Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 1223: Chapter 1133: Female Prime Minister 71

Gaining the opportunity to seize evidence against the Fifth Prince, Xu Qingjing’s hands trembled with excitement as he hurriedly left the theater and immediately summoned his subordinates.

Xu Qingjing issued a total of two tasks. The first was to send them out of the Capital City to find evidence of the Fifth Prince colluding with local officials and intercepting murders without permission.

The second was to investigate any secrets behind the orphanage run by the Fifth Prince.

After Xu Qingjing left, Yan Qi and Yan Ba, who had disguised themselves, walked out of the adjacent box, exchanged a knowing smile.

The news previously conveyed by Yan Qi and Yan Ba was indeed true, except for the part that Fang Yong did not have a brother-in-law who was his confidant; Fang Yong truly only wished to pledge allegiance to the Fifth Prince.

This information was extracted from Fang Yong’s own words by Luo Linlang. If Fang Yong didn’t know who his master was, how dare he so openly lead troops to search for people without fear of anyone above causing trouble?

The superior, the governor, was indeed the Fifth Prince’s man. With the governor covering his tracks, those beneath him could act without restraint, especially in times of poor communication, making it all too easy for lower-ranked individuals to keep things under wraps.

Of course, by causing a commotion this large, sending someone to investigate would undoubtedly yield results. Xu Qingjing’s people hardly needed to delve deeply to uncover the truth.

The most well-concealed aspect of the Fifth Prince lay with the orphanage, as he had obscured the whereabouts of the orphaned children. Xu Qingjing, being an ordinary Imperial Censor, found it difficult for his people to unearth these hidden details.

However, that was not a concern, as General An’s men could uncover this information. When Xu Qingjing’s men were gathering intelligence, General An’s people slowly leaked what they had discovered to them.

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During the early morning court session, ministers routinely reported on matters requiring the Emperor’s intervention, alongside significant affairs from various regions.

The Emperor was diligent, summoning ministers daily despite his ill health, and held a grand court session every three days.

As the morning court had just begun today, Imperial Censor Xu Qingjing stepped forward and loudly proclaimed, ”Your Majesty, I have something to report.”

Seeing Xu Qingjing about to report, the surrounding ministers felt a chill. It wasn’t that they feared Xu Qingjing personally, but the Imperial Censor always meant impeachment among the officials.

As soon as an Imperial Censor intended to speak up, the ministers had a reflex of self-examination, considering if there was anything in their actions warranting criticism.

It wasn’t that they were overly guilty; rather, the Imperial Censors brought up a plethora of issues, ranging from grand matters of treason to minor offenses like inappropriate attire or poor dining manners, simply as their moods dictated.

Yet the ministers couldn’t act against these Imperial Censors, as they were entrusted by the Emperor to concern themselves with such matters.

Private retaliation would be seen as disloyalty to the Emperor, who would not tolerate such behavior, knowing the Imperial Censors acted as his eyes and ears, prickly though their official position was.

Although Xu Qingjing’s impending report caused the officials to revisits any breaches in etiquette, no one paid it significant heed.

Typically, the Imperial Censors’ reports dealt with trivial issues; even if reproached, it was usually no more than a mild admonishment by the Emperor, hardly a loss of face since most ministers had faced such reports before.

However, the ministers had clearly missed today’s prediction. Xu Qingjing’s report wasn’t about trivial matters like offenses against propriety or excessive concubines, but rather an earth-shattering revelation!

Xu Qingjing accused the usually low-profile Fifth Prince, alleging his sinister intent in using the orphanage as a front to secretly establish power.

Moreover, Xu Qingjing accused the Fifth Prince of scheming with the governor to misuse the court’s military strength for personal vendettas, including the assassination of former Prime Minister Wang Zhongxuan, listing over a dozen grave charges.

The Fifth Prince’s heart tightened at these accusations; despite years of keeping a low profile, believing no one in the court knew him well, someone had surprisingly unearthed his hidden activities.

Immediately, the Fifth Prince dropped to his knees, pleading to the Emperor above, ”Father, I am wronged! I have not done these things! I beg for your fair judgment!”

The Emperor bore a complex expression as he looked upon the Fifth Prince. Although seemingly indifferent towards him, the Emperor remembered him well, never quite favored due to his lively disposition initially.

Later, the Fifth Prince’s sudden maturity overnight left the Emperor suspecting the depth of his cunning.

Every one of the Emperor’s sons was a handful, their talents wasted in scheming for the throne, which deeply angered the Emperor.

Although the ministers were confused by Xu Qingjing’s accusation against the Fifth Prince, the Emperor didn’t particularly doubt its plausibility.

The reason was clear: emperors valued their thrones immensely, and this sovereign, despite his competency, held his seat even dearer.

To the Emperor, his sons were enemies targeting his throne first, sons second, and he never refrained from dealing harshly with potential rebels, despite familial ties.

Thus, he had all of his sons under surveillance; despite the Fifth Prince’s adept concealment, the Emperor noticed subtle clues.

The Emperor hadn’t anticipated that his Fifth Son could foster such considerable influence right under his nose.

Momentarily speechless, the Emperor’s silence cooled the Fifth Prince’s heart, leaving him feeling the Emperor suspected him.

Adding insult to injury, Xu Qingjing, having prepared in advance, started presenting evidence meticulously, even bringing witnesses to the Capital City, ready for questioning by the Ministry of Justice.

As Xu Qingjing detailed the proofs, the faces of many ministers changed color since his evidence revealed instances of the Fifth Prince placing agents within their households.

Some had been placed as servants, others as concubines, and Xu Qingjing had even identified them by name, prompting immediate suspicion and wariness towards the Fifth Prince.

At that moment, the ministers’ minds raced with two thoughts: first, to investigate whether these individuals were indeed spies sent by the Fifth Prince.

Second, to ensure the Fifth Prince never ascended to the throne, for having an Emperor so adept at intrigue and infiltration meant no future for them.