After the cannon fodder father and daughter married into the family, the whole family regretted it

The emperor and the crown prince stayed in the Cining Palace for a long time, showing brotherly affection and filial piety, before going to the morning court.

With such an attitude, which civil or military official wouldn't praise him? Both the emperor and the crown prince were extremely filial and benevolent.

This morning at court, the Minister of Justice and the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture reported first.

The captured assassins have all been interrogated, and several names have been obtained from them.

Cui Qisheng (Cui family), Wang Zhaoxian (Wang family), Yang Shuhua (Yang family), Ying Youde (Ying family), Jin Lin (Jin family)...

The thirteen names sent shivers down the spines of the civil and military officials.

Regardless of the outcome, the thirteen people on the list are bound to be included.

What the Minister of Justice didn't say was that the assassins confessed to some places that were where various powerful families trained their assassins.

He has already sent Zhu Guanfeng to lead men to encircle and suppress them.

This matter will be reported privately after the grand court assembly concludes.

Even when capturing assassins, the three people of different statuses who were arrested had to discuss the matter privately.

Then came Master Jin, and Jin Lin was brought up.

He confessed to the reasons for plotting to murder Chen Zijun and her niece and daughter.

Before he could speak, a young eunuch rushed in, his voice urgent: "Your Majesty, Grand Princess Mingzhu requests an audience."

Women were not allowed to attend court.

But... the emperor sighed, "Please invite my aunt into the palace."

The officials did not try to dissuade her or say it was against the rules. Grand Princess Mingzhu was a witness to what happened back then, so it was only natural for her to come.

Grand Princess Mingzhu, dressed in her finest attire, was helped to her feet, bowed, and was then offered a seat by the Emperor.

"Go ahead."

Grand Princess Mingzhu's gaze fell on Jin Lin.

The latter felt the pressure and, without raising his head, spoke bitterly.

“Back then, Prime Minister Chen relied on the late emperor’s favor and did not hold back in suppressing us. He would arrest us for riding horses in the street, for singing and dancing in brothels, and for drinking with friends, accusing us of forming cliques for personal gain. I had no interest in officialdom, but I could not swallow this insult.”

"It just so happens that Brother Wang, Brother Cui, and Brother Ying are also unhappy. Brother Wang was serving as a sub-prefect in a certain place. He accepted a painting from someone and was accused of embezzlement and bribery, and was directly dismissed from his post. However, Brother Wang comes from a distinguished family and has loved calligraphy and painting since childhood. He lost his sense of propriety, and Prime Minister Chen used this as an excuse to make a fuss."

Fang Yin listened with her eyes lowered, but a sarcastic smile played on her lips, which she made no attempt to conceal.

Just because he likes calligraphy and painting doesn't mean he can accept them at will. He also likes to eat and drink, but he hasn't accepted abalone or bird's nest from outsiders.

Which official in the world doesn't have hobbies? They all indulge themselves, letting others cater to their desires.

Meng Yi glanced at his son-in-law, then shifted his body slightly to block him.

Don't be so obvious, or people will hold a grudge.

"After Wang Nanming died, my brother hated Prime Minister Chen even more."

"Brother Cui once proposed to Chen Zixi, but was rejected and held a grudge."

Many older people remember this incident. Cui Qisheng is just more mature now that he's older; he had a lot of womanizing ways when he was young.

He would take any woman he fancied, whether she was a Yangzhou courtesan, a beautiful widow, or a slender woman.

Chen Zixi was renowned for his good looks, but after just one chance encounter, he came to propose marriage.

However, Cui Qisheng had at least five or six noble families who proposed marriage to him, but all of them refused.

Who would be willing to let their daughter jump into a fire pit?

Why did he come to hate Chen Zijun? Was it because Prime Minister Chen rejected him the most harshly?

"Brother Ying..."

A group of scions of prominent families, who had been suppressed by Chen Zijun, united together.

They saw hope when the emperor ascended the throne.

With the late emperor gone, Chen Zijun, who held great power, had no one to protect her and became a thorn in the emperor's side.

"They found a scholar who was good at imitating other people's handwriting and forged the letter."

"The idea of ​​illegally opening a salt mine was Brother Ying's. The salt mine itself was discovered by the Ying family by accident, and they have been secretly mining it in conjunction with local forces."

"The blame was pinned on Chen Zijun. The salt mines were nominally under the control of the imperial court, but they were actually taken over by local thugs arranged by the Ying family long ago... As long as the salt for the imperial court was available, that was enough."

These words reveal a lot.

Firstly, the salt mines back then were located in Liuyun County, Chengdu Prefecture, not in the Ying family's hometown. How far did the Ying family's influence extend to reach Chengdu Prefecture?

Secondly, regarding the salt mine incident, it was initially attributed to the Su, Bai, and He families, who were allies of the Chen family. Later, Chen Yong confessed that the Su, Wei, and Feng families had colluded to deceive the Chen family.

Both have vulnerabilities.

Jin Lin pulled out an account book from his pocket; this was the real account book for the illegal salt mine.

“Back then, I secretly sent people to investigate. The Su family had secretly pledged allegiance to the Ying family, and the Wei and Feng families were their henchmen at the next level. Now, the salt mines are also being operated by the Wei and Feng families.”

The eunuch took the account book and respectfully presented it to him.

The emperor wasn't in a hurry to look. Three ledgers had already been produced from a single salt mine, indicating that at least two groups were deceiving him.

"A four-clawed dragon robe, it was made by a palace embroiderer... Lady Ying is in the palace..."

Consort Ying was a woman from the Ying family. After entering the palace, she was only favored for two days and soon became unpopular. She has not been promoted in rank over the years.

"The Chen family mansion is heavily guarded, but the people around the Grand Princess are quite dissatisfied with Chen and are easy to bribe. Granny Wen has a grandson who is a gambler and owes a lot of money to the casino. We will pay it off for him."

Princess Mingzhu suddenly clenched her fist.

Granny Wen was her wet nurse. Over the years, she had grown old and no longer needed Granny Wen to serve her. Instead, Granny Wen was put in charge of the flowers and plants, which was essentially a way for her to enjoy her retirement.

"Granny Wen said that Chen Xiang never puts any defenses against the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess is devoted to the royal family, and will surely..."

Jin Lin didn't dare to look up.

But that's the truth, which is why they used the Eldest Princess to scheme against Chen Zijun.

Grand Princess Mingzhu rose, her expression unreadable, and knelt before the person above her.

"Your Majesty, I have been deceived and manipulated, causing you to lose a worthy minister. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

"Aunt, what are you doing? Someone, help the Grand Princess down to rest."

The emperor won't blame her. Her aunt was acting out of concern for him and was in a hurry for him, which is why she was plotted against.

Instead, he sensed something was wrong with his aunt and, not wanting her to stay any longer, confronted the truth.

But Grand Princess Mingzhu refused to get up.

The palace servants didn't dare to use force.

"It was our utter foolishness and momentary folly that led us to commit such a grave error. We are willing to atone with our lives."

Jin Lin suddenly exclaimed excitedly.

He suddenly stood up, intending to smash his head against the pillar.

Fang Yin moved swiftly and abruptly, catching many people off guard.

He suddenly raised his foot and kicked Jin Lin directly in the face. With a "thud," Jin Lin fell to the ground.

Jin Lin was stunned, and the court officials were also bewildered.

Fang Yin casually rubbed the sole of his shoe on Jin Lin's clothes, as if he had just kicked Jin Lin's face and gotten his shoe dirty.

This action is extremely insulting.

"Jin Lin, those who died by crashing into the pillar in the main hall were all loyal censors. What are you? Do you even deserve to be called one?"

This is so humiliating.

Jin Ke's face darkened, but he said nothing.

Jin Lin pushed himself up with his hands, struggled to his feet, glanced at him, and a look of hatred appeared in his eyes.

Jin Lin knew that he had been chosen as a discarded member of the clan.

Although he felt wronged, he was willing to sacrifice for his family because of the upbringing he received from childhood.

Why not let him die to save the family?

He wanted to die in the main hall because he didn't want to be taken away to suffer any more. If he died like this, perhaps the emperor would feel some pity for Lady Jin, and his death would be worthwhile.

But Fang Yin, that brainless brute, didn't even give him that chance.

Fang Yin didn't look at him again, and bowed to the emperor: "Your Majesty, I have been disrespectful and beg your forgiveness."

"What wrong has Minister Fang done?" The emperor stared at Jin Lin with disgust, as if he had seen something filthy.

He had already realized that Jin Lin had planned this all along.

He used the phrase "Chen Xiang never puts any defenses against the Grand Princess" to win her over.

He attacked the Grand Princess's heart, drew out her as a target, and then took the opportunity to commit suicide.

"Jin Lin, how dare you! Did I grant you permission to die?"

The emperor's tone was icy, clearly indicating that he was furious.

The hall fell silent for a moment. Jin Lin knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times, making a loud noise. Blood was already flowing from his forehead.

"I am guilty, I am guilty beyond forgiveness, I am ashamed."

A tear rolled down her cheek; she seemed quite sincere.

"You should feel guilty."

A voice suddenly rang out, and a figure steadily stepped forward from the very back row of officials.

Everyone couldn't help but peek.

Who is it that dares to interrupt at this time?

Yun Congsheng calmly stepped forward, looking at Jin Lin with disdain.

“You have not only failed His Majesty and Chancellor Chen, but also the late Emperor and the people of the world.”

Upon hearing the words "the late emperor," Jin Lin's eyes subtly changed.

Even Jin Ke narrowed his eyes and stared at Yun Congsheng.

What could a lowly official of the fifth rank, someone he looks down upon, possibly know?

Jin Ke went to court yesterday morning and betrayed so many people. He privately apologized a lot and promised Jin Lin that he would confess. He also said that everyone should be prepared, but he would not say anything he shouldn't.

Yun Congsheng knelt down solemnly and took out a token from his bosom.

“Your Majesty, Jin Lin is lying. He is framing Prime Minister Chen because Prime Minister Chen controls the Dragon Shadow Guard. Prime Minister Chen has always been acting in accordance with the late Emperor’s instructions.”

The emperor and his courtiers' first reaction was not surprise, but confusion.

If it weren't for the inappropriate setting, I would have wanted to pick my ears and wonder if I had misheard.

The eunuch was very perceptive; he went down to get the token, but the emperor only glanced at it before standing up.

"Do you know the whereabouts of the Dragon Guards?"

"Your Majesty, the Dragon Hidden Guard is a branch of the Chen family. They are secretly assisting Chancellor Chen on the orders of the late Emperor."

"Unfortunately, Prime Minister Chen was alone and could not stand alone. The powerful families were closely connected and did not care about the means, and joined forces to kill Prime Minister Chen."

"They killed Prime Minister Chen and prevented the old case from being reopened because they knew that Prime Minister Chen had an imperial edict from the late emperor."

"The imperial edict lists twelve laws and regulations."

"Firstly, taxes were levied on scholars."

In the present day, the imperial court exempts scholars from paying taxes.

This reflects their prestigious status; many scholars who passed the imperial examinations and became Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations) began to be exempt from taxes.

This one point alone was hard for anyone to believe.

"Secondly, industry regulation."

We need to measure the land, houses, gold, and silver of the gentry...

"Cough cough cough." Prime Minister Yue suddenly coughed, as if he was struggling to catch his breath.

Yun Congsheng's back was also soaked with cold sweat. Saying these two things was already going against the will of the world and offending 99% of the people standing in the court.

Even the emperor might not be willing to listen.

He felt as if his three souls and seven spirits had been lost.

To save his life, he couldn't go any further: "In short, in order to obtain the late emperor's edict, the Jin family and others have been investigating the Chen family's troops for many years."

"But what they didn't know was that the Chen family's troops were the Dragon Shadow Guards, and they were stationed in three strongholds, one of which was the imperial mausoleum."

Now you know how the imperial tomb robbery happened, right?

"After their whereabouts were unexpectedly discovered, the Dragon Hidden Guards had no choice but to go into hiding. I was fortunate enough to gain their trust and learn the inside story."

"Although I am of low rank and position, I cannot tolerate this traitor Jin Lin lying any longer."

Yun Congsheng bowed deeply and remained seated for a long time.

The court officials felt as if they were in a dream.

What Jin Lin had told them earlier was shocking, but the late emperor's edict left them completely baffled.

“Father, the Dragon Guard is of great importance. Perhaps we should wait until their identities are verified before making a judgment on this matter.”

"Coincidentally, the thirteen people mentioned by the Ministry of Justice still need further investigation."

The crown prince stepped forward and bowed slightly.

The emperor glanced at him.

His son was calmer than him. Was it just his nature, or did he already know something?

"Very well, I am tired, let's adjourn the court."

Although it was called the end of the court session, it was mostly minor officials who couldn't get ahead who left, while Prime Minister Yue, the ministers of various departments, Fang Yin, the Crown Prince, and others stayed behind.

Princess Mingzhu was personally helped up by Qingyan, who used considerable force to lift his great-aunt up.

“You should go and rest, great-aunt. You are Yiyang’s only support.”

"Yiyang is Chen Xiang's only daughter."

Princess Mingzhu turned her head away, but before she could see the Crown Prince clearly, she fainted.

"Call the doctor quickly."

The emperor's expression changed.

Amidst the chaos, Grand Princess Mingzhu was taken to a side hall. The imperial physician said that she had fainted due to emotional distress and liver fire, and was currently receiving acupuncture.

Royal study room.

The emperor and a group of ministers sat in silence for a long time.

Today's events were truly unexpected; they need time to process them.

Did such an imperial edict really exist?

It was the Crown Prince who broke the silence after drinking two cups of tea.

"In other words, the late emperor left behind such an imperial edict, and after the father ascended the throne, Prime Minister Chen deliberately seized power, firstly to fulfill the late emperor's decree, and secondly to protect the father and prevent him from being too involved before the matter was accomplished?"

He asked bluntly, without giving anyone any face.

Yun Congsheng knelt in the center: "Yes, the Dragon Hidden Guard said that it was a plan that Chancellor Chen took the initiative to discuss with the late emperor."

"The Twelve Laws are too difficult to implement. Was Shang Yang's reforms also fraught with difficulties?"

"Chancellor Chen believes that change is necessary, but stability must also be maintained. In case he fails, the court will remain stable, and the tasks he did not complete can be continued by the Dragon Hidden Guard in the search for successors."

In other words, when the emperor first ascended the throne, Chen Xiang's disrespect was deliberately feigned, so that the world would know that they were at odds.

Yue Xiang and the others listened without daring to speak.

They all knew how much the emperor loathed, even hated, Chen Zijun, but now they were suddenly told that his former enemy was actually protecting him. Could the emperor accept this?

My feelings must be very complicated.

And what about the twelve laws, and what about the next ten?

Why did the late emperor leave such an edict, and what were the emperor's thoughts on it?

They wanted to see the late emperor's edict, but they were also afraid that if they did, they would have to "accept the edict."

"Father, the words of Lord Yun alone are not credible. Would you like to meet with the Dragon Guard?"

They dared not speak, but Qingyan did.

The emperor was now certain that his son must have known beforehand but hadn't told him.