Bastard's Counterattack [Rebirth]

what?

The poisonous lantern was ordered by His Royal Highness to make it temporarily?Not pure foreign tribute?

Everyone in the courtroom was stunned, and all looked at the eldest prince, shocked and suspicious.

"Bold! How dare you slander my Highness?" The eldest prince's face was ashen, no matter how well-mannered he was, he couldn't hold back.

"No slander."

"We're telling the truth."

"All the materials for making lanterns are provided by you, and you also ordered to make them as delicate and small as possible, so that it is convenient for young children to play." After waking up, I simply ignored it, and you pointed out every word.

King Qing stared with bated breath, observing the expression of the foreign envoy intently, and cautiously judged that what the other party said was true.

"What? The poisonous lantern was made by the elder brother's order?" The second prince shouted in amazement, his face full of disbelief, and his expression on the spot was impeccable.

"No way?" Zhao Zewu opened his eyes wide, and his brother asked in astonishment:

"This is strange, brother, why didn't you say it just now?"

The fifth prince's eyes were fixed, he bowed his head, thinking hard.

"I - what do you mean? What are you looking at me for?" The eldest prince gritted his wrists and teeth, feeling deeply unlucky, and defended forcefully:

"The barbarian traitors are talking nonsense. Why did I order them to make lanterns? I am so busy year after year that I don't have time to talk to the messengers from some remote country overseas! Please use your brains, if you even have to make Lantern Festival lanterns yourself Supervisor, should I do other things then?"

Well, that makes sense too.

All items in the palace are either made in-house or paid as tribute, all of which are in charge of a special agency, and it is impossible to work for the eldest son of the emperor.

However, the next moment, a report came from outside the hall:

"Your Highnesses, the adults who were ordered to go to the Hall of Envoys to investigate have returned to ask for a reply."

"Biography." The eldest prince suppressed his anger, and he was the most honored one present.

King Qing raised his eyes and saw two doctors from the Ministry of Punishment and several pushers holding some evidence in their hands.

"Have you found any clues? Report it to your highnesses!" Jiang Yong, the presiding judge, urged, lowering his bookshelf in front of the prince and prince.

"Yes." The doctor of the Ministry of punishment bit the bullet, cupped his hands and said, "I would like to inform your highnesses and lords: the lantern involved in the case was made by the envoy of the first brown country, and a broken one was found in his residence. After inspection, the candle in the lantern was also It is true that there is poison. Moreover, according to the confession of the stewards and handymen of the envoy's hall, all the materials used by the envoys of the former Brown Kingdom to make the lanterns are from, from..." He hesitated, and the ending sound gradually disappeared.

"To tell the truth, let's be more straightforward. Your Majesty is waiting to see the confession." Zhao Zewen was burning with anxiety, wanting to find out the murderer who hurt his son.

"Yes." The doctor swallowed, looked at the tip of his shoe, and carefully informed: "According to the preliminary investigation, the materials used by the envoys of the first Brown Kingdom to make the lanterns were all provided by Nian Er, the steward of His Royal Highness's residence."

As soon as this remark came out, the court of the Ministry of Punishment fell silent.

next day

On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, just after the new year, at the end of the hour, the wind stopped and the snow stopped, and the sun shot thousands of rays of light behind the thin clouds, illuminating the Qianming Palace brightly.

However, Emperor Chengtian was gloomy in his heart.

He started to go to court after the Longevity Festival last year, took over the state affairs again, returned to the palace after the morning court, had a quick breakfast, first visited the emperor's grandchildren, and then listened to the reports of the princes.

"Father, my son has been wronged!"

The eldest prince kneeling on the ground choked with sobs, his eyes were red and swollen, and he said: "I don't know anything about it, everything was done by Nian Er, who is in charge at the bottom, I beg my father to investigate clearly."

"Where's Nian Er?" Emperor Chengtian said in a flat tone.

"He committed suicide in fear of crime." The eldest prince gritted his teeth with hatred, and said angrily: "Father, he has ulterior motives, which makes my son unable to explain. Please think, is my son so stupid and stupid? There is no reason!"

Emperor Chengtian stretched out his neckline and asked, "Where are the foreign envoys involved?"

"I'm in the dungeon of the prison department, and I'm denying it at the corner."

Emperor Chengtian nodded, did not express his opinion, and calmly ordered: "What happened on the Lantern Festival night is known to all officials, let the people from the Ministry of Punishment continue to investigate, thoroughly investigate to the end, without delay."

"Yes."

Emperor Chengtian waved his hand: "Go down and get busy."

"Father—"

"Go." Emperor Chengtian closed his eyes and meditated.

"Yes, my son will leave." The eldest prince was extremely anxious, disheveled, and when he walked to the corridor outside the hall, his biological mother Han Guifei was kneeling down to plead guilty. She was wearing a lotus-colored skirt, a simple bun, and her plain face turned to the sky. blue and black.

"Mother Concubine—" The eldest prince was interrupted as soon as he opened his mouth. Concubine Han was calm and calm, and urged softly: "Your Highness, hurry up and get down to business, I will wait for the interview."

"Yes." The eldest prince had no choice but to bow and leave in grief and indignation, with heavy steps, trying to maintain a calm surface.

Inside Qianming Palace

Emperor Chengtian sighed, slowly fell back on the reclining chair, twisted a deep "Chuan" character between his eyebrows, and said lightly: "Yong'er?"

"My son is here." King Qing stepped out of the screen compartment, calm and calm, with a calm and trustworthy demeanor.

"What do you think?"

King Qing was about to answer, but he saw Li Deying leading a woman dressed as a court lady into the room. The woman was holding a tea tray in both hands and raised her hands in a dignified manner. Li Deying first served tea to Emperor Chengtian: "Your Majesty, please use tea." Wang: "Your Highness, please have some tea."

"The old slave will leave." Li Deying respectfully led the maid to leave. The latter bowed her head all the way, but when she turned around, she quietly raised her eyes to look at King Qing, and she looked back for a moment. She was Bai Qiongying.

Bai Qiongying had been secretly summoned into the palace by Emperor Chengtian for more than a month, and usually she would only answer questions and serve tea, she was worried and anxious all day long.

after a while

Emperor Chengtian said wearily: "Sit down."

"Thank you, Father." King Qing took his seat, and said straight to the point: "The palace is strictly restricted, and people and things must be checked at various levels when entering or leaving. It is not easy to hide poison in lanterns."

"You imply that the murderer in this case—who is it?" Cheng Tiandi opened his mouth and turned a corner with difficulty.

"The facts of the case have not yet come to light, so I dare not speak in vain." King Qing replied cautiously, lest he might provoke his elderly father, who was just recovering from a serious illness, and comforted him, "Don't worry, I asked Song Shen, and he said that the emperor's grandson's injuries were treated in time. As long as you take care of it carefully, it will be back to normal."

"How is Minyu? He is the most injured." Emperor Chengtian leaned over worried.

"It has relieved the itching and pain, and is resting to reduce the swelling." King Qing replied.

"Be sure to heal the emperor's grandson, they are the bloodline to continue the great success." Emperor Chengtian solemnly said.

"That's natural. The imperial doctor is taking care of him day and night, and Song Shen's medical skills are superb. In time, the emperor's grandchildren will thank you for your kindness." King Qing tried his best to comfort his father.

Emperor Chengtian sat, smelled the fragrance of tea, and shook the tea, his eyes were dark and unpredictable, and he felt emotional, and sighed:

"When you drink tea, everyone in the world asks me to 'clearly observe'. Alas, if I am really just and strict, I will definitely destroy my family and the country! Yong'er, do you understand?"

"My son is willing to share your worries, no matter how difficult it is, I will never hesitate." King Qing's eyes were clear and resolute, and he remonstrated in a low voice, word by word:

"Father, although there is a saying in the world that 'when the water is clear, there will be no fish', but if evil spirits are allowed to stir up the muddy water for personal gain, over time, the water will not only become muddy, but it may become dirty and viscous stagnant water. Can it survive?"

Emperor Chengtian was stunned, sat blankly, then closed his eyes forcefully, his hair was gray and wrinkled, and he looked old.

"You were wise and magnanimous in your life, but your son and minister were reckless and dull. If you make any mistakes, I hope your father will forgive you." King Qing said again.He is loyal and decisive, not stupid, loyal and filial, and cannot sit idly by.

The Qianming Palace is magnificent and magnificent, no matter how hot or cold it is, the palace is always comfortable and pleasant, but the old emperor shivered with chills.

Yoshihisa

"Your temperament is really like when I was young."

"Okay, okay." Emperor Chengtian nodded, with drooping eyebrows and eyes, staring at his son in relief, with deep decree lines, and said in a trembling voice: "It's been too long, I've been thinking about it, but unfortunately there's no solution, I have to make a decision tonight .”

"I beg father to take care of the dragon's body." King Qing got up, and tucked the thin blanket covering his legs and feet for his father.

Emperor Chengtian closed his eyes and pondered for a long time, and said: "The palace is in a hurry, you take Xiao Jiu back to the palace, and take a rest by the way, come here in the middle of the year, I have an errand to order."

"Yes." King Qing didn't ask further.

"Remember! Escort Xiaojiu yourself, don't hand it over to the subordinates, lest another lunatic appear in the street." Emperor Chengtian was terrified and extremely dissatisfied with the empress's deceased sister.

"do not worry."

Noon · Prince Qing's Mansion

King Qing put down his chopsticks, rinsed his mouth, wiped his mouth and hands, drank two sips of tea, and told his younger brother: "You can do whatever you want in the afternoon, and start studying as usual tomorrow morning."

"Brother, why doesn't my father allow me to accompany him?" Zhao Ze'an asked in distress, unable to swallow.

King Qing got up, and taught earnestly: "Don't think about it, remember: Father is kind and loves you all the time!"

After finishing speaking, he hurried to the study room, and as soon as he was seated, Xie Ting, the commander of the personal guard, presented a small scroll and said respectfully, "Your Highness, a letter from Xizhou."

"Oh?" King Qing took it, his tone raised, his frowning brows relaxed in an instant, and the long concerns hidden in his heart welled up, his eyes shone brightly like stars.He immediately opened the letter and took a closer look:

"Mr. Zhao's third son--"

"Ahem!" King Qing covered the paper scroll, wanted to laugh for a moment, but held back, collected himself, opened it again, and read the letter silently with a majestic expression on his face.

Xie Ting was very savvy, and retreated a foot away, knowing that King Qing was in a good mood at the moment, he smiled knowingly, and was about to leave, but outside the door there were men he sent to watch the Zhou family begging to see him.Xie Ting went to the door to inquire, and after hearing a few words, his face turned pale with shock, and he hurried back, confused and told:

"His Royal Highness: Zhou Renlin wanted to send his daughter to the nunnery, but Zhou Xiaotong was so angry that he ran away from home. After staying in Pingnanhou's mansion for half a day, he fled again, with an extremely frightened expression. He hid in the city for a few times and accidentally bumped into her." His Highness's car, she was taken away by His Highness!"