Chapter 445 Where Does the Sword Point?

Standing in the main hall, Qin Mo watched Emperor Zhaowu and his court officials exchanging verses and prayers, and couldn't help but wonder, "Is this all just an act for me? Or does it have some other meaning?"

Logically, for such a momentous matter, Emperor Zhaowu should have met with several high-ranking officials before attending court, and then these officials would go back and explain things to their subordinates. When court began, everyone would applaud, share treats, and praise His Majesty's wisdom and prowess, thus ensuring the smooth passage of the resolution. This would have been the normal procedure.

However, judging from the current situation, it seemed that Emperor Zhaowu had not communicated with the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War beforehand, which made the current situation quite embarrassing.

Qin Mo didn't believe that Emperor Zhaowu, who had ruled for so many years, would make such a mistake. So what was his purpose in doing this? Where was he aiming his sword?

Wang Yushi? Or me, Qin Mo?

Today, all the conflicts are focused on Wang Yushi, or rather, on the internal treasury funds that Wang Yushi controls.

In this imperial court, Qin Mo was the closest to Wang Yushi. Wang Yushi had shielded him from a lot of trouble, and in the eyes of others, Qin Mo was Wang Yushi's protector. Of course, Qin Mo has now gained influence and can no longer be regarded as a subordinate, but no one can deny the relationship between the two.

Looking at Emperor Zhaowu's face, which had turned ashen, Qin Mo sighed inwardly, "Whatever his purpose, his acting is damn good, almost on par with Stephen Chow!"

The court had been silent for quite some time, with no one speaking and each having their own agenda.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should say it or not," a figure stepped forward, knelt down, and spoke loudly.

"Hehe, here they come!" Qin Mo looked at the familiar person who came out and knelt down, and immediately knew that a good show was about to begin.

This pale-faced, short-bearded middle-aged man is named Qin Su. Two years ago, he was the Vice Minister of Rites. He caused trouble when Qin Mo married Kaihime and Lin Ruoxi. It seems he has been sent out to be the vanguard again today.

"Rise, my dear subject. Speak freely if you have something to say!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty has shown me great favor by granting me the position of Vice Minister of Rites, responsible for the education of rites and music. I have heard that Your Majesty the Empress has been meeting with an official outside the court. I believe that Your Majesty's actions are contrary to the principles of rites and are inappropriate. I hope Your Majesty will be wise in your judgment."

"Qin Su, how dare you speak such nonsense in the imperial court! What is your punishment?"

"This brat dares to speak so presumptuously about the affairs of the emperor's family; he deserves to die!"

As soon as Qin Su finished speaking, several court officials stepped forward to rebuke him angrily. Even a young military officer rushed forward to make a move, but was stopped by the palace guards. He was clearly a confidant of Wang Yushi's faction.

Qin Mo closed her eyes, focusing her mind on her own thoughts, letting the shouts and commands from inside the hall pass by like smoke in the wind.

He knew that trouble would inevitably arise sooner or later, because Wang Yushi's money was all kept in his own bank! If Emperor Zhaowu wasn't going to find Wang Yushi, then he would definitely be looking for him!

No rush, just watch their performance quietly.

"How dare you! What do you take my court for?"

Seeing the commotion below, Emperor Zhaowu finally roared, and the entire court fell silent.

"Qin Su, please tell me in detail!"

“Your Majesty, Prince Heng arrived in the capital yesterday, and the Empress visited him there afterward. She entered the residence at 9:00 AM and did not leave until 5:00 PM. This behavior is unreasonable, and I believe Your Majesty should issue an edict to reprimand him.”

Qin Su was from the Ministry of Rites, a high-level cultural figure who spent his days studying the various rules and regulations of etiquette. This heavy accusation was slapped on Qin Mo and Wang Yushi, and the hall erupted in commotion once again.

"Qin Mo, is what Qin Su said true?"

Emperor Zhaowu asked in a cold voice, and everyone held their breath again, waiting for Qin Mo's answer. By this time, most people realized that something was fishy about today. The Ministry of Revenue said that there was no money, the Ministry of War said that Wang Yushi's private treasury had money, but the Royal Guard and the Royal Workshops did not obey orders. Now they were talking about Wang Yushi and Qin Mo. Everyone understood what Emperor Zhaowu's goal was today.

Qin Mo stood there with narrowed eyes, a cold smile on her lips, and remained silent.

"Qin Mo, what Qin Su said... is it true?" Emperor Zhaowu's complexion, which had just improved, was showing signs of turning pale again.

"Oh? Your Majesty... what are you referring to? What do you mean by true or false?"

"......"

"They were making a lot of noise just now, so I went into meditation to cultivate myself. I didn't hear what they were talking about. What? Is it related to me?"

"...Qin Su, say that again to Prince Yu Heng!"

Emperor Zhaowu felt that he had miscalculated. Qin Mo did not lose her composure in the face of such severe criticism as he had expected, but instead appeared indifferent.

"Doesn't he... worry about her at all?"

"Your Highness, are you aware that it is forbidden for the inner palace to have private meetings with officials from outside the palace?"

"I don't know!"

"........"

"Hehe! Your Highness, as a high-ranking official of the royal family, how could you not know such ancestral etiquette? If this were to spread, Your Highness might be accused of being ignorant and incompetent!"

Qin Mo glanced disdainfully at the smug Qin Su, pointed at the ministers in the court, and said, "The imperial soldiers are short of armor and weapons. Which minister pleaded with the Empress and obtained tens of thousands of sets of heavy armor to distribute to the Imperial Guards? Was that minister secretly meeting with the harem?"

"When the empire was on its northern expedition against the orcs, and the empress stepped forward to sell goods to raise funds for the army, why were those foreign officials who swarmed around her like flies unaware of this crime?"

"So it's your Ministry of Rites, haven't you received any funding from the Empress for running schools all these years? Have you had any secret meetings with the Empress?"

"Your Highness, these are all... official matters... and should not be mixed with private matters..."

Qin Su was extremely embarrassed. He never expected Qin Mo to so bluntly insult everyone in the room. He knew that Wang Yushi had spent a considerable amount of money over the years, and many people had sought her favors. For Qin Mo to drag everyone into this mess was a major taboo in the court. Calling him a court idiot wouldn't be an exaggeration.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!