Thief Emperor

Chapter 1120 Kicked Out of the House
Meng Qing's eldest daughter is a little over fifteen years old this year.

If we get engaged this year and get married next year when we're sixteen, it will be just right.

Meng Qing glanced at the fourth prince again, then smiled wryly at Li Yun and said, "If Your Majesty bestows a marriage upon us, I will naturally have no objection."

Li Yun shook his head slightly: "In all these years, when have I ever granted a marriage?"

"Even my eldest son's marriage was finalized only after Qian Zhong and his daughter agreed."

Emperor Li looked at Meng Qing and said with a smile, "I've brought everyone here today. Your family can see him, and he can see your daughter. If both sides are willing, then the matter will be settled. If someone is unwilling..."

"Then just say it."

Li Yun said calmly, "Our two families shouldn't have to hurt our feelings for each other."

Meng Qing took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Your subject understands."

He knew in his heart that although that was what they said, His Majesty the Emperor himself had come, and had even brought his son with him.

Unless his daughter absolutely refuses, this matter is very likely to succeed.

Otherwise, it would be disrespectful to His Majesty the Emperor.

After the founding of the country, no one dared to disrespect His Majesty the Emperor.

Thinking of this, Meng Qing looked at the lady who was standing beside him and said, "Madam, why don't you take the Fourth Prince to meet with Jin'er alone and let them have a talk?"

Meng Qing's eldest daughter, originally named Meng Jin'er, will now take her father's surname and be called Li Jin'er.

Madam Meng quickly nodded in agreement. She stood up, bowed to His Majesty the Emperor, and then turned to lead the Fourth Prince to the backyard for a "blind date."

After the two left, Li Yun looked at Meng Qing and then said with a smile, "We're brothers, so I won't hide it from you. I plan to enfeoff this child in Suzhou. In a few years, he will be sent to the country, and your daughter will marry into my family. In the future, she will most likely live in the Northwest."

"Although we are neither hungry nor cold, life is not as good as in the fertile lands of the Central Plains or Jiangnan."

Upon hearing Li Yun's words, Meng Qing finally understood the purpose of this "blind date." After thinking for a moment, he said, "Being able to become a princess is a blessing for her. No matter how bad her life is, it can't be worse than my life in Shitai."

“That’s different.”

Li Yun shook his head and said, "You came from a poor background, so you don't feel bitter no matter what kind of life you have. But your children have never experienced hardship. She might not be able to handle it if she goes to the Northwest."

Meng Qing said solemnly, "It can't be worse than the lives of ordinary people."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Li nodded silently: "That's what I think too."

"These past few months, I've been thinking about things in the Northwest. After much consideration, I've decided to send the fourth brother there."

The emperor looked at Meng Qing and said, "From now on, the trade routes to the Western Regions will be one of the most important trade routes for the court and even the country, on par with the future sea routes. As long as the Western Regions can be opened up, Suzhou will be a great success in the future."

"It may not be worse than Jiangnan."

His Majesty the Emperor said slowly, "Everything depends on whether the fourth prince has the ability."

Meng Qingping dismissed the servants, bent down to pour Li Yun a cup of water, and said, "The Second Prince is in Guanzhong, not far from the Northwest. Why doesn't His Majesty send the Second Prince to guard the Northwest?"

Li Yun glanced at him, lowered his head to drink water, and shook his head, saying, "The second one won't do."

"If he were to go to the Northwest to command troops, he would cause trouble."

Li Zheng, who has now been enfeoffed as the Prince of Qin, is the son of Empress Liu and has an extreme fondness for martial arts.

In his early years, he personally went to the front lines during the Liaodong war and had a good relationship with many veteran generals.

More importantly, he resembles Li Yun.

Li Yun had two concerns if he were to take command of troops in the Northwest.

Firstly, he worried that the Crown Prince would not tolerate him.

Secondly, there was concern that he might not submit to the imperial court in the future.

Meng Qing thought for a moment and seemed to understand Li Yun's meaning. He asked, "Your Majesty, what are your plans?"

Emperor Li smiled and said, "His going to Suzhou is a done deal, probably in three or four years, or even four or five years."

"Now, the question is how he can establish a foothold in the Northwest."

Li Yun looked at Meng Qing and continued, "In the next few years, I plan to have Chen Da take him under his wing. If he can become your son-in-law, with his status as a prince, plus your support and Chen Da's, and by sending an old brother from the anti-bandit team to temporarily command the troops for him, I think he will be able to control the army in the Northwest within a few years."

"If you won't agree here."

The emperor smiled and said, "Let him be Chen Da's son-in-law."

Meng Qing scratched his head: "I should be fine here."

The Fourth Prince has virtually no chance of inheriting the throne, so associating with him will not involve any potential future struggles for succession.

Therefore, Meng Qing still had no objections.

"it is good."

The emperor patted Meng Qing on the shoulder and said with a smile, "If your family is willing, your son can be married in a few years."

"We might even become in-laws."

Meng Qing lowered his head to drink his tea, then smiled.

"I will obey Your Majesty's will."

…………

While His Majesty the Emperor was having tea at the Duke of Xuan's residence, on the other side, hundreds of constables from the Jingzhao Prefecture had already surrounded the Tao family.

This time, the Jingzhao Prefecture did not prohibit the people from gathering to watch, and the area around the Tao family's residence was already filled with people.

Among the soldiers of the Jingzhao Prefecture, two noblemen in purple robes alighted from their sedan chairs one after the other. One was a middle-aged man, and the other was a young man. The young man stood half a body length behind the middle-aged man, then looked up at the Tao residence in front of him and said with a smile, "Third Uncle, you may give the order."

The Prince of Jin, who was called Third Uncle, looked back at the young man, then looked down at their positions, shook his head, and said with a wry smile, "Eldest Brother, don't harm me. You are the emperor and I am the subject. If the Censorate sees this, I will inevitably be impeached again."

He stood silently behind the young Crown Prince, looked up at the former Prime Minister's residence, and sighed: "This is also one of the residences of fifty meritorious officials."

After saying this, Prince Jin said solemnly, "His Majesty has decreed that the eldest son has full authority to handle this case, so naturally it is up to you. The Jingzhao Prefecture is here today only to help His Highness arrest people and conduct the trial."

The Crown Prince glanced at Prince Jin and said speechlessly, "Third Uncle, we're family, is it necessary to be so clear about things?"

Prince Jin smiled and said, "Your Highness, it's important to be clear about things in front of others."

Prince Jin and His Majesty the Emperor grew up together, practically naked.

To be honest, in front of the emperor, he sometimes acted the same as before, not necessarily making the distinction between ruler and subject very clear, but he understood it in his heart.

A father is a father, and a son is a son.

Although he had watched the Crown Prince grow up, the two generations certainly didn't have much to talk about, nor did they have the kind of childhood friendship they had grown up with.

Moreover, upon closer examination, he cannot actually be considered the Crown Prince's third uncle.

So at this time, it's important to be sensible.

After exchanging a few polite words, the prince walked into the Tao family's residence with his hands behind his back.

At this time, no soldiers had entered the Tao family residence yet, but when His Highness the Crown Prince entered, the entire Tao family was already waiting in the front courtyard.

Once His Highness the Crown Prince entered, all the members of the Tao family knelt on the ground, kowtowed, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

The crown prince, with his hands behind his back, looked at the group and then smiled, "Is everyone here?"

Who is Tao Hongli?

Tao Hongli, the eldest son of Tao Xiangong, is also the current head of the Tao family.

A middle-aged man in his forties or fifties carefully stood up, bowed his head and said, "Your Highness, I am Tao Hongli."

"it is good."

The Crown Prince said calmly, "All seventeen of Minister Tao's children and grandchildren, who are sixteen years old or older, are present?"

Tao Hongli lowered his head and said, "Your Highness, after receiving the document from the Jingzhao Prefecture, all members of the Tao family have arrived, including my father's grandchildren who are not yet adults, a total of twenty-eight people."

He pointed to the front yard: "It's all here."

The Crown Prince looked at him and said with a smile, "Master Tao is quite generous, he even gave eleven of them."

Tao Hongli took a deep breath and said, "The entire Tao family is here. The imperial court will either exterminate the clan or wipe out the entire family."

"The Tao family has all confessed and accepted their punishment."

The crown prince looked at him and narrowed his eyes.

He knew that Tao Hongli said such things because the ten memorials written after Tao Wenyuan's death were sent to the Secretariat by him.

He knew perfectly well why the imperial court was targeting the Tao family.

Before the crown prince could even speak, he had already escalated the charges to the point of exterminating the entire clan, clearly intending to seize the initiative.

“Mr. Tao, this matter does not warrant the extermination of the entire clan, nor is it necessary to execute the whole family.”

He turned to look at the Prince of Jin and said, "Royal Uncle."

Prince Jin stepped forward with a smile. He looked at Tao Hongli, then at the kneeling Tao family members, and then took out a list from his sleeve.

"Tao Hongren, Tao Hongyi, Tao Hongfang."

"Tao Zhengyuan, Tao Zhengben, Tao Zhengjing..."

Prince Jin read out the names of eight people in a row, and then publicly announced their crimes one by one.

Some people are corrupt and break the law, while others harm women.

Some people, unaware of the situation, made connections with former Zhou rebels.

After reading it aloud, Prince Jin, with a stern face, said, "Take all these people into the Jingzhao Prefecture prison to await punishment."

"Post a notice."

Prince Jin said expressionlessly, "Just post it at the Tao family's gate. Anyone who tears it down..."

"The Prefect of Jingzhao will come to visit tomorrow."

After saying these words, Tao Hongli stood there, pale-faced, and remained silent for a long time.

His Highness the Crown Prince looked at him, then surveyed the Tao family mansion, and said calmly, “Originally, some of the crimes committed by your family members were enough to implicate others. However, considering the merits that Minister Tao has made over the years, apart from those mentioned by my Uncle Prince Jin, all other members of the Tao family will be pardoned.”

"However, the ill-gotten gains will be confiscated."

"besides."

His Highness the Crown Prince looked at Tao Hongli and said in a deep voice, "The Tao family has owned more than one residence over the years. This residence was bestowed upon a meritorious official by my father. The Tao family is now filthy and no longer suitable to live here."

“On behalf of the imperial court, I hereby reclaim this residence.”

The Crown Prince looked at Tao Hongli, whose face was deathly pale, and stood with his hands behind his back, speaking calmly.

"Your family has three days to complete this task."

"Relocate them all."

(End of this chapter)