Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 232 Wufu Arrests People
Li Hong was a very filial person. He had just noticed that his father and mother seemed to be not getting along well. After returning to the East Palace, he became a little restless.

Just then, the eunuch came to report that the queen had sent someone to invite him over.

Li Hong walked quickly towards the Lizheng Hall and soon arrived outside the hall. After receiving the message, he entered the bedroom.

Inside the hall, Wu Meiniang lay on the couch on her side with her eyes closed, her brows furrowed, and she gently rubbed her forehead, looking very worried.

Li Hong walked over quickly, took her hand, and said, "Mom, are you okay?"

Wu Meiniang opened her eyes and saw his worried look. She felt relieved and said slowly, "Hong'er, mother needs your help."

Li Hongdao said, "Mother, if you have any instructions, just tell me."

Wu Meiniang sighed and said, "You saw what happened just now. Your father was really angry this time. Mother failed to control the clan members well, so he scolded her a few times, which is nothing. I was just worried that he would not say anything and get angry and get sick."

Li Hong said anxiously, "Then go and persuade your father."

Wu Meiniang shook her head and said, "Hong'er, you must remember that when a person is furious, the more others try to persuade him, the angrier he will become."

Li Hong was stunned and said, "What should the child do?"

Wu Meiniang said, "I'll make a bowl of medicinal soup later. Please bring it to your father. Don't say anything. If he asks you why I didn't go, just say that I know I'm guilty and can't face him."

Li Hong nodded and said, "I understand."

After more than an hour, Wu Meiniang personally prepared the medicinal soup and let Li Hong take it away.

She sat quietly on the couch, with worry still between her brows.

Li Zhi had comforted her, but he still had an elderly mother at home who needed her to comfort her.

If what happened to Helan Minzhi was true, she knew that Li Zhi would never show favoritism.

Li Zhi originally had a bad impression of Helan Minzhi. When his impression improved a little recently, he got into trouble. Li Zhi would definitely not let him off easily.

Helan Minzhi is her mother's lifeblood. If he is convicted of a serious crime, her mother will be heartbroken.

Although Wu Meiniang was the queen, she felt a sense of powerlessness when faced with this dilemma.

Just at this moment, a baby voice suddenly came from in front of her.

"Mother, are you feeling bad?"

When Wu Meiniang opened her eyes, she saw a little boy standing in front of her. It was her second son Li Xian.

I don't know when he came into the room, looking at me with concern.

Wu Meiniang felt warm in her heart. Although her son was rebellious on weekdays, he was still considerate at critical moments.

She hugged Li Xian to her body and smiled, "Mother is fine, she's just thinking about something."

Li Xian said with a grin, "Mother, you are lying. You must be worried about your cousin Helan."

Wu Meiniang was surprised and asked, "How do you know?"

Li Xian said, "When you and my brother were talking just now, I was hiding outside the window and heard it."

Wu Meiniang said angrily: "You are just a child. How old are you, and you already know how to eavesdrop on other people's conversations?"

Li Xian said confidently, "I saw that you were unhappy when you and your father separated, and I was worried about your mother, so I came here to eavesdrop."

Wu Meiniang's expression softened, she touched his little face and said, "Mother is not worried about Helan Minzhi, but about your grandmother."

Li Xian blinked, looking puzzled.

Wu Meiniang sighed, "She loves you, cousin Helan, the most. If she knew he was punished, she would definitely be very sad."

Li Xian asked, "Why does grandma love my cousin the most, and not Xian'er the most?"

Wu Meiniang burst out laughing and was about to explain when something suddenly struck her. She said softly, "Xian'er, do you want to meet your grandmother?"

Li Xianxi said, "Xian'er wants to see grandma!"

Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "Then mother will invite grandmother into the palace. If she's unhappy, you can go and cheer her up, okay?"

Li Xian smiled and nodded.

Wu Meiniang turned her head to Yuping and said, "Go to the Wu Mansion and ask the old lady to come into the palace."

Yuping agreed and took the order.

……

There was chaos in the Wu Mansion at this moment.

After receiving the complaints from the common people, Di Renjie learned that they came on the emperor's orders. He did not dare to neglect them and immediately took the Dali Temple officials and went straight to Wu Mansion.

When facing the queen's family, he dared not be too reckless, nor did he want to offend them too much.

When he was first transferred from Bingzhou, the queen had always been very kind to him. She often invited his wife into the palace and gave her many rewards.

Although others say that Di Renjie is ruthless, he is actually a very considerate person.

Therefore, he only brought people to wait outside the door, and only said that Helan Minzhi had to go to the Dali Temple for questioning, asked Helan Minzhi to come out by himself, and forced him excessively.

Naturally, the result was a rejection.

He was not in a hurry and just waited outside the door. He believed that the queen was such a smart person that she would not openly go against the emperor's order.

The Wu Mansion lobby was in chaos. "I didn't bring anyone to trample on the crops. I didn't!" Helan Minzhi knelt in the lobby and roared.

Wu Shun held a feather duster and said sternly, "They've stopped the emperor and filed a complaint, and you still dare to say you didn't do it. Now that you admit it, you can still think of a way to deal with it. If you still don't admit it, I...I won't care about you anymore!"

Helan Minzhi suddenly stood up and said loudly: "You are my mother, why don't you believe me? I won't talk to you anymore, I'm going to find Uncle Xiao!" He turned around and was about to leave.

Madam Yang hurriedly said, "Don't go out. There are officials outside. Hurry and hold him back!"

A group of servants came forward and grabbed Helan Minzhi.

Wu Ruyi noticed her mother's anxious look, so she came to her side and said softly, "Mother, don't worry too much. My second sister is here."

Madam Yang sighed, "Oh, what on earth is Mei Niang doing? She doesn't even try to persuade His Majesty. Min Zhi is her own nephew!"

A servant hurried into the hall and said, "Madam, Her Royal Highness the Queen has sent someone over."

Madam Yang stood up and said, "Please come in."

After a while, Concubine Jiang entered the hall, bowed to Madam Yang, and said softly, "Old Madam, Her Majesty the Queen has ordered that if the government comes to arrest Young Master Helan, you must not stop them."

Madam Yang said in a trembling voice, "Did she really say that?"

Jiang Shang Gong said: "Yes."

Wu Ruyi noticed that her mother's expression was not right and she quickly advised, "Mother, let's just listen to my sister."

Wu Shun gritted his teeth and said, "Third sister, according to what you mean, do you really want to hand Minzhi over?"

Wu Ruyi said, "Sister, Mother, if it weren't for Second Sister, would the government be waiting for us outside? Can this matter be resolved without us handing over Minzhi? Right now, everything depends on Second Sister, so we naturally have to listen to her."

Helan Minzhi said loudly: "Mother, please don't say anything. Since my second aunt asked me to go with the government, I will go."

Wu Shun fell to his knees, sobbing, "You evil child! It was so hard for me to raise you. Are you trying to kill me?"

Helan Minrou had been standing silently in the corner, not daring to make a sound. Seeing her mother sad, she quickly walked over, hugged her tightly, and put her little face against hers.

Helan Minzhi said, "Sister, take good care of mother." After that, he strode out of the hall, leaving only the sound of weeping in the hall.

When Di Renjie saw Helan Minzhi come out, he breathed a sigh of relief and took him back to the Dali Temple.

However, when the farmers who filed the complaint saw Helan Min, they all said in unison that they did not know him.

Di Renjie was experienced in solving cases and was not panicked. He patiently asked for the confession and talked with Helan Minzhi alone for half an hour.

The next morning, Di Renjie came to Ganlu Palace to report to Li Zhi.

"What, not Helan Minzhi?" Li Zhi said in surprise.

Di Renjie bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, the ones who trampled on the farm were another group of young men. The leader was Xu Ziran, the son of Minister Xu of the Ministry of Personnel."

Li Zhi frowned and said, "If it was him, why did those farmers hear the name Helan?"

Di Renjie said, "According to Helan Minzhi's account, he and Xu Ziran often clashed, so Xu Ziran and his group really disliked Helan Minzhi. It just so happened that the farmers overheard them talking about him that day."

Li Zhi remained silent.

The first impression is so important. He subconsciously dislikes Helan Minzhi, so when he hears that he did something bad, he easily believes it.

Fortunately, we remained cautious at the critical moment and did not deal with it directly, otherwise it would have caused a misunderstanding.

"Fu Sheng, pass on the order to have Master Xu Yu come to the emperor for an audience."

Two quarters of an hour later, Master Xu Yu arrived at Ganlu Hall and paid his respects to Li Zhi.

Li Zhi said in a deep voice, "Minister Xu, do you have a young son named Xu Ziran?"

Xu Yushi was startled and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, why are you suddenly asking about him?"

Li Zhi said, "Di Qing, you should ask it yourself."

Di Renjie bowed and agreed, then turned to Xu Yushi and said, "Excuse me, Minister Xu, did Mr. Xu go hunting outside the city eight days ago?"

Master Xu Yu frowned and said, "I don't remember it clearly."

Di Renjie asked, "Does Mr. Xu like hunting?"

Xu Yushi also vaguely sensed something was amiss and snorted, "Isn't my son the only young man in Chang'an who enjoys hunting?"

Di Renjie asked, "Then may I ask if your son likes to go east of the city when he goes hunting?"

Xu Yushi said in a deep voice, "Minister Di Si, just speak directly if you have something to say. Why beat around the bush?"

Di Renjie said, "A farmer has filed a complaint, saying that your son and his men trampled on the farmland and shot and injured several people with bows and arrows."

Xu Yushi was shocked and angry, saying, "This is impossible. My Xu family has a strict tradition. Our children would never dare to be so arrogant!"

Di Renjie said, "There's solid evidence. The young men who went with your son have all confessed."

Xu Yushi said anxiously, "Impossible, Your Majesty, someone must be framing me!"

Li Zhi angrily said, "You raised your own son, and what kind of moral character do you have? Don't you have any idea? I think you don't need to be the Minister of Personnel anymore!"

"His Majesty……"

Li Zhi scolded: "Why don't you retreat?"

(End of this chapter)