Chapter 188 Princess Kills Husband
This summer is hotter than in previous years.
In the past, the emperor would only give ice cubes to royal family members and important ministers in midsummer. However, this year, as soon as summer began, the eunuchs took ice cubes from the well cellar where ice was stored and transported them to the residences of princes, princesses and important ministers in horse-drawn carriages.
Princess Chenliu also had an ice room in her mansion. The ice stored in the Luoyang Palace was not enough even for the royal family, and the Empress Dowager's bestowal of ice was just a ceremony.
But the royal reward was a favor after all. After Princess Chenliu took the palace magistrate and the female historians to express her gratitude, she stuffed money into the eunuch's pocket when he brought the ice. Only then did the strong men in the palace come forward and bring the ice in.
After returning to the inner courtyard, the [ordinary female messenger of the news department] came up to Princess Chenliu and told her a shocking news.
"Your Highness, King Song has passed away."
King Song Liu Hui was the husband of Princess Lanling, the elder sister of Prince Qinghe.
"What!?"
This news made Princess Chenliu, who was usually calm, exclaim in surprise. Lu Zhu immediately ordered her personal maid to seal the gate of the courtyard, and then she stood guard at the gate herself.
"What happened? Last month, I went to see Princess Lanling. The baby in her belly had just stabilized and she was discussing sewing things for the baby. Prince Song was also there at the time. Although he didn't look well, I didn't hear that he was sick. How could he suddenly pass away?"
King Song Liu Hui was threatened with the throne by King Qinghe, and eventually he remarried Princess Lanling. They unexpectedly soon had a child.
As a rare happy event for the royal family in recent years, Empress Dowager Hu personally went to Prince Song's mansion to visit and gave away a lot of pregnancy-protecting medicines.
After becoming pregnant, Princess Lanling's personality became more restrained and she no longer quarreled with King of Song Liu Hui every day.
Because of this, Princess Chenliu, who loved to watch fun, was no longer willing to go to Princess Lanling's mansion.
Of course, another reason for not going to Princess Lanling's mansion was that seeing Princess Lanling's increasingly swollen belly made Princess Chenliu think of herself. She had asked for it so many times, but why wasn't she pregnant?
It’s obvious that the emperor’s younger sister Shouyang is pregnant!
Princess Chenliu could only blame a certain "lower minister" who "rebelled against his superiors". It must be that this guy didn't try his best! That's why she hasn't gotten pregnant yet!
What to do as for pregnancy?
There were many women who became nuns in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Ask them why they would sacrifice their lives to practice asceticism in remote Taoist temples at such a young age, and then think it through and return to secular life within a year or two?
Princess Chenliu did not go to Princess Lanling's mansion this month, but heard the news of her husband's death?
The maid whispered, "According to the news, the King of Song was accidentally killed by Princess Lanling."
"what!"
This time Princess Chenliu screamed in shock!
She immediately regained her composure and asked:
"Is it true?"
The maid said, "About eight or nine points."
"Princess Lanling's residence has been sealed off by the imperial guards today. Our informant in the palace said that Princess Lanling came to the palace covered in blood last night to ask for an audience with the Queen Mother, and she is still in the palace now."
Princess Chenliu paced back and forth and said, "Something big has happened."
"The King of Song is insignificant, but he is also the husband of Princess Lanling. It is against moral principles for a wife to kill her husband. If Brother Qinghe Prince continues to protect her, it will inevitably cause a stir in the court."
"No, Brother Qinghe will definitely protect her!"
Prince Qinghe and Princess Lanling are brothers from the same mother. The last time Princess Lanling killed her pregnant concubine, it was Prince Qinghe who asked the Queen Mother to protect her. She also allowed Princess Lanling to divorce Prince Song and deprived Prince Song of his title.
Later, Princess Lanling wanted to remarry, and it was Prince Qinghe who personally threatened Liu Hui that allowed the two to reconcile.
Luzhu came over and asked, "What should we do then?"
Princess Chenliu said decisively: "Leave the city, I want to go to Tangmu, I can't stay in Luoyang any longer!"
Lu Zhu said quickly: "I will go and prepare things right away."
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When Su Ze received the urgent information sent by his entourage in Luoyang, he was also stunned.
In the historical timeline before he traveled through time, it was King Song Liu Hui who accidentally killed Princess Lanling during a dispute. For this, Queen Mother Hu and King Qinghe were furious, and they demoted Liu Hui to a commoner and sent him to Bingzhou. From then on, the King Song's family fell into decline.
But how come this time it was the other way around, and it was Princess Lanling who killed her husband?
But this makes the situation more complicated.
The princess' wife killed her husband. How should this case be judged?
How can Prince Qinghe, the leader of the Qingliu scholars, protect his sister?
The situation in Luoyang will definitely become more tense.
Su Ze felt a little regretful that he should have left more people for Princess Chenliu in Luoyang.
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"Queen Mother, please allow Princess Lanling and Prince Song Liu Hui to divorce!"
In Jiafu Hall, Prince Qinghe Yuan Yi knelt on the ground and pleaded with Empress Dowager Hu.
Empress Dowager Hu also looked tired. When she was the concubine of the previous emperor, she had a very good relationship with Princess Lanling. Princess Lanling even contributed to her gaining the favor of Emperor Xuanwu.
Last night, Princess Lanling entered the palace covered in blood and told Empress Dowager Hu that she had killed her husband with her own hands. Empress Dowager Hu was shocked and at a loss.
Yuan Yi urgently summoned Prince Qinghe to the palace and immediately dispatched the imperial guards to block the news of Prince Song's Palace, and then the scene just now appeared.
Queen Mother Hu said: "But the King of Song is already dead, what's the point of letting them divorce?"
Prince Qinghe opened his bloodshot eyes and said, "Queen Mother, Prince Song is not dead yet."
"what?"
Queen Mother Hu understood that Prince Song was actually dead, but Prince Qinghe blocked the news, so Prince Song's death had not been announced yet.
"As long as the imperial sister and King Song are divorced now, and then the news of King Song's death is spread, it will not be the imperial sister who killed her husband, but the princess who accidentally killed the court nobles."
"The royal sister is pregnant with royal blood. The Queen Mother is using this as a way to pardon the royal sister. She can just become a nun and repent and give birth to a child."
This was the solution that King Qinghe had pondered over all night, and it was also a solution that did not violate Confucian etiquette.
Of course Prince Qinghe knew that this was just an act of covering one's ears and stealing the bell, but as long as he could save his imperial sister, he would not hesitate even to cover his ears.
Empress Dowager Hu was also a little hesitant and said: "Even if I sentence the two of them to divorce, it is still against the moral code. If I only punish them in this way, I am afraid that the ministers will not accept it."
Since the reforms of her father-in-law Emperor Xiaowen, Confucianism has been used to rule the country.
Empress Dowager Hu's husband, Emperor Xuanwu, also advocated Confucianism, and now the Han nobles in the court are all Confucian students.
A wife killing her husband is a serious crime that cannot be pardoned. I am afraid that the ministers will not be fooled so easily. However, Prince Qinghe said: "This is the Queen Mother's family affair, how can it be criticized by outsiders? As long as the Queen Mother, the head of the clan, cuts off the throne, I will naturally stop the ministers from doing so!"
Prince Qinghe was also determined to take risks. Princess Lanling was his only sister from the same father and mother. In order to protect her, Prince Qinghe was willing to bear the attacks from his ministers.
Hearing this, Empress Dowager Hu could only sigh and say:
"Princess Lanling was insulted by Prince Song Liu Hui. I have heard a lot about it outside, but Princess Lanling has always been patient and has never complained to me about the prince consort's fault. Last night, she accidentally killed someone, and I will not punish her for this."
"Let's do it your way. First announce the divorce of King Song and Princess Lanling, and then announce King Song's death tomorrow."
Thinking of this, Empress Dowager Hu asked again, "What about the funeral?"
Prince Qinghe Yuan Yi gnashed his teeth and said, "My sister's marriage was unhappy because of Liu Hui. Please ask the Queen Mother to grant the title to the baby in my sister's belly. If it is a girl, please choose another one from the remaining line of the Song King to be adopted by my sister. Let Liu Hui be buried as a commoner."
Empress Dowager Hu said reluctantly, "Will this make the royal family seem too mean?"
Prince Qinghe said coldly: "Liu Hui failed his brother's marriage proposal, and he deserves this fate."
Prince Qinghe was talking about the marriage granted by Emperor Xuanwu. Liu Hui was originally the second son born out of wedlock and was not eligible to inherit the title of King of Song. It was after Emperor Xuanwu granted the marriage that he made an exception and allowed him to inherit the title of King of Song.
Empress Dowager Hu could only sigh and say, "This is what Buddhism calls cause and effect."
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"What, you said King Song died!?"
When Xiao Baoyin received the news, he asked in disbelief.
Su Liang also had a grim look on his face. The death of Prince Song could not be concealed at all. There were so many people in Prince Song's mansion. Princess Lanling entered the palace covered in blood. The imperial guards who blocked Prince Song's mansion were full of gossip.
In fact, all the nobles in Luoyang knew the news.
Su Liang said, "The Queen Mother just issued an edict, saying that Princess Lanling and Prince Song had a quarrel and fought each other, and that they should divorce. In fact, Prince Song had been accidentally beaten to death by Princess Lanling."
"How could this be?"
"It is said that Prince Song raped a maid in the palace while Princess Lanling was pregnant. Princess Lanling found out and confronted him. When Princess Lanling was pushing and hitting Prince Song, she accidentally pushed him down, and his head hit the ground and he died."
Xiao Baoyin and Liu Hui were not close friends, but they were both descendants of royal families who had fled to the Southern Dynasties. The King of Song was a descendant of Liu Song, while he was a descendant of Xiao Qi, so he couldn't help feeling a sense of grief for the other party.
"Prince Qinghe wants to block the news and announce Liu Hui's death tomorrow, so as to avoid Princess Lanling being accused of murdering her husband."
"Does King Qinghe want to fool everyone in the world as if they were fools?!"
Su Liang was also silent. He had been taught Confucian classics since he was young. Even if he had not studied Confucianism, a wife killing her husband was still an unforgivable felony.
Now the two most noble people in the Wei royal family are actually going to pardon Princess Lanling for such a serious crime, which is really chilling to the scholars.
Moreover, this was not the first time that Princess Lanling committed such a horrific crime. The last time she killed a pregnant maid, it had become a widely circulated bizarre story in Luoyang.
But Xiao Baoyin quickly calmed down and said, "Wait, this is an opportunity. Last time we failed to impeach Qinzhou Governor Li Yan, and were blocked by Cui Liang and other Hedong scholars. Now that Prince Qinghe has done such a thing to protect Princess Lanling, can Cui Liang continue to help him?"
"Li Yan is a direct descendant of the Prince of Qinghe. While he is overwhelmed by the affairs in the court, have him impeached!"
"Hasn't Cui Yanbo been asking for Qinzhou? Let him go to Qinzhou, and I will recommend Liang Zhao from Hezhou as the governor of Qizhou!"
Just as Xiao Baoyin had expected, when the news of the death of King Song Liu Hui was announced, the whole Luoyang was shocked.
Although Liu Hui, the King of Song, was only a nominal prince, when Emperor Xuanwu granted him the marriage, the wedding was extremely luxurious, shocking the entire Luoyang. To this day, many Luoyang people still remember that grand wedding.
That grand wedding, which was remembered by the whole Luoyang, ended with the death of Liu Hui. This result is really sad.
The official statement was that the prince consort Liu Hui had an affair while Princess Lanling was pregnant, and Princess Lanling was so angry that she once again asked the Queen Mother to allow the two to divorce.
After the divorce, Princess Lanling stayed in the palace for one night. The next day, she returned to Prince Song's mansion to get her things. She ran into Prince Song, who had already divorced her. Prince Song pushed the pregnant Princess Lanling away.
In order to protect the baby in her belly, Princess Lanling pushed Liu Hui away, and Liu Hui died with the back of his head hitting the ground.
According to the statement given by the royal family, Princess Lanling had already divorced Liu Hui, so it was not considered murder.
At the time of the divorce, the Queen Mother had already stripped Liu Hui of his title as King of Song.
As a princess, the King of Qinghe killed Liu Hui, who had no title, and ordered the Ministry of Personnel to hold eight discussions.
The so-called Eight Discussions were laws enacted during the Cao Wei period. They referred to eight types of crimes committed by special people who could not be subject to ordinary litigation trial procedures. Judicial officials also had no right to directly try and have jurisdiction over the cases, and had to petition the emperor for a decision.
Princess Lanling is a royal relative and belongs to the first tier of the eight candidates for marriage.
As a result, in the Menxia Province controlled by Prince Qinghe, it was determined that Princess Lanling accidentally killed Liu Hui in order to protect her unborn child. Because she was a royal relative, she was convicted and fined 10,000 coins, and was ordered to become a nun in Yongning Temple for two years to atone for her sins.
Even Cui Liang, a henchman of Prince Qinghe, did not dare to sign such an outrageous judgment. However, Prince Qinghe still signed it alone with his power as the leader of his subordinates and passed the final judgment of Princess Lanling.
When this incident happened, naturally everyone was shocked.
The Hedong nobles who supported King Qinghe also began to get excited.
The moral code itself is the fundamental pillar of Confucianism. If killing a husband can be forgiven by a fine of ten thousand coins, is there still order in this world?
Some young scholars also began to write petitions to the emperor, and the entire court became visibly in chaos.
At the same time, the fact that Li Yan, the governor of Qinzhou, was corrupt and cruelly abused the people while in office was also uncovered.
Some upright young officials also used the appointment of Li Yan as an excuse to impeach and attack Prince Qinghe.
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Lü Bodu, a powerful general from Qinzhou, who had been active in Luoyang for a month, returned empty-handed. As soon as he returned to Qinzhou, Mozhe Dati, the largest general in Qinzhou, summoned him.
After listening to the results of Lü Bodu's trip to Luoyang, Mo Zhe Da Ti asked, "So you bribed the officials of the Ministry of Personnel, but still failed to get Li promoted?"
Lu Bodu knelt down and said, "I am ashamed to live up to your expectations!"
At this moment, Mozhe Dati's son, Mozhe Niansheng, rushed into the secret meeting room and said anxiously, "It's not good! Governor Li has summoned the heroes from all over the country to the Governor's Mansion!"
Lu Bodu said quickly: "Why are they gathering the generals at night? Could it be that our plan to raise money to send the plague god away has been exposed?"
Mozhe Datiti paced back and forth in the secret room. He knew Li Yan's methods. Anyone who offended him would have his marrow drained from their bones.
This time, even with the combined strength of Qinzhou, they still failed to send Li Yan away. As the mastermind, I will definitely be harmed by Li Yan.
When he thought of this, Mo Zheda was so angry that he said to his son, "Hou Gang, where is Hou Gang!?"
(End of this chapter)