Chapter 468 Bai Qingling is arrested!
Zhao Zheng didn't rush to refuse, but asked with a look of doubt, "Really?"
The Vice Minister of War was overjoyed and immediately said, "The Marquis of Yong'an is the head of all military generals, so it is most appropriate for you to step forward!" However, this honor belongs to the former Marquis of Yong'an and has nothing to do with the current one.
"Very well, since you gentlemen think so highly of me, I will give it a try. I hope the Second Prince will cherish the opportunity given to him by the court and turn back from the wrong path as soon as possible!"
Shen Lanxi nodded and continued the discussion.
"Yesterday I was assassinated. It has now been determined that those assassins were all from the Southwest Army. I beg the Prince of Zhennan to give me an explanation!"
The officials' eyelids twitched; these two, king against king, had finally faced off.
Zhou Ruyuan immediately frowned: "Impossible. Most of the Southwest Army is stationed on the border. Without the imperial order, they will not move without permission. The city's guards are only a few of my personal guards from the Southwest. The rest are the original soldiers and newly recruited soldiers."
Shen Lanxi curled her lips into a cold smile: "They said they were ordered by the princess of your household to assassinate me!"
The entire court was in uproar!
Shen Lanxi is known for being vengeful. The Prince of Zhennan and his consort made her lose face so badly, how could she not seek revenge?
Doesn't she feel bad watching the two of them being inseparable every day?
Of course, they'll look for an opportunity to get revenge, and now they've finally found it.
This incident reveals that Shen Lanxi is not only vindictive but also petty and vengeful.
"Impossible! The Princess rarely even leaves the mansion. How could she possibly allow someone to assassinate you? Besides, she can't mobilize either the Southwest Army or the City Guard. Without my order, who would dare to give her so many men at once!"
Zhou Ruyuan didn't believe it. Although Qingling was good at strategizing, she was always very clear-headed about important matters and would not make such a simplistic mistake.
Shen Lanxi lowered her voice: "Those people said they were the Southwest Army that Bai Qingling had placed outside. Prince Zhennan, if the testimony is true, this is raising a private army."
The imperial court stipulated that officials with meritorious titles and ranks could maintain their own personal guards, though there were limits on the number they could maintain. Maintaining a private army was absolutely forbidden. To do so was considered treason!
Zhou Ruyuan immediately retorted loudly: "It's fake! The testimony is fake! Someone must be trying to frame my Zhennan Prince's Mansion!"
Shen Lanxi: "This case has been handed over to the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice for joint investigation. Prince Zhennan, this matter concerns you, so you should recuse yourself. Do you have any objections to my arrangement?"
Zhou Ruyuan looked coldly at Shen Lanxi, and seeing that she had arranged for someone else to handle the case, he began to feel uneasy.
Could it be that what Shen Lanxi said is true?
If it really was Qingling who did it, then she has truly ruined the Zhennan Prince's Mansion.
Shen Lanxi: "There's one more thing. The two envoys sent by the rebel king can be arranged to leave the city. If it weren't for the principle of not killing envoys during wartime, they would definitely not have left alive!"
Zhou Ruyuan's mind was completely focused on Bai Qingling's command of the Southwest Army to assassinate Shen Lanxi. Hearing her say this, he was momentarily distracted and didn't take it to heart.
"My lords, if you have something to say, please speak; otherwise, the court is adjourned!"
The officials remained silent, then Wang Bao raised his voice: "Court adjourned!"
The small cabinet was completely silent.
Previously, they considered themselves regents and looked down on Shen Lanxi, wanting to kick her out of the court. Unexpectedly, Shen Lanxi became the regent in the blink of an eye, ranking one level above them.
Judging from the situation at court today, their small cabinet will soon exist in name only.
"Prime Minister!"
"Lord Liu~"
"Grand Tutor~"
"Today in the imperial court, Shen Lanxi was arrogant and domineering, wielding absolute power and utterly disgracing us men. We cannot let this go!"
"Shen Lanxi is definitely plotting a rebellion. It's one thing for a woman to show her face in public and serve as an official, but she actually wants to control the court. It's like a hen crowing at dawn, turning the world upside down!"
"We must work together to drive her out of the court..."
"Your Excellencies, why are you all silent?" The officials were in a panic, but none of the three regents, whom they used to regard as the weathervane and follow their lead, uttered a sound.
Wu Yanzhi sneered: "What did you say? Can't you see? The Great Zhou is about to be thrown into chaos!"
"Prime Minister, you mustn't be alarmist!" the official shouted.
"Whether it's alarmist or not, just ask the other two officials and you'll know!" Wu Yanzhi sat down with a gloomy face, constantly calculating in his mind.
"Grand Tutor, you are the cornerstone of the court. You must stand up and drive Shen Lanxi out of the court. We will all obey your orders!"
Mei Nanhua scoffed, laughing at the officials for not seeing the current situation clearly.
"A war is about to break out, and you're still only concerned about petty gains. Your lives are about to be lost, and you're still concerned about Shen Lanxi's status as a woman. Not one of you women can understand this!"
The official whose name was mentioned looked pale and then flushed.
Liu Mingxin sighed deeply: "His Majesty's health is clearly in serious danger!"
The officials remained silent, all looking at the three regents, waiting for them to take charge.
"The most important thing is to confirm whether His Majesty is still in good health. We need to see His Majesty and find out whether the imperial edict conferring the title of prince was issued by His Majesty!"
The courtiers nodded in unison.
If His Majesty is well, then their pressure on Shen Lanxi is wrong. If something really happens to His Majesty, then they are calling for a rescue—two different concepts.
One is a great sin, the other a great merit.
"We still need to find out about His Majesty's whereabouts!" Liu Mingxin made the final decision.
Wu Yanzhi and Mei Nanhua both nodded, and that very day they mobilized their power and connections to begin gathering information about the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
They easily discovered news about Emperor Renxiao.
"His Majesty has been poisoned by the Empress. Is the Qi family plotting a rebellion?"
"I think Her Majesty the Empress wanted to become the Empress Dowager. Luckily, she was discovered."
"What's so good about it? His Majesty has been poisoned, and by green silkworms no less. Have you forgotten how the late Empress died?"
The most deadly thing is this poison; there is no antidote!
The news quickly reached Zhou Ruyuan's ears, but unfortunately, he was already overwhelmed with problems, and the news did not make him happy; instead, it made him even more irritable.
"It seems that one of Shen Lanxi's subordinates has a deep understanding of the poisons of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect?" Zhou Ruyuan's eyes flashed, a cold light flickering within them.
Could it be that Shen Lanxi poisoned Father Emperor? No, if it really was Shen Lanxi who poisoned him, the Empress would never confess.
If only he could get information from the inner palace, his mother would surely know the inside story.
"Your Highness, the Princess Consort has been taken away by people from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review."
Zhou Ruyuan's face instantly darkened.
"Weren't you supposed to be questioned within the manor? Why are you being taken out?"
The guard was at a loss for words.
Zhou Ruyuan hurried to the backyard.
People from the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice were escorting Bai Qingling out of the courtyard.
"Your Highness, save me! I'm innocent! Someone is trying to frame me!"
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