Back to the Peak

"Father, I can prove that it was indeed their four major families that attacked the Ling family first!" Xue Xiaoxiao stretched out her jaded hand, pointing at the patriarchs of the four major families of Yangliu, Han and Xu, "If Ling Feng didn't kill them at that time, Then they will kill Ling Feng and his people. This is all caused by them!"

Xue Xiaoxiao's voice was not loud, but it was like a heavy bomb, and all the civil and military officials in the Longyuan Hall exploded immediately.

Everyone knew that Xue Xiaoxiao was a princess, and her words carried a lot of weight in Xue Hongze's heart.

Hearing Xue Xiaoxiao's words, the patriarchs of the four families of Yangliu, Han and Xu all turned pale.

Even a fool would understand now that Ling Feng had already made up his mind, deliberately killed Liu Cheng in public, and then set up a trap to wait for the four big families to get in by themselves!

They struggled for a long time, originally planning to put Ling Feng to death, but in the end they lifted a rock and shot themselves in the foot, selling themselves in.

Ling Feng looked indifferently at the four patriarchs with pale faces, and he was still calm and complacent after switching from defense to offense in an instant.

Sure enough, Xue Hongze nodded to Xue Xiaoxiao, and then set his eyes on the patriarchs of the four major families: "What Xiaoxiao said just now seems to be exactly the opposite of what you said, I don't know how you explain it? Which of you is lying?"

Xue Hongze's eyes were like lightning, and the four patriarchs, who had ghosts in their hearts, felt cold when they saw it, and they didn't know how to answer for a while.

Said Xue Xiaoxiao was lying?

It was obvious that she had been allowed by Xue Hongze to go out with the army, and it was very likely that Xue Hongze sent her to supervise them. How dare they accuse Xue Xiaoxiao?

Admit that you're lying?

That's even more impossible! If you admit it, doesn't it mean that your own side initiated the civil strife first, and then the villain filed a complaint first, and beat up the Ling family? Isn't that looking for abuse?

So neither "yes" nor "no" can be answered.

Xue Hongze's question was a hot potato, and the four major families couldn't answer it.

Seeing the embarrassment on the faces of the patriarchs of the four tyrannical families in the past, the other civil and military officials in the hall couldn't help but want to laugh, but they couldn't bear to show it.

Xuexiaoxiao's sudden appearance also surprised the first prince and the second prince, and the originally planned rhythm was completely disrupted. Seeing that the four patriarchs were in a predicament, they could only come forward to mediate at this moment.

"Father, the four major families of Yangliu, Han and Xu have always been loyal to my royal family, and they have no deep hatred with the Ling family. How could they be detrimental to the Ling family? I think there must be some misunderstanding." The eldest prince bowed.

The meaning in his words is obvious, the four major families have made great contributions to the royal family, and they have worked hard to spare them this time because of their previous contributions.

Xue Hongze glanced at the eldest prince and the second prince, frowning slightly, looking a little displeased.

He knew in his heart that although it was the four major families who were attacking the Ling family on the surface, in fact it was his eldest son and second son who suppressed the influence of the third son for the sake of the throne.

This was the last thing he wanted to see.

Now Xue Hongze suddenly discovered that the third son whom he didn't like very much now looks much better than these two sons who only know how to fight for the throne. The two sons in front of me only know how to fight for power all day long, and are short-sighted; while my third son bravely took on the burden of saving the Eastern Jin Dynasty at the most critical moment of the country, and traveled thousands of miles to the Great Qin Dynasty, ask for help.

For a moment, Xue Hongze couldn't help being disappointed with the two sons in front of him.

The hall was silent, and everyone was waiting for Xue Hongze's sentencing.

One side is the four big families of Yangliu, Han, and Xu who made no contribution to the imperial family of the Eastern Jin Dynasty despite making mistakes; the other side is the new family Ling family who was framed by the four big families but killed more than a thousand of them .

Which side will Xue Hongze favor?

Each of the civil and military officials had their own guesses in their hearts, and most of them felt that even though the four major families were at fault, the Holy One would still favor them in the end.

Although Ling Feng had Xue Xiaoxiao's hole card, which could prove his innocence, he still couldn't figure out what Xue Hongze was thinking, and he couldn't help feeling a little uneasy for a while.

However, he believed that after all, the Ling family was the victim this time, no matter how much Xue Hongze protected the four major families, he would not punish the Ling family.

The leaders of the four major families of Yangliu, Han and Xu all bowed their bodies, with bursts of luck in their hearts.

Now that the Eastern Jin Dynasty is about to face war, it is the time when the major families are in urgent need of their contributions. At this critical juncture, the role of their four major families is naturally much stronger than that of the Ling family. Therefore, they have enough confidence to believe that if nothing unexpected happens, Xue Hongze will definitely favor their four major families.

Just as everyone in Longyuan Hall was secretly speculating, the aloof Xue Hongze glanced at Ling Feng, and immediately set his gaze on the patriarchs of the four major families, and said sharply: "You members of the four major families of Yangliu, Han and Xu Internal strife, being killed by the Ling family is of course what you deserve. I announce that you are limited to compensate all the losses of the Ling family within three days to make up for it. I will not pursue this matter. But if I find you again in the future Anyone who plots against the Ling family will be severely punished!"

Hearing Xue Hongze's verdict, all the civil and military officials in Longyuan Hall were stunned.

"The Holy Majesty's sentence is obviously favoring our Ling family!" Ling Feng was stunned, and he couldn't help being quite surprised. He couldn't figure it out, with Xue Hongze's shrewdness, how could he favor the Ling family whose strength was obviously inferior to the four major families?

While Ling Feng was surprised, the patriarchs of the four major families of Yangliu, Han, and Xu were dumb and ate Coptis chinensis, unable to tell what they were suffering.

The clansmen sent by his own family were not only killed by the other party, but also had to make up for the loss to the other party. They obviously lost their wife and lost their soldiers this time.

"The minister waits to obey the order!"

Although the patriarchs of the four major families of Yangliu, Han and Xu were full of grievances, they did not dare to complain at all, and bowed repeatedly.

The faces of the first prince and the second prince were also uncertain. Why couldn't they hear what Xue Hongze meant? He was clearly punishing the four major families, but he was secretly warning the two of them.

After announcing the punishments for the four major families, Xue Hongze gave corresponding rewards to the major families who went on this expedition.

After retreating from the imperial court, Ling Feng, Zuo Yu and Qing Zhan, who had won the battle against the four great families, walked out of Longyuan Hall side by side. The three of them were chatting and laughing when a royal guard walked quickly to Ling Feng's side , whispered a few words into his ear, and then hurried away.

"You two, it seems that I can't go with you." Ling Feng spread his hands helplessly, and said with a smile, "The Holy Majesty wants to summon me alone."

"Did you say you were summoned for something?" Qing Zhan asked curiously.

"Not really. But I don't think it's a bad thing." Ling Feng said with a smile, "Because the place where the Holy Majesty summoned me was not in the Imperial Study Room, but a quieter place."

"Where is the quiet place?" Hearing this, Zuo Yu and Qing Zhan looked at each other with doubts on their faces.

Ling Feng smiled, bid farewell to the two, turned around and followed the guard, and hurried towards the destination.