"What have I done to make you so nervous and furious?" Fang Zhonglian sneered, "I just want to meet your majesty in person to verify whether the so-called passing of the throne to the third prince is true. If it is really your majesty's will, I have been devoted to you in the past. I will also be devoted to the new emperor in the future. Besides, when a new emperor ascends the throne, he always holds the imperial edict of the previous emperor. Now Prince Rong wants to ascend the throne with just a mere oral order. Although the civil and military officials in the court don't say it, who doesn't have doubts in their hearts? It's time for your majesty to speak out and prove Prince Rong's innocence. Why did your joint request become a target of criticism in the mouth of the right prime minister?"
"Fang Zhonglian, stop talking nonsense! Everyone in the court knows that you are good at confusing right and wrong." Zhao Changrong shouted back. "If Prince Rong really wanted to usurp the throne, how could His Majesty be alive at this moment? Why would Prince Rong dare to sit on the throne just based on a mere oral order? It shows that Prince Rong is upright!"
"Since you are upright, why not let us old ministers meet His Majesty?" Fang Zhonglian said slowly. He knelt on the ground again. He kowtowed to Zhong Mingzheng who was sitting on the throne. "Please allow me, Your Highness!"
"The His Majesty is seriously ill and has been in a coma until now. Even if you see him, you cannot talk to him." Zhou Youan glared at Fang Zhonglian below.
"Oh? Isn't this General Zhou, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard?" Fang Zhonglian raised his head and stared at Zhou Youan with his dim eyes. He said calmly, "It seems that the Imperial Guard is now used by Prince Rong, but I don't understand. Since His Majesty is unconscious, where did General Zhou get the imperial order to lead the Imperial Guard to join Prince Rong? Please explain clearly, General Zhou."
As soon as Fang Zhonglian said this, the court officials began to discuss in low voices again. The Imperial Guards were the Emperor's trusted army, and the Emperor's life and property were in the charge of the Imperial Guards. Naturally, the Imperial Guards only obeyed the Emperor. However, Zhou Youan kept saying that the Emperor was in a coma, but at the same time he joined the army of Prince Rong. It was obvious that things were not as simple as Prince Rong said.
Zhou Youan was questioned in public by Fang Zhonglian, and he felt very embarrassed. In addition, the civil and military officials were talking about it non-stop at this time. He was very uneasy, and his face turned red and white. He was speechless for a while and could not say anything.
"It's true that the Imperial Guards only obey His Majesty, but now that His Majesty has ordered the throne to be passed to Prince Rong, is there anything wrong with the Imperial Guards obeying the new emperor?" Ling Shi'an glanced coldly at Zhou You'an and said to the ministers who were talking below.
"But I clearly remember that His Majesty has handed over the power of commanding the Imperial Guards to Prince An. How come Zhou Youan dared to bypass Prince An and directly join Prince Rong's army?" Fang Zhonglian shook his head and said, "I just can't figure it out. Please ask General Ling to solve this puzzle for me."
"Prince An? A cripple like that is qualified to lead the Imperial Guards?" Ling Shi'an said coldly, and raised his head sarcastically, "Last night, His Majesty's condition suddenly worsened. This was the time for the princes to show their filial piety by his bedside, but Prince An quietly escaped from the capital at this time. His Majesty is already disgusted with such an unfilial son, so how could he allow him to continue to lead the Imperial Guards?"
"Then I have another question. What happened that forced the disabled Prince An, who lives in seclusion, to flee the capital overnight?" Fang Zhonglian frowned and said, "General Ling, do you know?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
