Wang Zongchu came in with two guards in iron shackles. Wang Zongchu looked at Cai You coldly and said, "Envoy Cai, shall we go?"
Cai You trembled: "I, I, I want to see His Majesty."
"Take him away!" Wang Zongchu shouted, and the Privy Council officials shuddered. Two guards put iron shackles around Cai You's neck, and Cai You obediently stood up.
Wang Zongchu had recently noticed a phenomenon. No matter how high your official rank, or how influential your background, no matter how arrogant and conceited you might be, once these iron shackles were placed on your head, you would become as submissive as a sheep. This was true of Cai Jing, Tong Guan, and Wang Fu. Now, even Cai You was obedient and followed along, completely devoid of his former arrogance and complacency.
The eunuch who announced the decree was named Li Cheng. As he finished reading the imperial edict, the Privy Council officials rose to their feet. Their faces were filled with fear, terrified by this emperor's swift and unpredictable character. Everyone felt a sense of unease. Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, no emperor had ever been so violent. It seemed that officials would need to be cautious in their future endeavors.
When the eunuch Li Cheng, the decree announcer, approached Zheng Zhonghe, the official in charge of the Privy Council, he was terrified, like a hen about to be slaughtered. The emperor's might was unpredictable, and he feared a catastrophe was imminent.
Li Cheng pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and said in a sharp, slow voice, "Mr. Zheng, this is the emperor's decree appointing Zhan Yunpeng as a sword-bearing guard. Do you think your Privy Council should stamp and sign it?"
Zheng Zhonghe wiped the sweat off his face and took the imperial edict tremblingly: "It should be signed. I will stamp it right away." His steps were unsteady and he wiped the sweat off his face as he walked.
Li Cheng said coldly, "The emperor also said that your Privy Council is the core of the court. To maintain the stability of the Song Dynasty, as long as you work diligently and are loyal to the Song Dynasty, the country, and the emperor, the emperor will not forget you loyal ministers. However, if anyone is as arrogant and domineering as the vegetable envoy, discusses state affairs, deceives His Majesty, and harms our country, I will definitely not forgive you!"
None of the officials dared to say a word of dissent. They all knelt down in unison: "Long live our emperor, long live our emperor, long live our emperor!"
Wang Zongchu was the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Guard, several ranks lower than the Privy Councilor, and Cai You had always looked down on him. In Cai You's eyes, Wang Zongchu was a stubborn blockhead who remained unmoved despite his repeated attempts to win him over. Therefore, Cai You usually spoke coldly to him.
Cai You had a strong desire for power. He was willing to turn against his father, Cai Jing, and even kill his half-brother in order to gain fame and fortune. He knew that Cai Jing was domineering and had offended many people. Relying on the favor of the retired emperor, others dared not speak out against Cai Jing, but Cai You knew that if his father continued like this, he would eventually meet his end. So he later turned against Cai Jing, for which he won praise from many officials. So he dared to reject Zhao Huan's imperial edict in order to make the world think that he was loyal to the emperor. However, he did not realize that he had flattered the wrong person. The personality of this emperor Zhao Huan was completely different from that of the previous crown prince Zhao Huan.
Cai You had worked hard for half his life, hoping to rise to a high position in the officialdom. Now that he was a prisoner, how could he not regret it? He looked at Wang Zongchu walking in front of him, and his temper disappeared.
"Lord Wang, please plead with His Majesty. I know I was wrong. This expedition to Liao was commanded by Tong Guan, and my words carry little weight. I have reminded Tong Guan several times not to underestimate the enemy, but Tong Guan is too ambitious to listen."
Wang Zongchu looked back at him with a hint of ridicule: "Master Cai, do you know what Tong Guan said when he chopped off his head?"
Cai You shook his head.
Wang Zongchu laughed and said, "Before Tong Guan died, he said, 'Lord Wang, please plead with His Majesty. Tong Guan knows he was wrong. This expedition to Liao was commanded by Cai You, who relied on the favor of the retired emperor. Tong Guan reminded him several times not to underestimate the enemy, but Cai You was too ambitious and didn't listen.' What Tong Guan said is exactly the same as what you said. You people are all too smart, and your cleverness backfires. The current emperor looks frivolous, but he knows everything in his heart. With such a wise ruler, our Song Dynasty is saved. Cai You, let me tell you, even if you don't withhold His Majesty's handwritten order, His Majesty will still execute you. I think you should spend your life in prison reflecting on the bad things you have done that have harmed the country and the people."
Wang Zongchu was usually a man of few words, and he was truly delighted to have captured Cai You today. He approached Cai You and said, "I've heard from your majesty that this man will go to hell after his death. There's a King of Hell in Hell. Currently, the King of Hell is Bao Zheng, the late emperor's minister. You know Bao Heizi, he's selfless and impartial. When you go down, Lord Cai, what do you think Bao Heizi will do to judge you? Hahahaha..."
Cai You's legs immediately became as weak as deflated balls, and he couldn't even stand steadily. Wang Zongchu meant that the emperor was going to chop him off.
"Hey, Lord Cai. Why are you so weak? You two, hold him up." Wang Zongchu's last words were to the two guards beside him. The two guards carried Cai You, who was as thin as a noodle, to the sky prison.
Zhao Huan's wanderings outside the palace yielded a wealth of results. First, he met the renowned Li Shishi, a woman of unparalleled beauty. However, Li Shishi was already his father's type. Moreover, with his own lack of refinement, poetry, or painting, he had little in common with Li Shishi.
I had just ascended the throne and hadn't taken any concubines yet. But looking at the beauties in Zhao Ji's harem, none of them had the same temperament as Li Shishi. Thinking of this, I felt a pity.
Another reason is that he accepted Zhan Yunpeng, a martial arts master. In the future, when he goes out to the palace, he will have such a master by his side. He will not have to worry about being beaten when he bullies men and women or teases decent women.
The six thieves have been apprehended, and Cai You has also been dealt with. Qian Tong will be dealt with at tomorrow's morning court session, and the remaining ministers are now locked in. The next step is to rectify military discipline. The Imperial Guards are neglectful of combat, and we don't know if they can withstand the Jin invaders' attack.
Don't think the emperor is so carefree; he has to review memorials from all over the country himself. Zhao Huan finished his political affairs and then thought of the queen. When he was well fed and well clothed, he thought of sex. Thinking of the queen's gentle smile and the unspeakable things, Zhao Huan became shamefully evil.
"Cao Dongsheng, Dongsheng. Where the hell have you been?"
Cao Dongsheng and his men had grown accustomed to this eccentric emperor. Zhao Huan's personality actually made Cao Dongsheng feel at ease. At least the fear of being with a tiger was gone. Cao Dongsheng had discovered the emperor's endearing qualities. As long as he didn't do anything that would disrupt the government, and if he was a little lazy in his service, the new emperor wouldn't do anything to him. At most, he'd scold him a few times and give him a couple of kicks.
"Your Majesty, I'm here." Cao Dongsheng ran over happily.
"Let's go to the Queen. I miss her, not just miss her, I miss her very much!"
Alas, the sages taught the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues. How could they say it so bluntly? This emperor is so shameless.
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