CH 62.1

Jiuzhu noticed Qi Junwang looking at her. 

She put down her chopsticks and met his gaze, innocently blinking her eyes. 

None of this had anything to do with her. Glaring at her wouldn’t change the fact that his maternal family members were involved in criminal activities. 

“Fourth brother…” Chen Wang also noticed Yun Yanze looking at Jiuzhu. He stood up, ready to mock him. 

“Chen Wang need not plead on behalf of the fourth prince.” Ming Jinghai, who had been drinking silently till this moment, stood up and interrupted Chen Wang: “The nation has its own laws just like how a family has its own rules. My apologies, Your Highness.” 

Emperor Longfeng, too, raised his hand to silence Chen Wang. “Duqing, zhen knows that you attach much importance to feelings, but for this matter tonight, we cannot let emotions cloud our judgement.” 

Su Guifei placed her hand on Emperor Longfeng’s shoulder lightly. “Your Majesty knows Duqing’s temperament. He has always valued familial ties. He had been living a secluded life in the Palace for the past few days. He may not have any idea about the happenings outside the Palace walls.” 

Chen Wang closed his mouth and took a step back. 

He understood that tonight was not the time for him to speak up. He had overstepped his boundaries. 

Yun Yanze withdrew his gaze and kowtowed on the ground: “Father Emperor, erchen… erchen…” 

He could not form complete sentences in between his sorrowful and helpless sobs. Even the most callous person could sense his pain. However, Zheng family and Zheng Meiren’s deeds were unforgivable. 

“Assistant Minister Yang,” Ming Jinghai seemed to have no intention of stopping after he had shut off Chen Wang. He walked up to Assistant Minister Yang, who seemed to be in a daze and asked: “You just asked this official’s niece about the difference between lotus roots from Lingzhou and those from the capital. Now, this official will answer you.” 

“No matter where the lotus roots come from, they are all lotus roots. The length of the fiber doesn’t matter as long as they taste good.” Ming Jinghai rolled up his sleeves, causing Assistant Minister Yang to step back in fear. 

Rolling up sleeves was just a way of scaring for others, but Ming Jinghai could truly beat people up after rolling his sleeves. 

Seeing his actions, Ming Jinghai sneered: “Just like how as long as the colleagues are loyal to His Majesty, care for the people and fulfill their duties, they are good officials. Do we need to differentiate based on whether their ancestral hometown is in the south or the north?” 

“Assistant Minister Yang, as an official appointed by the court, accusing His Majesty without any reason is disloyal. It is heartless to only complain about Qi Junwang’s misfortune and ignore the suffering of the people persecuted by the Zheng family. Dare I ask you, how can one become an official with such disloyalty and heartlessness?” He pointed at the people present. “Today was supposed to be a day of reunion for all of us. Jingzhou obtained evidence but did not expose it immediately. His Majesty learned of Guifei niangniang and His Highness’ almost assassination, but he suppressed his grief and remained silent. What was it all for?” 

“It was for giving everyone an auspicious, peaceful and joyous New Year’s Eve, for the harmony and joy between a monarch and his subjects. But all of this has been ruined by you now. Do you not feel a shred of remorse in your heart?” 

Facing Ming Jinghai’s successive accusations, Assistant Minister Yang was unable to say a word. Perhaps it was because of Ming Jinghai’s overwhelming aura, or perhaps he was stunned by the numerous crimes committed by the Zheng family and Zheng Meiren. With a loud thud, he knelt in front of Emperor Longfeng. 

“Your Majesty… Weichen admits his fault.” Assistant Minister Yang apologized in a daze, not knowing where he had gone wrong. 

“Your Majesty,” Ming Jinghai glanced at the kneeling Assistant Minister Yang: “Although Lord Yang has no ill intentions, his impulsive nature and inability to distinguish right from wrong make him unsuitable for his current position in the Ministry of Revenue, which is in charge of taxation. As such, I believe Lord Yang should be transferred elsewhere.” 

The Minister of Revenue’s expression changed slightly. He hesitated for a moment, preparing to step up and plead for Assistant Minister Yang. However, when he saw that Emperor Longfeng seemed somewhat moved by Ming Jinghai’s words, he dismissed this intention. 

Ming Jinghai was now the Minister of Appointments and was deeply trusted by the Emperor. He did not want to offend him for the sake of a subordinate. 

“Where do you think Lord Yang should be transferred to, Jinghai?” Instead of looking at his kneeling son, Emperor Longfeng patiently asked Ming Jinghai. 

“Weichen remembers that the local magistrate of Lingzhou is old. He had submitted a resignation letter not too long ago too. Since Lord Yang is curious about Lingzhou’s lotus roots, he should take over as the local magistrate of Lingzhou.” He bowed and cupped his hand: “Your Majesty, please allow Lord Yang to satisfy his curiosity.” 

Goodness, a sixth-ranked local magistrate from being a third-ranked Assistant Minister of Revenue? Not even the old ladies bargaining at the market would be this ruthless. 

“Alright,” Emperor Longfeng nodded. “After the New Year, Lord Yang will go to Lingzhou and take over.” 

“Lord Yang, why aren’t you still thanking His Majesty?” Ming Jinghai bowed and said loudly: “His Majesty is so considerate of you. You were curious about Lingzhou’s customs, so he is sending you there. Unfortunately, you are not considerate enough of him. It is truly disappointing.” 

“Eldest brother, Lord Yang is drunk.” Ming Jingzhou took over the conversation. “Your Majesty, it is easy to forget one’s manners when drunk too much. Please show mercy and have someone escort Lord Yang back.” 

From now on, he probably won’t have the chance to attend imperial banquets anymore. 

After Assistant Minister Yang was taken away, the two brothers of the Ming family looked at the weeping Qi Junwang, who was still kneeling on the ground, and returned to their seats. 

They would leave the rest to the Emperor. 

The hall fell silent, so silent that Jiuzhu felt embarrassed to pick up her chopsticks and eat. 

She secretly whispered to Xiangjuan: “Gugu, Qi Junwang glared at me just now.” 

So, he must be putting on an act now. How can a truly sad person divert their attention to others? 

Xiangjuan smiled. Within the imperial city, everyone was putting on an act.

Qi Junwang’s crying voice had already become hoarse. Emperor Longfeng finished reviewing the various pieces of evidence presented by Ming Jingzhou and looked down at his weeping son. “Lao si, were you aware of the things that the Zheng family and your Mother Consort did?”

“Father Emperor, erchen… even though erchen was not aware, erchen failed to discover and advise against it. Erchen is guilty.” Yun Yanze felt someone kneel beside him. Looking up and quickly seeing that it was Sun Caiyao, he moved his gaze and kowtowed heavily to Emperor Longfeng: “Father Emperor, erchen is unworthy of the position of a junwang. Please strip erchen’s title.”

Quite a clever move. Retreating in order to advance. Zheng family and Zheng Lanyin’s actions could no longer be concealed. So he must have figured that it was better to lower his stance and win people over by acknowledging mistakes and bravely shouldering responsibilities.

Su Guifei chuckled lightly, her eyes flowing with charm as she perfectly demonstrated the seductive allure of a wicked consort: “Regardless of your title, you are still His Majesty’s child. Please get up quickly, Your Highness, the fourth prince. It is heartbreaking to see your face get so bruised.”

She bent down, helping Sun Caiyao up from the ground and gently holding her hand. “Fourth Princess Consort, after you return, accompany him well and don’t let him be too sad.”

Su Guifei’s hand was very soft but Sun Caiyao felt as if she was holding the hand of a beautiful snake.

The woman before her, who had an enchanting smile on her face, and the insane Su Guifei in her dream, who had driven all the princes to despair, constantly intertwined and transformed in her mind. The fear in her heart grew infinitely. If it weren’t for the onlookers around them, she would have almost pulled her hand away.

Seeing Su Guifei addressing Yun Yanze as the ‘fourth prince’ without hesitation, everyone sighed softly. It seemed that he could no longer keep his title.

It was truly lamentable that such a prince, who possessed both virtue and talent, was dragged down to this point by his maternal family and Mother Consort. 

But the officials who supported Yun Yanze did not give up hope. As long as the Emperor did not utter the words ‘fourth prince’, there was still room for reconciliation.

“Your Majesty.” Su Guifei let go of Sun Caiyao’s hand and smiled at Emperor Longfeng, “Please let the fourth prince get up quickly. The most urgent task now is to settle the accounts with Zheng family and Zheng Meiren.”

The corners of Shen-shi’s mouth lifted a little. With just a few words, Su Guifei completely trapped Zheng Meiren and her group. Truly worthy of being a favored consort; she showed no mercy when dealing with her enemies.

Besides, it did not seem that she would stop until the Zheng family and Zheng Meiren were punished tonight.

Indeed, if she were Su Meidai, she wouldn’t miss such a good opportunity either. Their family had already laid the groundwork for her. The real concern would be if she didn’t know how to make proper use of it.

Emperor Longfeng held Su Guifei’s hand and looked down at Yun Yanze: “Lao si, did you really have no knowledge of all this?”

“Erchen did not.”

“Alright.” Emperor Longfeng closed his eyes and wrapped Su Guifei’s hand in his own palm. “Liu Zhongbao, help the Fourth Prince up.”

The words ‘fourth prince’ spoken by him were tantamount to sentencing Yun Yanze to death.

An adult and married prince being reduced to a prince without title and power was a clear message from the Emperor that he had given up on him.

“Your Majesty,” several officials from the Ministry of Revenue, as well as the ones who had a favorable impression of Yun Yanze, stood up. “Your Majesty, please reconsider ah!”

“Yanze.” Emperor Longfeng ignored these officials. “They want zhen to revoke the order. What do you think zhen should do?”

Yun Yanze’s hand hidden inside his sleeve, clenched into a fist as he knelt down with red eyes. “Erchen is unworthy of being a wang. Please grant erchen’s request, Father Emperor.”

“Zhen will grant your request.” Emperor Longfeng looked at the officials who were pleading, in an indifferent tone. “Zhen will grant a son’s request. Do you all wish to interfere in matters between a father and son too?”

With this, the officials knew that the fourth prince’s fate was sealed.

“We dare not, Your Majesty.”

“The Zheng family has committed numerous crimes. The number is too great to list. It will be difficult to appease the anger of the common people without punishing them.” Emperor Longfeng announced: “The head of the Zheng family shall be executed in public, and all the descendants of the Zheng family shall become slaves. Those over the age of twelve shall be sent three thousand miles away and never be allowed to return to the capital. They shall remain slaves for three generations.”

“As for Zheng Meiren…” Emperor Longfeng sighed. “After the hour of zishi1Zishi [子时] – The time between 11 pm to 1 am. tonight, she shall be given white silk2White silk [白绫] – It was a piece of white (color of mourning) cloth usually given by the Emperor as a way of granting an  accused concubine a more ‘dignified’ death (by suicide) rather than beheading them, pulling off their limbs in four directions, death by a thousand cuts or any other torturous methods. Giving those concubines poisoned wine is another such ‘dignified’ method..”

“Father Emperor!” Yun Yanze’s eyes widened in shock. He knelt before the Emperor, and hugged his leg. “Please show mercy and spare Mother Consort’s life.”

“More than ten people have died at the hands of your mother, including the mother of your imperial older sister.” Emperor Longfeng placed the evidence presented by Ming Jingzhou in Yun Yanze’s hands. “How can zhen spare her?”

At the seats designated for the princesses, a Princess sitting at the back was presently shedding tears with her face covered. She had lost her Mother at a young age. The Nanny who took care of her, had said she passed away shortly after giving birth to herself. She had always believed that her Mother died because of giving birth to her. Never had she expected Zheng-shi to have actually killed her mother.

While others had their Mother Consorts to accompany them, she did not.

While others had their Mother Consorts to comfort them when they were down, she did not.

Even her marriage to her prince consort was overseen by Su Guifei.

How could Yun Yanze, a prince who had both a Mother Consort and a maternal family, understand the hardships of a child growing up in the harem without their mother?

She looked up at Yun Yanze with hatred. All of this was caused by his Mother.

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