Chapter 16: You've long forgotten the warning

Seeing that her aunt didn't say anything, Yunhe could only sit aside, drinking tea and thinking silently.

As Zhao Changning expected, after noon, the Chief Minister Gao Yun, the Second Chief Minister Zhou Min and two other cabinet ministers arrived one after another, followed by several ministers, and finally Hu Gouer.

Unexpectedly, the Fourteenth Prince was also there.

When he saw Zhao Changning, he nodded slightly as a courtesy.

Zhao Changning asked all the people on duty in the side hall to move, and he personally went into the hall to serve tea, charcoal fire and candles. Most of the people in the room were old guys, so they had to be careful.

Everyone knelt down, kowtowed and shouted "Long live the emperor". The emperor asked them to sit down, but Hu Gou'er just stood aside inconspicuously.

Sun Zhidao is still the person who can't keep secrets, and shocks people when he opens his mouth.

"Military supplies and salaries for Fujian and Zhejiang should be provided as soon as possible, otherwise when will the Japanese invasion and rebellion be eradicated?"

The Minister of Rites said, "The matter of Lord Ming is still uncertain. I think we should first determine the successor to lead the army as soon as possible. If Lord Ming's guilt is true, I am afraid that the Japanese threat will not be eliminated, and the rebellion will only increase. Then, internal and external troubles will be a real disaster."

Sun Zhidao couldn't help but say, "The battle on the front line is fierce, and the soldiers are risking their lives, but you are fussing over such a trivial matter and accusing the court officials. It's simply unreasonable."

"How can this be considered unreasonable? An official must lead by example. If you don't even care about your own mother, how can you educate the people, how can you lead the army..."

This is actually a bit funny. Everyone knows that it is just a trivial matter, but no one can refute it. Once the hat of filial piety is put on, no one can stop it.

It is also heard that the son-in-law of the Minister of Rites is also in Zhejiang. It is unknown whether there is any exchange of interests between him and Hu Gouer.

Zhao Changning happened to be serving tea to the Fourteenth Prince. Upon hearing this, he paused and glanced in the direction of Hu Gou'er.

The Fourteenth Prince looked up at her, his eyes dark and deep as the abyss.

Zhao Changning calmly placed the tea on the coffee table next to the armchair and stood guard beside the old emperor with his head buried.

The old emperor remained calm and let his subordinates argue, from the war to the political affairs of Zhejiang, and finally to the matter of sending eunuchs to Zhejiang to run rampant and bully men and women.

The Prime Minister Gao Yun obviously wanted to protect Mingxuan. It took a lot of effort for their faction to get Mingxuan into Zhejiang, a place where no one could get in.

"Mingxuan has made great contributions in Zhejiang, but he has also worked hard. Changing weapons at this time will cause many disadvantages. Isn't that just aiding and abetting the evil?"

Hu Gou'er's shrill, thin voice suddenly rang out, "It's better to change weapons in battle than to desert. Lord Ming's guilt hasn't been fully clarified yet, so how can we convince the public? It's also against Dayong's laws."

Gao Yun remained calm upon hearing this. "Lord Hu keeps saying there are witnesses, but he hasn't seen any. Isn't this just fabrication and slander? You are the seal holder, so you should be aware of this crime..."

Hu Gou'er said, "Your Excellency may not know that Lord Ming's defense has already been submitted to the Emperor, and he has admitted his guilt. As for the witnesses, they will naturally appear when the time comes."

How could he possibly produce a witness at this time? Wouldn't that be cutting off his own path?

Gao Yun and others looked at the emperor at the top.

The hall was silent for a moment, with only the sound of the wind outside the dark latticed windows and the slight crackling of the charcoal fire in the stove.

Everyone waited for a while, but unexpectedly they heard the old emperor's faint snoring.

Is this an attitude?

Gao Yun and the others looked at each other and were obviously relieved.

Hu Gou'er was dazed, but not surprised. His face was pale and he stood alone.

Zhao Changning happened to look into his eyes and saw that he was very nervous, with a hint of expectation in his eyes. Thinking of the emperor's attitude towards Hu Gou'er, he immediately withdrew his gaze.

She stood up and said softly, "The emperor is tired. The gentlemen should go back first and discuss this tomorrow."

Sun Zhidao looked at Zhao Changning impatiently, but did not dare to disturb the emperor. He only looked at the Fourteenth Prince anxiously.

"Regardless of Lord Ming's guilt, the military situation in Zhejiang is urgent, and we must draft a charter soon. We can't delay any further."

The Fourteenth Prince was silent for a few breaths, then stood up. "Lord Sun is right. The military situation at the front is more important. As for Lord Ming's matter, we should wait for General Song to return and find out the truth before letting our father make the final decision."

This was just a way of smoothing things over. Before the matter was settled, Mingxuan would still be the Governor of Zhejiang.

Hu Gou'er suppressed his anger and asked, "I wonder if what the Fourteenth Prince said is what the Emperor meant or what you meant?"

Zhao Changning couldn't help but look at Hu Gou'er. He was a smart man, why did he speak out of turn at this moment?

She also didn't know why he was so anxious and wanted to keep accusing Mingxuan in an attempt to convict him first.

The Fourteenth Prince glanced at Hu Gou'er with his peach blossom eyes, his tone calm and unmoved, "Since it is the Emperor's intention, it is also the Crown Prince's intention. Does Eunuch Hu have other intentions?"

Hu Gou'er immediately lowered his head and said, "I dare not."

The Fourteenth Prince calmly raised his foot and walked out of the palace gate first, followed by the Prime Minister and several cabinet ministers, and then several chancellors.

The people in the hall filed out one after another, leaving Hu Gou'er standing alone, with his head that was usually held high now bent.

Zhao Changning looked at him in the candlelight, but the red candlelight could not hide his pale face. She looked at the sleeping emperor again and lowered her eyelids silently.

Hu Gou'er's face was extremely ugly. He didn't know what he was thinking. After a wry smile, he said to Zhao Changning, "Auntie, can you please have a word with me for a moment?"

Putting aside the fight, the two of them could actually be considered friends. Zhao Changning did not refuse and followed them out of the palace.

"Aunt was unwilling to speak for me just now. Does this also represent the emperor's attitude?" Hu Gou'er was silent for a long time before asking this question.

Zhao Changning didn't answer, but instead asked, "When you first came to me, I told you that nothing is secret in front of the Emperor. You've long forgotten that advice."

We are all smart people, so just stop at the right point.

When Hu Gou'er heard this, he seemed to be unsteady and staggered, and the hope in his eyes disappeared.

He was silent for a long time before he murmured, "Aunt, I don't know why it has come to this, but my loyalty to the Emperor has never changed. Could you please..."

Zhao Changning knew what he meant.

She couldn't, because it wasn't just the emperor who wanted to kill Hu Gou'er.

The eaves of the Qinzheng Hall are very wide. When the night wind blows, the lanterns hanging under the eaves sway from side to side, and the rolled-up fallen leaves drift slowly in the air, and finally become silent.

Silence means everything.

Hu Gou'er didn't say anything else, just turned around and left dejectedly.

Zhao Changning watched his departing back and knew in his heart that he would not live long. Even if he was unwilling, he could only struggle in his deathbed.

She should have been excited, perhaps she would be one step closer to power, but she felt inexplicably melancholy. She had seen Hu Gou'er's loyalty over the years.

The maid on duty came forward and called her, "Aunt, it's a cold night, please come in quickly."

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