Very quickly, the Imperial Edict about the separation between the Count of Bei Lu and Jin An Princess Royal came down. At the same time, there was also the Imperial Edict about the rewards for the two children of Jin An Princess. As to the Count of Bei Lu, Qing De Emperor didn't strip him of his title. He just had people drag him to the Meridian Gate and give him forty strokes of the cane. In the Imperial Edict, he clearly stated, "The Cao Clan of Jing Zhou is not righteous, their morals lacking. They are not suitable for marriage. Zhen is ashamed and regretful, but it is too late. I only hope that there will be no successors to suffer zhen."
These words sounded like the emperor was blaming himself, but in reality, he was saying that the people of the Cao Family were not good people and had bad morals. He had been blind to marry his daughter to the Cao Family. He hoped that no one would be blind to marry the Cao Family again.
Actually, this was the most vicious. The Cao Family was a prestigious family in Jing Zhou. There were many males and females in the family that hadn't been betrothed. Once the Emperor's edict went out, who would dare to marry into the Cao Family? Wasn't that going against the Emperor? This Count of Bei Lu had harmed the entire clan.
After Qu Qing Ju heard this edict, she suddenly understood. This was true imperial power. Since the Emperor said the Cao Family wasn't good, then the Cao Family definitely had problems. Whoever dared to plead for mercy would be as lacking in morals as the Cao Family.
She didn't know how many innocent males and females of the Cao Family had been implicated. Qu Qing Ju pitied them but also felt that the conduct of the Count of Bei Lu was disgusting. When he returned to the clan, how much would the clansmen hate him?
When He Heng walked into zhengyuan, he coincidentally saw Qu Qing Ju in a daze. He walked behind her: "What are you thinking about that you're so focused?"
"Thinking about the Cao Family," She turned to look at He Heng. She didn't conceal it, "Don't know how many people have been implicated by the Count of Bei Lu."
"Those people are innocent, but who let them be named Cao?" He Heng understood that she pitied the innocent people of the Cao Family and said, "If it was just to punish the Count of Bei Lu, where would the dignity of the Imperial Family be? What's more, Father Emperor's action is already merciful. A hundred years ago, when Taizu was on the throne, there was a son-in-law who married a concubine and put the princess under house arrest. In the end, his entire family was sentenced to be beheaded, and his relatives in the five clans were all demoted to untouchables. "
Qu Qing Ju stilled. Since the price was so high, why did he have to do such a thing? If it was the princess' conduct, it was pardonable, but Jin An Princess raised children and treated the Count of Bei Lu very well. The Count of Bei Lu did this, didn't he feel guilty?
"Alright, don't think about this kind of thing," He Heng patted the back of her hand, smiling as he said, "Now that the matter is over, you don't have to worry. In the future, if you have time, come visit the Eldest Princess Fu."
Qu Qing Ju nodded, her expression relaxing slightly. She looked at the sky outside. It was dark as though it was about to rain: "The weather isn't very good. Later, the wind might start. If you go out, you have to wear more clothes."
"Don't worry, there's Ming He and the others," He Heng waved his hand, "I'll first eat lunch with you before going out. This afternoon, the Count of Bei Lu is leaving Jing. Us brothers have to send him off no matter what."
Hearing this, Qu Qing Ju silently lit a candle for the Count of Bei Lu inside.
The four gates of Jing always had people coming and going. When Jing was prosperous, many people came to Jing to make a living. There were even many foreigners who settled down in Jing to live. But at this time, there weren't many people passing through the North Gate. Only some common people stayed to watch from afar.
"The Count of Bei Lu is leaving like this? Why don't you stay a few more days? Ben wang's brothers haven't properly entertained you, what's the rush? " He Qi looked at the Count of Bei Lu kneeling in front of him and gave a hearty laugh. He reached out and heavily patted the Count of Bei Lu's shoulder a few times. He saw the Count of Bei Lu's originally pale face become even uglier.
"Look at how white the count's face is. No wonder you can seduce those dubious women outside," He Yuan sat on the tall white horse, his eyelids half raised as he looked down at the Count of Bei Lu, "Now you can finally fly far away with that woman. It's a cause for celebration. Ben wang will first congratulate you. Come, bring up the gift ben wang is giving to the Count of Bei Lu's sweetheart."
The Count of Bei Lu had been flogged and trembled as he knelt. When Rui Wang's gift was brought up, his expression changed in fright. He had seen this kind of medicine bottle before. Inside was a medicine called "Thousand Threads". After the consumer swallowed the medicine, their stomach would be in pain as though thousands of threads were twisting around it. Yet their entire body would be powerless and they wouldn't even be able to commit suicide. They could only suffer for a full twenty four hours before dying.
"Beautiful women are only worthy of medicine with beautiful names. Count of Bei Lu, what do you think of ben wang's gift?" He Yuan jumped off the horse and walked in front of the Count of Bei Lu. He used the tip of his foot to lift up his chin. Seeing his forehead covered in sweat, he gave a slight smile, "If you don't like it, ben wang will give you another gift?"
Hearing Rui Wang emphasize the word "you", the Count of Bei Lu kowtowed: "Thanks for Your Highness Rui Wang's gift."
Seeing him like this, He Yuan took back his foot in disgust. The little taijian following behind him hurriedly knelt on the ground, taking out a handkerchief to carefully wipe the tip of his shoe, his disdainful attitude completely exposed.
He Heng smiled as he looked at this scene. He saw the Count of Bei Lu clench his fists, bending down to say to him: "Think of your glory in the past, look at you now. You don't want to be a high and mighty fuma, but you want to be a dog that everyone hates. Should ben wang call you pitiful or hateful?" Finishing, he straightened his body and raised his voice to announce, "The princess of the Imperial Family was born noble, beautiful and virtuous. But you betrayed the princess and your children. Our Imperial Family doesn't want a fuma like you. In the future, the Cao Family of Jing Zhou will never be allowed to enter Jing. Otherwise, the people of the He Family will punish you." Finishing, he kicked the Count of Bei Lu's body, brushed away the non-existent dust on his robe and jumped onto his red date colored steed.
"Get out, get out," He Qi couldn't bear to see his disgusting state. He turned and whipped his horse to leave. He Heng and He Yuan didn't look at him and left on their horses.
The horse that He Yuan was riding even whipped its tail at the Count of Bei Lu's face. But the Count of Bei Lu could only kneel straight, unable to dodge.
Seeing the wang ye leave, the surrounding commoners finally came over, pointing and spreading countless versions of what the Count of Bei Lu had done. But all of them were about how hateful the Count of Bei Lu was, and how seductive the woman that seduced the Count of Bei Lu was.
For the common people, if the emperor and wang ye said it wasn't good, it naturally wasn't good. As to how normal people would view the matter, only they knew.
The Count of Bei Lu barely managed to hold the hand of the manservant to get off the carriage. Lying on the soft cushion, he thought of the splendor he had when he returned to Jing in the past, and then thought of the sorry state he was in now. He gradually started to regret.
If he and the princess had always been on good terms, these princes would have been very polite to him, and the Cao family would have been very careful to support him. Now that he had returned to Jingzhou, the Cao family would probably want to eat his flesh and drink his blood.
Tightly gripping the medicine bottle in his hand, the Count of Bei Lu's eyes darkened. If it wasn't that this whore seduced him, he wouldn't have reached this step with the princess today!
The matter of Jin An Princess Royal spread in Jing for a few days before it quieted down. For the womenfolk, it was just another person in Jing that needed to be flattered. For the men, it was just to remind themselves not to interact with the Cao Family of Jing Zhou in the future. As to anything else, there wouldn't be any change.
The first month quickly passed. Just as everyone had calmed down, another peal of thunder sounded in Jing City. His Highness Ning Wang had found the mastermind behind the assassination of the imperial envoy, and this person was His Highness Rui Wang who was the most favored by the Emperor.
His Highness Rui Wang's people defended Rui Wang but Ning Wang took out a lot of evidence. For example, the assassin that had been killed by the guards had once worked in Rui Wang Fu; and the amulet that was found on the body of one of the assassins had been obtained by a yahuan from Rui Wang Fu who had gone to Wu Zhuang Guan to beg for it. Someone even pointed out that on the second day Cheng Wang left the city, Rui Wang had met with a few assassins in private.
After Qing De Emperor heard the story, he was so angry he couldn't say a word. He even spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted. He was escorted by a group of people back to Tian Qi Palace. All the people on duty in the Imperial Hospital were summoned into the palace.
Because He Yuan wasn't able to attend court, when he heard the news, the Emperor had already woken up. He wanted to leave the fu to see the Emperor but found that the Imperial Guards that he usually could order to let through had become unmoved.
The people inside couldn't go out, the people outside couldn't come in. He Yuan was so angry he smashed a few things. Remembering that the retainer Gao Duo was coincidentally in the fu, he had a taijian call him over.
When Gao Duo rushed to the study, He Yuan's anger hadn't dissipated. He pointed at Gao Duo and scolded: "It was you who came up with this rotten idea in the beginning. Now that the matter has become like this, how are we going to resolve it?!"
Gao Duo made a formal bow, his expression unchanging as he said: "Wang ye, this one didn't think that something like this would happen. And this one suspects that someone is purposely framing you. "
"Nonsense, ben wang also knows that someone is purposely framing me, do I need you to explain?!" He Yuan swung the brush stand in front of him to the ground, "Killing one's own brothers, if this kind of reputation is confirmed, ben wang is finished."
"Wang ye naturally understands that this is framing, but this one's meaning is, why did that person frame you, and who is the one framing you?" Gao Duo's tone became a few notches lower, "You are currently the most favored prince by the Emperor. Naturally, there will be people who are jealous. Only if you fall will he have a chance."
"He Qi, it must be him!" He Yuan said hatefully, "This matter was singlehandedly investigated by him. He jumped up and down more excitedly than anyone else, but he dared to frame me."
Gao Duo lowered his eyelids and bowed, saying: "Wang ye, in this one's view, you will need to bleed a bit this time."
He Yuan's expression changed slightly. He was silent for a beat before ordering: "Come, bring the cloth."
Gao Duo smiled, "Wang ye is wise and must know how to move the Emperor's heart. This one will leave first."
He Yuan waved his hand, indicating that he could leave.
Coming out of the study, Gao Duo stroked his beard, a sliver of a smile appearing on his face.
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