webnovelfull Chapter 516: Taking Advantage of Xue Wei
Chapter 516: Taking Advantage of Xue Wei
Emperor Qingning couldn't do anything to the Khan of the grassland, so he turned around and picked a weak target. He looked at Xue Wei and Grand Tutor Xue and said, "Xue Wei, you brought the grassland envoys here this time, which is a big surprise for me."
"I think they are not here to do business sincerely, but to slap me in the face!"
When Master Xue heard the emperor's words, he immediately trembled and stood up to explain: "Your Majesty..."
As soon as he stood up, Xue Wei forced him to sit down.
Xue Wei hadn't had the chance to tell his father that the northwest was basically his world. After all, his father was a very cautious and timid person, and he was afraid that if he told his father, he would not be able to sleep every day, so he decided to let his father know directly on the day when he kicked Emperor Qingning off the throne.
Xue Wei didn't even stand up when he spoke. He crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. "Your Majesty is so hospitable. It's no wonder that Bolcao fell out with him. Why are you blaming me now?"
When Master Xue heard Xue Wei's tone and that he no longer called himself "minister", his eyes widened and asked, "Son, are you trying to rebel?"
Is it because he was so arrogant in the northwest that he can't pretend anymore when he returns to the palace? No, his second son is not such a cocky person!
Imperial Tutor Xue, who had been immersed in the imperial court for many years, was now desperately trying to figure out how to excuse Xue Wei: "Your Majesty, please don't misunderstand. My second son is just..."
Xue Wei smiled coldly: "I just tolerated the emperor for a long time."
Master Xue: It’s over!
"I, Xue Wei, have been in the northwest for three years, eliminating banditry and reclaiming wasteland. The northwest's grain harvest has increased year after year, and trade has become increasingly prosperous. The people have gone from being hungry and fleeing famine to now having a place to live and ample food and clothing."
Xue Wei patted the banquet table in front of him and said, "At the New Year's banquet in the palace, Prince An rebelled, and I was a meritorious minister who saved the emperor. Now, I just did one thing that didn't meet your wishes, and I have become a guilty minister."
"I, Xue Wei, have made no contributions in the past three years, but His Majesty is suspicious of me because I sent the missing 300,000 taels of military pay back to the capital. He summoned me back to the capital this time, and every word in his letter mentioned Grand Tutor Xue. He used Grand Tutor Xue as a hostage and threatened me to return to the capital. I'm afraid my father and I are in great danger tonight."
"You are so ungrateful and you are repaying kindness with hatred. Excuse me for being blunt, but you have brought this predicament upon yourself."
——"How dare you! Someone, capture this arrogant traitor!"
Emperor Qingning was devastated by what was said. Now he couldn't do anything to Prince Zhao who had the grassland as his backer. So how could he not do anything to Xue Wei?
"Emperor, are you going to accuse me of treason today? Unfortunately, I am not like the Zhao family, who have made great contributions in suppressing rebellions and are protected by the laws of the previous emperor."
The emperor's guards had already filed in from the banquet hall door and walked towards Xue Wei, but Xue Wei took his time to eat the food on the table: "But today is Mid-Autumn Festival and I will give you a big gift."
"Yao Chengping actually didn't succeed in escaping. I kept him in the water dungeon the entire time. I forced him to write those secret letters he wrote to you to let you know he was safe."
This sentence was like a bolt from the blue. Emperor Qingning, who originally thought he had Xue Wei all right, was shocked: "What did you say?"
Xue Wei spoke clearly: "This time I came back not only with the grassland envoys, but also with Yao Chengping."
"Didn't the emperor instruct me to arrest Yao Chengping and bring him to justice to give an explanation to King Zhao and the people? I have already acted in compliance with your orders."
Xue Wei put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. "There are various garden parties and lantern festivals in the capital tonight. It's very lively. Yao Chengping is probably being escorted to the streets of the capital to confess his crimes."
The guests attending the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet today were all selected by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager themselves. Most of them knew something about the inside story and vaguely guessed that the Emperor was going to take action against Prince Zhao's Mansion tonight. However, the tit-for-tat atmosphere now, or the atmosphere where the Emperor and the Empress Dowager were being unilaterally pinned to the ground and rubbed by Prince Zhao's family and the Khan of the grassland, really made everyone frightened. They were afraid that something might happen at the palace banquet, and they all wanted to leave.
Nothing will happen to them tonight, right?
Jiang Wanyue and Lu Fangqin were humiliated and angry from the beginning. They were waiting to see Jiang Lili being taught a lesson by Princess Jin and the Queen Mother, and Jiang Lili's husband's family being retaliated by the Emperor. However, the development of the matter was far beyond their expectations.
Jiang Lili was safe and sound, and even dared to criticize the emperor. The third sister of the Xin family even became a leading figure in the Bol grassland, and the emperor and the empress dowager did not dare to move.
Now even Xue Wei, whom she thought would be punished by the emperor tonight, dared to be so arrogant. Is this world crazy?
Emperor Qingning was horrified: "Zhou Jushan, go and call Xia Su to report what is happening outside the palace now!"
After saying this, he muttered to himself, his eyes rolling around.
"How did you know Yao Chengping was going to escape?"
"Who leaked the information? Zhou Jushan, quickly arrest the person who was responsible for delivering the secret letter to Yao Chengping..."
Zhou Jushan looked at the already somewhat insane Emperor Qingning, smiled slightly, and stepped back: "As you command."
*
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the capital city is decorated with lights and lanterns. The He family, the Hou family and other business experts will naturally not miss this day to make a fortune. They hold a moon-viewing garden party, guess lantern riddles, and win prizes by tossing rings... Anyone can participate regardless of their status, so it can be said that the people of the capital city have come out in full force today.
"Come on! Make way, make way. The Yuelai Escort Agency is escorting the serious criminal Yao Chengping back to justice!"
On the bustling Zhuque Street, the escorts from Yuelai Escort Agency were pulling a prisoner van, and the person on the prisoner van was none other than the former Tiger General Yao Chengping.
Guan Yue rode a tall horse, wearing a bodyguard's cloak and walked in front to lead the way.
"Yao Chengping has been captured?"
"It's unlucky to be betting on this auspicious day like Mid-Autumn Festival!"
Someone had already thrown the chicken leg bone he had just gnawed at away: "You ungrateful bastard! Prince Zhao's Mansion treated you well, yet you actually harmed the loyal and good people like this!"
Yao Chengping had been tortured in the dungeon for months and confessed everything. Even when facing the people who were venting their anger on him, he couldn't help but feel resentful: "Why don't you use your brains to think about it? I was just a deputy general under Marquis Zhaoping back then. How could I have the courage and means to plan everything?"
Yao Chengping never received the secret letter from Emperor Qingning asking him to escape. Zhou Jushan was in such a high position now and had all kinds of means at his disposal, so naturally he intercepted the secret letter halfway.
Therefore, Yao Chengping has already determined that it was Emperor Qingning who pushed him out as a scapegoat and left him no chance of survival.
"The Xin family is the pillar of the frontier. Even if I have the courage to do something to them, I dare not do anything to them."
He said with hatred: "Of course it was the instruction of the current emperor that I dared to do this!"