Chapter 107: Mr. Chen's Crimes
Imperial Palace, Wenxuan Hall.
"If you have something to report, please stand up. If not, please dismiss the court." The eunuch's sharp voice echoed throughout the hall, and the emperor on the dragon table stood up and prepared to leave.
The Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel stood up with a tablet in his hand:
"Your Majesty, I have something to report."
The emperor, who was originally preparing to stand up, sat down again and looked at the right vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel below, with displeasure flashing in his eyes.
Ever since Chen Zhihe disappeared three days ago, Zhang Lianci's people have been like mad dogs, smelling something and have been suppressing Zhou Zheng's people.
This morning, Zhang Lianci even produced so-called evidence and demanded that Chen Zhihe be dismissed and investigated.
The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is Zhang Lianci's man, and he wants to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves.
Emperor Dewu's sharp eyes fell on the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel:
"explain."
Hearing the emperor's angry voice, the Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel trembled slightly, but still said:
"Your Majesty, I would like to report to the cabinet that Chen Zhihe has returned to the capital from Lingnan ahead of schedule and has ignored your Majesty's will. Please punish me."
Emperor Dewu did not speak, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Feng Bu gave another wink to the people from the Ministry of Works.
Someone from the Ministry of Industry stood up again:
"Your Majesty, I second the motion. I also want to criticize Master Chen for falsely conveying the emperor's will. During his visit to Lingnan, he successively dismissed Lingnan's prefect, judge, warehouse officer and other officials. This move is to undermine the foundation of our Great Jin! This crime must be punished! It will chill the hearts of the ministers who are loyal to Your Majesty!"
After hearing this, all the ministers in the hall started talking about it.
Next, people from the Imperial College, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of History, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of War all stood up to impeach Chen Zhihe.
Emperor Dewu's old face was covered with a layer of frost. His gaze fell on Zhang Lianci in the first row. He looked at Zhang Lianci as if nothing had happened, and clenched his fists tightly.
With a smile on his face he asked:
"Teacher, what do you think?"
Zhang Lianci, who was called, stood up and said with a faint smile:
"I watched Chen Zhihe grow up under your care. I am reluctant to say anything." His eyes suddenly turned to Zhou Zheng, the first person on the right, and asked with a smile:
"Zhi He is Mr. Zhou's student. What does Mr. Zhou think?"
Zhou Zheng was not surprised by Zhang Lianci's actions. He frowned slightly and stood up with his tablet in hand:
"I second the motion. If it is indeed true, I have no objection to your opinions."
"Mr. Zhou, Lingnan Prefect Lin, and all the officials were sent to jail by Chen Zhihe. Is this true?"
The people from the Ministry of Works immediately knelt down:
"Your Majesty, please order the capture of Chen Zhihe. In order to prevent him from escaping, all the people in the Chen Mansion must be detained before he is caught."
"I second the proposal."
"minister……"
Some of them were Zhang Lianci's men, and some were under pressure from Zhang, or they saw that the situation was not right, but for a moment a large number of people knelt in the hall, all of them demanding that Mr. Chen Sanye be arrested and punished.
Emperor Dewu clenched his fists, then unclenched them. It took him a while to calm down.
Even though he knew that Chen Zhihe was following his orders to go to Lingnan to investigate the whereabouts of the previous batch of Heba silver, facing the opinions of so many ministers at this time, even if he was the emperor, he had to compromise. He could only blame Chen Zhihe for not knowing how to restrain himself and making such a big mistake in one go.
"As you all said, I will personally send the commander of the Imperial Guards, He Xiao, to arrest the man. As for the Chen Mansion, I will send people to monitor it secretly. If they are really surrounded, I will have a hard time explaining to the Queen Mother." After saying this, he stood up and left the court without waiting for the reaction of the ministers below.
Zhang Lianci narrowed his eyes and watched Emperor Dewu's back as he left. Although he was not very satisfied with the result, he knew that his majesty was old and he couldn't give him too much face.
……
At the Chen residence, no one knew what had happened at the morning court today. Chen Xiyao had already dressed up early in an outfit that suited her status. She wore a light pink silk dress with double-nest cloud geese patterns and a red gold lotus headpiece on her bun. She went to Qinyuanju happily.
At Qinyuanju, Liu Yu and Lian Baoer had already dressed as Chen Xiyao had instructed, and when they saw Chen Xiyao, they immediately came forward to greet her.
Lian Baoer looked at Chen Xiyao in front of him with golden eyes and asked expectantly:
"Are you really going to take us to the Jade Needle Hall? Today is the opening day of the Jade Needle Hall. Can we get in?"
"I brought you there because Yuzhentang is opening. Don't worry." Chen Xiyao took out two invitations and handed them one by one.
"How did you get it?" Lian Baoer rubbed his eyes hard and looked at the red invitation in his hand in disbelief.
This is an invitation from Yuzhen Hall. Only the daughters of the truly noble families in the capital will receive one. Even the daughters of families below the fifth rank have not received one. Why does Chen Xiyao have two copies?
Where is she from?
Lian Baoer asked a question.
"That day, someone from Jade Needle Hall sent the invitation, and I asked her for two more copies."
You should know that apart from Chen Xiyao, the Chen family only has the first wife, Mrs. Wu.
Lian Baoer couldn't believe her ears. She opened her mouth and exclaimed:
"No way! Did you give the Jade Needle Hall to me when I asked for it?"
"Yes." Chen Xiyao nodded. Although it was strange, that was how things were. It was a good thing anyway, so she didn't think much about it.
Lian Baoer lowered his head, kissed the petition in his hand hard, and shouted: "What are we waiting for? Let's go!" He smiled and pulled one person in each hand, rushed out of the gate of Chen's house, and got on the carriage waiting at the door.
When people got on the carriage, even Baoer couldn't help fantasizing:
"This Yuzhen Hall is really good. Tell me, if I ask them for a set of double-sided embroidered dress, will Yuzhen Hall give it to me?"
Chen Xiyao, who had no idea of romance, broke all her fantasies: "Don't dream. I heard that when Yuzhentang opened, all the double-sided embroidery has been pre-ordered by the really powerful girls."
If her third brother was still in the capital, she could fight for him, but she'd better be honest recently.
Lian Baoer didn't think so. She turned to look at Liu Yu who had been silent beside her and asked:
"Sister Yu'er, are you really saying there's no hope? What if I get lucky?"
Hearing Lian Baoer's voice, Liu Yu came back to his senses from meditation.
"Ah, if you ask me, didn't the Jade Needle Hall get a lucky person? Maybe you are one of them."
"The lucky one?" Lian Baoer looked at Chen Xiyao puzzledly.
The latter nodded: "I also heard it from the person who delivered the invitation that day." He turned to ask Liu Yu: "People outside probably don't know! Where did you hear it?"
Oops, it’s exposed.
Realizing that this was not something she, who didn't like to go out, should know, Liu Yu quickly changed the subject:
"I also heard from someone, Xiyao, is the old lady planning to choose someone for you at your birthday party recently?"
"Yeah!" Chen Xiyao felt a little depressed when she mentioned this.
She doesn't want to get married yet.