My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!-Chapter 386 - 257: Like Father, Like Son

King Han Mansion.

King Han was staring intensely at Li Qian.

He realized that he had underestimated his son.

He underestimated his ability to spoil matters without accomplishing anything worthwhile.

Not only had he provoked the entire Li Xuanjing family, inviting revenge, but on the short journey from the King Mansion to the Ministry of Justice, he had even lost the only Death Exemption Token.

How could someone lose such a thing?

Why couldn't he have just lost himself?

However, at the moment, blaming him was pointless; what mattered was retrieving the Death Exemption Token.

Li Qian said that the token might have fallen inside the King Mansion.

King Han immediately summoned all the servants of the mansion to inquire about the whereabouts of the token, but none admitted to finding it.

He had someone conduct an exceedingly thorough search of every part of the King Mansion, but still came up empty.

All the servants at the King Mansion were rigorously vetted, and their loyalty was beyond question.

The token couldn't possibly be in the King Mansion.

Inside the great hall, Li Qian looked perplexed and muttered, "It's impossible. Apart from the King Mansion and the carriage, it could only be at the Ministry of Justice. But I searched there, and it's not there either…"

The Ministry of Justice was Li Xuanjing's territory. If the token fell there, the chances of retrieving it were likely none.

Finally, King Han couldn't restrain his anger. Pointing at Li Qian's forehead, he exclaimed, "You overstep yourself by provoking Li Xuanjing, and you lose the Death Exemption Token too; what can you actually do..."

The Capital Governor stepped forward to advise, "Your Highness, please calm down. The most important thing now is to rescue the young master of the Wang family. Let's consider other options."

After a moment, King Han said, "I'll go to the Secretariat first to see if they have any solutions. If not, I'll go ask Father Emperor for another Death Exemption Token…"

The most troublesome aspect of this affair was that it was an ordinary homicide case that fell exactly within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, purely landing in Li Xuanjing's hands, leaving no room for Zongzheng Si to intervene.

If there was still room for a solution, it would have to be ordered by the two Prime Ministers.

The Wang family was not only important to King Han Mansion, but also crucial to the court. It's believed that the court doesn't wish to fall out with the Wang family either.

If the Secretariat refuses, there was one last option.

Even Father Emperor would have to consider the feelings of the Wang family.

A few moments later.

The Secretariat.

King Han arrived personally, and the two Assistant Ministers of the Secretariat personally welcomed him, leading him into a government office. The Left Assistant Minister respectfully asked, "May I know the purpose of His Highness King Han's visit?"

With urgency, King Han got straight to the point.

Both Assistant Ministers were stunned upon hearing his purpose.

The Ministry of Justice had arrested the young master of the Jinyang Wang family and sentenced him to death. King Han hoped that the three provinces could issue an imperial decree to spare the young master of the Wang family...

Legally speaking, this was inappropriate.

But from a bigger picture, there were reasons for the three provinces to spare him.

The Jinyang Wang family was a famous family with a thousand-year heritage and profound background; if they could avoid offending, they should not.

However, the issue was that just yesterday, a relative of Li Xuanjing, in an act of valor, accidentally killed someone, and the two Prime Ministers jointly issued a decree for the Imperial Censorate, Capital Prefecture, and the Ministry of Justice to investigate strictly without neglect…

And today, a relative of King Han intentionally caused a death by assault, and he actually wanted the three provinces to issue a decree to seek an exemption.

He didn't regard Li Xuanjing in the slightest.

If such a decree were to be issued, wouldn't Li Xuanjing oppress the officials of the three provinces to death?

And those oppressed wouldn't even be able to claim injustice.

Both were veteran officials, old foxes, and quickly thought through the situation.

This case, at the time, the Ministry of Justice hadn't made a peep.

Why then would they suddenly make a big deal out of it today?

It clearly targeted King Han Mansion.

To say that it was to eliminate an official loyal to King Han and replace him with his own people, might still be plausible.

That Wang Hang was killed yielded no benefits for Li Xuanjing and King Chun.

This sort of thing, given his nature of not acting without benefits, was unlikely.

The two ministers regarded King Han with a skeptical look. Could yesterday's case have King Han's meddling behind it?

Though no evidence was found, yesterday's homicide indeed carried some unusual hints.

The culprits involved in these two cases...

One was the Prince Heir of King Han's brother-in-law.

The other was the nephew of Li Xuanjing's daughter.

Only a day had passed between the events, not many would believe they were unrelated.

"You provoked them first, and now they strike back, the three provinces have no reason to intervene now."

...

Not long after, King Han exited the Secretariat.

As expected, the Secretariat had denied his request.

He was well aware that without yesterday's incident, perhaps today's excessive request might have been negotiable. However, the atrocious act had clearly enraged Li Xuanjing, and the Secretariat did not wish to muddy the waters.

After leaving the Secretariat, he did not return to the King Mansion but went straight to the Imperial Palace.

He stood in front of a secluded palace for a long time, until a figure slowly emerged and handed him a brocade box the size of a palm, speaking in a shrill, piercing voice, "King Han, Your Majesty mentioned that the famous families, taking control of the local areas, disregard the court. To pardon their capital crimes could seem as if the court is afraid of them. This matter shall only occur this one time, not to be repeated…"

King Han respectfully took the brocade box, saying, "I shall heed Father Emperor's teachings."

The eunuch flicked the dust whisk in his hand and turned to re-enter the palace.

King Han opened the brocade box and when he saw the Death Exemption Token inside, he finally felt relieved.

He placed the brocade box inside his robe, got into his carriage, and said, "To the Ministry of Justice."

This time, he intended to go in person.

In the Ministry of Justice, the sentencing of Wang Hang had already concluded.

Although the son of King Han had said he would bring a Death Exemption Token, since he had been gone for so long without returning, the Ministry of Justice naturally would not wait for him indefinitely.

Led by an official from the Ministry of Justice, King Han directly headed to the Si Minister's Office.

Li Xuanjing put down the scroll in his hand, stood up to greet him, and asked, "King Han, what brings you to the Ministry of Justice?"

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King Han composedly said, "Lord Li, I'll get straight to the point. Wang Hang is the legitimate son of the Jinyang Wang family. If the court were to execute him, it would assuredly provoke hostility with the Jinyang Wang family. I hope you will consider the bigger picture and release Wang Hang. I assure you, he will return immediately to Jinyang and never set foot in Chang'an again…"

Li Xuanjing sternly replied, "Your Highness, be cautious with your words. The duty of the Ministry of Justice is to uphold the dignity of the Law. Even the offspring of notable families must face the sanction of the Law. This Daxia belongs to the Li Family, not the Wang family. Do you imply the court should fear them?"

King Han did not respond.

It wasn't that he was at a loss for words from Li Xuanjing's rebuke.

He just couldn't understand how someone could be so shameless.

Why didn't he mention the Law when his son was murdering someone?

Initially, he thought, if he could avoid using the Death Exemption Token, that would be best.

But Li Xuanjing was implacable and shamelessly so; it seemed he would not be able to spare the token after all.

He really did not want to speak any further with such a shameless person. He took out the brocade box from his robe and said, "Very well, if you see the Death Exemption Token, you must release him, right?"

Li Xuanjing nodded and replied, "If Your Highness has the Death Exemption Token, you may, of course, take him away."

King Han opened the brocade box, wanting to say something, yet it was as if his throat was blocked, unable to utter a word.

Inside the brocade box, there was nothing.

The Death Exemption Token was gone!

The brocade box had always been with him, and now the box was still here, but the token was missing!

One time could be a coincidence.

How could it happen a second time by coincidence?

He suddenly looked towards Li Xuanjing and asked, "Is it you who is plotting this?"

Li Xuanjing looked puzzled and asked, "What are you talking about, Your Highness? What plotting? You bring an empty box, are you mocking me?"

King Han stared at his face, unable to discern any irregularity.

His mind was utterly blank at that moment.

He couldn't understand at all how the token could have been lost.

Despite racking his brain, he could not think of a way that someone could stealthily steal the token from the box.

This incident was an even greater shock to his spirit than the capture of Wang Hang.

Moments later, he left the Ministry of Justice and aimlessly returned to the King Mansion.

From a distance, Li Qian greeted him and asked, "Father, how did it go, was Wang Hang saved?"

King Han shook his head.

Li Qian frowned, "The Secretariat didn't want to help?"

King Han nodded.

Li Qian pressed further, "Did the Father Emperor not give the Death Exemption Token?"

King Han replied, "He did."

Li Qian breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "Where is the Death Exemption Token? Send it quickly to the Ministry of Justice."

King Han replied, "It's lost…"

Moments later, Li Qian looked at King Han, disappointment written all over his face, "Father, what happened? How could you lose something so important…"