lovenovelstory Chapter 83 Self-Destruction
Chapter 83 Self-Destruction
"Father, I am in charge of the Ministry of Justice. Gao Mengyuan has indeed not confessed about the relationship between His Highness the Crown Prince and Juxianju, but..."
He paused, glanced at Yinreng kneeling on the ground, and then looked away.
"Your subject interrogated all the guests who escaped from Juxianju on the night of the fire. According to their testimonies, this is roughly what happened."
Liang Jiugong descended the imperial steps, took the commemorative book, held it with both hands, and quickly walked back to Kangxi's side, presenting it to him.
Kangxi looked at Yinzhi, then at the memorial, frowned, and did not immediately take it.
His gaze lingered on the folded book for a few moments, as if he were weighing something or hesitating about something.
His fingers twitched slightly, then he withdrew them.
After a long while, he finally reached out and took the book.
He turned to the first page, his gaze slowly moving across the paper.
Yin'e noticed that his brows furrowed even more.
"The apparent owner of Juxianju is called Sun Yongfu." Yinzhi's voice echoed in the quiet hall.
"Sun Yongfu was murdered in the latrine on the night of the fire. He was stabbed in the throat and died on the spot."
The perpetrator has not yet been found, but based on the traces at the scene, it is believed to be an inside job.
Because there were no signs of forced entry on the latrine door, Sun Yongfu went in voluntarily.
He paused, his tone becoming even more certain: "And Gao Mengyuan is the real boss behind Juxianju."
This is a fact almost all gamblers know. Although no one has written evidence, everyone understands that dealing with Juxianju is pointless with Sun Yongfu; you have to go to Gao Mengyuan.
"Gao Mengyuan's background is something all the gamblers tacitly agree on. Although they don't say it outright, they all understand that this person has powerful backers and cannot be offended."
After Yinzhi finished speaking, he took a step back, hung his hands at his sides, and waited for Kangxi's reaction.
Yinxiang knelt on the ground, his face ashen.
His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he held back.
Kangxi glanced at Yinxiang, then at Yinzhi, but said nothing.
Yinxiang finally couldn't hold back any longer and raised his voice a few decibels: "Father, I just said that it must be the man surnamed Gao who is using Second Brother's name to swindle and deceive people!"
He committed a crime himself and wanted to find a powerful patron to protect him. Isn't this kind of thing common in Beijing?
Yinzhi did not look at Yinxiang, nor did he even turn his head.
He continued speaking to Kangxi in a calm and unhurried tone.
"When I was interrogating Xiao Guoxing..."
He paused deliberately.
"Xiao Guoxing said that most of the 500,000 taels of silver he borrowed from the national treasury went to Juxianju."
These words caused an uproar throughout the court.
Some people gasped, some stared wide-eyed, some gaped with their mouths agape, and some lowered their heads while their eyes darted around in their sockets.
Several of the younger officials looked at each other in bewilderment.
Even the three usually composed ministers of the Imperial Study couldn't help but frown.
Xiao Guoxing, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, is a second-rank official.
He is the Crown Prince's man; who in the entire court doesn't know that?
He borrowed silver from the national treasury and channeled it to Juxianju, which belonged to Gao Mengyuan, who was a man of the Crown Prince.
This line is crystal clear, perfectly obvious. You call it a coincidence? Who would believe that?
The atmosphere in the main hall suddenly changed.
Kangxi tightened his grip on the folded book slightly.
His gaze shifted from the folding book to Yinzhi's face.
The course of events clearly slipped beyond Kangxi's control.
His intention in calling everyone here today was merely to give the Crown Prince a warning, to make him restrain himself, and to let the court officials know that "I have a problem with the Crown Prince."
He never expected that the eldest prince would reveal Xiao Guoxing's affair in public.
Kangxi knew he couldn't respond to those words.
If they accept the charge, it will confirm the Crown Prince's crime of "instructing his followers to embezzle state funds for usury".
If they don't answer, they can't silence the gossip.
The eldest son has already made the matter public, and in front of the entire court, he can no longer cover it up for the crown prince.
What should he do?
Below the imperial steps, Yinreng knelt there, his back already soaked with cold sweat.
His mind was buzzing.
His hands were trembling, his legs were trembling, and even his jaw was chattering.
He knew he could no longer remain silent.
If we remain silent any longer, it will be tantamount to admitting it.
"Father..."
He suddenly raised his head, his voice squeezed out from his throat.
"I truly knew nothing about Xiao Guoxing's lending and borrowing. I... I failed in my duty of discipline and misjudgment in employing him; I am guilty of negligence! I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"
He kept kowtowing, the "thump-thump" sound growing louder and more urgent with each thump.
"Your subject is guilty! Your subject is guilty! Your subject is guilty!"
The prince kept repeating those three words.
Just when Kangxi was caught in a dilemma and everyone in the court was put on the spot, Yin'e knew that his opportunity had come.
He stepped forward and stood at the front.
He felt the gazes directed at him from both sides.
Lao Ba turned his head slightly, his brows furrowed, as if asking him with his eyes, "What are you going to do?"
The lingering smile from when he was laughing at the Crown Prince still lingered on the Ninth Prince's lips, but now that smile froze on his face.
Neither of them understood why jumping out at a time like this was like walking into the line of fire.
But Yin'e did not hesitate.
He took a deep breath and knelt down.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say."
Emperor Kangxi leaned back on his dragon throne, looking at his son who had suddenly stepped forward.
His lips twitched slightly, not in a smile, but in a tone of extreme anger, tinged with helplessness and mockery.
He snorted and said, "Interesting, today is quite lively. Come, tell me, tell me, what other programs are planned for me today?"
Yin'e was not intimidated by Kangxi's attitude.
His face remained expressionless, and his tone remained steady.
"Brother only told me part of the story just now." He paused, his voice deepening. "Actually, another person escaped from Juxianju that night, but was not caught."
He went to the Ministry of Justice early yesterday morning.
As soon as these words were spoken, the air in the hall seemed to be suddenly gripped by something.
Everyone held their breath.
The eldest prince, Yinzhi, immediately changed his expression.
Like a cat whose tail has been stepped on, its fur stood on end.
He turned around abruptly, glaring at Yin'e with eyes full of anger and disbelief.
"Tenth Brother! You!"
"Shut up!" Kangxi shouted sternly.
The eldest prince's voice stopped abruptly. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed back the words that were already on the tip of his tongue.
Kangxi didn't look at Yinzhi again; his gaze returned to Yin'e: "Continue."
Yin'e straightened up, but remained kneeling.
"This person is Batu, the eldest son of Prince Wuerjingalap, the elder brother of the Tenth Princess."