Chapter 297: Hunger Strike for Death
Before the Spring Examination, students from all over the Wei Dynasty gathered in the capital. After the examination, they would stay in the capital temporarily and wait for the results to be announced.
Teahouses and bookstores will seize the business opportunities and hold some elegant gatherings during this period.
Students can express their opinions at the gathering, display their talents and knowledge, and also hear things that they cannot understand from books.
It was at the elegant gathering that Qian Shiheng met Wang Zhi and Shen Hongxing. The three of them had the same views on some things and had a great time talking with each other.
But Wang Zhi and Shen Hongxing were both from ordinary families, and the entrance fee to the gathering was not low. Because of their obsession with learning, they gritted their teeth and spent the money to go once, and they were reluctant to spend it again afterwards.
Qian Shiheng was still not satisfied. He was not short of money, so he ordered people to hold a literary gathering at the hot spring resort outside the Grand Princess City to meet friends.
He invited students from poor families like Wang Zhi, who he had met at the gathering that day, as well as classmates and friends like Gong Jun, with whom he had a good relationship.
That day everyone was either reciting poems, writing couplets, playing chess or painting, and they were having a great time. Qian Shiheng invited everyone to stay overnight at Zhuangzi and soak in the hot springs to relieve their fatigue.
Zhuangzi's housekeeper was bribed and sent a servant to wash their hair while they were taking a hot spring bath.
Young masters from aristocratic families like Qian Shiheng and Gong Jun have been used to being served since childhood and would not be suspicious.
As for Wang Zhi and other poor people, they regarded it as the rule of the powerful and wealthy families, and did not want to refuse Qian Shiheng's kindness, so they endured the discomfort and let the servants serve them.
This is how the housekeeper got the hair of all the students.
After hearing the guard's report, the Grand Princess was furious. "Bring the butler to me. I want to ask him what has the audacity to murder my master."
The steward of the hot spring manor was the son of her wet nurse. Out of consideration for her relationship with her wet nurse, she was always kind to the steward.
I didn't expect that I would raise such an ungrateful person.
The guard said in embarrassment, "The steward has been imprisoned in the Dali Temple for interrogation. According to the steward's account, someone gave him five thousand taels of silver."
The eldest princess became even angrier.
A mere five thousand taels would kill so many students of the Wei Dynasty. Out of anger, she went to the Dali Temple in person.
What made her even more angry was that the housekeeper didn't even know who the other person was.
The reason why he coveted the five thousand taels was that he had become addicted to gambling some time ago, lost all his family property, and still owed the gambling house three thousand taels.
If he doesn't pay back the money on time, not only will his hands be chopped off, but the gambling house will also inform the Grand Princess, and then the Grand Princess will definitely not tolerate him.
The housekeeper was so frightened that he agreed without thinking.
This was obviously a setup. Wei Qingyan ordered Gong Mingcheng to investigate in depth why the housekeeper suddenly became addicted to gambling and what role the casino played in the whole thing.
Also, why did He Shiheng think of going to the hot spring villa? When the other party was designing the housekeeper, they must have ensured that Qian Shiheng was involved.
After Shi Yu and his group returned to the capital, Gong Mingcheng also got the result.
The person who led the housekeeper to gamble was a foreign businessman named Hu. The casino had indeed benefited from the businessman. The casino thought it was a personal grudge, so it cooperated with the businessman to set up a trap to drag the housekeeper into it.
However, when Gong Mingcheng followed the evidence to investigate the merchant, he had already disappeared. All he knew was that he was a foreigner with deep eye sockets and a high nose bridge.
The fish tokens and other documents that could prove their identity were all fake, and it was obvious that they came prepared.
The one who suggested going to the hot spring villa to Qian Shiheng was the eldest princess's maid, who was also the head nanny in Qian Shiheng's courtyard. When the eldest princess went to the Dali Temple, she hanged herself in the house.
The housekeeper of the mansion caused such a big incident that the eldest princess did not dare to delay. She quickly took off the pearl fork and went to the palace to apologize to the emperor.
After Qian Shiheng woke up, he learned that his good intentions had led to bad consequences and harmed Wang Zhi and others. He blamed himself and knelt before the emperor.
Although the emperor was angry, he also knew that they were not the main culprits, and that the head nanny who hanged herself must have been a pawn that Shi Dehou had placed next to the eldest princess long ago.
He then ordered the princess to fund the establishment of an academy for poor people to attend, which would be supervised by the court and used to cultivate more talents for the Wei Dynasty.
All officials who allowed foreign businessmen to enter the Wei Dynasty with false identities were dismissed, and the casinos involved in this matter were confiscated and closed.
The eldest princess did not dare to complain at all, no, she should even be grateful to the emperor.
Although building the academy would cost a lot of money, the emperor intended to train more children from poor families. In the future, when these children from poor families become successful, they would remember her contribution and feel grateful to her.
This kind of reputation and connections cannot be bought with any amount of money, and the Wei royal family is her mother's family, so the eldest princess was willing to be punished.
The emperor watched the mother and son leave with gratitude, and was happy that he had saved some money for the national treasury, but his brows did not relax at all.
It’s not that they are worried that the students they train will turn to the Grand Princess. Even though the Grand Princess paid the money, the management of the academy, the arrangement of teachers, and the content of teaching are all controlled by the court. In the end, they are all students of the Great Wei.
The emperor was upset that Shi Dehou had not been caught yet. After Feng Ruobao woke up, he committed suicide by hitting his head against a pillar.
Although he was rescued in time, he went on a hunger strike and attempted suicide.
After meeting the eldest princess and her son, he went to Lan Shu's palace and said, "I know that as an emperor, I shouldn't be merciful. If he wants to die, then let him die.
But Shu'er, I was ruthless in my first half of life, guarding against this and that, but in the end, I couldn't prevent anything. If it weren't for you... I might have already been buried in the imperial tomb."
"But I think you are more humane this way. No one says that an emperor must be cold-blooded and ruthless.
Although Eunuch Ruobao is a servant and you have the power of life and death over him, he is by your side day and night and takes care of you more than anyone else.
There are many confidants and right-hand men like Ru Ruobao around you. Cherish them. When you need them in the future, more people will be willing to protect you with their lives.
Just like that day, if you hadn't gone there in person, if you hadn't always cared about the empire and forgiven your subjects, the battle formation wouldn't have gone so smoothly."
Lan Shu leaned against the headboard, her expression more gentle than ever before. "Your Majesty, Feng Ruobao asked for death because he was worried that he would be controlled by others and thus harm you. It's not because he truly has no attachment to this world."
"I know."
It was because he knew what the old man was thinking that he couldn't bear to let him die. Humans are not plants or trees, so who can be heartless?
"Then tell him that the Wei Dynasty has set up a protective formation, and no one can use the poisonous insect to control him anymore. If he still insists on dying, then it will be his explanation to the bond between you two, master and servant."
Although she tried to persuade him like this, Lan Shu felt that Feng Ruobao would still choose to die.
The servants in this palace depend on their masters for their survival. Although it was not his original intention, he did let Shi Dehou go. The more loyal the servant was, the more he could not accept this result.
It is said that the servants in the palace are like grass. After being servants for a long time, even they themselves feel that their lives are worthless. What's more, Feng Ruobao will not make things difficult for the emperor.
How could the emperor not think of this? It was just that Feng Ruobao was seeking death, and as a king, he could not lower himself to ask him to live.
So I thought of leaving him alone for a few days, maybe he would figure it out.
The next day, Feng Ruobao did not commit suicide, but served the emperor wholeheartedly for two days. Just when the emperor thought he was really in love.
Not only did he take poison himself, he also took away all the old palace maids left to the emperor by the previous emperor.
When the emperor rushed over after hearing the news, Feng Ruobao, holding on to his last breath, smiled and said, "Master, this old servant will be loyal to you for the last time."
After a long while, the emperor said solemnly, "Old thing, I allowed you to live, but you refused to obey me, and you are now committing more crimes than crimes."
Although she said this, she asked the palace servants to bury Feng Ruobao properly.
When Wei Qingyan entered the palace, the emperor had been sitting in the imperial study for a long time. When he saw her, he tried his best to cheer himself up, but his expression was still visibly weak.
"No news about Shi Dehou yet?"
Wei Qingyan frowned, "We found traces of two suspected individuals, but when our men arrived, there was only the assassin.
The assassin was wounded and fled to Fengzhao. I suspect Shi Dehou has changed his appearance and is hiding somewhere."
She used her resentment to track down Shi Dehou, but she didn't find any clues about him, which was really suspicious.
The emperor saw that she looked tired, so he said, "Don't overwork yourself. We'll find the curse one day. Since the place to break the curse is in Fengzhao, let's break it first.
He is now relying on witchcraft to protect himself, and if he is afraid that you can break the spell, he will definitely go to Fengzhao to stop you.
Judging from the incident with the eldest princess, I suspect that he has placed pawns around each of his children. If that is true, it would be very easy for him to hide. So let's lure the snake out of its hole.
That's you. Be careful when you go to Fengzhao this time. Father will send more people to you. Remember to show the power of the Crown Princess. Although my Great Wei is not as powerful as Fengzhao, we are not afraid of Fengzhao. "
Wei Qingyan smiled, "I see, Father. You seem to be encouraging your daughter to cause trouble at her husband's house."
The emperor also relaxed his brows and said, "When it's time to make a fuss, we still have to make a fuss."
After a pause, his brows furrowed again, "I just don't know who that venerable is, and why he saved Shi Dehou?"
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