Chapter 1073: Chapter 152 Advice
“Indeed, has grandfather also heard of her?”
Minister Feng replied with a faint smile, “It has now spread far and wide outside. I am not deaf, how could I have not heard?”
However, he still had so doubts in his mind. Who exactly was manipulating things behind the scenes, causing her to rise to fa overnight?
He felt a little worried. Indeed, it was a ti of troubles.
As he looked up and saw that Feng Zongping was still here, evidently wanting to continue the discussion, he said impatiently, “What are you still doing here?”
Feng Zongping pleaded, “Grandfather, please tell a little more.”
Minister Feng glanced at him and said, “Control your curiosity. This is not sothing you should be curious about. Go back and sleep.”
Feng Zongping had no choice but to leave.
The next day, Minister Feng, having written a morial, slipped it into his sleeve and entered the palace to attend the morning court session, then followed the emperor to the study for a private discussion… ahem, to discuss the case.
The emperor sat down in his chair and gestured for Minister Feng to sit as well. Only after passing the morial to the emperor did Minister Feng find a seat.
The emperor quickly read through it and pressed down on the morial to ask, “What’s the truth?”
Minister Feng replied, “The details in the morial are the truth, but I couldn’t find concrete proof regarding the nail.”
He paused, then continued, “Those involved in this case that I could find are all dead. I was just a step too late.”
“Your morial says, not only were there nails in the boots, but also on the foot pedal?”
“Yes.”
“This is truly a sche to ensure Su Jian’s death.” The emperor sighed and looked up at Minister Feng, “And you couldn’t find any solid evidence?”
Minister Feng paused, then said, “Although there’s no concrete proof, I did find so clues. It’s just that I can’t disclose them yet. Moreover, another strange incident recently occurred in the capital, which I suspect is related.”
“What incident?”
“The young doctor who saved Su Jian beca famous throughout the capital overnight. I found it suspicious and had soone investigate. We found that soone was indeed scheming behind the scenes, but their intentions are unclear.” Minister Feng continued, “I’d like to wait and see. There might be progress.”
Emperor: …
He coughed slightly, feeling uncomfortable, and asked, “Wasn’t it their own doing? I heard they spent money to make her famous.”
Minister Feng looked at the emperor for a while and said, “A few kids spending twenty taels to hire poets to spread her fa wouldn’t have such an effect.”
“I, on the other hand, don’t think there’s any conspiracy here. Minister Feng, you might want to investigate elsewhere.”
Minister Feng pondered for a mont and then agreed. It was impossible for there to be no conspiracy. He just didn’t know what the emperor was up to. It certainly wasn’t sothing the emperor did out of boredom, right?
He thought it was done by one person, but it turned out to be another.
The emperor smoothly changed the subject with a smile, “However, that young doctor’s dical skills are indeed admirable. I heard from the Imperial Hospital that Su Jian has survived?”
As Su Jian was the critical victim in the case, and being responsible for the case, Minister Feng necessarily paid special attention. Thus, he replied, “Yes, this morning, Imperial Doctor Zheng and the others returned to the Imperial Hospital, leaving only one imperial doctor at the Su Residence.”
Minister Feng also acknowledged Zhou Man’s dical skill, so he wasn’t opposed to soone paying to promote her. He was always more lenient with capable people.
Her fa was well deserved from the publicity, but the hidden manipulator behind it was sowhat disreputable.
At that thought, Minister Feng lifted his eyelids and glanced at the Emperor. Such a maneuver had indeed raised Zhou Man’s fa, but it ca with both praise and criticism; whether it was a bad thing or a good thing for her was not necessarily clear.
He didn’t know what this person wanted to achieve.
The Emperor, of course, would not tell him. He didn’t even tell the inford Wei Zhi and Lord Tang, he directly instructed Minister Feng to continue the investigation, to see if anything could be uncovered.
However, they all knew that since three people had already committed suicide, finding concrete evidence would likely be difficult.
But so people do not need concrete evidence to act, the Emperor said to Minister Feng, “If the Su and Du families ask about this matter, you may openly discuss it with them since they are the parties involved and should naturally be inford.”
Minister Feng indicated that he understood.
Both State Duke Pi and Du Shu had approached Minister Feng to understand the situation, as both of their families had suffered significant losses from this affair.
Seeing that they didn’t start fighting the mont they t like usual, Minister Feng was sowhat pleased and told them everything he could, naturally hinting at the person behind the scenes as per the Emperor’s instructions.
State Duke Pi and Du Shu did not say much at that ti. When they left, Du Shu even yielded and let State Duke Pi leave first as a gesture of respect for an elder.
The two left the Ministry of Justice one after the other. As soon as Du Shu returned ho, he went to see his brother, who was grounded, and said, “This month, and next month too, just stay honestly at ho until the Empress Dowager’s thousand autumns ceremony is over before going out.”
Du Yu was stunned and asked, “Am I not attending the Empress Dowager’s thousand autumns? Su Jian is going, but I am not…”
“It’s precisely because Su Jian might go, so you can’t,” Du Shu said irritably, “You nearly lost your life; do I still need to teach you this?”
He continued, “Luckily, Su Jian didn’t die or beco disabled; otherwise, even if the Crown Prince lets you off, once his two brothers co back, you can forget about living. If they kill you, just like if you had killed Su Jian, can you really expect them to compensate your life?”
Du Yu’s face paled, and he remained silent.
“I’ve told you before to avoid contact with the Third Prince, but you wouldn’t listen…”
Du Yu retorted, “I haven’t done anything; I was only editing so books with His Highness…”
Du Shu slamd the table angrily, shouting, “Are you a book editor? Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve been doing secretly with the Third Prince.”
He lowered his voice and bellowed, “Not to ntion anything else, do you know about the matter with the servant concubine of the Eastern Palace?”
Du Yu shook his head repeatedly, “The Third Prince said it wasn’t him, it was clearly the Crown Prince using a trick. Now that the concubine is dead, nobody knows if she was really pregnant…”
Du Shu, frustrated, said, “Do you think the Crown Prince’s act looked fake?”
Du Yu recalled the day the Crown Prince stord into the residence of the Third Prince, his eyes red as he wreaked havoc, and fell silent.
Du Shu quietly said, “The Crown Prince finally has a child; what do you think Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress will think of the Third Prince after this incident?”
Du Yu felt uneasy.
“The Emperor favors the Third Prince, but the Crown Prince is still the Crown Prince and also the Emperor’s son,” Du Shu said aningfully. “Moreover, the Empress is wise and would not let the brothers conflict. It’s known in the palace that the Empress has asked the Emperor to allow the Third Prince to be enfeoffed, and the Emperor has agreed. After the Empress Dowager’s thousand autumns ceremony, the Third Prince will go to his fief.”
A prince sent to a fief generally has no chance of succeeding the throne, though there are always ways.
But the risks are too great. How many are still willing to take such risks with the Third Prince?
Why are so many people instigating the Third Prince, or following him?
Isn’t it because he is the only mature, married prince who has not been enfeoffed while still receiving the Emperor’s favor?
Seeing his silence, Du Shu turned and walked away, leaving him to think on his own.
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