Bao Qianjun, his father, originally served in the Censorate before being stationed in Anji as a Canal Inspection Censor.
Bao Qianjun was upright and unbending, which inevitably made him enemies. Now, on the occasion of his son's wedding, someone paid off an assassin organization to kidnap the bride on his son's wedding day.
"How bold are these Jianghu people? What is their purpose in doing this? Using someone's daughter-in-law to threaten the father-in-law?"
"The Youtan organization only recognizes money. If the payment is sufficient, they would dare to move against anyone... anyone below the emperor. This organization has no bottom line. The fall of the Dayan Empire also had their shadow behind it."
Old Master Bao Yuanjun frowned deeply. His grandson was indeed getting married tomorrow, and his son was still far away in Anji and hadn't returned. There was no way to verify whom he might have offended in such a short time.
He could only pin his hopes on the Divine Artifact to reveal who was behind this. Otherwise, even if tomorrow's incident was avoided, the perpetrators would not simply give up.
Emperor Mingxi suddenly felt a chill down his spine. No, he needed to assign more personnel to his shadow guard.
"As for the purpose the Host mentioned, it's related to a list and an account book. Bao Qianjun has been secretly investigating corruption in the canal transport system for years.
He had accumulated a considerable amount of evidence over these years and planned to use his son's wedding as an opportunity to return and successfully deliver the account book to the emperor.
However, the news leaked. Not only was he detained in Anji by matters at the canal docks and couldn't return, but those people, after searching his residence thoroughly and failing to find the account book, had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure: kidnap the bride to exchange for the account book."
Emperor Mingxi shot Eunuch Qian a meaningful glance. Eunuch Qian immediately withdrew quietly to dispatch people to Anji to protect Lord Bao Qianjun, hoping it wasn't too late.
"They actually want to exchange for something as important as an account book? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to kidnap the younger Bao? They might not save a daughter-in-law, but they wouldn't be willing to abandon their own son, right?"
"If it were anyone else, kidnapping the son would indeed be more useful than kidnapping the daughter-in-law. But as for Bao Qianjun, wasn't it mentioned earlier that he is upright and unbending?
If his son were kidnapped, he would likely choose to sacrifice his son to protect the evidence. However, the daughter-in-law is the daughter of his close friend. For the sake of his old friend, he wouldn't just stand by."
"Wasn't there a backup of this evidence? Make several copies for them, or even print them out and post them all over the city.
If they want it, then give it to them—give one to everyone!"
"The Anning region is thoroughly rotten. Even so, it's estimated the evidence wouldn't leave that area. Officials and merchants are colluding, forming a unified body from top to bottom. The emperor's words might not carry as much weight as those of the local officials there."
"Does Emperor Mingxi not know that his control over the Jiangnan region has weakened?"
"Do you know who the highest-ranking official in Jiangnan Circuit is? It's his maternal cousin, Sima Jing. His words carry more weight in the Jiangnan officialdom than the emperor's imperial edicts.
They have formed a solid interest group. These Jiangnan officials only know of Lord Sima, not the emperor. One could say Sima Jing is the local despot.
As for the emperor, assigning such an important position to his own cousin surely indicates trust. If an ordinary person came to expose him, who do you think the emperor, with his brain, would believe?
That's why Bao Qianjun has endured for years, determined to obtain solid evidence before daring to report it to the court."
Emperor Mingxi: Sima Jing? Sima Jing! Not only his cousin but also his study companion. They endured the dark times during the late emperor's reign together.
Because of this, Emperor Mingxi held deep feelings for him. He never expected that this cousin and study companion would one day betray him!
Emperor Mingxi was so shocked by this matter that he even forgot the Divine Artifact had insulted his intelligence. His face was now livid, a furious fire of betrayal by his most trusted person burning in his heart.
His bloodshot eyes were hidden behind the twelve strands of his imperial bead curtain, his silver teeth almost gritted to pieces.
Eunuch Qian, who knew best the emperor's feelings for Sima Jing, fearing he might harm himself in anger, quickly and discreetly served him a cup of warm tea.
"In the original historical timeline, did they succeed? Did Bao Qianjun make the exchange?"
"He did. But by the time the messages were relayed back and forth, it was already ten days later, right around the New Year. What was exchanged for was just a corpse, mutilated beyond recognition."
"The bride died? These people don't keep their word at all? What kind of Jianghu conduct is that?"
"Host, not everyone in the Jianghu keeps their word, let alone the other party being assassins with no bottom line.
However, the bride didn't die. She was swapped out by Sima Jing's son's people. What was given to the Bao family was just the pitiful corpse of an unnamed woman.
When the bride appeared again, she was already a Guifei (highest-ranking imperial consort) of the Great Wei."
"A Guifei of Great Wei? That Great Wei, one of the short-lived separatist regimes established after the fall of Dayan?"
"Yes, that one. Their first emperor was Sima Jing's son, Sima Ying.
The Sima family amassed enormous wealth by sucking the lifeblood of the Dayan Empire.
After Dayan was destroyed, they raised troops at the first opportunity and eventually established the separatist state of Great Wei in Jiangnan."
At this moment, Emperor Mingxi's eyes grew even redder. The veins on his hands bulged, and he gritted his molars. The humiliation of being so utterly fooled hammered at his nerves.
All the officials, whether they could hear the inner thoughts or not, had their heads bowed low at this moment, each like a quail.
The reason for such unanimity was that the iron-headed gentleman in the main hall was currently impeaching the emperor's study companion and cousin, Sima Jing, for the crime of seizing civilian farmland.
The entire court knew of the emperor's protectiveness towards this man. Impeaching him was truly the act of an iron-headed fool. Who was so iron-headed? Of course, it was Feng Tang, the leading figure among the Investigating Censors and one of Yue Fuguang's top admirers.
Investigating Censors could memorialize based on hearsay. Even without evidence, he could raise an impeachment in court.
His coming forward now was nothing more than handing Emperor Mingxi a knife. However, Sima Jing had been entrenched in Jiangnan for years, with interests intertwined like gnarled roots. To move against him, even the emperor needed to be fully prepared.
Seeing Feng Tang's audacious act, those who heard the inner thoughts understood the situation. Those who couldn't hear them were thinking, "Zhao Xu has only been gone for a few days. Feng Tang's seat isn't even warm yet, and he's already throwing himself at the blade's edge?
Has he gotten too carried away lately? After successfully impeaching princesses, princes, and commandery princesses, he now dares to impeach His Majesty's most trusted confidant?"
Most trusted confidant—if Emperor Mingxi heard that phrase, his face would probably sting again!
"Little Pearl, the Sima family must have seized a lot of land, right? Was the grain grown used to raise a private army? For Sima Ying to quickly raise a force after Dayan's fall, it's hard to believe there wasn't preparation beforehand, isn't it?"
"While Emperor Mingxi is still alive, they wouldn't dare go that far; there are only some signs. However, in a few years when his health begins to decline, the Sima family's ambition will no longer be hidden.
Do you remember that Shen Wanchuan, the Jiangnan tycoon we saw at the auction house?
He is actually from the Sima family, or rather, he is their white glove.
Specifically tasked with making money for the Sima family. This man was originally a household slave of Sima Jing. Before Emperor Mingxi ascended the throne, he was sent to Jiangnan to develop their influence.
So, Emperor Mingxi's cousin is richer than he is. Right now, Sima Jing's stored silver rivals the national treasury."
