12dz Chapter 405
Chapter 405
Yue Fuguang only found out during the Gao Ming case and numerous family disappearance cases that a husband killing his wife actually did not require him to pay with his life; at most, he would be sentenced to exile.If the wife's family forgave his actions, he could even be acquitted and released just by paying a certain amount of compensation.
When she learned of this news back then, a million curses raced through her mind.
If Gao Ming had not been involved in a court case and the crime of murdering a fellow student, his mere act of killing his wife would have at most cost him his official position. It would not have affected him being a free man. It was simply too outrageous.
Therefore, this was the first Great Yan law that Yue Fuguang urged Emperor Mingxi and his ministers to amend after she arrived in Great Yan.
[Master, Ye Lin naturally took this into consideration, so his plan is to let his own wife die of illness.
Madam Lin came from the south and was unaccustomed to the local environment. Unable to adapt to the climate of the capital city, she fell ill shortly after arriving. Now, because Madam Lin has been taking medicine spiked by Ye Lin for a long time, she is so severely ill that she cannot even get out of bed to manage household affairs.]
"Did Madam Lin not realize there was a problem with her medicine?" As long as this Madam Lin was not a fool, her condition worsening the more medicine she took, combined with the fact that it was not a terminal illness, would make anyone with a bit of sense suspect that the medicine was wrong for the disease.
[She naturally suspected it and even changed doctors because of it. Unfortunately, she did not know that while the first doctor was fine, the newly replaced one had close ties with the Song family.
Regarding his wife's doubts, Ye Lin dismissed them all by saying that years of hard work had caused her to accumulate illness from overwork. This sickness had weakened her body, bringing out all the old root causes of her ailments.]
Glancing at Song Nian and Ye Lin, who were still kneeling on the ground, self-righteously advising the emperor to retract his orders, Yue Fuguang's lips curled into a wicked little smile. "System, open the inner voice channel to Song Nian and Ye Lin."
Destroying a person's mind before taking their life was the highest realm of revenge.
"Little Zhu, Song Nian is in such a hurry to stop the emperor from asking for my opinion. Could there be another reason behind this?
And the doctor who treated Madam Lin, was he instructed by Song Nian?"
[Master, the way Song Nian's late wife died is exactly how Madam Lin will die in the future.
After Old Man Song set his sights on Ye Lin as his son-in-law, he used the convenience of his position to transfer Ye Lin to work under him. After a few interactions, Ye Lin also grasped Song Nian's intentions.
Even the idea of his wife dying from illness was the safest, side-effect-free path to becoming a widower that Ye Lin came up with after Song Nian's subtle hints.
That doctor is a nephew from Song Nian's clan. Song Nian's deceased wife had once sought medical treatment from his father. This person was his father's medicine boy at the time, so he is very familiar with the whole process.]
Beep beep! Gasp gasp!
Beep!
Hearing this, Song Nian, who had been impassioned and ready to die for his remonstration, began trembling like a leaf. Then, his face turned crimson as if something was strangling his throat, and he could only make gasping sounds.
Ye Lin, with an even paler face, looked at Yue Fuguang in terror. He opened his mouth, but apart from his face flushing red, the words he wanted to say to defend himself all turned into beeping sounds. When he tried to speak further, it felt as if he was being choked, unable to utter a sound, accompanied by a feeling of impending death.
Yue Fuguang coldly swept her gaze over Ye Lin, who was already prostrating on the ground, continuously kowtowing with loud thuds. "Little Zhu, what is wrong with this Ye Lin? The emperor only asked one question, and I have not even said anything yet. Why is his reaction so extreme?
Is this how remonstrations are popularly done in the Great Yan court nowadays?"
[How about you say a few words, Master?]
Yue Fuguang readily agreed, "Since Your Majesty has asked for my recommendation for the chief examiner, I shall speak my mind. However..." Her gaze fell on Song Nian and Ye Lin, who looked defeated and dared not raise their heads.
"Lord Song and this Lord Ye seem to have a great deal of objection to this Junior Preceptor. Serving in the same court makes us colleagues. Must one's age and background be debated before expressing an opinion in this imperial court?"
Yue Fuguang's gaze swept across all the civil and military officials in the grand hall, an innocent smile hanging on her lips. "In this court, who is allowed to speak and who should shut their mouths? Why don't you two lords teach me?"
"This... this humble official wouldn't dare!" Ye Lin was young after all, his wife was still alive, and his grave mistake had not yet been finalized. He quickly adjusted his mindset and prostrated himself on the ground before Yue Fuguang. "Just now... this humble official was reckless. Please forgive me, Lord Junior Preceptor!"
Keeping his head down, ignoring the sweat blurring his eyes, he continued respectfully, "This humble official has only been in the capital for a short time. Having just heard Lord Wu's account, I now know that with Lord Junior Preceptor's contributions to the nation and esteemed status, you are naturally more than qualified for the position of deputy chief examiner for the metropolitan examination."
He then bowed deeply to Emperor Mingxi. "This humble minister has presumptuously criticized Lord Junior Preceptor, which is a great disrespect. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"
He is trying to sever his tail to survive! Yue Fuguang sneered inwardly. This Ye Lin was quick to adapt; he turned back before hitting the south wall. What a spineless coward.
Emperor Mingxi's gaze was cold. When he looked at Song Nian and Ye Lin, it was as if he were looking at filth. His majestic and stern voice echoed in the hall. "Ye Lin, for presumptuously criticizing a key minister of the court, you are demoted by one rank, your salary is docked for two years, and you are to reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors for three months. You are not to leave your residence without a summons."
"This humble minister Ye Lin accepts the decree!" Ye Lin prostrated on the ground, his body trembling.
[Master, the reason this Song Nian was in such a hurry to object is that he accepted bribes from others and wanted to tamper with the candidates in this metropolitan examination. He was afraid that the person you chose would be too formidable and difficult to deal with.]
Thump!
Song Nian was old after all. Hearing his beheading-worthy secret exposed, he was directly scared into a faint.
His head hit the golden bricks, making a loud thump.
'Why did this person suddenly faint?'
[Maybe he's too old and lacks physical strength?]
'Tampering with the metropolitan examination... With his body that's practically half in the grave, why would he do something that could lead to his execution and the extermination of his entire clan?'
[Because someone offered too much. To ensure his descendants could enjoy a lifetime of wealth and glory, Song Nian was willing to risk the crime of beheading.
Song Nian knows that the two sons of the Song family in this generation have no hope in the imperial examinations. He wants his second son to become a Jinshi, so he can only take crooked paths.
Although Song Nian has already planned to pass his position to Ye Lin, he is not at ease.
First, the court laws today are much stricter than during the late emperor's reign. Whether he can ultimately succeed depends on the Ministry of Personnel and the Emperor.
It's easy to say, but the actual operation is no longer as simple as it was over a decade ago.
Second, he doesn't fully trust a man who would kill his wife and remarry just to climb the social ladder. He doubts Ye Lin would take good care of his two brothers-in-law in the future.
He himself is a prime example. As a person of the same kind, Song Nian doesn't trust Ye Lin much either.]
Ye Lin, who had just been punished by Emperor Mingxi in court, was now hiding in the back, shivering. Imperial examination fraud was a crime far more severe than murdering one's wife. He had almost been implicated in this matter. If that had happened, it would truly be a capital offense from which he could not escape!
Meanwhile, the unconscious Song Nian remained restless even in his faint. His forehead was slick with cold sweat, likely plagued by nightmares of impending doom.
"Another imperial examination scandal?" Yue Fuguang instantly felt the plum blossom pastry in her hand lose its appeal. "The blood spilled in the sixth year of Yuankang has yet to completely dry. How could anyone still dare to take such a risk?"
She tossed the pale pink pastry onto the lotus-shaped white jade plate. The faint pink hue of the sweet before her eyes looked just like the last smear of crimson that had stained the spring snow during that year's examinations.