"Huh?" Marquis Zhongyi was somewhat stunned by Cen Ying's domineering declaration.
"Madam, are you sure you can handle this? According to the artifact, Xing Xiaoya is less like a goddess descended from heaven and more like a demon. I have to keep my distance from such a person. How can you subdue her? If a fight breaks out, you're too weak to even kill a chicken; you probably won't be able to beat her." He was clearly worried.
As soon as he said that, Cen Ying raised her hand, clearly intending to hit him again.
The Marquis of Loyalty immediately raised his hands to cover his head, his movements of dodging were so fluid and natural that they had become a conditioned reflex.
He quickly realized his mistake and found that he looked too cowardly. He immediately lowered his arms, straightened his back, and tried his best to adopt the serious demeanor of the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness.
“If being good at fighting could subdue her, then why did you slink back here? Besides, I’m not the only woman in this household. You men are bewitched by her, but women aren’t!” Cen Ying said confidently.
Marquis Zhongyi was somewhat skeptical, but couldn't help suggesting, "Then you should be careful when you go out, and bring more guards and secret agents with you, in case anything unexpected happens."
"Alright, I'll leave the matter with the Wei family to you. I reckon the imperial court isn't very stable either."
After discussing it, the couple split up and got to work.
Just as Cen Ying had guessed, the court was in an uproar over the Wei family's affairs.
Inside the Hall of Light, the memorial presented today regarding the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness flew to the Emperor's desk like melting snow.
After all, the Marquis of Zhongyi led his men to surround the Wei residence and then punished the Wei family members, which was tantamount to vigilante justice. Although the matter was later handed over to the Dali Temple, it still could not change the fact that the Marquis of Zhongyi had overstepped his bounds.
"Where is the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness? With so many accusations, what else do you have to say?" The Emperor, sitting on his dragon throne, took the initiative to ask.
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Zhongyi has requested leave today."
The chief eunuch Ruan De, who was waiting nearby, immediately came over and whispered a reminder.
The Emperor couldn't help but frown and question, "What happened? He wasn't there at the crucial moment. Yesterday he was swaggering around at the Wei family's house, and today so many colleagues are impeaching him, yet he's nowhere to be found!"
As soon as the emperor said this, some of the officials below could not remain silent and immediately chimed in, "Your Majesty, this humble subject once again criticizes the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness for being arrogant and disrespectful to the Wei family, and for acting like a coward and lacking any sense of responsibility. He has set a bad example for all the soldiers and is affecting their morale."
This is clearly an attempt to escalate the situation, and affecting morale is a serious crime. If the soldiers suffer defeats in the future, the Marquis of Zhongyi's mansion will have to bear the blame and will definitely try to destroy the Marquis of Zhongyi.
"Ruan De, what was the reason for the Marquis of Zhongyi's leave?" the Emperor pressed.
"Lord Zhongyi said that he raised someone else's bastard for fifteen years, while his own son was living a life worse than pigs and dogs in the Wei family. He felt a sharp pain in his heart whenever he thought about it, so he asked a doctor to take his pulse," Ruan De hurriedly replied.
The Emperor waved his hand, dismissing him, and said in a low voice, "My esteemed ministers have all heard this. The son of the Marquis of Zhongyi has been switched, and someone else's child has been raised as a treasure. No one else could tolerate this. The Wei family has also been imprisoned and interrogated by the Dali Temple. If they are truly guilty, they must not be let off. If they have been wronged, I will naturally stand up for them."
"There is no result yet. Once the Marquis of Zhongyi has recovered, you ministers may ask him any questions you may have. Let's not discuss this matter today."
The emperor waved his hand, clearly indicating that he was unwilling to take action against the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness at this moment.
The Jiang family has been military generals for generations. Perhaps it is the blessing of their ancestors, but almost every generation produces a powerful general, and the current Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness is even more remarkable.
Although Marquis Zhongyi was over fifty years old, he had made great military achievements. Moreover, with him around, the generals were easier to control. Apart from the youngest brother, who was switched at birth and had accomplished nothing, the other three brothers of the Jiang family all held important positions.
However, the Wei family only had one official, Wei Xian, who was not considered useful, and the emperor had little impression of him, proving that he did not perform well.
It is obvious which is more important.
Many civil officials are now making a fuss, simply because they fear that one day, the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness will treat them the same way.
Although the court officials who were presenting their memorials were unwilling, they dared not disobey the emperor's pronouncement and could only bring up other state affairs.
Unfortunately, the emperor's protective attitude did not appease the court officials. On the contrary, a group of civil officials gathered together and wrote a proclamation to condemn the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness, using extremely strong language.
Moreover, this proclamation was not only presented to the emperor, but was also spread by those with ulterior motives, causing a great stir in Wangjing.
"The Jiang family originated in Huaiyang, fighting alongside Emperor Gaozu to establish the empire and defending it for Emperor Taizong. Generations of military generals accumulated numerous merits, receiving official ranks and titles, and being bestowed the honorifics of loyalty and righteousness. However, today the Jiang family members are immensely wealthy and powerful, arrogant and domineering. The Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness has raised a private army, trespassed on the residence of a fifth-rank civil official as if it were his own home, detained his family, and used torture—his crimes deserve death. If we do not speak out today, we may one day suffer the same fate as the Wei family, with the Jiang family as the butcher and us as the fish on the chopping block..."
This proclamation of condemnation thoroughly exposed the Jiang family's past and called upon all those with aspirations to resist them. It was clearly an attempt to use this as an excuse to transform the loyal and righteous Marquis's mansion, a family of generations of good people, into an entity that everyone despised.
Soon, someone copied it down and placed the proclamation on the Marquis of Zhongyi's desk.
He picked up the paper and began to read, occasionally stumbling over his words, which left Cen Shi feeling helpless.
"My lord, are you illiterate? How come you have such difficulty reading a proclamation?"
“Of course I can read, but I’m naturally allergic to these flowery words,” he said irritably.
"You said Xing Xiaoya's matter was troublesome before, but now it seems the Wei family is even more difficult to deal with. Many officials in the court have joined forces to bring you down. What are your plans, Marquis?" Cen Ying immediately saw through the situation.
Marquis Zhongyi scoffed and tore the proclamation in his hand to shreds: "Anything I don't acknowledge is just a piece of waste paper. Madam, don't worry. I've been fighting with those old fogies for years. I know what they're up to as soon as they put their butts up."
"I anticipated these events before leading my men into the Wei family compound, and I had already prepared contingency plans. If it weren't for my concern for the third son, I wouldn't have asked for leave today; I would have already started fighting them. We'll continue the battle tomorrow!"
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