Liu Yang's brows, which had relaxed for a moment, suddenly started to frown again. He didn't bother to ask further questions, and immediately asked Wang Yue to call Princess Liu Xuan of Huaiyang into the palace.
Liu Xuanfang was twenty-five years old, in her prime, rich in temperament, noble and elegant, and her appearance was somewhat like that of her mother, Concubine Zhou Shu. However, at this time, Liu Xuan could no longer maintain her usual nobility and elegance. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed and her face looked worried.
"Meet the Crown Prince!" Liu Xuan bowed and saluted.
"Okay, no need to be polite!" Liu Yang looked at her, waved his hand, and said, "Sit down first and let's eat together!"
Hearing this, Liu Xuan shook her head, and finally showed a little anxiety in her words: "Zhang Jing was captured by Wude Division's eagle dog. How can I eat? Second brother, can you..."
"No need to say more, I know your purpose! However, I don't know the specific situation yet. I have sent people to investigate. There will be news soon!" Liu Yang reached out to stop Liu Xuan and reassured: "Zhang Jing is guilty. What’s going on, do you know?”
Liu Xuan shook her head: "The people from Wude Division just said they were under orders, and without any explanation, they took Zhang Jing away in front of me!"
"It's not a trivial matter to think about it!" Liu Yang's expression became serious after hearing his description: "Otherwise, no matter how rampant the military officials are, they would not dare to go to your princess's house to act arrogantly!"
"Second brother!" Liu Xuan called again.
"Don't worry, just sit here for a while and wait for the news!" Liu Yang said solemnly.
Seeing this, Liu Xuan had to restrain herself even though she was anxious, but even sitting there, she was a little distracted. Liu Yang looked at it and signaled to Xiao Chuo. Xiao Chuo then stood up, stepped forward and put his arms around Liu Xuan's shoulders, comforting her softly.
Generally speaking, it is not difficult for the prince to understand anything, unless there is stronger resistance from above. But obviously, Emperor Liu did not issue a hush-hush order on the matter of the consort Zhang Jing.
Regarding the envoy's inquiry from the prince, Wu Desi explained and answered truthfully, so Liu Yang soon received a reply, which even included a detailed description of Zhang Jing's crimes.
After reading some of the information provided by Wude Si, Liu Yang couldn't help but look annoyed. He almost subconsciously smashed the food table and shouted: "Damn it! Hateful!"
"Second brother!" Seeing Liu Yang's reaction, Liu Xuan's heart trembled and she asked nervously: "What's going on? How is Zhang Jing?"
Liu Yang looked at Liu Xuan, showed Wang Yue the information in his hand, and then kept a straight face and said nothing. Liu Xuan hurriedly took the look, and soon her face turned pale: "How could this be?"
Liu Xuan looked in disbelief and followed up: "Second brother, this must be Luo Zhi, the ruthless official of Wude Division, who framed Zhang Jing!"
"Fifth sister, you have always been smart, have you even lost your basic judgment? Zhang Jing, consort, without conclusive evidence, how dare the people of Wude Division do this?" Liu Yang said coldly: "What he committed is simply appalling. , disgrace the royal family!"
Liu Xuan's eyes were a little red and she said: "Impossible! Zhang Jing has always been kind, gentle and kind to others. He is a gentleman, he can't..."
"Gold and jade are on the outside, but ruin is on the inside!" Liu Yang was a little angry, staring at Liu Xuan and said: "Fifth sister, you are Zhang Jing's bedfellow, are you not aware of what he is doing outside?"
"I, I..." Liu Xuan was speechless. It's not that no one has made insinuations to Liu Xuan, but they have all been ignored by Liu Xuan.
Seeing her like this, Liu Yang couldn't help but shake his head and sighed: "Fifth sister, I'm afraid I can't help you with this matter!"
"Second brother!" Hearing this, Liu Xuan became a little anxious: "You are the prince. If you are willing to help and intercede on my behalf, maybe dad will be merciful and forgive me!"
Liu Yang heard the words and smiled bitterly: "Today, I was reprimanded by my father. It spread throughout the palace. Didn't you hear about it? In this situation, if I say anything, I am afraid that not only will I not be able to save Zhang Jing, but I will Exacerbating dad’s anger!”
Hearing what Liu Yang said, Liu Xuan stared at Liu Yang blankly, her tears finally falling down one drop at a time. She knew that Liu Yang would not trick her, and there was no need.
"Is there no other way?"
"At least I can't help it!" Xiao Chuo's words suddenly appeared in his mind. After a moment's hesitation, Liu Yang shook his head and said: "What he committed is too serious. Even if I deal with it, he must be arrested and punished accordingly." !”
"Second brother can advise those ministers, but can't he plead for the prince-in-law?" Liu Xuan said. Obviously, she had heard about Liu Yang's remonstrance.
Hearing what she said, Liu Yang's expression turned cold and he said, "I am speaking out for the sake of justice and decency, not for those who deserve what they deserve!"
Liu Xuan was silent for a long time, then choked up and said, "Dad, you won't kill Zhang Jing, right?"
"It's hard to know!" Liu Yang replied after pondering for a moment.
"I don't ask for forgiveness for his sins. I only hope to spare his life and give him a chance to repent and redeem his sins. I will strictly discipline him in the future! My sister has never asked you for anything. Can my second brother..."
Before Liu Xuan finished speaking, Liu Yang said decisively: "If it's other matters, I have no excuses. This is the only thing I can't do for personal gain. Otherwise, how can I win over people's hearts? The imperial court is reforming the official system and cracking down on illegal crimes. Especially the powerful people who bully others. If he is given a chance to repent, who will show mercy to the officials, businessmen and people who were harmed by him, and who will make decisions for them?"
However, observing Liu Xuan's somewhat miserable expression, Liu Yang finally softened his heart. He usually cared about these younger brothers and sisters, and at this time, he could not help but feel a little compassion.
After thinking for a while, he said: "Fifth sister, listen to my brother's advice. You'd better not get involved in this matter, let alone ask dad. That will only be counterproductive and completely force dad to the point of annihilating relatives. Go back to the house and wait for the news. Bar......"
Listening to Liu Yang's comfort, Liu Xuan couldn't feel the slightest warmth. She was not a dull person, so she couldn't understand Liu Yang's meaning. Obviously, Zhang Jing is in danger this time.
"Sorry for bothering you, second brother. Please continue to eat. My sister has resigned!" Liu Xuan stood up slowly, bowed, turned and left.
Looking at Liu Xuan's disappointed back, Liu Yang deliberately stopped her, but did not make a sound after all. After it completely disappeared from sight, he sighed: "What a pity!"
Seeing this, Xiao Chuo said softly: "Your Highness did the right thing! What Zhang Jing did is outrageous, and he deserves to die!"
In fact, after Liu Yang learned about Zhang Jing's crime, he had already silently sentenced him to death in his heart. Emperor Liu would not let him go. Under normal circumstances, there might be a small chance, but with the current situation in the court, as long as the crime is true and the evidence is conclusive, Zhang Jing has no chance of survival. This can be seen from the fact that Emperor Liu asked Wu Desi to approve the arrest directly instead of handing it over to Zongzheng Temple.
"I just pity the fifth sister! She is soft on the outside and strong on the inside, how can she bear such a blow!" Liu Yang shook his head.
Xiao Chuo couldn't help but sigh: "At the beginning, when the princess chose her son-in-law, it was a good rumor among the people. Now it seems that she is entrusted to an unfair person!"
"Alas..." Another heavy sigh.
As expected by Liu Yang, after three days of investigation, interrogation, and evidence collection, and after receiving a detailed report from the Wude Division, Emperor Liu decisively issued an edict to sentence Zhang Jing to death for his heinous crime.
As soon as this edict was issued, all the rumors and rumors ceased immediately, and all the nobles and bureaucrats who were staring at the matter withdrew their gazes. The old emperor was so cold-hearted and determined that he was even willing to kill his son-in-law, not to mention other people, it was better to avoid disaster...
As soon as the edict was made public, Princess Liu Xuan of Huaiyang could not sit still at all. She decisively broke into the palace and went directly to the emperor to plead with Emperor Liu. But obviously, Emperor Liu's decision would not change due to Liu Xuan's plea.
In the Chuigong Palace, looking at Liu Xuan who was kneeling on the ground and begging, Emperor Liu's old face did not waver at all, and he said softly: "Go back to your princess mansion! There is no room for maneuver in Zhang Jing's matter. The national law is like a mountain. I can't explain to the world if I kill him, he can only die!"
"The national law is like a mountain?" After hearing this, Liu Xuan straightened her body, put away her weak posture, and looked directly at Emperor Liu: "Does everything your majesty does comply with the national law?"
"What do you mean?" Emperor Liu narrowed his eyes.
Liu Xuan raised her voice: "Your Majesty wants to kill Zhang Jing, isn't it because he wants to use his consort's head to frighten his officials and show his selflessness by killing relatives with righteousness? In the past few months, so many people have been killed, are they all deserved? Isn’t it just a matter of a word or a stroke of approval from His Majesty?”
Faced with Liu Xuan's bold question, Emperor Liu was a little surprised. He looked at his daughter carefully and said, "I always thought you were cute and quiet, but I never thought you could be so knowledgeable and have such a fierce side!"
As he said that, Emperor Liu's tone turned cold: "Since you said so, I have to kill this beast even more to avoid giving up halfway and being inconsistent!"
Liu Xuan looked at Emperor Liu, who looked at her without avoiding it. Seeing his indifferent expression, Liu Xuan choked up and said, "Dad, are you really so heartless?"
Emperor Liu said calmly: "In your eyes, don't I just be a ruthless and unkind person?"
Liu Xuan was silent, stood up slowly, wiped away the tears on her face, bowed and said softly: "My daughter understands! If the consort dies, he will go with him!"
"You!" Emperor Liu couldn't suppress his anger and said: "Such a wolf-hearted person, is it worthy of you? If Zhang Jing dies, there are so many talented people in the world, you can choose from them!"
"I never thought that dad could say such a thing!" Liu Xuan looked sad and said goodbye: "My daughter has resigned..."
After saying that, he turned around and left in despair. Emperor Liu looked at her leaving back, his face twitching slightly and his eyes a little turbulent.
Seeing this, Yantuo asked in a low voice: "Guan family, what about the consort?"
"What prince-in-law!" Emperor Liu retorted, and then, his eyes returned to indifference, and he said calmly: "Pass the imperial edict and execute the person on time!"
