Let alone a mere Vice Minister of Rites, even the Minister of Rites couldn't protect someone in such a situation.
Rape of one's brother's wife and forcing her to bear a child is extremely horrifying anywhere, let alone for a court official.
With his position as Crown Prince secure and legitimate, and with numerous supporters, the Third Prince could only recruit a limited number of people, except for those who wanted to take shortcuts. He also had almost no high-ranking officials who were deeply trusted and valued by Emperor Xuande.
Even though his mother was a concubine in the palace, and even though Emperor Xuande favored him greatly, everyone standing in the court was shrewd and capable of being loyal to the Third Prince.
Huang Tao was someone the Third Prince managed to recruit with great difficulty.
The Crown Prince's faction is powerful, and even if he were to join them, he probably wouldn't be given important positions given his status. But if he supported the Third Prince, it would be a different story. They would all be considered meritorious officials. Almost all those who joined the Third Prince's faction had this in mind.
Even if the Crown Prince's position is secure now, Emperor Xuande is in excellent health and looks like he can reign for another twenty years. Who knows what will happen in twenty years? The Crown Prince's good fortune now may become a reason for suspicion later.
If the Third Prince were truly capable and had so many supporters, why would he have targeted Jiang Xuelin in the first place, and even turned against his own wife for her sake?
The Third Prince's wife's death was suspicious, but no one said anything. Even her family remained silent. However, those in the know understood that the Third Prince's wife's death was to make way for someone else, so that the Third Prince could have a supportive family.
If the Third Prince's wife's family hadn't fallen into decline, she wouldn't have died.
Now, the Vice Minister of Rites, whom the Third Prince had finally managed to recruit, has also been dismissed.
Others impeached "Tian Ri Zhao Zhao" because they felt the tabloid was an insult to literature, but the Third Prince wished he could drag the person behind it out and tear him to pieces. At his instigation, his subordinates stood up and demanded that "Tian Ri Zhao Zhao" be banned, and that the person behind it be found and brought to justice.
They kept slapping labels on Jiang Xuelin and Fu Hanlai as if they were free.
Yes, the idea was to have Emperor Xuande find out who was behind it all, but the Third Prince already knew who was behind it all, since Jiang Xuelin and Fu Hanlai hadn't hidden anything from the beginning.
However, as more and more people were impeached, some finally stood up to voice their opposition.
Leading the charge was Prince Ping, followed by Marquis Jing'an. After these two stepped forward, many other officials followed suit.
Prince Ping glanced around and discovered that a considerable number of them were spoiled brats who had been dragged into this mess by Fu Hanlai and Jiang Xuelin.
Although those people expressed their support for "The Sun Shines Brightly," they all looked pale and unwilling.
—I really didn't want to do it!
If it weren't for the debt collectors in their homes, they wouldn't have been willing to stand up at all!
Everyone has their share of troubles; they're worried that one day their family's problems will be published!
Thinking of their unfilial son and grandson still lying in bed at home, several high-ranking officials gritted their teeth and continued to speak out—there was no other way, they were their own family!
They accepted the loss.
That's true, but these people weren't stupid. Since Prince Ping and Marquis Jing'an had both come out to express their support, it was already a subtle reminder of Emperor Xuande's attitude on this matter.
so……
I admit it!
Once the debt collector in the house can get out of bed, then we'll give him another good beating!
The entire court was in an uproar over this matter.
Logically speaking, it was just a tabloid that suddenly appeared and shouldn't have been brought up in the imperial court. But the person behind it was special, and the person who opened the door to offer sacrifices was too outrageous.
Emperor Xuande sat at the head of the table watching the ministers argue below, and thought that what Ashou said was really reasonable.
If you have a clear conscience, why bother with idle gossip?
As for Jiang Zi'an's daughter, he knew what had happened to her a few days ago, and now it could be considered a retribution for his sins.
As for the matter of Fu Han deceiving the emperor and tricking him into writing the inscription, hasn't he already punished the sixth prince?
Seeing that things were about to get heated, the Xuande Emperor spoke up from the head of the table to stop them, "Enough! My council hall is not a place for you to quarrel. You're behaving like women in a market. What kind of behavior is this!"
"Guards, order the Three Departments to investigate the matter of Huang Tao, the Vice Minister of Rites. If the tabloids are found to be slandering an official of the court, they shall be severely punished."
The Vice Minister of Rites turned pale and immediately knelt down, crying, "Your Majesty! I have been wronged!"
Everyone understood the implied meaning of the Xuande Emperor.
If what the tabloid said is false, he will naturally be severely punished. But if everything the tabloid said is true, then Huang Tao's position as Vice Minister of Rites is over.
And if it is true, then all the claims of it being uncivilized or of it being a fabrication to slander an official of the court will be unfounded.
Others may not know, but how could Huang Tao not know the truth?
He was truly filled with regret. He regretted listening to his mother's instigation, regretted taking a liking to his sister-in-law, and regretted giving birth to that rebellious son. He never expected that the secret his family had been keeping would be exposed and ruin his future.
He can only place all his hopes on the Third Prince now, but the Third Prince has been persuaded by the Marquis of Yongchang and has decided to give up on him.
With the three departments in charge, they will surely be able to find out the truth. Huang Tao's position as Vice Minister of Rites is in jeopardy, and she is no longer of any value to the Third Prince.
Moreover, at this point, anyone who stands with Huang Tao will get into trouble.
Seeing the Third Prince's rejection, Huang Tao was almost in despair.
That bitch ruined my life!
He never expected that he would be defeated by such a trivial matter, and even less did he expect that what would ruin him would be his son whom he had never cared about, and the playboys he had always looked down on, thinking they were just relying on their family background.
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