Chapter 139 Staying Out of the Way
The news that someone had blocked the Crown Prince's carriage on his way back to the palace outside Bao'en Temple quickly spread.
Emperor Xiao Jing in the palace had a livid face and remained silent.
Wu Youde, who was serving him, was on tenterhooks and dared not make a sound.
Meanwhile, officials in the capital were on tenterhooks.
Although the onlookers said that the person who filed the complaint pointed to the Marquis of Ping'an's residence.
But everyone knows that if what that person said is true, one or two people couldn't have accomplished something so big.
Think back to the case of Vice Minister Mei; didn't it lead to a whole host of other cases?
Switching death row inmates? How dare the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review do that?
This is jumping on the line of what's acceptable in the imperial court!
Everyone knows that the founding emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty rebelled because one of his elder brothers had his tongue cut out and was sentenced to death...
The common people were also discussing it extensively.
Many people have also secretly started betting on how many people will be imprisoned and how many people's homes will be raided.
After returning to the palace with the Crown Prince, the Seventh Prince secretly went to take a look outside the Hall of Diligent Governance.
A huge number of people knelt down.
Crown Prince, King of Qin, Duke of Anguo, Duke of Qi, Marquis of Wuding...
Although many ministers knelt, the Hall of Diligent Governance remained quiet.
The seventh prince touched his nose; he knew now was not the time to go in and show affection for his father.
So he quietly informed Wu Youde, asking him to quickly prepare a bowl of cooling tea for Emperor Xiao Jing, and then packed his things and ran to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.
He finished his business, and his aunt said that it was now someone else's turn to perform.
Hopefully things will end soon so he can have a good New Year.
The seventh prince looked up at the sky.
It started snowing lightly on the way back from Bao'en Temple.
The snowflakes now look bigger, like... cotton wadding being pulled out of a torn coat.
Large swaths of them drifted across every corner of the capital.
"This snow looks quite heavy. I wonder if it's a good thing or not," the Seventh Prince muttered to himself.
Upon hearing this, Hu Zhouquan, who was following behind, quickly came over.
"Your Highness, it is said that a timely snowfall foretells a bumper harvest, so this should be a good omen."
The seventh prince nodded, glanced back at the palace which was almost covered by heavy snow, and walked out of the palace without looking back.
After leaving the palace gates, it only took the time it takes to drink a cup of tea for the Seventh Prince to arrive at the Duke of Dingguo's residence.
The mansion was bustling with activity, and the servants were all tidying up.
Shangguan Jin, dressed in a large coat, stood at the doorway.
"Aunt!" The Seventh Prince greeted her with a smile.
"Have you packed everything?" Shangguan Jin asked with a smile.
"Yes, it's all packed. I got a pair of gilded lotus-shaped hand warmers from my father; they were a tribute from a foreign country."
"One for you and one for the old lady," the Seventh Prince said with a smile.
Shangguan Jin smiled and handed the small hand warmer in her hand to the Seventh Prince.
"It's getting cold, so take care to keep warm. Don't think about anything else, just get some rest for a few days."
Your aunt is taking you to stay at a country estate in the suburbs for a few days.
The seventh prince agreed.
His aunt was indeed clever.
In other households, everyone is now like grasshoppers on a hot stove, but my aunt's family is able to stay out of it.
My aunt's advice to wait was indeed very reasonable.
Often, you don't need to do anything; opportunities will come to you.
Unlike the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, many people now barely have the appetite to eat.
The crown prince was furious.
He knew that no matter what he did, as long as it involved the Dali Temple, he would definitely suffer the consequences.
Sure enough, his father just yelled at him.
What does it have to do with him?
He didn't do it, he didn't file the complaint, and he didn't switch the death row inmates. Why are you getting angry at him?
He stormed into the Empress's palace, only to find that Empress Xu already knew about the incident.
"Mother, if I had known it would turn out like this, I should have had the Imperial Guards kill him with a staff when he rushed out."
It's all Xiao Qi's fault, she kept dragging me along, saying it was some kind of sacred Buddhist site..."
"Xiao Qi did the right thing. If it weren't for Xiao Qi holding you back, you would have had an even harder time getting through this today," Empress Xu said bluntly.
Crown Prince...
"Mother..."
Empress Xu sighed, thought for a moment, and then invited the Crown Prince to sit down first.
"That person was very clever; he chose the most appropriate occasion—a sacred Buddhist site, where bloodshed is indeed inappropriate."
He chose that place mainly because there were many people there, so more people could hear what he had to say.
What he said, whether true or false, will surely reach your father, the Emperor.
Therefore, if you kill that person on the spot with a cane, you will be at a disadvantage.
Xiaoqi is pulling you along, whatever the reason, that means she's putting the initiative back in your hands.
For this reason alone, you should thank Xiaoqi.
The crown prince kept a somber face and did not want to speak.
Seeing the Crown Prince like this, Empress Xu felt a little sorry for him.
Sitting in the position of crown prince for too long, with another guy eyeing him covetously, it's inevitable to feel uneasy.
“My son, the situation is now in your favor.”
The harsher your father scolds you, the less it has to do with you.
To be honest, your father is probably cursing himself now.
Alright, don't be angry. You'll have your meal with your mother later, and then you can go and pay your respects to your father.
This matter has come to your attention, and your father will likely entrust it to you.
Your father...
"Mother, Father has entrusted this matter to your son."
"Have your grandfather send someone to assist you," the Crown Prince said.
Empress Xu breathed a sigh of relief and said that she could leave it to the Crown Prince to handle.
"Then... what did your maternal grandfather say?" Empress Xu asked.
The Crown Prince felt a little more at ease after hearing this.
"My grandfather said that stability should be the priority, and with the end of the year approaching, it is not advisable to make any major moves."
The most important thing now is to protect that person.
We need to obtain the evidence as quickly as possible.
Furthermore, my main focus is on the Ministry of Justice; as for the Court of Judicial Review...
"My grandfather said, 'Just arrest the people involved in the case. As for the others, don't touch them, and don't involve them either,'" the Crown Prince said.
Empress Xu nodded.
Yes, that's the line of thinking.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was the younger brother of Emperor Xiao Jing's original mother, making him essentially the emperor's brother-in-law. He was definitely someone who couldn't be touched.
"What position does the second son of the Marquis of Ping'an hold in the Dali Temple?" Empress Xu suddenly asked.
"The position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is a sixth-rank official. Although the rank is not high, the actual power is considerable."
"Furthermore, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review is old and has not attended court for many days. The Earl of Ping'an's family is following the path of the Duke of Anguo and wants their second son to succeed him as Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review," the Crown Prince said.
Empress Xu gave a cold laugh.
"To jump from the sixth rank to the fourth rank in one go, that's quite an ambition!"
My son, the Dali Temple only needs to keep an eye on this one. Your father put you in charge, probably because he wants to protect that imperial brother-in-law.
Remember, you must obtain evidence.
The King of Qin will not easily give up on the Earl of Ping'an.
"Yes! Your subject has remembered!"
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