Chapter 218 The fake emperor is confirmed!
In the study of the palace.
"This is outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous!"
Chu Xuanyi slammed his fist on the table, causing the teacup to jump up.
"Your Highness, this Yun family father and daughter are clearly controlling the palace, using the emperor as a hostage to control the princes! They even dare to challenge your dignity. Do they have any respect for the law?"
"We can't wait like this any longer. In my opinion, we should just lead our troops in. I want to see who dares to stop you!"
"Then what?"
Xiao Yu, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke.
"Leading troops into the palace is a serious crime of treason. If the Yun family raises their arms and accuses you of plotting to kill the emperor and usurp the throne, who do you think those fence-sitters in the court will speak up for?"
Chu Xuanyi paused, but couldn't utter a word to refute.
"Well... well, we can't just stand by and watch!" He said sullenly, "What's going on? We don't even know whether the emperor is dead or alive. Is the Great Zhou going to fall into the hands of those treacherous Yun family members?"
"No."
Xiao Yu walked to the window and looked at the sycamore tree in the courtyard that had begun to shed its leaves, his eyes deep.
"Since they've set up the stage, there will always be a time for the show. All we have to do is wait and watch."
Waiting to watch the show?
What's the secret behind this?
Three days later, early morning court.
This was the first formal court meeting since the incident during the autumn hunt.
Civil and military officials stood in the Golden Palace with uneasy feelings.
The dragon throne was empty.
But behind the dragon throne, there was a thick bright yellow pearl curtain hanging down, through which one could vaguely see a figure sitting there.
"The Emperor has not yet fully recovered. His Majesty has issued an oral decree that he will rule the country from behind the scenes starting today."
The eunuch Liu Quan, who held the seal, announced loudly with his throat pinched.
All officials were in an uproar!
Ruling behind the scenes?
This was unheard of in the Zhou Dynasty!
Prime Minister Yun stepped forward and said with a sorrowful expression, "Your Majesty's health is paramount, and we, your subjects, must understand. With His Majesty the Regent and these veteran ministers here, we will surely help relieve His Majesty's worries and assist in governing the country. We will not allow these scoundrels to take advantage of the situation!"
Xiao Yu stood at the head of all the officials, his face expressionless, but his eyes were as cold as a knife.
What a double act.
What a great “ruling from behind the curtain”!
"If you have something to report, please report it. If not, please leave the court—"
Liu Quan's voice sounded again.
The court officials looked at each other, and no one spoke for a moment.
Behind the pearl curtain, a slightly hoarse voice was heard, but it was vaguely recognizable as that of Emperor Jingming.
"I... have heard that Wang Zhen, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, has been unwell recently and has requested leave several times. I suspect it's due to his age and lack of energy. What do you think, Regent?"
Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Xiao Yu.
Wang Zhen, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, is well-known for his incorruptibility. He is also a capable general promoted by Xiao Yu. He often impeaches the Yun family's followers.
That he wasn't feeling well?
The day before yesterday, someone saw him chasing a thief for two blocks on the street!
This person is clearly trying to attack him!
Xiao Yu raised his eyes and looked at the beaded curtain. "Your Majesty, Minister Wang is loyal to his duties and diligent. He even discussed the autumn tax issue with me until late the other night, and he didn't seem to be in any trouble. Did Your Majesty... believe the slander?"
His words were quite harsh, almost accusing the "emperor" to his face of being biased.
The figure behind the bead curtain was silent for a moment.
"Prince Regent, are you... questioning my judgment? I also sympathize with my veteran minister. Since Minister Wang has devoted himself so wholeheartedly, let him... return home and live out his days in peace. I cannot bear to see him toiling away for state affairs any longer."
When these words were spoken, everyone in the court was shocked!
How can this be considered compassionate?
This is clearly a recall!
Without even a decent reason, he directly fired a second-rank official!
Wang Zhen was so angry that he was shaking all over. He wanted to step out to refute the argument on the spot, but was held back by his colleagues.
Before everyone could react from their shock, the voice continued:
"The position of Minister Wang has become vacant, and someone must take it. Prime Minister Yun, your nephew's name is Yun something. He performed meritorious service in protecting the emperor in the enclosure last time. I think he is a promising talent. Let him temporarily take over the position of Right Minister of the Ministry of Personnel."
boom--
At this moment, the entire Golden Palace seemed to be in an uproar!
Prime Minister Yun’s nephew?
Yunfeng?
The most dissolute playboy in the capital who can do nothing but eating, drinking, gambling, cockfighting and running errands?
Let him be the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel?
The Ministry of Personnel is in charge of the promotion and transfer of officials throughout the country! If he is allowed to go, then the officialdom of the Great Zhou will become the vegetable garden of their Yun family, planting whoever they want.
"Your Majesty, absolutely not!"
Several imperial censors knelt down on the spot, feeling heartbroken.
"Yunfeng is unlearned and unskilled, and his virtue is unworthy of his position. If he were to take charge of the Ministry of Personnel, it would shake the foundation of the country! Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
"presumptuous!"
"Do I need your consent before I can appoint someone? I think you've been living in comfort for too long, have you even forgotten the etiquette between ruler and subject? Regent!"
"The matter is settled. I am tired and will withdraw from the court."
After the court was dismissed.
The atmosphere in the palace study was more depressing than ever.
"Your Majesty, how can you tolerate this? If he dares to dismiss Wang Zhen today, will he directly attack you tomorrow? The person sitting behind the curtain is definitely not the emperor. How could the emperor promote that idiot Yunfeng!"
Chu Xuanyi paced back and forth angrily, his handsome face flushed the color of liver.
"Today in the court, I listened carefully to that voice. While it was about 70% similar, the voice lacked strength and the tone was a bit stiff. Especially when he was angry and scolding, he lacked the dignity that an emperor should have. It seemed more like... a deliberate imitation."
"Also, the Emperor has always relied on you, Your Highness. Even when we disagreed politically, he has never refuted you so harshly in court. What you did today is completely unreasonable."
"Today he acted like... like he was afraid that others wouldn't know he was going to go against you!"
All the doubts point to a chilling possibility.
For a long, long time.
Xiao Yu, who had been silent all this time, finally turned around slowly.
There was no anger or panic on his face, only a deep and bone-chilling coldness.
"The man on the dragon throne is fake."
Although Chu Xuanyi had already guessed it, when this conclusion was confirmed by Xiao Yu himself, he couldn't help but gasp, feeling a chill running from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
Fake……
The emperor is fake!
"Your Majesty...are you serious?"
"The Yun family... how dare they? How dare they commit such a heinous crime of deceiving the emperor and his superiors, a crime worthy of extermination of all nine generations of their clan!"
"Since they dare to do it, it means they are fully prepared."
Xiao Yu slowly walked to the desk and sat down. He looked at a commander of the Black Armor Guards standing in the dark.
"From now on, all the spies in the palace will be mobilized."
The commander knelt on one knee silently, lowered his head and listened to the order.
"First, investigate everyone present on the day of the autumn hunt, especially the guards who protected the emperor, their families, and any recent dealings. Even an unusual expense must be investigated!"
"Secondly, I must thoroughly investigate the Yun family, from Prime Minister Yun down to the fireman in their mansion, over the past three months! Especially Prime Minister Yun. Who has he met and where has he been? I want to know everything!"
"Third," he paused, a stern look flashing in his eyes, "check all the places in the capital and its suburbs where people can be hidden, including manors and villas, to see if there are any unfamiliar faces coming in and out."
That fake emperor couldn't have appeared out of thin air.
He must have been hidden somewhere by the Yun family and trained secretly for a long time.
"yes!"
The commander of the Black Armor Guards received the order and disappeared into the study in a flash.
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