The Emperor was accompanying Empress Jing'an when he received the bandit leader's confession. He had initially planned to wait all night for the confession, but unexpectedly, Empress Jing'an, who he had assumed was frightened, came to comfort him. A warm feeling filled the Emperor's heart, and he accompanied Empress Jing'an back to his tent.
After receiving the confession, the two of them read it carefully together. It contained three pages in total, covering the entire assassination attempt.
After reading it, Empress Jing'an said with some regret: "Your Majesty, it's all my fault for suggesting going south. Otherwise, this wouldn't have happened."
The Emperor shook his head and said, "We traveled south on a whim, and the Third Princess, who is far away in the northern border..." He thought of the Third Princess, then thought of what she had done. He shook his head and said, "Third Princess wouldn't be ready so quickly. There must be someone inside the palace who can find the assassinated person in advance."
The emperor embraced Empress Jing'an and comforted her softly. After a long time, Empress Jing'an finally let go of her self-blame. After Empress Jing'an fell asleep, the emperor quietly got out of bed and left the tent.
Zhou Defa, who was serving beside the emperor, had just fallen asleep for a while and thought he could sleep until dawn when he was woken up by the eunuch. After all, he had served his master for many years. Zhou Defa took less than a cup of tea to get ready and wait by the emperor's side.
After the Emperor returned to his tent, he ordered, "Send a letter back to the capital to investigate all the princesses and princes in the capital. They must be kept under surveillance and not allowed to leave the capital."
After giving his instructions, the emperor had someone grind ink and start writing a letter. After writing a page, the emperor ordered, "Send the letter to the prince as soon as possible."
After receiving the order, Zhou Defa folded the letter, took it away, sealed the envelope, and sent a trusted eunuch to rush to the capital overnight.
Before dawn, local officials who had received the news arrived to exonerate the culprits, kneeling in unison a few hundred meters from the tent. After receiving the news, the emperor emerged from Empress Jing'an's tent. After returning to his imperial tent to wash and brush his teeth, he summoned the officials.
The official who had been kneeling for more than half an hour knelt down again after entering the tent: "Your Majesty, I am late and I am guilty." More than a dozen officials knelt down together.
The emperor looked around at everyone and said, "You are guilty of negligence, but it is excusable. I will fine you all six months' salary." He raised his hand and said, "Stand up."
Everyone kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."
At this moment, he was still in Shandong Province and had originally planned to go to Qufu, the hometown of Confucius, but now this plan had changed. After asking the officials about the local people's sentiments, he asked everyone to leave.
After Empress Jing'an woke up, the Emperor had breakfast with her. After breakfast, Zhou Defa took several palace maids and eunuchs to the Marquis of Xiangyang to announce the imperial edict.
Since it was just a title and he had no fiefdom or imperial book, he only brought the imperial edict and a few plates of rewards.
Marquis of Xiangyang received the imperial edict with his wife and Xin Jie'er. Listening to the eunuch who announced the edict praising the Marquis of Xiangyang's mansion and describing Xin Jie'er's character, Xin Jie'er felt embarrassed.
"Accept the decree, Princess Pingning." After the eunuch finished reading the imperial decree, he said to Xin Jie'er.
Xin Jie'er raised her hands to take the imperial edict, and then said words of thanks: "Your Majesty, I thank you very much for your grace. Long live the emperor." After that, she kowtowed three times.
The Marquis of Xiangyang went to see Zhou Defa off, while his wife and Xin Jie'er returned to the tent with the rewards. After changing their clothes, they were about to go to thank Empress Jing'an, but were informed that the Emperor and Empress Jing'an were about to leave, so they hurried over to see them off.
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