Chapter 64 The Prince's Failed Rebellion
When Zhang Xiaojia stormed into the imperial study, her heart was filled with rage, but she did not think deeply about one issue: the imperial study was not where the emperor worked in his daily office, but where he interrogated prisoners.
The emperor summoned the prime minister, obviously to discuss private matters, and she barged in so recklessly, interrupting the emperor's private affairs, so it was reasonable that she was punished to guard the imperial mausoleum.
The emperor shouted that the prime minister must have something private to attend to, and she just barged in, interrupting the emperor from handling his private affairs. She was also implicated in guarding the imperial mausoleum.
Moreover, she had even tied up the censors of the Censorate for Sister Yue's case, and this move was bound to lead to their impeachment.
Although the Emperor had not yet punished her as the Lunar New Year was approaching, she would inevitably be forced to guard the Imperial Mausoleum after the Lunar New Year. Being punished to do so in advance was only a matter of time.
On the way to the imperial mausoleum, Zhang Xiaojia met her mother, who was crying so hard that she was out of breath. Seeing this, her mother asked the leader of the imperial guards to take her to plead for mercy again.
Zhang Xiaojia knew in her heart that the emperor could not have been unaware of the fact that she was eavesdropping at the door of the imperial study.
This was what the emperor deliberately let her hear. The emperor's control over the entire court was the highest during the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Obviously, the emperor will have bigger moves to make later.
As soon as Zhang Xiaojia got on the carriage, he was surrounded by people from the Wude Division and taken to the imperial mausoleum.
She knew in her heart that all this was the emperor's plan.
Zhang Xiaojia kept lifting the carriage curtain and scanning the road. When she saw Zhang Yuncheng, she hurriedly called out, "Brother."
Zhang Yuncheng rode closer on horseback upon hearing the sound. The people from the Wude Division tactfully made way for him upon seeing this.
He asked with a puzzled look on his face: "Jia Jia, what's going on with you?"
Zhang Xiaojia wore a nonchalant smile. "The Emperor sent me to guard the Imperial Mausoleum for three months. Brother, you're about to take up your new post, so I can't see you off in person. But I've left two boxes for you at the Imperial Farm. You must take them. They contain things I've prepared for you."
Zhang Yuncheng cursed the emperor in his heart, but remained calm on the surface: "Okay, brother, I understand. I will go back to the imperial farm first and tell your husband to help you prepare everything."
Zhang Xiaojia smiled gratefully and said, "Thank you, brother."
Once again setting out on the road to the imperial mausoleum, Zhang Xiaojia's mood was very different from before.
Last time, she pulled a handcart, carrying the unconscious He Fei, and walked with difficulty on the muddy dirt road; but this time, she sat safely in the carriage, galloping along the flat concrete road. The improvement in her treatment was obvious.
Zhang Xiaojia suddenly remembered something that required the help of Jiang Hao, the Martial Virtue Envoy, so she called out, "Jiang Hao, come in for a moment. I have something to tell you."
Jiang Hao remembered the emperor's previous order. Although he felt a little helpless, he could only jump into the carriage and asked respectfully, "Princess Lin'an, what are your instructions?"
Zhang Xiaojia gestured for him to sit down. "I need you to help me check someone. Is the youngest son of the Chengdu prefectural governor really dead?"
Jiang Hao couldn't help but feel curious. He asked, "Wen Miaoyin's husband? Why do you suddenly want to investigate him?"
Zhang Xiaojia further explained: "Wen Miaoyin came to see me a while ago. She was full of doubts and claimed that her husband might have faked his death as a means to make her leave.
According to her, her husband seems to be interested in spending the rest of his life with someone he loves.
Jiang Hao couldn't help but frowned and said doubtfully, "If you really like her, why not just take her in? Why bother pretending to be dead and making it so complicated?
If he pretends to be dead, he will be giving up his status as the legitimate son. In this way, he will not be able to inherit the estate or enjoy the benefits that the legitimate son enjoys. "
Zhang Xiaojia nodded, agreeing with Jiang Hao's opinion: "That's why I find this matter quite strange and puzzling. What kind of thing is it that requires pretending to be dead to achieve the goal?
Moreover, if he really pretended to be dead, how could the Chengdu prefect, as his father, be completely unaware of it?
Is there some unknown secret hidden behind this, so much so that a third-rank official would go to great lengths to stage a fake death for his youngest son?"
Jiang Hao pondered for a moment and then said, "I will ask the emperor for instructions on this matter. Once the emperor agrees, I will definitely start investigating."
Zhang Xiaojia's heart moved, and he turned to ask, "How does my brother plan to deal with the virtuous concubine?"
However, Jiang Hao did not answer directly, but silently jumped out of the carriage, turned over, mounted his horse, and rode away.
Looking at Jiang Hao's receding back, Zhang Xiaojia knew in her heart that the emperor was going to take action against the virtuous concubine.
After passing through Huangzhen, we changed a carriage, had dinner, and set off without staying for long.
Looking at the supplies in the carriage, it seemed that everything was ready and she just had to sit in jail for three months.
When it was dark, they arrived at Shouyin Palace. They left a carriage for her and left without looking back. Zhang Xiaojia led the carriage to the back hall alone and lit the candles with a tinder.
The room was very warm. It looked like someone had cleaned it before. Zhang Xiaojia sat there without saying a word. Now she was alone.
She lay on the bed, thinking of nothing, and went to sleep. Anyway, He Fei would come to accompany her in the second half of the night, so she didn't have to worry about his safety, as there was guaranteed to be no problem.
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What could He Fei do when he heard that Jia Jia was imprisoned in the imperial mausoleum?
The emperor would find a reason for whatever he wanted to do, even without a reason. Moreover, his brother was the emperor with real power, not a puppet emperor.
In addition, the emperor originally wanted to detain Jia Jia first so that he could deal with Concubine Xian.
Shut it down, shut it down!!!
He Fei went straight to the stable. He wanted to escape before Xiao Maizi came to deliver the message. He rode a thousand-mile horse to the imperial mausoleum.
When Xiao Maizi arrived at the Imperial Manor, he saw the letter from Prince Jing. What could he do? It said that he was going to accompany the princess for the New Year, and Zhang Yuncheng was in charge of the affairs of the Imperial Manor. He had no choice but to return to the palace to report.
The emperor waved his hand and told him to go down.
The emperor came to the virtuous concubine's palace and looked at her lying there with a pale face. He sat beside the bed without saying a word.
The virtuous concubine smiled miserably: "It seems that the emperor has already known about this. How will the emperor punish Duke Heng?"
The emperor nodded and said, "Princess Anguo, I think the name Anguo represents a lot. I honored you, and this is how you repay me. I hate deception the most. All of you, Dukes of Hengguo, deserve to die."
Concubine Xian: "It was Princess Anguo who walked into the wrong room. This is all her fault."
Your Majesty: "The Great Zhou Dynasty had laws prohibiting officials from visiting brothels. The Zhou Dynasty government, through official precepts and laws, prohibited officials from having sexual relations with prostitutes.
Princess Anguo walked into the wrong room. If your father had been impartial and law-abiding, such a tragedy would not have happened. After it happened, your father did it again and again in Langya City. When he returned to the capital, he poisoned and beat her along the way, using extremely cruel methods.
For the sake of the emperor, I have suppressed this matter and will only hold it accountable to your brother. From now on, you should stay here and don't go out."
The virtuous concubine asked unwillingly, "What if I must go out?"
"Kill!" The emperor left a cruel word and did not even turn his head away.
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