After Ma Qi said this in a loud voice, not only Longkodo, but also his father Tong Guowei, uncle Tong Guogang... all the Tonggiya clan members changed their expressions and thought something was wrong.
Tong Guowei looked like he had aged several dozen years, panicked, angry, and regretful. He knew that there was no such thing as a wall that was impenetrable. Longkodo had done something ridiculous, and he thought he could keep it a secret. The servants in the mansion had also reported it one by one, but it had only been less than half a month, and how did the Censorate get the news
He even had to trouble the Left Censor-in-Chief to take action personally!
He thought of the past few days unexpectedly and almost burst into tears. It was an injustice, it was all an injustice.
On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, when Longkodo brought Li Si'er back home, he actually asked someone to open the front door with great fanfare. His look of pity and care startled the doorman and all the masters in the house.
Li Si'er was born beautiful, with a pair of cat-like eyes that were particularly attractive. She had a charming appearance, but she had an indescribable worldly air, and the arrogance in her eyes almost overflowed. She was wearing a pure red dress, her belly was slightly bulging, and she looked at the tall and majestic mansion in front of her. A flash of pride flashed across her face, and she snuggled up to the man next to her and snuggled even tighter.
Mrs. Tong's lips trembled in disbelief, for her second son's long-lost rebellion. It would be fine if he had a concubine, but he just brazenly brought her into the house? He opened the front door, wore bright red, did he still have respect for the rules of rank and file
Tong Guowei was so angry that he wanted to break his legs according to the family rules. He scolded him: "You are really crazy. You bring all kinds of dirty and smelly things into the mansion!" It was obvious that she was not a girl from a decent family. Did she think that the censor was too idle and took the initiative to give him something to catch him
But with the faint words "Fourth child is pregnant, it's your grandson", the scolding stopped abruptly. No matter how angry he was, he thought of Longkodo's few children, only Yue Xing'a, and he slept in a separate room from Hesheli...
Orondei was a hopeless case, and the glory of the Tonggiya clan depended on Longkodo. As a result, the girls in the clan were implicated by him and could not marry into the royal family to seek glory. After Tong Guowei got over his anger, he had no choice but to protect him.
This time, too, the father could not persuade his son, so he could only warn him that there should be a limit to absurdity, and let him go without being bothered. Then, he thought about how to clean up the mess and conceal the matter.
They didn't know Li Si'er's identity yet, and thought Longkodo was just infatuated with her for a while. Holding little Hesheli's hand, Mrs. Tong said with red eyes, "My poor niece," asking her to be more tolerant, saying that Yue Xing'a would definitely be the head of the family in the future, and her aunt would never let you and your son suffer any grievances.
Hesheli's heart sank. She watched the scene with a sarcastic smile. Thinking of the steward's hesitant way of telling her that the identity of the concubine was unusual, she felt an overwhelming urge to vomit in her heart.
It was ridiculous. She had seen that woman when she returned home for the third time. She had tried to please her father, but now she had hooked up with her husband. Her aunt, who had loved her since she was a child, had to give in again and again because Longkodo had protected her like the apple of his eye, and because the woman was pregnant, and had to show the demeanor of a legitimate wife and be tolerant.
Hesheli was shocked for a moment. Is this still a home
They are all abnormal.
Anger and hatred gave her unlimited courage. Hesheli wanted to hand in a sign to the palace and ask the two concubines to make the decision for her. The entire Tong family was a place of filth and dirt, so why should she endure it!
Now everyone knew that the Second Madam had won the favor of the Empress in the palace, so no one dared to stop her. Even if Madam Tong was dissatisfied, she had to hold her nose and let her go. But it was Li Si'er's seemingly unintentional coquettish words, saying that Madam might want to sue me, that touched Longkodo's sensitive nerves.
Before Hesheli had time to leave, she suddenly fell ill.
The Tong family disliked Concubine Yi, nor did they like Concubine Wen's maternal family, the Niuhuru clan, because the Niuhuru clan had a deep foundation, and Concubine Wen's brother Alinga had grown up, and the emperor seemed to have the intention of using him. As for the Guoluo clan, they could be said to be wary of them - Sanguanbao was a maternal relative recognized by the emperor himself, and Tu Yue had trained in the Ministry of War for many years, and after completing his term, he was promoted to the deputy governor of the Bordered Yellow Banner Manchuria, a second-rank official with troops in his hands.
With Concubine Yi around, the Guo Luoluo clan is on the rise!
The Tong family was getting worse and worse. Compared with the glory when the imperial concubine was in power, it was really not as good as before. Tong Guowei felt uneasy. Although he knew that his daughter-in-law was ill, he did not investigate. After all, it was not easy for him to interfere in the affairs of the inner house. He could only sigh and ask someone to invite a doctor and ask his wife to take care of her more.
A few days later, Li Si'er's past was presented to Tong Guowei one by one. A woman who performed in a brothel became her father-in-law's concubine... She was forced to come by Longkodo... Is there any morality left
He almost vomited blood as he picked up the cane for the first time and whipped his son, whom he had never been able to hit before and whom he was extremely proud of.
The lady grabbed his hand and cried, "You want me to die! Ruying is gone, Ruyue is gone, Longkodo was just a little willful, it was all because of that bitch Li Sier! It was just for the sake of pleasure."
Tong Guowei was helpless. His wife was determined to protect their son at all costs, and his son was determined to protect his concubine at all costs. What else could he do
As the saying goes, family disgrace should not be made public, so he had to order his son to keep quiet and educate him well behind closed doors in an attempt to win back Longkodo's heart. However, Longkodo said that as long as he climbed to a high position and had troops in his hands, no one would dare to attack Si'er or report the news to the emperor.
His eyes were full of sharp and vigorous energy. After being angry, Tong Guowei was at a loss as to what to do, and strangely, he felt a little relieved.
…
But the father and son had never imagined that this matter would be exposed by the Censorate before Longkodo took up a high position.
Ma Qi roughly recounted Longkodo's crimes, and then the Right Censor-in-Chief, Deputy Censor-in-Chief, and Joint Censor-in-Chief came out in a swarm to impeach him.
Their reasons were also very different. One impeached him for indulging concubines and persecuting his wife; another impeached him for seizing his father-in-law's concubine and ignoring rites and laws. Another dug up old events, saying that he abused his power to bully the people and had frequent dealings with Chengqian Palace... The censors were filled with righteous indignation and even said it was absurd.
All the mistakes, no matter how small, were pointed out, which shocked all the civil and military officials in the court. They thought, could it be that Longkodo had dug up the ancestral graves of the censors
After sighing, there was an uproar. The famous Mr. Tong was actually such a person. They felt that it was too much!
His Majesty loved the Crown Prince, so the upper and lower classes followed suit, and each family vigorously cultivated their legitimate sons and respected their legitimate wives. When the evidence was presented, there was the identification of Longkodo's father-in-law, and the oral statement of the doctor who treated Hesheli, saying that after Master Tong's wife was poisoned, she was ridiculed and tortured by Li Si'er every day - they took a deep breath, could it be that Longkodo had gone insane? !
Finally, Ma Qi looked at Tong Guowei, bowed his hands respectfully, and said calmly: "Master Tong concealed the truth and protected him to this extent, which is also a crime."
Li Si'er was living well in the mansion, and there was irrefutable evidence that little Hesheli was bedridden. The emperor would know the truth after just one investigation. How could he refute it
And there is a rebellious son, a rebellious son! He is so cruel that he poisoned...
Tong Guowei opened his mouth but couldn't say a word. He was dizzy and felt completely lost. On the other side, Longkodo was being criticized by thousands of people. He lost his composure and became panicked.
After a few moments of panic, he looked at the backs of the imperial censors in front of the palace, clenched his fists, his eyes dark, and then flashed with cruelty. Si'er was exposed in front of everyone. Even if he could get away, they would definitely not let her go.
No, he couldn't plead guilty. If he pleaded guilty, Si'er would be finished. What should he do? !
Kangxi sat high on the dragon throne and flipped through the testimony presented by Liang Jiugong. His face couldn't be any darker.
Tong Jia's face was completely disgraced by Longkodo.
After suppressing his anger for a long while, he slowly said: "Remove him from his post as commander, detain him in the palace, and hand over all the charges to the clan affairs office for a thorough investigation. We will discuss the impeachment after all the facts are investigated..."
Longkodo was still young, and had not yet grown into a powerful official. His weight at this time was not enough for the emperor to favor him again and again and protect him. Tong Guowei's face turned pale when he heard this. In despair, he felt a little lucky. It would be good if it was not handed over to the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple.
Ma Qi frowned slightly. The Imperial Clan House governed the Imperial Clan, but strictly speaking, the Imperial Family was also included. Longkodo was the Emperor's cousin and Empress Dowager Xiaokang's nephew. The Emperor had shown some mercy. And Master Tong Guowei was still standing here.
Then he relaxed his brows. In any case, after this incident, Longkodo's reputation was ruined and his career was ruined, unless the emperor would use him regardless of the past. For an official, ability and virtue are equally important. Longkodo had no scruples about attacking his wife. He was so cruel and merciless that even if the emperor wanted to use him, he would not be able to use him safely!
There are thousands of capable officials, so why bother about a knife that may backfire
…
After the court meeting, the ministers dispersed. Longkodo was taken back to the palace early, and guarded by sword-carrying guards in turn; outside the Qianqing Gate, the two brothers staggered out of the hall, and Tong Guogang looked at Tong Guowei and sighed deeply.
Orondai, who was then the deputy governor of Guangxi but actually lived in the capital, came over with a playful smile and said, "Second uncle, you often scold me for being unbelievable, but do you think my cousin is decent?"
After saying that, he shook his head and said, "I have never laid a hand on my wife."
Tong Guowei's lips trembled and he couldn't speak. Tong Guogang pointed at him and flew into a rage: "Rebellious son! Get out of here!"
Orondei sneered. What? He looked down on him in the past and thought that Longkodo was the hope of the whole family. Now that his dream is shattered, is the old man angry and ashamed
He was not annoyed, but walked away leisurely humming a tune. Tong Guogang covered his chest and took a long breath. He turned around and was shocked: "Second brother!"
Tong Guowei cried out "unjust" and fell down, already unconscious. Coincidentally, Liang Jiugong led the palace servants to come hurriedly, and just as he was about to pass on the imperial edict, he saw this and cried out, "What's wrong with Lord Tong? The emperor is about to summon him. Hurry up and call the imperial physician, hurry up and call the imperial physician..."
"Fainted? Rage attacks your heart?" In the Cining Palace, Kangxi curled his lips.
Just now, the Empress Dowager denounced Longkodo's actions as ridiculous after hearing about them. Even the usually cheerful and kind Empress Dowager became angry and slammed the table in anger.
Kangxi turned the jade ring on his finger and summoned Tong Guowei to the imperial study to wait for him, just to leave him alone for a while, give him a few warnings, and then convey the imperial decree of the Empress Dowager and the ancestors, ordering him to solve the mess in the harem.
Thinking of leaving the last face for the Tong family, as for the audacious concubine, just beat and kill her in private. Thinking of this, the emperor's face faded. Well, since Tong Guowei has no spare power, let the affairs of the women be left to the imperial concubine.
The Queen Mother strongly agreed. The Grand Queen Mother nodded slowly, with a hint of disgust between her brows: "Emperor, the Tonggiya clan is your maternal clan, and for this reason, you must not lose fairness. Poor Hesheli has suffered this, you must order the Imperial Concubine to send someone to treat her and comfort her. In the future, whether it is a divorce or something else..."
She paused, as if she remembered something, squinted her eyes and dug out fragments of memory from the corner, and said slowly: "If I remember correctly, Hesheli... is Longkodo's cousin, your aunt's niece?"
Kangxi frowned and nodded.
The Empress Dowager sighed, but didn't judge anything. She just said, "That shouldn't be the case! Poor child."
Kangxi's face was slightly flushed. This was because he was too indulgent and failed to control his subordinates.
The last trace of affection faded away, and his heart became cold and hard, without any ups and downs. Kangxi chatted with the two empress dowagers and then went to Yongshou Palace and Yiku Palace.
On the other side, the Queen Mother returned to Ningshou Palace and said coldly: "Send a message to the two concubines, do not let Li Si'er off easily. What about the Tong family? I am not afraid of incurring resentment, I will be the bad guy!"
*****
The harem was also not very calm when hearing about the turmoil in the grand court meeting. After receiving the emperor's order, Concubine Wen got up from her sedan chair and went to Yikun Palace at noon. She had a detailed discussion with Yunxiu and then decided on a general way to deal with the situation.
Longkodo has been imprisoned, and the most urgent task is to send an imperial physician to treat Hesheli so that she can recover and plan for the future.
After all, there was Yue Xing'a, the only son of the second branch. According to Concubine Wen, Longkodo was useless from now on. As long as Hesheli controlled her son, she could be an old feudal lord who enjoyed a carefree life in the future. Wouldn't that be a pleasure
Yun Xiu smiled faintly. Whether it was divorce or something else, it was up to her to choose the next path.
As for Li Si'er's life, he can't be saved at all!
…
Tong Mansion.
Before sunset, people came to the palace. There was a big and strong maid, a solemn aunt, and a doctor carrying a medicine box on his back. The group walked towards the backyard without stopping, ignoring the maids and servants who blocked their way, and finally stopped outside Hesheli's house and pushed the door open with a "bang".
Someone screamed, "Who are you?"
The leading Nanny Dong frowned and took a look around. She saw the beautiful woman who spoke was dressed in red and exuded an air of arrogance. She was holding a black bowl of medicine and was about to pour it into the mouth of the dying woman lying on the bed.
Nanny Dong breathed a sigh of relief, the Second Madam was in good health and had not suffered any physical pain. She then looked at the woman calmly, thinking that this woman must be Li Si'er, whom the Empress hated.
She sneered and said, "I don't know how Madam Tong managed to be the mistress of a wealthy family. Longkodo has been imprisoned, but Li Si'er is still so arrogant."
Then he waved his hand: "Take it away."
In an instant, the maids rushed forward and snatched the medicine bowl, and Li Si'er started crying. Madam Tong Hesheli, who came hurriedly, shouted anxiously: "Stop! Don't hurt my grandson!"
However, the palace maids did not stop their movements. Nanny Dong laughed and said, "The emperor has issued an order, giving the two imperial concubines full authority to deal with the matter. Madam, are you going to disobey the order?"
After saying that, he moved sideways, and the scenes on the bed were suddenly revealed in front of Mrs. Tong.
Looking at her skinny daughter-in-law whom she hadn't seen for many days, Mrs. Tong's expression suddenly froze.
Nanny Dong was there with Concubine Yi, and Nanny Qian was also there with the Empress Dowager. While Madam Tong was distracted, Nanny Qian stepped forward, glanced at the medicine bowl on the table, and said slowly, "The Empress Dowager has ordered, drink it."
As soon as she finished speaking, Li Si'er's jaw was pinched tightly, her mouth was forced open, and the bitter and unpleasant-tasting medicine went down her throat and gurgled into her stomach.
Mrs. Tong’s face suddenly turned pale, and she fell to the ground with her limbs weak.
The maid let go of her hand, and Li Si'er screamed miserably. Her face twisted, and she attacked the palace maid closest to her with her hands like claws: "Master, Master! Save me! Bitch, how dare you! I will make Master kill all your clans!"
Madam Qian didn't even look at her and said sternly, "Tie him up with a rope and take him away!"