Resourceful beauty

Chapter 166

On April [-]th, when the results of the palace examination came out, all the courtiers dropped their jaws in shock.

After the general examination, a total of 120 eight candidates were selected, the top 54 and the six people who were promoted by Emperor Ruian to participate in the hall selection, a total of 60 people participated in the palace examination in Zhaoyang Hall, and now, the top three of the first class are all from those six people Among them, among the 54 people selected in the general examination, the one with the best grades is only the top-ranked Chuanlu.

In the early morning, several chief examiners bowed their heads, their backs covered in cold sweat, and Qiu Zongde stood at the front of the civil servants team with his head held high, like a glow on his back.

The secret letter sent to Ningbei has not been replied for a long time, so Qiu Zongde knew that something might have happened. Now, the spring that he created with his own hands ended in such a funny way, and he felt more and more bad in his heart.

In the first place, Emperor Rui'an seemed very happy to be able to select so many young talents. On the other hand, he still enjoyed the Qionglin Banquet, which was set for the next night.

After that, he retreated.

Emperor Rui'an didn't comment too much on the few unsuccessful candidates who soared up to the first class, and didn't even glance at him, but Qiu Zongde just felt: something happened.

Returning to the Qiu residence, he couldn't take care of much anymore, so Qiu Zongde summoned his eldest son who had always been highly valued, and asked him to take a few days off from Shangfeng on the grounds that Mrs. Qiu was seriously ill and needed a sick person, and went to Ningbei in person.

"You don't need to look for King Lu, as long as you reach the border of Ningbei, you can find out what's going on with King Lu, then hurry back and don't reveal your whereabouts."

Qiu Zongde exhorted with a serious face.

Knowing that the matter was of great importance, Qiu Ran nodded in agreement, left Qiu Zongde's study, went back to the room and explained, and waited until it was dark and approaching the curfew time before leaving the city gate with ease.

Having been an official for many years, from a small staff member to the current prime minister who is under [-] people, Qiu Zongde knows very well: the bigger the bet, the more wins and losses.

But at this moment, it is absolutely impossible for him to admit that he has lost.

Once the emperor and the courtiers, as long as there is no accident to King Lu, Qiu Zongde firmly believes that Emperor Rui'an will not suspect him.

Otherwise, in the year when Emperor Rui'an ascended the throne, he would not have added the glory of the prince and tutor to himself. Since he had never doubted him at that time, it would not be the case now, and he must not act rashly because of his temporary speculation.

Though thinking about it like this, Qiu Zongde felt that he couldn't sit still and wait for death.

After returning to the main room to discuss with his wife, on the second day, Mrs. Qiu took several concubines and children, and left the capital in the name of returning to her hometown to pray for the elders.

When Fang Ruxuan heard the news, she only thought for a moment, and then told Kapok: "Just pretend not to know. Since the Holy Majesty didn't arrange for father to do anything, let's pretend that we don't know. Otherwise, let him know that we are always watching Going to the Qiu Mansion instead caused unnecessary trouble."

Mu Mian nodded and was about to retreat, but Fang Ruxuan lowered her voice and said, "Send a few people to keep an eye on Qiu Ming and Lan Xi's carriage. Once the Holy Lord sends troops to surround Qiu's residence, Mrs. Qiu and her party will definitely hunt them down. At that time, they must be kept. "

When the King Lu incident happened, Qiu Zongde was bound to be implicated. At that time, the Jiucheng soldiers and horses where Fang Zhengjun was located would be ordered to encircle and suppress. Even if Mrs. Qiu and her party went to the ends of the earth, they would be hunted back.

She didn't have a good impression of the people in the Qiu Mansion, but Fang Ruxuan wanted to keep Qiu Ming, Lan Xi and Tao Ye alive no matter what.

After traveling day and night, Qiu Ran returned from Ningbei in five days. Looking at the eldest son with bloodshot eyes and a tired face, Qiu Zongde was so shocked that he didn't recover for a long time: "What? The Palace of Prince Lu was surrounded by the Imperial Forest Army? News Is it conclusive?"

Qiu Ran nodded, "After listening to my father's words, my son did not rush towards the Lu Palace. Just after passing Shanhaiguan Pass, a large number of people left the pass in panic, saying that King Lu was plotting a rebellion. Suppression, now, Prince Lu's Mansion has been completely besieged by the Imperial Forest Army. The account books and evidence that have been searched and suppressed from Prince Lu's Mansion will be sent to the capital one after another in the next few days. My son dare not delay, so hurry up to get ahead of them Return to Beijing to report."

Standing behind the book case, Qiu Zongde stared at the thick stack of case files in front of him. He didn't say a word for a long time. In a hurry, Qiu Ran stepped forward and grabbed his arm, "Father, it's better to deal with it as soon as possible. It's too late."

Looking at the calm face of the eldest son, Qiu Zongde shook his head, "Now, it's too late."

Qiu Ran was shocked.

At this time, Qiu Zongde realized that perhaps, Emperor Rui'an had doubted himself since the time he was called into Zhaoyang Palace to inquire about the exam questions. Lack of a justifiable excuse.

"You take your grandmother, your daughter-in-law, and Brother Hui out of the city overnight to Luzhou. After meeting your mother and the others, you run to the south. King Dongyang, since my father has a personal relationship with him, he will definitely take you in."

He exhorted in a deep voice, seeing Qiu Ran's face of disapproval and wanting to refute, Qiu Zongde raised his hand to stop his words, "I can't leave. Once I leave, before those people from Ningbei come back, my behavior is already Fleeing in fear of crime, when the time comes, the accusation will be even more unclear."

"Although I have an agreement with the king of Lu, I haven't left any letters. If the Holy Majesty wants to punish me, it will take a few days to justify one piece of evidence. At that time, I will always have a chance to die and live later. But If I leave, there will be no chance at all, so everything is at my disposal."

After carefully arranging, for fear of any omissions, Qiu Zongde said ruthlessly, "When it's a last resort, don't be indecisive. Abandon your mother, Qiu Ming, and your daughter-in-law. You can run as far as you can with only Brother Hui." , It’s fine to keep your name incognito, just remember, if you want to preserve the blood for the Qiu Mansion, don’t ruin the century-old foundation of my Qiu Mansion just because of a moment of loyalty.”

Where there is life, there is hope.

Qiu Ran's eyes became even redder, his hands were clenched into fists, and he could faintly hear the crackling of bones, after all, under Qiu Zongde's heavy gaze, he nodded.

That night, Qiu Ran left the Qiu mansion with three carriages.

As soon as he left the city gate, he was followed by people.

On April 25, in the early morning, a book sent from Ningbei shocked the government and the public.

The book says that the king of Lu intends to rebel, and has now been detained in the palace of the king of Lu in northern Ningbei. It also lists a series of preparations for the king of Lu in recent years, secret camps, workshops for making weapons, gold, silver and iron mines, And his correspondence with the ministers of the DPRK and China.

Among them, the promise to win over the Udar tribe and turn Ningbei into the territory of Udal after assuming the throne shocked all the civil and military officials.

On April 26, a large number of officials were dismissed and investigated for being implicated by King Lu, including Prime Minister Qiu Zongde.

For a time, people panic.

"In the past few days, your brother has been busy running around. He didn't come back until the third watch, and went out again before dawn. I looked thinner."

In Qingfengzhai, Chen Mei was eating snacks with one hand, while smacking her tongue, her face was obviously distressed.

Fang Ruxuan comforted her with a smile: "It will be all right in a few days. There are so many officials involved in the case, but not all of them are deeply connected with the King of Lu like Qiu Zongde. Most of them just accepted the gold and silver sent by the King of Lu." It’s just money, wait for the account books confiscated from Prince Lu’s Mansion to be delivered, as long as those people are not deeply involved, and hand over the stolen money after the trial, they will be fine.”

"I heard that the inner houses of the Qiu Mansion are basically empty, and most of the people left behind are servants and concubines who don't even know about it. Tell me, Da Yuan is so big, can he really catch him?"

As soon as the detention order came out, the Qiu Mansion was completely surrounded, and Qiu Zongde was imprisoned in the cell of Dali Temple that night. Then, five hundred soldiers went out of the city in several groups to hunt down the family members of the Qiu Mansion.

The first to be chased back were Qiu Ran and his party.

A few days later, Mrs. Qiu and other female relatives were also arrested and put in the cell, only Qiu Ming and one of his concubines disappeared.

Throughout April, there was a lot of turmoil in the capital. Soldiers lined up to patrol the streets all day long. The interrogation at the city gate was much stricter. People who left the city had to be interrogated again and again, almost asking three generations of their ancestors.

In the Yixin Palace, after knowing that King Lu's rebellion failed, and was suppressed by the army sent by the court before the rebellion, Su Yuan seemed to have aged a little bit all of a sudden. She knew that in a few days, King Qi would Stepping into the Yixin Palace again, she didn't know if what she would face at that time would be a ten-foot white silk or a cup of poisoned wine.

The warm wind in May blows, and the faint aroma of zong leaves gradually floats in the air. Even so, it can't resolve the panic of the people and the tense atmosphere among the aristocratic families.

On the second day of May, King Lu and his party were escorted to Beijing.

There are more than 200 people in the whole mansion, except for the masters, 160 and five servants were all hunted down on the spot. It is said that blood flowed into rivers in Lu Wang's mansion. A dark, stench lingered in the air, making people sick.

King Lu and others were imprisoned in the sky prison. In the early morning of the next day, Emperor Rui'an ordered that King Qi be the chief interrogator this time to thoroughly investigate everything before and after King Lu's rebellion.

The father and son each received errands, and they were all related to King Lu's rebellion. In Prince Qi's mansion, it was quieter all day long.

In Shu Yuxuan, listening to Mu Mian talking about Qiu Ming and Lan Xi's movements, Fang Ruxuan nodded and said: "Qiu Zongde colluded with the King of Lu in an attempt to rebel. According to the old practice, men under the age of 14 in the mansion will serve as soldiers, and women will serve as official slaves. All those above the age of 14 will be executed. But Qiu Ming is a fool, which is known to everyone in the capital. Now that he is missing, although the Holy One will send people to hunt him down vigorously, if he really can't be caught, he won't try his best. After all, he is just a fool, and there will be no future troubles."

Although the emperor could not tolerate sand in his eyes and had the heart to eradicate those who coveted his throne, people like Qiu Ming could be ignored.

This is also the reason why Fang Ruxuan ordered Mu Mian to send people to protect Qiu Ming and Lan Xi.

"Miss, are you not afraid that this matter will bring you trouble one day?"

Before leaving the door, Kapok turned her head and asked Fang Ruxuan.

Fang Ruxuan smiled and said, "What do you think?"

Kapok seemed to be thinking about it seriously, and then walked away with a smile, "I think, Miss seems to be a person who is never afraid of trouble, and is not afraid of causing trouble."

(End of this chapter)