As soon as Hu Tianyong started crying, Lan Shanyang immediately frowned.
This is a tactic that Hu Tianyong often uses, much like how, in the past, a subject would first weep and issue an edict of self-reproach before admitting guilt.
In the past, Lan Shanyang would have comforted Hu Tianyong with this expression, but today Lan Shanyang was in such a bad mood that he had no intention of comforting Hu Tianyong at all.
"Hu Tianyong! Heaven is not dead, I am not dead, what are you crying for!" Lan Shanyang suddenly shouted, cutting off Hu Tianyong's crying.
The ferocious expression on his face showed absolutely no sign of tolerance.
Hu Tianyong's voice gradually stopped.
"Tell me, why are you crying?"
Hu Tianyong quickly wiped away his tears, knelt on the ground, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, this old minister is crying because I truly feel indignant on Your Majesty's behalf. Your Majesty works tirelessly every day, yet in the end, you are the subject of such gossip. How can this old minister not weep for such injustice?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Ming immediately cursed Hu Tianyong viciously in his heart.
That old man is really too much. He wants to flatter the emperor, but he blames all the mistakes on the madwoman Xu Jinlan. He is utterly despicable.
However, to Xu Ming's surprise, Lan Shanyang did not appreciate Hu Tianyong's kindness at all this time, and the expression on her face did not improve in the slightest.
"Whether I am wronged or not is none of your business! The history books of future generations will naturally leave me with a clear record. I ask you now, are all the officials in Jiangnan truly innocent? Have those officials you personally selected served me well?"
Upon hearing this, Hu Tianyong immediately raised his head indignantly to look at Lan Shanyang: "Your Majesty, since ancient times, to catch a thief, you must find the evidence; to catch an adulterer, you must find the two of them. This Consort Xu is merely spouting nonsense; Your Majesty must not believe her. Jiangnan has always been a major tax-paying region, and in recent years, the amount of taxes paid has increased compared to the past. This is of course inseparable from the contributions of the officials in Jiangnan. Although I cannot guarantee that everyone is completely incorruptible, to say that everyone has done something wrong and incurred the wrath of Heaven and the resentment of the people would truly be a miscarriage of justice! Although I cannot guarantee the innocence of all the officials in Jiangnan, I can certainly vouch for their loyalty to Your Majesty."
"Loyalty?" Lan Shanyang sneered when he heard these two words: "Whose loyalty is this? Is it loyalty to you, the Prime Minister, or loyalty to me? You know better than I do!"
Upon hearing this, Hu Tianyong immediately knelt down and kowtowed, "Your Majesty's words have made me utterly ashamed! How could I dare to..."
Before Hu Tianyong could finish speaking, Lan Shanyang waved his hand impatiently: "You don't need to complain to me at a time like this! I know better than you who these people truly care about! Take Jiang Ming for example, he's a thousand times more sincere to you, but he has not a shred of sincerity towards me! Humph!"
Hu Tianyong knew that Lan Shanyang was still upset about Jiang Ming coming to see him first instead of the Emperor, so he repeatedly protested his innocence: "Your Majesty! Although Lord Jiang did not come to see me directly after arriving in the capital, it was only because he was momentarily confused and thought that he would not dare to disturb Your Majesty by entering the palace late at night, so he went to see his teacher first! There is really nothing else between me and Lord Jiang! Your Majesty!"
Lan Shanyang looked at Hu Tianyong with a gaze as sharp as a falcon's.
"Hmph, Hu Tianyong, you don't need to say anything more for Jiang Ming! I'm not a three-year-old child, letting you spout nonsense and distort the truth in front of me! I know what Jiang Ming said to you. He just wanted to cover up all the dirty deeds in Jiangnan and make my son take the blame! Your tricks might fool others, but if you want to fool me, it won't be so easy!"
After saying that, Lan Shanyang seemed not to want to look at Hu Tianyong at all. He turned his head, pointed at Xu Ming, and said loudly, "Xu Ming! I ask you, how does your daughter know so much about the affairs of the court while she is in the palace?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Ming immediately bowed his head and kowtowed: "Your Majesty! This old minister truly does not know how Her Majesty knows about matters of the court! This old minister has never uttered a single word to her! Moreover, since the Prince returned, this old minister has been confined to his quarters and has not seen Her Majesty at all. Therefore, Your Majesty, this minister has no idea where Her Majesty heard those words from!"
Lan Shanyang narrowed his eyes instantly: "So, according to you, Xu Jinlan really saw the Empress's ghost, which is why she knows so much about the court?"
At this point, Lan Shanyang's eyes swept over the two of them, then he slowly stood up from his chair, walked to their side, and chuckled softly from his elevated position.
Hu Tianyong and Xu Ming immediately felt the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.
"Xu Jinlan said that Hu Qianyu was killed by the Empress's affair? Do you think this is true?"
Hu Tianyong and Xu Ming exchanged a glance instinctively, then immediately shook their heads.
"Yes, you all say no! That's what I think too! Otherwise, even if Mei Ying's ghost really hasn't left, why didn't she go to Lord Xu, who slaughtered her entire family back then, but instead went to Hu Qianyu? That doesn't make sense, does it?"
Lan Shanyang's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, but cold sweat instantly broke out on the backs of Hu Tianyong and Xu Ming.
"Your Majesty! The former Empress..."
"I have only one Empress! There has never been a front or back!"
Before Hu Tianyong could finish speaking, Lan Shanyang interrupted him sharply.
Hu Tianyong nodded weakly, "Yes! Her Majesty the Empress has been gone for many years. For Consort Xu to bring up this matter at this time is probably due to inner demons, and is merely talking nonsense. Your Majesty must not believe it!"
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