Within a few days, the imperial censors of the Imperial Censorate began to collectively submit petitions accusing Prime Minister Wu Bo'an of treacherously stealing other people's property and murdering the lives of the common people. The court was shocked, but because Wu Bo'an was a Northern Qi spy, public opinion was generally inclined towards the Prime Minister's side.
However, on the way to the Supreme Court to give her testimony, Lady Wu encountered an assassination attempt. It was unknown whether Lady Wu was lucky or the Prime Minister was unlucky. At the time, the Second Prince and Crown Prince Jing were wandering the streets and happened to be saved.
In this way, the flavor of the matter began to change.
It was rumored that deep in the palace, His Majesty the Emperor had asked the Crown Prince and the Second Prince how they should handle this matter. After a moment of silence, the Crown Prince said that there was insufficient evidence. Furthermore, the Prime Minister had performed meritorious deeds for the country and should not be easily trusted. Although the Second Prince had saved Lady Wu on the street, he maintained a taciturn attitude like his brother.
After all, the Prime Minister was the head of all the officials. No matter how he was dealt with, it would cause a huge uproar.
However, when Imperial Prince Jing heard about this from his son, he flew into a rage. It was a rare occasion for him to enter the palace and have a long talk with his brother. However, no one knew exactly what they talked about. That night, the Emperor flipped through the memorials of the past decade. He looked at the money in the Ministry of Revenue and the achievements that the Prime Minister had painstakingly made. He was speechless and could only sigh.
…
…
"Shandong Provincial Governor Peng Tingsheng … … Hmm, he passed the provincial examinations eleven years ago. At that time, I had just ascended to the position of Prime Minister, and I felt that this student was very obedient." Prime Minister Lin Ruofu was in his forties this year, but his complexion was somewhat haggard. "But I didn't expect him to be so obedient. You should know that if I didn't ask Peng Tingsheng to do these things, Wu Bo 'an would already be dead. If I really wanted to vent my anger on his family, it wouldn't be so simple."
"Perhaps Lord Peng was secretly trying to figure out the Prime Minister's thoughts, so he did such a foolish thing." Lin Ruofu's trusted aide, Yuan Hongdao, frowned slightly.
"Oh?" Lin Ruofu looked at him with a smile that was not a smile. "But Peng Tingsheng is not an idiot. If it were not for the Prime Minister's orders, he would not have used his official reputation as a wager. Moreover, who was the one who killed someone on the streets of the capital the day before yesterday? How did the investigation reach the Prime Minister's residence? "
Yuan Hongdao's expression was somewhat wooden. He gently stroked the long beard on his chin and said, "He Zongwei is a member of the Eastern Palace, but he's just a small pawn. He shouldn't have the courage to do this. There must be someone behind him supporting him. I just don't know if it's the empress or the Eldest Princess."
"It's Yunrui." The Prime Minister smiled. "Most of her power is in the Imperial Censorate. This is her way of taking revenge on me."
"What revenge?"
"Revenge … a lot." The Prime Minister sighed. "Including Chen 'er's matters, including my son-in-law's matters, including the matters between me and her."
"Actually …" Yuan Hongdao hesitated.
"Speak."
Yuan Hongdao smiled slightly. "In truth, it still depends on His Majesty's will. If His Majesty does not believe, the Prime Minister's position will naturally be as stable as Mount Tai."
"His Majesty will definitely see through such a clumsy method." The Prime Minister smiled. "But the question is whether His Majesty is willing to see it clearly."
"Why do you say that, Prime Minister?"
"So many officials died a few days ago. As the head of the civil officials, I have to take responsibility." The Prime Minister closed his eyes and analyzed. "Most importantly, His Majesty does not want me to continue as Prime Minister."
Yuan Hongdao replied respectfully, "Prime Minister, there is actually still a chance to turn things around. Minister Fan, please speak. Fan Manor and the Overwatch Council have a close relationship. If Chen Pingping is willing to stand on your side, then no matter what the Imperial Censorate does, His Majesty will firmly stand by your side."
Lin Ruofu shook his head. "His Majesty only wants me to make way."
"Make way for who?"
"For the Crown Prince, or rather, for the future His Majesty." Lin Ruofu was deep in thought. "Fan Xian's power is too strong. If I were still in the court, he would be in charge of the Overwatch Council with one hand, the palace treasury with the other, and I would be supporting him from behind. With this kind of power, I'm afraid not even a prince can match up to him. A few days ago, I told Fan Xian that the tallest tree in the forest will be destroyed by the wind … "
"His Majesty's meaning is very clear. He wants to train Fan Xian into a good official, to properly assist the prince who will sit on the dragon throne in the future … Since Fan Xian is going to take the throne, I will naturally have to step down." Lin Ruofu smiled. "If I were still here, Fan Xian would be in danger."
Yuan Hongdao was slightly surprised, but from the corner of his eye, he saw that there was a faint smile on the Prime Minister's lips, as if he were laughing at something.
The sound of Dabao playing in the water could be heard from outside the window. The Prime Minister's expression softened. He stood up and walked to the window, looking out. Looking at his simple-minded eldest son, his eyebrows moved slightly. "Tomorrow, I will have Wan 'er bring Dabao to Fan Manor."
Yuan Hongdao waited for the Prime Minister's next words.
"I will go to the palace and ask for my resignation. I believe that His Majesty will see the hardships of these years and allow me to have a more peaceful old age."
Yuan Hongdao was about to say something, but the Prime Minister coldly waved his hand to stop him. He turned his head and quietly looked at Yuan Hongdao.
…
…
After a long period of silence, Lin Ruofu's voice carried a trace of sadness. "You wrote the letter to Peng Tingsheng."
The study immediately quieted down. After a long time, Yuan Hongdao replied in a low voice, "Yes. Even the assassination attempt in the capital was carried out by the guards of the Prime Minister's manor."
"Why?" The Prime Minister frowned, as if he were very distressed. "Ever since I became an official, I have only had you as a friend, and I have always treated you with great respect. Why did you endure for so many years, and then suddenly strike? And once you struck, you did not give me any way out."
Yuan Hongdao and the Prime Minister had known each other for half of their lives. They could truly be described as lifelong friends. Unexpectedly, it was this person who had arranged so many things, and single-handedly pushed the Prime Minister into such an awkward situation. He knew too many of the Prime Minister's manor's secrets, and this time, he had framed and framed Lin Ruofu. Even Lin Ruofu could only back down.
He looked at the Prime Minister's aged face and said apologetically, "Everyone's existence has a purpose and purpose. Old friend, I have hidden in your study for so many years, all for today. I promised someone that when he needed you to step down, I would lend him a helping hand. "
Lin Ruofu looked at this old friend in front of him, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. "Just how many benefits did Yunrui promise you for you to sell out your friend for glory?"
Yuan Hongdao shook his head. "It's not selling out my friend, and it's not for glory … it's just that His Majesty needs you to retire, the Eldest Princess also needs you, and the court needs you to leave the capital. As for glory … "He smiled bitterly." I originally thought … if you didn't realize what I had done, I would accompany you to your hometown, and we would spend our remaining years together. "
Lin Ruofu was slightly surprised. He increasingly couldn't tell what this advisor, who had followed him for so many years, was thinking.
…
…
In the capital shrouded in the darkness of night, Yuan Hongdao, accompanied by his pageboy, packed his luggage. With a trace of disappointment and frustration, he turned his head to look at the tightly shut door of the Prime Minister's manor, sighed softly, and got into a carriage.
In the carriage, an Imperial Censor looked at him coldly. "Master Yuan, when can you go to the Supreme Court to testify?"
Yuan Hongdao didn't even look at the middle-aged man. His right hand gently stroked the long beard on his chin. After a while, he said lightly, "There's no need. The Prime Minister will go to the palace tomorrow to ask for his resignation. His Majesty will stop the investigation of this case."
When the Imperial Censor heard this, he flew into a rage. "The evidence is there. His Majesty will certainly put the traitor in prison! If you don't dare to testify in court, you will be implicated. You've followed the traitor for so many years, how can you be clean? "
Yuan Hongdao looked at him coldly. This advisor, who had always been known for his elegance, now had an incomparably cold and stern gaze. It was like two sharp blades, causing the Imperial Censor to feel a little afraid.
"I only listen to orders from Xinyang." Yuan Hongdao looked at the pitiful Imperial Censor in front of him and said coldly, "Since when was it your turn to order me around?"
The Imperial Censor turned pale with fright. Only now did he understand why the Prime Minister's trusted scholar would betray him at the most critical moment. It turned out that … he was also one of the Eldest Princess's people!
— — — —
Early in the morning, a carriage rushed out of the western gate as soon as the city gates opened. Without stopping, it went onto the official road, heading in the direction of Xinyang.
Yuan Hongdao pressed down on the sharp sword hidden in the handle of his umbrella. His brows furrowed. He was calculating in his heart how the somewhat insane Eldest Princess would arrange for him, a chess piece that had been hidden for so many years, once he arrived in Xinyang.
In the depths of his heart, he couldn't help but feel a trace of guilt towards Prime Minister Lin Ruofu. After all, they had been friends for decades. They had spent more time together than they had with their families. After hiding in the Prime Minister's manor for so many years, he had finally fulfilled the promise he had made all those years ago. In the process of the Prime Minister's downfall, Yuan Hongdao had played the most dishonorable, but also the most important role. Lin Ruofu had not killed him. This in itself was something that Yuan Hongdao should be grateful for.
He had already dismissed his attendant. Other than him, the only other person in the carriage was the coachman in front of him. Yuan Hongdao looked coldly at the coachman as he brandished his whip. He realized that the coachman's wrist was extremely nimble. It was clear that he had extremely high martial arts skills.
After a long time, the carriage passed the Eighteen Li Relay Station and entered a desolate and uninhabited mountain road. At this moment, the carriage slowly came to a stop. The coachman turned his head and looked at Yuan Hongdao with an unusual and extremely sharp gaze.
After a moment of silence, the coachman suddenly opened his mouth and said, "The Director has ordered me to express my gratitude to you." He paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Please allow me to express my personal admiration to you."
Yuan Hongdao said with a trace of sadness, "I do not admire myself … tell me about Xinyang's plans. I believe that after this matter, the Eldest Princess should believe me."
He was a spy. A spy that had been planted by the Prime Minister's side many years ago.
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