latelenovela Chapter 357 The Mysterious Man Behind It
Chapter 357 The Mysterious Man Behind It
“Your Majesty, my period is irregular, and I only discovered it in the last two days. I originally wanted to tell the Prince, but he has been quite busy these past two days, and I haven’t seen him, so I haven’t said anything,” Jiang Yu explained.
"Fine, for the sake of the first imperial grandson, you don't have to be a concubine, just a secondary consort," Emperor Changlong said.
Jiang Yu's expression brightened with joy. "Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty."
Once she gives birth to the eldest grandson of the emperor, she will surely be able to climb back to the position of the Princess Consort of Li.
She wasn't worried at all about whether Shen Xuan would marry a principal wife before she gave birth to the eldest grandson of the emperor.
Even if you can marry her, the principal wife must still survive.
Shen Xuan looked at Jiang Yu coldly and warned in a low voice, "You better behave yourself, be a good concubine, don't have any other improper thoughts, and give birth to the child safely!"
"Yes, Your Highness," Jiang Yu replied respectfully.
"Minister Zhang!" Emperor Changlong's gaze fell upon the Minister of Works.
"Your subject is here." The Minister of Works trembled and knelt down.
"Explain to me why you weren't poisoned just now?"
Emperor Changlong was feigning poisoning; he had seen everything that happened inside the palace.
"Your Majesty, I did not eat or drink anything just now, so I was fortunate enough not to be poisoned," the Minister of Works lied.
"Oh, you've come to a banquet, yet you're not eating or drinking?" Emperor Changlong continued, "Give me another explanation: why did the cannons that the Crown Princess ordered your Ministry of Works to build end up in the hands of the rebels without a trace?"
"This..." The Minister of Works thought for a moment, "Your Majesty, perhaps the traitors were too clever. They secretly stole the cannons from the Ministry of Works."
"Lies!" Emperor Changlong roared. "Even on the verge of death, you still show no remorse. Do you think that with Jiang Zhen dead, there's no way to prove your collusion with him? Crown Princess, tell them the truth!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Song Siyao recounted the truth in detail.
"As early as when the stone prophecy and the tortoise prophecy occurred, the Emperor had already ordered me to thoroughly investigate this matter. I investigated in secret, while Jiang Zhen investigated in public."
"Later, when Qingyun Academy held a poetry collection event, my article was used to frame me as a remnant of the previous dynasty. Just then, a riot broke out in Fengshadu."
“You, Lord Zhang, Minister of War, Jiang Zhen… you all jointly advised me to lead troops to quell the rebellion. Lord Zhang, you gave the weapons that the Ministry of Works manufactured for the court to the rebels, thinking that I would surely die under heavy weapons. When the news of my death reaches the capital, the Crown Prince will definitely come looking for me. When the Crown Prince and I are not in the capital, it will be the best time for you to make your move.”
"But despite all your calculations, you never expected that I didn't die. After faking my death, I returned to the capital and have been secretly watching your every move!"
……
When the cannons came, Song Siyao activated the Soul-Capturing Bracelet. The Soul-Capturing Bracelet acted as a barrier, saving some of the people she brought with her, though not all of them.
After that, she secretly sneaked back to the capital.
To perform this role well, she worked together with Emperor Changlong and Shen Pei.
Song Siyao had already prepared an antidote for Emperor Changlong for today's banquet.
Emperor Changlong took the antidote as soon as he felt unwell.
After listening to Song Siyao recount the whole story in such detail, the Minister of Works knew that no amount of sophistry would work.
He collapsed to the ground, utterly limp, and pleaded, “Your Majesty, I have my reasons. Jiang Zhen threatened me with the lives of my entire family. I dared not disobey. I deserve to die a thousand deaths. I beg Your Majesty to spare my family in consideration of my unwavering loyalty to the court.”
After he finished speaking, he slammed his head to the ground, and when he raised his head, blood was streaming down his forehead.
Emperor Changlong showed no mercy. "Those were weapons manufactured by the Ministry of Works for the court to protect the people of Great Zhou. You gave them to the rebels and harmed the people of Great Zhou. Your crimes are heinous. Even if you die ten thousand times, it will not be enough to atone for your sins!"
The Minister of Works lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.
Emperor Changlong decreed, "Zhang Qing, the Minister of Works, conspired with Jiang Zhen to commit treason. He is hereby removed from his post as Minister of Works, executed by slow slicing, and his entire family is to be exterminated!"
"Your Majesty, spare me, Your Majesty..."
"Take him away!" Emperor Changlong shouted.
The guards dragged the Minister of Works away.
A short while later, a guard came to report that Jiang Zhen and the Minister of Works had died.
"Your Highness, Your Highness's Consort, heed my command!"
"Your subject is here," Song Siyao and Shen Pei said in unison.
"Princess Consort, take men to ransack the Jiang and Zhang residences. There must be accomplices of the rebels in the palace. Find them!" Emperor Changlong ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Song Siyao and Shen Pei split up and each took on their respective duties.
outside the palace.
Prime Minister's House.
When Song Siyao arrived with her men, Jiang Hexia and her men surrounded the Prime Minister's residence.
"Crown Princess." Jiang Hexia bowed to Song Siyao.
"How is it?" Song Si asked in a calm voice.
Jiang Hexia replied, "Everyone is kneeling in the front hall; they are only allowed to enter, not leave."
“That’s right,” Song Siyao said. “The Emperor has ordered the entire Jiang family to be executed!”
"Yes." Jiang Hexia waved her hand. "Everyone, follow me and ransack the Prime Minister's residence!"
An hour later.
Jiang Hexia reported back, "Your Highness, not a single person from the Jiang family was left alive! The assets have been inventoried!"
"Thank you for your hard work. You and everyone else have taken care of things here. I'm going to the Zhang residence now," Song Siyao said.
"Yes, Princess."
Tinghan was the one who surrounded the Zhang residence, and like Song Siyao, she survived.
The Zhang family was wiped out, and all their property was confiscated.
Later, when people in the capital recalled that day, they were all filled with fear and trepidation.
They heard the shrill screams and pleas coming from the Jiang and Zhang residences.
The air was filled with the smell of blood.
The once prosperous capital city was shrouded in oppression and fear, truly living up to the saying, "When the king is angry, rivers of blood flow."
Therefore, people have a bottom line, and once that bottom line is crossed, even the kindest person will kill.
Those who previously criticized Emperor Changlong as a tyrant have now changed their minds.
It turns out, everything was under his control.
In the palace.
Wei Xin reported to Shen Pei, "Your Highness, the chef in charge of this banquet has been found hanged in his room."
"Was it murder or suicide?" Shen Pei asked.
“The ligature marks indicate suicide,” Wei Xin asked. “Your Highness, do you mean you suspect there’s someone else behind this?”
Shen Pei did not answer, but continued to ask, "Besides the cook, have any other suspicious persons been discovered?"
"Nothing."
Hearing Wei Xin's words, Shen Pei became even more certain of Song Siyao's previous guess, and his expression became even more solemn.
"Continue the investigation!" Shen Pei ordered.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Cining Palace.
Emperor Changlong sat opposite the Empress Dowager...