The Choice Queen's
TCQ 56: Capturing Hunting Results
Mo Wei returned to the palace early in the morning after a two-day trip from Jinchuan. After his task was completed, he was about to report the results to Nangong Zirui.
If his king had not given him the additional task of investigating the incense in the Xiaoqin Embroidery House, Mo Wei could have returned two days earlier.
The king completely changed and so liked to oppress him and give him a lot of extra work. He was grieving and complaining in his heart, but was unable to express it. If he complains about it, then the King will only give him additional, more strenuous work.
The palace was still quiet as his feet stepped into the hall. The candle lights were partially extinguished as they melted and the wick ran out.
The distinctive aroma of incense billowing from the incense burner touched his nose. He wanted to cry, it felt like it had been a long time since he had smelled this scent.
“Your Majesty?” call him. Usually at a time like this, Nangong Zirui had already woken up and was already preparing for breakfast before attending the morning court meeting.
“Your Majesty? Are you awake? I came to report!”
Wang Bi suddenly appeared and patted him on the shoulder.
“Do not be noisy! Your Majesty is still sleeping!”
“Still asleep? Doesn't he always wake up at these hours?”
“Night His Majesty got drunk and went straight to sleep. He was exhausted after returning from the outside with the Sword Stakeholder.”
Mo Wei instantly widened and stared in disbelief at Wang Bi.
“What? Your Majesty take a walk without taking me? Holy hooch! I can't believe he's walking around without taking me! Eunuch Wang, is Your Majesty really traveling with the Sword Stakeholder?”
Really, Mo Wei wanted to cry out loud. The King could walk around without bringing his handsome and deft guard! Does the king not want it anymore? Geez, he really has the heart!
“Do not be noisy! Your Majesty is still sleeping!”
But, the sad and annoyed Mo Wei did not listen. He raved and said that Nangong Zirui was favoritism and did not want his subordinates anymore.
Wang Bi continued to calm down, giving him an unacceptable explanation by him. The eunuch even wanted to hit him in annoyance.
“What are you booming about?” nangong Zirui's heavy but very distinctive voice interrupted the two. Wang Bi and Mo Wei instantly turned to the origin of the voice.
Nangong Zirui emerged from behind the curtain with a golden-colored sleeping robe. His sleeping face is still left behind.
Mo Wei and Wang Bi's noisy voice kept him awake and he knew it was morning. He got off the bed, then walked over to Wang Bi and Mo Wei.
Mo Wei immediately ran over and wanted to hug him, but Nangong Zirui held him back and his hand stretched out holding Mo Wei's head.
“What are you fussing about in my palace?”
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty is so unfair! How could you go for a walk with the Sword Stakeholder without waiting for me! Huhuhoo! Your Majesty, you must compensate me!”
Nangong Zirui pushed him and put on a slightly irritated face. He exhaled a bit rough.
This early in the morning why is the bodyguard making a noise? The streets were just trivial matters, why would he fuss about it to such an extent? Nangong Zirui is having trouble continuing his rest!
“Talk about something serious! Didn't you come to report?”
“Already suspected! Your Majesty does not want this subordinate of yours anymore.”
“Are you a woman? Why are you sulking like that? In vain I trained you all this time and made you my bodyguard!”
“Alright, I'm not fussing anymore. Your Majesty, the account book examination is complete and the investigation has grown. Bordil Xiaoqin house and the residence of Grand Lord Su, his arrest is only just waiting for His Majesty's order.”
“Su Ren does a lot of corruption and money laundering. He also falsified records and helped the cunning nobles. The crime of deceiving the King, it is inevitable,” Nangong Zirui said. “How about the dup?”
“Report, Your Honor. The incense in the Xiaoqin Embroidery House was a typical incense specially ordered by the place. According to records, the late Queen Ling once asked for the incense to an entertainer of her acquaintance because she liked the aroma.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“No. But, it can become dangerous when mixed with other ingredients. I've already requested a dupe sample and sent it to the Palace Medicine Hall for research.”
“Good. Wang Bi, ask Xiao Feng to go to the Palace Medicine Hall to take the results of his examination later,”, said Nangong Zirui who was replied by a nod by Wang Bi.
If the problem is found in the dupe, then Ling Sui's illness and death will be a case of intentional murder. Whoever the mastermind behind the scenes is, Nangong Zirui swore to arrest him and put him on trial. He had dared to harm Queen Donghao and kill him slowly, it was already extremely cruel and intolerable.
Mo Wei nodded obediently, then she hesitantly looked at Nangong Zirui. “But, Your Majesty, how about Concubine Su?”
If Su Ren was arrested and his crimes were exposed, then Su Min would not stand firmly in the harem. She was only a concubine and Jinchuan was her foundation.
When the stone collapsed, he would not stand up straight. The king is the type of person who likes to root. Mo Wei was worried that Su Min would come to accept the consequences for her father's crimes.
“Su Min is Jincuan's daughter. He ate the proceeds of his father's crime. If he wants to work with me, I can forgive him.”
When Jinchuan loses the Great Lord to an unforgivable crime, Jinchuan's authority will be restored to court. So, his power and management rights will be in the hands of the King. It is time to reunite the powers, and the process is already done step by step.
Danchuan had given up first. Jinchuan was actually not a second target, it was just that the sky was helping Nangong Zirui. He received a lot of secret information regarding Su Ren's corruption and greed, so he seized the opportunity to uncover and find more evidence.
This hunt, only half more.
*
Upon hearing the news that the Supreme Court sent men to arrest Lord Jinchuan, the, Su Min who was having a casual conversation with Fei Jia and Shen Lihua immediately left the Back Palace area and ran to Qihua Palace. Su Min wanted to ask for an explanation from the King regarding his father's arrest.
Nangong Zirui, as usual, only responded simply. He was still focused on the book he read regardless of the wails and cries of Su Min who was sitting on her knees on the cold floor. His crying voice was heart-wrenching, but unable to pierce through the harshness of Nangong Zirui's heart.
“If you don't stop crying, I will have the bodyguard drag you out of here,’ Nangong Zirui said coldly.
Su Min sobbed. Her tears flowed, making her powder-polished cheeks have thin streaks of traces of her tear streams.
“Your Majesty, does Your Majesty also not want to be merciful? He is my father, can His Majesty forgive him?”
“Pardon? Concubine Su, you look down on me too much. The law has no eyes, no blunt upward or sharp downward. Whether it was your father or even my own mother, they would receive consequences regardless of their status and standing.”
“But, Your Majesty, please consider him who has served the kingdom for decades. Please give him a chance to make amends,” Su Min pleaded again. He was afraid that Nangong Zirui would actually punish his father and not let go of his family.
“I've given him a chance. If he's smart, he can meet me right away when the account book check is done. I planned to forgive him at that time. But, Consort Su, your father did not do it.”
Nangong Zirui put the book down. He stood up, walked towards the window and stared at the shallow fish pond nonstop. His expression was so calm even though he was talking about Su Ren's crimes.
For him, there is no mercy for the high-class criminals who torment the people and reap the benefits for his own sake.
“You know why?” asked Nangong Zirui. “Because the crime is not just that.”
Su Min widened. “What does Your Majesty mean?”
The corner of Nangong Zirui's mouth was raised.
“You will know it soon.”
Su Min's shoulder sagged. He was not ignorant of the bribery and corruption crimes his father had committed. Su Min simply did not expect that the day his crime was revealed could come this fast and the King did not seem to want to let go.
The king also said that his crime was not just that. If the King finds the evidence and his father is punished, then it is the downfall of the Su family. When the Su family fell, Jinchuan would experience another change of leadership. To Su Min, it was a great disaster!
“If you can cooperate with me, I can guarantee your position. Of course, I won't force it. Concubine Su, think carefully of my offer.”
“Do husband and wife also need like this, Your Majesty?’
Su Min asked with pain in his heart. Entering the harem by becoming one of the king's wives is a moment of plunging into a deep abyss, which makes the man lonely and feel how cruel the world is and how powerful power is.
When you hold power, you will survive and when you lose power, your life will be over. Su Min was too naive and thought he could live comfortably in the King's harem.
This palace, it turned out to be nothing more than a wolf cage.
“I'm not just your husband, Consort Su. I am King Donghao and my relationship with your father is not just a son-in-law and in-law. Your father is the ruler of Jinchuan and I am the King. Can you tell the difference?”
“Your Majesty, please pity my father and give him a chance.” Su Min is still stubborn and still pleads. Nangong Zirui remained firm and his heart did not waver.
“Concubine Su, it's late. Go back to your palace and think carefully of what I said.”
Su Min was still kneeling, while Nangong Zirui had already walked out of his palace without caring about it.
