Chapter 45: He’s Here
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Everyone turned around and saw a man dressed in a python robe. His gaze was cold, and he looked a little tired. His face was pale, but his lips were seductively red. He was tall and slender, and as he walked over, he did not hide his murderous aura at all.
‘Didn’t Jiang Ying say he was dying? What’s he doing here?’ Yu Yunxi looked at Jiang Ying angrily.
Jiang Ying’s heart skipped a beat as he thought to himself, ‘His Royal Highness’ body really can’t stand it anymore. Young Marquis Luo can handle these things so why did His Royal Highness have to come personally?’
“Greetings, Imperial Brother,” Feng Yili said to the man sitting on the dragon throne. He did not kneel or bow, and his demeanor was very casual.
However, Feng Yijin was not angry. He tapped the dragon’s head on the throne, and after a long silence, he asked with a smile, “Ninth Imperial Brother, I thought you didn’t attend the morning court session today because you were feeling unwell. Have you… recovered?”
“It’s just an old illness. I’m much better now,” Feng Yili replied. The cold expression on his face did not ease at all.
Feng Yijin narrowed his eyes and said, “Then the reason you came here to see me…”
“I heard that you’re investigating the disaster relief fund. I have evidence so I quickly entered the palace,” Feng Yili said as he brought an envelope out.
Jiang Ying hurriedly walked over, revealing his anxiety, as he said, “Prince Regent, let me help you present this to the Emperor.”
Feng Yili’s hands were pale, and the veins on the back of his hands were bulging when he handed the letter to Jiang Ying. The letter was wrinkled due to the force of his hands. It was as though he was enduring something.
Jiang Ying lowered his head to hide the emotions on his face as he hurriedly presented the letter to Feng Yijin.
Meanwhile, Yu Zhongcheng and Feng Weizhou exchanged a look, feeling a little uneasy at this moment.
Feng Yijin opened the letter and took a look. After reading for a while, he laughed angrily. He rose to his feet, filled with killing intent as he scolded, “Yu Zhongcheng! Do you treat me as a fool?! For so many years, you swallowed half of the disaster funds entrusted to you! Did the national treasure become your private treasure without my knowledge?!”
“Your Majesty, I didn’t… I…” Yu Zhongcheng still wanted to quibble.
Feng Yijin’s expression was dark as he said, “Yu Zhongcheng, the evidence the Prince Regent gave me is enough to make you lose your head ten times over!
Do you still want to quibble with me?”
It had been many years since Feng Yijin had been so angry.
Yu Zhongcheng’s heart sank.
Without waiting for Yu Zhongcheng to speak, Feng Yijin continued to say, enraged, “Four years ago, during the drought in Tongzhou, you embezzled a total of 500,000 taels! However, you pushed the blame on the bandits, saying that they stole the money! For this reason, I beheaded Tongzhou’s magistrate who escorted the funds there. His suicide note is a testimony to this!”
“Three years ago, during the locust plague in Lianzhou, you embezzled 200,000 taels. General Zheng of Lianzhou knew the truth, but he was killed by you. After his death, he was framed as a corrupt official, and his wife and daughter were also harmed as a result.”
“Two years ago, Pingzhou was on fire for two days and two nights. Countless people were killed or injured as a result. I gave you a million taels from the national treasury to save the people, but you embezzled so much money that people could not afford to treat their injuries and died as a result. You reported to me that the fire was uncontrollable so those people could not be saved and died!”
“Yu Zhongcheng, there are still many crimes. Do you need me to list them out one by one?” Feng Yijin asked, looking at Yu Zhongcheng as though Yu Zhengchong was a dead man.
Yu Yunxi was also shocked. She knew that her father was a treacherous official, but she did not expect him to be so inhumane. That money was meant to save people’s lives, but he took the money for himself.
‘He really deserves to be cut into pieces!’
“Your Majesty, this… this..” Yu Zhongcheng was speechless, and his face was ashen. Then, a thought appeared in his mind, and he quickly turned around to grab Feng Yili’s sleeve as he said sadly, “Prince Regent, I have no enmity with you. Why must you slander me?”
Feng Yili looked down at Yu Zhongcheng and said coldly, “Slander you? In less than five years, you embezzled millions of taels. Your hands are stained with the blood of countless disaster victims. Aren’t you afraid that their ghosts will haunt you and take your life?”
“Prince Regent, you must have made a mistake! How could I have done those things? Please explain to His Majesty that this is just a misunderstanding!” Yu Zhongcheng kowtowed to Feng Yili, looking pitiful.
Feng Yili’s expression remained icy as he said, “Prime Minister Yu, it’s not just these five years. Ten years ago, your hands were also stained with blood. During the years I led the troops to war, how many times did my soldiers starve to death? The resources from the imperial courts were lacking for a long time. ”
Feng Yili leaned over before he continued to say word by word, “Also, do you need me to remind you about what you’d done five years ago during the battle that made me fall into a coma?”
Yu Zhongcheng’s eyes widened in horror as he looked at Feng Yili, looking as though he had seen something terrifying. “Y-you, you, you know about that?”
Yu Yunxi’s expression changed imperceptibly. ‘Feng Yili’s accident five years ago has something to do with Yu Zhongcheng?’
“You… After waking up five years ago, you were kind to me and protected me… Is it, is it all for this day?” Yu Zhongcheng asked. He became more and more frightened as realization dawned on him.
Feng Yili had no intention of answering Yu Zhongcheng. He straightened his back and looked away as he patted the non-existent wrinkle on his robe. Then, he said stonily, “Imperial Brother, I’ll let you deal with him.”
As though he had found a life-saving straw, Yu Zhongcheng started shouting at Feng Weizhou, “Your Royal Highness, you know my character best! Please help me explain to His Majesty!”
Feng Weizhou’s expression was extremely dark at this moment. He clenched his hands tightly and took a deep breath before he walked to the center of the study and fell to his knees. He said, “Imperial Father, in my opinion, Prime Minister Yu has been an official in court for many years and has always been restrained in his actions. I don’t think he’s capable of doing those things.
Perhaps, there’s really a misunderstanding?”
Feng Yijin looked at Feng Weizhou, who was kneeling in front of him, silently for a long time.
The imperial study was eerily quiet. Only Yu Zhengchong’s panting could be heard.
Suddenly, Feng Yijin laughed. However, the laughter was terrifyingly cold. He said, “I really didn’t expect this, Crown Prince. Everyone, retreat. The Crown Prince and Yu Zhongcheng, stay.”
Yu Yunxi’s eyes flashed. ‘The Crown Prince is also involved in this matter? No wonder Yu Zhongcheng was so arrogant! As it turns out, there was someone behind him!’
At this time, Yu Yunxi strode to the front and asked bluntly, “Your Majesty, since the boxes of gold and silver were embezzled by my father, then where did my dowry go?”
The Emperor was already furious, but Yu Yunxi still mentioned this matter. Was she seeking death?
Many people looked at Yu Yunxi strangely.
However, Yu Yunxi looked at the man dressed in a dragon robe in front of her determinedly. She knew very well that if she did not mention her mother’s dowry now, she would not have a chance to get it back in the future.
Feng Yijin looked at Yu Yunxi with an unfriendly gaze. After a long time, he said with a scoff, “After staying with the King of Xinan for a few years, your temperament has become different from the noble ladies in the capital.”
It was really hard to tell if Feng Yijin was praising or belittling Yu Yunxi.
After another long silence, Feng Yijin finally relented. “Men in Tianxia should never covet their wives’ dowry. Prime Minister Yu will definitely return your mother’s dowry to you. If he can’t return it, the Crown Prince will definitely think of a way, right?”
Nearing the end of his words, Feng Yijin looked at Feng Weizhou. His eyes were filled with anger and suspicion.
Feng Weizhou’s body tensed up, and his face paled. He knew that his father believed Feng Yili and likely did not trust him anymore.
Meanwhile, Yu Yunxi did not expect things to go so smoothly. She said, “Thank you, Your Majesty!”
She had to admit that the ‘knife’ that Feng Yili handed over was really sharp, piercing straight into the hearts of Yu Zhongcheng and Feng Weizhou. Since the Emperor was furious at both of them, the Emperor would naturally make them return her dowry.
Suddenly, seemingly without any rhyme or reason, Feng Yijin asked, “I remember that five years ago, you were my Ninth Imperial Brother’s Princess Consort, right?”
Yu Yinxi’s heartbeat sped up. She pretended to be calm as she replied, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Feng Yijin asked, “Although you did a lot of foolish things five years ago, the fact that you were the Princess Regent can’t be erased.. Let me ask you, do you want to continue staying in the Prime Minister’s Residence, or do you want to return to the Prince Regent’s Residence?”
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