Chapter 363: The New Year Gift Was Tampered With
The more he tried to hide it, the more suspicious he became.
Emperor Defeng lowered his voice, "What if I just want to take a look?"
Duan Siming knelt on the ground and did not move for a long time.
Xiao Yanqing narrowed his eyes. "Father, I just saw that thing. It looks like a dragon button. It looks like a private seal. Isn't this an illegal item?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall suddenly became quiet. The relaxed and happy atmosphere just now suddenly disappeared, and in an instant it became tense like a fully drawn bowstring.
Concubine Rou's heart suddenly rose to her throat and her face turned pale.
She was too happy too early!
As expected, someone tampered with the New Year gifts.
This private seal with a dragon knob fell out from the New Year gifts in southern Yunnan. Even though there is no inscription on it, its shape is presumptuous.
The emperor is already suspicious, and after this incident, I'm afraid he will regard southern Yunnan as an even greater thorn in his side.
Lu Zhiran's breathing stagnated for a moment, and her palms were sweaty.
Xiao Yanci's face was gloomy, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Emperor Defeng sat at the top, his eyes dark and unclear, and his whole body exuded the aura of impending storm.
Duan Siming hurriedly defended himself, "Your Majesty, this is definitely not a private seal with a dragon button."
"What is that?"
Duan Siming hesitated, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. Please allow me to explain it to you in private."
Emperor Defeng's expression remained sullen. "If you have anything to say, please explain it publicly, so that you, my dear ministers, will not misunderstand the King of Diannan."
Duan Siming was still hesitant, but Emperor Defeng had lost his patience.
"Come here, bring that thing up for me."
A eunuch near him immediately stepped forward, snatched the thing from Duan Siming's hand, and handed it over respectfully.
No one could see clearly, but some people were blinded by the flash of golden light.
The corners of Xiao Yanqing's lips curled up slightly, but he quickly suppressed it.
Their plan was successful.
This time, he wanted to see how the King of Southern Yunnan would defend himself.
When Emperor Defeng saw what was presented to him, his eyes became even darker.
"Lord Duan, please explain why this thing exists."
When Xiao Yanqing heard the implicit anger in Emperor Defeng's tone, he became more certain that his plan had succeeded.
He glanced at his confidants, and one of them immediately stood up and said in an excited tone, "The King of Southern Yunnan is a minister, but he privately casts a dragon-shaped seal. This clearly shows his rebellious nature. I believe we should arrest this man and then send troops to Southern Yunnan to capture the King of Southern Yunnan."
As soon as this statement was made, someone immediately seconded it.
Concubine Rou couldn't help but want to stand up, but Jinse held her down and shook her head at her.
In this situation, she shouldn't speak, otherwise it would backfire.
Concubine Rou's nails dug into her flesh, and she used all her strength to suppress the urge to get up.
Duan Siming explained loudly, "Your Majesty, that is not a private seal with a dragon knob, but a piece of stone brought from southern Yunnan."
These words almost made Xiao Yanqing laugh out loud.
Stone? He actually said that.
Duan Siming continued, "That's not an ordinary stone, but a stone containing golden sand. A few months ago, the prince discovered golden sand in the Lanxia Valley. It was very abundant. This stone was fished out of that river."
When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.
The smile on Xiao Yanqing's face froze instantly.
What? Jinshi? How is that possible!
He lost control for a moment, "If that's the case, why were you so secretive and unwilling to speak out?"
Everyone also had this doubt.
"Secrecy is key. There are many tribes and chieftains in the Lanxia Valley, and the prince dares not rashly mine the land, lest they covet it and cause unnecessary trouble. Therefore, the prince repeatedly instructed that this matter must be reported privately to the emperor."
Xiao Yanqing's face looked as ugly as if he had entered a dyeing workshop.
How could this be?
Their plan actually helped the King of Southern Yunnan, allowing him to achieve great merit in front of his father?
How could Xiao Yanqing be willing to accept this?
He winked at his confidant again, and the confidant understood and spoke with courage.
"If that incident hadn't happened just now, who knows if you would have kept this a secret and mined it privately?"
These words were full of malice, and Duan Siming's face suddenly darkened.
"Sir, please be careful with your words! Our Diannan Prefecture is loyal to the imperial court, and its heart is witnessed by heaven and earth, and illuminated by the sun and moon! Regarding the Jinsha incident, the prince has already written a memorial to the emperor, reporting it. That memorial was submitted earlier. Even without the incident just now, the Diannan Prefecture would never have intended to conceal anything. This sir is throwing dirty water on us out of nothing. It's simply too much!"
The man's face suddenly froze and he was speechless for a moment.
Feng Youcai was very perceptive and immediately opened the memorial and placed it in front of Emperor Defeng.
Emperor Defeng finished reading quickly. His face was still tense and his eyes were filled with hostility. However, this time, his hostility was directed at the person who had just spoken wildly.
"Lord Xu, you are so reckless and unfounded, disregarding your loyalty to your subjects. Who gave you the courage? In my opinion, you should no longer be the Minister of Public Security."
With just one sentence, he was stripped of his official position. Lord Xu's face changed drastically and he immediately begged for mercy. However, Emperor Defeng was unmoved. With just a look, he was dragged away.
With the previous experience of Lord Xu as a lesson, those who had just said something they shouldn't have said immediately knelt down and apologized.
Xiao Yanqing is also among them.
God knows how frustrated and unwilling he is.
I thought it was a sure win, but who could have expected such a reversal.
He clearly had someone put the private seal with a dragon knob in there, so why did it turn into a piece of gold and stone?
Xiao Yanqing couldn't figure it out.
Xiao Yanci looked at him coldly.
He had previously written to his grandfather, asking them to be more vigilant.
Before Duan Siming went to Beijing, Xiao Yanci sent someone to contact him secretly.
Xiao Yanci guessed that there must be someone who was restless and might have tampered with the New Year gift.
So, they simply used the opponent's strategy against them and turned the tables on them.
In this way, you can also catch the fish behind you.
Sure enough, Xiao Yanqing's true colors were revealed.
If they had not noticed it before, Xiao Yanqing's plan would have succeeded and the Southern Yunnan Prefecture would have suffered a devastating disaster.
Killing intent flashed in Xiao Yanci's eyes.
He must be eliminated.
Emperor Defeng looked at Xiao Yanqing coldly, with an unclear emotion in his eyes.
Emperor Defeng did not rebuke him, but simply said, "King Wu, now that you are married, you should go to your fiefdom after the year."
This sentence made Xiao Yanqing feel like he was struck by lightning, and all the court officials were also stunned.
Not only the Prince of Wu was married, but also the Prince of An and the Prince of Jin.
But Emperor Defeng only allowed King Wu to go to his fiefdom.
This was clearly a clear indication that he had kicked the King of Wu out of the list of candidates for the crown prince.
Lu Shiyin's face changed instantly.
Concubine Li clenched her hands tightly and almost couldn't help but stand up and plead for Xiao Yanqing.
But how could she plead?
It was natural for an adult prince to go to his fiefdom, and she had no reason to even plead for mercy.
Xiao Yanqing also understood this.
He really wanted to ask, what about Xiao Yanheng and Xiao Yanci?
But reason made him swallow the question.
He lowered his head and said in a trembling voice, "I accept your command and thank you."
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