Stripped of the Title

There is no better son than a father.

The next day, Emperor Jingshun received another type of memorial impeaching the Marquis of Wuding Marquis Residence.

Look at your son.

The Eunuch handed the copied memorial to Zhao Susu for her to see.

Emperor Jingshun snorted and said to the Empress, "I knew it. Even if I wanted to let the Wuding Marquis Residence go, Heng'er wouldn't allow it."

Zhao Susu glanced quickly at the contents of the paper and said, "This is all a report Marquis of Wuding for making mistakes on the battlefield back then."

Emperor Jingshun nodded, recalling events from a few years ago.

"I was indeed very angry at the time. I originally intended to strip the Marquis of Wuding Marquis Residence, but the Old Marquis had made great contributions, and the Lin Family's daughter had just married into the family, so I delayed the matter."

Although the Wuding Marquis Residence was punished, they were not dealt with severely.

"If Heng'er brings this up again now, and we really start to hold a grudge, the punishment of being dismissed and having my salary reduced back then was far too lenient."

"The Heir of the Marquis of Wuding is so muddle-headed that the entire the Imperial Court is condemning the Marquis of Wuding's crimes. I can no longer turn a blind eye."

Zhao Susu was very puzzled. "Was it really Heng'er's people who submitted this memorial?"

Emperor Jingshun said, "Three out of ten."

What about the other 70%?

Emperor Jingshun sighed, "That is the will of the people."

The memorial submitted by Qi Lingheng's subordinates set a precedent, but the subsequent public opinion spiraled out of control.

After pondering for a moment, Zhao Susu said, "It seems Heng'er really cares about Grand Tutor Lin's family affairs."

Emperor Jingshun said with great pride, "This child is loyal and righteous, but those who don't know him well won't easily see it."

Zhao Susu laughed and said, "Isn't it enough that you, as the Imperial Father, know this!"

She then asked the emperor, "So, what do you intend to do with the Wuding Marquis Residence?"

Emperor Jingshun narrowed his eyes. "I have already made my request; now it's up to Heng'er to agree."

Emperor Jingshun did not summon Qi Lingheng this time. His youngest son's temper was getting worse and worse. He appeared respectful Filial Piety on the surface, but he was unyielding to both soft and hard approaches.

He instructed the Chief Eunuch the Directorate of Ceremonial, "Find someone who knows how to speak, and have him relay a message to Prince Huan on my behalf."

The Chief Eunuch summoned his godson and said, "He's intelligent; Your Majesty, please give your orders."

Emperor Jingshun said something and had young eunuch take him to Prince Huan's Residence.

A Fu went to the study and told Qi Lingheng, "Your Prince, someone from the palace has arrived."

Qi Lingheng said to his advisors, "Please sit for a moment, I will be right back."

He left his staff behind, listened to the emperor's words, and returned with a somewhat cold and somber expression.

Prince Huan was always deep and gentle, and rarely showed his displeasure.

His advisors asked him, "Your Prince, what has happened?"

One of them frowned and said, "Is he one of the Crown Prince's men...?"

Qi Lingheng shook his head, smiled faintly, and said, "It's nothing. Please sit down and continue with my enfeoffment."

His Imperial Father Empress doted on him and granted him a very wealthy and prosperous fiefdom.

But in prosperous areas, local officials are not so easy to deal with; he can't wait until he gets there to start understanding things, he must prepare in advance.

"Yes, Your Prince. As far as I know, there are quite a few powerful and influential families in Jiangqian Prefecture..."

Qi Lingheng listened patiently, no longer dwelling on Emperor Jingshun's words.

\

"To report to the Marquis?"

The news quickly spread from the imperial court to the Wuding Marquis Residence, Wei Shi was so frightened that her legs went weak.

She said, completely bewildered, "It's just a matter of a Concubine, how did it get involved with the Marquis? Wasn't the Marquis's matter already over?"

Thinking back to those days of fear and unease, she still breaks out in a cold sweat.

Old Madam Lu was also a little scared, and said with her eyes closed, "What are you panicking about!"

She said with a serious face, "Nothing will happen."

Lu Zhengliu sat in the chair, his face cold and silent.

He has been suspended from his post.

Old Madam Lu breathed a sigh of relief, whether to reassure everyone or to comfort herself, "At most, Zhengliu will be demoted. No matter how skilled the Lin Family members are with their pens, they can't turn black into white. Our Lu family has never harmed the matriarch, nor has it ever killed a wife. The matter of Concubines is a trivial matter, no matter how much we talk about it."

"His Majesty is wise! Back then, he favored our Lu family because of the Old Marquis. I don't believe His Majesty would suppress our Lu family because of a mere woman! Absolutely not!"

"But the Marquis's matter is no small matter..."

Wei Shi was very worried and excitedly advised the Old Madam, "Why don't we just stop going against the Lin Family? Zhengliu, why don't you just divorce Yun Wan?"

No matter how good a daughter-in-law is, you can't ruin the family just to keep her!

Do these women even want to live anymore?

Lu Zhengliu frowned and said, "Mother, do you think the Lin Family will let us go just because the Lu family agrees to a divorce now?"

Wei Shi, puzzled, "They're already divorced, so what more do they want?"

Old Madam Lu rolled her eyes at her and said, "With Yun Wan around, the Lin clan hesitant to act rashly and dare not shake the foundation of our Lu family. If Yun Wan were gone..." the Lu family would truly be finished.

Wei Shi looked flustered and uneasy.

Old Madam Lu, impatient with her gaze, looked at Lu Zhengliu and said, "Let's not just sit here and wait. Let's go see your brother-in-law and ask the Xia family to help submit the memorial."

He also ordered Wei Shi: "You shouldn't stay idle at home either. You should visit all the relatives and friends you need to see."

Wei Shi was at a loss and asked, "Then, what should I say when I go? How should they submit their memorials?"

Old Madam Lu was speechless, and said irritably, "Don't you know how to ask for help? As long as someone is genuinely willing to help you, how you get into college is none of your business."

Wei Shi left, at a loss for what to do.

Old Madam Lu rubbed her temples and said to Nanny Yan, "Forget it, call her back. Don't let her go. Foolish girl!"

If it were Lin Yunwan, how could things have turned out like this?

Nanny Yan was also angry at her son's lack of ambition, but she still wanted to ask the Old Madam, "Should we also try to find out what Young Madam is thinking?"

Old Madam Lu said coldly, "No need."

"The Wuding Marquis Residence will be fine. I want her to see with her own eyes that no matter how much she tries, she can't escape the grasp of the Lu family. She'd better give up on that idea and stay wholeheartedly in the Lu family."

After hearing this, Lu Zhengliu went to the Xia family.

However, he neither saw his brother-in-law Xia Ji nor Lu Jia.

The steward from the Front Courtyard came out to dismiss him. "Heir Apparent, our Eldest Master is out entertaining guests and is not at home. The Physician is ill and unable to receive guests. Please go back now."

Lu Zhengliu clenched his fist, suppressing his anger, and asked, "When will my sister get better? I'll come see her then."

The steward laughed, "Heir Apparent, what are you saying? When the Physician recovers is up to the Physician, not me!"

Please leave.

The meaning of "drive away customers" is quite straightforward.

Roujuan, having heard the news, quickly returned to Lu Jia's side and said, "The steward has driven the Heir Apparent away."

Lu Jia gritted her teeth and said, "My brother is here, and he didn't even tell me! He even said I was sick!"

Roujuan said, "You've heard about what happened at the Wuding Marquis Residence. Luckily, you're a married daughter. If something had really happened, the Wuding Marquis Residence would be in grave danger this time."

Lu Jia panicked and burst into tears on the spot. "That Lin Yunwan is really something! She caused such a huge scene just because we wouldn't let her get a divorce! If something really happens to my family, she's the matriarch of the Lu family, how can she escape!"

If she has a family that has run into trouble, her life will be difficult for the rest of her days.

She covered her face and cried, "Who will help me and my Zhuo from now on?"

Roujuan advised her to think positively, "Physician, nothing happened to the Wuding Marquis Residence seven years ago. Even if it's brought up again, it won't do anything to the Lu family."

Hopefully.

Lu Jia couldn't sleep at night.

Old Madam Lu couldn't sleep either. After waiting all night, the Lu family received an imperial edict.

Upon hearing the words "stripped of the title of Heir of the Marquis of Wuding," the Old Madam felt dizzy.

"How could this be... how is this possible..."

How could the Emperor possibly strip a Marquis's Household's son of his Heir Apparent over a woman's affair!

The Old Madam fainted on the spot, and she didn't hear anything about the subsequent talk of being dismissed from her post.