Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved

Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Eyes Cried Blind Chapter 193: Chapter 193 Eyes Cried Blind Princess Consort never expected that the Governor Gao really had a powerful backer.

However, that backer wasn’t anyone particularly formidable, just a manager from the Second Prince’s Mansion, who also bore the surname Gao and was cousin brothers with Governor Gao.

Murong Jiu realized this as well. Indeed, who would dare to act recklessly right under the Son of Heaven’s nose without a backer?

Moreover, there had been cases that caused loss of life, and there surely had been commoners who went to Capital City to report these incidents.

Recalling that Xu Darong had been a man of the Second Prince, and Xu Darong was the Shuntian Prefecture Governor, in charge of such affairs,

It was likely that the matter had been suppressed before it could escalate.

No wonder Governor Gao was so brazen and reckless.

It seemed that half of the goods Governor Gao embezzled had ended up in the Second Prince’s Mansion.

Thinking about the last life when the Second Prince discovered iron mines in Tea Ridge County, it probably was due to Governor Gao, perhaps discovered through a landslide or something similar.

Finding an iron mine was a significant achievement. The Second Prince could secretly forge weapons, so Governor Gao would undoubtedly receive a substantial reward and might even get promoted.

But in this life, Governor Gao wasn’t so fortunate.

Murong Jiu accompanied Jun Yuyan to meet this Governor Gao.

The people of Tea Ridge County were all so thin their chests were practically stuck to their backs, yet Governor Gao was fat as could be. Yang Chuan mentioned they had detained him for several days, only giving him water, yet he hadn’t lost any weight at all.

Governor Gao looked sly and untrustworthy, which made him quite unlikeable. He was cursed to be in this remote backwater with no hope for promotion; Tea Ridge County had a significantly smaller population compared to other counties, yet Governor Gao exploited them ruthlessly, leading to unbearable suffering for the common people.

“Prince, Princess Consort, I am a man of the Second Prince. Your breaking into an official’s home and detaining a court official privately is a grave offense!”

Perhaps because he had acted as the local tyrant for so many years, Governor Gao’s tone was very arrogant. Perhaps he felt his backer was influential since the Second Prince was the most likely candidate for Crown Prince. He believed that even Prince Ling wouldn’t dare to touch him.

He thought that the reason Prince Ling’s men hadn’t inflicted private punishment was due to consideration for the Second Prince.

“Oh? So, you mean to say that your actions were instigated by the Second Prince? Governor Gao, every word you now speak will become courtroom evidence. Just perfect, considering that the Second Prince has recently been enveloped in troubles. I wonder if your testimony could drag the Second Prince down with you.”

Murong Jiu spoke mockingly, intentionally provoking him in such a manner.

The Second Prince indeed was beset with troubles, but not overtly; rather, it was the Emperor subtly suppressing him using the Third Prince’s name, leaving the Second Prince too preoccupied to defend himself.

Governor Gao’s face immediately turned deathly pale.

Although not far from Capital City, the journey down from the mountain was difficult; the roads were rough, and Governor Gao hadn’t even seen the Second Prince in person. It was always his cousin brother who met with him, but those tributes had been accepted by the Second Prince without fail.

Thinking about the possibility of implicating the Second Prince, which could lead to the extermination of his entire family, Governor Gao was instantly covered in cold sweat, unable to muster any arrogance.

Governor Gao was of no use anymore. In the past, he certainly wouldn’t have stirred up any significant trouble, but today was not like the past. The Emperor was suspicious of the Second Prince and wanted to avenge the Third Prince; it was up to the Emperor to decide the outcome of Governor Gao’s case.

Murong Jiu said with a smile, “Father is currently displeased with the Second Prince. Your issue coming to light will assuredly infuriate him. If you wish to receive a pardon through meritorious deeds, you should know what to say.”

She felt that if the Emperor intended to deal with the Second Prince, he would surely send someone to contact Governor Gao to ensure he knew what to say; she was merely giving Governor Gao a hint.

Jun Yuyan did not stop her. His deep eyes even showed a hint of indulgent amusement.

After she finished speaking, they arranged for all the evidence of Governor Gao’s deeds over the years, as well as the list of tributes to the Second Prince’s Mansion, to be sent to Shuntian Prefecture.

Subsequent matters would be handled by others.

But this had little to do with Jun Yuyan and Murong Jiu now. The current situation was quite clear—the Emperor had become dissatisfied with the Second Prince and had begun to support the Third Prince’s influence, effectively starting a covert struggle between the two factions.

Jun Yuyan’s side at Prince Ling’s Mansion had come to the small locale of Tea Ridge County to escape the world’s notice, hardly drawing any attention.

After dealing with Governor Gao, Murong Jiu was not idle; she had someone send grain from her granary in the Capital City while she and Jun Yuyan toured the entire Tea Ridge County.

Tea Ridge County was surrounded by mountains on all sides, but only three sides had tea-planted mountains. The other side, where Governor Gao’s private residence was located, due to its rocky soil, did not cultivate any crops but had various flowers and trees that Governor Gao himself favored.

Further on, there were mountains stretching for dozens of miles. On the other side of these deep mountains was a moderately sized city. The villagers said that large wild animals often appeared in the mountains, so no one ventured there. It was precisely because of this mountain that Tea Ridge County had failed to develop.

Jun Yuyan had people survey the area, and since there were no iron mines in the surroundings, they must be in the deep mountains.

However, where exactly, Murong Jiu was not clear. She only knew it was a large iron mine. After hearing about it from a guard, the mood of the Second Prince, who by then had become Crown Prince, was very good for several days, and he even handed out rewards to his servants.

There was no rush for the moment.

Governor Gao’s private residence was well built and fully equipped, very comfortable to live in. Moreover, since Jun Yuyan had ordered a refurbishment a few days in advance, no traces of the original owner’s stay were visible. Even the daily necessities were arranged according to Murong Jiu’s habits in the Prince Mansion, making her stay very comfortable.

That deep night, the delivered grain arrived.

Jun Yuyan did not disturb Murong Jiu’s rest. Only after finishing breakfast the next day did he mention the grain and asked her to make an appearance.

Good deeds should not go unnamed.

As soon as she went out, she saw many villagers kneeling on the ground.

Murong Jiu was surprised and exchanged a glance with Jun Yuyan.

Jun Yuyan frowned and asked the guard what was happening.

Zhou Chen came over and said, “My lord, these people have come to thank the Main Wife.”

“Thank them for what?”

Murong Jiu blinked, curious. The grain had not yet been distributed, had it?

“They heard that Governor Gao had been arrested and are very grateful to you and the lord because some of their family members were killed by Governor Gao, while others were forcefully seized by him. Yesterday, you sent those poor women back home, and they are all very thankful to you and the lord.”

After Zhou Chen finished speaking, the villagers began wiping their tears and loudly thanked the Prince and Princess Consort for bringing them justice.

They had thought they had no hope left in this life. Unexpectedly, Governor Gao had been arrested and all the seized women had been sent back. Although their lives were ruined, living was still better than being dead.

At least they could die together as a family. In households that were unsure of their next meal, who had the luxury to consider their chastity?

And for those whose family members had died, some had committed suicide due to unbearable humiliation, others had been killed by the women in Governor Gao’s back house, and still others had been beaten to death by Governor Gao himself, including quite a few men who had resisted him, altogether making up more than twenty people.

Their families believed that Governor Gao had finally been punished and all came to express their immense gratitude.

Murong Jiu personally helped an elderly woman with graying hair to her feet; she seemed to have cried her eyes blind.

Alas!

Murong Jiu sighed heavily in her heart.