Chapter 164 Deathly Advice
Outside the hall, many ministers were lying on the ground in blood, wailing incessantly. Many of them could not even shout, and only the dull sound of sticks hitting flesh remained.
All the ministers were silent.
Ying Zheng looked around and saw that no one stood up, so he snorted coldly.
"Anyone who dares to remonstrate with the Empress Dowager again will be killed without mercy."
"Your Majesty!"
Just when Ying Zheng thought that the matter was over, someone suddenly stood up.
This person is the Chief Censor Mao Jiao.
Ying Zheng's face was expressionless. "Aren't you afraid of death?"
Mao Jiao knelt down and bowed, then calmly replied, "I beg Your Majesty to allow me to speak."
"explain."
"Your Majesty has the heart to pacify the world. The other nations fear Qin not only because of its might, but also because Your Majesty is a wise ruler. However, Your Majesty has already had the Marquis of Changxin torn to pieces, yet you still killed your second brother and exiled your mother to Yong. This is unkind and unfilial. Now, beating and killing ministers who advise you is even more akin to the actions of Jie and Zhou. With this attitude, how can the people of the world trust Your Majesty?"
Mao Jiao raised his voice: "I would not regret dying today, but I do not want to see Your Majesty's reputation damaged, lose the support of the people, cause the princes to betray Qin, and threaten Qin's great cause of unification."
After saying this, Mao Jiao kowtowed again and refused to get up for a long time.
His voice echoed in the hall, and the ministers held their breath, waiting for the king's verdict.
Ying Zheng suddenly burst into laughter, slowly walked down from the throne, and helped Mao Jiao up. "What you said makes sense. Come, release those people."
"Your Majesty is wise."
"Your Majesty is wise—" everyone echoed in unison.
After leaving court, Ying Zheng kept Mao Jiao.
He feigned distress. "I agree with what you said in the court today. I just want to invite the Queen Mother back, but I can't agree to it yet. If the Queen Mother is willing, why don't you be my lobbyist? If the Queen Mother agrees to return to Xianyang, I will personally welcome her back."
A hint of surprise flashed in Mao Jiao's eyes. "I will obey your orders and live up to your trust, Your Majesty."
At the same time, he couldn't help showing a look of guilt. He thought that it was the king who didn't want the queen mother to come back. Now he thought, could it be that the queen mother had a grudge against the king and was unwilling to reconcile with the king?
"If the Queen Mother really doesn't want to come back, don't anger her." Ying Zheng reminded.
He was really worried that Mao Jiao would push the empress dowager into a corner and knock him to the ground with a punch.
"The Queen Mother should put state affairs first. How can she act according to her own likes and dislikes? Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will definitely persuade the Queen Mother to return to Xianyang." Mao Jiao frowned.
Even if the Queen Mother refused to return, he had to find a way to bring her back.
Ying Zheng knew at a glance that he hadn't taken his words to heart, so he smiled and said, "Alright, I'll wait here for your good news."
After Mao Jiao left, the smile on Ying Zheng's face faded, and he looked at Lu Le with cold eyes.
Lu Le knelt on the ground in fear, "My King!"
"How did the Queen Mother's affairs get leaked? Find out. If you can't give a reason, then you will be held responsible for the leak."
"Yes!" Lu Le sweated profusely.
Only a handful of people knew that the king wanted to go to Yongcheng to congratulate the queen mother on her birthday. Now that it has been leaked, some people have become interested. If he cannot find out the truth, he can only atone for his sin with his death.
There was a major purge in the Xianyang Palace, and many palace maids and eunuchs who had close relationships with foreign officials were arrested. For a while, no one in the Xianyang Palace dared to say a word to foreign officials anymore.
Ever since seeing the inventions of the Mo family, Zhao Yuanxi has spent most of his time here, watching them rubbing out the complete steam engine hand bit by bit.
When the gears of the steam engine were connected to the loom, Zhao Yuanxi felt as if she was still in a dream, and tears wet her cheeks unknowingly.
Jang Geum handed over a handkerchief, and Zhao Yuanxi wiped his face carelessly, a little embarrassed. "I just felt like I saw another world, and I felt something in my heart for a moment."
"That world must be a good one." Jang Geum smiled.
Zhao Yuanxi couldn't help but glance at Jang Geum, but he couldn't see anything from her face.
The palace maid came over and reminded, "Empress Dowager, someone has come from Xianyang and wants to see you."
"who?"
She didn't remember knowing anyone with the surname Mao.
"Central Censor Mao Jiao."
"What did he come to see me for?"
The Chief Censor was in charge of supervising all officials, managing archives and secretaries, and reporting and impeaching. He should have been working beside Ying Zheng, so why did he come to her for no reason? Was he trying to find fault with her and then write a letter to report her?
It’s no wonder Zhao Yuanxi thought so, because the job of the censor is to file complaints.
If the censors knew what Zhao Yuanxi did in Yongcheng, he would be impeached every day.
After doing so many bad things, one always feels guilty when facing the police. This is how Zhao Yuanxi feels now.
After Mao Jiao arrived at Liyang Palace, he did not see the empress dowager. The palace maids and eunuchs were even more "arrogant" and stopped him from looking for someone.
"If anything happens to the Queen Mother, none of you can escape responsibility! Why are you stopping me from going to see the Queen Mother?" Mao Jiao scolded.
The palace maids and eunuchs lowered their heads and refused to give way.
When Zhao Yuanxi finally rushed back, he heard someone cursing in his hall.
Cough cough——
She cleared her throat and everyone looked at her.
Mao Jiao was relieved to see that the Queen Mother was fine. He stepped forward and saluted, "Your Highness Mao Jiao greets the Queen Mother."
Zhao Yuanxi walked in slowly, looked the old man up and down, and asked curiously, "What is the business of Minister Mao Jiao coming to my place?"
Mao Jiao: "I am here today to ask the Queen Mother to return to Xianyang!"
"I'm fine living here, there's no need to go back." Zhao Yuanxi felt relieved when she heard that he just wanted to invite her back to Xianyang.
It is impossible to go back. Xianyang is not as comfortable as Yongcheng.
Mao Jiao frowned, his face full of disapproval. "Since the Queen Mother is the King's biological mother, how can she stay in Yongcheng for long?"
"The king asked you to come?" Zhao Yuanxi was puzzled. Logically, Ying Zheng should not want her to go back!
"Yes, the king sent me to persuade the Queen Mother first!"
Zhao Yuanxi snorted. It turned out that Ying Zheng couldn't deal with this old man himself, so he simply pushed him to her side to solve the problem. Wasn't he afraid that she would go with the flow and really return to Xianyang?
"Then tell the king that I am not going back!"
Zhao Yuanxi waved his hand impatiently, indicating that he could leave.
Mao Jiao finally met the Queen Mother and was unwilling to leave just like that. He said sternly, "The Queen Mother should consider the king's reputation. It is truly unfilial for a son to be away from his mother for so long while she is still alive. Does the Queen Mother want the king to bear such a reputation?"
Why are you using moral kidnapping?
Zhao Yuanxi's eyes widened. "It's me who doesn't want to go back. If anyone is to blame, it's me. What does it have to do with the king?"
Mao Jiao, however, spoke righteously: "A son should not blame his mother for her faults. Your Majesty has caused my biological mother to not want to see me, so it is naturally Your Majesty's fault."
Zhao Yuanxi felt a headache. What an unreasonable statement.
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