The Imperial Study.
Everyone from the Marquis's Residence knelt on the floor, while the Death-Exemption Token lay on the emperor's desk.
The emperor frowned sternly at Xie Jin'an and the frail woman kneeling on the floor, both brought in by the Court of Judicial Review. He could not help feeling contempt.
His Ninth Imperial Younger Brother had said that the Heir Apparent of Jing'an Marquis Manor had kept a mistress even before marrying. Now, seeing him use the Death-Exemption Token to save this woman's father, she was most likely that mistress.
A man like this actually had a wife as good as Liu Wan and a daughter as good as Wanwan.
What a waste of heaven's precious gifts.
"Xie Jin'an, your Jing'an Marquis Manor has challenged the dignity of the Imperial Family time and again. Do you think your father, whose crimes have yet to be cleared, can protect you from the distant frontier? An ignorant commoner might not know better, but do you not know better either?"
This was the Death-Exemption Token the Late Emperor had bestowed upon Lady Susu. If Liu Wan had not brought it with her when she married into the Marquis's Residence,
he would have confiscated the entire estate long ago.
Marquis Jing'an would never have had the chance to atone for his crimes through meritorious service.
Nor would any of them still be alive to ride roughshod over the Imperial Family! They had actually used something left by the Late Emperor to save a murderer!
The more the emperor thought about it, the angrier he became. He hurled a memorial straight at Xie Jin'an's head, splitting the skin and drawing blood.
Xie Jin'an knelt on the floor and tried to defend himself. He had clearly never imagined Liu Shi would drag him before His