The civil and military officials, who were hastily lining up, were about to arrive when they unexpectedly saw the retired emperor and the emperor's concubines, including unmarried princesses, all heading towards the Fengxian Hall.
That place is no ordinary place; it's where the ancestors of the Zhu family are enshrined.
Just then, several princes arrived in haste, those who lived near the capital or were too young to leave the palace. They were all summoned; what major event had occurred?
Many people are confused and worried, as it seems something big is about to happen.
After the whipping ended, the civil and military officials lined up and walked towards the Fengtian Hall. Old Zhu coughed, indicating that since the emperor and empress wanted to put on an act, they should stop trying to cheat and should kneel properly now, otherwise the performance would be less effective.
As Yu Xin walked towards the Fengtian Hall with his colleagues, his legs suddenly went weak. If it weren't for the urgent matter of holding court, he would still be kneeling at the Meridian Gate.
But now, he saw the retired emperor sitting on the dragon throne. And the emperor and empress were kneeling!
It wasn't just Yu Xin whose legs went weak; many civil and military officials felt their legs tremble and their hearts pound. The fact that the Emperor Emeritus was willing to punish the Emperor and Empress in such a way meant it was an extremely serious matter, and it would be virtually impossible for anyone else to have an easy time at this moment.
Everyone was trembling with fear. Having just finished their formal procession, they'd better kneel down quickly. Even the Emperor and Empress were kneeling; anyone else daring to stand at this moment, needing no further explanation, would likely face dethronement or imprisonment.
Sitting on the dragon throne, Emperor Zhu looked at the kneeling civil and military officials and said in a cold voice, "Do you know why we make the emperor and empress kneel?"
Who knows? Even if they did, they wouldn't dare speak up at this moment. That's the retired emperor, dressed in solemn court robes!
The Fengtian Hall was deathly silent; you could practically hear a pin drop. The only sounds were breathing and, for the more timid, swallowing. The pounding of one's heart was something only one could hear.
"The Emperor was raised by our Empress Dowager and has always been kept in Kunning Palace." Old Zhu pointed to Little Zhu lying on the ground and began to scold, "I remember years ago, someone submitted a memorial saying that we, the Empress Dowager and I, should not have taken him to Kunning Palace to be raised. Our Empress Dowager favored him, and I guess many people know that. When she passed away, the one she cared about the most was the Emperor."
The civil and military officials knelt even more obediently. The retired emperor was furious and was reprimanding the emperor mercilessly.
"The Empress is our imperial wife. She was married with proper ceremony and a grand wedding procession. She is a daughter-in-law of the Zhu family!" Old Zhu continued, pointing to Xu Miaoqing. "Over the years, she has been virtuous and kind, and she has given our emperor an heir and a crown prince for our Ming Dynasty."
Xu Miaoqing, kneeling in reverence, was secretly delighted. Her grandfather, though seemingly scolding her, had actually showered her with praise. Most importantly, he reiterated the young Zhu Guoben's status, making it difficult for the emperor to change the heir apparent should the future be approached.
At this point, Old Zhu continued, "Our Empress Dowager loved the people the most, and her posthumous title was Xiaoci. Why is that? It's because she was filial to her elders and loved the people! When she passed away, I remember that many people in Yingtian Prefecture went to her funeral. The whole prefecture was covered in white mourning clothes and the sound of weeping was deafening. I think that even if some people respected her status as Empress, there must have been some people who were genuinely crying."
Old Zhu suddenly raised his voice and roared, "When she was alive, she was reluctant to eat or dress well, only thinking about how the people could have more to eat and drink and stay warm! She pitied the families of the students at the Imperial Academy who lacked necessities, and even had princesses and concubines doing needlework. We want to ask, what was the Ministry of Revenue doing? The Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Academy, what exactly were you doing?!"
Yu Xin's vision went black; he was doomed.
The emperor hadn't seemed to be making a move before; it turns out he was waiting here.
The Empress fired the first shot, and now the Emperor Emeritus has stepped forward. Yu Xin feels that his career has definitely come to an end. He shouldn't think about anything else now; his only hope is to protect his family.
Suddenly, the young prince standing in front of the dragon throne burst into tears.
The flustered emperor picked up the young prince, snorted coldly, and stormed off.
Zhu Yunying was secretly delighted. This whole family were actors, and none of them were easy to deal with!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
