After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 783 - 781 Fief

After the Princess Consort and Xie Jinyu left, Su Jin lifted the quilt and got out of bed.

She looked at Xie Jingchen and said, "How did you know Xie Jinyu was coming?"

Don’t tell her it was just a coincidence; she wouldn’t believe it.

"There was a bird chirping outside," Xie Jingchen said.

Su Jin also heard the bird, but didn’t pay attention.

Now it seemed that the Hidden Guard was alerting Xie Jingchen.

Su Jin said nothing, then Xingxing supported Su Jin, looking at her with admiration, and said, "The young master is so amazing, he can even understand bird language."

Su Jin, "...."

Xie Jingchen, "...."

Even the big bird hiding in the tree outside, "...."

Truly defeated by this maid.

She believed whatever was said to her.

Surprisingly, she grew up unscathed.

This was probably because the people of Qingyun Mountain were quite straightforward.

They say it as it is.

Luckily, this maid trusted them alone and didn’t believe others easily.

Otherwise, she’d have been sold sooner or later.

Su Jin was injured in an assassination attempt and didn’t need to pay respects to the Princess Consort.

To make her injury appear severe, she didn’t leave the Agarwood Pavilion.

Even going to the backyard was with Xingxing supporting her.

Her body swayed as if it would collapse at any moment, causing the maids and older women to worry.

The Emperor gave the Ministry of Justice three days to investigate the case.

Half the time had passed, and the Ministry of Justice hadn’t extracted a confession from the assassin, making the Minister of the Ministry of Justice anxious.

Agarwood Pavilion, backyard.

Su Jin was watering flowers.

Chu Shun and the Heir of Marquis Beining climbed over the wall.

Previously, the four of them always went in and out together, inseparable.

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo got married, accompanying the Right Minister’s daughter back home, and had no time to deal with them.

Prince NanAn got married, drunk out of his mind, unable to manage anything.

Only the two of them were left.

Xie Jingchen sat in front of the bamboo forest, drinking tea, the gentle breeze making him feel extremely comfortable.

The Heir of Marquis Beining walked over and sat opposite him, protesting, "Brother Jingchen, you can’t use me and then leave me hanging."

Xie Jingchen asked him to figure out a way to lure the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice to the Long Bridge.

With just a word, the Heir of Marquis Beining didn’t even ask why, and confidently assured Xie Jingchen that he would definitely lure his cousin over.

The Heir of Marquis Beining never expected that Xie Jingchen wanted his cousin to go and pick up a hot potato.

Now, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice couldn’t solve the case and passed the pressure to the Junior Minister.

The Junior Minister wouldn’t let him off the hook.

The Heir of Marquis Beining was helpless, especially since he had no official position; meddling would just count as nosiness.

With no choice, the Heir of Marquis Beining turned to Xie Jingchen for help.

The hot potato made a round and returned to Xie Jingchen’s hands.

Xie Jingchen glanced at the Heir of Marquis Beining and said, "Once the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice solves this case, he’ll get a smooth ride to success."

"Only if he solves the case, otherwise the Emperor might even have the entire Ministry of Justice exiled," the Heir of Marquis Beining sighed.

They should’ve provoked anyone but the sister-in-law.

The sister-in-law had good fortune, and whoever provoked her was unlucky.

Brother Jingchen was a genius.

The scheme hadn’t even begun, and it was already seen through.

With such a start, how could they hope to trap anyone?

Except themselves, who else could they trap?

The party of Duke Chong was also relentless; if it were him, he’d have long been defeated.

The Heir of Marquis Beining sought Xie Jingchen’s help, and instead of going to the Ministry of Justice, Xie Jingchen gave him a few tips.

The Heir of Marquis Beining was a bit skeptical, "Will it work?"

Chu Shun looked at Xie Jingchen and said, "Brother Jingchen, be honest, is this trap your doing?"

Xie Jingchen didn’t speak.

Chu Shun took his silence as an admission.

The Heir of Marquis Beining was reassured.

Leaving the Prince Zhenbei Mansion with Chu Shun, it was already noon. The two decided to first have a hearty meal at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion before heading to the Ministry of Justice.

The Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice came angrily to find the Heir of Marquis Beining.

The entire Ministry of Justice was anxious, and he still had the appetite for food?

Just right, gave the bill directly to the Heir of Marquis Beining.

The Heir of Marquis Beining said, "Cousin, just be at ease, this time you’ll earn the merit while lying down."

The Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice had the urge to punch him.

After eating and drinking their fill, the Heir of Marquis Beining conveyed to the Junior Minister the tactics Xie Jingchen had told him.

Although the Junior Minister was skeptical, he could only comply.

He personally went to the Princess Duanhui Mansion to inquire about the token.

As before, the steward claimed not to recognize the token, and Princess Duanhui was either visiting the Empress Dowager in the palace or resting, not seeing anyone.

The afternoon time was already short, and it was wasted just like this.

Early the next morning, the Ministry of Justice directly conveyed a message to the Princess Duanhui Mansion, asking her to personally come to the Ministry of Justice for questioning.

The Ministry of Justice’s duty was such that even if she was a princess, she should abide by the law.

Princess Duanhui indeed didn’t take the Ministry of Justice seriously, but they stated that if she insisted on not meeting, they could only report to the Emperor.

Princess Duanhui was somewhat annoyed, but she couldn’t ignore it.

So she sent her trusted nanny to reply to the Ministry of Justice.

Just right, it was the nanny’s reply they wanted.

Borrowing a few tiger gallbladders from the Ministry of Justice wouldn’t dare use torture on Princess Duanhui.

If she flatly denied it, the case couldn’t proceed.

But if it was the nanny, it would be different. There was no pressure in beating her.

The Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice directly detained the nanny and, failing to interrogate her, directly flogged her.

After thirty strokes of the cane, half of the nanny’s life was taken.

At first, the nanny refused to confess, but Xie Jingchen knew who else was aware of the assassination attempt.

To ensure nothing was overlooked, Xie Jingchen had people keep an eye on Princess Duanhui, knowing how many assassins she had sent. Otherwise, how could the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice have appeared so promptly to capture an assassin alive?

Su Jin only suffered minor injuries, but he was almost stared to death.

If preparations were inadequate and Su Jin was harmed, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

During the nanny’s tenacious resistance, she revealed a maid named Cui Liu.

The Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice told the nanny the maid had already confessed.

If she refused to confess, they would continue beating until she did.

The nanny did not expect the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice to deceive her. Believing it to be true and knowing the matter couldn’t be concealed, not wanting to suffer more, she confessed.

After signing the confession, the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice sent someone to capture the maid named Cui Liu.

The testimony of the two was identical.

With assassins and a token involved, and now the confession of Princess Duanhui’s trusted nanny and maid, whether Princess Duanhui confessed became irrelevant.

The evidence was conclusive, and the case wouldn’t be unresolved just because she adamantly claimed she was framed and wronged.

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice presented the confession to the Emperor, who erupted in fury.

The Empress Dowager herself went to the Imperial Study to reprimand the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, insisting he colluded to frame her daughter.

Although not explicitly stated, it was clear she was referring to Xie Jingchen and Su Jin.

Framing her daughter, and now throwing dirt on her?

The more the Empress Dowager defended Princess Duanhui, the angrier the Emperor became. Right in front of the Empress Dowager, he ordered the drafting of a decree to demote Princess Duanhui.

The Empress Dowager was so furious she nearly fainted.

Looking at her, the Emperor said, "The Empress Dowager should take care of herself; Princess Duanhui’s attempt to assassinate a princess, and further causing the Empress Dowager to faint, is a compounded crime."

The Empress Dowager’s face turned purple with rage.

For her daughter, she held on until she fainted after returning to Yongning Palace.

Thus—

Princess Duanhui was demoted.

In his anger, the Emperor intended to demote Princess Duanhui to commoner status, but before the decree was issued, a group of ministers entered the palace to plead for her.

Even Princess Duanhui herself entered the palace and knelt before the Imperial Study to admit her mistakes.

Finally, the Emperor demoted her to a Commandery Princess.

Because not only did the ministers defend Princess Duanhui, but also Marquis Dongxiang felt demoting her to a commoner was too severe.

The next morning at court, Marquis Dongxiang looked at the Emperor and questioned, "Emperor, shouldn’t the Heir’s wife be granted the title of princess?"

The Emperor, "...???"

Eunuch Fu, "...???"

Eunuch Fu was a bit bewildered.

Did Marquis Dongxiang lose his mind?

Wasn’t he the one who said the Emperor couldn’t grant the title of princess to the Heir’s wife until Consort Yun’s case was resolved?

Now he’s urging the Emperor to confer the title, and it sounds as if the Emperor is reluctant.

The Emperor was very angry.

But he held back from scolding Marquis Dongxiang.

"It is indeed time to grant the title of princess," the Emperor said.

Marquis Dongxiang seized the opportunity, "Since she is granted the title of princess, she should have a fief."

"Princess Duanhui has been demoted to Commandery Princess, freeing up a fief; the Emperor should give that fief to Jinjim."

"...."

The Emperor frowned deeply.

Although Princess Duanhui’s fief was good, it wasn’t the best.

Marquis Dongxiang actually chose that land...

Instinctively, the Emperor felt something was amiss.

In matters concerning his daughter, the Emperor trusted Marquis Dongxiang absolutely.

So, though puzzled, the Emperor readily agreed.

Duke Chong was absent from the court, leaving no one to help plead on behalf of Princess Duanhui...

Although Duke Chong had many allies in court, very few knew the fief contained an iron mine.

Princess Duanhui couldn’t even retain her princess status, so helping her keep the fief at this point would only provoke the Emperor’s displeasure.

Once her princess status was restored, naturally her fief would follow.

Thus, the Emperor gave Su Jin Princess Duanhui’s fief.

By the time Duke Chong and the Empress Dowager learned of it, it was too late.

In the Imperial Study.

After court, the Emperor summoned Marquis Dongxiang to the Imperial Study to report back.

Sitting on the Dragon Chair, the Emperor looked at Marquis Dongxiang and, unable to contain his good mood, said, "What prompted this change of heart?"

"Does the Emperor hope I haven’t changed my mind?" Marquis Dongxiang asked.

"...."

With one sentence, the Emperor’s good mood vanished.

The Emperor glared at Marquis Dongxiang, can’t feel at ease without taunting him a few times, can he?!

Eunuch Fu quickly interjected, "Marquis, you misunderstood, the Emperor merely feels remorseful for not having solved Consort Yun’s case yet, but Marquis suddenly understanding the Emperor’s urgent desire to acknowledge his daughter."

Marquis Dongxiang looked disdainful.

Eunuch Fu felt his attempt to mediate was inadequate; clearly, Marquis Dongxiang hadn’t thought of empathizing with the Emperor.

There must be another reason.

"I’ve already sent the Flying Tiger Army to help Princess Duanhui move," Marquis Dongxiang said.

"...."

Already?

The Emperor’s brow furrowed tightly.

In the morning court, Princess Duanhui’s fief was given to Jinjim, and he had already instructed the Flying Tiger Army to watch over the Princess Mansion’s move?

How had he given the orders?

The Emperor felt something wasn’t right.

"When did you send them?" asked the Emperor.

"Seven days ago."

"...."