Chapter 417: Apologizing
"I dare not ask for any reward, I only ask for the Queen's mercy and to fulfill her promise."
Zhu Mingzhi has been disciplined and has become quite obedient. She knows that if the Zhu family does something to betray the family in order to protect themselves, they will most likely be expelled from the family list if the news gets out.
But there was no other way now. She could only take care of her current situation and try to save as many people as possible from her family.
The queen also reached out and picked up the account book and looked through it for a few times. Many of the families in it did match the family record given by Qin Xiaochen, which showed that they were not fake accounts.
So she put down the account book and nodded.
"I did say beforehand that I would spare the lives of those innocent people implicated. But Zhu Mingzhi, you should know that, except for those ignorant children, no one else in your mother's family can be considered innocent."
"I know."
Zhu Mingzhi responded bitterly.
"My father has always been timid and incompetent. He has been accustomed to obeying my grandfather's orders all his life. He..."
"He's equally guilty."
The Queen interrupted the other party's self-deception with a cold voice.
"The interrogation results of the Qian family have come out. The reason they were able to fight so fiercely with the Zhu family was because of the role played by your father, the son-in-law of the Qian family.
So, regarding the Zhu family's involvement in the rebellion, do you think your father knew about it, and was he involved in it?"
The Queen's words were so resolute that they finally shattered Zhu Mingzhi's pitiful hopes. She knew her father's temperament; he had been a foolishly filial son his entire life. How could he not participate when his grandfather gave the order?
She stumbled and clung to the wall, struggling to find her way out of the palace gate. She saw her husband, who was used to being vulgar, waiting for him in the carriage with his two children.
"Husband..."
Tears in her eyes.
"Well, you're a bitch, you go out without even telling your husband. These two bastards can't find their mother, and they're crying all over the house. I'm so worried that my beard has turned two white. Hurry up and get in the car, I'm taking you home for a good meal!"
Zhang Jingguang lived an even rougher life than Jiang Huailiang. He felt sorry for his wife, but he didn't know how to show it. He could only grab his two children, let them cry and rush to their mother, and drag the woman back to the Zhang family.
Yes, this is already his Zhang family, what relationship does it have with the old Zhu family's bunch of suicidal people? He didn't think there was anything wrong with him trying his best to save his wife. This spoiled and hypocritical woman was the one who gave birth to children for Zhang Jingguang and took care of his food, drink, defecation and urination. How could he ignore her?
Zhu Mingzhi sat in the carriage, holding her child. Outside stood her uncouth and ugly husband, who never despised her. Tears rolled slowly out of the palace as the wheels of the carriage pulled her away.
The Emperor and the Empress were obviously extremely busy. People came and went in large numbers in front of them, like a fleeting stream.
Some came to report their mission, some came to plead for mercy, and of course some came to apologize for their achievements.
In the Qianyuan Hall, Prime Minister Ji and his two fools, no, honest men, knelt in the hall for a long time and refused to get up.
"Your Majesty, please have mercy on us!"
"Ji Aiqing, please don't be polite and take a seat. Come on, come on, don't be polite and find a place to sit."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"No thanks, Old Ji, come sit closer. Listen to me, we finally caught a big fish this time, hahahahaha!"
The emperor looked at his greatest hero and couldn't help but grinning. After receiving a glare from his wife, he immediately remembered that he shouldn't be smiling so happily.
So he coughed quickly, trying to suppress his joy. After forcing himself with great difficulty, he finally managed to put on the mask of regret.
"Well, Old Ji, the Queen and I both saw Ji Yunzhi's corpse. That fellow wasn't as lucky as Ji Minzhi. His mind wasn't crooked, so he died completely. Alas, the dead can't be resurrected anyway, so Old Ji, please accept my condolences!"
Prime Minister Ji's eyes dimmed, and a little bit of heartache trembled at the corner of his lips. The smile he forced himself to smile looked even more heartbreaking than crying.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the execution of this wicked son is a blessing for the nation. I, this old minister, do not mourn."
His voice was calm and composed, as if he was talking about someone else's family.
"I, an old minister, have no moral integrity, yet I raised such a rebellious son. This time, I personally shot Ji Yunzhi to death, thus completing the cycle of ill-fated relationship I had with him and his son.
Therefore, I do not mourn for him, I am only happy for my Dayu. Ji Xun is also here to apologize to the Emperor and the Empress once again! "
Ji Xun knelt down again, and it was easy for the two lackeys beside him to kneel behind the culprit.
The Queen Mother looked at the two timid brothers of the Zhang family, then turned her eyes to Ji Xun with understanding and asked the question even though she knew the answer.
"You have sacrificed your own family for the greater good and have served the country well. You are not one of those who colluded with the rebels. What crime have you committed? What is your complaint?"
"Your Majesty, as the old saying goes, a poorly educated son is the fault of his father. Ji Xun's first sin is not teaching Ji Yunzhi well. Another one..."
He turned his head to look at the Zhang brothers behind him, sighed guilty, and stepped forward to take the blame for them.
"The situations of Marquis Ji'an and Marquis Jingbian are different from those of Marquis Lantian, no, that guy Chang Shaowen.
They were both honest and sincere, and only because of the friendship they had fought together in the past did they blindly trust me as their military advisor, which is why I dragged them into this trap. From the beginning to the end, they had no idea what kind of chess game Ji had set up, and they were only acting according to my orders.
Furthermore, they bravely fought against the enemy and made meritorious contributions during the abdication. I beg the Emperor and Empress to be lenient with their sentences, considering their ignorance!"
As soon as the military advisor finished speaking, the Zhang brothers followed his instructions and kowtowed and begged for mercy.
"Please, Your Majesty, please spare my life, Your Majesty!"
"Please, Your Majesty, please spare my life, Your Majesty!"
But they dared not say anything to seek credit, as it was good enough if they could avoid being punished. After all, even if they were as stupid as them, they knew that treason was a serious crime punishable by the death of nine generations of the family!
The emperor and the empress looked at each other. The emperor was not sure whether he should chop off these two guys together under such circumstances.
The Queen Mother glanced at Prime Minister Ji who was kneeling on the ground again. Her tone was neither cruel nor cold. Her light question carried supreme majesty.
"Ji Xun, have you thought it through?"
Ji Xun stared at the Empress in silence for about twenty breaths. Only after he was sure that the other party was really unwilling to give in, he smiled bitterly, raised his hands, and took off the black veil on his head with a calm look, fulfilling his original promise.
"I, an old minister, lack virtue. I cannot manage public affairs, nor can I teach my son privately. Truly, my virtue is unworthy of my position, and I dare not continue to be the head of all officials.
I resign today and leave it to the king to decide my fate.
I only ask that the Emperor and the Empress show mercy and give leniency to the innocent. This old minister thanks the Lord for His Grace!
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