A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 317 Summoning the Duke of Song and his son back to the capital
In the chilly spring, the Song family, a powerful and influential clan at the height of their power in the Great Zhou Dynasty, suddenly stirred up a huge uproar without anyone noticing!

Within the main branch of the Song family, the elders of the Song clan used family law against Song Shuyan and Song Shushen, who were collateral relatives. Song Shuyu, the second son of the Song clan head and the Duke of Song, upheld justice and personally sent the two to the authorities for legal proceedings to set an example!
This action was like a thunderclap, shaking the entire clan!
However, before anyone in the clan could react, Song Shuyu took the initiative to write to the emperor, requesting to take charge of the Song family on behalf of his father and clean house!
He announced to all four hundred members of the clan that anyone who committed crimes or violated the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty should voluntarily surrender to the Jingzhao Prefecture within one month. Depending on the severity of the offense, they would be punished accordingly. Those who committed serious offenses would be expelled from the clan register and removed from the genealogy along with Song Shuyan and Song Shushen!

This ruthless and decisive act of taking action against one's own clansmen not only shocked the Song family, but also caused an uproar among other families. They were filled with fear that if the Song family set this precedent, they would have no choice but to follow suit in order to prove their loyalty and innocence, thus severely damaging their own families.

Thus, countless eyes were fixed on the emperor and the Shou Kang Palace, watching to see how this matter would unfold.

The Duke of Song is far away on the border, and the Song family is the Empress Dowager's maternal clan, so the Empress Dowager cannot remain unaffected. She must choose between agreeing and disagreeing.

However, Shou Kang Palace remained quiet. Even though Song's relatives came one after another to see the Empress Dowager, whether to save themselves or to curb Song Shuyu's tyranny, the Empress Dowager did not make a clear statement.

This matter is of great importance. Easily shaking the foundations of powerful families could trigger a chain reaction and destabilize the nation. Therefore, even though the Song family itself wanted to take action, the emperor deliberated repeatedly and did not make a decision for a long time.

Therefore, Song Shuyu took it upon himself to carry out his great purge plan!
Seeing that no one was stopping them, the Song family relatives who had committed the offense became anxious and simply rushed to the Duke's Mansion to ask the old Duchess to take charge!
Of course, the Duke's mansion was heavily guarded, and no one could break in, but the dense crowd blocked the streets in and out, causing a great deal of disruption!

In just seven or eight days, rumors about the Song family spread like wildfire, and people all over the capital, from officials and nobles to ordinary people, were talking about it endlessly!
Of course, everyone without a conflict of interest sincerely praised Song Shuyu for his selflessness, high moral character, and integrity. Since taking office as the Prefect of Jingzhao, he has been an upright official who has worked for the benefit of the people. He has handled all cases, whether criminal or civil, impartially and without bias. Moreover, he possesses the talent to save the world and the ability to govern the country. He is the future prime minister and a blessing to the Great Zhou!

Since the common people praised Song Shuyu, they couldn't help but mention Mu Qingcheng, the female criminal investigator whom Song Shuyu had strongly advocated for promoting. Starting with the case of the hanging corpse at the temple gate, Mu Qingcheng's reputation soared from an unknown female coroner. She was low-key and humble, skilled in both literature and martial arts, possessing both the talent for examining corpses and the ability to deduce and solve cases. There was no case she couldn't solve, no murderer she couldn't capture. Moreover, she was exceptionally courageous and cared deeply for the people. Her heroic act of single-handedly capturing seven people in the street to bring the Prince of Zhongshan to justice almost caused a sensation throughout the city!

At this point, all the major families panicked. If Song Shuyu succeeded in handling this matter, their intricate network of relationships and interests with the Song family would collapse, not to mention whether they needed to follow suit.

As a result, memorials impeaching Song Shuyu piled up on Emperor Shen Zhu's desk like snowflakes!
The emperor remained unperturbed, showing no emotion from the start of court to the end, even during discussions in the imperial study, leaving his ministers completely unable to discern his true intentions.

However, under the strong advocacy of his ministers, the emperor relented and sent someone to invite the Empress Dowager to discuss the matter together.

When the Empress Dowager arrived, she said, "Although the Song family is my maternal clan, clan affairs are handled by the clan head, and it is inappropriate for me to interfere."

"But for more than ten years, the Duke of Song has been guarding the border and has never returned to the capital. How should he be dealt with? Isn't he just occupying the position of clan leader for nothing?"

The speaker was Lin Jiang, the Duke of Fuguo. The Great Zhou Dynasty only had two dukedoms, one civil and one military. The Song family had been military generals for generations, while the Duke of Fuguo's family had three generations of civil officials; their power and status were roughly equal.

Therefore, the Duke of Fuguo was quite concerned about the matter orchestrated by Song Shuyu. He needed to use the Song family's movements as a reference to determine the best course of action for the Lin family.

"It's not something you can take for free."

Suddenly, a voice came from behind. The officials turned around and saw Song Shuyu approaching calmly and respectfully bowing: "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"

"Rise." The emperor remained expressionless. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Song Shuyu stood up, turned to look at the Duke of Fuguo, and said, "My father is at the border, but all matters, big and small, of the clan are delivered to the border by a special person, and my father makes the final decision and then entrusts the clan elders to carry them out."

The Duke of Fu was taken aback. "So the Duke of Song also agrees to this?"

They had never seen anyone stab themselves in the back and cut off their wings!

Little do people know that the growth of a family requires the painstaking efforts of several generations and more than a hundred years to achieve its current prosperity. In this process, countless tears and blood have been shed, countless bones have been trampled, and the price paid is incalculable!

So, who would willingly give it up so easily?
Song Shuyu smiled faintly and said, "My father doesn't know yet."

Everyone, including the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, widened their eyes in an instant!

"You...you actually dared to act recklessly behind the back of the Duke of Song? What right do you have to punish the Song family?" The Empress Dowager was truly enraged. She remained silent, partly because she didn't want to openly break ties with Song Yan, and partly because she wanted to sit back and watch the two tigers fight, making Song Shuyu the target of everyone's criticism, forcing the Song family members to have no choice but to rely on her, thus strengthening her own power and preventing them from being constantly controlled by Song Yan and his son.

Song Shuyu calmly added, "But my father said that I can make decisions for him to handle all the affairs of the Song family."

The Empress Dowager immediately said, "But this matter is too important. Unless the Duke of Song says it himself, or writes a letter in his own hand..."

"Then summon the Duke of Song and his son back to the capital!" The emperor raised his chin, his dark eyes flashing with an unfathomable light.

The ministers were slightly startled, and then fell silent.

Song Yan's return to the capital was a foregone conclusion. What they were worried about now was whether Song Yan would, as Song Shuyu had said, provide unconditional support for Song Shuyu.

Song Shuyu kowtowed and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace on behalf of my father and brothers!"

After speaking, he subtly raised his eyes, taking in the Empress Dowager's stunned expression, as well as the deeply hidden, cautious joy and admiration within her.

A familiar feeling of nausea began to rise in my stomach again.

(End of this chapter)