Chapter 124
Jing Yi Yuan summer days, live calm and relaxed, Rong Xiang see daily and maid, Xiang Wen they canoeing, fishing, playing water, painting, lotus …… garden door are lazy out of a step, Jing Yi Yuan has become a world away from the hustle and bustle of the Jinling paradise.
Just so over a period of idle days, Yu Wang to her birthday in the Jing Yi Garden thing, even spread all over the Jinling.
It turns out that the pattern of the lanterns flew high on that day, making some residents on the left recognize it. A few of the lanterns flowed out of the garden and into the river, where they were scooped up by the people washing by the river.
For a while, Jinling City again rumors about how King Yu and his wife love each other.
Or Li Qing’s family heard it and told Xiang Xiang. She thought it was strange that Zhou Xian Yang had agreed to leave, so why make things so difficult by telling the palace?
At that moment, Zhenru said that someone from the palace had summoned her.
Rong Xian Yang went to greet him, explaining that Yü Wang was not in the garden and that he was sending someone to look for him. Then, as if he had planned it, Zhou Xian Yang rode his horse to the main gate and entered the garden.
The inner official is all smiles and announces that Yü Wang is going to the Chongzheng Hall to see him, and then hurriedly pulls him away. Rong Xiangmei wanted to say a few words to him, but it was too late.
On the steps in front of the Chongzheng Hall, Zhou Xianyang meets Chen Rixin. He now reads to the emperor almost every day, and is very popular with the emperor. He was coming out of the hall, as usual, with a warm spring breeze smile, saluting: “Your Highness, King Yu.”
Zhou Xian Yang nodded his head and faintly passed by him, only to hear him softly say two words, “Zhang Zai.”
There wasn’t any Zhang family members in the Chongzheng Hall’s main hall, only a fresh-faced military general.
Zhou Xian Yang did not move and bowed.
The Emperor laughed, “I’ve disturbed your young couple’s life!”
Zhou Xian Yang revealed some embarrassed smiles, “Father is making fun of me, it’s all because of Father’s favor that my son can have such a day.” There was a team of feathered guards on duty in Jing Yi Garden, and naturally none of the movements of the birthday celebration in the garden could be hidden from the Emperor.
Instead of continuing to discuss personal matters, the Emperor had Xiao Gong, the Honorable Envoy of the Department of Penal Precepts, briefly state the results of the investigation into the fire in the Jing Yi Garden and the assassin of the Yu Wang Mansion.
“That assassin was a hardcore person, refusing to spit even after the torture on his skin and flesh. It was only after thinking of another method that he admitted to being a dead soldier trained by the Zhang family, specializing in doing these unseemly and vicious things for the King of Li and the Marquis of Yong’an.”
“As for the Jing Yi Garden arson, it was done by a farmer named Jiang San. He said that someone gave him a hundred taels of silver and told him to quietly light a fire in the back of the Jing Yi Garden at shen time that day. Originally, he had been hiding and didn’t dare to go out, then it was the Nine Gate Patrol Battalion that issued a reward notice, which led him out. In order to one hundred taels of silver arson, and for three hundred taels of silver thief to catch a thief, is really a talent. Unfortunately, he only saw the mastermind at that time, and did not remember the person’s appearance, only clothing is not ordinary people’s homes, think also is the high door of the slaves.”
Waiting for him to finish the ins and outs, the emperor and Yan said, “That boy, Hsien Han, has repeatedly caused trouble before. This time, most likely because of Zhang Pan’s matter, and also keen on you to receive the imperial chariot, instigated the Zhang family to make trouble from it. You see, demote Li Wang to County King as punishment can be good?”
After the Emperor finished speaking, he quietly watched Zhou Xian Yang’s reaction, and he did not show indignation or gloating, instead he was very puzzled: “Father, I don’t think this is so simple.”
“How so?”
“The assassination in Jiangzhou, if we were to say that Zhang Pan was afraid of his corrupt behavior being exposed and jumped over the wall, it would still be understandable. However, all of his affairs have been revealed, my son has returned to the capital, the Supervisory Court has already submitted a report, what is the significance of the Zhang family sending another assassin to the Yulong Mansion? Is it just to kill my son to vent their anger? If something really happened to the Yuhang Mansion, wouldn’t this be a sign to tell the world that the Zhang Family is bold enough to dare to kill the Emperor?”
The Emperor’s eyes were incredibly serious: “Are you saying that the assassin didn’t tell the truth?”
Yang Zhou Xian nodded, “Father did not see it, as soon as the assassin from Jiangzhou was captured by my son’s men that day, he immediately swallowed a drug and killed himself, so it is evident that the person behind it is extremely secretive. And this assassin, who survived for so long after being captured, and also gave an account of the Zhang family’s deeds, is really suspicious.”
“Then what do you say should be done?”
“In my humble opinion, my son should still look for third brother and the Zhang family to confront them and give them a chance to plead their case. It’s one thing for Zhang Pan to be lost in wealth and power, to be greedy and corrupt, but Marquis Yong’an pacified the East Sea and is a general who is just as meritorious as the Rong family, and my son is unwilling to believe that they would do such a thing as assassinate the crown prince in Jinling City.
Even if they did, with the Zhang family’s methods they would definitely not leave a single survivor to testify against them. As for the matter of arson in Jing Yi Yuan, it is even more so that everyone can do it, and it cannot be easily attributed to third brother, in case he falls for the treacherous plans of others and provokes our brothers to fall out of harmony, won’t it make the pro’s hurt and the enemy’s quick?”
“Oh?” The Emperor looked at Xian Yang with interest, “Is it possible that you and Lao San are not considered to be out of harmony?”
Zhou Xian Yang shook his head, “Father, third brother did plant eyes in the Yul Wang Mansion, and because he misjudged some things, he turned on the Yul Wang Mansion, causing the princess to suffer. However, he did not really frame the Yul Wang Fu, otherwise, would my son have today’s days of leisure in the Jing Yi Yuan. Third brother is at most prejudiced against me, and his work is a bit unseemly, and my son feels that the punishment of having his title cut is just too heavy.”
“Then, are you willing to put the matter to rest and not pursue it further?”
“Of course I want to pursue! But not to pursue the Li Royal House. My son has been fighting with the enemy in Western Qin for so many years, and is used to seeing all sorts of underhanded schemes, and after returning to the capital, I just want to live in peace, not wanting to kill each other hand in hand, and even more not wanting to become someone else’s pawns. However, if there is someone behind the scenes, repeatedly stirring up fights between my son and his brothers, with the intention of shaking up the dynasty, they must be uncovered.”
After Zhou Xian Yang finished these words, the Emperor looked quite agreeable, “Xian Yang, you have been practicing in the military for many years, in the end, you are much more resourceful than your third brother. What you are worried about is exactly what I am worried about. If the princes don’t get along with each other, it will inevitably lead to party rivalry in the court, which will shake the stability of the dynasty. You know how to take the big picture into consideration, which is good. In your opinion, these two people, how should they be disposed of?”
Zhou Xian Yang glanced at Xiao Gong, “This assassin must still find a way to continue the trial. In addition to the Penal Precepts Division, the Ministry of Justice and the Da Lisi also have their own means, so it might be a good idea to secretly draw some manpower to do this together.”
He didn’t believe that the Criminal Preceptor Department would have a case that it couldn’t try, and by trying out King Li, it was more likely that the Criminal Preceptor Department wasn’t just following the Emperor’s orders anymore, and would only try out the answers set by that person behind the scenes.
As for that Jiang San, Zhou Xian Yang said, “The crime of arson, there is naturally a law in the law. Just, that bounty of silver, the patrol battalion should be given to his family, on the one hand, it is the court’s promise, on the other hand, this person’s family lost the backbone, the family’s wife, children and children, also need silver to live on.”
For his son’s answer, the emperor was very satisfied, and immediately sent people to do. Zhou Xian Yang also requested, “The fire in the Jing Yi Garden needs to be prevented. I think that the mountain behind the garden is not far away, so I am afraid that there is a safety hazard. It would be better to buy the mountain and land from the villagers in the neighborhood and expand the Jing Yi Garden so that we can avoid the danger. I also ask Father’s permission.”
“This is a small matter,” the emperor waved his hand, “you do it yourself, just do it properly, don’t be like your elder brother, forcibly occupying the people’s fields, causing public anger, and asking me to clean up the mess for him.”
“My son understands.” Zhou Xian Yang finished his response and breathed a sigh of relief. After leaving the Chongzheng Hall, he looked at the sorrowful sky and thought to himself that he didn’t know what Marquis Yongan would say to the Emperor later.
This old fox, naturally, will not wait for death, most likely also perceived that the recent Li Wang Fu and Zhang family disaster after disaster is not a coincidence, want to dump things all to his head. If he really gloats about the Li Wangfu, maybe the Emperor will really believe him.
No matter how he explains it, the Zhang family probably won’t believe that he didn’t mean to frame them.
On the day of the accident, because of the meeting, he did not care. After calming down alone for a few days, he realized that something was wrong. If someone is sincere arson to destroy his garden feast, most likely like Rong Xiangzhi, very early to start. Wouldn’t wait for them to have used the lunch, have seen a hundred plays, and then set fire to it when it was about to end.
This is not like to ruin the opening banquet, more like a different purpose, whether it is not to plant the Li Wangfu, he did not want to cooperate.
Out of the Chongzheng Hall, Zhou Xianyang went to give thanks to the Empress Dowager, and was called by Princess Shuji.
When he left the palace, it was almost dark. Not far from the palace gates, Zhou Xianyang was dragged by Tan Xun to the Smoke and Rain House.
Tan Xun told him, “That assassin is dead.”
Not long after he was taken from the Criminal Justice Department to the Ministry of Justice, he died in jail, poisoned to death.
The Ministry of Justice was also really wrong, taking the blame for the Department of Penal Precepts.
King Qing was smarter than he thought, Zhou Xian Yang thought to himself, the Criminal Preceptor Department helped him make a play to climb over King Li, and then let the person die in the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, stirring things up. He had stayed out of it.
No, Zhou Xian Yang looked up, “How did you know about the assassins?”
Tan Xun smiled mysteriously, “His Majesty sent the Department of Penal Precepts to the Ministry of Justice to investigate the assassin’s death, and ‘accidentally’ discovered that Zhang Pan, who had just been escorted back to the capital to stand trial, wasn’t even in the Ministry of Justice’s prison. The Ministry of Criminal Affairs do not know whether to receive silver or secretly defected to the Queen, Li Wang and Zhang family, to give him a separate official guards live in the room, equivalent to house arrest.
The emperor was furious, directly jacked the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Justice of the hat, let Zhang Pan prison. In the afternoon, he appointed my father as the Minister of Justice to take charge of Zhang Pan’s case.”
The Tan family was originally a prestigious family, full of purists, never associated with a party, and had an excellent official reputation, so naturally they were impartial.
Speaking of this, Tan Xun was happy for his father to be reused, but also a little worried that he would offend the Zhang family in the future.
“Your Highness, if there is a difficult time in the future, please take care of my father for the sake of our childhood study together. He is a straightforward minister who doesn’t know how to gang up on others.”
Zhou Xian Yang laughed, “You needn’t say that?”
When Zhou Xianyang left the palace and stayed at General Qi’s residence, only his uncle and the Tan family treated him as before. The rest of the family he knew well avoided him like the plague. He always remembered.
“I’m just afraid it’s not my turn to do anything. Lord Tan is a straightforward minister who dares to refute the Emperor in the Golden Palace, and is embraced by the world’s readers, so the Zhang family would not dare to deal with him unless they wanted to ruin King Li’s future prospects.”
Tan Xun put his heart down as he listened, and then lamented the assassin, who died a miserable death.
A pawn was useless, and the downfall could only be to be discarded.
Thinking of those beady eyes, Zhou Xian Yang’s heart was stifled for no reason.
After finishing his drink and leaving Tan Xun, he rode his horse aimlessly out of the city, unknowingly arriving at the Jing Yi Garden.
He saw Rong Xiangmian being surrounded by a crowd of people going out, surrounded by Yulong’s guards and underlings with lanterns, pulling some furniture on the ground.
It’s hard enough to move in the middle of the night.
That night, Rong Xiangmian determined to leave with him, he is really want to repent, want to stalking.
However, looking at her life without him, living so happy and comfortable, no worries, he suddenly figured out, fulfill her, let her happy, is the most important thing he should do.
Only he was stumped, not far, can not leave, do not want to return to the royal residence. Later, simply in the Jing Yi Yuan near a farm stayed down, with people sentinel, Jing Yi Yuan what is the matter, come what people, he can immediately be informed, take care of.
At the moment, seeing that she even bought a new house, Jing Yi Garden furniture also moved to the new house, he felt that he again pestered, really should not.
When he turned to leave, the reins in his hand tightened, he saw her in a plain colored dress, action floating like a mist in the forest at night, can not be caught. She walked down the steps lightly, holding a thin handle in her right hand, on the end of which dangled an exquisite lantern – the rabbit lantern of the City God Temple.
The lantern he had sent back along with Konghou, a memento of their true first encounter.