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Chapter 181.1
Chapter 181.1
Chapter 181.1
Night in the Forbidden City was darker than nights in other places.
Qianqing Palace was brightly lit, but it was so still that it seemed like no one was there. The emperor dressed in bright yellow clothes stood against the light, his face appearing to be mottled and blurred in Yong Wang’s eyes.
“Framed you? Who framed you? Chang Jian’an personally took people to Duke Xuguo Manor to search for this thing. Are you implying that Chang Jian’an wanted to frame you?” Chang Jian’an was the commander of the imperial guards and a confidant of Emperor Hongjing. Besides the emperor, he doesn’t listen to anyone’s orders, and he was a well-known lone minister in the court.
Yong Wang had cold sweat running down his back, but he still argued, “But this really wasn’t done by erchen. Someone had deliberately wanted to harm erchen. Father Emperor, please judge clearly. No matter how stupid erchen is, erchen wouldn’t use the golden seal on these letters. Otherwise, wouldn’t this be giving others a handle to use against erchen?”
Emperor Hongjing just looked at him with a sneer and didn’t speak.
Yong Wang’s heart, however, kept falling, and he never bottomed out.
According to common sense, it was extremely stupid to leave a personal seal on a letter to the other party, much less a confidential letter. But Duke Xuguo was a veteran who had served two dynasties, and he was also the father-in-law of Jin Wang. If Yong Wang wanted to win him over, it wouldn’t be possible without paying some capital upfront. Like an old fox, he wouldn’t make a move unless he saw a rabbit. Therefore it wasn’t impossible for Yong Wang to try to win over the other party’s trust by using his golden seal in a confidential letter.
And Emperor Hongjing’s sneer was because he understood this. Emperor Hongjing clearly did not believe Yong Wang’s words.
These thoughts swirled back and forth in Yong Wang’s mind. He felt like he was falling into an ice cellar, bone-piercingly cold. He also knew that his Father Emperor would not believe him no matter what he said.
Who framed him? Who harmed him?
An Wang? Dai Wang? Lu Wang? Or was it Jin Wang?
He does have a way to prove his innocence in this matter, but if he were to use it, his father might only be more disgusted. It was also still unknown whether the other party would testify against him.
Yong Wang had no way out, so he could only kowtow. “Father Emperor, it really wasn’t erchen who did it. How could erchen do such a thing? Father Emperor, please judge clearly.”
The sound of kowtow, bang bang bang, sounded extremely terrifying in the night.
But over the years, Emperor Hongjing had heard such sounds so often and had seen scenes even more pitiful. He no longer believed in these superficial words. He only believed in what he could see with his own eyes.
“You said, you wouldn’t such a thing? What happened to the crown prince and what happened to the Wang Family, do you think Zhen doesn’t know about it just because Zhen didn’t say anything? Are you not aware of how Consort Shu bribed the people around Imperial Concubine Kang to make a move on Xiaobao in the imperial dining room before shifting the blame onto Consort Qian? Do you know why Consort Shu gave up on so many noble daughters but begged for the di daughter of a fallen Marquis Anqing Manor to be your consort? That matter between your consort and old fifth’s consort, do you really think Zhen doesn’t know about it?!
“You mother and son pair are really too vicious. Consort Shu and Consort De had some disagreements in the early years, but the resentment continues even to this day. Now she even wants to harm the next generation. You and your consort mother are really good! Truly very good!”
Yong Wang was completely shocked and speechless.
Emperor Hongjing’s eyes were full of disgust “Take him away!”
No one knew what happened in Qianqing Palace that night. But the next day, Yong Wang was placed under house arrest according to Emperor Hongjing’s decree. He was charged with the formation of a clique in pursuit of personal gains.
Consort Shu tried to intervene on behalf of her son, only to infuriate Emperor Hongjing. She was then stripped of her title, Consort Shu, and placed under house arrest.
Not only the mother and son but also Duke Xuguo was implicated. Although Duke Xuguo denied his involvement in forming a faction with Yong Wang, with both physical evidence and witnesses present, what else was there for Duke Xuguo to refute? Duke Xuguo was immediately put in prison.
This series of changes happened almost too fast for people to keep up. Emperor Hongjing once again showed everyone his ruthless side. Everyone thought that as a veteran of two dynasties, Duke Xuguo would be released as soon as His Majesty calmed down. Although he may no longer have the title of a duke, at least his life could be saved. No one expected that Duke Xuguo would be unable to bear the humiliation and hang himself in his cell.