Sun Zhi's face instantly turned pale as paper, but he was not afraid. Instead, he straightened his spine and shouted loudly: "Your Majesty! The evil concubine is ruining the country!"
His voice echoed throughout the court, shaking everyone. However, Emperor Wen was not moved by his words, and his eyes were filled with anger and determination.
As Emperor Wen's order was issued, the guards immediately rushed forward and tried to drag Sun Zhi out of the court.
The officials in the court watched this scene silently, sighing inwardly. They knew that Emperor Wen's decision could not be changed, and Sun Zhi's fate was doomed.
An Qingxuan stepped forward without hesitation and stood in front of the guards who were coming to drag Sun Zhi away.
He fell to his knees with a thud and pleaded with Emperor Wen in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty! Censor Sun has dedicated his entire life to Da Zhao, working diligently and selflessly! I hope Your Majesty will show mercy!"
Following An Qingxuan's move, all the officials behind him knelt down and shouted in unison: "Your Majesty, please forgive Censor Sun!" Their faces were filled with anxiety and worry, hoping to save Sun Zhi with their own strength.
Upon seeing this, Emperor Wen was furious and shouted, "You are rebelling! You are looking for death!" There were sparks of anger in his eyes, as if he wanted to devour everyone in front of him.
However, the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince stood there, watching all this coldly without making any move. Their expressions were indifferent and calm, as if they didn't care at all about this farce.
At this moment, Xiao Jinghan also knelt down resolutely and said sincerely: "Your Majesty! I beg you to let Censor Sun go! Although his words were extreme, he had no ill intentions. Please Your Majesty see clearly!" His tone was firm and sincere, which moved people.
Emperor Wen's scarlet eyes suddenly flashed with clarity. He felt a splitting headache, as if something was pulling at his brain. He frowned and tried to stay awake.
Upon seeing this, the crown prince hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty! I believe that Censor Sun was just impulsive and had no ill intentions. Please spare Censor Sun!" His eyes revealed a hint of worry, hoping to calm Emperor Wen's anger.
Emperor Wen finally waved his hand and said tiredly: "Forget it! Just listen to the prince! Dismiss the court!" After that, he turned and left, leaving everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.
Sun Zhi escaped death and was filled with gratitude. He kowtowed to the crown prince and said, "I thank you, Your Highness, for saving my life!" His voice was filled with gratitude and tears glistened in his eyes.
Other officials applauded, praised the prince's righteous act, and expressed their willingness to fully support the prince's actions.
Some people even secretly believed that Emperor Wen had become increasingly cruel and inhumane in recent years, while the crown prince was more benevolent and should ascend the throne as soon as possible.
However, Xiao Jinghan watched all this coldly, as he knew very well the Emperor Wen's deep desire and obsession for power.
Since Concubine Jin entered the palace, Emperor Wen's behavior has changed dramatically, but he never believed that Emperor Wen would give up his power just because he was obsessed with women.
Elsewhere, An Qingxuan was still terrified. The murderous look in Emperor Wen's eyes just now still filled him with fear. He felt as if he was on the brink of life and death, and could be executed at any moment by Emperor Wen's order. This feeling made him restless, unsure how to respond to the next situation.
After a few days, Emperor Wen became increasingly thinner and his temper became more and more difficult to control.
Finally, after a few days, Emperor Wen was nowhere to be seen during the morning court session.
Eunuch Gao came out and read the imperial edict: "Your Majesty is in poor health. The Crown Prince will temporarily govern the country! Prime Minister Li Mingfu will assist the Crown Prince! The Crown Prince will take over the military command of His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin!"
Xiao Jinghan frowned, secretly shocked. The King of Qin had just left the capital, and the military power in his hands had fallen into the hands of the prince.
This series of events all happened after Jin Xiaohe entered the palace.
At this point, Xiao Jinghan suddenly realized that Jin Xiaohe was actually the prince and the prime minister's man!
Xiao Jinghan looked at Eunuch Gao and said seriously, "Eunuch Gao, I have something important to present to the Emperor. Please help me arrange it."
Eunuch Gao shook his head helplessly and said, "Prince Wu'an, it's not that I don't want to help, it's just that even I can't see the emperor right now. It was the palace maid who brought this imperial edict to me today."
Xiao Jinghan frowned, and after a moment's contemplation, he approached Eunuch Gao and asked in a low voice, "Eunuch Gao, has His Majesty been drugged or encountered some other misfortune?"
Eunuch Gao raised his head warily, looked around to confirm that no one was around, and then replied softly, "Don't worry, Prince Wu'an, we have checked carefully and found nothing unusual. Your Majesty is also protected by secret guards, so everything is normal. As for me... I haven't found anything wrong either."
Xiao Jinghan left the palace with a heavy heart. He didn't want to use his secret agent for the time being. The King of Qin was still staying in the north. As long as the Crown Prince didn't force the palace, he wouldn't take any action!
Under the veil of night, like a ghost, Komboda quietly crept into a hidden manor. He walked lightly through the courtyard and finally stopped in front of a room. He gently pushed the door open and walked in, head bowed.
The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by a faint oil lamp. Kong Boda respectfully approached the bamboo curtain, bowed his head, and whispered, "Master! I have important news to report."
The person behind the bamboo curtain raised his hand slightly, motioning Kong Boda to continue.
Kong Boda took a deep breath and lowered his voice, "Master, after my investigation, I found that Jin Xiaohe, who is close to Emperor Wen, is actually the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister's subordinate. And from what I know, the Crown Prince wants to murder Emperor Wen. Now is the perfect time for us to act! If we can seize this opportunity to eliminate the Crown Prince, not only will we eliminate a great scourge for the people of the world, but we will also make Emperor Wen grateful to you and pass the throne to you. In this way, you can bring a better life to the people of the world."
However, the man behind the bamboo curtain was not moved by Kong Boda's words. His voice remained calm and gentle: "This king does not care about the throne, nor do I want to be involved in power struggles. I only want to avenge my father and mother and fulfill their unfulfilled wishes. As for the world of Dazhao, it should be handed over to young and promising people to govern. I believe that the future emperor will be more suitable for this position than I am. So, you don't need to persuade me anymore."
After hearing this, Kong Boda couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration. He knew he couldn't change his master's mind, but he was still willing to serve him. So, he spoke again, "Since that's the case, I'm willing to follow your instructions. However, I have one more request, and I hope you'll agree to it."
The person behind the bamboo curtain nodded slightly in agreement.
Kong Boda continued, "Master, since you are unwilling to fight for the throne, then I implore you to recommend a suitable candidate to inherit the throne. After all, this concerns the well-being of all people in the world."
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