Chapter 13 Thorough Investigation
Capital city, imperial palace, Xuanming Hall.

Emperor Xiao Wenzhan's face was gloomy, his eyes were deep and slightly narrowed, and he looked at the [secret battle] taking place under the hall with no discernible emotion.

"Your Majesty! I have something to report!" The Minister of Justice Su Yang stood up and reported while holding a tablet.

Xiao Wenzhang glanced at the ministers who were all silent and said, "Approved."

"I would like to report the seven major crimes of Li Guojiu:

1. Entrapment of officials and formation of cliques for personal gain

2. Accepting Bribes and Extorting Money

3. Seizing and plundering the private property of the people

4. Privately hoarding and enjoying the tribute

5. Tolerating domestic slaves to commit crimes
6. Rape of women

7. Concealing the silver tax! "

Li Guojiu was already trembling with fear all over his body, and when he heard Su Yang loudly and painfully listing his crimes, he began to sweat profusely, hunched over and dared not say a word.

Xiao Wen Zhang's face was filled with rage, and he slapped the armrest of the dragon throne with a "bang".

All the ministers in the hall knelt down and kowtowed respectfully, "Your Majesty, please calm down!"

When Li Guojiu looked up and saw the emperor, his scalp went numb, his mind went blank, and his body went limp. There was no trace of his usual arrogance. He almost knelt down and groveled, saying, "Your Majesty, I am innocent! Please forgive me!"

Su Yang was neither impatient nor impatient. He gave a slight signal with his eyes, and two eunuchs came in carrying a lacquered wooden box. "Your Majesty! In order not to wrongly accuse the uncle, I have specially classified and distinguished the evidence for each crime. These are the verified files and signed petitions. Please have a look, Your Majesty!"

Faced with the mountain of irrefutable evidence and the emperor's expression, Li Guojiu knew that he could not escape this disaster, so he kowtowed solemnly.

Xiao Wenzhang hated people who formed cliques and pursued personal interests the most in his life. Li Guojiu was walking into the muzzle of a gun. "You are trying to climb high!"

Gao Pan, the chief eunuch, leaned forward slightly and said, "Your servant is here."

"An imperial decree is issued! Li Maoxiang, who formed a clique for personal gain, accepted bribes and embezzled, acted recklessly, and was an unrighteous minister who failed to live up to the emperor's grace! Li Maoxiang is sentenced to death! His title and honor are stripped away, and his property is confiscated! All his sons over the age of fifteen are to be sent to the border! The criminals in his clique will be dealt with according to the law!" Xiao Wenzhang's heavy and gloomy voice echoed heavily in the hall, making people feel as if their hearts were struck by a heavy stone, unable to calm down.

This imperial decree was a very severe punishment, equivalent to completely wiping out the power of the queen's mother's family...

As soon as the imperial edict was issued, shrill cries were heard from outside.

"Your Majesty, please spare my brother's life for all the years of service I have given you! Your Majesty, please have mercy!"

Gao Pan stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, the Queen is kneeling outside the palace."

Xiao Wenzhan's eyes suddenly became deep and cold.

Before he could even open his mouth, he heard a male voice, "Please have mercy, Father!"

Xiao Wenzhang was filled with hostility, and murderous intent slowly appeared in his eyes. "Issue the six palaces, the queen neglects etiquette and morality, has a lack of virtue, and has disrupted the government. From now on, take back the seal and the book, and seal the Changchun Palace!"

All the ministers were shocked and horrified. Taking back the seal and the book, wouldn't that be the same as deposing the queen? This was the foundation of the dynasty. They couldn't help but get angry and said directly: "Your Majesty, the queen is the foundation of the six palaces. How can you take back the seal and the book so easily? Please think twice!"

Xiao Wenzhang's eyes moved slightly, and fell on the minister, "So, my world cannot be without the Li family?"

Who dared to respond to this? The minister who had just spoken trembled all over, "I know my crime!"

From then on, no minister dared to speak nonsense. Not only that, from this situation, it can be seen that the emperor did not intend to deal with the queen from the beginning. He was afraid that the prince was involved, so the emperor suddenly wanted to take back the seal and strategy.

The next moment, overwhelming wealth and honor came down in response, "Noble Consort Sheng, gentle and docile, graceful and elegant, dignified and pure, immediately, you are canonized as Imperial Noble Consort, and granted the power to manage the six palaces!" When Sheng Zhenglin heard his sister's promotion, he couldn't help but feel excited, and immediately replied: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Sheng Daoan once again became arrogant due to his aunt's promotion. Who among the nobles in the capital could be his rival...

Because of this psychological problem, he quietly looked aside.

After the ministers stood up, they thought there was nothing more to report, but who would have thought that the Imperial Censor would hold up his tablet and raise his voice, "I have something to report!"

Everyone's hearts, which had just been relieved, were immediately tightened.

Xiao Wenzhang's face was unfriendly and his voice became impatient, "Speak!"

"I want to report that Marquis Dingyang has secretly colluded with Uncle Li!" As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar.

Who is Dingyang Hou? He was a minister who accompanied the emperor in conquering the world and was also a meritorious official. He was always cautious in his words and deeds and never dared to overstep the mark. Moreover, his son Xie Chengyi was a famous general guarding the border. Who in the entire Northern Jin Dynasty didn't know him? How could he collude with Li Guojiu, that idiot?
Looking at Dingyang Marquis Xie Chongkun again, there was no strange expression on his face, he just replied calmly: "Master Liang, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want!"

Lord Liang said with a serious face: "Your Majesty, the son of the Marquis of Dingyang, that is, General Xie, was reported for his poor leadership of the army. Originally, it was planned that Li Guojiu would go to the border to investigate in detail today. However, for some unknown reason, the Marquis' Mansion sent someone to find a stunning beauty and wanted to send her to the Prince's Mansion to bribe Li Guojiu in order to achieve a secret that cannot be revealed! Please investigate carefully, Your Majesty!"

If everyone was sighing over what happened to Uncle Li just now, then everyone was just watching this incident. How could the always upright Marquis Dingyang be so stupid?

Xiao Wenzhang also had an unpleasant look on his face, "Marquis Dingyang, is what Liang Dong said true?"

Xie Chongkun said sternly: "I have never done this, it is pure nonsense!"

When Lord Liang saw Xie Chongkun's face full of denial, he asked anxiously, "Marquis Dingyang, the patrol camp surrounded the uncle's mansion yesterday, and I saw with my own eyes that the mansion's steward took the woman out of the marquis' mansion and entered the uncle's mansion. Once we investigate this matter, we will know that you have no way to deny it!"

Xie Chongkun said with disdain: "Did Lord Liang see the woman being picked up by the Marquis?"

"Did the Marquis' Mansion welcome a woman named Huo Aying? This woman is extremely beautiful and well versed in the art of seduction. This was done at the instigation of your wife! Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly! If there are people like the Marquis of Dingyang who say one thing and do another in the court, how can he help to govern the country?" Lord Liang's every word was pearls of wisdom and his words were sincere, which attracted everyone's attention.

Xiao Wenzhang couldn't help but feel suspicious after hearing Liang Dong's explanation. "Then let's investigate. It will at least clear Marquis Dingyang's name!"

Dingyang Marquis Xie Chongkun remained calm, "I am upright and honest, and I am willing to ask for verification!"

"Fan Zhen!" Xiao Wenzhan raised his eyebrows.

Immediately, Fan Zhen bowed and said, "I am here!"

"Summon the patrol battalion to search the prince's mansion to see if there is this--" Xiao Wenzhan didn't remember the woman's name for a moment and glanced at Liang Dong.

Liang Dong looked at his expression and replied, "Huo Aying."

"Yes, search whether Huo Aying is in the Prince's Mansion?" Xiao Wenzhan couldn't help but repeat this name in his heart, wondering if she was really as stunning as Liang Dong said.

Upon receiving the order, Fan Zhen hurried to the Prince's Mansion.

In the court, everyone looked at each other, and no one dared to say whether they believed it or not. At this critical juncture, if Marquis Dingyang really did something to curry favor with the emperor's uncle, it would be understandable. After all, the matter of the crown prince was also quite lamentable.

"What is Chengyi doing?" Xiao Wenzhan asked directly in the originally silent court.

Xie Chongkun did not expect the emperor to ask this question, so he answered truthfully: "After being summoned back to the capital, I have been waiting for Your Majesty to summon me, and have not done anything."

Xiao Wenzhang lowered his eyes, and his facial expression and the color of his eyes could not be seen clearly. Only a low voice could be heard, "It has been quite a while since he came back..."

There was nothing else to say, and Xie Chongkun didn't say anything else. All the officials were there, so it would be inappropriate to say anything.

About half an hour later, a voice was heard outside the palace: "Commander Fan, please come to see me!"

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