Chapter 588: Su Yulun Is Dead
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Chu Min raised his head fearlessly. “Father, do you think that it’s right for the Empress to monopolize the Imperial harem? What have I done wrong by writing this?”
Chu Min was smart. There was not a single word in his memorial that criticized Su Ying. He only used the Emperor’s descendants and the future of the kingdom as arguments to express his hope that the Emperor would open up the Imperial harem.
“You don’t have to worry about this matter.” In theory, Duke Jingguo knew that there was definitely a problem with pampering one person, but it was not too late to postpone the discussion to a later date since the Emperor had only ascended to the throne.
“Don’t try to sidestep the important matters with me. Do you think I am angry at you for submitting the memorial? This matter has been mentioned in the Imperial Court before. His Majesty has already made it clear that the current political situation in the Chu State is unstable. The external threats also have not been completely eliminated, and there were successive natural disasters causing immense hardships for the people. There is no need to rush the matter of expanding the Imperial harem. It will not be too late to discuss it after everything in the Chu State is progressing in the right direction. As for you, you actually secretly instigated those ministers to submit memorials with you. Do you think the Emperor does not know?”
Chu Min frowned. He had done this in secret, so how did Duke Jingguo know about it?
“Father, don’t be angry. This matter was indeed caused by my recklessness. Tomorrow, I will go to the main hall and admit my mistake to the Emperor.”
When Duke Jingguo saw that his son was taking his words to heart, his anger subsided a little. “The Emperor is right. As officials of the Imperial Court, the most important thing for us is to think for the kingdom and the people, not just for ourselves. Chu Min, I have high hopes for you. You must not disappoint me.”
Duke Jingguo was so tired that he took a deep breath before continuing, “Also, don’t have any more contact with Prince Jiangning in the future. He still has a son in his fiefdom. It’s inevitable that he will have thoughts of disloyalty. If you hang out too often with him, you may get implicated if anything happens in Jinling City.”
Chu Min’s expression changed slightly. Jinling City was Prince Jiangning’s fiefdom. “Father, did something happen in Jinling City?”
Duke Jingguo waved his hand dismissively and did not say anything else. “Just remember what I told you today, that’s all.”
Chu Min lowered his eyes. He understood Duke Jingguo’s character. No one could force him to say anything that he did not want to divulge. “Yes, I will follow your teachings, Father.”
Chu Min left the study room. After he returned to his courtyard, his expression immediately clouded over. He summoned his trusted aide and said in a low voice, “Send a message to Jinling City immediately. Find out what happened there.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Before Chu Min received the reply from Jinling City, news came from Qingyang County.
“Eldest Master, Su Yulun is dead.”
Chu Min was stunned. He looked at his trusted aide somewhat doubtfully. “What did you say?”
The trusted aide repeated, “Your subordinate just received news from Qingyang County that Su Yulun has been taken care of.”
Chu Min came back to his senses and let out a deep breath. “Did they do a clean job?”
“They said that the gold mine collapsed and he was buried inside.”
Chu Min finally could not control himself anymore and a strange smile crept over his face. “What a fortuitous collapse! Fortuitous indeed!”
With Su Yulun dead, Su Ying’s backing would be completely gone, and the Prime Minister’s faction would fall apart. If someone stepped forward at this juncture and pulled the Prime Minister’s supporters to his side, his faction would become a force that could not be underestimated hereafter.
“Ask the Eldest Young Miss to come here.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The trusted aide did not understand why Chu Min summoned Chu Yunn at this point.
“You can leave now. If there is any news from Jinling City, come and tell me immediately.”
“Yes, Sir.”
When Chu Yunn arrived, the trusted aide had already left.
“Greetings, Father.”
Chu Min sized up Chu Yunn from head to toe, observing how she was slender and elegant like a lotus in the water. He nodded in satisfaction and told her to sit down.
Chu Yunn had been pampered since she was young, and Chu Min doted on her as well. However, she always had the feeling that Chu Min’s doting was concealing something and it was not purely love.
However, for someone born in the Lord Duke’s Residence, such concealment was the norm.
“Father, do you have something to tell me?”
Chu Min nodded. “Your grandfather once mentioned to me that he wanted you to enter the palace. However, he didn’t expect the Empress to interfere and cause the Emperor to blow his top in the Imperial court, putting everyone in the Imperial Court on tenterhooks.”
Chu Yunn had heard about what happened in the Imperial Court. She was very disappointed. The Emperor clearly did not intend to let anyone enter the Imperial harem. Due to this matter, she had not been able to eat or sleep well for the past few days.
“But even so, your grandfather is an elder of a few dynasties after all. If your grandfather makes a request to the Emperor, the Emperor will not refuse either.”
Chu Yunn looked at Chu Min with a puzzled expression. She did not understand what he meant.
“Yunn’er, tell Father. Do you want to enter the palace?” Chu Min continued.
A tell-tale blush flashed across Chu Yunn’s face when she heard this. The Emperor’s handsome appearance flashed across her mind again. Although she was deeply embarrassed, she still nodded and replied, “Yes, I want to enter the palace.”
Chu Min nodded in satisfaction after getting her answer. “That’s good. Father will arrange this matter for you. You just have to act according to the situation.”
Chu Yunn didn’t understand what he meant. “What arrangements does Father have for me?”
Chu Min shook his head as he said, “You will know when the time comes. You may go.”
Chu Yunn looked at Chu Min’s indecipherable expression and felt a little uneasy.
In the Imperial study of the Imperial Palace.
“Your Majesty, there’s an urgent report from Kun City.”
On the dragon throne, Xiao Jin’s expression froze. Zhang Shuming immediately handed the urgent report to him.
Xiao Jin opened the urgent report and his dark eyes turned a deeper shade abruptly.
The gold mine in Qingyang County suddenly collapsed, burying Su Yulun who had gone down for an inspection in the gold mine. It was unknown whether he was alive or dead!
As the Prime Minister, how was it possible that Su Yulun would personally go into the depths of the gold mine to check on the situation? This was clearly arranged to silence him. These people were downright brazen!
“Get Wang Su to see me immediately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Wang Su was currently the general of the North Camp in the suburbs. After entering the palace, Xiao Jin explained the situation in Qingyang County to him and told him to immediately lead 5,000 troops to Qingyang County to arrest Ma Zhi and the rest and dig out the truth behind Su Yulun getting buried in that gold mine.
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Xiao Jin paced back and forth in the Imperial study with his hands behind his back. This guy was just a small county magistrate. How could he have the guts to usurp the entire gold mine? The City Guardian of Kun City had already been taken to task by the people he sent before Su Yulun arrived. Now the City Guardian was under arrest and on his way to the capital city. Even if his remaining subordinates in cahoots with him wanted to save him, they would not go and kill Su Yulun. The possibility of the City Guardian being responsible was low.
“Summon Jiang Yang for me.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After Jiang Yang arrived, Zhang Shuming excused himself and stood guard outside the door.
“Your humble subject hereby greets Your Majesty.”
Xiao Jin gestured with his hand for Jiang Yang to rise. “I received news today that Su Yulun was buried inside when the gold mine collapsed. I suspect that he might have been silenced, but Ma Zhi, a small county magistrate, doesn’t have the guts to attack a kingdom’s prime minister. I want you to send someone to investigate and find out all the suspicious characters Ma Zhi has come into contact with over the past six months. I want to know who is supporting him behind the scenes!”
“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I will send someone to investigate now..”
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