The news that the Song family's ancestral tomb had been disturbed overnight spread. There were many people guarding the city gate. Xiao Yan went in and out with the black-armored guards. The coffin that was carried into the city was not covered. During the morning court the next day, many people had already heard about what happened last night.
Knowing that Song Xi's lineage had been expelled from the Song clan and that the coffin had been moved to the back hill of the unfinished academy, many people whispered about the matter.
Some said that the Song family deserved it, some naturally scolded Tang Ning for being disobedient and unfilial, and of course there were even more people who scolded Xiao Yan for taking advantage of his power to bully others.
As was the custom at the morning court, just as the official business was over and they were discussing whether it was time to adjourn, someone came out to impeach Xiao Yan for abusing his power as a member of the Black Armor Guard and oppressing the Song family.
Qian Baokun was the first to speak up: "What do you mean by abusing your power?"
"The Princess of Yiyang County has long obtained the approval of His Majesty to make a clear distinction between herself and the Song family. Moreover, this matter involves the rebellion of Prince Cheng and Song Hong. It is only a matter of time before the tomb is moved. Governor Xiao is only exercising his authority to do his job. How can he bully others by taking advantage of his power?"
Cao Dejiang also stood aside, holding the white jade tablet in his hand and said calmly: "Did the Black Armor Guards trespass into the Song family?"
The courtier who was speaking said in a hurry: "In front of everyone, the Black Armored Guards entered the Song family..."
"Whose eyes?"
After Cao Dejiang's words, everyone subconsciously looked at Xiao Yan who was standing in the front. Seeing that he just looked at them with a cold and light expression, those people suddenly realized how familiar this scene was.
Once upon a time, the phrase "in public view" caused the person who impeached Xiao Yan to be whipped in front of the palace every day. Thinking of the Censor He who had broken his knees two days ago and voluntarily resigned from his post and returned home with his whole family, and was only reluctantly allowed His Majesty to spare him from "endorsing" in front of the palace, everyone bowed their heads in unison.
Song Hong was not the only one from the Song family who served in the court. There was also another person from the Song family who served as the Shaofu. Although his official position was not high, he still had the right to attend the court.
Seeing Emperor An yawning listlessly, Xiao Yan was obviously not in good spirits. He raised his eyes and looked at the official from the Song family: "Since Du Siye is using this as an excuse to impeach, why not ask the Song family."
"Minister Song, I was in a hurry last night. Did I disturb anyone in your house?"
The Song official turned pale when he was named. He stepped forward holding his tablet, lowered his head and whispered, "You all have misunderstood. Although Governor Xiao led people to the clan last night, he did not harm any member of the Song clan. He also knocked on the door to visit the Yiyang County Lady and did not offend anyone."
"The Princess of Yiyang informed the clan a few days ago about the removal from the clan membership. Later, she asked someone to check the time and chose to do it last night. The Song family approved this matter. As for moving the coffin, it was just to make it easier for the Princess to worship in the future."
"Song Rong, you!!" The man who had impeached Xiao Yan earlier suddenly widened his eyes: "Last night, the Black Armor Guards surrounded the Song family and almost smashed the Song family ancestral hall. Why should you be afraid of him in front of His Majesty…"
"Master Du has misunderstood."
The official of the Song family spoke quickly and urgently: "The Black Armored Guards were only guarding the Song family gate and never approached the ancestral hall. Moreover, opening the ancestral hall and moving the graves are both important events in the clan. It is not appropriate for the clan elders to discuss this matter with the county lady and it should not be known to outsiders. Supervisor Xiao was worried that someone would take the opportunity to spy and add to speculation, leading to misunderstandings between the Song family and the county lady, so he kindly ordered people to guard the gate."
Although Xiao Yan had kept silent about what happened at the ancestral grave last night and no one outside knew about it, he, his father, and several elders of the Song family knew it clearly.
The coffins of Song Xi and his wife were dug up, their bodies were damaged and scattered, and even the graves were full of unclean things. It was a good thing that Song Tangning didn't bring people to destroy the entire Song family.
They were originally angry about Xiao Yan forcing the Song family to open a clan temple, and they had thought about making Tang Ning know the consequences of betraying the clan. However, after the incident with the ancestral tomb, they were left with only a guilty conscience.
At this time, they hoped that Tang Ning and Xiao Yanbie would vent their anger on the entire Song family because of this matter, so how could they dare to make trouble by using the matter of expulsion from the family.
Xiao Yan had a bad reputation, and Censor He had suffered the consequences first. Song Rong lowered his head and said:
"Your Majesty, Governor Xiao has good intentions, and is definitely not like what Lord Du speculated. Moreover, although Princess Yiyang has left the Song family, the Song clan still treats her like a daughter of the clan. It was the Song clan that treated her badly in the past. I, your humble servant, and the clan all hope that she will be well in the future."
Lord Du's face turned pale.
Qian Baokun snorted coldly and said, "No one from the Song family said anything, but Lord Du was very attentive. If you don't know, you might think it was your Du family's ancestral tomb that was dug up."
"I only give advice for the sake of a clean and clear court..." Lord Du said anxiously.
Cao Dejiang stood aside after hearing this, glanced at the officials from the noble families, and said coldly: "Since it is a remonstrance, you should be cautious. As an important official in the court, you wantonly impeach without knowing the facts. Is Du Siye going to do the job of our Censorate?"
"How about I give this position to you?"
"Lord Cao…" Lord Du's face turned even paler. He turned his head to look at Emperor An who looked impatient. He knelt down and said, "I have absolutely no such intention. I am just worried that someone in the court will abuse his power. The arbitrary transfer of the Black Armor Guards will lead to speculation from outsiders and bring disaster to your Majesty's holy name…"
"Since your majesty has put the Black Armor Guard under the jurisdiction of the Privy Council, there is no need for others to interfere. Everyone in the court has performed their duties and has never overstepped their authority. But Du Siye, as a civil official, you have overstepped your authority by keeping an eye on the Privy Council's investigation."
Cao Dejiang usually keeps silent, but once he does, he hits the nail on the head. "Besides, instead of keeping an eye on the Privy Council, it would be better for Du Siye to take good care of the students of the Imperial College and prevent them from getting involved in sex scandals. This might help the court save some face."
Emperor An knocked on the dragon throne impatiently, and paused when he heard this: "What scandal?"
Cao Dejiang said calmly, "Half a month ago, Imperial College student Teng Jianping was hanging out in brothels. He and another student had a fight in the brothel over a newly listed courtesan, and it also affected the people who were in the brothel that day."
"Because the injury was so severe, the matter was reported to the Jingzhao government office. It was said that Teng Jianping still owed the brothel hundreds of dollars on credit, which caused several prostitutes to cry in front of the government office. Later, Du Siye went to the Jingzhao government to redeem the person. I just don't know if Du Siye paid off the money with the person."
Qian Baokun said, "This is really the biggest joke in the world. The emperor's gate, the students of the Imperial Academy, carefully selected future officials, even have to buy on credit when visiting a brothel..."
He made a "tsk" sound, and Emperor An's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
The director of the Imperial College was on the verge of collapse and fell to his knees with a thud.
Xiao Yan didn't say much from beginning to end. The impeachment of Lord Du failed, and he was impeached by the Censorate for corruption and was dragged away.
Seeing that one person was killed but Xiao Yan didn't get into any trouble at all, the court officials from the aristocratic families turned pale and cursed Cao Dejiang and Qian Baokun inwardly for getting involved with that eunuch.
Xiao Yan looked at the court officials who were furious but helpless, and said calmly, "I was going to report to Your Majesty about what happened last night, but Du Siye was too anxious."
"Prince Cheng was plotting treason and had been in prison for many days, but he refused to speak. I had to use some tricks to get him to confess. Since this matter was somehow related to Song Xi and his wife, I took people to the Song family overnight."
Emperor An was more energetic: "He confessed?"
Xiao Yan nodded, and handed Prince Cheng's confession, as well as the confessions of several people from the Ministry of War and the Armament Department, to the eunuch Feng who came forward, and asked him to hold them and pass them to Emperor An.
Seeing Emperor An looking down, Xiao Yan said, "According to Prince Cheng, he, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War Hou Rui, and the Supervisor of the Military Equipment Department Gong Jinghao all met because of the Lu family. The minerals and other things he used to refine the iron were also obtained from the Lu family."
"When Song Xi was alive, he noticed that the noble families were colluding with the princes for personal gain. He and Madam Rong did not die accidentally, but were murdered by someone."
The other people in the court immediately made a commotion. An official from a noble family angrily said, "You are clearly slandering. Prince Cheng had no dealings with the Lu family in the past, and Song Xi has been dead for many years..."
"No matter how many years have passed since his death, as long as he did it, there will be traces left. It is not uncommon for the case to be overturned many years later." Xiao Yan looked at the person who spoke indifferently: "As for Prince Cheng and the Lu family, although there is no contact, it does not mean that they have never colluded."
"Prince Cheng confessed himself that he had been in contact with the Lu family before the late emperor passed away. After Your Majesty ascended the throne, the Lu family distanced themselves from him on the surface to avoid suspicion, but they had never broken off contact with him secretly."
"In the case of grain embezzlement, Recorder Song once reported that the Lu family helped people in Beijing transport goods on the southern grain transport. The account book also stated this. Prince Cheng had a cloth shop under someone else's name. They had used the Lu family's merchant ships to transport iron ore to Beijing several times to avoid searches at various checkpoints in Beijing."
The faces of those people from the aristocratic families changed drastically. The Lu family had never mentioned this matter before, and even those who were involved in the grain transport case had never known about the lucky iron mine.
They subconsciously looked at Emperor An, and saw that the previously listless Emperor An now had a gloomy face.
Before the late emperor passed away, Crown Prince Li got into trouble, and Prince Chen became the most popular candidate for the Eastern Palace. At that time, the Lu family chose to support Emperor An, who was still a prince at the time, without hesitation, and even brought other families along. For this reason, after Emperor An ascended the throne, the daughter of the Lu family became the queen.
The friendship of assistance back then was the greatest reliance of the aristocratic families. Even though Emperor An repeatedly targeted the aristocratic families, he did not dare to go too far openly. He could not afford the reputation of being ungrateful. Therefore, even when Lu Zhao was in trouble and Lu Chongyuan was under house arrest, Emperor An never touched Queen Lu.
But now the so-called assistance has been mixed with water. The Lu family has been secretly colluding with Prince Cheng and has always been eating from both sides. This is more deadly than their corruption.
Emperor An looked through the things in his hand and asked coldly, "What else did Xie Tianyu say?"
Xiao Yan said, "That's all for now. He didn't want to reveal the Lu family's affairs, but he couldn't stand the torture and started talking. Now he's fainted, so it's hard to interrogate him again. But Hou Rui and the other two confessed a lot, and their confessions are all here. It's enough to charge Prince Cheng with treason."
"Enough for what?"
Emperor An was full of coldness and a sinister look: "Since he dared to collude with the Lu family, who knows if he has other evil deeds. Let me continue to interrogate him. I must interrogate him thoroughly."
He was talking about a case of treason, but anyone could tell that his target was the Lu family.
Xiao Yan had long anticipated Emperor An's intentions, and knew that Emperor An would not let it go if the matter of Prince Cheng was linked to the Lu family. He lowered his eyes and said respectfully: "Your humble servant will obey the emperor's will, but the matter of Prince Cheng happened a long time ago. If the trial continues, I am afraid that many people will be implicated..."
"So what? Daring to collude with King Cheng and plotting rebellion is a serious crime. You must carefully interrogate them for me. Anyone who is involved in this case, whether it is the past or the present, will not be forgiven!"
With Emperor An's words, Xiao Yan achieved his goal for today.
He lowered his head and raised his lips silently: "I obey your order."
…