Spring Drunk Chang'an

There was total silence in the Qiankun Hall!!

Emperor Yingwu was stunned.

Xiao Xun couldn't believe it.

The father and son looked at each other in silence.

Dead silence.

Deathly silence reigns in the hall today.

For a long time, for a long time...

Emperor Yingwu muttered in an almost dreamy voice, "So, the Zhenguogong manor's brother and sister committed incest, and then paralyzed Prince Liu?"

"They eloped!"

"Yes, yes, yes, long live the Lord!!"

Liu Xiu cried and begged, "Please help me!"

His sobs echoed in the hall. It was truly a cry of sadness and despair to the extreme. Anyone who heard it felt pain and anyone who saw it cried.

Don't mention how sincere it is!

The Song family watched silently, feeling extremely happy.

In the palace, Emperor Yingwu's ears were stung by his crying. He hunched his shoulders and turned his gaze to the Duke of Zhenguo.

My dear, tell me, what happened?

Duke of Zhenguo: ...

"Your Majesty, please understand. Xu Yuan is my adopted son, not my biological son. He and my daughter have no blood relationship!"

"The Xu family has never committed incest!"

The Duke of Zhenguo strode forward, knelt down like pushing a golden mountain and overturning a jade pillar, and anxiously identified it.

Emperor Yingwu:...

The expression is incomprehensible.

So, you don't want to refute the fact that you eloped on the wedding night and beat Prince Liu into paralysis?

Just admit it?

To clarify, is it only to clarify the incest between brother and sister?

Emperor Yingwu's eyes widened, his gaze

Duke of Zhenguo: ...

The expression is miserable.

If I could explain it, if I could deny it, wouldn't I want to?

I don't have any solution!!!

Facts are facts. The two children disappeared without a trace. Just go to the place where Yuaner was released and you will know the truth!

Is it okay for me to not admit it?

"Your Majesty, the Xu family is so heartless! Xu Liang knew long ago that his son and daughter had committed a heinous crime, yet he still married his daughter to my son. Woo woo woo, this is simply too much!"

"Even after my son was murdered by that bastard couple, Xu Liang still took advantage of his power and bullied them, blaming me for the Xu family's elopement, and making my mother faint from anger!"

"Woo woo woo, my family has been wronged!"

Liu Xiu continued to file a complaint.

Duke of Zhenguo: ...

"Liu Xiu, who are you calling a bastard? Watch your mouth! I've already told you, Yuan'er is not my son, and he and Ruyi are not siblings!!"

The Duke of Zhenguo shouted angrily.

Emperor Yingwu:...

So, not refuting it means admitting that you knew about your children's situation in advance, bullied them, betrothed your daughter who had committed adultery with her brother to their son, and after your children eloped, you shamelessly relied on them, making their mother furious?

My dear, have you really admitted it? My dear!!

There was a look of great doubt in Emperor Yingwu's big eyes.

Duke of Zhenguo: ...

Lower your head in shame.

Of course he didn't want to admit it, but the matter between Yuan'er and Ruyi had been going on for several rounds, and elopement was not the first time. Even though he and his wife tried their best to keep it secret and even punished many servants, there were still people who knew about it.

For example, the couple's confidants, the guards who arrested Yuan'er and Ruyi during their first elopement, the maids who guarded Ruyi, and the servant who 'escorted' Yuan'er to her exile...

There are at least a few people in the Duke's Mansion who know about this.

In the past, they kept their mouths shut and no one dared to tell anyone about the news. However, now, Liu Xiu reported it directly to the emperor, and the emperor sent people to interrogate him. Who would dare to hide it?

The truth is bound to come out.

What did he refute?

After I have refuted it, and His Majesty finds out, will I be guilty of deceiving the emperor?

The Duke of Zhenguo smiled bitterly, knelt down and kowtowed, begging: "Your Majesty, it is my fault for not raising my son well and allowing my rebellious daughter to do such a wrong thing. It is also my fault for loving my daughter so much that I made a mistake in a moment of confusion..."

"Any mistakes I make are all my fault!"

"I am willing to accept the punishment."

The Duke of Zhenguo was still very decisive. Things had come to this point - with Liu Wenbai paralyzed, no matter what they said or how they explained it, it would be wrong.

It would be better to just admit his guilt and apologize honestly. Perhaps the Emperor will see his sincerity and give him a lighter punishment.

I hope I won’t be demoted!

It’s over if it’s demoted!

Rebellious daughter, rebellious son!

The Duke of Zhenguo was in tears.

Emperor Yingwu wiped his mouth and sighed inwardly, "Alas, my dear, your family has done such a ruthless thing, and you admitted your mistake so readily. It is really difficult for me to excuse you!"

How can I forgive you?

I can't find any reason!

Compared to Liu Xiu, Xu Liang, a trusted confidant of the emperor who had toiled for over thirty years for Emperor Yingwu, clearly held the emperor's favor more. Furthermore, while the Xu siblings' actions were disgusting, it wasn't Emperor Yingwu's son they had persecuted. The emperor didn't care about a mere Liu Wenbai...

Compared to anger, Emperor Yingwu was actually more shocked and, ahem, wanted to watch the fun.

However, incest between brother and sister, elopement and injury to others, and the involvement of two dukes' mansions, is a major matter even in front of Emperor Yingwu and needs to be treated with caution.

Emperor Yingwu felt a little sorry for his confidant, who was so old that his reputation was ruined by his children. Then, he spoke directly, "Order the Imperial City Guards to hunt down Xu Yuan and Xu Ruyi!"

"Summon the three yamen to jointly handle the case of the Duke's Mansion of Zhen and Xu."

Inside the palace, the guards knelt down upon hearing the words and said, "I obey your command."

He immediately turned around and left.

The Duke of Zhenguo's face was ashen, and his eyes were ugly and gray, and... the "victorious" Liu Xiu also had a bad look on his face, and his whole body was also "gray".

The two of them couldn't help but follow the guard's back.

My heart is full of bitterness.

The Imperial City Guards are chasing them, and the three courts are jointly trying them. This little mess in their two families will not only become a laughing stock in the entire aristocratic circle of the capital, but even the common people in the city will probably talk about it.

It’s enough for the whole city to worry about for three years!

The Duke Zhenguo's Mansion certainly deserved the punishment for its crimes and its fate, but the Duke Ningguo's Mansion, as the "victim", was not much better off.

Since ancient times, men who wear green hats will be laughed at.

What's more, Liu Wenbo's green hat was so strong and so deadly that it paralyzed him directly. And Liu Xiu, as the father who arranged for his son to marry the "evil and poisonous woman", would also become an "eternal sinner".

If one gets it wrong, he will leave a bad reputation in history.

It is certain that the two governments will become a laughing stock for all eternity!

Liu Xiu couldn't help sobbing.

Emperor Yingwu, sitting high above, saw everything clearly. Thinking about Liu Xiu's current situation, he cursed inwardly, "Serves him right!" At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little sympathy. Liu Xiu, Liu Xiu, the result of abandoning his wife and children was the destruction of his family...

It's a pity that he once wanted to leave Liu Wenbai to Xun'er, but now he is useless!

Liu Xiu's sons were all born to Song, so it's not easy to assist Xun'er. Tsk, it's really troublesome. I don't know if Liu Xiu is no longer able to do it? Can he have another child with Qu and live to raise the new child!

Emperor Yingwu couldn't help but think about it, and instinctively glanced at Song.

Immediately...

"what?"