"Your humble servant proposes that we invite Vice Minister Li of the Ministry of Justice to take charge of investigating the case of the Duke of Chu." Zhou Changqing did not stand on ceremony, stepped forward and bowed respectfully. Although it was a suggestion, he spoke with an air of unquestionable authority.
"Is that so? I actually think Su Yong, the head of the Ministry of Justice, is quite suitable. What do you all think?" Wuyou smiled faintly, his eyelids slightly lowered, looking at the ministers below, his tone inscrutable.
"Your Majesty, Su Yong, the principal officer of the Ministry of Justice, is merely a minor official. How can he be entrusted with such an important task? I urge Your Majesty to reconsider. Li, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, has served as an official for many years. He is honest and upright, and has an excellent reputation. This is evident to the entire court. I believe he will handle this case properly."
At this moment, Vice Minister Wu of the Ministry of Revenue stepped forward, his words all aimed at belittling Su Yong and praising Minister Li. The main reason for this was that more than half of the court officials were Zhou Changqing's men, and the smaller reason was that Su Yong was an unknown figure and indeed unfit for the position. They thought that Wuyou's suggestion was just a joke, a child's idle talk.
"Lord Wu has been involved in the Ministry of Revenue for many years, so I naturally trust your judgment. But are you implying that I am bad at judging people?" Wuyou slowly flipped through the memorials in his hands, his tone carrying a hint of danger.
Before Lord Wu could speak again, Wuyou continued, "Lord Wu, Lord Zhou, Lord Li, you are all pillars of the court left by the late Emperor, and you are also ministers whom I have favored. If I were to misjudge people, wouldn't I be saying that all the court ministers are just good-for-nothings?"
These words caused an instant, deathly silence to the point that one could hear a pin drop.
"His Majesty's judgment is indeed excellent, but Su Yong is still too young and I'm afraid he is not capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility." Zhou Changqing's steady and powerful voice rang out again, which reassured the ministers.
After all, what Wuyou had just said had a rather sarcastic tone, leaving them unsure how to respond.
"So what if he's young? I too ascended the throne at a young age, and it was only with the assistance of several senior officials that I was able to secure this throne. If we don't give young people the opportunity to gain experience, how can the senior officials feel at ease handing over this important responsibility to the next generation? I can't wait until you all retire and have no one left to rely on."
Wuyou curled his lips into a smile. Although his tone was not harsh, it struck the hearts of the old ministers like a heavy hammer, making their faces turn slightly pale.
"My esteemed elders are devoted to the nation and the court, and they deserve to serve you with utmost loyalty and dedication until their dying breath. However, I am no longer a young man, and I must share some of the burdens with you. I cannot allow you to die from exhaustion in this court; that would be my fault."
The strategy of first praising and then criticizing was used very well by Wuyou, causing the emotions of the ministers present to fluctuate constantly. Only Zhou Changqing and a few other assistant ministers remained relatively calm, though their twitching lips revealed their inner turmoil.
Zhou Changqing's brows furrowed slightly. They weren't fools; they naturally understood the Emperor's unspoken meaning: he disliked them, these old ministers, for being in the way.
On the other hand, the fact that the emperor was willing to say these words in front of all the civil and military officials is enough to prove his integrity and determination.
With a deep sigh, Zhou Changqing stepped forward and bowed deeply, displaying his most submissive posture. He needed to see what the emperor was really like; after all, once he caused trouble, he would naturally be begging them for mercy.
The former emperor dared not disobey these veteran ministers in the slightest, but the current emperor can utter such sharp words in front of civil and military officials; it seems he has truly grown up. Unfortunately, he is still too naive.
"Your Majesty's words are very true, and we should submit." With these words, we temporarily agreed to the compromise.
The wiser ones sensed something from this brief exchange, looked at each other in bewilderment, and finally, did the same thing as those around them: bowed deeply in submission.
"Your Majesty is wise!"
The scene before him was exactly as Wuyou had anticipated. Zhou Changqing and the other veteran officials had no ill intentions; they simply felt that the original owner was not up to the task, so they held onto him tightly. Little did they know that their extreme actions only provoked a strong rebellious streak in the original owner, who then used Chu Baiwei's power to eliminate these loyal veteran officials one by one.
Wuyou is not a bloodthirsty person. These veteran officials are also truly talented and have a heart devoted to the court. It would be the best outcome if they could be recruited and put to good use to restore order to the court.
After the morning court session, Zhou Changqing and other ministers were invited into the imperial study. Wuyou, with a mix of calm and persuasion, proposed the idea of holding the imperial examinations. The veteran ministers began to try to believe in his abilities, especially after hearing Wuyou's later remarks about his future plans, which left them with no doubt that he still treated Wuyou like a child.
Seeing Zhou Changqing and the others leave, Wuyou knew that the affairs of the court had temporarily stabilized. Next, there were matters concerning the harem.
"Xiao Xiazi, go and tell the Empress that I will have lunch at her place."
Regardless of how things were going on Wuyou's side, the Empress was quite pleased to receive the news. The Emperor had been busy with state affairs and hadn't set foot in the inner palace for half a month. His first visit to the inner palace was to her, which implicitly demonstrated her status as Empress, and at the very least showed that the Emperor still respected her as his principal wife.
He didn't ask for much; he only wished to secure his position as Empress, maintain his family's glory, and have children by his side.
"Xiao Tao, quickly go and see if the little princess has woken up, and bring her to me. It's good that the Emperor can see how well I've taken care of the little princess." The Empress's eyebrows were raised, and her face was rosy, showing that she had been living a good life these days.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, Xiao Tao has already gone to fetch the little princess. It's rare for the Emperor to dine at our Fengyi Palace, so Your Majesty should dress up nicely." Liu Zhu chuckled, reaching out to grab the Empress's arm. In the past, whenever the Empress heard the Emperor was coming, she would rush to dress and groom herself, hoping to present her most beautiful self and secure the Emperor's stay. This time, her first thought was of the little princess. It was clear she truly cared.
Liu Zhu's skills were superb. She quickly and meticulously styled the Empress's makeup and hair, making her look both dignified and alluring, and enhancing her delicate features by two degrees.
"Liuzhu, if I didn't have you by my side, I really wouldn't know what to do." Looking at herself in the mirror, the Empress couldn't help but sigh.
He was somewhat impatient and not good at political maneuvering. If it weren't for Liu Zhu's reminders to him not to be too harsh on Consort Chu and to show the dignity and composure of an empress to avoid giving others cause for criticism, he might not have been able to wait until the current situation.
Given his past temper, who knows what kind of situation he might have created.
"This is all Your Highness's good fortune. I was just saying a few words out of turn."
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