The Third Prince and Wei Mingzhen stood side by side. The Empress praised the two as a perfect match and had many fine gifts bestowed upon them. She even ordered someone to bring her own jade ruyi from her wedding day, saying she wanted to give it to the two of them.
Neither the Shen siblings said anything upon hearing this.
Yes, today was supposed to be a celebration banquet for the Crown Prince.
Now, the Third Prince has not only gained military power, but also married the daughter of the Left Prime Minister. He is in charge of both military and political affairs and is riding high.
They completely stole the spotlight from the Crown Prince.
In contrast, the crown prince's face was slightly pale, but he could only manage a weak smile from the corner of his mouth.
The third prince also knelt down to express his gratitude.
Just then, a young eunuch rushed in and whispered a few words in Gao Daban's ear. He hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review requests an audience, saying he has important matters to report."
"Let him in."
The most important thing the Dali Temple has been doing lately is interrogating the traitorous deputy general.
It seems there's been a result.
Shen Zhiyi glanced at the Regent Prince subconsciously. He knew that the deputy general had problems, but he did not replace him. What exactly was he planning to do?
The Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review presented a signed and sealed document detailing the charges.
Emperor Xiaoxuan glanced at it briefly, his smile vanished instantly, and he picked up the cup beside him and threw it at him.
"Wu Bingzhi, are you insane?!"
The cup hit his head, and Wu Bingzhi, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, hurriedly knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down."
When the emperor is angry, his ministers are filled with fear.
Apart from the Empress Dowager and the Regent, everyone else knelt down, the music stopped abruptly, and the entire hall was draped in red silk, creating a festive atmosphere. At this moment, everyone held their breath and even their breathing became very cautious.
"After interrogating me for so long, how dare you try to fool me with this? Are you tired of living?" Emperor Xiaoxuan glared at him, his voice several decibels louder than usual.
"Your Majesty, I dare not. This document bears my signature and seal. I would never dare to deceive you."
"Do you know... if this testimony is false, it is a capital offense!"
What kind of testimony could have caused His Majesty to lose his composure like this?
Shen Zhiyi's heart pounded wildly as she listened, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Zhou Xuance had already stood up. "Your Majesty, may I take a look at this indictment?"
Emperor Xiaoxuan nodded, and Gao Daban handed over the charges.
Zhou Xuance glanced at it briefly, then looked at the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review: "Lord Wu, do you know what this means? If even one word on this is fake, do you know that your whole family will lose their heads!"
"Your Majesty understands, but this concerns the fate of the nation, and I will risk my life to tell the truth."
Emperor Xiaoxuan took a deep breath. "Today is the Crown Prince's victory celebration banquet. We can discuss anything after the banquet."
"Father..." the Crown Prince began, "But did that deputy general confess? Is there someone backing him?"
"We'll talk about it later." Emperor Xiaoxuan had calmed his breathing.
There's clearly something fishy going on here.
All the people knew was that the traitorous deputy general was probably a spy from the southern border. Could there be something else going on?
His Majesty clearly did not want to bring it up in public.
“But Your Majesty, this matter concerns…” Wu Bingzhi, true to his name, was upright and honest. He seemed to have seen through the Emperor’s thoughts. He was about to speak when the Emperor interrupted him.
"Wu Bingzhi, you may leave now!"
"Guards, Lord Wu has been interrogating the judge day and night. He has worked hard and made great contributions. He must be tired. Take him back to his residence to rest."
Two eunuchs then stepped forward and tried to pull him away.
She even wanted to cover his mouth immediately.
But Wu Bingzhi was an upright and stubborn man. Even though he knew the Emperor's intentions and that disobeying the Emperor was a serious crime, he still broke free from the eunuch's grip, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed: "Your Majesty, even if you execute me today, I will still speak the truth!"
"We implore Your Majesty to punish the mastermind behind this!"
"Wu Bingzhi, do you want me to execute you?" Emperor Xiaoxuan's anger, which had just subsided, was reignited.
"If Your Majesty insists on this, I would rather die!"
"How dare you threaten me!"
"Your humble servant only wishes to work hard and make the country last forever."
Emperor Xiaoxuan knew he was a loyal and upright official, and executing him would inevitably invite criticism. So he took a deep breath and said, "Tonight's palace banquet is now over. Your Highness, Crown Prince, Third Prince..."
He mentioned several people, including Shen Jingchuan.
The rest of the people then gradually left the main hall.
Shen Zhiyi wanted to wait for her elder brother, so she was arranged to rest in a side hall. Kong Qing knocked on the door and said that the prince had something to discuss with her.
Instead, they led her away from the palace servants to a slightly open window, where Shen Zhiyi was surprised to find that it was the Imperial Study.
His Majesty, along with the remaining princes, court officials, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress, were all inside.
The atmosphere was tense and serious.
Has Zhou Xuanze gone mad?
What's the point of bringing her here?
If I were discovered eavesdropping on secrets, I wouldn't have enough heads to lose.
She turned to leave, but Kong Qing said in a low voice, "The prince said that if you dare to leave, you can forget about curing the poison in your body."
this……
A blatant threat!
That's really vicious.
I was actually grateful to him for standing up for me.
Indeed, it's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature!
——
Inside the Imperial Study
The atmosphere was tense and serious. The Crown Prince was anxious. He had won a battle against the barbarians and was enjoying the moment of glory and success. However, he was betrayed by a traitorous general and now it was questionable how long he could live.
He resented it, he hated it.
If there is a mastermind behind this, he would love to tear them apart and drink their blood!
Meanwhile, from the perspective of an observer, Chen Zhiyi, standing outside the window, could clearly observe the emotional changes of everyone.
His Majesty's forbearance, the Crown Prince's anger, the Empress Dowager's confusion, the bewilderment of the crowd, and...
The Regent's Leisurely Life!
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