Chapter 340 Taking the initiative and showing leniency
The court officials present had no objections to the young prince appearing in the Hall of Diligent Governance, where state affairs were handled.
They all believed that Emperor Wusu, having experienced the assassination attempt, realized that the crown prince needed to be cultivated as early as possible, so he wanted to keep him by his side to participate in government affairs.
Zhao Mingyan didn't have time for pleasantries with these officials; he simply threw out a memorial.
"Look, bandits have broken out in Longzhou again. The court is in dire need of capable people right now. Who is willing to go?"
Longzhou, due to its remote location and proximity to Xijin, was easy to defend and difficult to attack, unlike the more treacherous and important northern border.
The bandits in this area have never stopped, and it's not an urgent matter, but it was brought up at this time.
Most of the old ministers who had previously cried out were now silent.
These old foxes knew perfectly well that the emperor's sudden awakening this morning and his swift and decisive punishment of Prime Minister Su were all part of the emperor's plan.
In order to expose the traitors, they took a very risky step.
Su Xiang was imprisoned in the imperial prison, and his associates are still being purged.
Now, Emperor Wusu's intention is not simply to send people to suppress the bandits, but to wipe out all of Su Fengyue's forces that had previously been established in Longzhou.
No one stepped forward to respond to Emperor Wusu's words; the hall was eerily silent.
Yuan Heng sat atop a few steps, able to observe everyone's reactions.
The way everyone bowed their heads and remained silent was a stark contrast to their earlier weeping upon entering the hall.
Yuan Heng fully understood the difficulties of being a ruler at this moment. Sitting in this position, there was no one he could rely on, and the only companion for the emperor was boundless loneliness.
Therefore, one has no choice but to be cold and hard-hearted.
Yuan Heng turned his head slightly to look at his father's reaction, but saw that Emperor Wu Su's expression remained unchanged, showing no emotion, as if he had already expected his subjects to react so timidly.
At this moment, a man dressed in a scarlet official robe stepped forward from the ranks of civil officials on the left.
He shouted loudly, "Your humble servant is willing to obey the order and go to Longzhou!"
The tense atmosphere inside the hall was broken.
Lu Juan breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Li Chengxun's back as he stood in the hall.
I initially thought he was a spineless coward who was after Princess Shang for the sake of wealth and glory in his later years, but now it seems that's not entirely true.
Li Chengxun said, “My hometown is Xianyang, which is only five hundred li away from Longzhou. I am more adapted to the local customs and climate, so it is more appropriate for me to go there.”
Emperor Wusu said in a deep voice, "But you and Qingyun have only been married for a short time."
As Li Chengxun said, he was indeed a good candidate, but Qingyun loved her consort so much that she was bound to cause trouble for the emperor.
Li Chengxun said, "I believe that the country should come before the family, and the subject should come before the consort. If Princess Qingyun knew this, she would surely agree with my choice."
With this matter settled, things went much more smoothly afterward.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, everything was almost settled, and the court officials were about to leave the hall when they suddenly heard a soft groan.
It was a sweet and soft voice belonging to a little girl.
Everyone stopped in their tracks, their eyes darting around, searching for the source of the sound.
Lu Juan and Duan Mingfeng naturally knew who made the sound; no wonder they hadn't seen Qiuqiu when they entered the hall earlier.
Duan Mingfeng has an excellent ear for pinpointing sounds, and he realized that the young master was on the emperor's throne.
A small, fair arm suddenly appeared beside Emperor Wusu's desk, but quickly fell back down.
Everyone's attention was focused on the large table.
Not long after, a fluffy little head suddenly appeared, its eyes still drowsy from just waking up, and it rubbed its eyes with its hand.
Li Chengxun recognized the child at a glance, and his eyes softened.
As Chiu Chiu regained consciousness, she realized that so many eyes were watching her.
She showed no fear; instead, she widened her eyes and took the initiative.
Who are you?
The court officials: ...They also wanted to ask.
The little girl had just woken up, her voice soft and gentle. She rested her chin on the shiny purplish-black table, looking at the group of people in front of her.
"Are you here to do errands for His Majesty the Emperor? Have you finished? Are you leaving now?"
Faced with the little girl's three questions, many people lowered their heads guiltily.
Lu Juan couldn't help but lower his head to hide the smile on his lips.
Zhao Mingyan's expression remained cold and stern, and he did not utter a word to stop Qiuqiu's childish ramblings, letting her speak freely.
The little girl then gestured with her lip towards the tall stack of memorials on the table.
He said earnestly, "The Master said that those who receive the ruler's salary should relieve the ruler's worries."
Chiu Chiu said, "What are you doing here? Can't you see that His Majesty the Emperor still has so many things to do? You should each take a book with you before you leave."
The ministers exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions embarrassed by Qiuqiu's words.
Subcontracting government responsibilities...
Lu Juan carefully considered the feasibility of this matter.
Li Chengxun's posture immediately became even more upright, for no other reason than that he had taken the memorial on suppressing bandits in Longzhou.
Chiu Chiu noticed him too, her bright eyes lingering on him. She nodded in satisfaction, and Li Chengxun smiled at her.
The little girl's breathing became noticeably more rapid, and the confusion in her eyes disappeared as she looked clearly at Li Chengxun, who was dressed in a red robe and had a stunningly beautiful appearance.
Zhao Mingyan immediately picked up the little girl and put her on his lap to interrupt their eye contact.
"Aren't you leaving yet?"
The emperor's voice was tinged with displeasure as he said sternly, "If you're not leaving, then line up and come here to receive your duties."
*
After learning that Emperor Wusu had woken up in the morning, the Empress Dowager claimed to be ill and stayed in Cining Palace, where she was so anxious that she could hardly sit still.
Fanghua stood quietly to one side, while Shixi comforted her, "Your Majesty, don't panic. The Emperor hasn't issued any decrees, so he might not take action against Cining Palace."
The sunlight outside shone on the throne in the palace, gleaming with golden light. The Empress Dowager, sitting on it, felt a sense of desolation in her heart.
The Empress Dowager said listlessly, "That's because he hasn't had time yet. After he finishes dealing with Prime Minister Su, it will be my turn."
Shi Xi hurriedly said, "No, the Empress Dowager, the Prince, and the Princess are all here. The Emperor wouldn't be so heartless as to do anything to you. I heard that when they went to arrest Prime Minister Su at night, the Prince even helped out."
The Empress Dowager's face finally brightened, and she asked, "Really? Where is Prince Yong?"
"The prince is still in prison."
The Empress Dowager frowned and asked, "What is Minghong doing there?"
Shi Xi said, "The Emperor has entrusted the task of interrogating Prime Minister Su to the Prince, which is enough to show his trust in the Prince."
The panic in the Empress Dowager's eyes subsided a little.
She got up and went to the Buddhist hall, hoping that because of her two good children, she would not overstep any bounds while Emperor Wusu was "seriously injured," and perhaps the emperor would show leniency.
At the same time, in the imperial prison.
Zhao Minghong sat in the executioner's seat and pushed the thin blade in his hand to the prison warden.
Even the warden had never used such cruel torture: "Your Highness, this, this, this is not right."
For the man, the humiliation of this punishment far outweighed the pain.
"As I say."
Prince Yong glanced coldly at the people in the prison.
"Go do it!"
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