Chapter 970: On the Importance of a Mother-in-Law

“Does His Majesty truly have such a preference?”

Zhao Jinming seemed unable to believe it.

Chen Guanlou lowered his eyes slightly and said nothing.

Lai Eunuch is a man from the palace; there’s no need to speak too freely in front of palace insiders. Who better understands the unpredictability of human hearts than those within the palace?

Lai Eunuch smiled sweetly, “His Majesty has many preferences. When your daughter arrives in the capital, I shall personally instruct her, so she learns the depths of palace life. As long as your daughter has a good figure, a beautiful face, and a sharp mind, favor is merely a matter of time. When that happens, your Zhao family’s revival will be effortless. Perhaps even your case may be overturned!”

“Hahaha… Really?” Zhao Jinming, overjoyed, clutched the prison bars and leaned his entire body outward!

“All I’ve said is merely a word from His Majesty. He is always exceptionally generous to his favored concubines. Look at the Xiao family—thanks to Consort Xiao, they rose from ruin to wealth in just a few years.”

“Yes, yes… The Xiao family’s wealth is plain for all to see; I am deeply envious.”

Zhao Jinming began to fantasize about his daughter gaining favor in the palace, his Zhao family rising as a new aristocracy in the capital, everyone fawning over them—even his own case overturned. If the authorities moved slowly enough, perhaps he wouldn’t even die; he might live to see His Majesty issue a decree clearing his name.

The more he thought about it, the more delightful it became, until he burst into joyful laughter.

Lai Eunuch raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of mockery and contempt in his eyes, urging Zhao Jinming to get on with the matter.

After reaching a preliminary agreement, Chen Guanlou escorted Lai Eunuch out of the Imperial Prison.

“Before I came, Her Ladyship instructed me: if Prison Warden Chen has any demands, he should speak freely. Her Ladyship would rather shatter into a thousand pieces than fail to ease the Warden’s burdens!”

Chen Guanlou sneered, feeling a pang of distaste, “Tell your Ladyship I have no demands, and I don’t need her to shatter into a thousand pieces. Just don’t bother me again.”

“Does Prison Warden Chen harbor dissatisfaction toward my Ladyship?”

“Dare I? We walk different paths; we cannot work together. Lai Eunuch, handle future matters with the Zhao family yourself.”

“Prison Warden Chen, rest assured—I know you’re busy with official duties and will avoid disturbing you as much as possible.”

“That’s perfect!”

After seeing him off, Chen Guanlou returned to his office and drank tea.

…

The Imperial Prison began to see deaths.

The bribery case, though seemingly clear on the surface, concealed many hidden truths. Yet, by unspoken agreement, several departments seemed unwilling to pursue it further.

Even those who wished to exploit it were forcibly silenced by an invisible hand, unable to move.

Thus, ready-made charges, ready-made officials—kill them!

It began in the Imperial Prison: officials detained there over the bribery case, regardless of rank, were swiftly killed—none even reached the execution ground for public sentencing.

This is truly…

The Censorate must impeach; they must make the Embroidered Uniform Guard suffer!

These were all officials—only those who held official status could be called “offending officials”; how could they be killed at will?

Unthinkable!

Insolent beyond endurance!

Yet when their impeachment memorials reached the Political Council, they were suppressed—never even reaching Emperor Jian Shi before being rejected.

Clearly, this was all Xie Changling’s doing.

Xie Changling had made his intentions plain: cut the Gordian knot swiftly, resolve the bribery case quickly, and avoid expansion. His sole goal now was the Chu Prince in the south.

As long as the Chu Prince lived, his heart would remain suspended.

Counterattacking the Chu Prince was his plan—throughout, he had personally overseen its execution, allocating resources, making promises, conceding interests.

He would not permit anyone or any case to obstruct his plan.

Thus, the Pingjiang Marquis’s matter could be shelved; the bribery case could be swiftly resolved with thunderous force to prevent expansion.

This was precisely what many officials in court wished to see.

Though some hoped for expansion to strike down political rivals,

most officials longed for the case to end quickly, fearing any connection to themselves. After all, in this age, every official had a pile of dirt beneath their seat.

Once the case expanded and began dragging in the innocent, everyone would suffer.

Who doesn’t have sons studying the classics? Who doesn’t have grandchildren preparing for the imperial examinations?

If it expanded, what chaos would follow?

Once expanded, no one could control the consequences—fearful indeed. What if, one day, the executioner’s blade fell upon one’s own head? How unjust!

End it! End it quickly!

That bunch of dead men in the Ministry of Rites—let them all die. Those troublemaking students—strip their degrees, expel them from the capital, make them retake the exams…

Cut the Gordian knot swiftly—though unjust, it won broad approval, even from the candidates in this year’s imperial examinations.

They feared the case dragging on, fearing their own innocence would be dragged into it, costing them their degrees, their futures, even their lives.

Everyone knew: the longer the case dragged, the more people would be ensnared. No one was certain they wouldn’t be arrested, tortured.

Fear!

This fear made everyone accept the unjust swift execution, seeking only a return to normal life.

As for those dead, those unfortunate, all one could say: bad luck!

Xie Changling overruled all opposition, insisting the Three Judicial Offices cooperate.

Wang Huaimin, as Vice Minister of Rites, deserved to die—he should be executed on the execution ground. Whether he was involved or not.

But he was lucky—he had Princess Xiangyin fighting fiercely for him.

Princess Xiangyin, unwilling to let her young grandson lose his father, went to the palace and wept before the Emperor.

Emperor Jian Shi, driven mad by her, finally snapped: “Death may be spared, but punishment cannot be avoided.”

Wang Huaimin was to be exiled.

Princess Xiangyin refused.

“If Wang Huaimin is exiled, what of my grandson? Must he follow? Your Majesty, for the sake of my old age and my only grandson, show mercy. Otherwise, I won’t live.”

“The child need not follow into exile.”

“Still no. My grandson must take the examinations, earn degrees. If Wang Huaimin is exiled, the Wang family’s future is destroyed.”

“This won’t do, that won’t do—what do you want, Aunt?”

“Simply pardon Wang Huaimin’s crime—dismiss him from office, nothing more.”

“Absurd! Can state law be treated as a joke!” Emperor Jian Shi was furious.

Princess Xiangyin wept again, finally offering several favors, until the Emperor relented: “Banish the Wang man from the capital. From now on, I never wish to see him again, and you must never mention him to me. As for your grandson, he may remain in the capital.”

Thus, Wang Huaimin escaped unscathed, his life preserved.