Chapter 381

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Wu Yuanwai confessed very quickly.

No matter how secret a matter is, someone still needs to do it.

The Wu family did business, relying on Lu Wang as a great mountain, daring to do and able to do business everywhere under heaven, even having dealings with the Northern Di and Northwest where wars had not yet ceased at that time.

When the late emperor was seriously ill, Lu Wang had long wanted to sit on that Dragon Throne and had already prepared to force the palace.

Forcing the palace naturally required military force.

He had too few men, so to build momentum, he had to find powerful armaments.

But Da Wei strictly controlled bows, crossbows, and armor, even having specialists dispose of scrap material.

Lu Wang found people and spent great effort, but still could not succeed, nearly exposed himself, and finally had to go far instead of near, buying them back from the Northern Di.

Everything was clearly ready, only waiting to act, but Empress Dowager Yang, being from a general's family, had summoned the Western Camp into the city in advance; before the last will arrived, she had already taken control of the inner and outer courts and the inner and outer cities, placing the whole city under martial law, with the Imperial Guard patrolling day and night.

The enemy was numerous and we were few.

The two prefectures supported the new monarch and recognized Empress Dowager Yang ruling from behind the curtain; the ministers he had previously persuaded with great difficulty, after saying only a few words about Lu Wang, saw the situation was wrong and all became like mutes.

After that moment passed, there was never a more suitable opportunity afterward, so he could only keep waiting, waiting again.

Although they never truly acted openly, over many years he never stopped gathering men and buying armaments.

Wu Yuanwai had always been the one working at the front.

Holding vital evidence in his hand, he confessed at this time; although this surnamed Wu did not make a clean breast of everything and still wanted to haggle, what he had already explained was enough to follow the vine to the melon and dig up big things.

Having woken up only half a day earlier, Wu Yuanwai lay in bed, speaking intermittently, and even lost control of his bowels and bladder several times midway, growing increasingly terrified.

When he lay in filth again, he almost desperately grabbed his half-hoarse voice and said: "I still have important matters to explain behind! I want to live! Quickly call the Imperial Physician! I want to live!"

Actually, from the time the Wu family was exposed for hiding Dragon Robes and banned armaments, and corresponding items were found in the mansion during search and inspection, even if he bit his tongue and refused to speak, there was no possibility of exoneration anymore.

But whether it was flogging, exile, or imprisonment, he could no longer care about those now.

He only wanted to save his life; if he truly could not go on living, then no one else should think of living either!

As Wu Yuanwai said more and more, the people trying the case no longer dared to make decisions and hurriedly arranged for someone to enter the palace to report.

At this time the sky was gradually darkening; a troop of men and horses hurried out, racing against the hour to leave the palace gate and head straight for Lu Wang Fu.

In the Wang Fu, Lu Wang was listening to his subordinates' reports together with a group of retainers.

The speaker dared not raise his voice, and his tone was very vague.

"It is said... it is said that outside the Capital Prefecture Office there is a long queue, not only people from inside the city but also those from outside places... all sorts of people, each having lost their minds, wanting to drag down and bite Wang Ye..."

"Outside there are also those who are full and have nothing to do, endlessly talking about past events..."

"The students are not willing to be quiet either, making a great commotion; originally it was only Taixue, but now Nan Lu, Qingya Academy, and Jingshan Academy, several academies, are like follower insects, not knowing whether they saw Taixue gain fame, one or two following suit and writing articles—even signing their names..."

"Did you write down their names?"

"I wrote down some..."

Lu Wang looked at the list with a grim face here, but someone took advantage of a gap and quietly walked outside.

He had not walked far when he heard a voice behind him ask: "Old Tian, where are you going?"

Old Tian was startled in his heart, turned his head to look, and saw it was an old acquaintance who had joined Lu Wang's door before and after himself; he immediately breathed a sigh of relief and said: "A person has three urgencies—the toilet, going to the toilet!"

He asked again: "Where are you going?"

"I am also going to the toilet."

But clearly the road to the toilet was right in front of them, yet neither of them turned into it; instead, they went out together without prior agreement, left the door, walked together to the mouth of the alley, each found an excuse to go home and send word, different roads same destination, both telling their families to hurry and pack up and return to their hometowns first.

After sending the people away, the two then breathed a sigh of relief and turned back together.

This time when going to the study, the two walked much slower, and on the road they actually met two or three familiar retainers.

Everyone clearly looked at each other, all pretending not to see, only having similar anxious expressions on their faces.

Seeing the study was right in front, several people were guarding outside; Old Tian was not anxious to go forward anymore, but stood still and could not help opening his mouth to ask: "Younger brother... do you think this time, can we still get through it?"

The question was asked without head or tail, but the other person understood, sighed, and said in a low voice: "Hard to say; today is different from the past. Not only do a group of Censorate remonstrators take the lead, the Empress Dowager and the Empress are making a show of force, the students are very angry, and there are also those victims who were originally suppressed; now seeing the wind is wrong, they have all come out in a swarm. It is really not good..."

The two sighed for a while, mustered their strength for half a day, and then stepped inside.

After entering the door, then entering the inner room, someone was speaking in the middle.

"... It is really different from the past. Logically, the Imperial Household's own affairs have nothing to do with a group of students; they should not cling to it like this. The lowly one specially went to inquire carefully and only then learned there are so many reasons behind this time."

Almost immediately someone questioned it.

"Are you saying that this time the disturbance is so big, the Imperial City, scholars, and Censorate all jumping about, the cause is merely that Wu Er wanted to seize a food shop and forcibly take a young lady? Have you gone mad?"

"I also thought it was unreasonable at first, but after asking clearly, I felt it made sense!"

This person started from the gambling den opposite Song Ji, rambling on, speaking of the head of the household seizing property, Song Miao setting up a stall at Taixue and supplying Taixue steamed buns, then saying Cao Fuzi's relationship with the Censorate Yushi who took the lead this time, and again saying that inside the memorial submitted by Cao Yushi there was content concerning Liao Qingjiao, Wu Er, that is, Wu Yuanwai.

The Taixue steamed buns had been so famous these past days, and there were matters of an orphan girl offering a recipe, the Empress Dowager bestowing gold, and copper coins renting a house; it was truly a fine story. Hearing that the palace was going to bestow tables and chairs to Song Ji Food Shop, everyone in Jingcheng praised the Imperial Household as benevolent and close to the people like one family.

"Wu Er saw her food shop had good business and she had skill, and wanted to take her in with all his heart, but did he not think that someone who could make such a name for herself could possibly be easy to handle!"

"The matter has already come to this point; what use is it for you to say now? Everyone is watching; can you still go and beat her to death?"

"As long as Wu Er does not talk nonsense, the rest are just minor troubles; just bear it and it will pass."

"We still need the scholars and the Censorate not to make a fuss. How about we also try to publish some articles, so that the streets and alleys do not keep staring at this, and talk about something else—wasn't Wei Xianggong competing to marry a widow not long ago? How about digging that up again?"

"It has been dug up already; it is useless. It is all chewed-up things! All sugarcane residue; do you still want to eat it twice?"

Inside the room they argued without rest, and Lu Wang listened with annoyance.

"What is my status? I am seriously ill now. The current ruler always claims benevolence and virtue; if he has any face, he would not dare to force me at this time."

He spoke with certainty: "Wu Er won't reveal a thing, and as for that food shop or young lady, there's no need to bother with such trivial details."

Saying this, Lu Wang told everyone to first discuss matters, then called the other two into the Ge Jian, posted guards, made sure the door and windows were tightly shut, and only then asked: "Last time I sent you to find the source of the leak—it's been several days already, and you still haven't found them?"

"We found a few, and had Eldest Sister test the medicines..."

The two hurriedly reported their progress, and also described the effects of the prescriptions.

After listening, Lu Wang sent them away, then summoned a trusted aide.

The other said in a low voice: "The Imperial Pharmacy Bureau still dares not agree..."

Seeing the master across from him with a dark face and saying nothing, the aide knew things were going badly, and quickly added: "This man refuses the wine of courtesy and must drink the wine of punishment; I've already sent people to his hometown—he has an old lady and younger brother and sister there, easy to pressure, and word should be back within these few days..."

He then explained in detail how he had set the trap and how he had handled things, doing it very thoroughly.

Lu Wang heard this and only said: "Press them; we don't have that much time left."

As the two were speaking, they suddenly heard someone knocking at the door outside, who called out: "Your Highness—the Heavenly Messenger has arrived outside!"