RPAGF Chapter 135 Where is this "Eastern Pearl"? It's clearly a dowry he gave to his elder
Chapter 135 Where is this "Eastern Pearl"? It's clearly a dowry he gave to his elder
The emperor's hand remained on the armor for a long time without moving, while Chu Ruohan knelt on the ground waiting.
After an unknown amount of time, a deep sigh was heard, "Tell me, all this trouble, isn't it all for the Chu family?"
Chu Ruohan kowtowed to the ground, her voice choked with sobs, "Your Majesty is wise. I had no other choice but to resort to this desperate measure."
She raised her head slightly, her eyes full of sincerity, "My father is loyal and devoted, and has no other intentions. The pearl in that brocade box is not a pearl, but a token of love that my father gave to my mother."
The imperial study fell silent once more. The emperor's sharp gaze fell upon the woman on the floor, and only the sound of fingers tapping on the imperial desk could be heard.
The crisp sound was like a heavy hammer, striking Chu Ruohan's heart again and again.
He knew perfectly well that the Chu family was just a merchant family; how could they have the audacity to secretly possess prohibited pearls?
He did not intend to punish the Chu family members, otherwise the Dali Temple would not have refrained from hearing the case.
The person behind this is probably after the Chu family's vast wealth.
How dare they use pearls to harm people...
These days, although the Emperor is in the palace, he is also watching how many people in the court will speak up for the Chu family.
Who would go to the Dali Temple to visit the imprisoned head of the Chu family?
To his surprise, apart from Chu Ruohan and Gu Junze, no one else went to visit Dali Temple.
Even his most ambitious and boisterous son, Prince Su, chose to remain silent and never uttered a word of pleading on his behalf.
Didn't he just come to the Chu family's door to ask for their daughter's hand in marriage a few days ago?
They chose to remain silent and never uttered a single word of pleading for him.
The Emperor was indeed overthinking this matter. Prince Su was busy forming cliques and expanding his power in the court, and he did need a lot of money to support him.
But initially, he hadn't considered it; it was Aunt Fang who schemed against Chu Nanxin and then acted accordingly...
The Chu family rejected him, and now that something has happened, he can't wait to sever ties with them!
The Emperor suddenly spoke up, "Bring up the physical evidence."
In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the "Eastern Pearl" was retrieved from the Dali Temple.
The Emperor slightly raised his hand, signaling the eunuch to open the box. The eunuch's hands trembled as he slowly lifted the lid, revealing a large, round bead that radiated a soft glow lying quietly on the brocade.
Bathed in candlelight, it appeared exceptionally dazzling.
Looking at the so-called "evidence" before him, the emperor felt a mixture of anger and helplessness, and he almost laughed in exasperation.
Gu Junze, that rascal, is playing the family card on him again and again.
This bead is not some kind of pearl; it was clearly a dowry item he gave to his elder sister back then.
Although it looks no different from ordinary pearls, its mysteries are far beyond what people can imagine.
This bead is not made from giant clam shells, but is transformed from the tears of a mermaid, which is extremely rare.
Recalling those years, he spent countless manpower and resources searching far and wide to find this treasure before finally acquiring it.
This bead may look ordinary, but it actually holds a hidden secret.
Once released into rivers, lakes, or seas, it will attract a large number of fish to swim around it.
Such a treasure is extremely rare and hard to come by; there is only one in the world, and its value far surpasses that of so-called Eastern pearls.
The Emperor's gaze fell on Chu Ruohan, who was kneeling on the ground. "Do you know the origin of this bead?"
"Your Majesty, I do not know, but my husband said that the Emperor is a wise ruler and would not kill innocent people indiscriminately. Otherwise, my family would have lost their heads long ago."
Chu Ruohan's words pleased the Emperor; her elder sister had said something similar before.
She hoped he would be a wise ruler.
So be it. If it weren't for my sister taking an arrow for him back then, she wouldn't have died so young.
"Since it's a mistake, let the Dali Temple release the person."
After the emperor gave his instructions, a young eunuch immediately went to carry them out and rushed to the Dali Temple to convey the imperial decree.
The Emperor waved his hand, signaling Chu Ruohan to step down.
Just when everyone thought the matter was over, Chu Ruohan didn't get up and leave. Instead, she took out a piece of paper from her sleeve.
Raise your hands above your head.
The Emperor raised an eyebrow slightly, wondering what she was up to now.
Chief Eunuch Ma respectfully took the papers from Chu Ruohan's hand and carefully presented them to the Emperor.
The Emperor reached out and took the book, unfolding it as his gaze slowly swept over it.
A land deed?
“Your Majesty, this land deed concerns a barren mountain. A few days ago, my father’s men discovered an iron ore deposit on that mountain.”
"My father originally intended to report this matter to the court as soon as possible, but then the 'Eastern Pearl' incident happened, and it eventually ended up in the hands of the pregnant woman."
The emperor's eyes sharpened instantly. Iron ore—this was a vital strategic resource concerning the rise and fall of the nation.
He reached out and took the land deed presented by the eunuch, examining it carefully.
The Emperor knew that Chu Ruohan had visited the Dali Temple a few days ago and that her father had given her something, which turned out to be a land deed.
The Emperor has misunderstood.
Chu Ruohan was unaware of what the Emperor was thinking. If she had known, she might have allowed him to continue to misunderstand.
She took out the land deed partly because she was afraid the Emperor would settle scores later, since the Emperor's mind is unpredictable and he might bring up the old issue again someday.
Secondly, it would let the Emperor know that the Chu family was loyal and would not participate in any factional disputes.
This will also leave a good impression on Chu Chenyu when he enters officialdom in the future...
"Now that you have presented this land deed, does the Chu family have any requests?"
The Emperor raised his eyes and looked directly at Chu Ruohan, trying to catch a glimpse of her hidden thoughts from her expression.
Chu Ruohan kept her eyes lowered. "Your Majesty, the Chu family has no selfish motives."
"It is an honor for the Chu family to serve the imperial court. The discovery of this iron mine is a blessing bestowed upon our dynasty by Heaven."
Chu Ruohan paused for a moment, then said, "But I have something to report."
She pulled another piece of paper from her sleeve; unlike the land deed, it was a testimony.
"Chu Ang was originally my fourth uncle, and he had always been in charge of the business, traveling between various countries."
"But relying on my father's trust, he transferred most of the Chu family's assets away, and now there isn't much money left..."
"Moreover, after the Chu family's incident, he vanished without a trace."
Chu Ruohan did not mention Dongzhu, but since the matter had been settled, there was no need to bring it up again.
Otherwise, wouldn't that be an admission that she switched the evidence?
The Emperor understood. It seemed that Chu Ang was the key person. He always felt that there was a hidden force in the court.
In retrospect, Chu Ang was a pawn planted by that force within the Chu family.
The Chu family is the richest family in the country; while they may not be richer than a nation, they still possess a huge amount of silver.
There are so many things you can do with this money...