The First Prince glanced back at Minister Li, seeing his deep frown, it seemed this matter was not without basis.
As for the Consort of Prince Ke herself, she had never made a mistake.
It was her maternal family that was always causing them trouble. Originally, he thought the Li clan, with its many branches and large numbers, would be strong. Now, he felt it would be better if they had fewer people, saving him the daily task of cleaning up their messes.
Just as he was about to speak up to plead for him, he saw Emperor Qi grow impatient.
"The northwest has just returned victorious, and the southwest is facing floods. As officials of the Great Jin, instead of thinking of how to share my burdens, you are now stirring up public discontent. This is simply audacious!"
He shouted at Feng Jinxu, "This matter is entrusted to you. Make sure to root out those corrupt officials who prey on the common people. I will punish them severely!"
"Your humble servant obeys!"
Hearing that this matter was handed to Feng Jinxu brought both joy and sorrow.
Given his upright and incorruptible nature, the First Prince feared that all of the Li clan's unsavory dealings would be exposed. On the other hand, Minister You, who had just spoken, looked smug.
Feng Jinxu was now an official personally appointed by Emperor Qi to investigate the rape case in the suburbs. Therefore, no plea would be of any use.
The Li clan members arrived at Prince Ke's manor early to discuss the matter. The First Prince's face was ashen, and the Consort sitting beside him was also full of worry.
Although she now had the Imperial Grandson by her side, if she lost the First Prince's favor, her situation would be drastically different.
She cast a resentful glance at her brother, looking as if she couldn't understand why he wasn't more promising.
Minister Li, not as righteous as he was in court, spoke to Prince Ke with tears in his eyes.
"Your Highness, I truly did not order them to forcibly collect, I merely casually said to collect as in previous years. Who knew that fellow surnamed You would seize upon it!"
"Foolish! Have you not seen the amount of rain in the past half a year? Are you blind? Even if you are blind, what are the people you employ for? They only cause trouble for this prince every day!"
Prince Ke was quite displeased with them now, not even bothering to speak courteously.
After being scolded, Minister Li dared not speak in his own defense.
Instead, he desperately signaled to the Consort, hoping she would protect him as she had before.
Alas, no matter what, he was her brother. The Consort could not bear to see him implicated, so she could only brace herself and speak to her husband.
"Your Highness, this was an unintentional mistake on his part. Moreover, the grain that was forcibly collected has already been returned. Could Your Highness please speak to Lord Feng on his behalf? We are all officials of the court, and we see each other often. It would not benefit Your Highness at all to have the Li clan brought down."
Having accompanied Prince Ke for many years, she naturally knew what words would most move him.
She continued, "In a few days, it will be the Ninth Prince's wedding. To deliberately stir up trouble at this time seems like a scheme against Your Highness. If the Li family is truly dragged down, will they not succeed?"
The Ninth Prince was Prince Ke's sore point. He had to protect the Li clan just to prevent the Ninth Prince from gaining an advantage.
Otherwise, what authority would he have in court, and how could he expect others to follow him?
Seeing that he was somewhat moved, Minister Li immediately stepped forward and said.
"Your Highness, I have one more matter to report. On the night Duke Wei was assassinated, our informants outside his manor reported seeing people carrying a body out. As for who it was, we have not yet ascertained. I suspect this person might be connected to the assassins."
Hearing this, Prince Ke's anger subsided, and he asked.
"The body?"
"It was dismembered by the people of Duke Wei's manor and thrown into a mass grave, so its appearance was not seen."
Dismembered. What deep hatred would drive the Wei family to such an action? It seemed Minister Li's guess was correct.
"Investigate! Thoroughly investigate everyone who might have been bribed that day. I want to see what the Wei family is up to!"
With a few words, the topic of contention shifted.
Prince Ke agreed to speak on his behalf, but Feng Jinxu's "notorious" reputation made him unsure if he could persuade him.
The Consort and Minister Li thought that if the Prince spoke, Feng Jinxu, no matter how ruthless, would have to show some restraint.
Feng Jinxu handled cases with lightning speed. Before Prince Ke could even speak.
Minister Li had already been "summoned" to the Dali Temple and was never heard from again.
Prince Ke was greatly alarmed upon hearing this. Regardless, the Li family was his wife's clan. If he were truly dismissed and investigated, it would be an embarrassment for everyone. Thus, he rushed to the Dali Temple.
He emerged less than half an hour later, his face ashen, staring fiercely at the words "Dali Temple" for a long time before flicking his sleeves and leaving.
When Wei Dalang recounted the matter as a joke to Duke Wei, he remained indifferent.
His left eye had recovered quite well. It still hurt, but it was a blessing that his life was saved.
"The matter of forced collection was merely us making a mountain out of a molehill; it won't cripple the Li family. Have the affairs in Jinling City been properly arranged? That is the important matter."
His health was weak, and many things had to be handled by Wei Dalang and his subordinates, but he still felt uneasy.
Wei Dalang, having finally gained an opportunity in front of Duke Wei, would not let it go. He naturally assured him with a guarantee.
"Father, rest assured. Your son has already expedited a secret letter to have them deal with that scoundrel Liang Quanbin. Afterward, all traces of us in Jinling City will be erased. Even if Bai Chao'an suspects anything, there will be no evidence."
"That is good. It is just a pity for that child Lan'er."
Duke Wei's words were left unfinished, but the meaning was clear.
Since they were taking action against Liang Quanbin, they would naturally abandon the entire Liang family. Liang Pan and Liang Luo could not be spared.
Otherwise, if they learned of it, it might lead to future trouble.
Poor Wei Lanxuan was still immersed in her dreams of being a mother and being cherished by the Liang family, unaware of the tragic fate that awaited her!
In the Dali Temple, although Minister Li was imprisoned, no one resorted to torture.
Meanwhile, on Feng Jinxu's desk lay a world-shattering secret.
For the past few days, he had been investigating the matters in the suburbs. In truth, the Li family's case was not a major one. Rather, a bearded man on his estate was exceptionally arrogant and unreasonable.
He not only frequently beat and scolded the tenant farmers but also, in order to forcibly collect grain this time, forced a family to sell their children, leading to the couple hanging themselves at home. This gave Minister You leverage, which in turn implicated Minister Li.
The investigation of this bearded man was clearly laid out on paper. These crimes were not difficult to uncover. With the evidence in hand, it would be easy to apprehend this person. However, what caused him to be suspicious was a name he had never heard before.