Chapter 858: It’s Your Own Fault
The empress dowager woke up on the third day after the emperor returned to the palace from the enclosure. However, because all the capable people in the Jiang family had died, the blow she suffered was too great. She vomited blood several times after waking up.
When the emperor received the news that the empress dowager had woken up, he picked up the memorial on the table that recorded the evidence of the Jiang family's crimes and went to the Cining Palace.
When the Queen Mother saw the Emperor, she struggled to sit up, panting heavily, her eyes bloodshot as she roared, "Emperor, you are so cruel!"
The Emperor's expression was indifferent. "I am cruel? How am I cruel? Jiang Jinghui, Prince Jiang, and Duke Cheng'en, Queen Mother, tell me, which one of them was executed by my order?"
"Jiang Jinghui died because someone tampered with the Lantern Festival lanterns. Queen Mother, I don't need to tell you who tampered with them, do I?"
"Prince Jiang died because he and Duke Cheng'en couldn't resist the temptation and chose to cooperate with Xiao Yechi. In the end, he was killed by Xiao Yechi. Queen Mother, do you think he deserved it?"
"As for the fact that Duke Cheng'en dared to instigate the Third Brother to launch a mutiny, and then failed, and he fled deep into the enclosure, only to die at the hands of a tiger, isn't this heaven's will?"
"Queen Dowager, isn't it all because of your and the Jiang family's excessive ambition that the Jiang family has reached this point today? Being the most prominent relative of the emperor isn't enough, you're even trying to control the ruler of a country. Isn't this almost like usurping the throne?"
"Any emperor with a bit of temper would tolerate you?"
The Queen Mother roared, "Don't forget, if it weren't for Ai and the Jiang family, you would never have been able to ascend to the throne!"
The emperor sneered: "I have never forgotten this, but Queen Mother, have you forgotten that if I had not stood up to fight against Old Eight, you and the Jiang family would have been wiped out by the Wan family long ago."
"You have indeed supported me, but have I done nothing for you and the Jiang family? We are supposed to have a win-win relationship. After I ascended the throne, I treated you and the Jiang family well, right? But you, forming cliques for personal gain, hindered me at every turn, and tried to suppress me. I am the ruler of a country, how can I allow you to be so presumptuous!"
As he said this, he threw the letter in his hand onto the bed.
"This is the evidence of the Jiang family's crimes compiled by the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple. Your Majesty, please take a good look at what unforgivable sins the Jiang family has committed."
The Queen Mother ignored the memorial and stared at the Emperor intently: "What do you want to do with the Jiang family?"
The emperor looked indifferent: "It's not my decision how to deal with the Jiang family. I will deal with the Jiang family's crimes in full accordance with the laws of Daxia. I will not deliberately suppress them."
The Queen Mother sneered. Why should she suppress the crime of raising an army to rebel, confiscating property and exterminating the clan?
The Emperor said: "Empress Dowager, as long as you stay in the Cining Palace and don't cause trouble, I will take care of you until the end of your life."
The Queen Mother sneered at the Emperor and said, "Are you afraid that the officials will say you are ungrateful, heartless, disrespectful and unfilial?"
The emperor didn't want to say anything more to the empress dowager, so he turned around and said, "Empress Dowager, please take good care of yourself. I won't disturb you any more." With that, he walked out.
"Can you spare the Jiang family?"
The Queen Mother asked anxiously.
The emperor paused, without looking back: "The laws of Daxia must not be trampled upon."
Watching the emperor's back as he walked away, the empress dowager was filled with hatred and fainted again due to the huge emotional fluctuations.
The day after the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple reported the evidence of Duke Cheng'en and the Third Prince's rebellion to the emperor, the emperor announced the punishment results during the morning court.
The third prince was demoted to a commoner and exiled to Lingnan.
In addition to the crime of raising an army to rebel, evidence of various crimes committed by the Jiang family in the past were also found out. The evidence was shocking, and the emperor directly ordered the confiscation of property and the extermination of the family.
Because the evidence was conclusive, no official dared to plead for the Jiang family.
After the court session, all the officials lamented the collapse of the once-prominent Chiang family empire.
However, soon some officials became excited again. Once the Jiang family fell, they could divide up the Jiang family's resources.
This is how the capital city is. When one building collapses, another will rise from the ground, and this cycle repeats itself forever.
Four Seasons Villa.
Daohua and Xiao Yeyang were busy for more than half a month before they finally received all the royal relatives who came to congratulate them.
When the young couple went to have dinner with Gu Jian, they found Gu Jian sitting in the yard in a daze.
Daohua: "Master, it's already October and the weather has gotten colder. You should just sit inside."
Gu Jian said "hmm" and followed the two people into the house.
After sitting down, Xiao Yeyang asked with a smile, "Uncle, what were you thinking about just now? Why were you so engrossed?"
Gu Jian frowned and said, "I'm thinking about the Queen Mother."
Upon hearing this, Daohua and Xiao Yeyang fell silent.
Gu Jian: "Tomorrow is the day when the Jiang family will be executed. Given the Queen Mother's temperament, she won't be so quiet and do nothing."
Daohua thought for a moment and said, "Even if the Queen Mother wants to do something now, I'm afraid she's powerless."
Xiao Yeyang nodded in agreement: "The deaths of Jiang Jinghui and others have dealt a heavy blow to the Queen Mother. Her health is deteriorating. Now that all the Jiang family members are in prison, the Queen Mother has lost her minions. What else can she do?"
Gu Jian's brows were still tightly furrowed. "You don't understand the Empress Dowager. She was a woman who dared to kill the Emperor. Back then, she and the Jiang family were suppressed by Concubine Wan and the Wan family, and in the end, she still managed to turn the tables."
After saying this, he was silent for a while and stood up.
"I feel a little uneasy and want to go to the palace."
Xiao Yeyang glanced at Daohua and said with a smile, "Okay, the emperor's uncle also wants to see you. He didn't have the chance before, but now that he has the chance, it's time to come to the palace more often."
Gu Jian snorted: "If possible, I don't want to set foot in that cage again!"
Hearing this, Xiao Yeyang didn't dare to say anything more and walked towards the carriage with Gu Jian and Daohua.
The imperial palace.
The emperor had just finished meeting with his ministers and was about to have lunch when he saw the eunuchs from the Cining Palace coming over.
"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother has woken up and said she wants to see you."
Looking at the eunuch kneeling on the ground trembling with fear, the emperor sneered in his heart. He knew the empress dowager well and knew that before the Jiang family was executed, the empress dowager would definitely cause some trouble.
She is really patient. Tomorrow is the day when the Jiang family will be executed. He wants to see how the Queen Mother plans to turn the tables this time.
The emperor finished his lunch before getting up and going to the Cining Palace.
When Xiao Yeyang brought Gu Jian and Daohua to the Qianqing Palace, the emperor had already arrived at the Cining Palace.
Upon hearing that the emperor was going to see the empress dowager, Gu Jian immediately said to Xiao Yeyang, "Let's go to the Cining Palace."
Seeing Gu Jian's serious face, Xiao Yeyang and Daohua did not dare to delay, and the three of them quickly walked towards the Cining Palace.
On the way, we saw many royal relatives.
"I knew the Queen Mother wouldn't do nothing."
Seeing that Gu Jian looked anxious, Xiao Yeyang took Gu Jian and Daohua through a secret shortcut.
(End of this chapter)
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