Late at night, Prince Duan's Mansion.
"The news came out from the palace that Master Shen brought two examination papers to face the emperor. One of them was caught cheating. Now Liang Yan and others have all been arrested and taken to the Mingxin Division." Murong Shili looked in front of him. Several core ministers said:
"The Mingxin Division enforces the law strictly. The prince will not miss this opportunity. We must guard against the prince taking advantage of the situation to drag others into trouble."
Everyone looked ugly.
"I have said before that this matter is very risky and the gains outweigh the losses. But Princess Anyang insists on forcing the prince to help her son for a false reputation..." The Imperial Academy official frowned.
Murong Shili also hated Princess Anyang in his heart, but he still said gently on the surface:
"The Dong family is getting married to this king, and I should have helped. Now that things have come to this, you'd better think of countermeasures!"
Everyone praised, "Your Majesty is benevolent and righteous!"
"Master Liang is a strict man and will definitely bear everything. In order for Master Liang to have no worries, he should take care of his family." The Imperial Academy's Attendant looked at Duan Wang and said.
Murong Shili nodded, "I plan to marry Liang Yan's daughter as my concubine. However, we have to wait until this incident has passed, and everyone will be informed of this news secretly..."
Everyone agreed. If King Duan is like this, Liang Yan will be able to bear everything.
At this moment...
The steward came to report, "Your Majesty, Princess Anyang wants to see you!"
Everyone in the Duanwang Party was speechless about this woman. But Murong Shili naturally couldn't turn him away and said:
"Please, eldest princess!"
As soon as Princess Anyang entered the palace, she cried and shouted to Murong Shili:
"Prince Duan, my son was kidnapped by Mingxinsi! Please help me rescue my son!"
Everyone from Duanwang Party:...
Murong Shili was angry in his heart. If it weren't for Dong Zefei, how could he have included Liang Yan?
But he looked very gentle and said:
"Eldest Princess, what you should be worried about now is yourself. Will Dong Zefei confess to Mingxin Division that you arranged the cheating on his behalf?"
Princess Anyang's cry froze, this...
"The eldest princess should go to the Queen Mother as soon as possible and don't let yourself be implicated in this matter." Murong Shili gave her advice:
"It's useless to quibble and deny after being caught in this matter. It's best for the eldest princess to sincerely admit her mistake in order to protect herself."
……
Early next morning.
Princess Anyang hurried into the palace and knelt in front of the gate of the Queen Mother's Palace.
"Anyang, what are you doing? Come in quickly." The Queen Mother immediately asked someone to welcome her in.
"Empress, my son was confused for a moment and made a big mistake. Now Zefei is in jail, but I only have such a son. I beg my mother to help me..." Princess Anyang cried sadly. .
After hearing the whole story, the Queen Mother couldn't help but shake her head:
"You are confused! Zefei is your son, the future Marquis of Yongning. He was born noble. Why should he take the imperial examination and compete with those common people for a position?"
Princess Anyang cried miserably, "I beg my mother to have mercy on my son, I only have this son..."
Dong Zefei did not need to take the imperial examination, but he was greedy for fame and wanted to be known as a talented scholar.
……
Imperial Palace, Imperial Study Room.
"Your Majesty, these are the details of the case file after interrogation overnight. There are nine people involved in the case, headed by Liang Yan." Chu Shouchen submitted the case file to the imperial review:
"Liang Yan said that he was the mastermind and took bribes from Dong Zefei to cheat for him. But Dong Zefei confessed that his mother, Princess Anyang, asked Prince Duan to help him plan all this. He did not know Liang Yan. He said that the cheating was entirely his fault. Princess Anyang."
When the emperor looked at the case file in front of him, Dong Zefei laughed angrily.
Such a bastard, in order to exonerate himself, he blamed everything on his own mother.
It is pitiful for the imperial sister to have such a son.
Of course it is impossible for him to convict his son and sister for such a case...
As far as the emperor is concerned, as long as a member of the royal family is not guilty of treason...
It's all little things.
He wanted to beat King Duan, not kill him.
"Don't worry about Dong Zefei's words. There is no need to expand the case." The emperor said calmly.
Chu Shouchen understood the idea and said, "I obey the order!"
"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother sent a cup of bird's nest and white fungus soup, saying that Her Royal Highness the Princess donated a rare bird's nest this morning, which is of the highest quality and is specially given to Your Majesty..." The eunuch came in to report.
The emperor nodded, "Send it over."
Then he looked at Chu Shouchen and said, "Liang Yan and others will be sentenced to death. As for Dong Zefei, he will be exiled to Lingnan with thirty sticks."
Just thirty sticks is to save his life.
Chu Shouchen saluted and accepted the order.
……
The next day, news of the cheating case spread, shocking both the government and the public.
The princelings took this opportunity to criticize the Duanwang Party.
It was noisy and noisy in the morning.
The people also speculated on the outcome of this matter...
Wanjuan Study Room, third floor terrace.
"Dong Zefei cheated! No wonder he didn't dare to challenge in the previous song. He really cheated!" Xie Ruojiao was very shocked.
Although there have been "rumors" for a long time, there is no real evidence after all, except that the princelings always use this to mock Dong Zefei...
Ordinary people are dubious.
But this time he was caught in action...
"Song Heng, according to Daxia Law, how is fraud punished?" Xie Ruojiao asked curiously.
Song Heng said, "In our dynasty, fraud in imperial examinations is a serious crime, and those involved will be sentenced to death."
"The Dong family has only arrested Dong Zefei so far. It seems that the emperor will deal with it lightly." A cold look flashed in Chi Moyan's eyes.
Song Heng did not refute. In the past, he felt that as long as the evidence was conclusive, the bad guys would be brought to justice.
But he has seen more now.
Gradually I came to understand that the royal family and the common people could never be considered "same sin".
If the emperor is like this, how can officials in the DPRK and China not protect and favor each other?
"Ah? Give him a lenient sentence?" Xie Ruojiao was very angry, "Why should someone else cheat and be executed while the Dong family can live? This is unfair!"
Seeing her like this, Song Heng's heavy mood was relieved a little.
Even though the world is unfair, there will always be people who cry out for injustice.
He was not the only one unwilling to compromise.
He can't change the general trend, but he can become an official and stick to fairness and justice starting from himself.
Jiang Rong listened to them quietly and nodded slightly, "It's really unfair."
How can we cut the grass without removing the roots?
……
The next day, the verdict of Mingxin Division came down.
Liang Yan and others decided to kill him.
It also involved the discovery of an old case from his provincial examination last year.
Last year's Jiangbei examiner, Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Rites, was also sentenced to execution.
Everyone involved in the case was sentenced to death, but Dong Zefei, the client who cheated twice, was only punished with a cane and exiled...
Princess Anyang was still dissatisfied with this and lost her temper in the mansion:
"How can my son endure the pain of exile! No, we must rescue our son. You go guard the exile road, pretend to be a bandit, and rescue Zefei."
As long as the person is rescued, but can no longer appear in public, he can still be well-fed and well-fed. The crime of beheading was just a few slaps in the end.
