Chapter 816
Wang Tianyi
Chapter 816 Wang Tianyi
The case was led by Lord Zhao of the Dali Temple, so all the criminals were imprisoned in the Dali Temple's jail.
After Lord Zhao and the other prisoners were safely imprisoned, they went together to the palace to report to the emperor.
The emperor listened to their report without expression, then dismissed Lord Zhao and Lord Fang, leaving Yun Yan behind.
As soon as they left, Yun Yan knelt down to reply.
The Emperor asked, "Is it true or false that Sun Xin accused Prince Lu of colluding with Japanese pirates?"
Yun Yan lowered his head and replied, "It's true."
"Colluding with the Northern Hu?"
“It is true,” Yun Yan paused before saying, “This matter was discovered by the King’s seal. In recent years, the King of Lu has severed his cooperation with the Northern Hu, but the palace’s contact with the Northern Hu has never been broken.”
"You mean Mr. Wang?"
Yun Yan's heart pounded, and he lowered his head, saying, "Your Majesty, I dare not speak presumptuously. I have only discovered that the Northern Hu have connections with the palace, but I do not know who is behind them."
The emperor sneered and asked, "How is the investigation into the Jingyuan Marquis's residence progressing?"
Yun Yan said, "Sun Xin spoke with absolute certainty. I personally interrogated Sun Chao, and he also said that he directly sought out Wang Tianyi, the nephew of Wang Ji who was in charge of clan affairs."
"I'm asking whether Wang Ji was aware of this," the emperor asked coldly. "Was he like the Prince of Lu, knowingly and deliberately opposing me, or was he like the Earl of Huichang, kept in the dark?"
Yun Yan said, "This matter can only be investigated by Wang Tianyi and Wang Ji. Please allow the Northern Garrison to interrogate Wang Ji and Wang Tianyi."
The emperor remained silent for a long time before saying, "Since you have doubts, go and ask Wang Tianyi."
This means they don't want to touch Wang Ji.
Yun Yan frowned in confusion, but Wang Zhen, who was not in the hall, had already guessed that the emperor would definitely not touch Wang Ji.
"The rebellion of Deng Maoqi in Fujian has not ceased. The Battle of Luchuan was only quelled a year ago. Si Jifa has seized Mengyang and colluded with various tribes in Burma. He is poised to make a comeback. Now is the time for His Majesty to rely on General Wang. You can reassure General Wang that His Majesty will not investigate further."
The young eunuch acknowledged the order and withdrew. After he left, Li De asked in confusion, "Master, so the Wang family has been exonerated just like that?"
Wang Zhen sneered: "Trying to completely exonerate yourself? Dream on! Our Emperor has grown up, and his balancing act is beginning to show results. With such a huge handle on Wang Ji being handed to him, His Majesty will not refuse to use it. Just wait and see, even if His Majesty leniently lets Wang Ji off the hook, he will still make an example of him."
"According to our informants in the Fujian Navy, Huichangbo and Wang Ji were indeed unaware of the incident of the interception and killing of the mission at sea."
Wang Zhen: "Whether they knew or not, since the people who made the mistake are surnamed Wang and Sun, and they used the names of the Jingyuan Earl's Mansion and the Huichang Earl's Mansion, it is equivalent to them committing the crime."
"If they are so heartless as to abandon people..."
Wang Zhen chuckled and said, "You underestimate scholars. If death could wipe out debts, what would be the point of family traditions? What would be the point of talking about benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness?"
Li De suddenly realized and laughed, "That's right. They're not like us, rootless people. When people die, they're gone. They still have descendants and family ties."
Wang Zhen's smile was faint, and his expression was somewhat unpleasant.
Li De felt a little embarrassed. Wang Zhangyin always considered himself a scholar and was proud of his Xiucai background. However, he did not know that scholars would disdain this eunuch who could not even pass the Juren exam and could only rely on self-castration to enter the palace to seek power.
Li De thought to himself: Just as Cao Jixiang said, even though he is a eunuch like them, he still looks down on them from the bottom of his heart.
At the Jingyuan Marquis's residence, Wang Ji received a reply from the palace. He crumpled the note and sat there expressionless.
Madam Wang brought him a bowl of tea. Seeing his solemn expression, she still said, "Tianyi is here again. This time, my third sister-in-law came with him. I saw her standing in the cold wind at her age, so I had someone invite her to rest in the guest room." Wang Ji pursed his lips, feeling displeased, but thinking that his third sister-in-law was also over sixty, he didn't say anything.
But Madam Wang had been his wife for forty years, how could she not know what he was thinking?
She pushed the teacup towards him and asked in a low voice, "Is there really no way to resolve this?"
“Intercepting and killing the delegation is tantamount to rebellion, a crime punishable by the extermination of three generations. Not to mention Wang Tianyi, even I might not be able to protect myself now,” Wang Ji said with a stern face. “I don’t want to say any more unpleasant things. What’s done is done, and there’s no use in expressing any more resentment. Tell your third sister-in-law to have Tianyi’s youngest son and his wife divorce before the Embroidered Uniform Guard comes knocking. Perhaps that can preserve a bloodline.”
Madam Wang stopped pleading and got up to leave.
As soon as I stepped outside, I saw Wang Tianyi kneeling in the cold wind.
These past two days, Beijing has experienced a sudden cold snap, with the icy chill seeping into people's bones.
Wang Tianyi knelt on the ground with his head bowed. Upon hearing the door open, he immediately straightened up and looked at Madam Wang with anticipation.
Madam Wang walked past him with a sullen face. She stopped just as she was about to leave the courtyard and turned back to say, "Tianyi, your uncle passed the imperial examination in the fourth year of Yongle and served four emperors. He never dared to be negligent towards His Majesty. You have quite the nerve. You killed the emperor's delegation without a second thought. Do you really have that much power, or are you just borrowing your uncle's power?"
Wang Tianyi's body stiffened.
Madam Wang sneered, "It's ridiculous. Your uncle has to be careful in court, but you, who are just trying to take advantage of his position, are arrogant and domineering enough. Now our whole family's lives are in your hands."
Wang Tianyi stood stiffly until the footsteps faded into the distance before his shoulders slumped. He knelt for a long time before finally getting up and swaying away.
As he walked through the front yard, he suddenly heard his mother's mournful cries coming from the neighboring courtyard.
His face turned pale, and he clenched his fists involuntarily.
He's a good nephew when you need him, but when you don't, you want to kick him to the curb.
How can it be that easy?
He had only made a mistake; due to time constraints, he hadn't had time to discuss it with Wang Ji. He thought that if he had discussed it with Wang Ji, Wang Ji would have agreed to his decision.
The money his family earned from maritime trade each year supported more than a hundred people in the Wang family. If it weren't for him, would Wang Ji have been able to fight so smoothly in battle?
If the Earl of Huichang could protect Sun Chao, how could Wang Ji not protect him?
It's just that they don't want to protect it.
Wang Tianyi did not pick up his mother, but left directly.
He went to the best restaurant in the capital, ordered the finest food and drank the best wine. When he was almost drunk, he retained the last shred of his sanity, stumbled and climbed to the top of the restaurant, and laughed foolishly: "I hate you all, I wish I could drag you all down to hell with me, but... I can't do that."
Wang Tianyi shakily climbed to the top of the restaurant and pushed open the window...
Meanwhile, Pan Yun and his group were standing at the foot of the Taotie Tower, looking up at the brightly lit skyscraper and exclaiming, "It's so beautiful!"
Pan Yu, who led them there, said proudly, "See? I told you it was good. The lanterns on this whole building were hung up during the Lantern Festival. Even after the Lantern Festival, the Taotie Building was not dismantled. The lights are still on every day, and it is said that they will stay lit until the Dragon Raises Its Head on the Second Day of the Second Lunar Month."
Pan Yun's mouth watered at the aroma wafting through the air: "Second Brother, which floor is our private room on?"
“No, our private room is in that building.” Pan Yu twisted Pan Yun’s neck, pointing her to the two-story building next to Taotie Tower.
Pan Yun's smile froze: "What? Aren't we going to Taotie Restaurant for dinner?"
"Do I look like someone who could afford to eat at Taotie Restaurant?" Pan Yu glanced at his brother and said, "Father does have that opportunity, provided he's greedy enough."
Pan Yun: "..."
(End of this chapter)