Chapter 52

Dongfang Yan's eyes were filled with murderous intent: "Bold Zheng Shirong, you dare to lie in front of this Prince! Do you really think this Prince is easy to fool? Fortunately, Princess Jin is somewhat proficient in mystic arts, allowing that real memory to reappear! Have you all seen clearly? That is the truth!"

He said, scanning Zheng Shirong with full contempt, and shouted: "Someone, send this evil criminal to the Tingwei Yamen in the capital, and pass on this Prince's order: Zheng Shirong, as an aristocrat, should have cherished his wings and practiced the way of a gentleman, but instead, he disregarded the law, raped a commoner woman, and intentionally committed murder; the crime is heinous, he should be killed, and copper redemption is not allowed!"

"Your Highness..." County Magistrate Zheng knelt down tremblingly, "There must be an inside story, please Your Highness, do not easily convict him. This official guarantees with the reputation of the Zheng family for hundreds of years, please Your Highness, investigate clearly!"

Zheng Shirong panicked, and in his anxiety, he began to speak without thinking: "A life for a life is a law aimed at commoners. I am a descendant of an aristocratic family, and I can be punished lightly for serious crimes. Even if I killed someone, it was just a lowly village girl, why should I pay with my life?"

This was actually correct. If Wang Ling'er had no backing, even if they went to court, they could counter-accuse her of seduction.

Even if the Tingwei were impartial and convicted him of rape and murder, according to Qi Law, he would be allowed to use money to offset part of the punishment, which was called copper redemption. In the end, he might only be sentenced to exile and would not be sentenced to death.

And after exile, there was a lot of room for operation; the Zheng family had money and power, so even if he were exiled to a remote place, Zheng Shirong wouldn't suffer. It was highly likely that he would just go out to avoid the limelight for a few years and then make a comeback.

Zheng Shirong also knew this point, so he was still arguing and shouting: "People in this world are divided into three, six, and nine grades! Just a village girl, how is she worthy of letting me, an aristocratic young master, pay with my life... not to mention there is no evidence, why convict me at will? Even if you are a Prince, you can't act arbitrarily!"

"Why?" Dongfang Yan laughed, feeling like he had heard the most ridiculous words in his life.

He walked a few steps closer and whispered in Zheng Shirong's ear: "You also know that people are divided into three, six, and nine grades? Then do you know that in this Prince's eyes, you low-level aristocrats are no different from ants. If this Prince says you are guilty, even without evidence, I can convict you. If this Prince lets you pay with your life today, you won't see tomorrow's sun!"

The voice in his ear was not loud, but at that moment, Zheng Shirong felt the crushing power of great authority.

People who use power to oppress others, it turns out, will also fear higher power!

Zheng Shirong was taken away, but Dongfang Yan still didn't intend to let the Zheng family go.

He turned around, his cold gaze falling on County Magistrate Zheng: "Zheng Shi, as a parent official of a region, you have failed to teach your son, indulged your son in raping a commoner woman and murdering a life, and you actually openly shielded him? This Prince will report this matter to the Emperor, abolish your position as the Fifth-Rank County Magistrate of Wan'an County, and never employ you again!"

"Never employ again," just four words, represented the interruption of his official career, and the family was about to head toward decline!

"This Prince really wants to kill you!" Dongfang Yan hated the Zheng family to the extreme. The woman they ruined and didn't want to marry, in the end, was inexplicably married by himself. How could he not hate?

County Magistrate Zheng trembled all over, cold sweat soaking his clothes, but he still stumbled and knelt down to thank Prince Jin for not killing him.

With Prince Jin's methods and power, even if he wanted to exterminate the entire Zheng family, as long as he gave a look, someone underneath would handle it.

This is what is called heaven-shaking power!

Dongfang Yan said to Zheng Shi: "Do you know why this Prince clearly hates you so much that I want to skin you alive, but I endured it and didn't kill you?"

County Magistrate Zheng, of course, didn't know.

Dongfang Yan pointed to the pouch in his hand: "Because your grandson's soul is attached to this pouch. Wang Ling'er gave birth to a child after death, and the ghost baby's soul needs the Zheng family's incense offerings. For the sake of the child, this Prince gives you a way to live."

Zheng Shi was startled, holding the pouch as if holding the lives of his entire family.

"What are you still standing there for, why don't you hurry up and give your eldest grandson a name?" Lin Qingyue said, dipping her hand in tea and writing a series of birth dates on the table.

"This is your grandson's birth date, remember it well. After you have chosen a good name, carve the name and birth date on the spirit tablet, and worship it day and night from now on. Do you remember?"

"Remembered, remembered!" County Magistrate Zheng didn't dare to disobey anymore and agreed repeatedly.

Soon, the child's tablet was made and sent over, and Zheng Shi personally held it and sent it to the ancestral hall.

Originally, he also wanted to prepare a spirit tablet for Wang Ling'er and worship them together, to win back Prince Jin's favor.

Lin Qingyue told him: "No need, Wang Ling'er does not accept your offerings."

That pitiful young girl, although her status was low, had never thought of climbing up to the powerful and noble, and even less did she want to marry into the Zheng family.

Seeing that the matter was handled, Lin Qingyue's Nether Umbrella opened, and under the umbrella was a blurry shadow of a young girl, holding a small infant in her arms, bowing deeply to Lin Qingyue and Dongfang Yan before slowly disappearing.

The Soul-Guiding Bell under the umbrella ribs moved without wind, and the "ding-ding-dang-dang" sound was like a mournful song of sending off a soul.

And all of this, others couldn't see, only Dongfang Yan and Lin Qingyue could see.

Dongfang Yan asked Lin Qingyue: "Are they gone?"

Lin Qingyue nodded: "The child has received the offerings of its closest relatives, so it doesn't have to be a lonely ghost and has gone to the Underworld with Wang Ling'er to reincarnate."

Dongfang Yan was silent for a moment and said: "I hope in the next life, they can all be born into a good family."

Lin Qingyue turned to look at him: "You have a father-son bond in this life, if you are willing, I can help you continue the bond and let that pitiful child reincarnate as your real offspring, how about that?"

Dongfang Yan's face changed: "No need! This Prince has no plans to have offspring for the time being."

Lin Qingyue: "Hehe~" I thought this dog Prince finally had some human nature, it turns out I thought too much.

That mocking gaze made Dongfang Yan a bit angry: "Lin Qingyue, are you doing this on purpose? This Prince helped you with such a big favor, you don't thank me, and you have to show this sharp and mean appearance?"

Lin Qingyue didn't pay attention to him, closed her umbrella, and walked quickly in front.

"Lin Qingyue, you stop for this Prince!"

When Dongfang Yan chased to the gate, Lin Qingyue was already gone.

Minister Zhou chased out from behind: "Your Highness, this official really didn't know that Zheng Shirong was such a beastly person, otherwise I would never have engaged my daughter to him."

After today, the news that the Zheng family offended Prince Jin would spread, and there would be no place for the Zheng family in the entire upper-class circle.

Minister Zhou would no longer be an in-law with the Zheng family, and breaking the engagement was a must.

At this moment, he also had to express his position in front of Prince Jin, to avoid being implicated and causing Prince Jin to have a rift.

A moment ago, Dongfang Yan was still gloomy because of Lin Qingyue, but when facing Minister Zhou, a gentle smile suddenly appeared again.

"This Prince knows that Minister Zhou was also deceived." He patted Minister Zhou on the shoulder and comforted him a few words before leaving.

The rank of the Minister of the Ministry of War was not very high, but he was the second-in-command of the Ministry of War, and he had been diligent in handling affairs for Dongfang Yan before, so Dongfang Yan naturally had to give some face and win over people's hearts at such a time.