I play the role of Jiajing in Zongwu: What crime have I committed?

He was startled, and his words came to an abrupt halt.

That effeminate face was none other than Cao Zhichun.

At that moment, Cao Zhichun, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot, was looking at him with a half-smile, his eyes flashing with a playful, cat-and-mouse-like glint.

"It is indeed my master, Lord He. Where are you taking your son?"

Upon hearing this, He Jingzhong's face turned deathly pale, and large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He Wenxin, who was behind him, was so frightened that he trembled all over, and a fishy smell emanated from his crotch.

"Chief Supervisor Cao..."

He Jingzhong clung to his last shred of dignity.

"I am merely..."

"Just what?"

Cao Zhichun suddenly shouted sternly, "Is this all you're doing, trying to escape with a wanted criminal?"

"You'll have to explain this to the Emperor yourself!"

With a wave of his hand, the agents of the Eastern Depot pounced on him like wolves and tigers.

He Jingzhong tried to struggle, but the two guards held him firmly against the carriage shaft.

"take away!"

At Cao Zhichun's command, the father and son were dragged to the imperial prison like dead dogs.

In this city of Jinling, no news can be kept from those who are interested.

In the blink of an eye, the scandal of He Jingzhong, the Minister of Personnel, abusing his power for personal gain and releasing prisoners had spread throughout the entire city of Nanjing.

Inside the Prince Yu's mansion, when Xiao Jinghuan received the news that the Eastern Depot had personally arrested the person and caught him red-handed, he staggered back a few steps and slumped into the armchair, his face ashen.

"It's over, He Jingzhong is doomed!"

The scene inside the Eastern Palace was quite different.

"Hahaha!"

Crown Prince Xiao Jingxuan slammed his hand on the table and burst into laughter.

"Excellent, very good. The Eastern Depot handled this matter brilliantly."

He immediately summoned his trusted advisors.

"Quickly, draft a list to find someone suitable to succeed He Jingzhong as Minister of Personnel. Once that old dog is dismissed, we'll immediately submit a memorial to the emperor."

The Prince Jing's residence was also brightly lit.

"Your Highness, this is a golden opportunity. The Ministry of Personnel is the head of the Six Ministries. If we can bring it under our control, we will be able to compete with the Crown Prince and Prince Yu in the court."

The Vice Censor-in-Chief, who had already pledged allegiance to Prince Jing, offered his advice.

"Sir, do you have a suitable candidate?"

For a time, undercurrents were swirling throughout the imperial court.

Meanwhile, Qi Min, who was on sick leave, was leisurely lying on a rattan chair in her backyard, with a copper pot bubbling and steaming on a small charcoal stove beside her.

He hummed a little tune as he deftly sliced ​​the tofu with his knife, watching as pieces of tofu slid into the pot.

"Having eaten pickled vegetables and tofu, even the emperor can't compare to me!"

He smacked his lips with delight, about to pick up a piece to try.

Suddenly, the butler scrambled into the yard, his face ashen.

"Master, something terrible has happened!"

Qi Min didn't even look up, and waved her chopsticks impatiently.

"What's the panic? The sky isn't going to fall, is it?"

"If you keep me from enjoying my tofu, you'll regret it!"

The butler was so anxious he kept stamping his feet.

"No, sir, Lord He Jingzhong swapped Young Master He out of prison, but the Eastern Depot caught him red-handed. Those jailers even... even claimed they were acting on your orders..."

pat!

The knife in Qi Min's hand fell directly into the pot.

He suddenly stood up, and the rattan chair overturned with a loud crash.

"What...what did you say?"

"That old bastard He Jingzhong, he...he actually dared to..."

Qi Min felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and almost fainted.

This is truly a catastrophe.

If he lies down like this, his "illness" might really turn into a "terminal illness"!

"Quickly! Prepare the sedan chair!"

"My lord, I need to go to the palace! Now! Immediately! Right now!"

Chapter 115 Even the Emperor is subject to the same laws as commoners.

Inside the study, the black chess piece on Zhu Houcong's fingertip hovered in the air, refusing to fall.

The white pieces on the board have already severed the black dragon.

"Your Majesty, we've lost again," Xiaomeng said coldly.

Zhu Houcong shook his head and chuckled, then tossed the black piece back into the chess box.

"The Imperial Advisor's chess skills are exquisite; even I am no match for him."

At this moment, Xiaomeng looked at the figure kneeling upright outside the hermitage.

"Qi Min has been kneeling for half an hour. Does His Majesty truly refuse to see her?"

Zhu Houcong didn't even bother to look at Qi Min, and just snorted coldly.

"What I hate most are those who think themselves clever."

Xiaomeng paused slightly, then asked疑惑地问道, "Your Majesty's original intention was to use Qi Min to suppress Prince Yu?"

"Oh?"

Zhu Houcong raised an eyebrow and asked with interest.

"Does the Imperial Advisor also think Prince Yu should be suppressed?"

"That's not what I meant."

“If Qi Min is involved, we can obtain irrefutable evidence that Prince Yu instructed the Ministry of Justice to secretly switch prisoners. This is why I handed the confession to him.”

"But he insisted on feigning illness to avoid trouble, thinking himself clever. Making him kneel is letting him off easy."

At this point, Zhu Houcong sneered inwardly. There were only two non-stick pots in the Great Liang Dynasty: one was himself, and the other was Zhao Mengjing.

If you're going to make a knife, you need to have the awareness to do so. You, Qi Min, think you can be Zhao Mengjing? You're not worthy!

Xiaomeng looked at Zhu Houcong, her eyes filled with confusion, and said softly, "But Prince Yu is, after all, His Majesty's flesh and blood."

"There are no fathers and sons in the imperial family. This is why emperors have always referred to themselves as 'the lonely one' and 'the widow' throughout history."

Zhu Houcong suddenly burst into laughter: "What I want has never been a deep bond between father and son, but rather a balance and stability in the court."

"If the court is stable, the world will naturally be at peace."

"Only when the six ministries work in perfect harmony can the subsequent campaign against Southern Chu be won in one decisive battle."

Xiaomeng was taken aback upon hearing this.

Only then did he understand the intention of the emperor of Liang before him.

Zhu Houcong couldn't help but feel a little emotional; Xiaomeng was still too young and needed more experience.

He's good enough to be a strategist, but he's still a bit lacking when it comes to being a politician.

Half an hour later, Zhu Houcong finally granted Qi Min permission to enter the palace for an audience.

Qi Min staggered into the hall, her legs gave way, and she knelt down again: "Your humble servant pays respects to Your Majesty."

His forehead rested against the cold gold brick, and he could clearly hear his own heart pounding like a drum.

"He Jingzhong bribed the Ministry of Justice to secretly switch prisoners. As the head of the Ministry of Justice, were you aware of this?"

Zhu Houcong's voice drifted softly into Qi Min's ears.

"Your humble servant has only just learned of this matter," Qi Min replied tremblingly.

"Snapped!"

Zhu Houcong slammed the memorial shut, startling Qi Min.

"Well, I see. It's quite a task for me to entrust the Ministry of Justice to you."

"Death penalty!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Min immediately kowtowed deeply, leaving bloodstains on the gold brick.

Seeing this, Zhu Houcong decided to give Qi Min another chance.

"As the saying goes, even the emperor is subject to the same laws as the common people. I dare not indulge my own son like this. How dare he, a mere Minister of Personnel, disregard the laws of the country? He truly deserves to die."

At this point, his voice suddenly turned cold and somber.

"How could someone as mere Minister of Personnel bypass you, the Minister of Justice, and directly mobilize the Ministry of Justice's personnel?"

"Could it be that you were secretly helping them?"

Qi Min trembled and hurriedly protested, "I am innocent! I absolutely did not participate in this matter! Please, Your Majesty, see the truth!"

"Oh? Then in your opinion, who is behind this?"

Upon hearing Zhu Houcong's question, Qi Min's throat tightened, and cold sweat instantly soaked through her inner garment.

He instinctively tried to brush it off by saying he was "unaware," but the sharp pain in his knee was like a wake-up call.

If he continues to play dumb, his time as Vice Minister of Justice is probably over.

So he forced himself to calm down, his mind replaying every word the emperor had just said.

Suddenly, the phrase "The emperor is subject to the same laws as the common people, and even I dare not indulge my own son in this way" exploded in my ears like a thunderclap.

Could it be... His Majesty is...?

Qi Min's pupils contracted sharply, and a terrible guess surfaced in her mind.

He quietly raised his eyes and met Zhu Houcong's unfathomable gaze.

His eyes clearly said, "I'm giving you a chance; it's up to you whether you can seize it."

Qi Min suddenly realized that His Majesty wanted not only He Jingzhong, but also Prince Yu.

He understood everything in an instant.

Why did the emperor order him to go to Prince Yu after he had come to the hermitage to report the matter, and then give him the confession?

So that's how they tried to drag Prince Yu down with them!

Knowing the emperor's intentions, Qi Min decisively chose to betray Prince Yu once again.

After all, Prince Yu had also wronged him once.

"I suspect..."

He suddenly looked up and said with a sense of desperation, "It was His Highness Prince Yu who secretly instructed us; otherwise, how could we have such extraordinary means!"

"presumptuous!"

Zhu Houcong suddenly slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "What crime is it to falsely accuse a prince? Do I need to remind you?"

Qi Min, however, saw an opportunity in this thunderous rage. He kowtowed heavily, saying, "Every word I have said is true; I am willing to stake my life on it."