He paused, then said, "Under severe punishment, there must be injustice. The second young master Xu is dead, and there is no evidence. Deputy Chief Song insisted that the second young master Xu was not a personal grudge, but was premeditated and manipulated by others. How can this be proved?"
Everyone nodded.
This is true, after all, Xu Ying is dead.
There is actually no evidence at all as to whether it was Xu Rui who ordered it.
It is really too much to destroy the family of a super-class duke just because of a trumped-up charge.
Deng Ze, the Minister of Rites, also stood up and spoke passionately: "Your Majesty, Song Heng's methods are cruel and frightening. Now Song Heng's name can stop children in Beijing from crying at night, which shows how frightening Song Heng is. I heard that when he interrogated Xu Rui this time, he even borrowed the torture of the previous dynasty - applying glue on Xu Rui's injured back, and then forcibly tearing off the entire layer of glue on it, calling it skin replacement..."
The crowd was shocked.
Duke Chengguo Xu Yonghong pursed his lips and stood in the row of military officers, his hands trembling slightly.
Seeing this, the military officers of Duke Chengguo, who had long been dissatisfied, came out to speak for Duke Chengguo. Even the Prince of Fenyang said tactfully, "Your Majesty is wise and enlightened, and has always been famous for his benevolence..."
Emperor Yuanfeng did not express his opinion. Instead, he named Prince Zhuang and the fifth prince and asked them, "What do you think?"
At this critical moment, King Zhuang thought quickly in his heart, and after a moment, he said respectfully: "The dead are gone. Since the second young master Xu has paid the price for his actions, and there is no other evidence to prove that the son of the Duke of Cheng was also involved..."
"What do you mean by nothing else was found out during the trial?!" Song Xiangyu was the first to disagree. He took a few steps forward, like a fur-ruffled lion: "Xu Ying is a second-generation rich kid, what does he know? How could he set up such a sophisticated trap?! Even Song Heng found the poison from the secret scroll of the Imperial Guards, how could Xu Ying get it? Could it be that the Xu family has some connection with the previous dynasty?!"
He snorted coldly, and sneered without any courtesy: "Killing my son is not a big deal, what's important is that I'm afraid he hides such poison to kill others. You are all jumping out now and having fun, but don't you think about it in the future? If you offend them, what will you do if they use this poison on you!?"
It would be fine if Song Xiangyu didn't show off his power, but once he did, he was like a mad dog out of a cage. King Zhuang sighed helplessly and couldn't help cursing in his heart.
This guy is really too difficult to deal with.
All the civil and military officials in the court were silent.
The words "spy of the previous dynasty" are not just a joke. If they are really convicted, those who help the Xu family to plead for them will all have their heads cut off.
"My son is not dead, that's right!" Song Xiangyu suddenly choked up and looked at Chengguogong Xu Yonghong: "But it's not because your son has a change of heart. After we got the antidote, he tried to kill the people we sent to get the antidote! Has he ever thought about the consequences of doing so!? It's not that he didn't have opportunities. From poisoning to going to Baihe Temple in the end, he could have stopped at every step, but did he?! He didn't!"
Shao Wenxun lowered his head and narrowed his eyes slightly.
Deng Ze, who had been very passionate before, also shut up.
Song Xiangyu was taking the matter too far, but what he said hit the nail on the head and brought back those who sympathized with the Chengguo Mansion.
Yeah, was Xu Ying really just playing around for a moment
Where did this poison come from
How could it be in the Chengguo Mansion
They have this long-lost poison, what are they going to do with it
If anyone rashly responded again, it might not be a matter of begging for mercy, and no one spoke again.
Song Xiangyu's questioning echoed in the hall: "What?! My son was lucky and finally survived, so this incident can be regarded as nothing happened, right? Go ask Sun Yuanpan what my son's condition is like now. From now on, he can't even walk a few more steps. He is the descendant of a noble family, and he has the blood of a general flowing in his body, but from now on, he is no different from a useless person. Could it be that my family has suffered such a great misfortune that I have to kowtow to the Xu family to express my gratitude?!"
Everyone suddenly fell silent.
Shao Wenxun even sighed in his heart and looked solemn.
If Song Xiangyu had not been prepared, then these words would have been so full of wisdom and heart-wrenching!
Who said that military generals are not good at talking
If Song Xiangyu's eloquence was not good enough, then half of the civil servants standing in the hall would probably have to find a pillar to bang their heads against and die.
Look at this eloquent person!
Prince Lianzhuang just showed a reluctant expression and did not continue to plead for the Xu family as he had said before.
Song Xiangyu knelt down in front of Emperor Yuanfeng with a plop, took off the official hat on his head with both hands, and respectfully placed it in front of him. He kowtowed to Emperor Yuanfeng and cried, "Cousin, my son has been in such a state, I have no face to be the prince of Guangping Marquis's Mansion anymore! My father is already over sixty years old, but I am so incompetent that I can't even protect my own son. I have caused him so much trouble, and I am even less fit to be a general. Please allow me to resign from the position of prince!"
Everyone was in an uproar.
Song Xiangyu had actually used the trick of resigning once before, when he cried loudly in the palace.
But everyone thought that he was retreating to advance, and it was just a means of advancement.
But now, looking at Song Xiangyu's expression, it seems like he is serious about it.
Deng Ze snorted, looking down on Song Xiangyu for being like this. He called him cousin on one hand and the emperor on the other, clearly trying to use the relationship between them to achieve his goal.
This old fox!
Emperor Yuanfeng was indeed moved. He coughed and scolded: "Nonsense! Is this nonsense?"
At the same time, he told the Fifth Prince: "Help your uncle up quickly!"
Now that my cousin has been called upon, we all know what the emperor’s attitude is.
The fifth prince indeed obediently went to support Song Xiangyu.
Song Xiangyu refused to move. He avoided the support of the Fifth Prince and knelt before Emperor Yuanfeng, "Your Majesty! I dare not act recklessly. My father also said so. It is said that the Qi family can rule the country and bring peace to the world. I can't even do that for the Qi family now, so how can I take on such a big responsibility? Please, Your Majesty!"
King Zhuang looked at Song Xiangyu with a serious gaze, and his vigilance not only did not decrease, but increased sharply.
Was he so eager to withdraw because he was frightened by the plot against Song Zhiyuan? Or was it because the previous test had really hit the mark
Emperor Yuanfeng pondered for a long time before turning to look at Duke Cheng and asked him, "What do you say?"
Xu Yonghong, who had never spoken a word and stood aside like a pillar, also knelt down with a plop. His knees made a dull sound, showing his determination.
Everyone couldn't help but focus their eyes on him.