Unauthorized mobilization of troops! Stockpiling of weapons! This is a serious crime of treason!
There was an uproar in the court, and all the officials were whispering to each other, their expressions full of shock and confusion.
Some were shocked, some were skeptical, and some were secretly observing Chu Lang's reaction.
Duke Dingguo's face turned pale with rage, and he laughed in anger, "Bullshit! I've been loyal to the Great Chu my entire life, as heaven and earth can bear witness to. How dare you, a scoundrel, slander and frame me with empty words!"
As he spoke, he was about to step forward and punch Censor Chen, but was quickly stopped by the ministers around him.
"Old Duke, calm down. This is the Imperial Palace. If you really beat up Censor Chen, people will definitely say you're arrogant and disrespectful to the royal family."
"But this bastard actually dared to frame me! And it's a serious crime of treason!"
"How can I bear this?"
Chu Lang sneered in his heart, but his face showed an expression of shock and heartache, but he had to deal with it impartially.
He raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, took the "evidence" presented by the palace servant, and pretended to look through it for a few times.
"Why!"
He sighed deeply. "Duke Dingguo is the pillar of the country. I don't want to believe this, but Censor Chen's words are so convincing, and there is physical evidence..."
"This is a matter of state, so it's better to believe it than not. For the safety of my father and the stability of the Chu state, we have to investigate!"
After saying this, Chu Lang's tone suddenly turned cold, and he looked at Duke Dingguo with a sharp gaze: "Duke Dingguo, I'm sorry to have wronged you. Until the truth is revealed, I have no choice but to ask you to temporarily resign from your military post and cooperate with the investigation!"
Without waiting for Duke Dingguo to retort, he immediately shouted outside the palace, "Where are the imperial guards?"
Li Long, the commander of the imperial guards who had been waiting outside the palace, immediately led several imperial guards inside and said, "I am here!"
Chu Lang gave the order expressionlessly, "Immediately send someone to 'invite' Duke Dingguo back to his mansion. No one is allowed to enter or leave without my permission. Also, send a team to immediately surround Duke Dingguo's mansion and search it thoroughly inside and out! Leave no blade of grass or tree untouched! We must find all possible evidence related to 'treason'!"
He specifically emphasized the need for a thorough search, not letting any blade of grass or tree be left out. He wanted to use the search as an excuse to thoroughly investigate the Duke Dingguo's Mansion and make a bigger fuss.
As long as Chu Qingluan is still in the capital, she will not be able to sit still when she hears that something happened in Duke Dingguo's Mansion.
Duke Dingguo was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at Chu Lang and said, "Chu Lang! How dare you, a young boy, frame a loyal and honest person like this! Even if you want to investigate, it should be thoroughly investigated by the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court. How can you rashly search the Duke's Mansion based on one-sided statements and this so-called "physical evidence" of unknown authenticity? You are abusing your power to exclude dissidents!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Lang showed a hint of impatient sneer on his face.
"Duke Dingguo is suspected of treason, a serious crime! As regent, I have the authority to act at my own discretion. Why should I wait for the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple to drag my feet? Besides..."
He glanced at the silent officials in the hall. "We have witnesses, physical evidence, and impeachment memorials. The chain of evidence is complete! If we don't investigate now, do we have to wait until you actually launch a mutiny, endangering the safety of our father and subverting the Great Chu State?"
These words directly put the label of "treason" on the Duke, leaving him speechless for a moment, his chest heaving with anger.
"What are you still standing there for? Invite Duke Dingguo down!" Chu Lang ordered the imperial guards.
"Wait—"
At this moment, a voice came from the back of the palace. Although it was a little weak, it still carried the majesty of an emperor:
Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to the scene where two eunuchs carefully supported a person and slowly walked out from behind a screen on the side.
It’s the Emperor of Chu!
He was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and a dragon-patterned casual uniform. Although his face was a little pale and his figure was a little thin, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle.
Chu Lang's expression suddenly froze, and the arrogant expression on his face that seemed to be in control of everything solidified in an instant, turning into shock and panic.
Father?
Wasn't he recuperating in the Yangxin Palace? Why did he suddenly appear here?
"Father!" Chu Lang instinctively stood up and greeted him, saying respectfully, "You haven't recovered yet, so why are you suddenly attending the morning court? Please take a seat, or you might catch a cold!"
The Emperor of Chu raised his hand to avoid his support, and his eyes swept across the entire room coldly, finally falling on the kneeling Censor Chen.
"I'm not dead yet. When will the court be able to directly search the Duke's Mansion without going through a joint trial by the three courts?"
Chu Lang's heart tightened, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Father, your health is poor, how can you move so easily? I am also worried about the foundation of the country. Censor Chen has presented evidence, and the evidence is here. Ding Guogong privately mobilized troops and stockpiled military equipment, which is a serious crime of treason! In this urgent situation, I have to take action. I have no choice but to control it first to prevent him from jumping over the wall and endangering the safety of the capital. I hope for your understanding!"
Emperor Chu snorted coldly, glanced at the 'evidence' on the case, and his tone darkened.
"Duke Dingguo is a veteran of three dynasties, a man of generations of loyalty. I don't believe he would plot treason. Chu Lang, as regent, you fail to distinguish right from wrong. Based solely on one-sided testimony and a few weapons of unknown origin, you want to convict Duke Dingguo and confiscate his mansion. Aren't you being too hasty?"
Chu Lang didn't expect that the Emperor Chu would refute him in public, and he became even more panicked.
"Your Majesty, I am not anxious. Censor Chen has impeached me, and the Duke's housekeeper has confessed, including the hidden weapons as evidence. The evidence is sufficient. If we don't deal with it in time, disaster may ensue!"
Emperor Chu snorted coldly and was about to say something.
At this moment, a message came from outside the hall: "Xie Xiang is here——"
Xie Yunqi was seen wearing a crimson official robe, with a slender and handsome figure. He walked into the hall with a calm step, holding several documents in his hands.
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