Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

"My respects to the Empress Dowager. Thank you all for waiting for me. I was assassinated on the way and was delayed for some time." When Jia Cong entered the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, all the ministers had already arrived.

Everyone was shocked when they heard this. Who dared to assassinate Jia Cong?

The Empress Dowager also hurriedly asked, "Are you injured?"

"Thanks to the great blessing of the Empress Dowager, I am safe."

"Asshole! Who dares to assassinate the king in the street? I order the Ministry of Justice, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Eastern Depot to conduct a thorough investigation. I will kill all nine generations of his clan!" the Empress Dowager shouted sternly.

"I obey your order." Yan Ning bowed hurriedly.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "The Empress Dowager doesn't need to be angry. This person has been found out."

"who is it?"

"Prince Beijing Shui Rong." Jia Cong said.

Everyone was shocked, but nodded secretly. Considering the feud between Shui Rong and Jia Cong, it was reasonable to send someone to assassinate him.

"How could Prince Beijing be so bold?" The Empress Dowager was a little unconvinced.

Jia Cong bowed and said, "Please ask the Empress Dowager to ask the two princes of the West and the East. It was the two princes who reported this matter to me last night.

Shui Rong originally wanted to drag them along to act together, but the two princes were loyal and refused to follow the thieves, so all the assassins were captured on the spot this morning before they were about to be attacked.

He used thirty-six divine arm bows. If Cong had not known about it in advance, he would have died by now."

The two kings of Xining and Dongping bowed and said, "That is indeed the case, your subjects..."

After that, he recounted the whole story, of course describing Shui Rong as cunning and despicable, harboring evil intentions, and describing himself as tall and mighty, loyal and righteous, serving the thief and compromising.

So that's how it is. The ministers were no longer confused. Since they were accomplices in the conspiracy, Prince Beijing could not guard against it.

In his heart, Chen Ji cursed the two kings, the East and the West, for being despicable and shameless, and without hesitation he betrayed his century-old friend to pave the way for his own advancement.

The Empress Dowager nodded and said, "The two princes of Xining and Dongping are loyal and selfless. They resolutely exposed the conspiracy of the thieves and protected the pillars of our Great Wu. I am very pleased, very pleased. I will give each of them a sword and a reward of ten thousand gold."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your reward." The second prince said happily.

"Prince Jing, how should this case be handled?" The Empress Dowager looked at Jia Cong again.

Jia Cong bowed and said, "To the Empress Dowager, I have ordered the Jinyiwei to thoroughly investigate the case and arrest the relevant persons. The details of the case will be reported later."

"Good." The Empress Dowager nodded and said, "Since Prince Jing is fine, you can discuss today's matter."

"Yes." Everyone looked at Jia Cong.

Jia Cong said: "To the Empress Dowager, the first batch of new soldiers from the New Military Academy have been training hard recently, making rapid progress and achieving great results. They will be formed into an army soon. Also, since the Western Regions have just been recovered, the Rakshasa will certainly not surrender, and the border may not be stable.

I request that the Tenth Prince be appointed as the General of Border Defense and lead the new army to patrol the Western Regions, in order to boost the morale of the border troops and to replenish the troops in the Western Regions. Please give instructions to the Empress Dowager."

This was something the two had already agreed upon, and today's discussion was just a formality.

"What do you think?" The Empress Dowager looked at the ministers.

"The Tenth Prince is of noble status and has extraordinary bravery and outstanding military achievements. He enjoys prestige in the army. He is the best candidate to lead the army to patrol the border and defend the border. I have no objection." Duan Zhun was the first to express his opinion.

"We have no objection." All the ministers knew that there was no room for negotiation on this matter. Even the Empress Dowager had no objection, so who else would dare to object?

This is also a political consensus. Jia Cong will not interfere in state affairs at will, and the Grand Council will not interfere in military affairs at will.

"Since all the ministers hold this view, let's do it this way." The Empress Dowager nodded.

Jia Cong said, "Your Highness, the Tenth Prince is going to patrol the border, which is thousands of miles away. If there are no veteran generals to protect and advise him, there may be mistakes. I recommend that the General of Chariots and Cavalry accompany him.

General Wang is loyal and resolute, has good command of troops, and is proficient in military strategy. He is capable of filling in the gaps and offering advice and suggestions for the Tenth Prince."

Wang Ning was startled. He did not expect Jia Cong to suddenly move him far away. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, thank you for your praise.

I have never been to the Western Regions, and I am unfamiliar with the people and the place. I am afraid I have no good plan. Moreover, I am busy with military affairs and cannot spare time. Please choose another good general to accompany you."

Li Meng laughed and said, "General Wang is too modest. The Tenth Prince is worth a fortune. If someone else were to accompany him, not only would the Empress Dowager, but we would also be worried.

Last year, when Tu Fei rebelled, it was thanks to the general's insight and decisiveness that the rebel's plot was thwarted.

Going to patrol the border is one thing, guarding against the counterattack of the Russians is another. If there is no general to guard the thousands of miles of territory in the Western Regions, the court will be in trouble day and night. Brother, don't refuse. "

Jia Cong also laughed and said, "This is why Cong recommended the general. It is easy to patrol the border, but difficult to defend against the enemy.

Now that the Western Regions have just been settled, although Protector Liu is a man of great talent, the Western Regions are so vast that it is inevitable that he will not be able to take good care of them.

The Tenth Prince has never led an army, so he needs the general to go. With the general's prestige, wisdom and courage, he should be able to suppress the people, and the court can rest assured."

Wang Ziteng also echoed, "The military affairs in the capital are supervised by His Royal Highness Prince Jing, and they are in good order without any mistakes. At this moment, we should focus on the safety of the border.

If the border is stable, the whole country will be stable. This heavy responsibility can only be shouldered by the general. As for the tasks in the capital, we foolish people will just worry more about it and share the burden.

Although it is not as good as the general's management, I don't think it will cause any big trouble."

When everyone in the Grand Council saw that several military leaders were unanimously targeting Wang Ning, it was obvious that ostracizing him from the top was a foregone conclusion. Therefore, except for Chen Ji, everyone wisely gave him another blow.

"I second your opinion. Wang Cheqi is indeed the right person."

Wang Ning saw that everyone was helping Jia to commit atrocities, and his heart went cold. He was about to speak and struggle again, but he heard the Empress Dowager say: "Since all the ministers have recommended General Wang, I also agree, and this important mission will be handed over to General Wang."

"The Empress Dowager is wise." Everyone said hurriedly.

Wang Ning wanted to cry but had no tears, so he could only bow and accept the order: "I will obey your order and will not let the Empress Dowager down." He knew in his heart that it was easy to go down but difficult to come back.

Jia Cong glanced at him and said meaningfully: "General Wang, the Western Regions are vast and have great potential. You can use your skills there and make new contributions."

Wang Ning smiled bitterly, cupped his hands and said: "I will remember your teachings and will assist you wholeheartedly."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "With General Wang here, we can rest assured."

"Your Highness is right." All the ministers agreed with a smile.

The Empress Dowager had no choice but to cooperate with Jia Cong to drive Wang Ning away. She was unhappy and glanced at everyone. She said indifferently: "Has there been any result in the case of Huo Peng, Dong Yi, Dai Quan and others' palace coup and treason the other day?"

Jia Cong pulled out a letter from his sleeve, bowed and presented it, saying, "I was just about to report to the Empress Dowager that the case has been investigated.

Huo, Dong, Dai, Niu, Beijing Wang and others secretly formed a party, served the prince, and coveted the sacred artifact, so they assassinated the late emperor and forged an imperial edict to kill the eldest prince, the second prince, and three of the tenth prince, and then support the new emperor to gain credit for following the emperor. "

None of the ministers spoke a word, as saying anything on such a sensitive matter could bring disaster upon oneself.

The Empress Dowager coldly rebuked: "I didn't expect that there would be such traitors in the court! If we get rid of the three princes, who do they want to support?"

"According to the confessions of Dai Quan and others, it was the fifth prince Sun Wen. Please ask the Empress Dowager to make the final decision." Jia Cong said in a deep voice.

All the ministers took a deep breath. It seemed that the Empress Dowager would not feel at ease unless Sun Wen was eliminated. Would Sun Wen become the Fusu of the imperial dynasty?
The Empress Dowager swept her eyes around, snorted coldly, and said, "What do you think should be done?" Duan Zhun still wanted to protect Sun Wen, after all, he was the heir designated by Emperor Xifeng himself, so he said, "Although Dai Quan and others have pledged their loyalty to the Fifth Prince, their rebellion may not have been instructed by the Fifth Prince. Perhaps they acted on their own initiative, and the Fifth Prince was unaware of it.

Prince Jing, Dai Quan and others, can you confess that it was the Fifth Prince who instigated the coup?"

"This..." Jia Cong hesitated for a moment. If it was the Fifth Prince who ordered the murder of his father and brother, this would be a huge scandal in the royal family, and the Empress Dowager, as the biological mother, would not be able to escape responsibility.

Because he said, "That's not the case." If Sun Wen didn't know about it, his crime would be much lighter.

"I think Dai Quan and others were blinded by greed and did it in private. I think that although the Fifth Prince does not have great talent, he still has a filial heart and would never do such a heinous and unrighteous thing. Please ask the Empress Dowager to look into it." Duan Zhun bowed.

Jia Cong remained silent. He knew that the Empress Dowager would not directly order the execution of Sun Wen. After all, killing one's son did not have a good reputation.

As expected, the Empress Dowager said: "Sun Wen's intentions are not pure. He has private relations with ministers and has formed a group of followers with ulterior motives, which has led to his followers' wolfish ambitions and conspiring to rebel.

Overnight, the emperor was assassinated and died, and two princes were killed, causing unprecedented tragedy in the country. How could this be tolerated and what could not be tolerated?
Considering that Sun Wen had no prior knowledge of the incident and it was not his intention, he was given a lighter sentence, stripped of his title and made a commoner, his property confiscated, and he was ordered to be imprisoned for life by the clan officials."

"The Empress Dowager is benevolent and wise, rarely seen in ancient and modern times. I will immediately order the imperial guards to do it." Jia Cong quickly agreed.

"The Empress Dowager is wise." The ministers also said hurriedly.

Everyone knew that her biological son was gone, and not killing Sun Wen was already a mercy. Anyone who dared to plead for mercy would surely suffer the consequences.

Duan Zhun sighed secretly and stopped talking. This was the best outcome.

"For the rest of the criminals, all nine generations of their clans will be executed. I am tired, so please all withdraw." The Empress Dowager sighed, looking heartbroken.

"Your servants will take their leave." Jia Cong knew that her arresting Sun Wen was the first step, and it would only take a word to let him die of illness or commit suicide out of fear of punishment in a few years.

Li Meng came out and saw that everyone had left. He walked to Jiang Feng and said with a smile, "Prime Minister Jiang, can you please have a word with me? I have something to ask you."

Jiang Feng was slightly stunned, then smiled and said, "What do you want, Duke?"

"I dare not, I dare not. I think that Prime Minister Jiang is highly respected, so I would like to ask Prime Minister Jiang to be my protector." Li Meng bowed.

Jiang Feng's eyes moved slightly, and he smiled and said, "This is a good thing. I wonder which family the Duke is willing to form an alliance with? I will help them."

Li Meng looked around and whispered, "Rongguo Mansion."

Jiang Feng smiled and twirled his beard, saying, "There are indeed a few unmarried girls in the Rong Mansion, all of them are dignified and beautiful, and can be good matches."

"No, my good-for-nothing sons have all started families, and I only have one little daughter. My wife has always doted on her and has never wanted to marry her off.

I heard that the young man in the Rong Mansion who was born with a jade in his mouth has not yet married, and he is handsome and gentle, and is very favored by Mrs. Rong. She is willing to marry my daughter to him. Please ask Prime Minister Jiang to make a match." Li Meng said.

Jiang Xiang bowed his hands and smiled, "Don't worry, Duke. I will go and talk to him in person and will do my best to make this happen."

Li Meng said happily: "Thank you, Prime Minister Jiang. I will report back later."

Jiang Feng waved his hand and smiled, "Duke, just don't forget to treat me to a glass of wine to thank you for being the matchmaker."

"Of course." Li Meng said with a smile.

He was also helpless. Now that Jia Cong was in power, after taking down Wang Ning, he would most likely target him next, because after all, the two had a grudge against each other for killing each other's son.

Li Meng had long given up the idea of ​​revenge. Given Jia Cong's strength, if he wanted to take revenge, it would be like flying into a flame. Not only would he fail to get revenge, but he would also sacrifice his entire family. It was really not worth it.

For a big shot like him in the court, the primary consideration is always the political interests of the group, and never his own personal vendettas. Otherwise, he would probably be betrayed by his brothers like Prince Beijing.

But he was also afraid that Jia Cong would not believe him and would think that he could not let go of his hatred. In order to avoid raising a tiger to harm him sooner or later, he proposed marriage with his legitimate daughter, hoping to gain Jia Cong's trust.

The weight of a legitimate daughter is definitely not enough, but as long as this door is opened, it means that Jia Cong is willing to accept him, and he naturally has other ways to win Jia Cong's trust.
-
After Jia Cong left the palace, he first ordered people to arrest Sun Wen, and then he went directly to Wei Prison.

When Wen Zhen and others learned that he had arrived, they hurried out to welcome him in.

"Your Highness, please come in. This case is serious, and all the prisoners are held in solitary confinement. The first two cells are for Huo Peng and Dong Yi." Zhuang Qing introduced.

Jia Cong stood outside the cell, looking at his political allies who had once fought in the same trench, and said with a smile: "How are the two ministers?"

"Bah! Traitor! I'm waiting for you in the underground, let's see what kind of ending you will have." Dong Yi said angrily. He also knew that he was going to die, so he just cursed.

Jia Cong sneered, "You two encouraged Lord Ru Hai to assassinate me, which doesn't seem to be the behavior of a gentleman. As the saying goes, the victorious king takes the brunt. Now that I am crowned king, you two are naturally thieves and thieves. What's so confusing about that?"

Huo Peng said sternly: "You have set up an unjust imprisonment and deceived the emperor. I want to see the Duke, I want to see the Empress Dowager!"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "No need for that. The Empress Dowager has just issued an order that all of you will be executed along with your entire clan."

"You will die a horrible death!" The two men were filled with shock and anger, pointing their spears and cursing, their vests already soaked with cold sweat.

Death may not scare them, but the three words "killing nine clans" are too serious. Not only will it implicate the clan members, but it will also make them unable to turn over a new leaf forever.

Jia Cong smiled coldly and said, "Tell them to shut up. I still need to have a heart-to-heart talk with Chief Steward Dai."

"Yes." Zhuang Qing waved his hand, and two captains came in and blocked the two men's mouths.

After entering Dai Quan's cell, Jia Cong had not yet said a word when Dai Quan had already rushed over to kneel at his feet, kowtowed and begged for mercy.

"Your Majesty, I am blind and should not have gone against you. I beg you to show mercy and spare my life for the sake of our past friendship. I will fight to the death for you.

Oh, right, the East Factory! I can still manage the East Factory for you. Now that I am gone, the Empress Dowager will definitely order that bastard An Wenyao to run the East Factory. This is not good for you, Your Majesty!

Moreover, the prince has no reliable people in the palace, and Fengzao Palace also needs people to serve. If I save my life, I can help the prince control the palace and act more conveniently in the future.

Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is not an easy person to deal with. She even dares to kill the Emperor. Who else does she not dare to kill?

She will never be at ease with you, so I can keep an eye on Changchun Palace for you, so you can go in and out of the Forbidden Palace without worry."

In order to save his life, Dai Quan said a lot of things.

Jia Cong said with a smile: "Please stand up, General Manager. You and I are brothers after all. Why do we need to perform such a grand ceremony?"

Dai Quan saw that he looked gentle and thought his words had worked, so he quickly stood up and said with a smile, "I was blind before and didn't recognize the true dragon. I was presumptuous. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

He thought Jia Cong must want to be emperor, so he praised him to show that he was very sensible.

Jia Cong waved his hand and laughed, "What real dragon? You were just joking."

"Yes, yes. I deserve to die." Dai Quan slapped himself twice.

"Logically, I should let the steward go, but the Empress Dowager has already issued the order, and I can't do anything about it. Please don't be offended, steward." Jia Cong said, and turned to leave.

Dai Quan rushed to the prison door and shouted, "My Lord, what is the order of the Empress Dowager?"

"Kill the nine tribes."

"Ah..." Dai Quan screamed and fell against the cell door.

In the interrogation room, Jia Cong sat behind the desk at ease, looking at Prince Beijing who was already fixed on the rack. Next to him was Jiang Yuhan, who was half human and half ghost, with his head drooping and covered in wounds. (End of this chapter)