blueteamnovel Chapter 292
Chapter 292
Heavy snow.
Minister Lu's small court.
It was especially bustling on the rest day.
Some people truly took time off on their day off.
But the truly ambitious were even more active in their affairs on rest days.
More people reported to Minister Lu's small court on rest days.
It basically reflected the core group of Minister Lu's small court.
Some officials had never been to the imperial palace alone.
But they had certainly been to Minister Lu's small court.
Minister Lu generally wouldn't personally receive so many people.
Unless there was urgent business.
On this rest day, Minister Lu truly didn't rest, personally presiding over his small court.
He had felt something was off these past few days.
It wasn't about supporting which prince - that kind of major issue could only be discussed in secret.
To accomplish great things, one must keep secrets.
Those who knew and weren't reliable had to die, like that servant who massaged his shoulders.
What displeased him was the newly appointed Imperial Secretary.
The Emperor held court once every ten days.
For any important matters, it meant they could only have an audience once every ten days.
Even Minister Lu himself only had one or two extra opportunities in between.
The Emperor would summon him to the palace, or he would request an audience.
But Vice Minister Jiang had gone to the palace five or six, even seven or eight days out of ten.
It was said the Emperor's mood and state had been quite good lately.
On this day, the small court was fabricating crimes to pin on the newly appointed Imperial Secretary Jiang.
When you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext.
They also wanted the officials of the capital to teach that country bumpkin Jiang Er a lesson about how to be an official.
First crime, corruption. Their accounts were even more detailed than Jiang Er's, claiming he had embezzled funds while carrying out the imperial order to organize and inspect laws and regulations.
He had embezzled tens of thousands of taels of silver, an amount sufficient for the death penalty.
They also dug up old memorials accusing Jiang Er.
Saying he had accepted gifts for his family members' birthdays.
Adding it all up together.
Second crime, rebellion. Jiang Er harbored treasonous intentions. He had set up a longevity tablet for the rebel leader Zi Lu and even invited high monks to perform rituals, showing he still remembered the rebel leader. His rebellious heart had not died. A capital offense.
Third crime, allowing his child to bully others. Jiang Er's daughter had extorted money from Minister Liu's son on the street, with multiple witnesses.
Fourth crime, lack of filial piety. Immortal Liu's grandmother was actually Jiang Er's birth mother. Jiang Er lived next door but didn't support his elderly mother, allowing her to suffer a severe stroke. He was unworthy of being called a son...
Fifth crime, colluding with court officials. Jiang Er had married his daughter to Meng Shaoxia, and even attempted to connect with Minister Dong of the Ministry of Works, and had sent gifts to Inspector He...
Sixth crime, disrespecting the imperial clan. Jiang Er had once beaten Heir Apparent Han...
Seventh crime...
And so on and so forth, one charge after another. Jiang Er himself probably didn't remember doing so many things, or that they could be interpreted this way.
In short.
Minister Lu had mobilized the court officials, like activating a huge database, digging up all of a person's life details.
They pinned on him every crime they could.
If this didn't kill him, even if the Emperor was momentarily fond of him, he wouldn't go against all the court officials.
But if more time passed, it was hard to say.
While the Emperor only found him novel and amusing at first, they had to swiftly cut down Jiang Er.
They couldn't let him have another day in the spotlight.
On the rest day, Minister Lu's small court was busy, very busy indeed.
The snow on the ground had been trampled until there was no snow left, just wet, black mud everywhere.