The relationship between the two of them was clear from the very beginning. Moreover, Concubine Xue had caused trouble in between. It was only natural for the emperor to dislike the queen.
"I'm glad you can think this through. Don't worry. I'll preserve the good name of the Xie family," the emperor promised the queen.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," the queen said, bowing.
The emperor definitely had to preserve the reputation of the Xie family, at least for the time being. If the scholars from poor families succeeded in their petition and the Duke of Xie was disgraced, wouldn't it make them go head - to - head? This was not what the emperor wanted to see.
The next day, the emperor announced that the Duke of Xie was out of danger and the debate would continue.
This time, without the Duke of Xie to lead them, and with the emperor's ambiguous attitude, the powerful officials and nobles were at a disadvantage in terms of momentum. Their opponent was Lu Tianxun, who was a top figure among the nobles. Who could be his match?
However, the debate still lasted for two days. Several officials were exhausted, but Lu Tianxun still stood firm. The scholars from poor families were greatly encouraged and their morale soared.
In the end, the nobles lost on all the topics. There was no point in them holding on, so they had to submit.
Yi Qing had been idle at home for two days. Wu Min had already removed the life - extending gu worm, and the Duke of Xie had no other problems except that he was still unconscious.
"I'm telling you, as long as he's alive, you have to prepare a dowry for me," Wu Min said, sitting side by side with Yi Qing on the lounge chair.
"Here you are," Yi Qing said, directly giving Wu Min a banknote worth 100,000 taels of silver.
"What do you mean?"
"One hundred thousand taels of silver is enough to prepare a grand dowry."
"Don't try to fool me. You received 230,000 taels from them."
Yi Qing thought Wu Min was not easy to fool now. "I did receive 230,000 taels. Among them, 200,000 taels was the treatment fee. It's fair for us to split it evenly, right?"
"Right."
"The accommodation fee is for staying at my place, so it's all mine. No problem, right?"
"Right," Wu Min nodded. "But the treatment fee is one thing. The grand dowry you promised me has nothing to do with the treatment fee."
Yi Qing directly took back the box. "Then I never said I'd give you the treatment fee. I don't have to give it to you."
"Fine," Wu Min said, spreading her hands.
Yi Qing didn't know what to say. Was this girl easy to deceive or not?
"Madam," Ruo Hong came in and bowed. Xue Miao'er was following behind.
"Sister Yi, please save my father," Xue Miao'er said, kneeling directly and lying on the armrest of the lounge chair, looking at Yi Qing pleadingly.
Seeing her acting coquettishly, Yi Qing said, "Get up first. Didn't I send Yuan Hecong?"
Xue Miao'er refused to get up. "I won't get up until you save my father."
"Then just kneel there," Yi Qing said angrily. "You've even learned to threaten me."
Xue Miao'er immediately got up and patted her knees. "My father was really ridding the people of a scourge."
"After being with me for so long, why are you still so stupid? With your father's status, how could he end up as a murderer while ridding the people of a scourge?" Yi Qing said, looking at her with disappointment.
Previously, there was the Tianlang Stockade, and the local gentry and bullies were more restrained. Since the Tianlang Stockade was gone, it was like there was no tiger in the mountains and the monkeys became the kings. Some bullies began to harm the people.
Those hooligans had a characteristic. They always made profits on the edge of the law. They trampled on the moral bottom line, but never broke the law. Even if they forced someone to commit suicide, they were not legally responsible.
That Meng Tianyou was such a person. He molested civilian girls, bullied the weak, forced good women into prostitution... The locals hated him to the core, but they couldn't do anything about him. He even encroached on the territory of the Tianlang Stockade.
"My father just went to reason with him. I didn't expect him to be so vulnerable and died from the beating," Xue Miao'er said aggrievedly.
"What was his name?" Yi Qing frowned.
"Meng Tianyou," Xue Miao'er repeated.
"Is he related to the Meng family, the former provincial governor of Henan?" Yi Qing asked directly.
Xue Miao'er thought for a while. "I don't think so. Just the same surname?"
Yi Qing thought it was normal for Xue Tianlang to get into this trouble. "Ruo Hong, go and investigate this Meng Tianyou. Tell Yuan Hecong that even if he just has the same surname, we have to link him to the former provincial governor Meng family and get Xue Tianlang out."
"Yes," Ruo Hong bowed.
When dealing with such people, what's the use of reasoning?
"Will that be enough?" Xue Miao'er was a bit surprised.
Yi Qing frowned at Xue Miao'er. Logically, Yuan Hecong shouldn't be so stupid that he couldn't save Xue Tianlang.
"What's wrong?" Xue Miao'er thought there was something on her face.
"Why did Yuan Hecong let you come back alone?" Yi Qing looked at Xue Miao'er.
"He said I should rest assured. He would definitely save my father."
"Then why are you crying in front of me?"
"I thought more people would make it easier to save my father."
"You still think one plus one equals two," Yi Qing thought Xue Tianlang should be fine. Otherwise, Xue Miao'er wouldn't be so calm.
But since Xue Miao'er was so calm, why didn't Yuan Hecong save Xue Tianlang and come back with Xue Miao'er?
Thinking of this, Yi Qing was a bit worried. "Ruo Hong, go and find Lu Tianzuo. Ask Lu Tianzuo to lead a group of personal guards in plain clothes to find Yuan Hecong."
They had inquired about the situation in Henan after they came back from there, but they didn't know what was going on now. This matter was a bit strange.
"Should I inform the general?" Ruo Hong asked for instructions, since military forces were going to be used.
"Yes," Yi Qing nodded.
Ruo Hong left, and Xue Miao'er sat on one side of Yi Qing, eating.
"Aunt Miao'er," Xiao Ran came running over.
"Xiao Ran—" Xue Miao'er directly picked up Xiao Ran.
Seeing how much Xiao Ran liked Xue Miao'er, and thinking that Xiao Ran didn't even recognize her when she came back, Yi Qing felt a pang of sadness for no reason. She decided that she would never leave her two children again.
Xue Miao'er started taking care of Xiao Ran as soon as she came back. Yi Qing thought this wouldn't work. She was afraid Xue Miao'er would make Xiao Ran stupid. She had to find someone as smart as Zisu to take care of Xiao Ran.
Thinking that Zisu had become the female emperor, it seemed impossible to find another one like her. Yi Qing thought this was quite difficult.
Xiao Jinghan came back and asked Yi Qing about Lu Tianzuo. "Are you worried that Yuan Hecong is in danger in Henan?"
"I sent Yuan Hecong to save Xue Miao'er. He was willing to give up his official position because he couldn't get leave. Do you think he would be willing to be separated from Xue Miao'er? Besides, with Yuan Hecong's ability and the influence of the Yuan family in the Great Jin Dynasty, it's not difficult to save Xue Tianlang."
"So you suspect that something happened to Yuan Hecong?" Xiao Jinghan thought it made sense.
Yi Qing shook her head. "I suspect he encountered something more important. Since he's not sure, he didn't let Xue Miao'er take risks with him."
Xiao Jinghan trusted Yi Qing's judgment. Although the matter in Henan was over, there might still be some remaining evils. Moreover, the son of the Prince of Min hadn't been found yet.
"Madam Zhou died in the prison," Xiao Jinghan suddenly said. "Lord Zhou was found to have sheltered Madam Zhou and was implicated. He was dismissed from his post. Guess who the new assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites is?"
"Song Jinzhao," Yi Qing said directly.
Xiao Jinghan looked at Yi Qing, and his eyes gradually became dangerous.
"Don't misunderstand. That guy is so straightforward that you can't ignore him," Yi Qing quickly explained.