Chapter 653 - Chapter 653: An Xiu ‘er Is Crazy (1)
The Minister of Justice looked at Song Jingchen strangely.
Song Jingchen sighed and said, “Logically speaking, they are my in-laws and I should absolve them. However, as subjects, we can’t bend the law for personal gain. Isn’t that right, Minister?”
The Minister of Justice was silent.
Song Jingchen took out another ledger from his pocket. It recorded the benefits the Shen family had received when Shangguan Pu was in charge of the country.
Although they were all small profits, the Shen family would suffer if they pursued the matter.
Even the evidence had been prepared. If the Minister of Justice still couldn’t understand Song Jingchen’s intentions, he would have lived in vain.
“Earl Zhongyi is righteous,” he praised against his conscience.
Putting righteousness before family? Song Jingchen raised his eyebrows and accepted it calmly, but he had no intention of leaving.
The corners of the Minister of Justice’s mouth twitched. He could only instruct his subordinates to go to the Shen family to arrest them. Only then did Song Jingchen bid farewell with the excuse that the Court of Judicial Review still had official matters to deal with.
The Minister of Justice was speechless.
Not long after Song Jingchen returned to the Court of Judicial Review, someone from the palace said that the emperor had summoned him.
Guessing that it might be related to the assassin from last night, Song Jingchen didn’t wait and followed the young eunuch into the palace.
As soon as he stepped into the imperial study, the emperor’s furious voice sounded. “You can’t even catch a few assassins. Are the people in your city patrol camp all trash?”
Commander Qian lowered his head, not daring to refute.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.” Song Jingchen bowed without looking sideways.
The emperor took a deep breath and waved his hand to get him up. “I’ve already heard about the assassin. Are you injured?”
Song Jingchen said, “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Commander
Qian arrived in time with his men. I’m not injured.”
The emperor naturally knew that he was not injured, so he was just being polite. He continued to ask, “I heard that when Qian Meng arrived with his men, you had already fought with that group of assassins. Did you discover anything?”
Song Jingchen thought for a moment and shook his head seriously. “My wife was also present at that time. I was worried that she would be frightened, so I didn’t pay attention to anything else.”
Qian Meng looked at him in shock. Did a woman who could lift an ice mirror with one hand and still think about the horse meat that could not be wasted really know about the word “afraid”?
Not only that, but he still remembered that she was also the one who pierced through the iron sheet with a few shovels when Fragrant Teahouse was on fire.
The emperor frowned and opened his mouth to say something, but Qi Shou rushed in.
“Your Majesty, bad news. Assassins attacked Rui Manor and injured His Highness. ”
“What?” The emperor stood up from his dragon throne in shock. “Have they been captured?”
Qi Shou shivered in fear. “I don’t think so.”
The emperor was furious. “What assassin is so bold to barge into the residence in broad daylight? Are all the guards in the residence dead?”
Today, he dared to barge into the prince’s residence and injure the current prince. Would he dare to barge into the palace and assassinate him tomorrow?
Qi Shou wiped his sweat. “I don’t know, but His Highness Lord Xian brought His Highness Lord Rui into the palace. They’re waiting outside the hall now.”
“Then let them in quickly,” the emperor said angrily.
Song Jingchen frowned. As soon as he was attacked, Shangguan Heng was seriously injured by the assassin. Could it be that he was really the one who colluded with the Yan family of the Wu Kingdom? Was he trying to use this to get rid of his suspicion?
Just as he was thinking, Shangguan Heng was carried in on a stretcher. The entire imperial study was filled with his wails.
Song Jingchen couldn’t help but turn around and glance at him. When he saw the injury on his face, the corners of his mouth twitched. Thinking of what Shen Yijia had said before South Wind brought the messenger pigeon into the cellar yesterday, he had a guess.
The emperor was naturally most concerned about the assassin. However, Shangguan Heng did not see the culprit at all. By the time Shangguan Yu realized that he was injured and brought people to search Rui Manor, the attacker had already disappeared.
“Father, you don’t know how despicable that thief is. He put on a sack and started punching and kicking me. It hurts. Father, you have to stand up for me.” Shangguan Heng cried and howled. In the end, he gritted his teeth in pain because his expression was too exaggerated.
If it was just a guess before, Song Jingchen was almost certain when he heard the word sack.
He felt amused, but also helpless.
“Alright, you’re a man. It’s inappropriate for you to cry,” the emperor said in disdain.
Shangguan Heng did not care so much. He continued to cry bitterly. “Father, I’m so seriously injured. I won’t recover until I’ve recuperated for a month.. I don’t have to go to the Ministry of Rites for the time being, right?”