usatvline Chapter 68: The Jia Family's Explanation
Chapter 68: The Jia Family's Explanation
Has there ever been a crown prince who reigned for forty years in this world?
This sentence is filled with endless sorrow.
Xia Chengzong, however, felt that he deserved to die!
You died because you rebelled, and then you come up with a "good grandson" comment about me?
They truly deserve to die!
Emperor Yonglong looked at the Crown Prince, who seemed to have disregarded life and death, and suddenly lost interest.
He didn't want to say another word, and waved his hand, saying, "Take him away!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Soon, the crown prince was taken away by Dai Quan's men.
Emperor Yonglong said to the children, "You have all been frightened tonight. Go back and rest. Tomorrow, you will return to the capital with your imperial grandfather."
"Yes, Grandfather."
After the servants withdrew, Emperor Yonglong did not rest.
He issued a series of orders, dispatched the Imperial Guards, and arrested more than a dozen high-ranking officials that very night.
These high-ranking officials included Grand Secretaries and officials from the Six Ministries, with ranks ranging from the fifth to the second grade.
The hunting grounds were shrouded in darkness, filled with a chilling atmosphere.
All soldiers of the Beijing garrison withdrew from the hunting area and were stationed on the outskirts.
The safety of the hunting grounds was entirely entrusted to the Imperial Guards and the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
Duke Ningguo, Jia Daihua, made this arrangement both to ensure the emperor's safety and to protect himself.
He led his personal guards, personally checking and capturing rebel soldiers battalions by battalion.
The emperor demanded an explanation from him, but this explanation was not easy to give.
If things go wrong, the entire Jia family could be raided and wiped out.
……
Xia Chengzong returned to his tent, took off his outer cloak, and lay down on the bed wearing only his inner armor.
He personally led the charge tonight, killing more than a dozen rebels, and was extremely exhausted.
Lying in bed, I couldn't fall asleep for a long time.
Prince Yizhong and the Crown Prince's rebellion and misdeeds will implicate countless officials.
Next, there will likely be a bloodbath with heads rolling and rivers of blood flowing.
Of course, these things don't really have much to do with him.
His struggle for the throne has officially entered a new chapter.
He had saved the king during last night's turmoil, which would have made his father's position even more secure.
However, the fact that his father is stable does not mean that he is stable as well.
The fact that his father was able to ascend the throne does not mean that he too can smoothly ascend the throne.
Despite his intelligence and fame, there have been many intelligent princes throughout history, but how many of them have been able to reach the other side?
He naturally possesses two major weaknesses.
The first problem is that he is not the eldest son of the legitimate wife, which is a fatal flaw in the Great Qian Dynasty, which emphasizes succession.
Secondly, he had no maternal clan to rely on, and no powerful force to support him.
He is too weak on his own. If his father were to ascend the throne in the future, he would certainly take this into consideration when choosing a successor.
For example, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, once considered whether or not to pass the throne to his third son, Li Ke.
Li Ke was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and his appearance most closely resembled that of Li Shimin.
Li Shimin once asked Changsun Wuji whether Li Ke could become emperor, but Changsun Wuji remained silent.
For this reason, Li Shimin ultimately did not choose Li Ke, because he feared that if he did choose him, Li Ke would not be able to secure his throne.
Li Ke's maternal family, the Yang family, was still a prominent family in Longxi, though it had declined.
In this respect, he is not as good as Li Ke.
Therefore, he must now develop his own power as much as possible.
After all, it probably won't be long before my grandfather will pass the throne to my father.
At that time, his status will change from grandson of the emperor to prince.
He will be in ten times, a hundred times more danger than he is now!
Lost in thought, Xia Chengzong fell into a deep sleep after an unknown amount of time.
He woke up early the next morning.
Although he only slept for an hour or two, he was surprisingly in good spirits.
This is also one of the benefits brought by the Copper Skin and Iron Bones supernatural powers.
After getting up, he stretched his body and went to the imperial palace.
The temporary palace was set up, and Emperor Yonglong sat quietly with sunken eyes, a sallow complexion, and a look of exhaustion.
His eyes revealed endless sorrow and loneliness.
At that moment, Xia Chengzong saw a lonely old man, not an emperor.
Upon seeing Xia Chengzong, Emperor Yonglong smiled, but his expression also became more lively.
He asked, "Brother Zong, you're awake so early? Didn't you get a little more sleep?"
After paying his respects to Emperor Yonglong, Xia Chengzong asked, "Grandfather, did you not sleep all night?"
Emperor Yonglong laughed and said, "I've missed my chance to sleep. I'll be heading back to the capital after dinner, so I might as well not sleep."
After a while, several of the emperor's grandsons arrived one after another.
After the meal, Emperor Yonglong led his officials back to the capital.
This time, the Embroidered Uniform Guard led the way, the Imperial Guards provided protection, and the Beijing Garrison remained to reorganize and did not return with the main force.
……
At this time, martial law was imposed throughout the capital city.
Emperor Yonglong issued an imperial edict at night, and within a single night, the edict was delivered to the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) office in the capital.
After daybreak, martial law was imposed throughout the capital.
Teams of Imperial Guards, clad in armor and with embroidered spring knives at their waists, rushed to all directions.
Countless ordinary people and businesses realized that something big had happened in the capital.
The timid hide indoors, or even tremble in their blankets.
The bolder ones would peer through the crack in the door or even climb over the wall to look outside.
A group of Imperial Guards arrived in front of Prince Yizhong's mansion and surrounded it.
The chief steward of the Prince's residence came out and demanded, "This is the residence of Prince Yizhong. Who dares to be so insolent here?"
The head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the deputy commander, said in a deep voice, "Prince Yizhong plotted a rebellion and has been captured. I am here on imperial orders to arrest the remaining followers!"
"Seal off the Prince's residence! Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy! Men, storm in and arrest them!"
Upon hearing this, the chief secretary of the Prince's mansion felt a buzzing in his head and the world spinning around him. He was quickly captured by the soldiers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Soon, a chorus of weeping erupted from the Prince Yizhong's residence.
The residence of Grand Secretary Zuo Chunfang (Zhao Mansion), the residence of the Imperial Household Department (Song Mansion), the residence of General Cheng of the Beijing Garrison...
One by one, the officials whose families had been dragged down by Prince Yizhong and the Crown Prince were investigated and their homes were searched.
The entire capital was filled with an atmosphere of fear and unease, with everyone living in a state of panic.
And this is just the beginning.
In cases of treason, how can one not have countless heads rolled and rivers of blood flow?
……
Emperor Yonglong traveled tirelessly without ever stopping.
They returned to the capital that afternoon.
Upon his return, Emperor Yonglong ordered the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate to conduct a joint trial and thoroughly investigate the treason case involving Prince Yizhong and the Crown Prince.
This trial will likely result in the arrest of countless officials.
At the same time, the Beijing garrison was also undergoing reorganization.
One by one, military officers were captured, causing fear and insecurity among the officers of the Beijing Garrison.
……
Inside Rongqing Hall of Rongguo Mansion, only the two old brothers, Jia Daihua and Jia Daishan, sat facing each other, their faces somber.
Jia Daihua sighed, "The Emperor has ordered the Jia family to give him an explanation. How should we give this explanation? To what extent should we give it to secure a way out for the Jia family?"
Jia Daishan slowly said, "Give me the authority in the Jia family army, depose She'er and Jing'er, and give us our two old lives, and I hope that will give the Jia family a way to survive!"
Jia Daihua gasped and asked, "Is it really necessary to go this far?"