The ministers were startled and looked around nervously, but dared not answer.
The prime minister flew into a rage, “Your Majesty! Why are you avoiding my questions? The eldest princess and the young prince are members of the royal family. They are dead. Shouldn’t you give me and the world an explanation?”
"Yet you still have the leisure to inquire about the personal affairs of your ministers?"
Upon hearing the prime minister's words, several ministers wished they could retreat outside.
They had no desire to get involved in the internal strife within the royal family.
Aside from some regret, the death of the eldest princess evoked no other feelings in them.
They didn't dare to challenge the emperor.
The emperor stood up from his chair without making a sound.
His features were deep and unfathomable, like a bottomless, icy pool.
"Prime Minister, is it any of your business to ask me questions? Otherwise, I might as well give you my seat."
Upon hearing this, the prime minister's expression changed, and more than a dozen ministers immediately knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty! You mustn't say that!"
"Such a treasonous act is something even the Prime Minister could not possibly commit!"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Take care of your health!"
The prime minister swallowed hard, and the look in his eyes when he looked at the emperor changed slightly.
Just as the Empress Dowager said, the Emperor is indeed different now.
Such disobedient words would never have been uttered by the emperor in the past.
"Your Majesty...please calm down, I misspoke." The prime minister suppressed his anger and had no choice but to lower his head.
Although he had committed many treasonous acts, on the surface he was still the emperor's subject and had to be respected by him.
Seeing that he was no longer being presumptuous, the emperor said sarcastically, "If you know you've misspoke, then say less."
The prime minister was speechless, and the emperor continued, "I don't want to ask the same question again. Lord Ning? Lord Qiao? Lord Zeng? Who will answer first?"
The ministers who were called out by the emperor broke out in a cold sweat and stood up shakily: "Your Majesty, collecting antiques... is indeed a hobby of mine. Recently, I have indeed acquired a few worthless trinkets."
"Your Majesty, this old minister recently married off his daughter, and I am overjoyed, so I prepared a few tables of food. There were no delicacies, just some ordinary dishes..."
"Your Majesty, I have not done anything recently."
The group was completely unwilling to admit to their recent extravagant spending.
The emperor wasn't in a hurry; he knew these people's situations very well.
Fang Ziyao's business flourished in a short period of time, which brought him a lot of news.
"If you gentlemen don't tell me, do you think I can't find out?"
"The auction house sent me receipts for Lord Ning's antique purchases; the restaurant sent me accounts of Lord Qiao's banquet expenses; and as for Lord Zeng, the famous courtesan Miss Huang, who is renowned throughout the capital, told me that you recently spent enough money on her to buy a house. Do I need to say anything more?"
Upon hearing the emperor's words, the ministers' faces turned completely pale.
They knew perfectly well that the money was ill-gotten, and that it was all sent by the eldest princess to win over the young prince.
How could they dare to admit the source of the silver in front of the emperor?
If they admit that the eldest princess specially sent it to them so that the young prince could become emperor, wouldn't they be courting death?
They racked their brains, but couldn't come up with a single word.
"Your salaries aren't much, so where does the money come from to spend it like this?"
"This... Your Majesty..."
Seeing that the ministers were stammering and dared not speak, the prime minister stepped forward once again: "What does Your Majesty want to know by pressing me like this?"
The emperor didn't give the prime minister a friendly look when he spoke. "Prime Minister, you're so eager to step forward, it seems you know where their wealth comes from?"
"How...how would I know?"
"Is this question so difficult to answer? Or is this money ill-gotten gains?"
Upon hearing this, the kneeling minister immediately denied it: "Your Majesty, there is absolutely no such thing! There is absolutely no such thing!"
Although they denied it, the clever ones could all see that the emperor knew what they were doing in private.
Anyone with a brain can understand why the eldest princess and the young prince suddenly died if they think about it carefully.
Isn't this just the emperor purging disloyal people?
"Since you cannot explain the source of the silver, I will assume that you have embezzled and accepted bribes. Accepting bribes is a serious crime in this dynasty. But I am too lazy to find evidence, so I will give you a chance to redeem yourselves."
A dozen or so ministers immediately looked up, their eyes shining, their expectant expressions undisguised.
These words gave them a glimmer of hope!
The emperor's eyes were cold as he kept his gaze fixed on the still-standing prime minister, and he said, "Since it is ill-gotten wealth, it should be returned to the people. Now that the locust plague is unavoidable, the people's suffering can only be resolved with money."
"You should take out all the silver you have embezzled and hand it over to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will then act as the Imperial Envoy and personally take the silver to Qizhou for disaster relief."
"In that case, I will forgive your crimes."
The ministers all showed expressions that said, "This plan is feasible."
In contrast, the prime minister's face had turned as black as coal.
"Your Majesty! I hold the highest rank of official, the first rank. Is it really necessary for a first-rank prime minister like me to go to Qizhou for disaster relief? Wouldn't that be a waste of my talents?!"
The emperor raised an eyebrow. "Prime Minister, are you unwilling?"
The moment he finished speaking, more than a dozen pairs of eyes on the ground turned to look at the prime minister.
If the prime minister disagrees, their crimes will not be forgiven!
Lord Ning quickly said, "Prime Minister, as a person of your high position, you should personally deliver the disaster relief funds for the sake of the country and its people, so as to show your sincerity in serving the people!"
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