These rumors reached the ears of people who really knew the truth. Apart from lamenting the outstanding ability of the people behind the scenes to fabricate lies, they did not dare to take any other action for fear of being targeted by Qin Huai who was collecting evidence of Zhang Hu's crime. The one who was most afraid was Zhang Hu.

That faction.

What's more, when the king of a country wants to protect someone, who dares to do evil? To say the least, whether Princess Jiaming is dead or alive does not matter to anyone, so why should she go to the imperial court to blame her?

At the height of the debate among the people, Qin Huai detailed Zhang Cifu's ten major crimes in front of Emperor Yuan He and all civil and military officials in the early dynasty!

In addition to allowing his cronies to bully men and women, and seizing other people's properties, there are also nine major crimes such as selling one's official position, taking bribes, and being jealous of the virtuous and capable, including the felony of insulting and contemptuous of the royal princess.

The evidence for these ten major crimes was conclusive, once again catching Zhang Hu's faction by surprise.

They knew very well that it was impossible for Qin Huai to collect so much criminal evidence in just half a month, which meant that he had already mastered the evidence and might still have a handle on them.

These officials have studied hard for many years and finally got to where they are today. They cannot speak for a dead person, and they are even more afraid of implicating themselves. They are so silent that they dare not even raise their heads.

After Emperor Yuan He was furious, he ordered Qin Huai to read Zhang Hu's punishment in public according to the criminal law.

Taken individually, these ten crimes are not enough to sentence Zhang Hu to death, but if they are added together, it would not be an exaggeration to sentence the entire Zhang family to death.

However, the Zhang family had been almost wiped out by Princess Jiaming. Seeing that Zhang Hu had been an official for many years and had made great contributions to the court, Emperor Yuanhe spared the life of Zhang Cifu's only remaining concubine.

The ministers headed by Wang Shoufu knelt down and shouted "The Holy One is wise" and said nothing about how to punish Princess Jiaming. When Emperor Yuanhe retired and left the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the way they looked at Qin Huai completely changed.

"Lord Qin is really powerful. In just a few days, he has relieved His Majesty from his worries." Wang Shoufu came to Qin Huai with a very friendly attitude. Only he knew what he was really thinking.

"Your Majesty, thank you very much. It is our duty to share the sorrow of the Holy One." Qin Huai responded neither humble nor overbearing.

"The younger generation is to be feared, the younger generation is to be feared!" Wang Shoufu patted him on the shoulder, sighed and turned to leave.

Other ministers, especially those who originally belonged to Zhang Hu's line, hurriedly stepped forward to flatter Qin Huai. Everyone knew that he would soon join the cabinet and even sit directly in the position of second minister.

They were eager to please Qin Huai, hoping that when he was liquidated in the future, he would be able to let them go.

Qin Huai had no time to pay attention to them, so he took the revised manuscript of the household marriage law and went to the Qinzheng Hall to ask for an audience with Emperor Yuanhe.

At first, Emperor Yuan He thought it was an important matter related to Zhang Hu's ten crimes. He opened the manuscript and glanced at Qin Huai with a sharp gaze: "Why do you suddenly want to change the household marriage law? This is not your idea, is it?"

Qin Huai cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to your Majesty, this is the humble minister's idea, but it is not a temporary idea."

At this point, he hesitated, not knowing whether to continue.

Emperor Yuanhe snorted: "Why don't you say anything?"

Qin Huai no longer hesitated and said in a deep voice: "When the Zhang family was willing to give Princess Jiaming a divorce note, Princess Jiaming would never have a fight with the Zhang family to the point of life and death. Looking at the major family extermination cases reported to the Ministry of Punishment for review every year,

In addition to the most vendettas, those like Princess Jiaming and the Zhang family. If women who have been bullied by their husbands to the point of despair are given the right to divorce their husbands, this type of human tragedy will be greatly reduced!"

Emperor Yuan He opened the manuscript and read it from beginning to end, and said coldly: "I understand, please kneel down."

Qin Huai's expression did not change: "Wei Chen, please retire."

Emperor Yuanhe was silent for a long time, and finally put away the manuscript and went to Zhaoyang Palace.

I don’t know what Princess Jiaming said that moved him. In the morning of the next day, he suddenly ordered the Ministry of Punishment to modify the household marriage law and give women the right to divorce their husbands while the original household marriage law remained unchanged.

However, a woman must be satisfied when she divorces her husband. She must have suffered oppression or abuse from her husband's family, and she is not allowed to divorce her husband for no reason.

This decree was strongly opposed by civil and military officials, who believed that it was a violation of ancestral etiquette, and there were even some old stubborns who fought against the pillars and died in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, hoping to make Emperor Yuanhe take back his life.

Emperor Yuan He watched them cry and cry, and asked coldly: "Do you think your descendants will not have a Jiaming Princess, or do you think they will not be like the Zhang family, who was forced into a desperate situation by a woman?"

Destroy the whole family?"

Several stubborn ministers looked at each other: How can they guarantee this?

Thinking of Princess Jiaming poisoning six members of Zhang Hu's family, leaving them dead without any body parts, and having to bear the infamy that will last forever, they couldn't help but shudder, and they were also afraid that if their family was unlucky, something similar would happen to their descendants.

No matter what they thought, Emperor Yuan He sneered and threw the files of similar massacres that occurred after the founding of the dynasty in their faces, and then withdrew from the court.

Ten days later, the ten major crimes committed by Zhang Hu and the revised household marriage law were posted in the streets and alleys of the capital.

Among Zhang Hu's ten major crimes, the felony of insulting and contemptuous of the royal princess, a detailed description of all the humiliations endured by Princess Jiaming during the eight years she married into the Zhang family is roughly the same as the previous rumors.

The only difference is that at the end of the crime, it is shown that Zhang Hu's family committed suicide out of fear of the crime, while Princess Jiaming and Teng'er had a lucky escape.

It was probably Qin Huai who decided the case himself, so the people believed it.

Even if some people have doubts and suspect that the real culprit is Princess Jiaming, the Zhang family are all dead, and they are still carrying serious crimes that can kill the entire family. Those who know the truth are afraid to avoid it, and how can they dare to advocate the so-called justice for the Zhang family?

.

What's more, the truth has been revealed. Princess Jiaming's actions can be regarded as a righteous act of annihilation, and it is impossible to pay for the lives of the Zhang family.

So the Zhang family massacre that shocked the capital was concluded, and everything settled.

In contrast, the new household marriage law that gave women the right to divorce their husbands did not seem so eye-catching. After a heated debate among the people, they gradually accepted it.

This is probably due to the fact that despite her noble status as Princess Jiaming, she was bullied by the Zhang family and almost lost her life, which made them less resistant to women being able to divorce their husbands.

After all, there are many families who view their daughters as losers, and there are even more families who cherish their daughters. Moreover, the new law stipulates that a woman can divorce her husband only after she has been persecuted by her husband's family, which is a condition that most people can accept.

What is unacceptable are those few families who do not regard their daughters-in-law as human beings. Even if such families object with gongs and drums every day, no one will give up their own interests to protect their interests.

Qin Xiaoxiao did not expect such an unexpected surprise. You must know that from beginning to end, she never thought of using Princess Jiaming to achieve the purpose of amending the household marriage law, and it went so smoothly.

After getting excited, she became suspicious. She caught Jing Heng who was returning from the office and asked, "Did you already know that Mr. Qin would do this?"

Jing Heng pretended to be stupid: "Master Qin didn't let me intervene, and I didn't know that he would take the opportunity to advise the emperor and do it so easily."

Qin Xiaoxiao glared at him: "How can it be so easy? If my cousin's experience hadn't been widely circulated and Master Qin saw the opportunity, I don't know how long it would have taken."

Jing Heng praised without hesitation: "Master Qin is a person who does great things, and is beyond the reach of others."

When Qin Xiaoxiao heard this, he also felt a deep admiration for Qin Huai in his heart: "Yes, he is really awesome. I can't catch up with him in this life!"

Jing Heng smiled and said: "Given your age, you are not too young. Wasn't your previous plan very successful?"

Seizing the weakness of human nature, he made up a few stories to clear up Princess Jiaming, and poured all the dirty water on the Zhang family. No one will call Princess Jiaming a poisonous woman anymore.

"Master Qin caught it at a good time, I was just talking." Qin Xiaoxiao now knew how to be humble, and felt that most of the credit for why things went so smoothly was Qin Huai.

What fell on her was probably that her ability played some role and allowed the plan to proceed smoothly without any sudden obstacles.

"Well, no matter what, it's a good thing." Seeing her smiling happily, Jing Heng also became happy and kissed her forehead: "All the major things that need to be solved have been solved. From now on, you can raise your baby with peace of mind and don't worry about anything else."

It’s about that.”

Qin Xiaoxiao touched his belly and responded with a smile.

Not long after, Qin Huai successfully entered the cabinet and took the position of Second Assistant in one fell swoop. He also continued to serve as Minister of Justice. He would relinquish this position when a suitable candidate was found.

He had outstanding abilities, was not greedy for power, and did not form cliques for personal gain. Emperor Yuan He was quite assured of him, even though he already knew that he was responsible for the deaths of the six members of Zhang Hu's family.

Qin Huai did not hide this. In the eyes of those in power, everyone is just a chess piece. Since there are more useful chess pieces, it is no pity to discard other chess pieces.

At the end of February, Princess Jiaming, who had recovered from her health, left the palace and lived in a house not far from the Princess Protector's Mansion. On the same day, she came to visit Qin Xiaoxiao with a gift.

After not seeing each other for half a month, she saw Qin Xiaoxiao's belly getting a little bigger. She looked tremblingly and frightened: "Are you about to give birth?"

"It's only eight months old, so it's not that fast." Qin Xiaoxiao moved her butt with difficulty and changed her position to make herself more comfortable: "I can't sleep well every day, and it's getting harder and harder to move. I also want to hurry up.

Dian Sheng, ugh.”

She didn't expect it would be so uncomfortable in the later stages of pregnancy. This was even when the children were very good and didn't torment her or tie the umbilical cord around her neck. She couldn't imagine how hard it must be for women who encountered various problems.

"Just bear with it a little longer, it will be fine once you give birth." Princess Jiaming comforted her, with deep envy hidden in her eyes.

Qin Xiaoxiao was afraid that she would be uncomfortable, so she didn't talk much about the child, and instead asked, "What are your cousin's plans next?"

Princess Jiaming smiled and said: "It's good to raise flowers and grass every day, read books and drink tea. I'm not interested in other things."

I have the status of a princess, and I have a shop and a farm, so I don't have to worry about my livelihood. I have been living in a daze for more than 20 years. When I think about it carefully, life like today is the most comfortable.

After Qin Xiaoxiao heard this, she thought it was okay, but she was afraid that she would be lonely as time went by. Originally, she wanted to ask her if she had any intention of remarrying, but thinking of all she had experienced in just one year, it was really inappropriate to ask, so she decided not to.

Open your mouth.

"By the way, I want to thank you for coming here this time. If you hadn't come up with the idea to restore my reputation, I might not even be able to leave the house now." Princess Jiaming looked at Qin Xiaoxiao and said from the bottom of her heart.

Thank her.

"Given our relationship, saying thank you is too embarrassing. Besides, Mr. Qin has done a lot in this matter. If you really want to thank him, you should thank him." Qin Xiaoxiao waved his hands and leaned on the back of the chair with his feet raised.

The whole person seems a bit more lazy.

"Master Qin wants to thank you, and you also want to thank me." Princess Jiaming said seriously: "Without your help this time, I will definitely be dead, and I will not be able to live as uprightly as I am now."

Qin Xiaoxiao shook his head: "From now on, if you live a good life, it will not be in vain for me to work hard. There is no need to say thank you anymore."

Seeing that she really didn't care about this, Princess Jiaming said helplessly: "Okay, okay, from now on there will be no need for you and me to say thank you."

Qin Xiaoxiao became happy and put a leg on hers boldly: "Help me rub it, I'm cramping again."

Princess Jiaming didn't dislike it and actually rubbed her fat white legs.

The warm sunshine shone down, lighting up the smiles on both their faces.

March is full of spring, and it’s a good time to enjoy flowers.

The posts received by Princess Protector's Mansion were stacked up, and they were all taken to the kitchen to cook a few dishes. Princess Protector did not like this kind of occasion and refused them all. Qin Xiaoxiao was about to give birth, and it was impossible to attend the banquet.

When she couldn't hold it in any longer and desperately wanted to go out for a walk, Qin Shan and Lin Qiuniang specially brought a dozen chickens over to visit her.

"Dad, Mom, why are you here? Isn't the family busy at this time?" Qin Xiaoxiao was so happy that she couldn't calm down for a moment: "Are grandma and grandpa okay?"
To be continued...