Chapter 1709: Three surprises in one day

Prince Shuncheng was demoted, deprived of his title, his home was raided, and he was confined...

Once the news came out, the capital had three surprises in one day!

The court officials looked at each other, at a loss. Even the dullest people felt the signs of the coming storm.

Prince Shuncheng had been quite honest these two years except for eating, drinking, and having fun.

Suddenly, how did he...

This matter is hard to say!

Exactly what mistake did he commit?

The edict was issued to the world, only saying Prince Shuncheng was disrespectful. How disrespectful, not a single word was mentioned. The dignitaries who knew the truth all kept their mouths shut, and no matter who asked, they shook their heads and didn't speak.

No one paid attention to the fact that during the period when Prince Shuncheng was demoted, a concubine in the harem died, dying silently, without even a splash. The concubine's family still hadn't received the news.

No one linked these two things together.

Everyone in the world knew that Emperor Yuanding hated Imperial Consort Xiao's mother and four children the most, and for the first two years of his reign, he was thinking every day about how to kill his half-brothers.

If it weren't for the obstruction of the Government Affairs Hall, the scandal of brothers killing each other would have happened when the late Emperor passed away.

A few years passed, and everyone thought Emperor Yuanding's anger had dissipated. Never expected that he was actually brewing a big one.

The imperial family, truly everyone is narrow-minded, holds grudges, and is cold and ungrateful.

The ministers looked toward Prince Ning's mansion, wanting to know Prince Ning's reaction, and what reaction Imperial Consort Xiao had. That woman was not a good person and could make trouble. She still held the late Emperor's edict in her hand; as long as she didn't rebel, the Emperor couldn't move her for a while.

Fight, fight!

Some people watched the fun and didn't think it was big enough, wishing the imperial family would fight, so everyone could open their eyes. The pressure of being on duty recently was too great, and having a pastime was excellent.

Unfortunately, Imperial Consort Xiao was not a fool and wouldn't satisfy their wishes.

Prince Ning was even less of a fool and would absolutely not jump into the fire pit.

Prince Shuncheng's home was raided and he was confined, but Prince Ning, as the older brother, never showed his face, only submitting a memorial to express his respect for the national law. Since Prince Shuncheng broke the law, he should be dealt with as he should be, all up to the court and His Majesty.

This style of destroying relatives for righteousness and cutting ties in time properly pleased Emperor Yuanding.

"Hahaha..."

Emperor Yuanding laughed heartily.

The anger suppressed for so many years finally dissipated a little bit today.

Imperial power is truly a good thing; no wonder so many people want to live and die for it.

He clenched his fists tightly; he was not satisfied with the status quo. He still needed greater power. He wanted to suppress the Government Affairs Hall to death, just like when the Imperial Grandfather was there; the Government Affairs Hall could only be the Emperor's loudspeaker, not a constraint!

Xie Changling...

Don't be anxious, take it slow, one by one.

Imperial Consort Xiao's spirit was not very good.

Prince Shuncheng's sudden confinement caught her off guard.

She looked at her eldest son, Prince

"Mother, please take great care of your health."

Imperial Consort Xiao said languidly, "I won't die for the time being. Has everything been arranged?"

"It has been arranged. The Clan Court has arranged a two-courtyard residence for their family. Although it is cramped, it is enough to live in. I left them some money and also purchased a few people to serve them."

"Why purchase servants from outside?" Imperial Consort Xiao did not quite understand.

"The servants in the Prince's Mansion are accustomed to fawning over the powerful and trampling on the weak; they take money without doing work and are prone to corruption. It is better to purchase a few from outside; at least they will be honest for three to five years. After a few years, we can change them for another batch. This way, their family won't have to suffer too much."

The former Prince Shuncheng, now the commoner Song Wu, no longer held a Prince's title, and it seemed inappropriate to address him directly by his given name. In private, everyone called him Song Wu, and to his face, they addressed him as 'Fifth Master' to show respect for the late Emperor.

After all, the commoner Song Wu was, at any rate, the son of the late Emperor. Although his status had been stripped, his lineage remained. Emperor Yuanding had not driven Song Wu to extinction either.

Calling him 'Fifth Master' made things decent for everyone.

Imperial Consort Xiao sighed.

She knew clearly that the reason for purchasing servants from outside was not just for honesty.

Prince Ning was guarding against Song Wu continuing to cause trouble. He was worried that if servants from the Prince's Mansion were arranged to serve inside, they would collude with those outside, and Song Wu would cause another disaster, implicating the Prince Ning Mansion.

Imperial Consort Xiao felt listless and did not tear through the window paper.

Some things are better understood in one's own heart; there is no need to speak them out completely.

Moreover, this son, Song Wu, was not worth her painstaking planning. He was a fool.

He could fall into such a simple trap.

She only regretted not pinching him to death when he was born; now he had implicated everyone.

"Has it been investigated clearly why he fell into the trap? When the incident occurred, where exactly did the dagger on his person come from? Has that been investigated clearly?"

Imperial Consort Xiao now just wanted to know the truth.

A son could die, but the truth must be ascertained.

The person who plotted against her son must be Emperor Yuanding. Through whose mouth, whose hands, and who participated in the middle... the enemy and our side must be clearly distinguished! Someone inside had been bought off; there was a mole in his entourage.

She was now filled with anxiety; there was a mole in Fifth's entourage who had plotted against him to such an extent.

There was a one-hundred-percent chance that there was also a mole in her eldest son Prince Ning's entourage. If she didn't find them, she would have no peace of mind. She could disregard Fifth's life or death, but she absolutely could not disregard the life or death of her eldest son, Prince Ning.

Only if Prince Ning lived could their whole family be safe.

If Prince Ning died, no one would be able to survive.

Especially her, Imperial Consort Xiao; she feared she would die without a burial place.

"The head eunuch in Fifth's entourage was bought off, and his wet nurse was also held by the throat with evidence. Apart from two young eunuchs, not a single one is clean."

Prince Ning's voice was low and slow.

After saying this, even he himself could not believe it.

Just how stupid could Fifth be, that everyone around him had been bought off, yet he had never discovered it?

Just how rotten could Fifth's character be, that after so many years, there wasn't even one loyal person around him?

"I warned him long ago not to treat those around him harshly, but he never listened. That he has reached this day is his own doing."

Prince Ning expressed his attitude in a low voice.

He did not want to exonerate Fifth, nor was there any need to.

A fool.

The only thing worth rejoicing about was that he had been strict in his management these past two years and had not implicated himself.

Upon learning the investigation results, Imperial Consort Xiao instantly gasped.

She had thought of all kinds of possibilities, but she never expected that everyone around Fifth had become a traitor. How much of a failure must one be to meet such an end?

She took a deep breath, "As a warning from the past, can you guarantee that everyone around you is clean?"

"I certainly can."

"Don't speak so confidently. I have navigated the inner palace for decades and wouldn't dare guarantee that everyone around me is trustworthy. You have only established your own mansion and office for a few years, yet you can guarantee it. Everyone has a weak point; send someone to carefully check whether the weak points of those around you are still safe."

Prince Ning was left speechless, "Does Mother really suspect..."

Imperial Consort Xiao swept a cold glance at him, "If you don't want to repeat the same mistakes and be framed for entering the palace with a dagger to assassinate and intending to rebel, then don't have the benevolence of a woman! Better to kill the wrong person than to let one go!"