Chapter 117 Rong An Confessed
"Rumor has it that the late emperor gave the Marquis of Zhenbei a secret decree, saying that if the new emperor is incompetent, he can depose him!"
Ling Chan scoffed at Rong Ruxiang's words, "Rumors? Secret decree? Deposed emperor?"
"Just think about it and you'll know it's impossible."
"Even if the late emperor valued my mother, he wouldn't have given her something so important. If you think about it, you'll know it's fake."
"I don't care!" Rong Ruxiang roared, her eyes revealing indignation. "I don't care whether it's true or not. What I want is absolute peace of mind."
"You didn't bother to verify it, but wanted to kill my mother for this completely false rumor?" Ling Chan felt that Rong Ruxiang was too unreasonable and too extreme.
"Heh..." Rong Ruxiang looked around, but her eyes didn't focus on anything, as if she didn't see anything. "The late emperor... everyone said he was a wise ruler..."
"He is kind and wise, knows how to use people wisely, and is a wise ruler with deep affection and a profound conscience."
"But he is too wary of the people around him..."
“As an emperor, he had many state affairs to attend to, yet he didn’t even trust his own son. He took care of everything himself, believing that no one could compare to him.
Ling Chan's pupils widened unexpectedly. Everyone who mentioned the late emperor admired and praised him, but those around him had some complaints about him...
"Also..." Rong Ruxiang retracted her gaze, "Outsiders don't know that the late emperor was already terminally ill at that time, and his time was running out."
"Under such circumstances, he's unwilling to appoint a crown prince... Haha."
Ling Chan knew that the late emperor died three years after Gong Lele's death. Ling Chan was four years old at that time. The late emperor should have been in his fifties and never appointed a crown prince until his death.
Xiao Heng succeeded to the throne entirely because he was the legitimate son of the late emperor.
"So I can't take any risks."
After knowing the reason why the Queen Mother killed Gong Lele, Ling Chan didn't want to stay here any longer.
She stood up and said, "Queen Mother, Wanyue has something else to do, so I'll take my leave now."
She had just taken two steps when Rong Ruxiang called her.
Ling Chan turned around and asked, "What else does the Queen Mother want?"
"Ling Chan, didn't your mother's female soldiers give you anything?" Rong Ruxiang looked at her expression.
Ling Chan sighed, "Those are just rumors."
If there really was something, Gong Lan, Gong Yu and the others would have handed it over to me long ago.
Ling Chan left, and Rong Ruxiang leaned on the bed, "Please clear the food away."
"Empress Dowager, don't you want to eat something?" asked Madam Qu. The food on the table was not poisoned.
Rong Ruxiang shook her head, "No appetite."
"Empress Dowager, you should eat something. Didn't Doctor Ge tell you to eat more to prevent your body from collapsing? Otherwise, even if he develops an antidote, it will be useless."
"Hmph." Rong Ruxiang snorted disdainfully, "We don't know if he can develop an antidote yet."
"Empress Dowager." Upon hearing this, Aunt Qu knelt before Rong Ruxiang. "Empress Dowager, Doctor Ge will definitely be able to develop an antidote. After all, his little grandson is still..."
In their hands.
Rong Ruxiang sighed, "I'm afraid...I won't be able to wait for his antidote."
Madam Qu was puzzled. "Empress Dowager, please don't think too much. If you don't want to eat these meals, I'll ask the imperial kitchen to make some soup to warm you up."
Rong Ruxiang nodded, "Okay, go ahead."
Madam Qu quickly had the food taken away and went to the imperial kitchen herself to ask for a bowl of chicken soup.
When I came back, I met Nanny Xian outside the house.
"Madam Qu, how is the Queen Mother?" Madam Xian has not served Rong Ruxiang personally since she was reprimanded by Rong Ruxiang. She is very worried about Rong Ruxiang.
Aunt Qu raised the tray in her hand and said, "The Queen Mother refused to eat, so I could only coax her into drinking some soup."
"The Queen Mother...seems to be in a bad mood today."
Nanny Xian thought for a moment, "Is it related to the matter of Uncle Rong?"
Rong An's story spread throughout the palace, even the toilet cleaners were talking about it...
Relying on the indulgence of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, Uncle Rong became arrogant and domineering. When he was drunk, he even said that the Emperor could not live without him.
So everyone said that Rong Guojiu's purpose in collaborating with the enemy and selling out his country was to usurp the throne.
The Rong family wants to change the situation, so how could the Queen Mother, a daughter of the Rong family, not know about it?
Although the throne now belongs to her son, his surname is still Xiao, not Rong.
If her younger brother became the emperor, the empress dowager would no longer be the empress dowager, but would become the eldest princess, and she could still enjoy wealth and glory.
However, some people think that the Queen Mother would not do this, because he is her own son, and he is closer to her than her younger brother.
Such rumors spread and reached the ears of all the masters in the palace.
Xiao Heng was in the study, writing something with a brush.
Fu Lu stood beside him, looking cautious, and occasionally looking up at Xiao Heng.
Look at the paper on the table again, there are words like "忍" written one after another.
Fu Lu only dared to stay for a few seconds and immediately lowered his head.
At the same time, over at Ankang Palace, Nanny Wei Qingwan was telling Xi Lingyue the rumors outside.
"Your Highness, this time... I'm afraid there's going to be a big storm." Nanny Wei poured tea for Xi Lingyue. "I heard that the one in Ningshou Palace... seems to be in very poor health..."
After becoming a concubine dowager, Xi Lingyue used the excuse of being old to stay in Ankang Palace and rarely went out.
So she hadn't seen Rong Ruxiang for a long time. "It's normal. We are both old, almost fifty."
"That's not normal," Nanny Wei whispered. "Everyone's saying... the Queen Mother has been poisoned."
"Some time ago, the Queen Mother summoned the retired Imperial Physician Ge."
"Your Majesty, do you remember? Yunshu's death was mysterious, but Imperial Physician Ge insisted that she died of illness."
Yunshu was Xiao Jin's biological mother, and she died shortly after giving birth to Xiao Jin.
Her death was strange, her body was cold and emitting chill...
"It's already spring, and everyone's taken off their winter clothes, but the Empress Dowager is wearing even thicker clothes..."
"Will she be... like Yunshu?"
Xi Lingyue was stunned. She and Yunshu were pregnant at the same time. Rong Ruxiang put all her efforts into dealing with her, but ignored Yunshu beside her.
Yunshu went through great pains to conceal the truth before she gave birth to the child, but the child died before the end of the confinement period.
"Where's Jin'er? How long have you been back?" Xi Lingyue grabbed Nanny Wei's hand.
Nanny Wei replied, "Prince Rui has been back for three days. Three days ago, Prince Rui came to see the Empress for the first time."
Xi Lingyue nodded in a daze, "Yes, he came to see me. Look at my memory."
"This winter seems to be particularly difficult. My memory has deteriorated a lot."
Nanny Wei was very considerate, "Your Majesty is thinking about Prince Rui, why don't I go to Prince Rui's mansion."
"Don't go." Xi Lingyue waved her hand, "He's busy, let him do his work first."
"You go down too."
Nanny Wei stood up and left, looking back every few steps.
Xi Lingyue turned her back to her and said, "Ah, I'm old, I'm all old..."
Luo Nanfeng and others have been staying in Ling Mansion for three days, but there has been no movement in the palace.
They are a little anxious.
"What does the emperor mean?" Luo Nanfeng paced back and forth while the other leaders sat down.
"Master Luo, don't be so anxious." Gong Taining comforted him, "Since we're here, just wait."
"Brother Luo, be patient." Jiang Chenyang also echoed, "Rong An is the emperor's uncle, and the empress dowager is his mother. In this situation, how can the emperor have time to pay attention to us?"
Luo Nanfeng sat down helplessly, "We can't keep waiting like this."
Ling Chan walked in from outside the courtyard, "Masters."
When she came out of the palace that day and returned to Ling Mansion, the doorman told her that Ling Rui had already moved away with Ling Yu.
In the huge Ling Mansion, there is only one master, Ling Chan.
She arranged all the leaders in Ling Rui's courtyard. Now they are all in Ling Rui's study, but it is empty now with only chairs left.
"Everyone please be patient and wait. As Sect Leader Jiang said, the Emperor is very busy right now. Once he's done, he'll resolve our issue."
"Everyone should not stay in the house, Grandfather, take some seniors out for a walk."
Ling Chan has been paying close attention to the situation in the palace these days.
Emperor Xiao Heng has been spending most of his time in the study recently, practicing calligraphy, and no one knows what he is writing.
Ling Chan guessed that he must have a very complicated heart. One was his own uncle, and the other was his own mother. He could only relieve his stress by practicing calligraphy.
Speaking of which, the efficiency of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Personnel is still quite high.
It's only been three days, and it's said that Rong An has confessed. The results should be out tomorrow.
In the past few days, Ling Chan has not been involved in Rong An's affairs and has completely distanced herself from them.
The next day, at the morning court session, the Minister of Justice handed over Rong An's confession.
"Your Majesty, Rong An has confessed his guilt and admitted that he has been in contact with Gongzhou for more than ten years."
"And he has been telling Gongzhou about the deployment of troops on the border, which has led to Daqi's repeated defeats over the years."
The corner of the mouth of the Minister of Justice, Zong Hongyun, was raised. "Your Majesty, Rong An has confessed his crime of collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country. He deserves death. Please issue an order."
Rong An relied on his status as the emperor's uncle to eliminate dissidents in the court, and Zong Hongyun was also suppressed by him.
Now that Rong An is in Zong Hongyun's hands, why doesn't he use all the torture instruments of the Ministry of Justice?
"The great Hitman Gongzhou also has a confession." Although Gongzhou could not speak, he could still write.
Gongzhou's confession was very thick. It not only described the process of his collusion with Rong An for many years, but also the content of his transaction with the Queen Mother.
Fu Lu placed the thick confession in front of Xiao Heng.
Xiao Heng looked at the pictures one by one...his expression became more and more serious.
This Gongzhou...wrote down all the transactions between himself and the Queen Mother.
Including the fact that the Queen Mother sent people to help Gong Zhou kill other members of the Gong family in order to let him take the position of leader of the martial arts world.
Also, help the Gong family squeeze out other martial arts sects so that the Gong family can dominate Qingzhou Prefecture.
In addition, the Queen Mother would give them silver every year.
Recently, the Queen Mother ordered Gongzhou to siege Qingyi Tower...
"Your Majesty," Imperial Censor Liu Yuanshan stepped forward. "The soldiers on the border swore to defend Daqi to the death. Countless soldiers have died wrapped in straw."
"Lord Rong is the emperor's uncle, holding a high position of power. Instead of devoting himself to the country and its people, he actually collaborates with the enemy and sells out his country."
"As Rong's biological sister, the Queen Mother failed to properly discipline Rong and allowed him to act recklessly for a long time. She is also responsible."
"Your Majesty, I beg you not to be soft-hearted out of your kindness."
Liu Yuanshan's words made the officials in the court sweat... He was too bold.
Even Liu Yuanshan's immediate superior, the Censor, looked at him nervously.
Liu Yuanshan's face was full of anger. Whenever he thought about his father and daughter risking their lives on the border of Dahe, he hated Rong An's behavior very much.
He enjoyed wealth and glory in the capital, but he even betrayed Daqi. All these years, those soldiers who died in battles on the border... were all because of Rong An!
Seeing Xiao Heng remained silent, Liu Yuanshan repeated, "Your Majesty, please make a decision for the soldiers who died on the border."
"They died because of Rong An's betrayal."
"emperor!"
"Enough!" Xiao Heng interrupted Liu Yuanshan harshly.
Liu Yuanshan was not afraid either. He straightened his back and looked at Xiao Heng, "Your Majesty, the overall situation is more important."
Xiao Heng's chest was heaving, and Fu Lu was so scared that he kept wiping his sweat.
"Rong An, you are a traitor to your country. You will be beheaded on a certain day!"
"His family and children were exiled three thousand miles away."
"Then the Queen Mother..." Liu Yuanshan asked.
"Dismiss the court." Xiao Heng interrupted him again, then stood up and left in a hurry.
Liu Yuanshan wanted to follow, but was stopped by the Minister of Justice.
"Lord Liu, please don't go to the emperor at this time." Although Zong Hongyun didn't like Liu Yuanshan always holding on to one thing, compared with Rong An, Liu Yuanshan was more likable.
"Your Majesty, do you want to settle things peacefully?" Liu Yuanshan asked him.
Zong Hongyun: "That's normal. After all, the Queen Mother is the Emperor's biological mother."
Other officials also came over to comfort Liu Yuanshan. Everyone's meaning was very clear. It was enough for the emperor to sentence Rong An to behead. Except for Rong An, the other female relatives and children would be exiled three thousand miles away... and only a few would survive.
As for the Queen Mother...the Emperor is the Queen Mother's biological son, and there is nothing he can do to her.
We can't let the emperor be an unfilial person.
"Let's go, there are still many things to deal with."
The crowd slowly dispersed...
Back in the imperial study, Xiao Heng ordered that no one was allowed to enter.
He picked up the brush again and began to practice calligraphy...
Fu Lu looked at the word "忍" on the paper. These words had completely lost their former calmness.
Xiao Heng kept writing and writing...until dark.
"Your Majesty." Fu Lu couldn't bear it any longer, "You haven't eaten all day."
He hadn't eaten for a whole day...he was so hungry that he didn't even feel hungry.
Xiao Heng dropped the pen in his hand and said, "I...will go to Ningshou Palace to have dinner with the Queen Mother."
"Yes, I'll arrange it right away." Fu Lu moved his legs, which were already numb...
He leaned on the desk to steady himself.
As I turned my head, I caught a glimpse of the words on the table.
A whole page is filled with the word "忍", and the last word is "杀".
Every stroke of the word "kill" was written with great force, except for the last dot, which was casual and free, as if something...had suddenly come to his senses.
Fu Lu broke out in a cold sweat on his back, and didn't care about the numbness in his legs, and quickly ran to the door.
"The Emperor is going to Ningshou Palace to have dinner with the Empress Dowager. You guys go and make arrangements." He informed the eunuch at the door.
Turning around, Xiao Heng had already walked down from the high seat.
"Go to Ningshou Palace."
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