Chapter 304: Today, I Want You Dead
23rd, Sunny.
Suitable for: Sacrifices, recognizing kin, building stoves, raising beams.
Unsuitable for: False accusations, setting beds, plotting, traveling.
Today is the last court session of the year.
The next court session will be next year.
It is freezing cold.
Prime Minister Lu’s house is considered close to the Imperial Palace.
As the First Prime Minister, he enjoys many special privileges.
For example, others must dismount their carriages at the gate and walk inside.
Because the Imperial Palace is so huge, even after reaching the gate, it takes a long time to walk inside.
Especially in the freezing cold, the architecture of the Imperial Palace is defined by being tall, majestic, and spacious; it’s cool in summer, but the winter wind sneaks into your crotch so evilly that even your leg hair feels chilly.
Prime Minister Lu can take a sedan chair and go directly to the innermost part.
It is a tiny bit worse than the Emperor’s treatment.
When the Emperor comes out of the palace, he also takes a sedan chair.
When he goes in from the outside, he can also take a sedan chair.
The carriage arrives at the gate, then he switches to a sedan chair.
On normal days, Prime Minister Lu generally doesn’t enjoy such honor.
He prefers walking, with people respectfully bowing along the way.
Bowing and scraping, nodding and smiling…
He enjoys the feeling of the masses bowing their heads before him.
At the same time, there is a lot to be gleaned from eye contact during these greetings.
Some subtle differences can be judged from the eyes.
It was from these clues, these exchanges of glances, that Prime Minister Lu previously judged a traitor was about to betray him, and he took him down first.
But today it is too cold.
He also processed official business very late last night.
In some respects, he is a very responsible Prime Minister; basically, he handles the memorials for the whole country. He is busy every day, endlessly busy. Sometimes at noon, he wants to take a nap, but he feels he doesn’t have enough time and doesn’t dare to close his eyes.
At night, he only closes his eyes in the middle of the night.
Today is exceptionally cold.
He is truly not feeling well.
There is a tough battle to fight in a while, so he must conserve his strength first.
A small Attendant of the Yellow Gate is not really a tough battle.
Prime Minister Lu is accustomed to being thorough; when a lion fights a rabbit, it uses its full strength.
In such a short time, collecting so many charges should be enough.
Actually, wanting someone to die is very simple for him.
He just has to consider the Emperor’s mood.
He closed his eyes in the sedan chair, thinking.
Generally, he wouldn’t touch people close to the Emperor, but this Attendant of the Yellow Gate always makes Prime Minister Lu feel uncomfortable, like a fishbone stuck in his throat.
The intuition he developed from being an official for many years tells him that this person cannot be left alive.
The more important matter is actually the conspiracy with the Seventh Prince.
Prime Minister Lu is already in contact with the Seventh Prince.
He didn’t know until he made contact; once he did, he suddenly discovered that the Seventh Prince actually has quite a few trump cards.
The Emperor’s health is far worse than before.
Today, there should still be officials speaking about establishing a Crown Prince.
In the current situation, recommending any prince to be the Crown Prince is almost like sending that prince to his death, inciting the Emperor’s disgust.
Today should be the turn of the virtuous and talented Sixth Prince.
This is the big event; relatively speaking, killing the Attendant of the Yellow Gate, Vice Minister Jiang, is just a small matter.
Just a buzzing green fly.
An appetizer.
Power struggles are definitely the dirtiest, ugliest, and most vile things; if you haven’t encountered them yet, it means you haven’t pushed your power to the limit.
Thinking of the desperate expression the stunningly beautiful man would show in a moment, Prime Minister Lu felt happy.
It is a very good appetizer.
The sedan chair swayed, relatively warm.
Prime Minister Lu was too tired and almost fell asleep.
The sedan chair stopped, and he wiped the corner of his mouth; it was a bit wet.
He adjusted his clothes and hat before stepping out of the sedan chair.
“Good morning, Prime Minister Lu, good morning, Lord Lu, Prime Minister…”
Greetings rose and fell one after another.
Prime Minister Lu had arrived, so naturally, no court official dared to be later than him.
Except for the Emperor.
Prime Minister Lu stood at the very front, looking at the long line behind him; he couldn’t see the end at a glance.
This was the front, where one could still feel the warmth of the main hall.
Charcoal fires were lit all around.
For the low-ranking officials near the main hall gate, it was a suffering.
The wind outside was strong, blowing fiercely, and you couldn’t lose decorum before the hall, so you had to stand there stupidly and get blown.
There was nowhere to hide.
Of course, the soldiers and servants standing outside had it worse.
They had to stand regardless of wind, frost, rain, or snow.
Jiang Feng was one of the low-ranking officials near the gate.
A new face.
He looked a bit obedient and introverted.
If someone asked, he answered obediently.
If no one asked, he just stood there.
He didn’t look around either.
Minister Dong was standing at the front and passed by the young man.
Looking at the tall, sturdy young man, he was full of vigor, and he secretly thought his judgment was good.
And he happened to have saved his daughter.
A match made in heaven.
If not for the rescue, Minister Dong would actually have hesitated about whether to call off the engagement again; that bride price was burning a hole in his pocket.
However, seeing his daughter’s joy, her gums almost showing, he thought, “Forget it, forget it.”
Either find a way to cover it up, or discuss it properly with the in-laws.
Regarding the rules of life in the capital, the in-laws were smart people and would definitely understand.
To avoid suspicion, Minister Dong did not step forward; he just nodded.
And Meng Qingshe, who always liked to stand at the back, hesitated today but still shrank to the back.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t loyal or wouldn’t accompany his in-laws.
He had been too high-profile recently, selling so many key points that he himself didn’t seem to have memorized them.
He really couldn’t memorize them.
Better to shrink to the back.
Just in case the Emperor did a spot check.
Standing further and further back, he leaned until he was next to Jiang Feng.
Today, Shaoxia was on duty and went to stand guard.
Jiang Feng was a newcomer and had to come to the court session to show his face.
Meng Qingshe squeezed next to Jiang Feng.
He had a feeling of, “Last time I took my father to get familiar with the situation, this time I’m taking the son,” a sigh.
The in-laws’ family really had many talents.
When Meng Qingshe returned to his mansion, he had been instructed eight hundred times by his mother.
In the past, don’t look down on the in-laws because of their ordinary background; in the future, don’t be high-profile because of their prominent background.
Treat people with sincerity, regardless of origin.
Although that’s what was said, last time he was very worried about his in-laws being bullied and thought about protecting them; now that it was better, he probably didn’t need to worry so much. After all, he was the son of a Grand Princess; at least there was someone behind him.
Meng Qingshe whispered some official experience to Jiang Feng.
The people around heard: “…???”
Lord Meng is actually teaching others official experience here?
Does Lord Meng have some misunderstanding about himself?
Lord Meng’s official experience should actually be summarized in one sentence: “My father is Meng Hai.”
Jiang Feng listened very carefully, looking like he was learning obediently.
The surrounding officials all felt a wave of sympathy for this young man.
However, upon knowing that this person was the son of Vice Minister Jiang, “Oh, never mind, he probably won’t be seen tomorrow, no need to sympathize.”
The ministers all lined up.
Jiang Changtian also stood in the middle of the line.
He felt quite tired.
All morning, he had taken a carriage and walked, and when he arrived, there were no chairs to sit on, and he had to keep standing.
After waiting for a while, the Emperor finally arrived late.
Wearing a dragon robe and a crown, he arrived at the main hall and looked at the black crowd, unable to help but yawn.
Therefore, the Emperor’s travel honor guard was very necessary at this time.
With various coverings, the Emperor wouldn’t be seen yawning, which would damage the imperial dignity.
Today was another day he didn’t want to attend the court session.
And especially so.
He just wanted to finish early and go find Princess Huiyun.
The Emperor sat on the dragon throne and kicked his legs.
Jiang Changtian stood in the line and felt the people around looking at him, their eyes a bit strange.
How to put it, those eyes looked a bit like the eyes his daughter used when staring at a pig.
Perhaps she was deficient in the womb, but Mianmian actually liked eating pork.
Jiang Changtian pondered his situation; there shouldn’t be any danger.
The imperial eunuch shouted for the court session to begin.
The ministers performed the great ceremony.
Then officials came up to present memorials.
Jiang Changtian saw these people look at him before presenting their memorials.
His heart thumped.
However, soldiers block, water covers; he would act according to circumstances.
Prime Minister Lu knew the Emperor very well; seeing the Emperor’s expression today, he looked very impatient.
He was certain in his heart that the matter was more than half done.
Regardless of others’ plotting, if the Emperor had no intention of managing it and eventually turned it over to him to manage, wouldn’t it be up to him to knead?
The censors from the Censorate all jumped out, having memorials to present.
Censor He raised his eyebrows.
“Getting capable, huh.”
There were traitors in his Censorate department.
They were doing things behind his back.
Recently he had been a bit lazy and hadn’t loosened everyone’s bones; everyone seemed to have forgotten about him.
For the court officials, a big event was happening today.
For the Emperor, a group of employees was causing trouble again; it was annoying to death.
He glanced at the memorials: one, two, three… seven, impeaching the Attendant of the Yellow Gate, Vice Minister Jiang.
Saying he had ulterior motives, was greedy by nature, unloyal and unrighteous, unfilial and unbrotherly, was truly a villain, not fit to be an official, should be demoted to a commoner, exiled to the North Sea, and never employed again.
There were a few other memorials, generally with the same content; the controversy was about how to punish him.
Some said exile, some said death penalty, to serve as a warning to others.
The Emperor rubbed his forehead.
His head hurt a little.
These items one by one, most of them were actually coincidentally things he knew about.
Corruption: Jiang the Second gave all the money to him; were they scolding Jiang the Second? No, they were scolding him, the Emperor.
As for receiving gifts on birthdays, one was willing to give, one was willing to receive; if you didn’t want to give, don’t give. Using this as a crime was a bit far-fetched; at most, one could say his character had flaws.
If it were really like this, none of the officials in the court could withstand an investigation.
Second item: Rebellion. Jiang the Second had an intention of insubordination; this, the Emperor was noncommittal. He knew that Jiang the Second had adopted the son of Great Marshal Zi.
Third: Indulging children in the family to bully men and women. That child was talking about Jiang the Second’s youngest daughter, right? And there were several witnesses. Laughable. The Emperor had just happened to hear Heir Han talk about this matter; it was clearly a failed attempt to tease someone, and he was tricked by a little kid, yet he had the nerve to come and complain.
Fourth: Unfilial and unbrotherly. This was a family matter. He heard Old Madam Jiang was extremely mean, the eldest son was forced to become a monk, and the younger son didn’t acknowledge her. If the parents were not like parents, then the children were not like children.
Fifth: Colluding with officials, marriage of children. Jiang the Second had talked about it, and even asked for an official position for his son. Colluding with Censor He? Could Censor He’s smelly and hard character be colluded with? That would be impressive.
Sixth: Disrespect to the imperial clan, beating Heir Han. The Emperor thought, it was probably because Heir Han snatched someone’s sister-in-law, and he didn’t allow people to stand up for themselves…
Seventh…
These items, he could actually refute them one by one.
It was just that Jiang the Second had only been an official for so long, and already so many people couldn’t stand him.
The Emperor felt impatient.
He threw the memorials in front of Jiang the Second and said: “Take a look, what do you say?”
Jiang Changtian picked up the memorials, scanned them, and finished reading the content.
Prime Minister Lu stood calmly.
Looking at the Emperor’s mood, this wave was stable. However, the matter targeting the Sixth Prince today could only be forgotten; next time. It wouldn’t be bad to get one thing done.
The Emperor would most likely hand this matter over to him.
No matter how Jiang the Second argued, he had a way to kill him.
But he didn’t expect that after Jiang the Second looked at the memorials, he didn’t argue, but instead had an expression of disbelief, and then showed a dejected and heartbroken look.
“Your subject has nothing to say, your subject pleads guilty.”
Jiang the Second didn’t even resist and just pleaded guilty directly.
This made the moves Prime Minister Lu had anticipated useless. Just this?
This? He thought he was a good dog; he didn’t expect he was just a paper tiger.
The Emperor looked at Jiang the Second’s expression; if it were normal times, he might have had the mood to comfort him, but he didn’t sleep well last night, was impatient, and wanted to go find Princess Huiyun early. He said: “Prime Minister Lu, you are in full charge of this matter. Jiang the Second will be detained by the Ministry of Justice first; you will interrogate him. If there is nothing else, dismiss the court.”
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