After Shen Zhixiu finished speaking, everyone present looked at Chen Zheng, including Emperor Xuande and the Crown Prince.

Of course, many people were just there to watch the fun, wanting to see how Elder Chen would respond in such an occasion.

A sinister look flashed across Chen Zheng's eyes. Shen Zhixiu's words were like roasting him on the fire.

If he said the prince was right, it would be tantamount to supporting the prince's rebellion. If the prince failed, he would be a traitor.

But if he said the Crown Prince was wrong, even if he didn't kill him, he would still harbor resentment. The Crown Prince was narrow-minded, and when he ascended the throne, he, as the Master, would probably not have a good ending either.

For a moment, Chen Zheng was in a dilemma and was speechless for a long time.

Emperor Xuande looked at him unkindly, "My dear Minister Chen, this question is so difficult to answer. Does it embarrass you?"

The prince also said: "Teacher, just say what you think."

The father and son, who were at loggerheads with each other, reached an agreement on how to deal with Chen Zheng.

Chen Zheng thought for a moment, then turned to Shen Zhixiu and asked, "Then what does Lord Shen think of the Crown Prince's actions today?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Shen Zhixiu said in a cold voice, "Your Highness the Crown Prince murdered the emperor and his father, and threatened virtuous ministers, disregarding their own lives. He is unfaithful, unfilial, unkind, and unjust."

"Even if His Royal Highness ascends the throne, it is not legitimate and anyone can kill him."

Chen Zheng regretted it after he finished speaking. He shouldn't have asked Shen Zhixiu. Shen Zhixiu was already at the end of his rope, so naturally he wasn't afraid of offending the prince again.

Shen Zhixiu's words made the prince feel very uncomfortable. But he didn't want to touch Shen Zhixiu for the time being, so he turned to look at Chen Zheng, "Teacher, what do you think?"

He seemed to urgently need Chen Zheng to clear his name.

Chen Zheng had no choice but to weigh the pros and cons and make a choice.

After a moment's thought, he said, "Your Majesty has been hesitant about the succession. I believe that if this continues, the princes will develop inappropriate thoughts and it will indeed be easy for trouble to arise. Your Highness the Crown Prince is both virtuous and talented, and his ascension to the throne at this time is also to stabilize the Great Zhou Dynasty."

When Emperor Xuande heard what Chen Zheng said, he immediately became furious. "Chen Zheng, you are truly a loyal minister to me. I really didn't know how to judge people by letting you become the chief minister of the cabinet."

Shen Zhixiu looked around again, and everyone lowered their heads and dared not look at him, for fear that he would ask them the same question again.

But Shen Zhixiu didn't bring it up again. Instead, he said, "Since His Royal Highness the Prince of Pingxi is not here, is he helping His Royal Highness the Crown Prince support the rebels outside?"

Only then did everyone notice that the second prince had left the Hall of Supreme Harmony at some point.

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince said, "Don't worry about that, Lord Shen. We brothers are united in purpose and will naturally accomplish great things together."

Shen Zhixiu sneered in his heart, thinking that with the prince's mind and means, he might have become the prey in the eyes of the second prince.

When Emperor Xuande heard that the second prince was also in cahoots with the crown prince, he cursed the second prince in his heart again.

The Crown Prince was obviously anxious to get Emperor Xuande to write an edict, and he didn't say anything else. Instead, he ordered someone to take out the imperial edict that had been prepared in advance and spread it on the table in front of Emperor Xuande.

"Father, please."

Seeing that Emperor Xuande didn't move, the Crown Prince said again, "Father, please don't force me. If you refuse to write, I can only go out and throw a fire stick into the Hall of Supreme Harmony."

"When the time comes, we will tell the public that an accident occurred during the palace banquet, and all the ministers and the emperor died together for the country. As for those officials below the third rank, I will select the best ones for promotion and can also make do with them."

"These loyal ministers will soon accompany our father on his journey."

After saying this, the prince knelt respectfully on the ground again and paid great respects to Emperor Xuande.

"Please write an imperial edict. I promise to take good care of you and treat my brothers well."

"Today, I have been unfilial, but rest assured, Father, I will atone for my sins with my filial piety."

Emperor Xuande's lips twitched, but he felt that it would be futile to say anything more at this moment.

As the prince expected, he did not dare to gamble.

He couldn't compete with the prince at the cost of the Zhou dynasty and the lives of civil and military officials.

Emperor Xuande pondered for a moment, and finally picked up the pen on the table, wrote the abdication edict, and stamped it with the imperial seal and private seal.

The prince was overjoyed. Now that he had the abdication edict in hand, today's matter was mostly accomplished.

At this time, outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Second Prince was hiding in the dark corner of the roof with several of his trusted confidants from the Shenji Camp.

The location where the few of them were was facing the main entrance of the hall.

It was these people who had previously dealt with the Dragon Guards who were protecting Emperor Xuande.

The Second Prince was watching the scene in the hall when someone suddenly reported, "Your Highness, there is no trace of Puyi."

Normally, Puyi was always by the emperor's side, but today he was not there. The Second Prince ordered people to search, but still could not find Puyi.

Although the Second Prince was puzzled, he could not care less at this moment. More important matters awaited his decision.

Seeing the prince put away the abdication edict, he gently raised his arm and the arrow on his wrist flew towards the Song father and son.

The Second Prince ordered in a deep voice: "Do it."

The two archers from the Shenji Camp immediately drew their bows and shot their arrows straight towards Emperor Xuande and the Crown Prince.

The second prince had a smile on his lips. He was extremely satisfied with this move in which the fisherman benefited from the conflict between the two sides.

Now that the prince has obtained the abdication edict, the Song father and son will soon die at the hands of the prince.

When his father and the crown prince died, his obstacles would be gone. King Cheng's rabble was no match for him.

It would be a great act of treason for the crown prince to ascend the throne, but he ascended the throne simply in accordance with the trend.

At this moment in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the moment the prince raised the arrow from his sleeve, Song Zan and Song Hongshen's faces changed.

Then, the two of them suddenly jumped into the air and avoided the hidden arrows.

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!