mtl008 Chapter 406 Cause and Effect
Chapter 406 Cause and Effect
It took Emperor Zhaoming ten full breaths to suppress his anger.
Seeing this, Zhitong did not persuade or offer any advice, but just quietly twirled the rosary in his hand.
When Emperor Zhaoming calmed down, he looked up and asked Zhitong, "Have you inquired about Ru Hai's matter?"
"I asked. Zheng Yuanwai avoided my gaze and denied it outright. It seems that he knew about it after the fact, but didn't dare to admit it.
"Although Master Jia Jue was sad and angry, he was not surprised. He probably didn't know about it, but after careful consideration, he guessed a thing or two.
"As for the others, they were shocked and confused, and they were probably unaware of the situation."
After Zhitong finished speaking, he thought for a moment and said, "But I saw that a maid serving the Madam was hesitant to speak.
“It was just that I couldn’t talk to that girl, so I didn’t pursue the matter later.
"Madam Ran mentioned the Shi and Wang families in her memorial, and I'm afraid they also tried to get their hands on her daughter's family.
"But she has no evidence, and would like to ask Your Majesty to investigate!"
Emperor Zhaoming thought of the people in the Jia Mansion that Daiyu and Tanchun occasionally mentioned in their casual conversations, and he roughly guessed: "Is it a maid named Yuanyang?"
Zhitong nodded in surprise: "How did your majesty know?"
"There was a maidservant beside Zhaoqing who once joked with others that Zijuan, who served the empress dowager, and Yuanyang, who served Madam Jia, had similar duties.
"I'll just make a guess." Emperor Zhaoming ordered Zhitong, "This is a rare child in the Jia family who has a clear mind and a kind heart. When you deal with her, remember to spare her life."
Zhitong raised his eyebrows: "Your Majesty, are you going to deal with the Jia family now?"
Emperor Zhaoming waved his finger impatiently: "He's jumping too happily. Let's take them all down first. While you're still busy, let's first set the rules for his family -
"All males shall be punished according to the law: those who deserve to be killed shall be killed, and those who deserve to be hanged shall be hanged.
"As for the female relatives, they will be stripped of their titles and ordered to return home.
"After the slaves have been judged, the rest will be dismissed. If there are a few female relatives who want to stay with them, just turn a blind eye."
Zhitong glanced at Emperor Zhaoming and said, "That family property..."
"What kind of property is this? According to the law! According to the law! We have to do what we have to do! We don't have to punish him severely, but we also don't allow for leniency!"
Emperor Zhaoming became increasingly impatient and waved his hand to send Zhitong away, "According to the news from the Palace, the two princes, East and West, are both awake and well, you can question them now!
"Hurry up and do your business, don't waste time here trying to save lives!"
Zhitong was still a little hesitant.
Tao Xingjian smiled and stepped forward and said, "How can you be so foolish? Everything has its cause and effect. It is all cause and effect.
"Master, are you really going to go against the law of cause and effect, reversing cause and effect? Aren't you afraid that you will also be affected by the nameless cause and effect?"
A few words of cause and effect made Zhitong dazed for a moment, then he burst into laughter and said, "Tao Jian has achieved success in his cultivation! Success in his cultivation!"
She then clasped her hands together and bowed to Emperor Zhaoming, leaving with her sleeves fluttering.
Emperor Zhaoming looked at Tao Xingjian strangely and asked, "Where did you learn to be so talkative?"
"The little monkeys down there are arguing with each other, and there are so many repetitive words. Just a few of them are enough to fool the serious monks!"
Tao Xingjian chuckled, then took a step closer and whispered, "Xue Pan from the Xue family has been brought back and is now being secretly detained in the Dali Temple."
Emperor Zhaoming seemed to be thinking: "Has the old shopkeeper who turned himself in been exposed?"
"No. Xue was questioned in the palace and immediately informed Mrs. Xue Wang when she returned.
"Mrs. Xue was in a panic. The first thing she did was not to question her family members or send someone to look for her son. Instead, she sent a message to Wang Ziteng.
"Wang Ziteng sent some people, and they encountered our people on the way, and they even drew knives.
"The leader of our team was Feng Ziying's brother, who specifically gave us some instructions. So we turned hostile and killed two or three of them on the spot, and the other side retreated.
"Xue Pan was very obedient. He found a time on the way back, pulled our people and started crying, asking who sent the people on the other side, why they were going at him with their swords, and who they wanted to kill..."
As he was talking, someone outside came to report: "The items in the imperial study have been moved in."
Tao Xingjian just said "oh" and waved his hand to ask someone to take it, when suddenly another person rushed in: "Noble Concubine Qian committed suicide by taking poison, and almost poisoned Concubine Xiao to death.
"Now many letters have been copied from the two rooms, as well as objects that are unfamiliar to the palace servants.
"The emperor was angry, so the crown prince went with him on the hunt. Eunuch Dai ordered five hundred imperial guards to accompany him, and also called the eldest son of Prince Duncheng, Lord Lecheng."
Emperor Zhaoming frowned. "Hunting in the first month of the year? Where did they go? Who is the leader of the imperial guards? When did they say they would be back?"
"Your Majesty, the Supreme Lord said that he would take the Crown Prince to hunt for rabbits. When we went to Tiewang Mountain, the leader of the imperial guards selected General Wei of Huaiyuan Marquis and General Jiang of Pingyuan Marquis.
"As for the return trip, the Emperor said that he was tired of watching the lanterns every year, so he will not celebrate the Lantern Festival in Beijing this year, and asked Your Majesty to take good care of the Queen Mother.
"He also said that the Tiewangshan Palace is fully equipped and has hot springs, so Your Majesty doesn't have to worry and can just focus on handling the important matters in the palace and the court."
The young eunuch who came to deliver the message was eloquent and spoke clearly.
Emperor Zhaoming sighed, thought for a moment, and said, "Go tell Prince Kejin to bring four imperial physicians and some medicines with him to the temporary palace for recuperation."
Tao Xingjian knew that he was still worried. After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "Five hundred imperial guards is not too many, but not too few. Do you want Prince Kejin to bring more people?"
"There's no need to be too nervous." Emperor Zhaoming had a map in his mind, "The Pingying Camp is only a hundred miles east of the palace, and the Xiangping Camp is three hundred miles north.
"The generals of the two armies in these two places are all specially selected by the Supreme Lord, so their safety should be guaranteed.
"But the emperor hasn't been to that palace for three years. There are fewer dishes and food in winter. Let Kejin bring more food and servants."
While thinking and giving orders, Emperor Zhaoming finally selected a team of nearly 500 people in detail and ordered Prince Kejin to catch up quickly in front of the city gate.
After everything was settled on the side of the Supreme Emperor, he sent someone to inform the Yanjia Hall and Kunning Palace that the Supreme Emperor and the Crown Prince were traveling. Emperor Zhaoming then called Prince Duncheng to discuss how to question the confiscated letters and how to interrogate the captured palace maids and eunuchs.
Prince Duncheng was feeling very proud of himself, and when he heard that his son had been chosen by the Supreme Emperor to go hunting with the Crown Prince, he became even more delighted.
He reported to Emperor Zhaoming very seriously: "The old magistrate of the palace is also getting old and confused. I just had a good chat with him.
“They were all acquaintances in the palace back then. They were also very smart when they were young and had many disciples under them. They already knew the general situation.
“So there is no need for heavy hammers to beat the drums. The old man wrote down a few shifty eunuchs and the palace guards who were in collusion with them.
"I just arrested the men, separated them, and locked them up in the palace, and asked that old man to watch over them personally. I will personally interrogate them when I return!"
Emperor Zhaoming frowned and looked at him: "Do you trust that old man so much?"
"Then I am a fool, am I?" Prince Duncheng laughed wildly and covered half of his mouth while whispering, "I pulled out two fingernails of his most beloved disciple and found out where his private residence is! And his ancestral tomb!"