Chapter 173 The Grand Finale (Part 1)
So that's what she was planning.
Qin Ye's gaze shot towards Jiang Wanning with an icy intensity.
Jiang Wanning was so frightened that she took two steps back.
She knew how terrifying Qin Ye was, but she would not rest until she avenged him.
"Crown Prince."
At this crucial moment, Jiang Xinyu, who was sitting next to Emperor Jiaqing, looked over and said gently, "Wan Ning did not mean it. For the sake of the Empress Dowager, please don't be angry with her."
After saying that, he turned to Jiang Wanning and said, "Why don't you apologize to the Crown Princess?"
"sorry."
Jiang Wanning immediately adopted a pitiful and weak demeanor: "It's all Wanning's fault, it's because Wanning's leg injury flared up, that's why..."
Other people around them also turned to look at them.
Leg ailment?
Was it caused by being humiliated by those bandits?
Although this matter was disgraceful and ruined Jiang Wanning's reputation, the fact that she brought it up so pitifully and aggrievedly at this moment still garnered a lot of sympathy and pity.
No one dared to say anything, but their eyes betrayed their true feelings.
This is clearly blaming Yun Si; it's making a mountain out of a molehill.
It's just a teacup that got spilled.
No one was hurt, so why are you being so relentless?
Just as Qin Ye was about to speak, Yun Si gently pressed down on his arm.
She shook her head slightly at him, indicating that he didn't need to get involved.
Is Jiang Wanning playing the victim with her?
This is a trick she's already used enough for.
Yun Si slowly stood up, allowing everyone to see the mess on her clothes.
She wore a polite and generous smile and spoke gently: "Miss Jiang, you are too kind. It's just that my clothes are wet. I can change them. I'm not angry. Miss Jiang, you don't need to say anything more."
These words seemed to be merely a concession, without actually saying anything.
In comparison, Jiang Wanning's performance just now seemed like that of a clown, utterly unworthy of respectability.
But Jiang Wanning doesn't care about any of that now.
As long as she can achieve her goal, she doesn't care about other people's opinions; she just wants Yun Si to be ruined like herself!
After Yun Si finished speaking, she called A Wu to help her change her clothes.
At this moment, Jiang Xinyu spoke up at the opportune moment: "I happen to have a brand new palace dress, the size is loose, which is just right for the Crown Princess to wear at this moment. Let my maid take you to the side hall to change."
Two palace maids immediately stepped forward, one helping Yun Si, while the other cleverly blocked A Wu.
If Yun Si were to refuse the Empress's "kindness" in front of everyone, she would be ungrateful.
Yun Si still had to express her gratitude.
She gave Awu a wink, and Awu understood, but did not insist on following.
Qin Ye seemed unaware of anything amiss, as he was being questioned by several relatives.
And so, Yun Si was taken to a side hall.
The palace maid led her into a room, saying she was going to fetch some clothes and asked her to wait a moment.
As soon as the door closed, a faint sound came from outside the window.
Xiao Yi nimbly slipped in, a letter dangling from his mouth.
Yun Si unfolded it and saw that it was written by Fang Xiu.
The letter said that Lin Shuyan had gone missing an hour earlier.
Yun Si's heart sank, and she immediately became alert.
She looked around the room carefully and sure enough, she found an incense burner in an inconspicuous corner, emitting colorless and odorless smoke.
"Oh."
Yun Si sneered and winked at Xiao Yi.
Not long after, she staggered a few steps, collapsed to the ground, and fainted.
Xiao Yi followed suit and found a corner to "take a nap".
After both the man and the beast had passed out, a rustling sound soon came from under the bed.
Lin Shuyan came out first.
She glanced at Yun Si lying on the ground and Xiao Yi not far away, her eyes surging with deep-seated hatred.
That once handsome face was now twisted with resentment and malice.
Immediately afterwards, an unusually tall giant emerged from under the bed.
The giant had a ferocious face and strong muscles, and was a full head taller than an average person.
"Quickly, take her to the most remote, abandoned temple."
Lin Shuyan's voice was icy: "No need to be merciful, play with her to death, I want to ruin her reputation and make her wish she were dead!"
The giant glanced at Yun Si and saw that she was indeed a delicate and beautiful woman. A satisfied and lewd smile immediately appeared on his face.
He roughly hoisted Yun Si onto his shoulder, carried her to an abandoned palace, threw her onto the cold ground, and reached out to tear off her clothes.
However, the person who was previously unconscious suddenly opened their eyes.
A cold glint flashed in Yun Si's eyes.
The giant was stunned and before she could react, she quickly threw a punch.
He punched the giant in the left eye and then punched him in the nose, breaking his nose.
"hiss……"
The giant winced in pain, clutching his nose and taking a few steps back.
Lin Shuyan was also startled, but quickly calmed down.
She roared at the giant, "No one will find this place, kill him!"
Enraged, the giant roared and pounced on Yun Si.
Yun Si then realized that the other party's martial arts skills were not weak.
She dodged aside and immediately took out several silver needles, shooting them at the giant.
He was tall, and in Yun Si's eyes, he was a sitting duck.
All the silver needles pierced the giant's body.
Anyone else would have been immediately knocked unconscious, but he remained full of energy.
Yun Si frowned.
She fired another silver needle coated with deadly poison, and the giant grinned at her, not even flinching.
They're actually... resistant to both sleeping pills and poisons?
It seems that Lin Shuyan and Jiang Wanning really came prepared this time.
Despite the giant's fierce attack, Yun Si moved nimbly.
Tai Chi Chuan uses softness to overcome hardness. It may seem slow and intimidating, but at crucial moments, it can always deflect a great force with minimal effort, returning all of its power to the opponent.
Lin Shuyan was secretly alarmed.
She never dared to underestimate Yun Si, yet she still underestimated her!
"Hurry up, don't waste time, give it your all!"
Lin Shuyan growled in a low voice from the side.
She worried that things might get complicated if things continued like this.
Unfortunately, her and Jiang Wanning's vicious scheme was destined to come to nothing.
Two figures appeared silently at the entrance of the palace.
"Xiao Yi, which one do you choose?"
Awu's cool voice rang out softly.
Xiao Yi bared his teeth and growled, answering her with his actions.
It pounced on Lin Shuyan, scratching half of her face until it was bloody and mangled.
"Ah!" Lin Shuyan screamed in agony.
At the same time, Awu flashed in front of the giant like a ghost.
Her figure moved swiftly, her movements as fast as lightning.
"Sister, leave it to me."
Yun Si stepped back, and A Wu deftly dodged the giant's heavy punch, then swept sideways, a flash of cold light in her hand leaving a bloody mark on his neck.
Immediately afterwards, he leaped into the air and kicked him in the abdomen several times.
The giant screamed repeatedly, flailing his arms wildly, but couldn't even touch the hem of Ah Wu's clothes.
Awu's eyes turned cold as she circled behind the giant, her short blade piercing precisely into his back.
The giant collapsed to the ground and couldn't get up for a long time.
Ah Wu then kicked him a few more times.
On the other side.
Xiao Yi had already bitten Lin Shuyan until she was covered in blood, looking neither like a human nor a ghost.
Yun Si watched coldly, her eyes filled with indifference.
If you don't court death, you won't die.
This woman, she has given too many chances.
"Alright."
Seeing that Xiao Yi had had enough fun and was about to bite her carotid artery, Yun Si spoke up to stop her: "Don't kill her yet, she'll still be useful."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi finally relented and obediently walked back to sit down next to Yun Si.
Yun Si walked slowly toward Lin Shuyan.
At this moment, Yun Si was no less than a raging flood or a ferocious beast in Lin Shuyan's eyes.
"You...you stay away."
What are you afraid of?
Yun Si took out the poison she had given to the assassin leader earlier, intending to let Lin Shuyan taste it as well, so that she would obediently confess Jiang Wanning.
Unexpectedly, before she could even be given any food, she couldn't help but beg for mercy out of fear.
"I...I was wrong, I was really wrong, please don't kill me."
"So spineless?"
"Please, don't kill me!"
She was reborn!
How could he die so easily?
She was unwilling to accept it.
Lin Shuyan wept bitterly, begging desperately, "Yun Si... Crown Princess, you can't kill me, please don't kill me..."
"I won't kill you?"
Yun Si looked down at her, her voice cold: "Then who should I seek revenge on?"
"Find Jiang Wanning!"
Lin Shuyan quickly replied, "It was Jiang Wanning and the Empress who instructed them. They promised me that they would give me ten thousand taels of gold and send me away from the capital after the deed was done."
very good.
very good.
With the assassin leader's confession and witnesses, plus Lin Shuyan and this big guy, and the old emperor's own discovery of Consort Yu's death, I don't believe he could still refrain from taking action against Jiang Wanning and the Empress.
Has Your Highness arrived?
Yun Si asked A Wu, who was standing next to her.
Awu replied, "It seems His Highness has prepared other things as well; he should be arriving soon."
The words had barely left his mouth.
Then Qin Ye and Qin Mu arrived with the Imperial Guards.
Qin Ye glanced at the giant and Lin Shuyan on the ground, his eyes as cold as ice: "Take them away."
Several Imperial Guards immediately stepped forward and dragged Lin Shuyan and the giant out of the ruined hall like dead dogs.
"Ah Wu told me you made other preparations?"
Yun Si looked up at him, somewhat puzzled.
These days, she only knows that Qin Ye is extremely busy, but she doesn't know exactly what he's busy with.
"Um."
Qin Ye grasped her hand: "Anyone who poses a threat to you must be eradicated completely."
"you……"
Yun Si's plan for tonight only involves Jiang Wanning; even the Empress might not be able to touch him. But judging from Qin Ye's words, he seems to be planning to wipe out the entire Jiang family in one fell swoop.
"rest assured."
In the past few months, what Qin Ye has found out with Prime Minister Jiang is enough to wipe out the entire Jiang family.
Qin Ye took Yun Si's hand and they returned to the banquet hall together.
Lin Shuyan and the giant were brought directly before Emperor Jiaqing.
At the same time, another person appeared.
It was the leader of the assassins that Jiang Wanning and the Empress sent to assassinate Yun Si when she went to the border.
Upon seeing Lin Shuyan and the giant, Jiang Wanning and Jiang Xinyu were somewhat startled, but not flustered; on the contrary, they were quite angry.
I thought the person Lin Shuyan found would be foolproof, but it turns out he's just a good-for-nothing.
However, when Jiang Xinyu saw the assassin leader Lin Chong, his expression changed slightly.
At that time, in order to successfully kill Yun Si, Jiang Xinyu did not hesitate to arrange for Lin Chong, a secret guard from the Prime Minister's residence, to take action. However, no one returned, and she thought the mission had failed and everyone was dead.
If someone dies, there will be no way to verify their story.
But Lin Chong didn't die?
He's not dead, so why doesn't he come back to report to her?
Why would he dare to show up at this time? What does he want to do?
As Emperor Jiaqing watched the scene below, his face slowly darkened: "On New Year's Eve, can't people even enjoy their New Year's Eve dinner in peace?"
The people who had been whispering immediately fell silent.
The hall fell silent instantly.
"Father."
Qin Ye stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Your subject did not want to mention this matter tonight, but some people are so eager to come to us that your subject cannot simply tolerate them."
Emperor Jiaqing gave him a deep look but said nothing.
"I, Lin Chong, have something to report."
At this moment, Lin Chong stepped forward, knelt before Emperor Jiaqing, and presented a list: "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Jiang has committed cheating in the imperial examinations, formed cliques for personal gain, hired assassins, and for many years used his power to ensure that his protégés passed the examinations. He has promoted most of the officials in the court. This is a detailed list and evidence of his various acts of cheating."
These words shocked everyone in the room.
When Prime Minister Jiang stood up from his seat and saw Lin Chong appear, he had already guessed everything.
Compared to the panic of the Empress and Jiang Wanning, he remained calm and composed, maintaining his final dignity.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Jiaqing looked at Lin Chong with his majestic imperial gaze, and after a long while, he slowly spoke: "Xu Yin."
Eunuch Xu quickly took the list and presented it to Emperor Jiaqing.
The list details how Prime Minister Jiang manipulated the imperial examinations and placed his cronies in power over the past twenty years. It even includes the amount of each bribe and the names of the examiners involved in the cheating.
After reading it, Emperor Jiaqing's breathing suddenly became heavy.
"What a fine family, the Jiang!"
He slammed the list to the ground, his voice booming with fury: "I have always treated your Jiang family well, yet you dare to deceive the emperor like this!"
Jiang Xinyu turned pale and hurriedly knelt down: "Your Majesty, please be wise! This must be a frame-up..."
"Slander?"
Qin Ye sneered and gestured for Lin Chong to continue.
Lin Chong then presented a stack of letters: "These are secret letters between Prime Minister Jiang and officials from various regions. Among them is evidence of forming cliques, engaging in corruption, and buying and selling official positions, as well as..."
He paused for a moment: "Prime Minister Jiang once ordered his men to assassinate three censors who refused to compromise their principles, and recently, the Empress and the eldest daughter ordered his men to ambush and kill the Crown Princess on the way."
“My assassination attempt failed, and I was poisoned by the Crown Princess. After returning to the capital, I had no intention of betraying my master and planned to find a place to end my life.”
"Unexpectedly, after serving the Prime Minister's office for many years, the Prime Minister did not trust me and tried to kill me to silence me time and time again. Fortunately, I was saved by His Highness the Crown Prince and escaped a calamity."
After Lin Chong finished speaking, Lin Shuyan, who had been dragged to the front of the hall, also confessed, as did the giant who was on his last breath, who also identified Jiang Wanning.
There was a moment of silence inside the hall.
The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
With an emotionless gaze, the Jiaqing Emperor looked at Prime Minister Jiang and asked, "What else do you have to say?"
"minister……"
Prime Minister Jiang closed his eyes, offering no explanation: "I have nothing to say."
At this point, he knew that saying anything would be useless.
Prime Minister Jiang took one last deep look at Qin Ye. In that look, there was no hatred, no resentment, only dejection.
Throughout his life, he used his power to coerce many people, and he also helped many others. All of those people were grateful to him and respected him.
Only Qin Ye, that wolf cub.
He also used his power to coerce and support people.
Unexpectedly, instead of receiving his gratitude, he even took action against the Jiang family before he had fully developed his power.
OK.
That's ruthless.
He didn't misjudge him!
"If that's the case..."
Emperor Jiaqing coldly announced: "Empress Jiang is stripped of her title and immediately banished to the Cold Palace. The entire Prime Minister's family is to be confiscated. Jiang Wanning has repeatedly plotted to harm the Crown Princess and the imperial heirs, and murdered Consort Yu. He is to be given poisoned wine!"
After saying that, he looked at the giant and said, "Such a villain, he shall be torn apart by five horses!"
Finally, his gaze fell on Lin Shuyan: "As for her... let the Crown Princess handle her."
Yun Si and Qin Ye exchanged a glance.
After all, she was Qin Ye's "childhood sweetheart," and Yun Si subconsciously wanted to see his attitude.
Qin Ye did not hesitate at all: "Throw him into a brothel on the border, and he shall never leave it for the rest of his life."
A New Year's Eve dinner that should have been joyous ended in shock and somber mood.
The downfall of the Jiang family came too quickly, catching everyone present off guard.
At the same time, officials in the court were all on edge.
Even the Prime Minister and the Empress have been dealt with. Tell me, who in the court would dare to disobey the Crown Prince now?
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