Chapter 748: Chen Ji Escapes, Yanyan in Trouble (1)_1
The Lin Family and the Lin Imperial Concubine were like thorns stuck in Emperor Huian’s throat. For over twenty years, Emperor Huian had never abandoned the idea of eradication, but he had been wary of something Master Lin held in his hands and thus could not find an opportunity to force him to surrender it.
Unexpectedly, King Heng and Old Master Lin orchestrated the examination fraud case themselves, delivering the very opportunity to eliminate the Lin Family and the Lin Imperial Concubine into Emperor Huian’s hands.
Xiao Ruiyuan and Chu Heng obtained evidence that Old Master Lin, via his official position, had leaked the examination questions and answers to Qin Hui and others, using this as leverage to bribe them into framing Mo Qingze, and subsequently plotting an assassin’s attempt to start a fire in the Ministry of Justice’s Prison. How could Emperor Huian let such a golden opportunity slip by?
After the congregation of over a thousand people in the Hall of Supreme Harmony had dispersed that afternoon, Emperor Huian, with lightning speed, ordered the guards to arrest King Heng and Old Master Lin, who were preparing to leave the palace; he then gathered all his loyal ministers and, in front of them, listed ten grave crimes committed by King Heng and Old Master Lin.
With irrefutable evidence, King Heng and Old Master Lin could not deny the charges. Just as Emperor Huian was about to pronounce punishment, the teetering Master Lin, who was well past his prime, entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony and implored Emperor Huian to reconsider the sentences.
Although Master Lin had failed in his paternal duties and raised an Old Master Lin with corrupt intentions, he was revered in Scholar’s Forest and had been the Three Dynasties Imperial Teacher, serving the Imperial Family with undying loyalty and invaluable contributions. This much even Emperor Huian and Chu Heng, who abhorred the Lin Family to the core, could not deny.
Master Lin knew that if he did not offer something that would satisfy Emperor Huian, the emperor would certainly not let the Lin Clan off. Thus, after preventing Emperor Huian from immediately putting his family to death, he had a lengthy secret discussion with the emperor in the Imperial study.