Chapter 838: Benevolent and Wise Ruler
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The two palace maids dying was indeed abnormal, so they had to be on guard.
Emperor Hao naturally agreed, “Don’t worry. I will see to it that everything goes smoothly.”
Only then did Empress Dowager Yunzi walk toward her youngest son’s corpse. Finally, tears streamed down her face.
When Prince Yi was placed under house arrest and could not see anyone, Wei Zizhan’s heart started to twist and turn. He did not know why Prince Yi was suddenly placed under house arrest and was afraid that Prince Yi would say that he was not the Crown Prince.
Now, Consort Yi was dead, Prince Qing was dead, Prince Yi was sent away, and no one knew where he was sent to. Wei Zizhan was on edge every single day. He was afraid that Prince Yi would accidentally spill something that he should not.
He was extremely worried that his t.i.tle as Crown Prince would soon fade away.
However, he could only try his best not to let others see that he was on tenterhooks and accompany Empress Dowager Yunzi to keep watch over
Prince Qings funeral.
He didn’t want to be here at all.
He was afraid of a dead person, but there was nothing he could do.
The current Emperor Hao said that Prince Qing had no one to stay with him, therefore Wei Zizhan was told to stay with the corpse.
On December 25th, Emperor Hao, who had also come to Prince Qings mourning hall, received news that the Ji family had been completely uprooted from Da Ling.
Ji Xiehui and the others had already arrived at the capital city.
Thus, in the morning court session the next day, Emperor Hao announced the Ji family’s crimes. Starting from the reign of the late Emperor, it included more than a hundred unforgivable crimes such as attempting to rebel, murdering the Crown Prince, harming loyal officials, and treating human lives with contempt, as well as more than seven hundred other crimes.
All kinds of crimes were too numerous to be recorded, and the evidence was piled up like a mountain that day.
Because the residences of the Ji family, the Minister of Revenue, and the others had been seized, the officials were already somewhat confident that they would not have much to go through. However, when they saw the evidence piled up in front of them, their eyes widened.
They had never expected that the Emperor would plan such a heist fifteen years ago.
That was why he was able to wipe out the entire Ji family in a few days without harming a single person.
The officials, led by the Prime Minister, all knelt down and shouted praises.
Emperor Hao stood on the steps, in front of the dragon throne. He closed his eyes and sighed, “How so? I have lost my virtue. The Second Prince is not my son. I beat him at his own game back then and then had him. After that, I used him to stabilize the Ji family… It’s my fault that he suffered the greatest loss.”
Shouldn’t such a secret be kept a secret?
Why was the emperor…
All the officials were dumbfounded.
The Prime Minister and the Imperial Censor frowned. Their Emperor had indeed done something unkind, but it was also because he had no choice and did not want to harm the people. Moreover, since ancient times, there was no such thing as a perfect emperor. Their emperor was filled with the hearts of the common people. He was a benevolent and wise ruler.
However, they did not expect him to be so magnanimous as to speak of this matter.
Emperor Hao only wanted to make this matter clear so that others would not think that he had other princes in the future and that there would be hidden dangers in Da Ling.
As long as it was for the good of Da Ling, he would not hesitate to do it even if he was cursed.
Emperor Hao sighed again and started to reward the people, “Destroying the Ji family in one fell swoop was aided by the Western General, Ji Xiehui. He was the greatest contributor to this plan. In truth, he is Huo Wenqing, the grandson of the old General, Huo Jinzheng.”
Upon hearing that Ji Xiehui was the grandson of General Huo Jinzheng, the officials were in an uproar..