I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 34: Grievance
The girl's eyes were frank, without a trace of pretense.

Emperor Kangzhi looked through the girl's eyes, as if he was talking to an old friend, "I am well."

Tang Zhao's face instantly turned bright with smiles. "Then your servant and grandfather will be relieved."

Emperor Kangzhi asked, "Zhaoshan, what grievances have you suffered that you would like me to uphold?"

It hasn't even been revealed what the injustice is, and Your Majesty is already making the decision?

All the ministers standing by were stunned by Emperor Kangzhi's gentle tone and the partiality implied in his words.

The censor was so angry that his beard curled up.

Tang Zhao was just waiting for these words. Her eyes immediately reddened as she knelt again, her voice shrill and piercing. "This humble servant is suing Duke Wei's concubine, Song Qingyan, for insulting the Song family's reputation for loyalty and bravery." She banged her head heavily on the gold bricks, "Your Majesty, please judge for this humble servant, for General Song, and for the entire Song family!"

Emperor Kangzhi sat up and asked, "What happened? Tell me in detail."

"Your Majesty, my father, Duke Wei, has a concubine in Yudai Lane. This is nothing special. My mother passed away many years ago, and my father has few children. This is understandable."

"When my stepmother, An, learned of the concubine's affairs, she personally went to invite her and her children into the mansion, considering her meritorious service in giving birth to a pair of children. The concubine refused, and her daughter even claimed that the concubine was my mother's cousin and my maternal grandfather's granddaughter."

One minister exclaimed, "Didn't the Song family all die fighting for the city?"

Tang Zhao wanted to look at him with admiration, but he didn't have the time.

She continued, "I was standing by at the time. My mind went blank when I heard this. I was about to get off the carriage to ask for clarification when I saw my father personally riding up on horseback. In front of many people, he protected the concubine and severely reprimanded my stepmother."

"I questioned my father about this, and he admitted it and told me to call my step-wife aunt!"

"Your Majesty, may I ask, how can I, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Wei, the Princess of Zhaoshan, who was canonized by Your Majesty's imperial decree, treat a concubine with the courtesy of a junior?"

An imperial censor stepped forward and said, "Princess Zhaoshan is wrong. No matter what that concubine is like, if she is truly the cousin of the wife of the Duke of Wei, then the princess should call her aunt!"

Some ministers came forward to agree.

"I haven't finished speaking yet," Tang Zhao interrupted their accusations.

The censor who was speaking at the top choked.

"Although I am a humble servant, I do understand the moral principles. If my concubine is truly a member of the Song family, I would be overjoyed! After all, apart from me, no one else in this world has the blood of the Song family."

"But this Song family is a fraud, using the reputation of the Song family's daughter to deceive people and insult the Song family's clean reputation!"

"Do you have any evidence?" Emperor Kangzhi gripped the dragon throne tightly.

"Your servant can confront that concubine in court!"

Gu Ci's heart sank. This meant there was no concrete evidence.

The Imperial Censor immediately jumped out and said, "How can Princess Zhaoshan dare to say that the concubine is not a daughter of the Song family without any clear evidence?"

The Crown Prince stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, why don't you follow what Princess Zhaoshan said and have the concubine confront the Duke of Wei in court?"

Emperor Kangzhi nodded, "Approved."

Seeing the girl kneeling on the ground with her makeup untidy, Emperor Kangzhi made an exception and asked the palace maid to take her downstairs to wash up.

Half an hour later, Duke Wei brought his concubine into the hall and knelt down to kowtow.

"Your Majesty, your Majesty, I, Duke of Wei, Tang Zheng, pay my respects to you."

"Commoner Song pays homage to Your Majesty."

Emperor Kangzhi didn't let them stand. "Duke Wei, Princess Zhaoshan is accusing your concubine of impersonating a daughter of the Song family and defrauding them, thus tarnishing the reputation of the Song clan. Do you have anything to say?"

On the way, the Duke of Wei heard about Tang Zhao beating the drum to file a complaint with the emperor. He felt like strangling him to death, but pretended to be sad, like an old father who had been heartbroken. "Your Majesty, the Song family is indeed my father-in-law, the female relatives of General Song." "During the war, the Song family encountered rebels during their migration, and one branch was forced to flee. It was my concubine's father. My concubine's great-grandfather and my father-in-law's grandfather were cousins."

Emperor Kangzhi asked, "Do you have any proof?"

Song Zheng: "Yes, the women of the Song family all tattoo their maiden names on their right arms, which can be revealed by soaking them in hot water."

Emperor Kangzhi also knew about this and ordered Zhou Dajian to personally wipe Song's right arm with a handkerchief soaked in hot water. After a while, the three words "Song Qingyan" appeared on the jade-white arm.

Supervisor Zhou: "Your Majesty, there are indeed words on Song's arm."

The Imperial Censor stepped forward impatiently, "Your Majesty, the evidence is clear, and it proves that Song is indeed the daughter of the Song family. Princess Zhaoshan has deceived the emperor and slandered others. Your Majesty, please punish her severely!"

Song Qingyan sobbed softly.

Several more people stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, please severely punish Princess Zhaoshan."

Emperor Kangzhi frowned and said, "Send Zhaoshan to the palace for a confrontation."

Tang Zhao calmed his excited heart and strode forward, but was stopped by Gu Ci.

"What are you doing?" Don't delay me from torturing the scum!
Gu Ci's voice was quiet but reassuring, "Don't be afraid. If you really can't win the argument, don't throw a tantrum. Just confess your guilt to His Majesty. At worst, I'll strip you of your title and demote you to a commoner. No matter what, I'll guarantee your life."

Tang Zhao was in mixed feelings, not knowing whether to thank him for being so kind in protecting her, or to scold him for badmouthing her.

Supervisor Zhou coughed loudly.

In front of the ministers and His Majesty, no matter how eager the General of Cavalry is to protect his wife, he should have been more careful.

Gu Ci let go, and Tang Zhao trotted forward. Just as he was about to salute, he was stopped by Emperor Kangzhi, "You two can confront each other!"

"I have a miserable fate. I never thought I would have the honor of sharing a husband with my cousin. I only regret that fate is so fickle." Song Qingyan raised her head and burst into tears. "I know the county lady blames and resents me. This is my fault. I beg for your forgiveness." She kowtowed three times. "But the Duke is the county lady's father after all. How could the county lady be so cruel?"

Tang Zhao was surprised, "I'm suing you, not my father. My father didn't say anything, so why are you getting involved?"

She swore with such confidence, as if she and the Duke of Wei had a deep father-daughter relationship, "Even if I really tell father, I'm sure he won't be willing to blame me, right, father?"

The Duke of Wei forced a smile. "You are still young, how could your father blame you?" He turned serious and said, "But you should never commit a crime and deceive the emperor. Zhaozhao, if you admit your fault to His Majesty, your father will plead for mercy even if it means sacrificing all his military achievements."

"Father, you are so kind, and I am deeply grateful to you," Tang Zhao said with a smile. "But how can you be so sure that I am deceiving you?"

She leaned close to Duke Wei's ear and whispered, "It's still uncertain who will win."

Duke Wei turned his head to look at her.

Tang Zhao stopped looking at him and shouted, "Your Majesty, it's because Song is a daughter of the Song family that I'm suing her for impersonating her!"

?

The officials were bewildered. Was Princess Zhaoshan crazy? Was she speaking human language?
Why can't they understand?
Emperor Kangzhi didn't understand, "What do you mean?"

Tang Zhao pulled out a thin book from his bosom and raised his hands above his head, "Please take a look, Your Majesty!"

Zhou Dajian presented it personally.

On the cover of the thin book, four large characters were written with powerful strokes that penetrated the back of the paper: Song Family Rules.

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(End of this chapter)