Chapter 264 Impeaching the Crown Prince
The emperor had been waiting for Gu Jin to say this, and seeing that he was quite sensible, he immediately nodded in satisfaction.
“The Crown Princess is indeed at fault. She shall be moved to the Imperial Ancestral Temple on a chosen date and may return to the Crown Prince’s residence only after she has completed a thousand volumes of the Precepts for Women.”
The emperor's punishment was described as severe, but it lacked any real repercussions. Yet, it was also described as mild, since copying those thousand scrolls would take until next year.
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."
The Crown Prince and the Duke of Anguo thanked the Emperor at the same time. Just when the Crown Prince thought the matter was over and was about to stand up, the Emperor roared and brought the Crown Prince back to reality.
"Your Highness, do you know your mistake?"
The ministers present fell silent at this. Even those who were originally part of the Crown Prince's faction began to question whether they should continue to follow him.
"Your subject was wrong!"
The crown prince naturally didn't think he was really wrong, but since his father had asked, it was always right to admit his mistake, regardless of whether he was right or wrong.
Seeing the Crown Prince's meek and submissive demeanor, even though the Emperor was still angry with him, he couldn't bring himself to be ruthless.
"The Crown Prince has acted recklessly and excessively. He is hereby confined to the Crown Prince's residence from this day forward and is not allowed to leave without permission."
"Thank you, Father Emperor."
Suddenly, the crown prince stopped acting foolishly and became humble and polite, making the emperor feel as if he had punched cotton.
"Alright, Grand Secretary Yun and the other cabinet ministers, please stay. The rest of you may adjourn the court!"
The emperor looked exhausted, and upon hearing this, everyone naturally left.
Only after they arrived at the Emperor's Hall of Diligent Governance did Yun Yichen slowly speak, "Your Majesty, what matters do you wish to discuss with us?"
Yun Yichen already knew the truth in his heart, but he had to pretend that he didn't understand anything.
The cabinet ministers were all aware of the situation, but none of them spoke out, after all, the emperor still had to save face.
"You all saw it in the main hall just now, my dear ministers. I am really worried about the Crown Prince's appearance!" The Emperor said with a look of disappointment.
"Your Majesty is overthinking it. His Highness the Crown Prince is an exceptional individual, and he has always been conscientious and responsible. Even if he has made some minor mistakes, as long as he corrects them, he will surely be able to help Your Majesty promote the prestige of our Great Zhou Dynasty in the future."
The speaker was a newly appointed cabinet member. Having become accustomed to flattery in his previous position, he simply used the same old tactics.
"Oh? You mean the Crown Prince's mistake is not serious?"
The emperor would normally be pleased to hear such words, but today was different. The crown prince's behavior had aroused his suspicion, and this person's attempt to flatter him had backfired spectacularly.
"I believe that His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent of our Great Zhou Dynasty, so it is only natural for him to make mistakes."
The minister had a bad feeling, but the words had already been spoken. If he denied it now, the emperor would look down on him.
After years of hard work to finally break into the cabinet, he naturally wants to keep his position.
Little did he know that from the moment he opened his mouth, his position as a cabinet minister was already in jeopardy.
Before Yun Yichen could speak, he tried to guess the emperor's thoughts, but he guessed wrong. Neither of the two people would allow him to stay any longer.
"Your Majesty, I have a suggestion."
Yun Yichen finally made a move. He stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting to the emperor, and then glanced at the minister.
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