Chapter 301 Abandoned
"Yes, yes..." Chen San glanced at Min Yuan, then at Minister Lu and Zhang Lun.
He doesn't understand the grudges in officialdom, but since he is here, he can still tell who is a high-ranking official and who is a low-ranking official. He who knows the times is a hero!
So Chen San did not hesitate and spilled the beans, telling everyone how Min Yuan and Ning Xiang bribed others in the name of consignment through his calligraphy and painting business. The amount of bribes was shocking.
Zhang Lun immediately ordered someone to find Ning Xiang.
At this time, the doorman came again to report, "Sir, there is a businessman outside the door who wants to see you. He said that he is the boss of Anju Real Estate Company and his surname is Ning."
Ning Xiang was brought in quickly, and Min Yuan seemed to see the last glimmer of hope.
As long as Ning Xiang refuses to admit it, there may be a chance of recovery. His Royal Highness Prince Qi will definitely help them!
Ning Xiang passed by Min Yuan without even looking at him. His eyes were dull as if he was a walking corpse.
He seemed to have known what had happened in the Minister's Mansion and knelt down in front of Zhang Lun and Minister Lu.
"I am Ning Xiang. For many years, I have bribed Min Yuan, the head of the Ministry of Revenue, through Chen San's calligraphy and painting business. I feel uneasy and sleepless, so I come here to... turn myself in."
Then Zhang Lun asked Chen San to confront him. Ning Xiang confessed to everything Chen San mentioned without any intention of refutation.
Even Qiao Youyou was a little confused. She didn't know why Ning Xiang suddenly appeared here and confessed his guilt so readily.
You have to know that with the amount of bribes between him and Min Yuan, if convicted he would be sentenced to death!
"Ning Xiang, what are you doing?!" Min Yuan knelt beside Ning Xiang, staring at him with bloodshot eyes.
Why did he send both of them to their deaths!!!
Min Yuan couldn't help but grab Ning Xiang's collar, and said angrily, "Why do you want to admit it? Why don't you wait for Qi——"
Ning Xiang raised his eyes suddenly, and the moment Min Yuan met his gaze, he froze in place as if petrified.
Ning Xiang's eyes were already gray and lifeless, leaving only the emptiness after despair.
Min Yuan seemed to understand suddenly.
He let go of Ning Xiang, staggered back two steps and fell to the ground.
"Your subordinate..." Min Yuan closed his eyes, "Your subordinate pleads guilty."
People sent by Jingzhao Prefecture and Dali Temple also arrived. Zhang Lun stood up with a sullen face and told them to collect evidence and put anyone who needed to be imprisoned.
The birthday banquet at the Minister’s Mansion finally came to an end.
The guests finally left, and Minister Lu followed Zhang Lun with a tired look on his face and came before Eunuch Li.
Zhang Lun said: "Eunuch Li, today's matter..."
Eunuch Li smiled gently, "Lord Shangshu is fair and strict in his dealings. I will report the truth to the emperor when I return."
Zhang Lun breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Eunuch Li.
…
As the key person who discovered the case, Qiao Youyou naturally went to the yamen to record her confession. It was already late at night when she came out.
Zhu Lan was waiting for her not far away.
"I heard about what happened at the birthday party. Are you okay?" Zhu Lan handed her a shawl and asked with concern.
Qiao Youyou shook her head. "I'm fine, but I always feel like something is weird..."
Zhu Lan understood what she meant by "strange", and there were many things he himself did not understand about the whole matter.
Qingyan came back and told herself that she was a step too late, and someone had already taken Chen San away before her.
Zhu Lan guessed that this must be the work of the third prince, who most likely killed Chen San to silence him in order to protect Min Yuan and Ning Xiang.
But Zhu Qingyan also said that she chased the two men all the way, and wanted to find an opportunity to snatch him back and send him to the Minister's Mansion, but she didn't expect that the two men kidnapped Chen San and went straight to the Minister's Mansion. She watched them throw him at the door of the Minister's Mansion, and then Chen San was carried in, and she gave up.
As a result, Zhu Lan was a little confused.
Who kidnapped Chen San?
If he was really the Third Prince's man, why did he send the key witness directly to the Minister of Revenue? What good would this do him?
And I heard that Ning Xiang also went to the Minister's Mansion to surrender himself in public. Merchants value profit, and Ning Xiang dared to take great risks to bribe Min Yuan for many years. How could he take the initiative to admit the crime of beheading because of his guilty conscience?
"Forget it, forget it. I don't want to think about it anymore!" Qiao Youyou stretched lazily. After being busy all day, she was so tired that she almost hung on Zhu Lan, but she felt more relaxed than she had felt in a long time.
"Starting tomorrow, I finally don't have to come to this damn government office anymore. I'm so suffocated! Let's go home and sleep~!"
Zhu Lan also smiled, and the two of them walked towards home.
…
In the Prince Qi's Palace, river lanterns were lit on the lotus pond, and the water reflected two figures playing chess in the pavilion.
Murong Lian was playing white chess. Seeing that a piece of white chess was trapped on the board, he placed his piece slowly.
The two black pieces' path to the dragon was completely blocked, and they immediately became abandoned pieces. The situation for the white pieces was reversed, and they survived.
Yan Changwen ignored it and made another move, putting another white piece in trouble in the blink of an eye.
"Your Highness is quite decisive in abandoning his son." Murong Lian chuckled.
Yan Changwen looked relaxed, "To gain greater benefits for the chess player, this is the meaning of the existence of the abandoned pieces."
Murong Lin was still somewhat worried. "But if those two lose their minds at the critical moment of life and death and say something they shouldn't say, and make random accusations, even if they can't hurt Your Highness, but the news gets to the ears of the Emperor..."
"They won't." Yan Changwen smiled slightly, "They are all smart people, they naturally know the consequences of making random accusations. Only by dying can the whole family live."
Murong Lin nodded, and the worry on his face gradually faded away.
"But Your Highness did this out of consideration for the number one scholar. When does Your Highness plan to let her know that he owes her this favor?"
"She has been involved in the Crown Prince's affairs and will be very useful to us soon. The Ning family and the Ministry of Revenue are no longer of much use, so we might as well give them to her as a favor." Yan Changwen tapped the table lightly with his white but not slender fingers, thought for a moment and said, "Let's do this as soon as possible."
"Okay." Murong Lian understood and replied with a smile, "Tomorrow I will personally pick two gifts for her. With the intelligence of the top scholar, I'm sure she will understand it immediately."
Yan Changwen looked at her with a smile: "I'm sorry to trouble you again, Madam. By the way, let's go to the palace to see mother in the next few days. There are some things we should let her know first so that we can prepare."
"Yes, yes, you are my husband and I will listen to you." Murong Lian glanced at him reproachfully and threw the white piece in her hand back into the chess basket.
There was no need to continue the chess game today. The two men stood up and walked into the house hand in hand.
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