Consort Shu's analysis was thorough and reasonable, but things did not develop as she expected. The Jingzhao Prefecture and the Ministry of Justice jointly tried Duke Mu. With witnesses and physical evidence, Duke Mu was found to have embezzled hundreds of thousands of taels of military pay, an amount so huge that the people were secretly astonished.
The relocation of the Duke of Mu's mansion made embezzlement a hot topic of conversation.
In a suburban villa, the sun shone warmly. The Holy King sat by the stone table, gazing at the azure sky and the drifting white clouds, a scene of peace and tranquility.
Shen Lixue walked over carrying a tray. She frowned as she looked up at the Holy King, who was gazing at the sky. During his time at the villa, whenever he had free time, he would look up at the sky. Besides the blue sky and white clouds, there was only the dazzling sun. She wondered what he was looking at.
"Father!" The clear and melodious call echoed between heaven and earth.
The Holy King turned his head to look at Shen Lixue. A blue Xiang dress outlined her slender figure, and her jet-black hair was loosely tied into a bun, secured with a white jade hairpin. Light green teardrop earrings complemented the hairpin, swaying gently as she moved. Her dark eyes sparkled with calmness and clarity, and the faint smile on her lips was like a warm spring breeze.
For a fleeting moment, the Holy King seemed to see the beautiful and lovely little girl from the Duke of Wu's mansion, with her hair in an exquisite updo, holding a red lantern as she walked to Dongfang Shuo's side.
"Li Xue!"
"What is Father thinking?" Shen Lixue walked slowly to the small table and placed the snacks and tea on the tray in front of the Holy King.
The delicate aroma of tea and the sweet scent of pastries wafted through the air, making one's mouth water. The Holy King looked at Shen Lixue with loving eyes: "Lixue, how long has it been since your mother passed away?"
Shen Lixue's gaze dimmed slightly: "It's been more than half a year!"
Looking at Shen Lixue's dimmed gaze, the Holy King sighed softly, "She and my cousin Shuo... it's a pity!"
"Life is unpredictable and ever-changing. My mother's life was full of suffering, which may have been fate!" Shen Lixue shook her head and smiled. Lin Qingzhu was framed by Shen Minghui and Ruan Chuqing, which is why she died young.
"Father, how is the matter of Duke Mu progressing?"
"The first trial is over, and with both witnesses and physical evidence, Duke Mu has been convicted. If it goes to a second or third trial, and he cannot recant his confession, Duke Mu will face a severe sentence!"
Saint King and Dongfang Heng are both veterans of the battlefield and know that the most detestable thing in the army is that generals embezzle soldiers' pay. These soldiers risk their lives and have families to support. What difference is there between swallowing their money and drinking their blood and flesh?
Once the matter is exposed, it will surely arouse the resentment of the soldiers, and even the family members with sons and husbands guarding the border will despise the corrupt person. It will not be easy for Duke Mu to get away with it.
"Consort Shu and Duke Mu will not sit idly by and wait for their doom!" Duke Mu returned to the capital in a dusty and tiring journey, completely unprepared, and was arrested by the Holy King's men. Now, he is in prison, and he must be carefully thinking about how to escape. If he is careless in the next two interrogations, he may very well take the opportunity to escape.
Chapter 183: Discovering the Woman's True Identity
The cunning princess consort, 183, discovers her true gender.
"Given Duke Mu's temperament, he certainly won't sit idly by and wait to die. However, all the evidence is genuine and not fabricated. It won't be so easy for Duke Mu to escape punishment." After discovering that Liu Rumeng's death was related to Duke Mu's mansion, the Holy King kept a close eye on Duke Mu's every move.
When the Ministry of War distributes salaries, the officials who come into contact with them are all corrupt, and whoever is investigated will be in trouble.
"Father, Duke Mu embezzled so much silver, which aroused public anger. Logically speaking, with witnesses and physical evidence, he should be convicted directly. Why does the Emperor still need a joint trial?" Shen Lixue was new to Xiliang and did not understand the Emperor of Xiliang, so she could not guess his purpose in doing so.
The Holy King's gaze deepened: "Among the noble families of Xiliang, the Duke of Mu's Mansion and the Marquis of Zhenguo's Mansion are the most respected. For many years, the two mansions have been vying for power. If the Duke of Wen dies, the Marquis of Zhenguo's Mansion will become the only one in power, which may threaten the court. As wise as the Emperor is, he will not allow this situation to occur."
“In recent years, the Duke of Mu’s power has grown quite large, and he has almost overshadowed the emperor. The emperor has become somewhat wary of him. The Duke of Mu was convicted of a serious crime in the first trial, but the emperor has turned a blind eye. This may be because he is preparing to get rid of him in accordance with the will of the people, or it may just be a warning to him so that he can recognize his own status!”
The Emperor of Xiliang was unfathomable. In the past six months, the Holy King had not had much contact with him and did not know him very well. He could not guess whether the Emperor intended to use the matter of the military pay to execute Duke Mu as an example to others, or whether he was just giving him a warning.
Shen Lixue frowned. The Emperor needed a force to counterbalance the Zhenguo Marquis's Mansion. He probably wouldn't kill Duke Mu before a new top power rose up: "If Duke Mu is released without charge, wouldn't everything we've done be in vain!"
"It won't be in vain." The Holy King smiled and shook his head, a sharp glint flashing in his dark eyes: "I never intended to use the Emperor of Xiliang to execute Duke Mu!"
Shen Lixue looked at the Holy King with confusion: "What does Father mean?"
"I only suspect that the Duke of Mu's mansion killed Meng'er. Apart from the Hua Sheng and some scattered traces, I have no direct evidence. Next, I will verify it. If Meng'er was not killed by the Duke of Mu, I will no longer interfere in the Duke of Mu's trial. If Meng'er really died at the hands of the Duke of Mu, I will never let them go!"
The Holy King's deep voice sent chills down one's spine, and the sharp glint in his eyes inspired awe.
Shen Lixue's gaze deepened: "How does Father wish to verify this?"
The Holy King raised his eyelids, his gaze sharp: "Enter the palace to test them!"
Consort Shu is the strategist of the Duke of Mu's mansion. The Duke of Mu always consults with her on matters. The Huasheng was also handed over to Ye Qianmei through her. If Liu Rumeng was really killed by the people of the Duke of Mu's mansion, Consort Shu must know!
The Duke of Mu was driven to the brink of despair, and the Duke of Mu's mansion was in grave danger. Consort Shu was extremely anxious, and if something else happened that would alarm her, she would be more likely to slip up.
In Chang Le Palace, Consort Shu reclines on a chaise longue, her deep blue palace dress exuding nobility and splendor. Her slender hands hold a teacup, gracefully sipping ginseng tea, her long nails slightly upturned, making her appear noble and charming.
Mu Tao stood with his head down in front of the soft couch, occasionally stealing glances at Consort Shu's expression. Seeing that she was merely sipping her ginseng tea without saying a word, seemingly unaware of his presence, he couldn't contain his impatience any longer: "Aunt, if you want to scold me, just do it directly, don't remain silent..."
Consort Shu narrowed her beautiful eyes and smashed the teacup in her hand at Mu Tao.
Mu Tao was startled and quickly dodged. With a loud "crack!", the teacup fell to the ground beside him and shattered into more than a dozen pieces, scattering and leaving tea residue all over the ground.
"Aunt, what are you doing?" Mu Tao patted his chest. If he hadn't dodged quickly, the teacup would have hit him on the head. Even if he hadn't been bleeding, he would have had a big bump on his head. If he walked out of Chang Le Palace, he would definitely be laughed at.
When did my aunt become so unpredictable, throwing things at people without warning?
"You still have the nerve to complain!" Consort Shu roared at Mu Tao, who was frowning. "It's all because of your impulsive nature that the Mu State Duke's Mansion has been ruined by you."
"Aunt, Father was arrested for embezzling funds, how can you blame me!" Mu Tao complained, rubbing his chest sadly as if he had suffered a great injustice.
Consort Shu was instantly enraged. She glared coldly at Mu Tao and suddenly raised her voice: "Do you dare to say that those hundreds of thousands of taels of silver have nothing to do with you?"
Mu Tao was startled, his eyes flickered unnaturally, and he said, "The evidence from the Jingzhao Prefecture and the Ministry of Justice both point to Father. Does Aunt not believe that evidence, but instead believe other people's rumors?"
They're even trying to argue their way out of it!
Consort Shu looked at Mu Tao, her beautiful eyes filled with a cold light like a thousand-year-old ice: "For decades, the Mu family has been the head of the noble families, always walking on the edge of the storm. Do you know how many people in the court are waiting to find fault with our family, wanting to crush us and take our place?"
Mu Tao lowered his head and remained silent. He grew up in the capital and, although he was a military officer who spent his days wielding swords, he could see through the politics of the court and knew clearly the power struggles between officials. The position of the Duke of Mu's mansion in the court was enough to arouse the jealousy of many officials, who would secretly try to trip him up.
“Your father is calm, steady, and has a broad perspective. The Duke of Mu’s mansion is also incredibly wealthy. There’s no way he would embezzle a few hundred thousand taels of silver and give anyone a handle to use against him. You’ve been by your father’s side all the time, and you’ve done countless despicable things in his name. Don’t think I don’t know!”
Consort Shu's cold, reprimanding voice rang out in the room, each word hitting the nail on the head. Mu Tao felt a pang of guilt upon hearing it, and stubbornly argued, "My elder brother is also by Father's side, why don't you suspect him?"