Chapter 2512: Chapter 2509: Reporting Directly to the Authorities
Chapter 2512: Chapter 2509: Reporting Directly to the Authorities
“Threatening one’s wife and children is truly heinous.” Lu Chuan couldn’t help but mutter angrily under his breath.
Elder Master Guo of the Guo family heard these words and his expression turned peculiar. In his heart, none of these nobles were any good; their scheming ultimately resulted in the suffering of ordinary people.
But at this moment, Lu Chuan’s reaction was completely different from what he had imagined.
“Alright, leave this matter to me. You go to the yamen right now and say it’s all a misunderstanding.”
“But… my mother is already dead, and the neighbors can’t be fooled for long.” Elder Master Guo didn’t want his mother to be murdered and then not even receive a proper burial.
“Don’t worry, by this time, do you think this case hasn’t been resolved?” Lu Chuan snorted coldly, slapping him on the shoulder. “Just go ahead and do it boldly. Even if you don’t go, the other side may not trust you anymore and might find an excuse to eliminate you all. After all, only dead men keep secrets.”
Lu Chuan’s words were deliberately intimidating, but so what? The likelihood of such an incident was already high; he was just speculating anyway.
Elder Master Guo gritted his teeth and went straight to the yamen after Lu Chuan left, declaring on the spot that it was a misunderstanding.
As the concerned party no longer wanted to pursue the matter, even the yamen couldn’t forcefully investigate.
Soon, the crowd dispersed.
At this moment, Chu Heng had just finished speaking with Emperor Xuanming.
Then Emperor Xuanming, with a stern face, summoned Duke Qing to the palace.
Other than holidays, Duke Qing never entered the palace as he was merely a leisure prince without real power or a particularly clever mind; he desperately wished not to enter the palace.
Who would have thought he’d be drinking happily at home when summoned to the palace, feeling quite apprehensive?
Upon entering the Imperial Study and kneeling, Emperor Xuanming directly threw a memorial onto his head.
Duke Qing’s heart skipped a beat, and without even looking at the memorial, he immediately knelt and pleaded for mercy: “Emperor, your servant was wrong, please calm your anger.”
“Hmph, look at you, a prince of the state, unable even to manage the women in your back courtyard, yet engaging in such heartless actions!”
The prince had no idea what was happening, nervously picked up the memorial to read, and upon reading its contents, nearly flipped his eyes and fainted.
“Emperor, I… I truly knew nothing of this matter.” The prince also felt as if disaster had fallen from the sky; he had managed nothing, yet his lady dared commit such a ruthless act.
“Hmph, if I didn’t know this wasn’t your doing, you’d have been flogged long ago; I wouldn’t be wasting words with you now.”
“But since your legal wife is not virtuous, and since she plotted for your eldest son’s benefit, take away his title, and he must not participate in examinations for six years.”
The prince, trembling, could only humbly agree and apologize.
Chu Heng received one copy, Emperor Xuanming another, and of course, the victim’s family received one as well.
Upon leaving the Imperial Study.
Duke Qing was so embarrassed he couldn’t even look Chu Heng in the eye; originally, he didn’t intend to offend Chu Heng. His house did business with the Chu family before, which he thought was fortunate as he could enjoy the benefits, leading a better life. Who knew his wife had somehow been blinded by pig oil, daring to commit such an audacious act?
Yet before leaving the palace, Duke Qing still shamelessly apologized to Chu Heng: “Lord Chu, it’s all my fault for not teaching them properly, which led to this situation. In the future, if there’s anything you need, just say the word, and I won’t refuse.”
“Prince of the State, you’re joking. This matter, speaking of it, stems from your lady for some unknown reason targeting our Chu family.”