Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne-Chapter 203 - 169: Father, Truly Unfathomable

Two more ministers crawled out and pleaded guilty to the emperor. They were members of the Xun family and the Yuan family, respectively.

Upon seeing this, the ministers exclaimed in their hearts: The Xun family and the Yuan family are also involved in the matters over in Yangzhou?!

The emperor was not surprised at all by the three who stepped forward.

The ministers glanced at Duke Zhen and Marquis Xuanping, speculating in their hearts: Could the Xie family and the Yu family be involved as well?

Duke Zhen remained calm as he knelt on the ground, showing not the slightest sign of guilt or panic. However, Marquis Xuanping seemed somewhat uneasy. When those from Yangzhou approached him for cooperation, he almost agreed. Fortunately, he was wise and went to seek Noble Princess Consort Rong’s advice.

At that time, Noble Princess Consort Rong told Marquis Xuanping that he must not get involved with the noble families over in Yangzhou. No matter how much money Yangzhou offered, he must not agree to cooperate with them.

Back then, Marquis Xuanping felt it was a pity, as the money from Yangzhou was indeed substantial. Now, he was immensely grateful that he had listened to Noble Princess Consort Rong and did not agree to cooperate with the noble families of Yangzhou; otherwise, it would have spelled disaster for the Yu family.

The emperor instructed the three who professed guilty to explain what they had done.

The three did not dare to be cunning before the emperor, nor conceal any matters. With pale faces and shaking bodies, they recounted in full detail their cooperation with the noble families from Yangzhou.

When the noble families from Yangzhou sought cooperation initially, the Wang family, the Xun family, and the Yuan family were cautious and did not send their direct lineage members to cooperate. They sent collateral relatives instead. These three were collateral relatives from the Wang family, the Xun family, and the Yuan family. Their positions in the court were not high, all at the fifth rank.

The Wang family, the Xun family, and the Yuan family did not reject cooperating with the noble families of Yangzhou because the money Yangzhou offered was too enticing to refuse.

The matters of collaboration between the noble families of Yangzhou and the three families were not numerous, but they were very significant, involving the canal transport, minerals, salt, grain, and medicinal materials, for example.

Oh, and they also had marital alliances with the noble families from Yangzhou.

After hearing the details from the three of them from the Wang family, the ministers gasped in shock.

Do they have a death wish?!

After speaking, the three continuously kowtowed, pleading for the emperor’s forgiveness.

The emperor exchanged a look with Sun Kui, who understood and called out to the guards at the door.

A few guards walked in and dragged the three of them out.

As they were being dragged out, the three pleaded with their mouths that they knew their crimes and begged the emperor for their lives.

At this moment, Marquis An Yang crawled out and kowtowed forcefully to the emperor, then pleaded guilty, saying he was lax in his oversight.

Following him, Marquis Wuping and Marquis Yingchuan stepped forward to plead guilty to the emperor.

Marquis An Yang was the brother of Princess Consort Shu, the head of the Wang family.

Marquis Wuping was the brother of Princess Consort De, the head of the Xun family.

Marquis Yingchuan was the brother of Princess Consort Liang, the head of the Yuan family.

The three from earlier were members of their families, and as heads of their families, they naturally needed to plead guilty.

However, Marquis An Yang said it was due to lax oversight. The ministers did not believe that they were unaware of the actions of the three who were just dragged out. Without the heads’ approval, the collateral members would not dare to agree to cooperate with the noble families of Yangzhou.

After listening to their words, the emperor asked them with a smile, "Do you think I am a fool?"

Upon hearing this, Marquis An Yang and the others felt a tightness in their hearts, followed by a surge of fear from deep within them.

"Your subject... does not dare..."

"I think you all are quite daring."

At this moment, the faces of Marquis An Yang and the others were colorless, their eyes full of terror. Cold sweat dripped from their foreheads and faces onto the ground. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

The emperor touched his chin and said, "Has my temper been too good lately?"

This statement struck fear into the hearts of all the ministers. With their foreheads pressed to the ground, they said tremblingly, "We, your subjects, are guilty, we beg the emperor for forgiveness!"

The emperor shifted his posture, with his elbows resting on his knees and his fingers interlocked under his chin, smiled with narrowed eyes, and said, "Such a good phrase, lax oversight."

"Your subjects are guilty!"

"Ah, didn’t I tell you before not to try to be sly in front of me..." saying this, the emperor clicked his tongue, "tch tch tch, you never learn from experience. Since that’s the case, don’t blame me for being merciless." After speaking, he patted his thigh and immediately stood up.

"Your Majesty, your subject knows his crime!" said Marquis An Yang, kowtowing heavily again.

Marquis Wuping and Marquis Yingchuan hurriedly followed suit, acknowledging their crimes.

Marquis An Yang and the others were aware that if they did not confess now, the consequences to follow would not be within their ability to bear.

The emperor stood on the steps, looking down from above at the ministers kneeling on the ground, and laughed, "Now that’s more like it." After speaking, he seemed to recall something and cheerfully said to the ministers lying prostrate, "I forgot to tell you that I’ve wiped out all the people from Yangzhou."

Wiped out all of them?!!!

Upon hearing this, many ministers swallowed in fear.

Some ministers had their clothes drenched in cold sweat long ago.

A puddle lay before them, formed from the cold sweat dripping from their foreheads and faces.

"A dozen or so more are on their way being escorted back to the capital. They should arrive in two days, where they will be taken to the market place for decapitation," the emperor said, folding his arms with an air of nonchalance, "to let the people see the result for these criminals."

The ministers recalled the news they had heard before, that the family heads of the noble families in Yangzhou were to be escorted to the capital for execution. They hadn’t expected it to be true.

The emperor’s intent to cleanse Yangzhou was thorough and complete.

The situation in Yangzhou was not as straightforward as in the capital, yet the emperor had managed to clean house there entirely, indicating that he had been planning the purge of Yangzhou for a long time.

There was also that rebel Dong Jin.

The emperor likely knew long ago about Dong Jin’s cooperation with the noble families in Yangzhou, as well as their protection of Dong Jin.

Wait, could the rebellion in Yangzhou before have been... orchestrated by the emperor?

The emperor sent Duke Zhen’s youngest son to quell the rebellion in Yangzhou, yet it was never resolved, could it have been intentional?

Did Duke Zhen know beforehand of the emperor’s plan to deal with the noble families of Yangzhou?

The noble families of Yangzhou collaborated with the noble families in the capital; it’s impossible to bypass the Xie family.

The Xie family not getting involved means they refused the collaboration with Yangzhou’s noble families. Duke Zhen must have known of the emperor’s intent to eradicate the noble families in Yangzhou, hence refusing cooperation.

The emperor couldn’t possibly have told Duke Zhen about his plan to eliminate the noble families there.

Duke Zhen, this old fox, probably figured out some of the emperor’s plans through the deployment of his youngest son to quell the rebellion in Yangzhou.

Sure enough, old ginger is more potent!

The emperor’s plan to eradicate the noble families in Yangzhou was not even remotely leaked, what a scheme indeed!

The emperor remains as terrifying as ever!

The ministers did not know how they managed to leave Chengguang Hall.

In Fuyang Palace, upon learning that her brother was punished with a hundred boards, a three-year salary penalty, and three months of house arrest, Princess Consort Shu felt both relieved and fearful afterward.

She was relieved because the emperor spared her brother, not stripping him of his title, though his position as secretary was lost.

Frightened because the emperor even knew about the secret cooperation between the Wang family and the noble families in Yangzhou; fortunately, she had advised her brother not to get directly involved at the time.

The punishments for the brothers of Princess Consort De and Princess Consort Liang were the same as those for Marquis An Yang. However, Marquis Wuping lost his position as Grand Minister, and Marquis Yingchuan lost his General of Cavalry rank.

This meant that the three of them only retained their marquis titles without holding any significant positions.

Moreover, a substantial number of officials placed in the court by their three families were also purged.

This time, the Wang, Xun, and Yuan families suffered heavy losses. But at least they didn’t meet the same fate as the noble families of Yangzhou.

All other families collaborating with the noble families in Yangzhou were punished, without exception. Those deserving execution were executed, those to be exiled were exiled, and those to be imprisoned were imprisoned.

In the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince was discussing the matters in Yangzhou with Duke Zhen.

"Uncle, you were shrewd to reject the collaboration with the noble families from Yangzhou back then." The Crown Prince disapproved of cooperating with the noble families from Yangzhou. He had thought his uncle would agree, but to his surprise, his uncle refused outright.

"Those in Yangzhou are nothing more than a motley crew." Duke Zhen looked down upon the noble families from Yangzhou and disdained cooperating with them, no matter how substantial the price they offered. "They thought they could rival the emperor, disregarded him, and now look, they ended up being toyed with in the emperor’s palm."

The Crown Prince marveled, "Father is truly unfathomable."

"With this move, the emperor killed two birds with one stone, not only cleansing the noble families in Yangzhou but also intimidating those in the capital," Duke Zhen said sternly, "this is a warning from the emperor for us to behave."

"The noble families in Yangzhou were indeed too rampant, it’s no surprise father laid out plans to remove them."

"Although those in Yangzhou are a motley crew, wanting to uproot them in one fell swoop is not an easy task," Duke Zhen commented in admiration, "the emperor’s methods are truly superior."

"It’s a pity the Yu family was not involved," the Crown Prince said regretfully, "who would have thought Marquis Xuanping could resist the temptation and reject collaboration with the noble families from Yangzhou."

"Marquis Xuanping is a fool, but Noble Princess Consort Rong is not," Duke Zhen said coldly, "Noble Princess Consort Rong hasn’t relied merely on her looks to stay in favor for so many years."

"Though the Yu family wasn’t involved, the Wang, Xun, and Yuan families were punished, which is a good thing for us." The Wang family and the others were also a threat, and now that father has punished them, it saves us the trouble of dealing with them."

Upon mentioning the Wang family and others, Duke Zhen revealed a contemptuous smile, "Wang Yongnian wanted the Wang family to replace the Xie family, laughable to the extreme."

"In the coming period, the Wang family and others will behave," the Crown Prince said, "today, father demoted many from the Wang, Xun, and Yuan families, so we must quickly arrange for our people to fill those vacant positions."

Duke Zhen nodded slightly, "I will make arrangements for this matter."

"The positions of secretary and Grand Minister, we must at least secure one of them," the Crown Prince stated, "under no circumstances can Prince Dai’s people take it."

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