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Chapter 379: Becoming a Scapegoat
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
At the mention of this, Su Ning’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Third Sister-in-law, leave this to me!” she declared.
Qin Zhenzhen held her back, inquiring, “Have you already uncovered her secret?”
Su Ning chuckled mischievously. “I’m not entirely certain yet. I’ll inform you once I’m sure!”
“When it’s all sorted out, don’t forget to thank me!” she added before darting away like a swift breeze.
The notion of thanking her gave Qin Zhenzhen a clue. Could it be that Su Bin’s suspicions were correct? Had Chen Shanshan developed feelings for her fourth brother? She still wasn’t certain if they were romantically involved. Perhaps she was waiting for her fourth brother?
Qin Zhenzhen smiled wryly. Su Ning had inadvertently provided her with the answer.
If Su Ning confirmed this, she could promptly write to her fourth brother. If both parties expressed interest, she would immediately inform her parents, allowing them to consider the possibility of this union.
A month after the Third Prince’s harrowing incident, the saga reached its conclusion.
The Imperial Court dispatched numerous investigators to probe the a.s.sault on the Third Prince.
The investigation unveiled a significant revelation: the governor’s lineage could be traced back to a minister of the previous dynasty. Capitalizing on this familial connection, remnants of the previous dynasty had specifically targeted the governor and his brother, luring them with promises of high-ranking positions and wealth.
Swiftly, the two brothers found themselves ensnared in the web of conspiracy spun by these individuals.
Adding a layer of complexity, the daughter of the governor’s brother had once held the t.i.tle of the Crown Prince’s secondary consort. In this role, she had effectively acted as their informant, gathering crucial information from the Crown Prince’s residence and discreetly transmitting it. Furthermore, she had managed to secure a token from the Crown Prince’s personal guard.
Exploiting this intel, they had impersonated the Crown Prince and numerous actions detrimental to both the Imperial Court and the Crown Prince himself. Their scheme aimed to eliminate two princes with a single stroke.
Despite the Crown Prince not being renowned for his intellect, he had astute advisors at his side. The case was bolstered by a wealth of witnesses and compelling evidence, all of which appeared highly plausible on the surface.
The situation was exacerbated by the fact that ministers who supported the Crown Prince were compelled by their own consciences to testify against the governor.
In his defense, the governor had vehemently argued that the Crown Prince masterminded the entire conspiracy. However, the Crown Prince remained resolute in a.s.serting the governor’s and his brother’s culpability, even as they faced their impending punishment.
He implored the emperor to exact severe retribution upon the concubine’s family.
There was little doubt about the outcome of the investigation.
Upon the Emperor’s swift approval, the Crown Prince’s request was granted with a simple flourish of his pen.
The secondary consort of the Crown Prince’s residence faced a grim fate as she was forced to consume a cup of poisonous wine and then unceremoniously cast into a ma.s.s grave.
For her family, which included the distant governor’s household residing at the Guang Mansion, the outlook was bleak. If they were found to be implicated as masterminds of the conspiracy, they would share the same fate – execution.
The male member of the family was condemned to the status of an official slave, with no chance of redemption.
The older women were a.s.signed roles as official maidservants, while the younger women were relegated to the life of official courtesans and dispatched to a military camp. The youngest among them faced an even darker fate as they were sold into brothels.
Within the Crown Prince’s faction, there had been a glimmer of hope that the Crown Prince might secretly intervene to spare one of their family members. However, this hope remained unfulfilled.
The family of the Crown Prince’s secondary consort had been unfairly made scapegoats, and the ordeal had cast a long, dark shadow in the hearts of the ministers who had once supported the Crown Prince.
A master who could heartlessly abandon his subordinates, crus.h.i.+ng them without remorse, was met with disdain and mistrust.
Meanwhile, the governor of Meijiang Prefecture, the younger brother of the prefectural magistrate’s wife, held a relatively modest official position. Consequently, he had successfully avoided entanglement in the Crown Prince’s faction.
Unaware of the dramatic events surrounding the pursuit of the Third Prince, he remained untouched by the tumultuous storm. Nevertheless, a lingering sense of trepidation gripped him as he had contemplated covertly leveraging his connections to rescue his sister. However, shocking news soon arrived: the prefect’s wife had taken her own life, and all her offspring had met a tragic end..
