Chapter 119
"Perhaps, it's 'silencing'." Shen Yanzhi spat out these two words, and the temperature in the study dropped a few degrees.
Song Qingyuan's heart trembled: "Silencing? Manager Qian is already dead. The autopsy report from the clan affairs office clearly stated that he committed suicide out of fear of punishment. Could it be..."
"Committing suicide out of fear of punishment can also mean 'being forced to commit suicide.'" Shen Yanzhi's finger slowly moved across an area on the map, "What Shopkeeper Qian knows is probably more than just the King of Wei wanting to poison us.
Remember the account book we got earlier? We thought it contained evidence of corruption in the Duke of Wei's mansion.
"You mean, there are other secrets hidden in that account book?" Song Qingyuan reacted immediately.
"The Duke of Wei surrendered 30% of his assets. It might seem like a huge loss, but in reality, it was a desperate move to survive. The assets he surrendered were all visible and easily traceable."
Shen Yanzhi's fingertips stopped at an inconspicuous spot. "But what about those businesses that can truly bring him endless wealth, but are also shady? For example, private salt, ironware, and even...arms smuggling. These are the true foundation and lifeblood of the Duke of Wei's Mansion."
Song Qingyuan gasped. If this were true, then the nature of the Prince of Wei's rebellion had completely changed. It was no longer a simple struggle between the princes for the throne, but involved a massive, hidden interest group.
"Manager Qian's shop might just be a small node in this huge network of interests." Song Qingyuan followed his line of thought and deduced, "When he betrayed King Wei, he was actually betraying the entire network.
Therefore, he must die. And the reason why his family was so terrified was because they knew that this network did not collapse with the fall of King Wei.
It still exists, and like a giant, invisible net, it envelops them. Our high-profile "compensation" efforts today, in their eyes, aren't just giving them money, but demanding their lives. This will only put them once again in the sights of that terrorist network.
Once you understand this, the seemingly unreasonable words and actions of the Qian family mother and son all have reasonable explanations.
The "traitor" the child mentioned might not be referring to the court, but to the secret network. And the "you" in "those who were killed by you" didn't refer to the Eastern Palace, but to the mysterious force that forced his father to death.
"What a Duke of Wei." A cold murderous intent flashed in Shen Yanzhi's eyes. "He used 30% of his assets, which was not worth mentioning, to play a trick and deceive the emperor, and temporarily let us down our guard. But I didn't expect that his real weakness was hidden so deeply."
"What should we do now?" Song Qingyuan asked. "We've already sent people out to investigate, but if they're truly so deeply entrenched, it'll be difficult to find anything in a short period of time. Furthermore, if we make any big moves, we'll only alert the enemy."
"So, we can't investigate openly." Shen Yanzhi turned around and looked at her, a sly glint in his eyes, the same as hers. "Don't they want to hide in the dark? I'm going to force them into the open."
"you mean……"
"The compensation must continue." Shen Yanzhi's mouth curled up slightly, "And, it must be bigger and more grand!"
Song Qingyuan's eyes lit up and he instantly understood his intention.
Shen Yanzhi continued, "Tomorrow, I will submit another memorial. Regarding the Qian family's case, I deeply understand the difficulty of providing relief. Many of the victims' families, either due to excessive grief or fear of being implicated as traitors, dare not accept the court's grace. If this continues, we will be failing the emperor's grace."
"So," Song Qingyuan said with a hint of excitement in his voice, "you implore your father to issue an order to set up an 'Imperial Grace Platform' on Suzaku Street in three days, and to publish the names of all the people implicated in this case who should be given relief.
At that time, the Eastern Palace, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Duke of Wei's residence will jointly distribute the pension on stage. Anyone on the list can collect it on the spot with their household registration documents. The imperial guards will maintain order on the scene to ensure that nothing goes wrong.
"That's right!" Shen Yanzhi clapped his hands and praised, "Qingyuan and I really are on the same page. Aren't they afraid of being exposed? I'll build them the biggest, most conspicuous stage and let all the people in the capital come as spectators.
I want to see if they dare to make any small moves under the watchful eyes of the imperial guards! The fear of those suffering families will naturally be reduced a little when they see the court's tough stance.
As long as one person dares to come forward to receive the money, there will be a second and a third.”
Song Qingyuan nodded and added, "More importantly, this 'Imperial Grace Platform' can be used as a sieve. It will be clear at a glance who came, who didn't, and who came and had problems.
If the network hiding in the shadows doesn't want us to follow their lead, they have to react. Either they can only watch us contact those 'informed'; or they have to take the risk of preventing these people from coming to collect the money. And once they take action, they will inevitably be exposed.
This wasn't just a "test the waters" exercise; it was a direct explosion of a depth charge beneath the surface of the calm lake, forcing all the fish and shrimp lurking underwater, no matter how big or small, good or evil, to reveal their true colors.
"However, this move is also quite dangerous." Shen Yanzhi's expression became serious again. "Forcing everyone out in the open is equivalent to putting those innocent people in more direct danger. If the other party is desperate and creates chaos on Suzaku Street, the consequences will be unimaginable."
"So, for this big show, security is of paramount importance."
Song Qingyuan's eyes were firm. "We must do this perfectly. Besides, shouldn't the Duke of Wei's Mansion also be involved? They also have a 'responsibility' to maintain order and protect the people. I want to see, in front of the entire city, whether they will truly protect us or secretly hinder us."
This is another Chongyang conspiracy.
The Duke of Wei's family was tied tightly to the chariot, making them unable to move.
"Okay." Shen Yanzhi held her hand tightly, "Let's do it. Qingyuan, this time, we must uproot this big tree of Duke Wei's Mansion!"
At this moment, Lin Xiaoshu's hurried voice came from outside the study.
"Your Highness, Your Majesty, someone else has come to the palace."
In the palace again? Song Qingyuan and Shen Yanzhi looked at each other, both a little surprised.
"Who is it this time?"
Lin Xiaoshu pushed the door open and came in, his face pale and his voice trembling: "It's... it's Fu Zongguan who is beside His Majesty who came in person.
He…he conveyed the Emperor's oral instructions, saying…that His Majesty has caught a cold tonight and has a splitting headache, and summoned the Crown Princess…to enter the palace immediately to attend to him!"
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