HCB Chapter 317: Family ruined
Chapter 317: Family ruined
"Your Majesty, I heard from this old servant that the head of Lingguang Temple has invited several doctors to take a look, and they all said that the cause is unknown and it doesn't seem like poisoning, but rather a problem inside the body.
Just like foot odor, body odor is difficult to cure in the future. Queen, will you send an imperial physician to take a look?"
Queen Qin was stunned.
"When did it happen? How come I don't know about it?"
Nanny Liu was a little hesitant.
"Say!"
"Well, the old prince who had been worshipping Buddha in Lingguang Temple for many years couldn't stand the stench and nearly choked to death. In anger, he sent someone to complain to the Queen Mother.
I have only just heard a little bit of it. I am afraid you will be angry again, so I will conceal it for the time being."
Queen Qin's headache got worse after hearing this.
*
Seeing that Madam Liu was hesitant to speak, he said angrily,
"Is there anything else you want to say?"
"Well, what I want to say is, if the stench really cannot be cured, will you still let them return to the palace?"
After a moment of silence, Queen Qin rubbed her temples and said,
"Hey! My mind is in a mess. Since the Queen Mother has been alarmed, there is no need to send the imperial physician! Let's just take it one step at a time!"
"Here."
Seeing Queen Qin's distress, Nanny Liu asked worriedly,
"Then, Madam, since the King of Rui has come here specially, how are you going to handle this matter?"
Queen Qin raised her hand to her forehead and said leisurely,
"Now that the prince is still ill, I am exhausted.
The Emperor has entrusted me with the handling of the affairs of the Eastern Palace, but he does not want the scandal to spread.
But if I don't deal with it, I really can't explain to the prince. I can't face my two young children.
That’s all! I must always have an attitude!”
"Mother, what do you mean?"
“Well, since both of you are suffering from a serious illness, you should just stay in the temple and pray for the prince!
Madam Liu, please arrange for Li Liangdi and the other two to return to the palace tomorrow."
Aunt Liu nodded.
"Here."
Queen Qin watched Nanny Liu go out. She pulled out a jade hairpin from her head and broke it into two pieces with both hands.
*
When Prince Rui learned the news from Kunning Palace, his face remained calm and no one could see the slightest change in his expression.
On the fourth morning,
In the golden palace lit by candlelight,
The Minister of Revenue Zhang Bingyi was reported for embezzlement of a huge amount, and all the evidence and witnesses were presented to the public.
The evidence was irrefutable and he had no way of denying the facts.
Zhang Bingyi collapsed on the ground, sweating profusely and shaking all over. He no longer had the arrogance he had when he was successful in his career.
The ministers were dumbfounded. Their hearts were beating like drums.
Emperor Kun, who was sitting on the dragon throne, had a livid face.
He was going crazy because the cold wave in the south had caused disasters to the people and he had no money.
The Crown Prince fell ill again and his life was in danger. Then Concubine Fang Liangdi in the Eastern Palace had an accident and so on.
The ministers secretly looked up at Emperor Kun who was in a bad mood.
Everyone lowered their heads and weighed themselves.
There was deathly silence in the hall.
*
At this time, Zhang Bingyi finally woke up from the dead silence. He looked up at Emperor Kun sitting on the dragon throne on the high platform with trembling eyes, and kowtowed and begged for mercy in fear.
The sound of kowtows like pounding garlic is painful to hear.
"Your Majesty, please have mercy on me. I beg you to have mercy on me! I made a big mistake in a moment of confusion.
I beg Your Majesty to give me a chance to reform myself. I will repay your grace even if I have to work like a slave."
"Wow, wow, wow... the emperor has shown mercy!"
The crying and begging for mercy was extremely unpleasant to hear.
At this moment, Emperor Kun's anger finally erupted.
He stood up from the dragon throne, pointed at Zhang Bingyi who was kneeling on the ground like a puddle of mud and cursed,
"I am a wise ruler who loves the people like his own children, governs diligently, and is admired by the people. How can you, my subjects, be so unbearable!
Zhang Bingyi, the Minister of Finance, was corrupt and perverted the law, taking human lives lightly, and was unworthy of being a minister. He should be executed according to the law.
Come here, strip him of his official robes and throw him into the prison to await his fate. Confiscate his property and exile his family members, big or small, a thousand miles away as punishment for his crime.”
*
"Yes. I obey your order."
The officials from the Ministry of Justice kowtowed tremblingly to receive the order, and then they raised their hands and the guards dragged away Zhang Bingyi, who was howling like a ghost and was already frightened to death.
When passing by Prime Minister Xiao, Zhang Bingyi struggled to break free from the guards and shouted at Prime Minister Xiao,
"Prime Minister, save me! Prime Minister, save me! Help me!"
Prime Minister Xiao took a few steps back as if he was avoiding something dirty. He lowered his eyelids and said nothing.
However, Liang Hengrui felt the coldness emanating from his grandfather, as well as the dissatisfied anger in his eyes when he glanced at him.
Zhang Bingyi was thrown into prison and awaited execution, his property was confiscated, his family was exiled, and…
Such a swift and decisive disposal was completed within one day, which was the first case in Daliang's history.
It can be seen that this time the Emperor Kun was touched.
*
In the afternoon, the news that Minister Zhang was imprisoned and his entire family's property was confiscated was delivered to the ears of Concubine Zhang who was praying in Lingguang Temple.
In a Zen room on the top of Lingguang Temple,
Zhang Yuying was badly injured by a dead tree branch on her buttocks and was lying on her side in bed, unable to get off.
"what?"
After hearing this, I felt my ears buzzing, as if I was hallucinating.
Her eyes were red with anger, and she pointed at the eunuch who was standing outside the door with his hands covering his nose and yelled,
"Tell me again, what happened to my father and my family?"
"Replying to Concubine Zhang, I have said it twice, and every word I said is true, not a single lie.
Besides, why would I lie to you about such a big thing? "
"Are you…are you serious?"
Zhang Yuying asked repeatedly as if she was dumbfounded, and suddenly she felt dizzy.
His body fell off the bed with an uncontrollable "thump".
The eunuch who delivered the message was startled.
"Ouch, ouch!" Her personal maid Qing Mo ran in from outside the door crying.
I saw that her mouth and nose were covered tightly with a thick cotton pad.
"Concubine Zhang, are you okay? Where did you fall? Why are you so careless?"
Qing Mo said this while holding his breath and trying hard to help Zhang Yuying onto the bed, but Qing Mo was too thin and small, and he simply didn't have much strength.
"Hey! Little eunuch, can you come in and help?"
She yelled at the top of her lungs.
The eunuch outside looked at Concubine Zhang in such a miserable state, and perhaps felt a little sympathy for her, so he held his breath and ran in.
The two of them worked together to help Concubine Zhang onto the bed and lay her on her side.
*
Zhang Yuying's face was already covered with tears.
She grabbed Qing Mo's sleeve and asked,
"Him? Is what he said true?"
Qing Mo had already been frightened silly. She was the dowry of Concubine Zhang and a servant of the Zhang family. When she thought that her parents, who were the steward, were still in the mansion without any news, she burst into tears.
Nodding his head,
"Concubine, it's true. It's true."
Zhang Yuying looked at the eunuch who had covered his mouth and nose and hid outside the door.
"Who on earth sent you?"
"Concubine Zhang, please don't worry about who sent me! I just feel sorry for you.
My mother's family was destroyed and I was kept in the dark. That's why I came all the way here in the snow and cold.
**