Chapter 225 Two Emperors, One Dead and One Alive
Just then, Li Yuanzhao slowly turned around and looked at the people who had just spoken.
These are all veterans who have followed Li Ye for many years. They were lucky enough to escape disaster at the New Year's Eve banquet last time.
Seeing His Majesty weeping so bitterly, he couldn't help but feel pity and came out to offer some words of comfort.
However, upon seeing Li Yuanzhao's gaze, they immediately felt a chill run down their spines, realizing that their words might have angered the soon-to-be-crowned crown prince.
The group immediately fell silent, hurriedly lowering their heads and daring not to utter another word.
After intimidating the old ministers, Li Yuanzhao slowly turned around and looked at Li Ye on the dragon throne again.
“Father, His Majesty often says, ‘Everyone makes mistakes, but to err is human, to forgive divine…’”
Upon hearing this, Li Ye's pale face immediately lit up with joy, and he nodded repeatedly in agreement.
His willingness to admit his mistake today is an attempt to let the matter drop, give these civil officials and the Shen family an explanation, and preserve his reputation.
But to everyone's surprise, Li Yuanzhao suddenly changed the subject, "But I feel that Father Emperor's actions today do not seem like a true 'correction after making a mistake'."
Li Ye's smile froze instantly, his pupils contracted slightly, and he asked incredulously, "What do you mean by this?"
Li Yuanzhao, "When her mother was alive, she personally led troops to quell the rebellion and ensure the safety of the Great Qi. Later, she led the army to defeat the Tubo, bringing decades of peace to the border. It is no exaggeration to say that her achievements are worthy of being remembered for all time."
"And now, do you think you can appease the spirit of the Empress Dowager in heaven by simply saying 'framed by villains' and making a few repentances in front of everyone?"
Li Ye's face was as black as it could possibly be.
He never expected that even after publicly repenting, Li Yuanzhao would still not let him go.
In front of all the civil and military officials, he showed them no mercy whatsoever.
Zheng Wenkai immediately stood up to defend Li Ye, "Your Highness! His Majesty is your own father. As the sage said, 'There are no parents who are wrong.' How can you publicly question your father's faults like this? This is a great act of filial impiety!"
"Then isn't Empress Shen my mother?" Li Yuanzhao turned to look at him. "How is it unfilial of a son to seek justice for his mother?"
Zheng Wenkai was speechless at her question and didn't know how to refute it for a moment.
Li Yuanzhao stopped looking at him and turned his gaze back to Li Ye.
“Father, you are the ruler of the Great Qi, a role model for all people. You made a grave mistake back then. If you think you can get away with it with just a few words of repentance without making amends, how will the people of the world view you? How will the other vassal states view the Great Qi?”
Li Ye was forced into a retreat after a long while before he asked hesitantly, "Then what do you think I should do to make amends?"
Li Yuanzhao said, "On the day Father Emperor ascended the throne, he draped the dragon robe over Mother Empress in front of the whole world and swore, 'In this life, you will be the only one in the harem, and the two of us will rule the world together.' I wonder if Father Emperor still remembers this?"
Li Ye certainly remembered, but he hadn't kept a single one of those vows.
With an endless stream of concubines in the harem, the idea of jointly ruling the country became a joke.
Being brought up by Li Yuanzhao at this moment is tantamount to being slapped in the face in public.
Perhaps he was used to being beaten, his face turned pale and then red, but in the end he nodded as if he had eaten shit: "I... remember."
"My mother is dead, and my father has not fulfilled either of his vows."
Li Yuanzhao suddenly raised his voice at this point.
"Therefore, your son humbly requests Your Majesty to honor Your Mother as Empress and to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony according to imperial regulations, so that the Emperor may hear the news and the people may hear the news, thus making amends for the mistakes of the past!"
"You! You!"
Upon hearing this, Li Ye trembled with anger and straightened up in disbelief.
He pointed at Li Yuanzhao, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time.
Not only was Li Ye furious, but the other ministers in the hall also changed their expressions, exchanging surprised and uncertain glances.
Shen Guojiu also looked at Li Yuanzhao with some surprise.
He never imagined that Li Yuanzhao would fight for his sister to be posthumously honored as an emperor.
Although that was indeed her sister's purpose in marrying Li Ye.
Zheng Wenkai immediately retorted sternly: "Outrageous! First of all, Empress Shen's original surname was Shen, and she was not a member of the Li family. How could she be made an emperor of the Li family? Moreover, His Majesty is still alive. How can there be two emperors, one dead and one alive, standing side by side? This is against etiquette and law, and absolutely unacceptable!"
Those old ministers who had been intimidated by Li Yuanzhao, though no longer daring to speak up for Prime Minister Zheng, couldn't help but cast approving glances at Zheng Wenkai, clearly extremely dissatisfied with the proposal.
Just as tensions were about to rise, a clear voice suddenly rang out in the hall, "Your subject has an objection!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Su Qingci calmly step forward and kneel down without hesitation.
"What Prime Minister Zheng said—that Empress Shen's surname is Shen and she is not a member of the Li family—is utterly absurd! When Her Majesty the Empress married into the royal family, she became a member of the Li family and, moreover, the Empress Dowager of the Great Qi. When she led troops into battle, why did you never say that she was a 'non-Li family member'? You even included Her Majesty the Empress's achievements in the Li family's achievements. So why are you saying now that she is not a member of the Li family?"
Zheng Wenkai's face darkened: "How can we posthumously confer the title of emperor? If we set such a precedent, concubines, relatives of the empress, and meritorious officials will all follow suit, which would disrupt the foundation of the country."
Su Qingci continued without fear, "Her Majesty the Empress's achievements are outstanding throughout history, far surpassing those of all previous empresses and even many emperors. Posthumously conferring an imperial title is an acknowledgment of her life's work and a demonstration to the world that 'those who have made contributions should be rewarded.' What is wrong with that?"
Pei Huaijin also knelt down and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I second your opinion! If it weren't for Her Majesty the Empress's efforts to turn the tide back then, the Great Qi Empire would have been in turmoil long ago. Now, it is only reasonable for His Highness the Crown Prince to request an imperial title for his mother. As for the saying 'two emperors, one alive and one dead,' posthumous conferment is an honor, not a true coexistence. If Your Majesty, as an emperor, doesn't even have this kind of magnanimity, how can you command the respect of the people?"
With these two taking the lead, many court officials looked at each other in bewilderment and then knelt down as well.
Even if many people don't agree with this, they can still see the situation clearly.
With a strong son and a weak father, and the eldest princess about to ascend the throne, no one wanted to offend her at this time.
In an instant, everyone in the hall knelt down.
In the end, only Zheng Wenkai and a few old ministers remained standing there, looking particularly out of place.
At this moment, when Imperial Censor Gan saw that most of the officials in the court were kneeling down and "threatening" the emperor, he became furious.
He rushed out of the queue and shouted, "Your Majesty! To posthumously confer the title of Empress upon the Empress is an unprecedented act of rebellion! It is contrary to ancestral rules and the will of Heaven, and must not be done! If you insist on doing so, then this old minister is willing to shed blood on the spot to remonstrate with Your Majesty and warn you!"
No one expected Lord Gan to be so fierce, and they were all stunned for a moment.
Zheng Wenkai was also somewhat surprised, and when he turned to look at Lord Gan, his gaze instantly showed more approval.
If Lord Gan were to die today for remonstrating, then Li Yuanzhao would be guilty of “forcing an old minister to his death in order to posthumously honor his birth mother.” At that time, public opinion in the court and among the people would be in uproar. Let’s see how Li Yuanzhao can handle the situation.
Seeing Lord Gan's loyal protection of his master, Li Ye was filled with gratitude, as if he had grasped the last straw.
Li Yuanzhao, however, was completely unaffected and bluntly said, "Father, since Lord Gan wants to die, why not grant him his wish?"
Li Ye's eyes widened, his gaze shifting between Li Yuanzhao and Lord Gan.
Seeing that he could not threaten Li Yuanzhao, Lord Gan's face flashed with a resolute look, and he made a move to crash into the dragon pillar next to him.
Several colleagues nearby quickly reached out to stop him and urged him to calm down.
"Don't stop him, let him die!"
Li Yuanzhao coldly gave the order.
The men who were blocking him looked at each other, hesitated for a moment, and then let go.
Lord Gan had originally intended to prove his innocence by dying, but now that he had been stopped, most of his resolve had dissipated.
Li Yuanzhao stared at him sharply, his tone laced with sarcasm.
"Since you, Gan Qing, are determined to commit suicide today, I will not stop you. However, the crime of disrespect before the palace should be borne by your relatives and clan. After your death and grand funeral, they will likely be exiled three thousand miles away, never to rise again..."
Lord Gan trembled, his face turning deathly pale.
Looking into Li Yuanzhao's cold eyes, he knew that the Crown Prince was not bluffing. He was now in a dilemma, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Gan Qing, are you going to live or die?" Li Yuanzhao pressed closer. "Are you trying to deceive me and Father Emperor here?"
"What crime should be committed for relying on one's age to threaten imperial power and disregard imperial favor?"
Lord Gan was so frightened by her barrage of questions that his legs went weak, and he lost all courage to face death. He slumped to the ground in despair, muttering, "This old minister, this old minister knows his mistake."
Looking at the scene before him, Li Ye knew that he, the emperor, was now truly all alone.
He suddenly seemed to have all his strength drained away, and slumped back onto the dragon throne.
After a long silence, he spoke in an almost inaudible voice.
"I... grant permission."
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