Too high to reach

Chapter 403 Come Save Me
The situation has now stabilized...

But there's still a lot to come.

The emperor is seriously ill, and the crown prince has fallen from his horse.

What should be done about the government?
Moreover, this case also needs to be tried!
The Crown Prince's lineage is entangled in too many affairs, and countless families have been wiped out as a result. The aftermath is not to be underestimated.

Several high-ranking officials gathered together and discussed the matter. With Grand Secretary Liu and Minister Xu among those making decisions… and Li Jing's overwhelming power, no one was foolish…

The political landscape needs to be reorganized. The positions of the Crown Prince's faction have become vacant, and the Prince needs to use himself... cough cough, he needs to use capable people!
What an opportunity!
The time has come to show loyalty and demonstrate competence!
Everyone knelt down, saying, "In this time of crisis, we humbly request Your Highness, Prince Qi, to oversee the country!"

With things having come to this point, even the princes, including the Prince of Yong'an, had no choice but to concede and nod in agreement.

Li Jing didn't stand on ceremony and immediately issued several orders.

First, imprison the Empress Dowager, the Empress, the Crown Prince, and all those involved in related matters in the Imperial Prison. They will then be tried jointly by the Three Judicial Offices…

The families involved will be searched and their residences sealed off. Further action will be taken after the matter is fully investigated.

His staff immediately stepped forward, holding a roster...

Everyone lowered their heads, looked at each other, and realized that this was something they had been prepared for all along... They shrank their necks, thinking about where they had made a mistake.

Some people hadn't even returned home when their houses were raided and sealed off, completely unprepared. The thought of the unclear origins of their property, the letters that might cause trouble…

Their legs went weak and they knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.

For every unlucky person, there is a lucky one!
This time, Li Chang and his troops from the western suburbs made great contributions!

He was extremely smug, making a great fuss and running around, with his lackeys following Li Jing's every command.

Before, none of those princes paid him any attention! But unexpectedly, he turned the tables and rose to power, while I, unscathed, can only keep my tail between my legs.

Another person who made significant contributions was Liang You. Unlike Li Chang, he wasn't smug and instead worked calmly and methodically... His demeanor... made Madam Liang in the crowd smile from ear to ear!
Another one is Zhang Debao, a notorious playboy in the capital... everyone considers him a spendthrift! Everyone believes that once his parents died, he quickly squandered his family fortune and eventually became a beggar...

Unexpectedly, the other party stood up in surprise!

Suddenly, the attitude changed from "Don't follow his example!" to "Look at him!"

These two families, which had been declining, have been revitalized and have made progress!

There were also those who were extremely arrogant and greedy, like Li Pu and his ilk... whose homes were confiscated.

Everyone sighed, "It's all about timing and fate..."

These things were prepared in advance, so once the order was given, the purge began immediately, leaving no room for anyone to argue.

Then, Li Jing's eyes turned to the "cow"...

General Niu was a formidable figure, capable and ruthless in battle. But now, kneeling there in despair, he realized he had only wanted to become a prince consort and reap some benefits... how had he ended up on a sinking ship?
“General Niu…” Li Jing called to him, “Although your marriage to Princess Yu’an has not yet taken place, the Emperor’s decree outweighs these formalities! Therefore, General Niu will be appointed as the princess’s consort…”

"Your Highness! Your Highness! This...this is no mere formality!" General Niu's body trembled, his hands shaking violently. "Since ancient times, how can one become husband and wife without first worshipping Heaven and Earth! Your Highness, I am not worthy of being called a prince consort! I would never dare to set foot near traitors and rebels..."

“While I can understand… the law of the land is what it is, so General, you’ll have to suffer in prison for now.” Li Jing’s eyes were devoid of any warmth. “Once the investigation proves you are not involved, you will be given justice.”

General Niu thought to himself, "It's all over, it's all over. How can my little affair withstand an investigation?"
You've shot yourself in the foot!
The Niu family is in chaos; they probably can't unite as one, which makes King Qi wary.

The legacy built by three generations has been ruined in my hands...

Li Jing began to oversee the state and rule as regent, waiting for the emperor's condition to improve.

The imperial prison, not far from the palace, has never been as bustling as it is now.

Those present were all important figures. The Empress Dowager, the Empress, and the Crown Prince each had their own room. The women, including Qian Xiangqing, shared one large room.

Mo Yuan, who had always wanted to keep a low profile, did not attend the wedding banquet.

After a chaotic scene, the Crown Prince's residence was surrounded... She was both happy and terrified; finally, she wouldn't die at the Crown Prince's hands. But Yi Yi, the future Empress! My dearest sister! Come save me...

As a result, no reinforcements arrived, and because of her status as a concubine, she was also taken to the imperial prison...

As soon as the Crown Princess saw her, she rushed over, grabbed her tightly, and asked about the children at home.

Mo Yuan was stunned when she arrived. The usually gentle and composed Crown Princess was now disheveled and looked like she had gone mad...

She burst into tears.

"Moyi! Come save me! You promised, you promised you'd save me if you did what you promised..." She cried, her mouth agape. This is the Heavenly Prison! Once I'm in, will I ever get out? Will they tie me up and beat me?!
Thinking about it this way, she cried even louder.

A few rooms away was the Crown Prince's small house. Mo Yuan's voice was too loud; he heard her…

He squinted, pondering: The letter in Li Jing's hand was the one he had sent someone to find in southern Sichuan. Li Jing had snatched it.

I don't understand how he knew that.
Now it makes sense: someone had mentioned before that Mo Yuan always frequented the small study, but he hadn't thought much of it. It turns out it was indeed her who leaked the information.

He chuckled bitterly. He had used her to gather information about the Prince of Qi. He never imagined she would also tell the Prince about his whereabouts… That damned woman!
What was she thinking?!
……

After the emperor regained consciousness for a while, he called Liu Su.

The eunuch beside him replied: "Chief Steward Liu is seriously injured and cannot come."

He only then recalled everything that had happened, and in his anxiety, he fainted again.

Li Jing oversaw the state affairs with remarkable efficiency. Everyone regarded him as the future emperor, and that future was just around the corner…

Yes, still the kind who doesn't tolerate injustice and is decisive in killing.

Everyone wanted to make a name for themselves, so court affairs went more smoothly than ever before, and the trials were also conducted very smoothly.

That day, the Crown Prince was interrogated again... He walked out and went to the room where the Crown Princess and other female relatives were imprisoned.

Mo Yuan stood by the fence, looking expectantly at the passageway: Why hasn't Mo Yi arrived yet? Where is Zhang Debao?

Help me...

The moment the crown prince saw her, he was filled with rage and boundless hatred… He stepped forward and grabbed her by the neck, shouting, “Did you, you vile woman, betray me?! Was it you?! Why are you treating me like this?! Haven’t I been good enough to you?”

He grabbed Mo Yuan and shook her violently.

Originally, they were just moving the prince from his private room to the front, and he was still wearing bracelets and anklets... so only a young eunuch came... The young eunuch was as thin as a chick, and he came to pull the prince away when he saw him going mad...

The crown prince, after all, had some martial arts training and knew how to ride a horse. With one collision, the little eunuch was sent flying.

He continued to squeeze Mo Yuan tightly, "I'll strangle you to death!" he said through gritted teeth.

The Crown Princess rushed over, shouting, "Let her go!" and tried to pull Mo Yuan back, but couldn't budge her...

The others watched coldly, without moving.

The young eunuch rushed over and pulled at her, shouting for help.

Mo Yuan was being pinched so hard her eyes were rolling back in her head. The Crown Princess got anxious and tried to grab the Crown Prince's face.

The crown prince roared in fury: "You vile woman! Whose side are you on?!"

"Isn't everything that happened today the result of your and your mother's doing?! You ruined my child!"

"Fine! Fine, then I'll strangle her first, and then..." The voice stopped, and the prince collapsed to the ground.

Mo Yuan plopped down on the ground, breathing heavily, her face flushed and her neck thick.

A pair of clean shoes appeared in front of her. She looked up with difficulty and cried out, "De Bao... De Bao... Why did you take so long to come?!" She sobbed, gasping for breath.

"How are you?" Zhang Debao was also quite frightened.

"Waaaaah... I almost died! Mo Yi, Mo Yi broke her promise!"

“Of course it counts, how could it not? It was Her Majesty who sent me…” Zhang Debao’s voice carried a tenderness he himself was unaware of.

In fact, Mo Yi hadn't been able to see Li Jing during this period; he had just taken over the affairs of the court and was extremely busy.

Since the emperor's illness still needed to be taken care of, he simply stayed in the palace.

The two met occasionally, but the prince didn't bring up Mo Yuan's matter, and Mo Yi was also embarrassed.

Knowing that Mo Yuan had entered the imperial prison, I inquired and learned that they were merely detained and wouldn't be interrogated or tortured. Their lives were not in danger. So, letting her stay inside and experience the harsh realities was for the best.

But Zhang Debao couldn't take it; he was like an ant on a hot pan.

That day, he finally couldn't hold back any longer and went to find Mo Yi to complain. Mo Yi thought about it and said: It's about time, so let him go to the Prince and ask about Mo Yuan's matter.

Li Jing had long forgotten about this matter and simply waved his hand, telling Zhang Debao to go and pick up the person...

If it weren't for Mo Yuan, he wouldn't have been able to get this crucial letter, and who knows how many detours he would have taken and how much longer it would have dragged on!

Now, everything is just right...

(End of this chapter)