Chapter 345: Debate with the Ministers

Coming out of the remote palace gate, Yun Qin went straight to Tongming Palace.

Huo Jinchi did not come. This morning, he had already announced the Queen Mother's edict of repentance.

Outside the Tongming Palace, many court officials were gathering, all wanting to meet the empress dowager to confirm the authenticity of the edict of apology.

When Yun Qin and Rong Xin came over, the people outside the hall had not yet dispersed.

The leader was none other than the emperor's uncle, Duke of the State Fang Jianzhang. He looked younger than the empress dowager, and had a bit of resemblance to Hawking Chi in his brows, with a deep groove between his brows, which showed that he was a very serious person in daily life.

Next to him stood a young man with an equally serious expression and a sinister look in his eyes. He must be the current Prince Zhuguo, the Queen's brother.

This time, all the ministers who came before the throne had learned their lesson. They did not kneel before the palace but stood instead.

Seeing Yun Qin coming over, several people immediately looked at her.

Yun Qin glanced at everyone indifferently, and all the court officials had to salute Yun Qin even if they were unwilling to do so.

"No need to be so polite, my lords." Yun Qin said in a calm voice.

As for Fang and his son, they certainly would not bow to Yun Qin. By the same token, based on rank, she should bow to the Duke of Zhuguo. But she just pretended nothing happened and just glanced at them.

"Empress Zhaoyi, the emperor invites you in." Xu An had just finished reporting and came out, saying to Yun Qin.

Yun Qin nodded and was about to move away when she heard the Duke of Zhuguo say in a cold voice: "Didn't the emperor say he couldn't see anyone? How could she get in?"

"Duke, this is the emperor's intention. I am just following his orders. Why are you making things difficult for me?" Xu An said helplessly.

Zhuguogong snorted coldly, "Don't try to lie to me, old man. Go and inform the emperor. The Queen Mother is the emperor's biological mother. Now she is suffering alone in the palace, but the emperor still has the leisure to let the concubines accompany him."

As he said this, he glared at Yun Qin with a cold look, filled with disdain and contempt.

Not to mention Yun Qin, even Xu An's expression changed after hearing this. The smile on his face became a little deeper, but there was no smile in his eyes. It was just a fake smile.

"What you said is wrong, Duke. The Emperor is busy with state affairs all day long, but he just asked Empress Zhaoyi to come over to talk, but you made it sound like an unforgivable crime."

Zhuguogong snorted coldly, "Stop talking about these useless things, and report to the emperor. If he wants to see the concubine, he has to see me too!"

Xu An was about to speak, but Yun Qin held out her hand to stop him and said to Zhu Guogong, "I have met Lord Zhu Guo."

Duke Zhuguo immediately turned his head away and didn't even look at Yunqin.

Yun Qin sneered in her heart, but her expression did not change. Her voice was somewhat cold, "Why is the emperor willing to see me but not you? Perhaps I can help the Duke of Zhuguo to solve this puzzle."

"As a concubine, the emperor is willing to see me because I have done my job well and can relieve the emperor's worries and help him pass the time."

As she spoke, Yun Qin's sneer in her heart also showed on her face, "Rather, the emperor doesn't want to see you. You ministers should reflect on yourselves, whether you have done your job well, and whether you have shared the emperor's worries."

"Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to us like that!" Duke Zhuguo immediately shouted angrily.

Yun Qin snorted and laughed, "Compared to you all, the pillars of the country, I am naturally nothing. But I can do it with a clear conscience. You all look down on me, but can you?"

Her voice turned cold, revealing a bit of sternness, "The Emperor appointed you as officials so that you can sit in the government office and handle official business, not for you to stand here and kill time. If everything can be handed over to the subordinates, what's the point of having you!"

"You!" Duke Zhuguo was also furious.

He only said the word "you" before Yun Qin interrupted him, "Whatever I say, the Emperor and Empress will make the decision. Lord Zhuguo, please recognize your own status. Concubines cannot discuss state affairs. You court officials, you are the pillars of society. You are the men who look down on me, but you are imitating the gossips and meddling in the Emperor's harem. It's really laughable!"

"Vulgar, vulgar!" Duke Zhuguo held back for a long time, and could only curse again, "Who do you think you are!"

"I am a person, and the Duke of Zhuguo may be a thing." Yun Qin sneered, and glanced at the court officials who were either angry or bowed their heads. "If you are really so worried about the affairs of the harem, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to the west. You can go and purify yourself, and then you can stay in this palace."

No matter how thick-skinned these people were, their faces turned red when they were ridiculed and mocked by her.

"This is the first time in my life that I have been humiliated!"

Some people wished they could just run into a wall and die in front of the palace, but luckily they were stopped by a eunuch standing nearby.

This posture did not scare Yun Qin. She even sneered again, "You have repeatedly submitted memorials saying that I am a demon concubine. If I were as weak as you, I would have died countless times!"

It's almost like saying that they are narrow-minded and not manly.

"Let them go!" Yun Qin said to the eunuchs who were holding them, "Please do as you please. If you really die in front of this palace today, tomorrow I will post what I said to you today so that scholars all over the world can see your character and take you as role models!"

Most of these people were just pretending, and even if some of them really wanted to do so, they gave up the idea after being frightened by Yun Qin.

If he really died for the country, it would be fine, but it would not sound good to say that he wanted to commit suicide just because a concubine scolded him.

Moreover, what she said was indeed reasonable.

Seeing that the eunuchs had let go, these people stood still. Yun Qin sneered again. If they really had such character, why would they depend on the Fang family? They couldn't even walk upright, so what kind of character can they talk about!

"What do you know? Our dynasty governs the country with filial piety, and we are doing this for the foundation of the country!" Duke Zhuguo is different from these hot-headed people. The reason why Yun Qin was able to gain prominence is that he stood on the moral high ground.

Duke Zhuguo said this in order to regain the commanding heights and to justify their actions today.

Yun Qin laughed out loud this time.

Her laughter made Duke Zhuguo, who had finally calmed down, furious again, "What are you laughing at!"

Yun Qin covered her lips with a handkerchief to stop laughing, but when she spoke again, she was still smiling, "Of course it's because it's ridiculous. You officials don't carve the words 'loyalty to the emperor and love for the country' on your foreheads and keep them in mind all the time, but you have the nerve to criticize others for being filial or not."

"Isn't it funny what qualifications do you have?"

These words were like a slap in the face of everyone.

The look in Duke Zhuguo's eyes showed that he wanted to eat Yun Qin alive, but he was speechless for a long time.

Yun Qin glanced at them again, and then said to Xu An: "Let's go and see the emperor."

As he spoke, he held Rong Xin's hand and walked towards the palace door, leaving only her clear laughter. This time, these ministers really wanted to hit their heads against their bodies!