The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 303

"Your Majesty, all the assets of the Chen family have been recorded. This is the register."

At the court meeting, Zhou Chu presented a revised list of items to be seized.

Jiajing took the booklet from Huang Jin and pretended to look at it, but in reality, the booklet was written according to his requirements.

"This Chen Wanyan is indeed incredibly audacious. It's all my fault. I thought he was a loyal and virtuous minister. I was deceived by him."

Jiajing said with a frustrated expression.

"Your Majesty is kind-hearted, and it is only natural for you to love someone so much that you extend that love to their family. Now, you have put aside your own family for the greater good and cleansed the world. You are truly a wise ruler."

Yang Yiqing knew that it was time for him to perform. Having told countless lies throughout his life, he spoke these words without any psychological burden, as if they came from the bottom of his heart.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Even the most wise ruler can be deceived by listening to only one side. Your Majesty has put the greater good of the Ming Dynasty and the people by sacrificing your own family. It must be very painful for you."

Xia Yan also stepped forward.

Having achieved their goal, they naturally had to praise Jiajing in accordance with his words.

"I have ordered Hengqi to send Chen Wanyan back to his hometown, and Chen Shaozu to be exiled to Lingnan, after all, we were once subjects of the emperor."

Jiajing sighed.

"Your Majesty is wise."

Yang Shen stepped forward.

"Your Majesty is wise."

Han Jie and a host of civil and military officials stepped forward to speak.

Chen Wanyan's fate today could be their fate tomorrow. Jiajing's handling of Chen Wanyan is closely related to them. If Jiajing shows no mercy and kills Chen Wanyan and his son directly, they will probably feel extremely uneasy.

But Jiajing did not do that, which was also a signal to them that as long as they were loyal to the emperor, even if they were corrupt, they would have a way out if they were investigated and punished in the future.

Hearing this, everyone was delighted, except for those officials who had risen through the ranks thanks to Chen Wanyan. They were now sitting on pins and needles, their backs trembling with fear, as if they could see the ill-intentioned gazes of all the officials around them.

News of the Chen family's downfall quickly spread throughout the capital. Chen Wanyan was dismissed from his post, his property was confiscated, and his title was stripped. Chen Shaozu was exiled to Lingnan for forcibly taking a woman from the common people, and the empress was deposed.

This news was met with great joy, and the people of the capital were abuzz with discussion, praising the current emperor's wisdom and might. He could even take action against the empress's family members without hesitation, and the empress herself was deposed.

With Zhou Chu's deliberate manipulation, the common people perceived Jiajing's actions as entirely for the benefit of the people and the Ming Dynasty.

In a short time, Jiajing's prestige among the people of Beijing rose to a new height, which was remarkable for an emperor who had only been on the throne for a little over a year.

Yun Jin left the capital after spending the New Year at home, and by then it was already close to the Lantern Festival.

The second year of the Jiajing reign.

Zhou Chu sighed with emotion. Time really flies. It's like Yun Jin has grown from that little girl into a grown-up who can now lead troops into battle.

Inside the Lu residence, Madam Yang, Lu Wei, and the servants were busily preparing for the Lantern Festival poetry gathering.

That's right, Yang wanted to hold a poetry gathering at home.

In her opinion, this poetry gathering was very necessary. Lu Wei was getting married soon, and this gathering would allow Yang Ran and Lu Wei to meet and get to know each other better. In addition, it would allow them to invite many noble ladies and talented men from the capital to add some literary flair to the Lu family.

A refined and cultured demeanor is precisely what the Lu family lacks most right now. Lu Wei is destined for a career in government, and Yang's actions can be seen as paving the way for him in advance.

Of course, during poetry gatherings, the men are on one side and the women on the other, at most gazing at each other from afar, and they are separated by a gauze curtain, so they can hardly see each other clearly.

Moreover, it was the dead of winter, so it was essential to have plenty of charcoal braziers. After all, the young gentlemen and ladies attending the poetry gathering wouldn't be dressed too warmly even if they were freezing, and Madam Yang didn't want them to catch a cold at home.