A group of people surrounded Zheng Taifu.
Several deputy editors, including Cui and Wang, were surrounded by people.
Nobles and commoners alike were not idle.
His eyes darted around, connecting the dots on the scene.
The once solemn imperial court instantly became as noisy as a marketplace.
The notions of emperors and empresses overstepping their bounds, and women being forbidden from entering the court, had long been forgotten by the court officials.
Pshaw, the emperor is willing to bring the empress to court. He himself doesn't mind women showing their faces in public, and the ministers are too lazy to meddle.
Anyway, they weren't the ones breaking the rules!
They are not the ones who will be reviled by later generations!
The reason why Grand Tutor Zheng came out to impeach him was more to bolster his own reputation.
Unyielding integrity and upright character are standard qualities of a renowned minister.
However, its reputation still cannot compare to that of the "Clan Records".
If you want a good reputation, there will be plenty of opportunities to improve it later. But if you miss the opportunity presented by the Clan Chronicle, it won't just affect you, but it could also implicate your entire clan!
This concerns the family; we dare not make the slightest mistake!
Xie Yuan watched the "lively scene" in the court, secretly raised his sleeve, and gave Helian Jue a thumbs up.
Helian Jue noticed Xie Yuan's subtle movement, and his handsome thin lips curved slightly into a smile.
Being praised and even adored by the woman he loved, Helian Jue's heart felt as if it were floating on clouds.
Just as the couple's eyes were about to close in a daze, Duo Shou's figure appeared in the corner.
Xie Yuan caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye, and his smile slowly faded.
Helian Jue was intently watching Xie Yuan when he noticed her change and followed her gaze.
May you live a long and healthy life!
Something has happened at Jiaofang Palace!
Helian Jue's face instantly darkened.
"She really did it!"
Helian Jue knew that his adoptive mother was both stupid and wicked, and that she was extremely selfish.
But deep down, Helian Jue still harbored a sliver of hope—
It is said that love extends to everything connected to the beloved. Even if it's just for the sake of him being her adopted son, Empress Dowager Ashina shouldn't have laid a hand on the four little ones.
Those are her grandchildren too.
Moreover, all four children are just over one year old. How innocent are these young children?
How could she do that?
Duo Shou quietly approached the Emperor and Empress and reported in a low voice, "His Highness and the Third Princess have fevers. A garment stained with filth was found in the East Side Hall."
"The imperial physician examined it; it's pus from the scabs of smallpox patients—"
Actually, there's no need to say too much about longevity.
Xie Yuan had already told Helian Jue many things in advance.
However, Helian Jue was unwilling to think of his adoptive mother as too vicious.
Secret passages within the palace, the wet nurse who bribed the eastern side hall, and Ashina Xue who brought items from the grasslands belonging to smallpox patients…
A series of clues connected, leaving Helian Jue no choice but to believe it!
Helian Jue clenched his fist and looked at Xie Yuan.
Xie Yuan's eyes were filled with resentment and anger; she was like a mother beast whose cubs had been attacked, on the verge of exploding.
It wasn't just Xie Yuan; even Helian Jue, upon truly hearing the word "smallpox" from Duoshou's mouth, was suddenly filled with a fierce rage—if they dared to harm my children, I would exterminate their entire clan!
"Let's get started!"
The last vestige of affection Helian Jue had for Empress Dowager Ashina vanished.
He looked into Xie Yuan's eyes and silently told her: Don't worry, I will never let anyone who wants to hurt our child get away with it!
Whoever she is!
Xie Yuan's eyes were full of gratitude, and she moved her lips, seemingly still a little hesitant.
Helian Jue knew his wife too well, and shook his head slightly at her, "No! We gave her a chance! She insisted on killing the children!"
Helian Jue knew that Xie Yuan loved him, so he was willing to spare no effort to eliminate Empress Ashina for Xie Yuan's sake.
Otherwise, given A Yuan's methods, Empress Dowager Ashina would have died several times over.
A-Yuan is not soft-hearted, nor is she a hypocritical saint who would wrong her family for the sake of her reputation.
She just valued him too much and loved him too much.
But no matter how unworthy the Empress Dowager was, she was still Helian Jue's foster mother, who had raised him and helped him.
A Yuan, who is usually decisive and ruthless, hesitated and retreated on this matter simply because of the name "Helian Jue".
"Ah Yuan, you have done everything you could! And I have a clear conscience!"
Helian Jue's words were not only meant to persuade Xie Yuan, but also to himself.
He truly endured and yielded to Empress Dowager Ashina time and time again.
Now, he can no longer tolerate it, nor can he back down.
Empress Dowager Ashina has already taken action against the child. If we continue to tolerate and back down, will she even have to rip out his and Ayuan's hearts and livers for her?!
Seeing Helian Jue's insistence, Xie Yuan stopped trying to persuade him.
She sighed softly, but inwardly she sneered: If it weren't for the emperor's sake, I would have taken action long ago when I learned that Empress Dowager Ashina intended to bribe the wet nurse.
In Lingnan, she did more than just build infrastructure, train troops, and farm.
The miasma of Lingnan and the snake venom of Li Baozhu are both "good things".
Colorless and odorless, it kills without a trace.
To put it bluntly, if Xie Yuan wanted to, she could send Empress Dowager Ashina to hell in a matter of minutes.
But she can't!
She also considered Helian Jue's feelings.
Although there is no blood relation, the more than 20 years of upbringing and the various schemes to help Helian Jue ascend to the throne are all acts of kindness.
Xie Yuan would never do anything to make Helian Jue feel awkward or leave any resentment.
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