Chapter 569 Disposal
Daming Palace —
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This servant has important news to report!"
The emperor got out of bed, and the empress beside him pulled the quilt around herself, somewhat puzzled as to what could be so late at night that she had come to report to him.
The emperor sat up and told the eunuch outside to come in. Only then did Eunuch Ye hurriedly push open the door and enter the bedchamber. After closing the door, Eunuch Ye knelt on the ground, his face showing some hesitation.
The Empress's eyes fell upon the people she had sent to Jingling Temple who were waiting outside the door. Her heart tightened, and she suddenly sat up and asked preemptively, "Has something happened to Mingshu?"
Ye, the eunuch, slowly raised his eyes to look at the Empress, and hurriedly denied it: "Your Majesty, please don't worry, the Princess is fine. It's just that there is something that someone came up to report, and I thought I should inform His Majesty and Your Highness."
Then, with a sigh of relief, the emperor patted his chest and pulled the empress into his arms, patting her as if she had just been startled: "What is it? Speak."
The eunuch Ye knelt upright: "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Wu'an kowtowed all the way from the foot of Jingling Temple Mountain to the main hall. The Duke of Qi couldn't stop him, even holding an umbrella for him and accompanying him from afternoon until evening. Now the news has spread throughout the capital..."
The Empress's breath caught in her throat: "You mean that sixth child knelt all the way up the mountain to the main hall?"
Eunuch Ye pursed his lips: "Your Majesty, that's right. The Marquis knelt all the way from the foot of the mountain to the main hall, presumably to pray for the princess's well-being."
The Emperor sighed and patted the Empress in his arms: "Sixth Prince is thoughtful, but the talk of gods and ghosts is hard to fathom. It's ultimately inappropriate for a first-rank hereditary marquis to have climbed all the way up the mountain. Tomorrow, the censors will likely have something to say..."
The Empress glared at the Emperor, then punched him hard in the chest, making him cough twice. "What's wrong with it? Shu'er has been ill ever since, and we've seen both the imperial physician and the royal doctor, but her condition hasn't improved. Now, with the medication, she's getting weaker and weaker. Neither of us are by Shu'er's side; only Xiao Liu stays by her side every day. If that child hadn't been driven to desperation, how could she possibly believe in ghosts and spirits?"
As the empress spoke, tears began to fall from her eyes. After wiping away the tears, she turned her back to the emperor. When the emperor saw that his empress was crying so sadly, he sighed, hugged her in his arms, and turned her back to him.
“I know they have a deep bond, and I know Xiao Liu is a good person. It’s just that Xiao Liu has just arrived in the capital, and it’s inevitable that people will gossip about him. I have high hopes for this child. He’s about to enter officialdom. Things are different now than in Taiyuan. The various departments in the court are complicated. You know those censors. They’re incredibly difficult to deal with. They’re always threatening to kill themselves or even banging their heads against pillars to remonstrate. Xiao Liu has a special status. He’s young but holds a high position and great power. It’s inevitable that he’ll be seen as a thorn in their side.”
The Empress turned her head and glared at the Emperor: "Let them die if they want to. Tomorrow I'll see who dares to speak ill of Xiao Liu. Each of them has a harem of wives and concubines. Xiao Liu and Shu'er have been married for so long that he hasn't kept a single person in his room. He treats Yue'er like his own daughter. You and I are the Emperor, so what about the Empress? Isn't it Xiao Liu who's still by Shu'er's side? Your Majesty! Tomorrow, if anyone dares to speak ill of Xiao Liu, send them away immediately!"
The Emperor sighed softly, then pulled the Empress back onto the bed: "Very well, very well, then so be it. Tomorrow, anyone who dares to speak ill of us will be punished by me!"
After saying that, he gently patted the Empress: "We still have to pick up Shu'er tomorrow, so get some rest."
The emperor, gently patting the empress, lay down as well, a dark glint flashing in his eyes. He would take advantage of the morning court session tomorrow to see how many spies were still in the court.
A group of people with little ability are constantly trying to find fault with those of us from Taiyuan. They should have been punished long ago.
The emperor pondered this in his mind, his hands never stopping as he gently patted the empress until she slowly fell asleep.
The next morning——
"Your Majesty, I have a report to submit!"
The emperor glanced coldly at the eager officials below, a sneer playing on his lips: "Speak, my dear ministers."
Upon hearing the emperor's response, an official surnamed Zhao, who was sitting at the lower end of the table, turned and stepped out of the ranks. After kneeling down, his face showed a hint of agitation: "I heard that yesterday, Marquis Wu'an kowtowed all the way from the foot of Jingling Temple Mountain to the main hall. I think this is inappropriate."
The emperor squinted at the man surnamed Zhao: "Oh? What do you find wrong, my dear minister?"
Seeing that the emperor's expression didn't seem too swayed, the censor breathed a sigh of relief. Mustering his courage, he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I believe you should punish Marquis Wu'an. As a first-rank nobleman, Marquis Wu'an's performance of such a grand ceremony at a non-royal mountain is inappropriate. He disregards his status and has overstepped the bounds of propriety, damaging the dignity of the court and the established hierarchy. I believe such a violation of regulations and disrespect for etiquette deserves punishment!"
The emperor, seeing the increasingly impassioned officials speaking out, glanced at the ministers around him, gave a soft "oh," and then asked again, "Do all of you ministers think so?"
Li Mingxiu, dressed in court attire, stepped forward first: "Father, I have a report to make."
The emperor carefully examined the people below and nodded: "Speak."
Li Mingxiu glanced coldly at the censor surnamed Zhao: "Your subject believes that it is common for people to pray for blessings. Marquis Wu'an's prayer for Mingshu is a family matter and has not interfered with government affairs or the court. This action comes from the heart and is for the peace and well-being of his close relatives. Your subject believes that this is a matter of human nature and has not been intended to overstep the bounds of propriety. Lord Zhao, there is no need to make a big deal out of it."
The official surnamed Zhao was about to argue: "The Crown Prince and Marquis Wu'an are very close, so it's natural for him to say such things. A country has its laws, a family has its rules, and beyond personal feelings, there are even more regulations. As a first-rank marquis, Marquis Wu'an should naturally pay attention to etiquette. Of course, I understand that the Crown Prince and Marquis Wu'an are on good terms, but this is not a time for ordinary people. As a noble of the court, he should set an example! The Crown Prince must not let personal feelings lead him astray!!!"
Li Mingxiu coldly watched the ignorant official, snorted, and the emperor indeed retaliated the next moment.
The emperor, his face grim, addressed the official surnamed Zhao: "What does Lord Zhao mean? The eldest prince is showing favoritism and bias, so what about me, the emperor?"
The emperor slammed the memorial on the table to the ground: "I am also the father-in-law of Marquis Wu'an, and Mingshu is my eldest daughter. If Marquis Wu'an is not punished, would I be showing favoritism?"
The official surnamed Zhao turned pale: "Your Majesty, I... I didn't mean that. I misspoke. Please forgive me..."
The emperor coldly glanced at the official surnamed Zhao, then casually waved his hand at the people beside him: "Drag him away."
Soon, the guards in front of the hall dragged the official surnamed Zhao out, and the entire hall echoed with Zhao's gaze and pitiful pleas for mercy.
It was Wei Shao who dragged the person out of the main hall. After doing so, he committed several malicious acts and kicked the person several times.
I'll show you what my lord is like, I'll show you what he's got!
Still not satisfied after kicking him, Wei Shao dragged the man a little further away, then swung his fist and slammed it hard into the man's eye sockets twice.
He used too much force and only managed to land five or six punches before passing out.
Wei Shao: Whew~ It feels so good to stretch my muscles!
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