Chu Qianchen had said something similar before, but did not act in the end. The emperor just thought that Chu Qianchen was threatening him. He never expected that she would open the door so suddenly that no one else in the room could stop her.
Outside the gate, all the ministers, headed by the Prime Minister, were facing the gate, some kneeling, some standing, some whispering, with different expressions. At a glance, most of the ministers kneeling on the ground to make remonstrances were military generals, while the civil officials were still cautiously watching the situation.
The moment the door of the imperial study opened, the eyes of everyone outside instantly rushed in, taking in the chaos in the room.
The room was in a mess. Chu Lingxiao was kneeling on the ground in a miserable state. Behind the imperial desk, the emperor had a gloomy look and was furious.
On the contrary, Princess Chen had cold eyes, an arrogant air, and was calm and composed, looking superior.
There was silence inside and outside the door, as if time had stopped at that moment.
This scene made all the ministers outside the imperial study confused. They all had the same question in their hearts: what on earth is going on?! Duke Mu's eyes moved slightly, and he secretly sighed that his granddaughter was really extraordinary.
In the imperial study, there are the emperor, the crown prince and Kang Hongda. These three people have tremendous power and everyone is in awe of them. However, when facing them, the granddaughter is not at all inferior in momentum and even has a slight advantage over them.
Even though he didn't know what happened behind closed doors, Duke Mu could guess that his granddaughter had not suffered any loss.
Duke Mu was much more calm and decided to wait and see what would happen, lest he make things worse and ruin his granddaughter's plans.
Chu Qianchen saw Su Mubai kneeling among the generals at a glance and exchanged glances with him quickly.
She smiled leisurely, turned her gaze to the emperor, and said in an upright manner: "Your Majesty, please ask the adults to judge and see whether the emperor is framing us or our prince is really plotting treason?!"
Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, and her pronunciation was clear, so every word was heard clearly by everyone present.
The atmosphere outside the imperial study became a little strange, and all the ministers were shocked.
The emperor ordered the Jinyiwei to surround Prince Chen's mansion more than an hour ago and summoned Kang Hongda to the palace. Although no one knew the reason, they guessed that this matter was of great importance.
It turned out that the emperor suspected Prince Chen of treason! On the one hand, the ministers suddenly realized what was going on, but on the other hand, they also felt that it was as expected. After all, everyone knew that the emperor was afraid of Prince Chen's powerful army.
but--
Princess Chen was definitely the first one who dared to say in front of the emperor that he was framing her.
The ministers had complicated expressions and the military generals were filled with indignation, thinking that the emperor must have framed them.
The emperor's face darkened even more. He felt as if he had been slapped in the face by Chu Qianchen in front of all these court officials and nobles. His face was burning.
Duke Mu acted decisively and was the first to speak: "Your Majesty, the crime of treason is very serious. Please investigate it thoroughly!"
Immediately, several generals echoed:
"Your Majesty, Duke Mu is right."
"Treason is a serious crime. We cannot rely on the words of one person alone. The three courts should hold a joint trial and conduct a thorough investigation!"
"I hope Your Majesty will investigate and clear the Prince's name!"
“…”
As the generals spoke, their tone changed, and they almost said that someone was slandering and framing Gu Jue! The muscles on the emperor's cheeks were tense, and his eyes were filled with deep anger and unwillingness.
Chu Qianchen walked out of the imperial study, bowed to the Prime Minister, and said, "Prime Minister Zhang, I have heard that you are upright, kind, knowledgeable and talented..."
Chu Qianchen calmly praised Prime Minister Zhang with many flattering words, but the more she praised him, the more unsure Prime Minister Zhang felt. He had been an official in the court for decades, so how could he not know that Princess Chen was praising him first and then criticizing him?
Prime Minister Zhang smiled bitterly to himself, his face still calm, with a bit of aloofness as a Prime Minister, and nodded, "Princess, you are too kind."
The emperor's eyes fell on the letter in Chu Qianchen's hand, and his expression became more and more tense.
Seeing Chu Qianchen turning over the letter in his hand, the emperor became anxious. This matter must end in the imperial study and cannot be made any bigger.
Otherwise, he, the Emperor of Great Qi, would become a real joke!
The emperor clenched his right fist suddenly, and finally couldn't hold back any longer. He spoke before Chu Qianchen could, "Marquis Yongding is so bold that he slandered Prince Chen and Prince Nanyang for treason in order to gain merit. I have already investigated this matter. Today, I summoned Princess Chen to the palace to reassure her and not to panic."
The emperor's words sounded high-sounding and righteous.
“…”
“…”
“…”
The whole room was silent, and the atmosphere changed subtly.
All the civil and military officials present were stunned, except Chu Lingxiao, whose heart was chilled as ice. It seemed as if all the strength in his body was drained away, and he almost collapsed like a ball of mud.
Kang Hongda paused with the folding fan in his hand. He wanted to stop the emperor, but the emperor spoke too fast and he could not find the opportunity to interrupt him. Speaking carelessly would only embarrass the emperor.
It's too late.
Kang Hongda sighed in his heart, the emperor was really too impulsive.
It should be said that the Prince of Chen is a knot in the emperor's heart. Once things involve the Prince of Chen, the emperor cannot remain calm.
In fact, even if the evidence was forged, there might still be room for maneuver.
The emperor could completely put all the blame on Chu Lingxiao, stand on a neutral position, and take one step at a time.
But now, words have been spoken and water has been spilled, and so many people have heard it with their own ears, it is impossible for the emperor to turn against him again.
After all, the emperor first ordered the Jinyiwei to surround Prince Chen's mansion today because he suspected that Gu Jue was guilty. But now he personally told all the ministers that Prince Chen was not guilty. He can't change his words for the third time and say that Prince Chen is guilty.
The emperor's words are golden. If the emperor changes his words for the first time, it can be said that he was deceived by treacherous ministers. If he changes his words again, it means he is incompetent.
Kang Hongda couldn't help but look at Chu Qianchen who was standing next to Zhang Shoufu, with a bit of scrutiny, a bit of thought, and a bit of exploration.
The girl wearing the Nine-Di Crown stood gracefully. Under the bright sunlight, her hair was like clouds, her skin was as white as jade, and she was a beauty of national beauty.
When the autumn wind blows, her clothes flutter like a butterfly, and her graceful figure adds a bit of bright charm.
This fourteen-year-old girl was in an important position in the imperial palace. Facing the emperor and the prime minister, she was too calm and composed, in sharp contrast to her father Chu Lingxiao.
The reason why the situation has developed to this point is because of her.
Kang Hongda had to wonder, from the moment he entered the Imperial Study, were Chu Qianchen's every move calculated in advance? If that was the case, this young Princess Chen was not only bold, but also thoughtful. Moreover, she had to understand the Emperor's temperament and personality very well, so that she could guide the Emperor's thoughts step by step with words, anticipate the Emperor's reaction, and then force him to the current situation, clearing herself and the Palace of Prince Chen clean.
To achieve this, one's ability to adapt to changing circumstances and read people's expressions is tested. It is definitely not something that the Prince Chen asked her to do by memorizing some words in advance. Just like Chu Lingxiao, who was extremely stupid and was being used by others without knowing it, and the lies she made up were full of mistakes and omissions.
Not simple, this Princess Chen is really not simple.
Kang Hongda fanned his folding fan again, his eyebrows and eyes slanted, and a few eerie lights flowed in his eyes.
The emperor made the worst move possible and he never regretted it.
Kang Hongda withdrew his gaze from Chu Qianchen and looked at Chu Lingxiao who was kneeling on the ground and staggering.
His eyes darkened, and he thought to himself: How can this father and daughter be father and daughter? They are clearly enemies! Chu Qianchen is obviously Chu Lingxiao's biological daughter. Counting the days, she has only been married for less than two months.
After what happened today, not only Chu Lingxiao's future is ruined, but also the Chu family. As long as the current emperor is in power, the Chu family will have no future.
For the benefit of Prince Chen, she was so cruel that she pushed her own father into a pit of eternal damnation.
Could it be that the Prince of Chen used the same tactics he used to train his assassins on this Princess of Chen? !
Kang Hongda pondered quietly, with a hint of interest in his smile.
Kang Hongda seemed to be staying out of the matter, but Crown Prince Gu Nanjin could not just sit back and watch.
He felt helpless. He had clearly advised the emperor not to act rashly...
Gu Nanjin felt like a nobody, and a strong feeling of fatigue surged up from the bottom of his heart.
It's so difficult for him to be a prince...
"Ninth Aunt," no matter what he thought in his heart, on the surface, Gu Nanjin still pulled himself together and gave the emperor a way out as if nothing had happened, "Father has already found out the truth."
Gu Nanjin just wanted to make a big thing small, a small thing nothing, and suppress this matter as soon as possible.
For the first time, the emperor felt satisfied with the prince, and urged him to say a few more words with his eyes. He really couldn't bring himself to ask for peace with a little girl like Chu Qianchen.
6◇9◇Book◇Bar
It’s a pity that Chu Qianchen didn’t want the emperor to get his wish so easily.
Chu Qianchen narrowed his phoenix eyes, like a lazy and cunning cat.
She stroked the letter paper in her hand with her slender fingers twice, tilted her face, and said doubtfully: "But didn't the emperor just say that the prince colluded with Prince Qin to rebel?"
"The prince is not in the capital, so the emperor can do whatever he wants. The only people who bully Prince Chen's mansion are women and children."
She sighed softly, and her few words made all the generals present feel sympathetic.
When their military generals went on expeditions, they basically left their families in Beijing. To put it bluntly, their families were hostages in the hands of the emperor to prevent the generals from committing treason.
But even so, the emperor was still suspicious and would always suspect whether the military generals were plotting treason or whether they were holding their own troops.
Gu Nanjin: “…”
The corner of Gu Nanjin's eye twitched.
If he had not been present just now, he would probably have believed Chu Qianchen.
His Ninth Emperor Auntie dared to confront even his father and was so aggressive. Who dared to bully her? "Ninth Emperor Auntie, this is all a misunderstanding." Gu Nanjin forced a smile, "Prince Qin just sent a victory report from the northwest."
"My father was just about to issue an order to allow the Crown Prince Qin to inherit the title, so how could he suspect that the Crown Prince Qin was plotting treason... It's even more impossible for the Ninth Prince to suspect that he was plotting treason."
Gu Nanjin had dealt with Chu Qianchen once before in the Prince Chen's Mansion. He still remembered clearly how this imperial aunt, who was younger than him, worked together with the Ninth Prince to steal the Fengtai Camp from him and made him agree to allow another 30,000 Black Armored Army to station in the Beijing Camp.
His Ninth Emperor Aunt is not so easy to fool. It would be better for him to state the conditions right from the beginning. As long as he can satisfy her, she will naturally stop.
Having said that, the emperor just wanted to get rid of Chu Qianchen as soon as possible. He suppressed his resentment and immediately said, "Qin Yao discovered that Bingzhou Guards secretly communicated with Tongmi State, and sent troops to capture Bingzhou Guards General Gao Cunzhi, which was a great contribution to the country."
The last four words were spoken with gnashing teeth.
Kang Hongda: “…”
Kang Hongda put away his folding fan again, knowing that the matter was settled.
Prime Minister Zhang had just heard the good news, and when he thought about Qin Yao and Gu Jue's rebellion, he was completely confused.
Prime Minister Zhang said politely, "Your Majesty, please forgive my stupidity."
Not only the Prime Minister, but everyone else present also didn't understand what was said. The only thing they were sure of was that Chu Lingxiao was going to be in big trouble.
Gu Nanjin glanced at the emperor, whose neck veins were throbbing and who was obviously very angry.
He replied on behalf of the emperor: "The whole thing is that Yongding Hou was used by Feng Miguo!"
Gu Nanjin's thoughts raced. Since the emperor now wanted to find Qin Yao not guilty, he could not openly say that it was Qin Yao who framed Chu Lingxiao. He could only identify Feng Miguo as the culprit of the whole incident.
Chu Lingxiao's body trembled again, and this time, he finally collapsed.
He knew that everything was a foregone conclusion, his future was completely ruined, his life was ruined! Su Mubai lowered his eyes, his eyes gleaming with brilliance.
This thing has been done! Although they had already deduced all this many times, their plan could not be detailed enough to predict every reaction of the emperor and the prince, and the specific implementation still depended on the princess herself.
Every step the princess took was just right, far better than he expected! Su Mubai curled his lips.
After this introduction, Gu Nanjin's thoughts flowed more smoothly, and he continued, "The Fengmi Kingdom has been harassing our Great Qi's northwest border for many years, and has been coveting our Great Qi."
"Unfortunately, the Prince of Nanyang passed away. Feng Miguo saw the unrest in the Northwest Army and had evil intentions. He intended to frame the Prince of Nanyang for treason, shake the Northwest Army's morale, and create a rift between the Prince of Nanyang's Palace and the court. His intentions were truly sinister."
"Feng Miguo was ambitious. He not only secretly colluded with Gao Cunzhi, the general of Bingzhou Guard, but also wanted to sow discord between the Ninth Uncle and the Emperor. Fortunately, the Prince of Nanyang discovered Feng Miguo's conspiracy in time and pacified Bingzhou Guard."
"Feng Miguo was indeed cunning. Not only did he take advantage of the Marquis of Yongding, but even my father was 'almost' deceived. Fortunately, my father was very discerning and had already found out the truth, clearing the name of the Crown Prince of Nanyang and the Ninth Uncle."
What Gu Nanjin said sounded reasonable and logical, with cause and effect.
However, most of the ministers present were shrewd men who had been in the court for decades and most of them had served as important ministers of two dynasties. They had seen all kinds of storms. Some of them had already keenly realized that the prince's words were half true and half false, or even three-tenths true and seven-tenths false.
But for them, no matter what the truth is, it doesn’t matter. At least the emperor has given an explanation.
As long as the emperor, Prince Chen's Palace and Prince Nanyang's Palace can reach an agreement and keep things peaceful, it will be a good thing for the court.
Prime Minister Zhang smiled and tried to smooth things over: "Just check it out! This is a blessing for Da Qi and the country!"
These words were like thorns piercing the emperor's heart.
The emperor gritted his teeth and reluctantly followed the prince's words and said, "Qin Yao has made great contributions in defeating Fengmi State. I have considered it carefully. Now the people of Bingzhou are unstable. They will be temporarily assigned to the Nanyang Palace to stabilize the morale of the army."
"There is no doubt about the death of the King of Nanyang. A hundred days have passed and the dead cannot be resurrected. Qin Yao is the crown prince and should inherit the title."
The emperor spoke slowly, each word with difficulty.
This time, he took a big step back.
The Prince of Nanyang's Palace is a vassal state, and has held military power in the northwest for three generations. Qin Yao's generation is the fourth generation. Originally, this incident happened in the Prince of Nanyang's Palace, and the emperor wanted to take the opportunity to reduce the power of the vassal state and take back the military power in the northwest.
Therefore, regardless of whether Qin Yao really killed his father, the emperor originally did not intend to let him inherit the title.
The emperor had even decided to set up the Northwest as Liangzhou Guard and transfer a commander from the twelve guards to Liangzhou Guard to take over the Northwest Army.
Although this northwest area is remote and desolate, it is vast, including Liangzhou and some surrounding grasslands, deserts, Gobi, etc. In addition to the Da Qi people, there are also some small nomadic tribes that depend on Da Qi.
More importantly, the northwest is only separated from the north by Bingzhou. Once there is any movement in the north, the northwest will be of vital importance, so the emperor wants to take the northwest into his hands.
Now, after all this trouble, the emperor was forced to let Qin Yao continue to inherit the title. Not only that, he had to cede a large piece of land, Bingzhou, to Qin Yao, thus connecting the northwest, Bingzhou and the north together, as if a knife was pointed at the capital.
Moreover, he took the initiative to help sharpen the knife.
The emperor's heart was bleeding, as if a piece of flesh was being cut out of it.
(End of this chapter)