sbdcsierra Chapter 880 Taken to the Censorate!
Chapter 880 Taken to the Censorate!
Zhuang was ultimately not rescued because, by accident, the people in the mansion were alerted, and the person only said that they would try again next time.
Seeing this failure, Zhuang Shi did not show much disappointment, after all, she had once thought that she would not survive at all.
After leaving Prince Su's residence, the man in black did not head towards Prince Ming's residence, but instead went towards Prince Chang Le's residence.
The next day, a guard entered the palace and stayed in the emperor's study for a full quarter of an hour before coming out.
Duanmu Chuze was furious when he learned that the person was actually Consort Luo!
However, without any evidence, it is impossible to convict her based on this alone.
If she were to die quietly, there would likely be someone behind her, giving her unsolicited advice.
The important thing is that Duanmu Chuze absolutely does not believe that Consort Luo was simply someone who bribed a Zhuang family member.
Including the previous incident of Duanmu Jing and several children being poisoned, this time, Duanmu Chuze also turned his suspicious gaze towards Consort Luo.
Prince Ming is now highly regarded in the court. Although he has nothing to do with the Ministry of War, the brotherly relationship has been somewhat repaired. If Consort Luo's affairs are discovered at this time, Prince Ming will likely be implicated.
Duanmu Chuze also wanted to understand one more thing: what role did the Luo family play in all of this?
To say that the Luo family is innocent is an overstatement.
Duanmu Chuze absolutely refused to believe it!
The thought that the Luo family had a legitimate son-in-law, who was, after all, his own brother-in-law, gave Duanmu Chuze a headache!
What a mess this family has become! It's all because of a power struggle!
On that day, Duanmu Chuze summoned Prince Su to the palace, gave him a few instructions, and then Prince Su understood and ordered that Zhuang Shi be handed over directly to the Imperial Penal Division in the palace.
The reason for this was that this Zhuang woman had actually participated in the plot to murder the prince!
That's a really serious crime.
Not only were Duanmu Ya and the others terrified, but even Princess Su was taken aback.
That to murder a prince is a capital offense!
Where did this Zhuang family get the audacity?
Zhuang was secretly sent to the Imperial Prison. As Duanmu Chuze had expected, Consort Luo of the Ming Prince's residence was indeed somewhat panicked.
What is the Shenxingsi (貫刑司)?
Although Consort Luo had never been inside, she was still a prince's consort and had naturally heard of it. Moreover, some people who had committed serious offenses in the palace had been sent to the Censorate before, and no matter how stubborn they were, they could eventually be pried open.
Zhuang was unaware of this.
In fact, she had only been to the palace a few times before she got married.
After the marriage, Prince Su was going to his fiefdom, so she went with him. Little did she know how ruthless the Censorate was.
Previously, Zhuang could remain calm and composed in the dark when facing the man in black, but after entering the Shenxing Division, she realized what terror was and what it meant to be filled with regret!
As soon as Zhuang entered the Department of Penal Justice, the supervising eunuch was ordered to place her in a separate cell, chained and fixed in the center of the cell to prevent her from banging her head against the wall or pillar and committing suicide.
Immediately afterwards, two eunuchs entered and forcibly pulled out several of his front teeth and chewing teeth!
Now, Zhuang was in excruciating pain, her mouth full of blood, wishing she could just die.
However, after pulling out his teeth, the eunuchs applied a layer of the finest wound medicine, not realizing that his wound would fester and eventually lead to his death.
As for why the tooth was extracted?
Firstly, it was to prevent the prisoner from biting his tongue and committing suicide; secondly, it was also to give this Zhuang woman a warning and let her know what kind of place this was!
As for tooth extraction, it's just the simplest form of punishment.
Zhuang fainted twice in just one day.
Once was when I was getting a tooth pulled, and another time was shortly after I woke up, when I couldn't bear the pain in my mouth and fainted again.
Mu Xin Nuan only learned about Zhuang Shi's imprisonment in the Shenxing Division from Aunt Fang.
"Although Lady Zhuang is a noblewoman, she is still considered an outsider among noblewomen. Why was she sent to the Department of Cautious Punishment?"
"Your Majesty, I've heard that it involves a suspected plot to murder a prince."
Mu Xin Nuan was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage, "Is it about the poisoning of Zong Hua and the others last time?"
"Your Majesty, this servant is not sure about that. Perhaps you could ask His Majesty when he comes for lunch later?"
"Yes, I understand. Go and rest first. Duanmu Qing and Duanmu Xing's wedding will keep you busy. I don't need so many people to serve me here."
"Thank you, Your Highness. It is my honor to serve you. Your Highness, the heir apparent of Prince Su's mansion is the eldest daughter of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion."
Mu Xin Nuan glanced sideways slightly. "Oh, I remember now, you're the daughter of the former Duke?"
"Your Majesty, that's right. This marriage was originally bestowed by the Emperor Emeritus. However, not long after the marriage was arranged, the Duke passed away. Fortunately, the Prince Su's mansion did not complain to the Emperor Emeritus about this."
"I have met that Princess Consort of Prince Su a few times. She is quite pretty, and judging from her eyes, she is well-mannered. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to manage the Prince Su's residence so well for the Princess Consort."
"Your Highness is right. However, when their family was in their fiefdom, it was always this Lady Zhuang who ruled the mansion. I've heard that although Prince Su respects the Princess Consort, he also dotes on this concubine."
"Hmph! If it weren't for his doting affection, Duanmu Qing wouldn't have suffered so much!"
"Now that Princess Ya has been stripped of her title and demoted to a county princess, I wonder how much she hates the Princess Consort's side. I heard that Prince Su used to value that illegitimate son very much. He took him under his wing and raised him personally from a young age."
"Don't bother with this. He's just a nobody. Now that he's a commoner and has been implicated by his mother, it's the price he's paying for their arrogance in the mansion."
"Your Majesty is absolutely right."
Aunt Fang agreed with this point.
If the Zhuang family hadn't been so high-profile in the Prince's mansion before, why would Princess Su be so cold-faced now that something has happened, and why would Prince Su be so unresponsive?
To put it bluntly, Prince Su probably hated the Zhuang family to the core, and he also hated himself for his poor judgment in judging people.
A concubine, who actually plotted to harm her own legitimate daughter, must have been blind to have favored her for so many years!
He still thinks he's wronged because he never gave her the position of his legal wife. Over the years, his eyes have grown crooked.
Aunt Fang's guess was correct. At this moment, Prince Su was so angry that he even wanted to tear down the Prince Su's mansion.