Filial piety is the foundation of humanity!
"The Empress Dowager may have made mistakes, but she is an elder, and the Emperor should respect and honor her!"
"...Forcing the Empress Dowager to commit suicide, isn't the Emperor afraid of being condemned by the world?"
The censors delivered their impassioned speeches.
While their actions certainly had an element of defending the Empress Dowager, they were also largely for their own benefit.
The wind direction in Beijing has been very abnormal in the last day or two.
Several families had their property confiscated.
The wails and bloodstains on the execution ground seemed endless.
There were also those who were exiled, but in reality, they were sent to their deaths.
Before being exiled, they would be beaten thirty times, enough to leave them severely wounded even if they didn't die.
Immediately afterwards, he was to be escorted away despite his injuries.
Wounded and miserable, they simply could not endure the long exile.
The women and children were all confiscated and turned into slaves.
Pardoned but not pardoned!
This means the entire family will never be able to recover.
Helian Jue's actions, while not resulting in the extermination of his entire clan, were nearly so.
The court officials and aristocratic families were used to the emperor and empress's "appeasement," but Helian Jue's sudden tyranny made everyone somewhat uncomfortable.
Helian Jue: ...Looks like it's still not enough!
Otherwise, no one would have been spouting nonsense at today's court meeting.
These censors were actually put forward by the officials to test the emperor.
If Helian Jue makes even the slightest concession, they will dare to push their luck.
Can--
Helian Jue didn't react at all, just watched coldly.
The censors mistakenly believed that Helian Jue was feeling guilty and afraid, which emboldened them even more.
They continued their heated debate in the court, practically pointing their fingers at Helian Jue and calling him a tyrant and a foolish ruler.
The fourth prince shrank desperately into a corner, unable to bear witnessing the fate of these people.
Insulting Helian Jue?
Even if you don't have brains, you should at least have eyes and common sense.
Didn't you see Helian Jue smiling?
A man—no, a madman—was insulted, but instead of getting angry, he laughed.
Don't you find that strange?
Not to mention, that person was the emperor, and his wife was still in a coma.
Sure enough, just as the Fourth Prince was about to cover his eyes, Helian Jue uttered a single word, "Kill!"
Splash!
A group of heavily armored Imperial Guards rushed forward.
Without saying a word, they arrested several censors.
All the civil and military officials were stunned.
How could they just kill someone like that?
Even if these censors speak recklessly and imply that you are a "tyrant," you are not a real tyrant.
Besides, three years ago, when you appointed Empress Xie as regent, you were also criticized as a foolish ruler.
Why didn't you just kill them back then?
The court officials dared to fawn over Helian Jue because they believed he still wanted to be a wise and sage ruler.
In order to achieve this goal, he cannot act arbitrarily.
Sometimes, you even have to be patient and yield.
But once the emperor lets himself go and doesn't care about anything, the court officials really have no way to deal with it.
This was an imperial society, an era where "if the emperor commands a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die."
As long as Helian Jue doesn't care about his reputation and is willing to "degenerate" into a tyrannical and incompetent ruler, no court official will dare to be stubborn.
Not everyone is fearless in the face of death.
Furthermore, even if it means death, we should consider whether it's worth it.
To risk one's life to remonstrate with a foolish ruler and bring him back from the wrong path—that is the mark of a loyal minister with unwavering integrity, someone who will be remembered in history.
Knowing full well that the other party is a tyrant, yet still foolishly charging at him... that's stupid! That's courting death!
Of course, at present, it cannot be definitively concluded that Helian Jue was a tyrant.
"It is normal for the Emperor to be worried about the Empress's serious illness."
"Yes, those censors were indeed quite outrageous!"
Several senior figures in the council exchanged glances.
Finally, the Grand Secretary, whom the Emperor and Empress had brought back from Lingnan, stepped forward, holding his official tablet.
"Your Majesty, as an emperor, you must not kill the innocent indiscriminately."
This old gentleman, being a native of Lingnan, was indeed knowledgeable about the emperor and empress.
After a brief pause, he quickly pulled Xie Yuan out, saying, "The Empress has said several times in court that all words and deeds must conform to the law."
Yes, that's how their Empress Xie "rules the country according to law".
He was undoubtedly the first person in the dynasty to advocate for the "Great Zhou Code".
The emperor loved the empress dearly, so he would likely also be willing to respect the law.
Sure enough, when the Grand Secretary mentioned Empress Xie, Helian Jue's eyes flickered.
"Hmm, what Master Gu said makes some sense!"
Helian Jue raised an eyebrow, seemingly considering it.
The Grand Secretary and the court officials breathed a slight sigh of relief: thank goodness, the Emperor is still willing to listen to advice.
Only the Fourth Prince shook his head inwardly: Alas, you are all too naive!
Helian Jue is a madman; how could he be so easily persuaded?
You're not the Empress!
Besides, even when the Empress advised the Emperor, she didn't say it so bluntly.
They're very skillful. Even when giving advice, they can make the other person very happy. (Reading Dirty)
Unlike you guys.
To paraphrase the Empress, her emotional intelligence is truly remarkable!
The fourth prince muttered to himself, and his guess was not wrong.
Suddenly, Helian Jue called out, "Good fortune!"
"You are here!"
Duofu hurriedly stepped forward and knelt before Helian Jue's throne.
Everyone who saw the eunuch had a bad feeling.
Everyone knows Steward Duo.
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