Zhu Qiyu remained unmoved, just waiting quietly for Sun Zhong to speak.
Sun Zhongjian cried for a long time, but the emperor didn't answer at all, so he had to bite the bullet and cry: "The humble minister is guilty, and the Sun family is guilty. When it came to abolishing the empress, the Sun family was greedy and flattered the Queen Mother.
Now the ministers and others are in a state of panic and regret.
I sincerely request your Majesty to forgive me. I and my rebellious son are willing to remove their titles and hand over their family property. If you can receive the grace of God, it is enough for you to return to your hometown and become a farmer. "
Zhu Qiyu smiled and shook his head: "Marquis Huichang, I'm afraid you don't have to say anything about the Sun family. Will your sons listen to you?"
This sentence touched Sun Zhong's heart: his daughter was the queen mother and refused to retreat; his sons were uncles and refused to retreat. No one is willing to give up the glory and wealth that they have already obtained.
If you fight against the emperor, it's okay if you win, but if you lose, it's the Yi tribe.
Before, Sun Zhong could just sit back and watch his sons mess around, but now the emperor publicly announced that he would kill the three Yi tribesmen who killed Queen Hu, and his attitude was extremely firm.
Then there is no need to continue fighting, because the risks are too great and are completely out of proportion to the benefits.
With no way out, Sun Zhong had no choice but to show off his old face and bravely continue to ask: "The rebellious son is ignorant, but as the head of the family, Wei Chen will not hesitate to use family methods to break the legs of all his sons, which will also prevent him from continuing. Helping the emperor to do evil.
I just don’t know how your majesty can forgive my sins a little, so that I can work hard in the fields and live in the countryside? "
Zhu Qiyu thought about it a little in his mind: It's not impossible for me to mention the conditions. I'll make a price. If you can really match the price, it's not like I can't let you live.
After organizing his words, Zhu Qiyu replied with a sad face: "My mother was lonely and desolate during her lifetime, and she became even more miserable after her death. The shameless and sycophantic person actually used evil words to confuse the Xuan Temple, causing my mother to be buried with the ceremony of a concubine."
My mother-in-law felt sorry for me, so she adopted me to my mother-in-law so that she could have something to rely on after her death.
However, people in the world are unwilling to admit that my mother is the first wife of Xuanmiao, let alone my legitimate son.
I am young and ill-informed, with little talent and little virtue, and no one advocates for me. Every time I think about it, I feel ashamed and ashamed of my mother. "
Although Zhu Qiyu said a lot of official words, Sun Zhong understood immediately: The price offered by the emperor was so high, and he actually asked the Sun family to take the lead in recognizing the emperor as the legitimate son of Xuanmiao.
Not only that, Zhu Qiyu continued to add: "It doesn't matter what happens to me. But now I also have an eldest son, and I hope he can grow up safely and become a useful person to the country. If this is the case, my wish will be enough."
When Sun Zhong heard this, he frowned. The emperor's meaning, translated into plain language, was: The Sun family must take the lead in recognizing that I am the legitimate son of Xuan Temple, and must fully support my eldest son as the crown prince. Only in this way will I let you live.
Sun Zhong thought for a while and then asked: "May I ask Your Majesty, what about our Sun family?"
"Just like what the Marquis of Huichang said."
Sun Zhong was speechless. The emperor was so pragmatic that he really wanted us to go home and farm.
After thinking for a long time, Sun Zhong agreed. Anyway, it's already like this. If you agree first and then say you can't do it later, it's better than not having any leeway and being directly eliminated by the three tribes.
Zhu Qiyu and Sun Zhong both had the mentality of giving it a try without suffering any losses, and temporarily reached a transaction intention.
Zhu Qiyu went home and Sun Zhong returned to the city.
When the ministers returned to the city, they also went their separate ways and started working separately.
The busiest among them is undoubtedly the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
Wang Wen, Kou Shen, Xue Xuan, and Xiao Weizhen gathered together and looked through the files.
These people are smart, knowledgeable, and even have decent case-solving experience. Especially someone like Xue Xuan, who had been the minister of Dali Temple before, can be regarded as rich in experience.
But when it comes to torture to extract confessions, especially the interrogation of people in the inner court, a few of them are completely outsiders.
Although the Punishment Department also has experts in torture, the same problem still exists. The people in the Punishment Department don't understand the inner court, and they don't even know where to start asking.
Fortunately, it didn't take long before Menda and Lu Gao came to the Metropolitan Procuratorate according to the order.
Jin Yiwei and others were professionals. Because the matter was so important, Wang Wen and others also followed Lu Gao into the prison and listened on the side.
This time, Wang Wen and others gained some insights.
By noon the next day, some palace officials could no longer bear it and began to confess.
Once a breakthrough is opened, it cannot be defended at all.
By night, the palace people had confessed one after another.
Only a few people, including Jin Ying, are still carrying on.
Menda was fine, but Lugao only wanted to take credit, so he stayed in the prison without sleep and was interrogated day and night.
Lu Gao's methods are quite typical of later generations: he and his subordinates took turns to fight, using all kinds of torture methods non-stop, trying to prevent Jin Ying and others from sleeping.
After another four days, Jin Yingao finally collapsed.
During this period, Queen Zhou and the Crown Prince were moved to the Nangong Palace, leaving Kunning Palace empty.
Public opinion became increasingly fierce, but the court remained eerily quiet.
Civil and military officials were exchanging opinions privately, but no one reported it.
April 30th, early morning.
When Zhu Qiyu woke up in the gentle countryside, his first reaction was to look around.
If a little maid comes to deliver a secret message, it means that the storm is finally coming.
If the little maid did not come and there was no secret message placed by the bedside, it meant that the silence was still continuing.
Zhu Qiyu understood very well that this was the calm before the storm.
The more silent and suppressed it is at this time, the more ferocious it will be once it breaks out.
It was noon again, and when Zhu Qiyu got up and had just finished his meal, Jin Yiwei's secret report arrived.
Two copies of the dossier were sent: one was the original of the most complete dossier, and the other was a carbon copy of the omitted dossier.
After reading it in detail, Zhu Qiyu had one thought: Wealth can be found in danger, this is so stupid, it is crazy to want to get promoted and get rich.
After thinking about it, Zhu Qiyu could also understand Lu Gao. At that time, the death of another prince, King Tan, was also interrogated by Lu Gao.
Then Lu Gao interrogated Wang, Queen Mother Sun's direct confidant, and the concubine Wang, to the point of self-immolation.
From then on, there was no turning back for Lugao.
Zhu Qiyu nodded with satisfaction, as this is what a Jin Yiwei should do. Everything you eat and drink is given by the emperor, so you should work hard for the emperor.
Zhu Qiyu looked at the file again, and he had to say that Lu Gao was really good at doing things. He not only had a good way of interrogating prisoners, but he also figured out the emperor's intentions very accurately.
The most complete file clearly involves the Queen Mother Sun. Therefore, it is suitable to keep it in your hands as a deterrent to the Sun family. It can also be thrown out when necessary to give Sun a fatal blow.
The incomplete dossier has limited strength and is suitable for disclosure to the public.
For Zhu Qiyu, it was easy to kill Sun and Zhu Qizhen. The difficult thing was how to gain orthodox status and win the hearts of the people.
Zhu Qiyu came to Fengge and handed the file to He Yi: "Xingyi, a chaos is about to break out, please publish this file."
(End of chapter)
