Chapter 148 The Divorced Noblewoman of the Marquis's Mansion—Settling Accounts
"Very good, very good." Xiao Heng praised the kneeling crowd with a smile while clapping.
Although it was a compliment, a chill ran down the spines of the kneeling people, and an ominous premonition enveloped them.
Xiao Heng first looked at Chen Bao and asked, "Chen Bao, have I been delaying the approval of memorials recently?"
Chen Bao immediately knelt down and said, "No, His Majesty is doing the same thing as usual. During the day, he reviews memorials, reads books when he has time, or goes to check on the princes' studies."
Xiao Heng then looked at the Left Prime Minister: "Left Prime Minister, have I done anything licentious or immoral recently?"
The Left Chancellor also knelt down: "Your Majesty is wise and decisive, and has never done anything that would be detrimental to the country."
Xiao Heng then turned to ask, "Right Chancellor, do you think there's any difference between my recent court sessions and those of the past?"
The Right Chancellor immediately knelt down and replied, "Your Majesty, it is no different from before."
Xiao Heng finally looked at Su Huan: "Su Huan, they say that my favoritism towards one person will endanger the safety of the court. What do you think?"
Su Huan slowly stepped forward, knelt on the ground, and said righteously and solemnly:
"Your Majesty, I believe the stability of the court depends primarily on the strength of two forces. Your Majesty, as the ruler of the nation, is the core and leading force for the stability of the court. As the leader, your decisions directly affect the direction and fate of the Great Jing Dynasty. In my view, Your Majesty appoints people based on merit, listens carefully to the opinions of your ministers, governs diligently, is decisive and wise, and loves the people like your own children. In my eyes, you are a wise ruler!"
"Another force is the thousands of ministers throughout the Great Jing Dynasty! Ministers are the vital support for the stability of the court! Ministers must not only provide His Majesty with sound advice, but also be responsible for implementing specific government affairs to ensure the normal operation of the Great Jing Dynasty. Ministers must be honest and upright, and not disappoint the people, so as to help the Great Jing Dynasty continue for a thousand years!"
Xiao Heng smiled with satisfaction: "Minister Su is very right!"
"During the day, I diligently handle state affairs without the slightest slack! In the evenings, I simply go to my favorite place to rest, and you all use this to criticize me, even saying that I am not a wise ruler! Over the years, how many times have I held imperial concubine selections? Have I been addicted to women? Have I been licentious and immoral?"
With each question, Xiao Heng grew angrier, until his voice turned icy cold.
"Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation!" All the ministers knelt down.
When the emperor is angry, everyone trembles in fear.
Xiao Heng sneered, "Fine, since you're so concerned about my backyard, then I'll see just how clean your backyard really is!"
As soon as he finished speaking, some of the kneeling people trembled even more violently.
"Chen Bao, go and summon the commander of the secret guards, and bring him his booklet!"
Chen Bao: "Yes, Your Majesty!"
Not long after, Sun Kang, the commander of the secret guards, entered.
Xiao Heng: "No need to kneel. Just give me that book so I can see what good deeds my subjects have done!"
Sun Kang presented a thick book with both hands.
Xiao Heng casually flipped through the pages, saw the contents, clicked his tongue, then glanced at the kneeling crowd below the stage and said in a sinister tone, "Imperial Censor Guo, how come you're so lucky?"
Guo Shan, the censor who was the first to advise the emperor to bestow his favor equally, had large beads of sweat on his forehead.
Xiao Heng: "Tsk tsk~ You sneak off to brothels every night. You've toured all the brothels in the capital. I seem to remember that the laws of the Great Jing Dynasty state that officials are not allowed to enter brothels?"
Guo Shan kowtowed repeatedly: "I am guilty, I am guilty, please forgive me, Your Majesty, I will never dare to do it again!"
Xiao Heng ignored him, casually turned another page, and said with a smile, "Minister Chen, your wife has recently received another large sum of money. How can you turn a blind eye to this?"
Minister Chen's back was already soaked with sweat, and he kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I didn't know! Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"
As he spoke, Minister Chen secretly glanced at the Emperor's brother-in-law, He Xuanping, his eyes full of pleading.
At this moment, everyone felt insecure. They realized that the Emperor knew everything they had done, but simply hadn't investigated.
Now that they have angered the Emperor, he naturally has no reason to let them off the hook.
That thick notebook was like a deadly knife, hanging over my head but not falling for a long time; this waiting process was extremely agonizing.
Then, the emperor randomly selected a few more people and had them recount their sordid deeds.
Xiao Heng immediately ordered his guards to take those people away, demoting or exiling them without exception.
After a long silence, Xiao Heng's voice rang out again in the hall: "Minister He, what are you up to here?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the emperor's brother-in-law, He Xuanping, panicked and immediately cried out, "Your Majesty, I am innocent!"
Xiao Heng gave a cold laugh: "Don't rush, whether you're innocent or not, let me finish speaking first."
"You accepted bribes, your son forcibly abducted a woman, engaged in malicious brawls on horseback in the streets, and arbitrarily smashed people's property. When the Prefect of the Capital came to arrest you, you dared to openly defy him. What, is it that I can't deal with you?!"
Zhao Xuanping stammered, "No...no, Your Majesty, I...I dare not..."
Xiao Heng: "Wang Geng, the Prefect of Jingzhao, is this true?"
Wang Geng stepped forward and said in a firm and resounding voice, "Your Majesty, this is indeed true! Yesterday, I went to the He residence, but Lord He said he directly kicked me out and that Young Master He had been beaten and injured his leg, making him unable to walk. I wanted to see Young Master He alone to understand what happened that day, but I was not allowed to!"
After hearing this, Xiao Heng sneered: "Good, good, so you've been injured in the leg. Sun Kang, go to the He residence and bring He Xuanping's injured son here. If he can't walk, carry him over. I'll have the imperial physician examine him personally!"
Sun Kang clasped his hands and knelt down: "Your subject obeys!"
Upon learning the truth, He Xuanping turned pale and swayed precariously.
Xiao Heng was so angry that he slammed the notebook in his hand to the ground, his voice as dark and sinister as if it came from hell:
"You are all my good ministers! You have time to keep an eye on my harem all day long, but no time to manage your own households? Don't tell me you're being wronged. If you can't even manage your own home, how can you manage a place!"
"I am guilty!"
"Your Majesty is wise."
The sounds rose and fell, but Xiao Heng didn't even glance at them. Instead, he closed his eyes and waited for Sun Kang to bring his men over.
After a long while, Sun Kang pushed the nimble Zhao Shifeng into the main hall. He had never seen such a scene before; his legs trembled and his voice stammered.
"Your humble servant Zhao...He Shifeng...pays respects to Your Majesty."
He knelt down with his legs straight, and the sound of his knees hitting the ground was very loud.
When He Xuanping saw his son enter with his hands and feet intact, all hope vanished, and his face turned ashen.
Xiao Heng looked at He Shifeng cowering below, sneered, and asked mockingly, "Why is your leg perfectly fine?"
He Shifeng said with a blank look on his face, "Your Majesty, my... my leg has always been... fine."
Xiao Heng then looked at He Xuanping: "Can you bear the crime of deceiving the emperor?"
He Xuanping wept bitterly and begged, "Your Majesty, I was wrong. Please forgive me this once!"
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