was well prepared. Crying out his innocence would only increase the Crown Prince's anger.
If he confesses his crimes and hands over the stolen money, he will still have a chance to make a comeback, since even if his house is searched, it won't be completely confiscated.
He didn't know that Xiao Yu had already figured out the Qin family's trump cards, and that the Emperor's order to confiscate their property would leave the Qin family with nothing.
Xie Shang was naturally prepared, "Lord Xiao, please bring up all the stolen silver seized from the Qin family!"
"yes."
Soon, Xiao Yu brought up ten large boxes, which were filled with vases, jade artifacts, gold and silver jewelry, Guanyin Buddha statues, and other items.
Qin Tai was so frightened when he saw it that his eyes bulged out. Weren't these the valuables he had hidden in the villa?
Xiao Yu said, "Does Lord Qin find these things familiar? These things were not collected from your Qin family, and the manor is not yours either. How did I find them?"
Qin Tai's last trump card had been exposed, and he knew he had no way out. He saw his daughter and said, "You told him." During that time, his daughter had been seeing Xiao Yu frequently; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to find out about these things.
Qin Yunyan was furious and cursed, "Xiao Yu, you bastard, you despicable person, you used me, you lied to me..."
“Miss Qin, aren’t you also using me?” Xiao Yu said in a deep voice. “Your Qin family is full of corruption and bribery. I am the top scholar appointed by the Emperor. How could I possibly collude with your Qin family? Lord Qin, you never thought you would have such a day!”
Xiao Yu knelt before the Emperor and said, “Your Majesty, the Qin family’s corruption extends beyond this. They have also embezzled from the extravagant residence of Prefect Qin. I beg Your Majesty to send people to investigate thoroughly.”
Xie Shang said, "Qin Tai's crimes are irrefutable. Such a villain deserves to die. Since he has confessed, the entire Qin family will not escape death." Only by killing him can the officials present see the consequences of corruption and bribery, thus having a deterrent effect.
"Guards, take Qin Tai and the entire Qin clan to the imperial prison. The Censorate will investigate thoroughly before sentencing them."
Xie Shang looked up at the emperor, wondering why his father didn't just issue an edict to sentence him to death.
He remembered that Qin Tai's name was on the list kept by the Cheng family. Thirty years had passed. Could it be that Qin Tai was also one of his father's subordinates back then?
Will the Emperor spare Qin Tai's life? If so, the biggest corrupt official in a country is the Emperor. The country will cease to exist, and what will become of a family?
Rumor has it that the emperor's father seized the throne from his grandfather.
The next moment, Qin Tai snatched the soldier's knife and stabbed himself in the body. "Your Majesty, I beg you to spare my wife and children from death. They were unaware of my embezzlement."
Upon seeing this, Madam Qin embraced Qin Tai, "Master, why..."
Even on his deathbed, Qin Tai feigned deep affection, saying, "My wife, I'm sorry, I've ruined you." (He tried to save her...)
Madam Qin glanced at her daughter and plunged the knife into her own body. "Without the master, I will never live alone. Yan'er, live well and take good care of your brother."
Qin Yunyan never expected her parents to choose to die together. She cried with tears streaming down her face, "Father, Mother, please don't die. Your daughter can't live without you."
Qin Tai has married many concubines and had children over the years. If he dies, at least the Qin family will have an heir. If he doesn't die, the Qin family will truly have no way to survive.
Madam Qin and Qin Tai gripped Qin Yunyan's hands tightly, as if reminding her that if the investigation didn't trace it back to them, the Emperor wouldn't actually execute the entire Qin family. At most, they would be demoted to commoners or servants, at least their lives would be spared.
Xie Shang frowned upon seeing this. Qin Tai was embezzling; could someone with such a large stomach really eat so much? The entire Qin clan would benefit from this.
At this moment, Qin Tai looked in the direction of the emperor and saw that the emperor's pupils were slightly constricted, and there seemed to be an indescribable emotion in them: it would be better if he died.
Xie Shang also noticed that gaze, and suddenly, a sense of fear rose in his heart.
Finally, the emperor ordered the confiscation of the Qin family's property. Everyone connected to the Qin family's case was investigated and punished. All male members of the Qin family over the age of fifteen were exiled to the Northwest and never to return. The female members over the age of fifteen were demoted to servants for life and assigned to work in slave labor camps throughout the country.
Qin Yunyan is already fifteen years old, so she is now just a lowly servant. She hates Xiao Yu to the core because he killed her parents. So even if she becomes a slave, she will definitely find a chance to take revenge.
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Lianye reported the Qin family's situation to the Crown Princess, and added, "The Crown Princess doesn't know, but when Qin Yunyan was dancing on stage, her eyes were fixed on His Highness the Crown Prince. Now, she's been demoted to a slave by the Emperor and thrown into a labor camp."
This was not good news. Jiang Fenghua frowned. "The Qin family embezzled a huge amount of money. It is entirely possible to order the execution of all relatives related to Qin Tai. She is Qin Tai's biological daughter and a direct bribe recipient. According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, she should be taken to the Meridian Gate and beheaded along with Qin Tai."
Lianye said, "That's why Qin Tai and Madam Qin are smart. They offered their lives on the spot to atone for their sins, so the Emperor naturally wouldn't order the killing of the Qin family's elderly, weak, women, and children."
“Not only the Qin family, but countless others have been protected by doing this.” Jiang Fenghua’s lips curled into a cold smile. “It’s impossible for a corrupt official to embezzle for so many years, let alone so much, on his own. The Qin family must have powerful connections to receive such protection for so long, even longer.” Long enough for many years after Xie Shang ascended the throne.
She didn't know why Qin Yunyan was favored in her previous life, but she felt that Xie Shang couldn't possibly be unaware of the Qin family's corruption.
In her previous life, Jiang Fenghua never left the palace after entering it, and even lost contact with the outside world. There were many things that Jiang Fenghua did not know.
In fact, in the previous life, the Qin family withdrew from the court before Xie Shang purged the first batch of corrupt officials after ascending the throne. All of the Qin family's money was transferred to the national treasury in a different way, providing Xie Shang with great financial support. Qin Yunyan took the initiative to admit these things to him, so Qin Yunyan was able to continue to be a concubine in the palace. Although the Qin family lost its wealth, it saved its life.
Qin Yunyan also has a son, who is her greatest source of confidence in the palace.
After the banquet, Song Qing and Tang Qianran went to Chenxi Palace together, where they gossiped in unison for the first time.
Song Qing said, "So it turns out that the young mistress Qin Yunyan who went missing back then was really a beauty."
Tang Qianran said, "The Qin family is a notorious corrupt official. When those ten chests of gold and silver jewelry were brought up, everyone was shocked. How could a mere prefect dare to embezzle so much silver? Tsk tsk, how wealthy must their daily life be!"
Song Qing said, "Even at the very end, Qin Yunyan was still thinking about seducing His Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. Guess what?"
Jiang Fenghua was also eager to know Xie Shang's attitude.
Song Qing started to swoon, "The Crown Prince kicked her in the chest and then coldly shouted 'Take him away!' Wow, our Crown Prince wasn't bewitched by the beauty. So handsome and cool!"
Jiang Fenghua was speechless. Xie Shang wasn't that kind of person. He wasn't fooled, probably because Qin Yunyan had no use for him, or because he was in a bad mood.
Tang Qianran also said, "Luckily, she got lost and didn't go to the palace, otherwise the Crown Prince marrying the daughter of a corrupt official would damage his reputation..."
Song Qing, ever the gossip, asked, "Is Zhu Liangdi alright today?"
Jiang Fenghua deliberately yawned and said directly, "I need to rest now. Please return to the palace as well, Your Highnesses!"
As the two were leaving, Jiang Fenghua reminded them, "Consort Zhu has miscarried. She will be staying in the palace to recuperate during this period, so please don't disturb her."
Before the two could even react, Zhu Zhenzhen became pregnant, and then she miscarried.
Jiang Fenghua has already gone to the bedroom, but there is still no news from Luo Ziqiong. I don't know if she went well.
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