Chapter 334: Buying People's Hearts
Chapter 334: Buying People's Hearts
"Minister of Rites Xing!" Xun Qi strode forward and said solemnly, "My adoptive father is loyal to the Emperor and loves the people. For many years, he has served the country with integrity and never abused his power or broke the law. Today, based solely on Lu Yuan's words and evidence of unknown origin, you want to frame my adoptive father with false charges. Is this not too chilling to the hearts of the civil and military officials and the people of the world?"
Liu Qingyun scoffed, "Here we go again. It's clear that your adoptive father is the one who committed the crime, yet you insist on blaming everyone else. Instead of saying that he has chilled the hearts of the people, you blame those who arrest and imprison him. Don't twist the truth, and don't treat the civil and military officials and the people as fools. Everyone has eyes to see and ears to hear for themselves."
Xun Qi had not expected Liu Qingyun's quick wit to expose his rhetoric and turn it back on him.
Meng Qianqian sighed, "Mother, please stop. If you continue, he will accuse us of framing them with the evidence!"
Liu Qingyun spoke coldly, "Dare he?"
Meng Qianqian replied, "Why not? Didn't he just write an abdication letter to my grandfather, wanting him to abdicate his throne? He even took the liberty of making decisions for His Majesty. With his audacity, he might as well claim that during the search of the mansion, someone secretly placed the evidence in someone's courtyard."
"Nonsense!"
The Majestic King waved his hand and said, "I didn't search alone! General Han, the Minister of Punishment, and so many law enforcement officers were present. Is he implying that the court's generals and ministers of punishment are all incompetent?"
Xun Qi was left speechless by his own words.
This was Xun Qi's usual tactic, but now it seemed to backfire on him. How would he respond with his silver tongue?
Xun Qi clenched his fists.
The entire family took turns refuting his rhetoric, leaving him no room to maneuver. By continuing to insist on the physical evidence, he was questioning the capabilities of General Han and the Ministry of Punishment.
Unfortunately, they had underestimated the prestige of Xun Qi's adoptive father.
Even if they were wrong, so what? "Even lions have moments of drowsiness. Majestic King, you searched the place over and over. Who would dare say you weren't looking for an opportunity to strike?"
The Majestic King replied without surprise, "I guessed you'd say that!"
Xun Qi's eyebrows furrowed.
What did the Majestic King mean by this?
The Majestic King turned to General Han, "General Han, I've heard that you have a very capable hunting dog. It can track down any scent it has ever smelled, even if the source is ten miles away."
General Han said, "It's not that exaggerated, but it does have a talent for distinguishing scents."
Dogs have a keen sense of smell, but not all dogs are skilled at searching. After all, being able to smell something and actively tracking it down are two different things, and the latter requires training.
As it happened, General Han's hunting dog had been trained by him personally.
Not many people knew about this.
But when Han Ci was mentioned, General Han guessed that the Majestic King's information came from the Duke's Manor.
The Majestic King spoke sternly, "General Han, please bring your hunting dog to prove my innocence!"
General Han hesitated.
Then, his rebellious nephew interrupted again.
Han Lin, who had been escorted back to the Han residence, returned with the hunting dog in secret.
The dog sniffed the medicine bottle and pounced on several people who had recently handled it. However, it completely ignored the Majestic King and Liu Qingyun.
"What about her?" Xun Qi pointed at Meng Qianqian.
"Me?" Meng Qianqian pointed to her nose, "I just checked the medicine bottle, everyone saw that!"
"Enough!" Zongzheng Xi said coldly, "Xun Qi, you have repeatedly obstructed the Ministry of Punishment's investigation. If it weren't for the fact that you are the Chancellor's adoptive son, I would punish you right now!"
Xun Qi felt wronged, "Your Majesty..."
Zongzheng Xi spoke sternly, "The Chancellor is merely cooperating with the investigation. If he is innocent, I believe Minister of Rites Xing will give him justice!"
When dealing with the Majestic King earlier, the young emperor hadn't been so decisive.
Xun Qi's expression turned grave as he looked at his adoptive father.
Chancellor Xun's expression remained calm as he said, "Xun Qi, stop this nonsense. I'll go to the Ministry of Punishment myself."
Meng Qianqian thought to herself, Yes, yes, yes, hurry up and go in. Once you're in, don't even think about coming out again!
As he brushed past Xun Qi, Chancellor Xun quietly instructed, "Find Celestial Dragon and Luo San."
Xun Qi's eyes flickered, and he whispered, "Yes, Adoptive Father!"
At the entrance of the Chancellor's Mansion.
The commoners had waited the entire day, and as they witnessed one official after another entering, they realized something major had happened.
Chancellor Xun had served in the government for many years and was a veteran of three dynasties, yet he maintained a low profile. The last time his mansion was this lively was when Xun Yu became the top scholar.
"Look, the main gate is opening!"
"The Chancellor is coming out!"
"Who's by his side..."
"The Minister of Punishment!"
Minister of Rites Xing walked up to the carriage and said to Chancellor Xun, "Please."
Chancellor Xun boarded the Ministry of Punishment's carriage.
Minister of Rites Xing mounted his horse and rode alongside, "Let's go to the Ministry of Punishment!"
The commoners were stunned.
What was going on? Was the Chancellor going to be taken to the Ministry of Punishment?
"Officer, please, what's happening?"
A middle-aged merchant grabbed one of the law enforcement officers from the Ministry of Punishment.
"Don't give him a hard time, he's just a minor official, and you can't afford to offend the Chancellor's Mansion! Ask me instead!"
"Who are you?"
"I'm the legitimate son of the Han family! Han Ci is my brother, and General Han is my uncle!"
"Then tell us, why is the Chancellor going to the Ministry of Punishment?"
"He arrested the Grand Marshal, caught red-handed with evidence, and is going to jail!"
"Han—Lin—"
General Han had arrived a step too late, and this kid was causing trouble outside again! Liu Qingyun walked out of the Chancellor's Mansion and expressed her gratitude to the commoners, thanking them for standing up for her son, which gave her father the opportunity to search the mansion with the officials.
"You have given my son a second life..."
The beauty's tears fell, and the hearts of the commoners shattered.
The people's hearts were breaking.
"Waaah... I want to cry too... Waaah—let me cry before you go—"
Han Lin was thrown onto a horse by his own uncle.
"You are like my son's reborn parents... Please accept my bow—"
Liu Qingyun's eyes were red, and she bowed to the commoners with grace.
A goddess bowing down.
Who could withstand this?
In the past, Lu Yuan was a notorious villain whom everyone wanted to punish, but now, he was their son whom they had personally rescued, and their emotions changed in an instant.
Liu Qingyun held her handkerchief, her voice filled with sincerity, "I can't express my gratitude enough! I'm just an ordinary person, raised in Miaojiang since childhood, and I haven't seen much of the world. I have no way to repay you, but I have some silver, and I hope you won't reject it!"
Liu Qingyun gave each of the commoners outside the Chancellor's Mansion a gold ingot.
"Thank you for saving my son."
"Thank you for saving my son."
"Thank you..."
"We initially misunderstood the Grand Marshal, he's also a pitiful child, lost at such a young age..."
"From now on, you are his reborn parents. If he does anything wrong, please discipline him well!"
"Lady Lu, please don't say that! Thinking about it, the Grand Marshal is a good person. He won a battle in Beiliang and is also a great military achiever of the Great Zhou!"
"Yes, yes!"
Meng Qianqian watched her mother-in-law and mother-in-law openly bribing the people at the entrance of the Chancellor's Mansion. She was shocked and gave them a thumbs up, "High, truly high!"
Ever since he got a daughter-in-law and a mother-in-law, the notorious villain's bad reputation was gone, never to return.
(End of Chapter)
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