Film and Television: The Collector Who Rampages Across the Heavens

Chapter 73 Heart Willow and Heart Yang Sisters

As expected, after the incident escalated, Miaoyinfang was shut down, all those involved were arrested, and all the singers, servants, managers, and guards were imprisoned in the Dali Temple jail.

Upon hearing of this, Emperor Liang immediately ordered the Suspended Mirror Bureau to thoroughly investigate the case.

Because it involved a wide range of people, all eyes in Jinling were drawn to it. Su Li, the mastermind behind it all, continued to act quietly, eliminating some potential threats and pawns.

He knew that Miaoyinfang was one of Mei Changsu's important spies in Jinling and had to be eliminated, so he secretly revealed this secret to the Crown Prince.

Now that Mei Changsu has become Prince Yu's pillar of support, and he wishes he were dead, the Crown Prince would naturally not let go of such a good opportunity.

He immediately advised Emperor Liang to execute all those from Miaoyinfang who had plotted against court officials as a warning to others.

At this time, the Crown Prince still wielded considerable power in the court, with half of the court officials supporting him. Furthermore, the relatives of the deceased petitioned for the immediate apprehension of the murderer.

The group from the Suspended Mirror Division, including Xia Chun, Xia Qiu, and Xia Dong, who were sent to investigate the case, had some doubts about the matter, but they also realized that it was the root of the factional strife. Moreover, there was the irrefutable evidence of the blue-skirted songstress's blood letter, and the former two directly propelled the matter forward.

Xia Dong didn't want to disregard his life, but his master strictly forbade him from getting involved in party and government affairs, so he had no choice but to acquiesce.

For Emperor Liang, the dead were just a group of commoners. If he could quell the rebellion at the court, he would naturally have little to worry about.

"Three days from now, all members of the Miaoyin Pavilion will be executed—"

As soon as Emperor Liang issued his decree, Mei Changsu also received it.

"Sect Master, we can't leave Mr. Thirteen and the others unrestrained," Li Gang said anxiously from the side.

Mei Changsu took a deep breath. If they were to storm the execution ground, they would have to use hundreds of skilled fighters, and this was in Jinling. At present, the Jiangzuo Alliance did not have the advantage.

If he doesn't save him, his men will lose heart, especially since Mr. Thirteen has followed him for so many years.

He found that since arriving in Beijing, few of his plans had gone smoothly.

Mei Changsu tightened his robes, his expression calm, and whispered, "Summon Zhen Ping and the others to the capital!"

Li Gang's face lit up with joy, and he quickly replied, "Yes, I'll take care of it right away."

Mei Changsu watched his departing figure and murmured to himself, "The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease; the situation in the court is becoming increasingly complicated."

The prison of Dali Temple was damp and dark, with water dripping into the cracks in the walls from time to time, making a pattering sound.

All the people from Miaoyinfang were locked up here. The Xin Yang and Xin Liu sisters and a group of songstresses huddled together, still wearing the gauze skirts they wore when they entered the prison. They were shivering from the cold and huddled together for warmth.

"Eat up, my little beauties, the day after tomorrow is the day you set off."

The jailer delivering the food glanced greedily over the graceful songstresses, but dared not make a move.

Everyone was watching the serious criminals of the imperial court, and he, a mere soldier, didn't have the courage to do so.

"Big brother, what do you mean by saying we'll set off the day after tomorrow?" Xin Yang raised her head tremblingly, her beautiful but pale face filled with disbelief, and she bit her thin lips as she spoke.

"His Majesty has decreed that all of you will be executed the day after tomorrow." The jailer picked his nose and said lazily. He felt a little sorry for these beauties, thinking how wonderful it would be if one of them could be given to him as a wife.

"What?"

All the songstresses were shocked; some cried, some cried out in injustice, and some were in despair. The two sisters, Xin Yang and Xin Liu, even hugged each other and collapsed to the ground.

"We're innocent!"

"It really has nothing to do with us—"

"I want to see His Majesty!"

They were in the prime of their lives, and although they worked at Miaoyinfang, they were living a good life. How could they be beheaded in the blink of an eye?

"Shut up, all of you, or I'll send you to meet your maker sooner."

The jailer gave two cold shouts, threw all the food inside, and then left with the bucket.

"Sister, I don't want to die."

With tears welling in her eyes, Xinliu hugged her sister tightly, sobbing softly.

What could Xin Yang say? She could only offer words of comfort, but her eyes were filled with despair.

Just then, a commotion came from the end of the cell, with the sounds of burning torches and voices.

"Your Highness, please be careful. The prisons of the Dali Temple are always damp and cold. Just keep walking forward and you'll reach the end."

Guards carrying torches and officials from the Court of Judicial Review escorted a young and handsome man to the cell where the singing girl was imprisoned.

He was dressed in a royal court robe, tall and handsome, and looked extraordinary.

All the songstresses were so frightened that they dared not move, their only gazes fixed on the nobleman before them.

Su Li pointed to the two sisters, and then selected four or five more singers from among the group of girls who had good figures, good temperament, and pretty faces.

"Just the few of them!"

The Dali Temple official nodded obsequiously, and with a wave of his hand, a jailer immediately stepped forward and brought out the selected woman.

The group of songstresses were also unaware of the situation and dared not utter a sound. The sisters who had been brought out and five or six other songstresses huddled together, only moving forward after being reprimanded by the jailer.

Su Li and the Dali Temple officials walked at the very back, the former casually instructing, "You know what to do next, right?"

"I understand. More than a dozen female prisoners died in the prison before, so we can replace them. I have put a slow-acting poison in the food that Mr. Thirteen and the others ate tonight. Even if someone tries to break into the execution ground the day after tomorrow, they will not survive."

"That's good----"

Su Li patted him on the shoulder, and after the latter bowed respectfully, he disappeared from the Dali Temple prison.

Outside, the night was deep and the sky was colorful. Jinling City was quiet. Several carriages stopped at the gate and slowly drove towards the Ling Prince's Mansion.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed softly. Su Li closed his eyes in deep thought. His arrangements over the years were not as conspicuous as those of Prince Yu and the Crown Prince, as if he had directly taken control of three of the Six Ministries.

Instead, they arranged for some low- and middle-level personnel to become their own people, even if they were inconspicuous.

To this day, almost all the officials in the six ministries of the imperial court, though holding minor positions, wield significant power and have become his men.

As a modern man, Su Li knew how to do underground work. Years of planning had allowed him to gain immense influence and power without anyone noticing.

Once all competitors are eliminated and a legitimate claim is made, a single call to arms can lead to the throne.

They soon arrived at the Ling Prince's residence. A group of singing girls entered through the back gate, followed by guards, while several women in palace attire walked gracefully in front.

"Greetings, Your Highness. Why are you so late?"

Leading the group was Gong Yu. Her appearance in this grand and imposing mansion startled the Xin Yang and Xin Liu sisters, who couldn't help but ask, "Sister Gong Yu, what are you doing here?"

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