Huh? The Tyrant Cries After My Inner Thoughts Were Exposed!-Chapter 111: Another Old Case
Su Juan looked at the system panel and saw that the list already had several names on it.
Duke Ping, Minister Mo, Marquis Ping, Chief Secretary, and others appeared on it, with varying progress bar lengths.
Duke Ping’s progress bar was full, Minister Mo and Marquis Ping’s were halfway, while Liu Xuan, Song Qianhang, and Xie Xun all had only a small segment. Even Shen Ruhui, whom she had only met once, had an empty progress bar.
There were also some names hidden in the list.
Su Juan immediately had a guess, [I see, the system wants me to assist these people in serving the Court and support the new emperor’s ascension.]
She tried to ask the system who the new emperor referred to, but the system was still unable to connect.
Fortunately, she already had direction, to approach these talents and have them serve the Court.
Beside her, Xie Xun seemed to understand as well, the Divine Artifact wanted Su Juan to collect talents from all over the world and support the new emperor’s ascension.
But she didn’t seem to realize that this new emperor referred to herself, still thinking she was to support someone else.
Xie Xun’s lips moved slightly, but in the end, he didn’t remind her.
Forget it, if he said it now, and if this inner thought was overheard by others, it would cause big trouble.
In the carriage, Su Juan carefully examined the list; some of the people who appeared were indeed quite troublesome.
She sighed, [As for Song Qianhang, it’s not just about entering office; even surviving is tough. Within a year, he’ll be poisoned by Song Qianfan.]
Xie Xun was shocked, Song Qianfan was even willing to harm his own brother?
[Shen Ruhui’s whereabouts are unknown, and his identity hasn’t been clarified...]
Xie Xun frowned, there was indeed Shen Ruhui.
He had recently investigated this Shen Ruhui, whose background was not simple; if he wanted to enter office, it would indeed be difficult.
[As for Liu Xuan, as long as he can secure a position smoothly, entering office shouldn’t be a problem.]
Xie Xun snorted lightly, surprised that Su Juan had such a high opinion of Liu Xuan, but this fool indeed had the ability.
[Both Song Qianhang and Shen Ruhui can still be figured out, but it’s Xie Xun who’s really difficult!]
Su Juan sighed heavily.
Xie Xun was agitated, what do you mean difficult!?
How am I so difficult, yet you have such confidence in Liu Xuan, and when it comes to me, it’s just difficult?
What do you mean by that?
[Uneducated, spending days wandering the brothel...]
I was merely concealing my brilliance!
[A profligate wastrel, only knowing how to drink and play...]
I was doing it to mask intentions, to protect the Xie Family!
[Wearing red clothes every day, very showy indeed.]
Everyone has a love for beauty, what do you know!
[Forget it, I’ll stop thinking about it, and take one step at a time. For now, finding Shen Ruhui and saving Song Qianhang are most important, Xie Xun can wait.]
Su Juan got off the carriage, walked into Baihua Building, and was led to a private room by the attendant.
Xie Xun was behind, his molars almost biting through, why were they the most important, yet I had to wait?
At this moment, he felt extremely unbalanced inside, thinking Su Juan was biased.
...
Inside the private room, all acquaintances were present.
Not having seen Song Qianhang for several days, Su Juan found that he seemed a bit more composed, with some worry between his brows, perhaps from a dispute with Song Qianfan at the Prince Mansion.
[I’ve heard that Song Qianfan has been frequently contacting Court ministers recently, and rumors outside vaguely suggest that the Prince Jing Mansion harbors treasonous intentions.]
Song Qianhang’s eyes darkened; it was indeed like this, partly due to the influence of Shen Ruhui’s pamphlet, and Prince Han’s methods were becoming increasingly sinister.
"If the person seen that day wasn’t mistaken, Shen Ruhui was indeed taken into the mansion from the back door of the Han Prince Mansion."
Liu Xuan repeatedly rubbed the teacup with his thumb, "It seems I need to pay a visit to the Han Prince Mansion."
"But why doesn’t Prince Han kill Shen Ruhui directly?" Su Juan asked.
[If I were Prince Han, I would just kill Shen Ruhui. Why take him into the mansion, isn’t that just waiting for others to come?]
Everyone looked at Su Juan, Liu Miaoying nodded, "There must be an issue here."
Su Juan was right; if one were Prince Han, merely wanting to spread unfavorable rumors against Prince Jing through the pamphlet in the capital, it would be best to kill Shen Ruhui, but Prince Han brought him into the mansion, leaving such a huge risk.
[Did he take Shen Ruhui precisely to wait for others to come?]
Song Qianhang frowned slightly, "What problem?"
Xie Xun, however, looked at Liu Xuan, "Then you have to ask this fool who Shen Ruhui really is, making Prince Han go to such lengths."
Everyone’s eyes immediately focused on Liu Xuan.
Liu Xuan was silent for a moment and met their gaze, "Shen Ruhui’s grandfather, during the Chongwu Period, served as the Right Imperial Censor of the Imperial Examination Office, Shen Hesheng."
With Shen Hesheng’s name mentioned, Liu Miaoying and Song Qianhang’s expressions changed.
Xie Xun seemed to have already known Shen Ruhui’s identity and was not surprised.
During the Chongwu Period when the Empress was reigning, those matters, Su Juan was not very clear on, "Since his grandfather was once a first-rank official, why would Shen Ruhui fall into his current situation?"
[Having to rely on pamphlets to make a living, it’s a miserable life.]
Among those present, only Su Juan was unaware.
Liu Xuan spoke softly, "That involves another old case."
When the Empress was in power, there were several concubines in the harem, who bore six princes; the Eldest Prince died young, among them, the Second Prince and Third Prince were the most outstanding.
The struggle for the throne was mainly between these two princes.
The Second Prince Consort was the eldest daughter of the once-thriving Pei Family, and the eldest son of the Pei Family, Pei Qian, was the trusted commander of the Dingbei Army by the Empress.
The Second Prince and Third Prince contended for years, and the Empress’s favor gradually shifted towards the Third Prince, now the current Emperor.
Back then, when the Crown Prince candidate was about to be decided, the Second Prince rebelled. The Empress, known for her ruthless and decisive actions, ordered the execution of the Second Prince’s household, and the Pei Family was implicated, with all men and women sentenced to death, affecting three generations.
At that time, many in the Court pleaded for the Pei Family, but those who did were either dismissed or demoted, fined, or punished, and Shen Hesheng was one of them.
The Pei Family was implicated, with all being executed, even the little Pei son, who was just a month old back then, was not spared.
At that time, Shen Hesheng petitioned the Emperor before the civil and military officials, listing the merits of the Dingbei Army, accusing the Empress of being an unclear ruler, deceived by traitors, and unworthy of her position.
The Empress was furious, sent Shen Hesheng to the Ministry of Justice Prison, and declared that anyone who pleaded for the Second Prince and his party would be treated as such, with all implicated and executed.
In prison, Shen Hesheng, upon learning of the Pei Family’s extermination, wrote a long and impassioned letter condemning the Empress, and subsequently ended his own life in prison.
From then on, the descendants of Shen Hesheng were forbidden from entering the office, serving as a warning to all.
After that, no one dared to mention the Second Prince or the Pei Family anymore.
Shen Ruhui’s father lived a frustrated life and passed away at the age of forty.
Su Juan truly hadn’t expected that Shen Ruhui had such a past with him, [No wonder, despite his overflowing talent, he could only rely on pamphlets to make a living...]
Su Juan looked at the others, suddenly asking, "Was the Pei Family truly the accomplice of the Second Prince’s rebellion back then?"
