There's no way to judge; different people simply make different choices!
Xie Chong didn't seem to want to delay, and quickly packed the things out. It was a very large box, and he probably held it tightly to his chest, afraid that someone would covet it.
Rong Ning was also afraid that something might go wrong, so she led her entourage to the palace to see her father, the Emperor, without stopping.
Before the emperor, Xie Chong didn't waste any words and presented a whole box of evidence. The emperor didn't dismiss the officials. They looked at the things with different expressions, and their eyes were also very complicated when they looked at Xie Chong.
Xie Chong pretended not to notice and, in front of everyone, accused the Prime Minister's Office and even the Xie family of crimes, saying that his grandfather, Prime Minister Xie, had abused his power and controlled the discourse of the entire civil service system in the Southern Dynasty, interfered in many important cases, and used the opportunity to suppress his political enemies.
Xie Chong also said that the Prime Minister's Mansion condoned its family members' murders and arson, seized farmland and other people's assets, and even disregarded the country for personal gain, participating in private salt and iron smuggling and arms trafficking.
Each and every one of these cases is supported by evidence, and each and every one of these cases constitutes a capital offense.
Rong Ning was unusually well-behaved and didn't cause any trouble. She listened to the whole thing from beginning to end. As she listened, she seemed to understand that Xie Chong dared to make demands because he wanted to use the entire Xie clan as a stepping stone to fight for his own survival.
The court has undergone a major reshuffle, and there are few who dare to speak up for the Prime Minister. Even if they do speak up, they cannot find a reason to refute him in the face of solid evidence.
They dared not say that the whole box of evidence was fake.
The emperor immediately ordered the entire Xie family to be imprisoned and await their fate.
How to deal with Xie Chong became a point of contention among the court officials.
The political situation in the imperial court is constantly changing. In order to avoid any unforeseen complications, opponents will seize any opportunity to eliminate any potential threats. Therefore, most ministers are unwilling to let Xie Chong, the eldest grandson of the Xie family, go.
However, some ministers felt that Xie Chong should be let off the hook because he had put aside his own family for the greater good and provided crucial evidence, which was of great merit. If he could not be pardoned even after doing so much, then who would trust the court and the emperor in the future?
It must be said that this idea does indeed raise the bar.
But the emperor remained silent, leaving his subordinates unsure of his intentions.
After they had finished arguing, Rong Ning, who had been keeping a low profile and not saying a word, slowly walked to the front and said, “Father, I believe that Xie Chong has never been involved in these matters, and from the moment he presented the evidence, he has had no connection with the Xie family. What happens to the Xie family is none of his business.”
The emperor narrowed his eyes and asked, "You want to protect him?"
"Um..."
Rong Ning didn't waste any words; her attitude was very clear.
The emperor did not ask any further questions, but he still did not say how to deal with Xie Chong, only saying, "I will consider how to deal with Xie Chong. The most important thing right now is to get a result as soon as possible."
After he gave the order, his subordinates stopped talking and obediently went to sort out the evidence.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Rong Ning left with Xie Chong.
Since his father hadn't convicted him, he naturally wouldn't have to go to jail, but letting him leave the palace was definitely not an option either. After thinking for a moment, Rong Ning took Xie Chong to the East Palace.
The Crown Prince has been so busy lately that he barely has time to rest, and the Eastern Palace is just sitting empty anyway.
Rong Ning led her people over, and when they arrived at the gate of the East Palace, Rong Ning warned again, "The premise of my protection for you is that you must behave yourself. Let me make this clear from the beginning: if you dare to have any bad intentions, I will be the first to chop you up and feed you to the dogs!"
Xie Chong lowered his head meekly, "I understand! Please rest assured, Your Highness!"
Rong Ning nodded and led him through the gates of the East Palace.
Before coming to the East Palace, Rong Ning had already sent someone to summon the Crown Prince, so they didn't have to wait long before he returned.
The Crown Prince had already heard the gist of the matter on his way back. The first thing he did upon returning to the Eastern Palace was to have Aheng prepare accommodations for Xie Chong and to order that he be kept under strict guard.
Throughout the entire process, Xie Chong's expression remained unchanged. He politely expressed his gratitude and obediently followed along.
When only the Crown Prince and Rong Ning were in the courtyard, the Crown Prince solemnly asked him, "Do you really want to protect him?"
“Hmm…” Rong Ning plopped down, “This is the condition I agreed to for him, and I don’t think protecting him is necessarily a bad thing.”
"Indeed, the Zhu family could go to such lengths to preserve even a single bloodline. How much more so should we do this to Prime Minister Xie? Instead of wiping them out completely, we left them a chance to live. Instead, we could negotiate with Prime Minister Xie properly. Isn't that a valid approach?"
Yes, that's what I mean.
If Rong Ning could think of this point from the beginning, then her father, the Emperor, must have thought of it as well.
Therefore, Xie Chong's life will definitely be saved, but how Xie Chong will live afterward depends on what Prime Minister Xie does next.
With the relevant evidence presented, the rest is a matter of court politics, figuring out the best outcome to maximize benefits—that's the area of expertise for the Crown Prince and the Emperor. Rong Ning, on the other hand, can relax for a while.
She hadn't stayed overnight in the palace for a long time, and now that Xie Chong was being held captive in the East Palace, she didn't think about going out and went directly to Zhaoqing Palace.
Since returning from the North, she has only stayed overnight in the palace once. The concubines in the harem have learned their lesson and, upon receiving news that she was going to stay overnight in Zhaoqing Palace, they began to stay in their palaces to avoid getting into trouble.
Unexpectedly, the Imperial Concubine came over in person in the evening.
Previously, Rong Ning and the Imperial Concubine had always been at odds and would avoid seeing each other if possible. After the elder sister went to marry a foreign ruler, the two of them maintained a harmonious and tacit understanding of keeping to themselves.
So the Imperial Concubine must have something important to discuss with you now that she has come to visit. Rong Ning did not stop her and let her into Zhaoqing Palace, treating her with courtesy.
After the Imperial Concubine sat down, she didn't waste any time on pleasantries and went straight to the point, "His Majesty said that it's rare for you to stay in the palace, so he asked me to take this opportunity to talk to His Highness about your coming-of-age ceremony."
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