in2ebook Chapter 214: The Empress Dowager personally visits the Marquis of Cheng'en's residence.
Chapter 214: The Empress Dowager personally visits the Marquis of Cheng'en's residence.
The next day, Zhao Rushan and Zhu went to the residence arranged by the Marquis of Pingxi. After tidying up, they immediately moved in with Zhao Rufang.
In the days that followed, the Zhao family became busy, discussing the marriage between the two families with the He family and preparing Zhao Rufang's dowry, while also receiving their former comrades and friends.
Qin Yizhen and Cheng Yan were very pleased with the Zhao family's tactful response after learning about it.
The weather is getting hotter and hotter, and after a few days, it will be June, the hottest month of the year.
It was at this time that the court reached a preliminary conclusion on the Fanghua Pavilion arson case.
The Zhang family colluded with foreign powers, committing treason. They were given a cup of poisoned wine and sentenced to death.
Without even waiting for the autumn execution, they directly sent Zhang and his family to their deaths with a cup of poisoned wine.
The Zhang family's property was confiscated, and the confiscated items were exchanged for money to compensate Fang Shixin. However, the Zhang family had already fallen into ruin, and even though they had kept some things for themselves, Fang Shixin's losses amounted to less than a tenth of what he had lost.
Fang Shi was so angry that he vomited blood, and followed his own father to the Dali Temple to argue with Lord Li.
Lord Li had a terrible headache: "The Zhang family ruined you, but now the entire Zhang family has been executed, their property has been confiscated, and the money has been given to you. What more do you want? Do you expect the Dali Temple to compensate you?"
Fang Shixin argued vehemently, "That's because you failed to protect the people, causing them to suffer such an undeserved disaster. Besides, everything started because of Qin Yizhen. Do you think she can just stand by and do nothing?"
“Miss Fang.” Lord Li’s expression changed, and he looked at Fang Shaoqing and Fang Shixin with a warning in his eyes. “Miss Fang, please be careful with your words. This matter has nothing to do with the princess. Do not try to involve the princess.”
"Fang Shaoqing, if you can't even teach your daughter properly and don't know the meaning of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, you don't need to be an official anymore. I will report this to you and send you home to teach your daughter."
"You—" Before Fang Shixin could even speak, Fang Shaoqing, who was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, covered his mouth.
Fang Shaoqing quickly apologized to Lord Li: "Please don't be offended, my lady has suffered too much loss and has developed hysteria. She's been acting a bit crazy. Please don't be offended, my lady."
Lord Li snorted coldly: "Since he has hysteria, then keep him at home and don't let him go out and bite people."
"Yes Yes Yes......"
Fang Shaoqing also harbored resentment towards this daughter. In the past, Fang Shixin was on good terms with Qin Yizhen, and he rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review within a few years.
Back then, he was so full of vigor and ambition that even his superior, Lord Li, gave him some respect. But after being dismissed from his post at the palace banquet, he was reinstated as Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, but he was gradually marginalized and relegated to doing only unimportant tasks.
In this case, it's unlikely that he'll ever be promoted, and it's also uncertain when he'll be demoted or dismissed.
Thinking of this, Fang Shaoqing glared fiercely at his daughter.
It's all that stupid bastard's fault. Wouldn't it have been better to just be friends with the princess? Instead, he had to covet her husband and even try to harm her. He was simply courting death.
Lord Li said to Vice Minister Fang, "It's not that the Court of Judicial Review is being unreasonable. There's no reason for the Court of Judicial Review or the princess to compensate for the losses of Fanghua Pavilion. Right now, we can only wait for Xiliang to send another envoy to see what compensation Xiliang has made. Then we can ask the Prince of Ze of Xiliang to compensate us."
"This is the only way for now." Fang Shaoqing sighed deeply. "My lord, I'll take this unfilial daughter back with me."
"Go," Lord Li glanced at Fang Shixin and said coldly, "Discipline her well, otherwise she will surely bring disaster to the whole family one day, and it will be too late to regret it then."
"Thank you for the reminder, sir. I will keep it in mind."
As Fang Shixin was dragged away, she was still full of resentment: "You're not his dog, why are you so afraid of him?"
"You unfilial daughter!" Fang Shaoqing roared, slapping her across the face. "Stop spouting nonsense! Come with me, come with me..."
The father and daughter left the Dali Temple arguing. Lord Li sighed deeply, thinking that the Fang family was doomed sooner or later with such a daughter.
.
The Zhang family was given poisoned wine that day, and none of them survived. The Dali Temple ordered people from the mortuary to clean up the mess and bury them in a mass grave.
The once glorious Zhang family of the Vice Minister's Mansion has come to an end.
On the afternoon of the second day after the Zhang family members died, Empress Dowager Cheng and Cheng Yan went to the residence of Marquis Chengen.
The June sun shines down on the earth, and justice prevails, as if all evil has nowhere to hide.
Today, Empress Dowager Cheng changed out of her magnificent court robes and phoenix crown, and wore a simple blue dress with a blue hairpin in her hair.
She is thirty-five years old this year, and time seems to have been exceptionally kind to her, as she is still beautiful, and even this blue dress cannot hide her stunning beauty.
After crossing the overgrown path, the siblings arrived at an old, half-collapsed courtyard and stepped inside.
When Cheng Shiyuan and Cheng Shiming saw the siblings arrive suddenly, they were so shocked that their faces turned pale and they quickly knelt down.
In the past, they had thought a lot, fantasizing that when this Empress Dowager arrived, she would forgive them, take them away, and let them live a life of wealth and glory.
But when the people actually arrived, instead of being happy, they felt apprehensive and fearful that Empress Dowager Cheng had finally had enough of tormenting them and would personally come to send them on their way.
"Where is Zhang Shi?" Empress Dowager Cheng asked coldly, not seeing Zhang Shi in the courtyard.
Cheng Shiming stammered, "Inside the house, inside the house..."
"Go and bring her out. I have a few words to say to her."
Cheng Shiming dared not disobey, and hurriedly got up and went into the house to bring Zhang out.
Empress Dowager Cheng stood in the courtyard, coldly surveying her surroundings, while Cheng Yan stood beside her, silently keeping her company.
Between the two siblings, if we were to discuss who hated the Cheng family the most, it would naturally be Empress Dowager Cheng. Cheng Yan's mother died when he was born. He hated the evil deeds committed by Marquis Chengen and hated Zhang for harming his mother, but that was all.
But Empress Dowager Cheng was already quite old at that time. She had relied on her mother for many years and had witnessed her mother's tragic fate. The hatred she felt was so deep that even tearing the entire Cheng and Zhang families apart would not be enough to quell her anger.
Cheng Shiming helped Zhang Shi out of the house. When Empress Dowager Cheng looked up, she saw that Zhang Shi was wearing dirty clothes and her white hair was patchy and messy, like a chicken coop.
Upon seeing the person who arrived, she tilted her head and giggled, "Hahahahaha..."
"Hahaha, new clothes, new clothes..."
Zhang stepped forward with a smile and was about to reach out to touch Empress Dowager Cheng's clothes when Cheng Shiming was so frightened that he almost fainted and quickly pulled her back.
"New clothes, new clothes..." Zhang struggled, staring intently at the clothes on Empress Dowager Cheng's body, looking mad.
Cheng Shiyuan hurriedly said, "Elder sister, Mother has gone mad. Please don't blame her."
"Has she really gone mad?" Empress Dowager Cheng chuckled, her tone utterly sarcastic. "I heard that when the Cheng family came to visit her a few days ago, she even sang 'Lady Qi's Rice Pounding Song.' Why didn't she sing it today?"
"I've come here today to hear your story. Since you compare yourself to Consort Qi, I wouldn't mind giving you the same fate..."