Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 744: Chapter 363 The Real Purpose of Capturing Li Jue_3

Song Qingyun echoed Prince Jing’s words, saying, "Qing Xiu, as long as you take the initiative to provide evidence, His Highness Prince Jing will plead for you, and then the court will not severely punish you."

Fang Zhimiao was still skeptical, with a doubtful expression, "Does the court really know?"

"You Jiangnan nobles really have your eyes on top of your heads, truly underestimating my father, the emperor." Prince Jing had long known that the people of Jiangnan were foolish, but he did not expect them to be so incredibly ignorant. "Do you really think you can contend with the court? Do you really think that just because the emperor is far away, you can hide your deeds from the court?"

Fang Zhimiao remained silent. Because that was exactly what they thought.

"When my father eradicated the rebels in Jiangnan back then, he spared your group, not because he feared you, but because you were not worth fearing," said Prince Jing. "Of course, the most important thing is that you still had use, which is why my father left you alive."

Fang Zhimiao, however, did not think so in his heart. But he did not open his mouth to refute Prince Jing.

"You families have survived for hundreds of years and through the Chen and Xia dynasties, thinking you are more formidable than the Royal Family. Then why did you just barely survive the chaos of the previous dynasty?" Whether it was the noble families in the capital or the gentry in Jiangnan, they arrogantly believed that their survival through the previous dynasty’s chaos was due to their own abilities.

Fang Zhimiao couldn’t listen any longer.

"Your Highness Prince Jing, are you trying to tell me that our families’ survival from the chaos of the previous dynasty was because of His Majesty?"

Seeing Fang Zhimiao’s indifferent demeanor, Prince Jing scoffed, "Why don’t you go ask your elders, if it weren’t for my father rushing to Jiangnan to exterminate bandits, would your families have survived? As far as I know, before my father came to Jiangnan to eradicate the rebels, your families were being humiliated and tortured by the rebels, almost to the point of extinction."

During the chaos of the previous dynasty, the rebels were extremely cruel, not only brutalizing civilians but also massacring the nobility. Many powerful noble families were completely wiped out. Those that survived did so because they were either exceptionally powerful, managing to preserve some bloodlines and influence even after being ravaged by the rebels, or because they were too insignificant to catch the rebels’ attention.

Most of the noble families surviving from the chaos of the previous dynasty were third- and fourth-tier families at the time.

"When my father cleared the rebels from Jiangnan, he saved you all, sparing your families from extermination." During the chaos of the previous dynasty, the rebels particularly enjoyed humiliating and slaughtering the noble family’s children. "Many of the soldiers accompanying my father urged him not to spare you, to seize the opportunity to eliminate you, but my father did not, because your families were useful for restoring Jiangnan."

"If His Majesty had eradicated us at that time, how would he be different from the rebels?"

Prince Jing’s gaze suddenly became sharp, and his tone was ice-cold, "During the chaos of the previous dynasty, your families took the opportunity to profiteer, disregarding the lives and deaths of the people, even committing numerous heinous acts. Just based on these, my father could have killed you. Otherwise, why do you think the soldiers around my father wanted to kill you?"

Fang Zhimiao did not know what had happened back then, but he knew that Prince Jing was not lying to him. Because he was very aware that their families were indeed capable of such deeds.

Prince Jing didn’t bother to explain further to Fang Zhimiao. With a cold face, sounding a bit impatient, he said, "I am giving you a chance to atone for your sins by meritorious deeds. Since you disdain it, bear the consequences yourself." With that, he left.

Song Qingyun hurried to see Prince Jing out.

Prince Jing stopped, turned to look at Song Qingyun, and with an unhappy tone said, "This prince is only giving them a chance as a favor to your Song family. If they are so ungrateful, they can’t blame this prince for being ruthless."

"Your Highness, I will try persuading them again." The Song Family did not wish for the Fang Family and the Li Family to be in trouble. Their downfall would not benefit the Song Family at all.

"I will give you another three days. If after three days they remain obstinate, even the Daluo Immortal won’t be able to save them." Prince Jing planned to send back the evidence of what the Crown Prince and Duke Zhen were doing in Jinling in a few days.

Originally, he intended to wait for Prince Chu to uncover the truth about the copper theft in Peng City before presenting the evidence gathered in Jinling to the emperor, but with Prince Chu currently missing and no clue if he had found the stolen copper, he couldn’t rely on Prince Chu.

Thus, he could only reveal the situation in Jinling first. Although it wouldn’t topple the Crown Prince, it would definitely cause significant trouble. Once Prince Chu returned to the capital, they could then deliver a fatal blow to the Crown Prince, potentially leading to his dethronement. Even if he were not dethroned, he would be rendered useless.