Emperor Wen looked at the Crown Prince sitting beside him with a worried look on his face, and waves of anxiety and pain surged in his heart. He felt as if his scalp was about to explode, and the pain was unbearable.
"What should I do?" Emperor Wen muttered to himself. If Shang Boxian, a high-ranking official holding a large military command, learned that his only son had been castrated by the Crown Prince, the consequences would be unimaginable! The crown prince of Dazhao had caused this high-ranking official to lose his lineage, which would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar.
Emperor Wen knew that if Shang Boxian became dissatisfied or rebelled, the entire country would be plunged into chaos. This was not only a thorny problem, but also a serious crisis that could lead to the destabilization of the country!
At this thought, Emperor Wen's brow furrowed, his mood growing increasingly restless. He knew he had to come up with a solution quickly, or the situation would spiral out of control. However, faced with such a complex situation, Emperor Wen felt helpless and at a loss as to where to begin.
At this moment, Xiao Jinghan took a step forward and shouted in a loud and resonant voice, "Your Majesty! How could Shang Wei be so audacious as to commit such a despicable act against our Dazhao Crown Prince, even nearly costing His Royal Highness the Crown Prince his precious life! And His Royal Highness castrated him in self-defense under such circumstances. It was truly unavoidable and excusable! I implore Your Majesty to immediately order the Dali Temple to thoroughly investigate Shang Wei's plot to harm the Crown Prince!"
The prince sat upright on the chair, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes. He didn't expect Xiao Jinghan to choose to stand on his side and speak for him!
However, in reality, Xiao Jinghan was simply trying to gain some favor with Emperor Wen. After all, he had been with Emperor Wen for many years, so how could he not understand his true inner thoughts? He simply spoke out what Emperor Wen was thinking first.
Because only by striking first, putting all the blame on Shang Wei, and successfully convicting him of murdering the crown prince, would Shang Boxian never dare to threaten Emperor Wen again with the military power in his hands!
As for how to deal with the Shang family later, it depends entirely on the wishes of Emperor Wen himself!
After a rigorous and swift interrogation at the Dali Temple, the truth of the case finally came to light: Shang Wei was a homosexual! He had long coveted the crown prince. Under the influence of alcohol, he attempted to force the prince into submission, but the prince resisted, and in a panic, he was castrated. Thus, the once powerful and revered general of the Gyeonggi Camp suddenly became a target of public criticism and a target of scorn and contempt.
By the time Shang Boxian heard the news and hurried back to the capital, the situation had already been decided and there was no way to reverse it.
The ministers at court were outraged, submitting memorials one after another. They declared that Shang Wei had dared to plot to murder the crown prince of Dazhao. His crime was unforgivable and heinous. He must be executed immediately to serve as a warning to others. And Shang Boxian, as a father, should also be punished for failing to properly educate his son.
At this moment, Shang Boxian was kneeling on his knees in the hall, kowtowing to Emperor Wen and apologizing: "Your Majesty! I know my crime! It is because of my failure to discipline my son that he committed such a heinous crime! I beg Your Majesty to make a holy judgment and execute me and that rebellious son together!" As soon as he finished speaking, there was an uproar in the court.
The ministers were secretly shocked when they heard this. They understood that Shang Boxian's words were actually a threat to Emperor Wen. After all, this was a crime determined by the Dali Temple, but as for what exactly happened that day, no one knew.
In fact, many people privately suspected that it was precisely Shang Boxian's excessive power that aroused Emperor Wen's suspicion and dissatisfaction. Consequently, Emperor Wen instructed the Crown Prince to set up a trap to harm Shang Wei...
Everyone in the capital knew that Shang Wei was greedy for beauty and extremely licentious. He was simply a complete pervert. He was extremely cruel to the concubines in his backyard and often took pleasure in torturing and killing them.
Furthermore, this man was a bohemian, indulging himself in brothels all day long, yet he was never heard to have any particular fetish for men. Clearly, Emperor Wen's plot to have Shang Boxian killed was a desperate and elaborate one.
Yet, everyone knows what's going on in the world. How could Shang Boxian be so ignorant? Didn't he have a clear idea of his son's true character? And how could Shang Wei be so pedantic? Since the time of Emperor Taizu, it's been hard to find any upright and kind-hearted members of the Chu family. These people are not only adept at ruthlessly betraying their former selves, but also incredibly cunning and sinister. The Xiao family is a prime example of this; now, only Xiao Jinghan remains, alone and utterly destitute.
And now Emperor Wen has extended his evil claws to their Shang family! Shang Boxian has made up his mind. If Emperor Wen dares to harm his life and his son's life, then he will rise up in resistance and overthrow the Chu family's rule!
Emperor Wen looked at the crowd below with a serious face and slowly said, "My dear Shang, you are a little too worried! In this incident, General Shang and the Crown Prince are both at fault. The Crown Prince accidentally injured General Shang in an emergency. For this, I also feel deeply guilty and remorseful!"
At this moment, Shang Boxian lowered his head, his face tense, and pondered inwardly. He knew that, logically speaking, his son had not gained any advantage in this matter. So, he knelt silently on the ground, awaiting Emperor Wen's next decree, wanting to see how the emperor would deal with the matter.
Emperor Wen sighed softly and continued, "Now that things have happened, we must face reality. To atone for the injustice done to General Shang, Lord Shang, please accept my order! I hereby confer upon you the title of King of Anle and grant you the twelve cities of Jianchuan, Yingchuan, and Guangchuan as fiefdoms! At the same time, Shang Wei is also named Crown Prince of Anle!"
As soon as the words fell, the court erupted in an uproar. Numerous ministers stared at each other in astonishment, their mouths agape. They couldn't help but wonder what Emperor Wen was planning. Instead of punishing Shang Boxian, he had promoted him, even granting him a title and land! Such a decision was truly unbelievable.
Shang Boxian was momentarily dazed, as if his soul had left his body. Seeing Shang Boxian's lack of reaction, Emperor Wen's expression darkened slightly, a sinister and fierce look creeping across his features, but in an instant, he regained his composure.
Emperor Wen spoke again: "My dear Shang! Do you have any other needs?" There was an irresistible pressure in his voice.
Shang Boxian finally came to his senses. He quickly bowed his head to express his gratitude: "Boxian accepts the order and thanks you! Long live the emperor!" After that, he silently retreated back to the ranks where the generals were.
At this moment, the Third Prince, Chu Chengyan, stepped out and announced loudly, "Your Majesty! I have a sister, Kong Luanying, who is generous and magnanimous, and straightforward. She has long harbored a deep admiration for Prince Anle. I boldly request that Your Majesty grant me a marriage!"
Shang Boxian was stunned upon hearing this, his gaze fixed on Chu Chengyan. He knew Kong Luanying; her father, Kong Boda, was the most renowned military advisor in Dazhao. She was also one of the few female generals in Dazhao! She had actually been infatuated with him for so long!
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