Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 167

This matter was no small affair. After a few princes and princesses conveyed Qin Mo’s longing for Lu Tang and expressed that their entire family, including the parrot, were very fond of Lu Tang and eagerly awaited her joining their family, they hurriedly left.

They left behind a room filled with gifts and people staring at each other in shock.

Madam Qiao stared at the gifts for a long time before slowly turning to Lu Tang. “You and Qin Mo?”

Lu Shuqing licked her lips. “Is it what I think it is?”

Xu Shen answered, “Yes, Auntie. Yes, Sister Shuqing. The two of them have an improper relationship where they’ve privately promised themselves to each other but haven’t informed their parents.”

Guo Dawei added, “To be precise, it’s Qin Mo—uh, the Ninth Prince—who has reported it. Our Little Tang hasn’t reported it yet.”

Zhou Shu looked expectant. “So, Auntie and Sister, are you going to give Little Tang a double beating? Should we leave?”

Liang Cheng: He felt out of place if he didn’t say anything. But if he did speak, he couldn’t find anything not bitter to say.

The Qin family’s fondness for Little Tang dashed his hopes further. After all, Qin Mo was still a prince.

Lu Shuqing glared at Lu Tang. “So, does the Ninth Prince know you’re a girl?”

Madam Qiao asked, “Does the Ninth Prince like you as the young master of the Qiao family, or does he like you as the second young miss of the Qiao family? Did you ask him?”

Guo Dawei:!

Zhou Shu:!

The two of them reacted as if struck by lightning. “Girl? Second young miss?”

They turned their shocked gazes to Lu Tang, who gave them a slight, apologetic but dismissive smile. “I’m your sister.”

Their stunned eyes turned to Xu Shen and Liang Cheng, who looked calm, as if they had known all along. “She is our sister.”

In an instant, Zhou Shu and Guo Dawei were furious.

So, all along, they had been chased around the streets, beaten, and forced to call her Brother Tang, Master Tang, and Ancestor Tang by a girl?

At the Qiao family inn, the guests and hosts began their mixed double battles.

Meanwhile, in the palace.

A group of princes and princesses entered the palace in a grand procession, causing the guards at the gate to break out in a cold sweat for the Emperor.

Their Emperor was still robust in his old age, thanks to his open-mindedness. With sons like these, even one would be enough to anger him to death, let alone nine.

In the Imperial Study.

Lord Zhao, the Magistrate Zhao, was kneeling on the ground, earnestly reporting today’s events.

He Yujiao’s place hid people from Zhao Kingdom, a matter of great importance. Although he wanted to rush to Fengtai Village to capture them, he had to follow the proper procedures.

“…I ask Your Majesty to immediately convene a joint tribunal of the three departments to interrogate He Yujiao. She must have problems. Although we sought peace back then and sent Princess Zhao Yue to marry into Zhao Kingdom, the prince of Zhao Kingdom fell in love with her at first sight. The princess was cruelly treated in Zhao Kingdom, but we never received a direct response from Zhao Kingdom. We used to think Zhao Kingdom wouldn’t admit it, but now it seems it might not be as He Yujiao said. She and the princess escaped together, but why did the princess collapse at the border? Princess Zhao Yue was trained by the father of the Sixth Princess. She was strong and physically fit. He Yujiao, an ordinary person, could endure the hardships, but the princess fell. I believe this case needs to be re-investigated. I implore Your Majesty for mercy.”

The Emperor squinted at the Magistrate Zhao, unsure what the old man was planning.

The Emperor had known the Magistrate Zhao for half his life.

Back when the Emperor was still a prince, the Minister of Justice was a notorious playboy in the capital. He was called a playboy not because he was young, but because he was incompetent in every way: in play, he was not fun; in study, he was poor; in mischief, he was not daring. In short, he was good at nothing but following trends.

The reason he could hold the position of Magistrate Zhao for so many years was his deep understanding of the capital’s people and affairs, despite his slippery nature.

In other words, he couldn’t punish the powerful but could solve the common people’s problems efficiently.

As for the powerful, their crimes ultimately fell to the Ministry of Justice.

But why had this old slicker changed so much today, first eagerly wanting to arrest He Yujiao, now righteously wanting to investigate the past?

The Emperor couldn’t help but ask, “Have you been to any graveyards lately?”

The chief eunuch almost burst out laughing.

Was it proper for a dignified Emperor to seriously question if his official was possessed?

“Your Majesty, what do you mean? As a court official, I should clear the world of evil, remove villains, redress grievances, and seek justice. Everything I do is from my heart. Your Majesty doubts that I’m bewitched? Even if I am not loyal to the king, I must be loyal to the people and to justice!”

The light of justice shone brightly.

The Emperor was dumbfounded, swallowing hard. He turned to the chief eunuch, “Go arrest He Yujiao immediately and throw her in the Ministry of Justice’s prison.”

The Magistrate Zhao immediately said, “It should be the Imperial Prison! She might be guilty of treason!”

“Fine, the Imperial Prison!” the Emperor corrected.

Just then, a young eunuch reported, “Your Majesty, the Crown Princess and the sixth princess request an audience.”

Why were they here?

“Let them in.”

The Magistrate Zhao and the chief eunuch retreated as the two princesses entered the Imperial Study.

Without wasting time, the Crown Princess reported that He Yujiao might have intercepted a love letter Qin Mo wrote to Lu Tang.

The Emperor’s beard trembled with rage as he slapped the table.

The princesses, fearing for the Emperor’s health, quickly reassured him, “Father, if it’s true, she’s indeed vicious and treacherous. Previously, we were just blind to her nature. Thankfully, her cleverness this time exposed her.”

The Emperor finally calmed down a bit, slapping the table again. “Fine, I asked you to persuade that brat, but instead you helped him go to the Qiao Family Inn to find Lu Tang? I haven’t even seen her, and you went first? Are you ignoring my words?”

The princesses:

Were you angry we didn’t persuade him or that we went to see her?

The Crown Princess, composed as ever, smiled. “Father, calm down. We have one more thing to report. Little Tang should be a girl.”

Qin Mo: It seems the whole world knew Little Tang was a girl except me!

World: Surprised? You can find out on your wedding night!