The emperor was truly shocked!
Now all the ministers were waiting for the emperor to speak. He looked at Qin Hanshan and asked:
"Minister Qin, do you have anything to say?"
By now, Qin Hanshan's entire back was soaked with sweat. He had never imagined that Qin Mengdai was actually Guo Bilian's supposedly dead daughter. That woman had approached him with ulterior motives from the very beginning, and now she had even swapped one child for another under his nose. She was going to get him killed!
"Your Majesty, I am guilty.
"But I knew nothing of Concubine Guo switching her concubine-born daughter into my wife's care.
"I always believed Qin Mengdai was a child brought home from outside."
"Very well.
"Minister Qin, as a minister of the court, you have actually abused your legitimate daughter. This cannot go unpunished.
"You will remain confined to your home for one month to reflect on your misconduct, and forfeit three years' salary as a warning to others.
"Furthermore, you must not abuse your legitimate daughter again!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
At this point, the Grand Tutor stepped forward:
"Your Majesty, I wish to take my true granddaughter, Qin Youyou, to stay at my estate for a while."
"Granted."
The emperor felt that even if he punished the Minister of Revenue and ordered him to treat his legitimate daughter well, Minister Qin might obey in public and defy him in private. He might still mistreat his own daughter. Since the Grand Tutor wanted to take her into his household and care for her, the emperor thought that was an excellent arrangement and agreed.
It was not that the emperor did not want to punish the Minister of Revenue severely. Confining him to his home for a month was already the limit.
The Minister of