Ulanara's crimes have been proven beyond doubt, so her conviction is a foregone conclusion.
A few days later, someone spread the news that the emperor wanted to depose the empress, causing panic among the people. In particular, the ministers who had gone to Lanqin Palace to force the emperor to abdicate and had read Fucha Argon's confession were living in fear every day, thinking of ways to avoid the emperor's wrath and the Empress Xi's resentment.
On the third day of this period of worry for the ministers, in the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
Today was the same as any other day; the Fourth Prince sat comfortably on the dragon throne, while officials waited in the court, ready to report their matters. Yet, today was also different from any other day; the moment His Majesty spoke, everyone was terrified.
Just as everyone was discussing how wise and powerful His Majesty God was and how he had won a great victory, the court suddenly fell silent.
"My dear ministers, you may not know this, but I nearly suffered a defeat this time when I personally led the army." The Fourth Prince's tone was calm, as if he were talking about something trivial, but the imposing aura he exuded was truly chilling. The ministers were speechless, presumably because it was all related to Lady Ulanara and Fucha Argon.
"Because our Great Qing Dynasty, such a powerful nation, has squandered its national strength to support such a traitor. Now this traitor has been brought back and handed over to the Dali Temple for trial. This traitor is Aisin-Gioro Hongshi." Seeing the ministers fall silent, the Fourth Prince paused and continued. However, this time his tone was not as calm as before; it carried a hint of anger. As the saying goes, the emperor's anger is bound to be great. How could he not be angry when faced with such a matter?
Compared to the previous silence, when the traitor of the Qing Dynasty was Hongshi, the civil and military officials in the court were in an uproar and began to whisper among themselves. The ministers all shrugged and lowered their heads, not daring to look at the Fourth Prince, for fear that if they were not careful, the Fourth Prince would take his anger out on them and their lives would be over.
The ministers who supported the Empress were even more terrified. Previously, in support of the Empress, they had even gone to Consort Xi's Changchun Palace to pressure her to release Empress Ulanara. Now, the Fourth Prince's words were tantamount to a slap in their face. If the Empress were deposed and Consort Xi came to power, what good would it do them if she held a grudge? Moreover, if Consort Xi were made Empress, wouldn't Hongli naturally become the Crown Prince? A new emperor, a new court—this was truly worrying.
Seeing the civil and military officials discussing the matter, the Fourth Prince continued, "Since Hongshi has been imprisoned in the Dali Temple and handed over to the Dali Temple for handling, the Dali Temple should thoroughly investigate this matter, personally try Hongshi, and convict him as soon as possible. This matter is of great importance, and the Dali Temple has an inescapable responsibility."
With these words, the Fourth Prince seems determined to sacrifice even his own family for the greater good. There's no way to save Hongshi, and the Empress is also guilty. In truth, no matter how much turmoil and intrigue rages in the court, it's merely a matter of checks and balances. But collusion with foreign powers is a different story. After all, the arguments within the court are just conflicts among those sharing the same pot of porridge. If foreign powers are involved, that porridge might disappear altogether, equivalent to cutting off the population's food supply. Furthermore, Hongshi and the Fourth Prince are father and son; coveting imperial power is a forbidden zone. While outsiders might lack legitimacy, one cannot afford to be complacent about one's own son. If he harbors such intentions, he will be eliminated.
There have been many cases of patricide and fratricide throughout history, and the Fourth Prince was determined to prevent such a thing from happening.
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