Li Zhu, who was completely unaware of the situation, said with some lingering interest...
"Your Highness, let's come back and continue when we're done..."
Without saying a word, the Marquis vanished from his spot in a flash, and no matter how Li Zhu called out to him, it was to no avail, giving him no chance to get close at all!
This left Li Zhu feeling somewhat disheartened, thinking that the Marquis was emotionally unintelligent and too cold-hearted…
In the imperial court!
"Your Highness, do you know how to solve the food problem?"
"Your Highness, do you know how to solve the problem of getting through the winter?"
"Your Highness, do you know how to resolve the Youzhou issue?"
Before Li Zhu could even sit down, the civil and military officials started to raise difficult questions. Yesterday's events had left everyone seething with anger, and after returning home, they were determined to learn from their mistakes. Whether it was the Second Prince's faction or the Third Prince's faction, they all planned to use today's morning court session to make Li Zhu suffer a great loss and save some face!
Li Zhu felt as if a thousand alpacas were stampeding through his mind. Even with all his talents, it would still take time to solve these problems!
"Your Highness, I would like to ask why you are not wearing the cloth bestowed upon you by the Emperor?"
The Second Prince suddenly launched an attack, questioning Li Zhu. This was actually a scheme by the Emperor to make Li Zhu suffer. Seeing that he had not used linen, the Second Prince, eager for revenge, was the first to jump out and accuse him!
Although the Second Prince beat him to it, depriving the Third Prince of his best opportunity to shine, he wouldn't let go of such a good chance to kick someone when they're down, so he immediately jumped out to question him.
"Your Highness, you are now the heir apparent, and your every word and action affects the entire realm. Faced with the Emperor's rewards, you dare to be so picky. Such behavior shows a complete disregard for the Emperor, a grave act of filial impiety. If I were you, I would commit suicide here. How could I possibly have the face to stand between heaven and earth..."
Officials who were already subservient to the two men immediately jumped out to criticize them.
"As the Crown Prince regent, his filial impiety is unacceptable; he should abdicate and yield the throne to a more worthy successor..."
"You treat the Emperor's rewards so perfunctorily, do you know your crime...?"
"You are guilty..."
"This is a grave crime..."
"Do you know how heinous your crimes are...?"
The entire imperial court was like a bustling marketplace, even more so than before!
The second and third princes sneered, waiting to see Li Zhu make a fool of himself. They were even more pleased with themselves, thinking that even if they couldn't kill him this time, they would make him suffer.
Li Zhu stood up, and Yuwen Guo, who was in the lead, looked at him. Even Yuwen Guo didn't have a good way to break this open scheme for the time being!
"Cough cough..."
Upon hearing Li Zhu's dry cough, the entire court fell silent for a moment, all eyes fixed on him, eager to see how he would explain himself…
Li Zhu glanced around, quite satisfied with the effect. He recalled a certain paranoid ruler from his previous life who, with just his words, could turn a capital offense of treason into a few months of imprisonment. This showed just how powerful language could be…
In this time and space, the act of giving a speech hadn't even existed yet, so even though he was a novice, he believed he could still play a significant role. Yesterday, when he faced Zhang San, this had already been proven. His speech wasn't perfect, but he managed to avoid the trap Zhang San had set, won over some people's hearts, and changed his image in the eyes of the public…
"I am guilty!"
Li Zhu's first words stunned everyone. He admitted it just like that? That was too easy!
"Since he's admitted it, then arrest him and send him before the Emperor to plead guilty..."
"Guards, what are you waiting for? Make your move..."
Li Zhu glanced at the two people with disdain. With such cunning, how could they still bully the former Crown Prince so badly!
"I am guilty. If filial piety is a sin, then I am indeed guilty..."
Hearing this twist, everyone was stunned, not understanding what Li Zhu meant, and why it sounded a bit off.
"I am guilty. I could only watch helplessly as my mother lived in a drafty room..."
"I am guilty. I actually thought of using the linen that my father bestowed upon me to make a few more quilts for my mother..."
"I am guilty. As the Crown Prince Regent, I can only afford to use hemp cloth to make a quilt for my mother..."
"If I am guilty for using linen to make a quilt for my mother but not for using linen to make clothes for myself, then I am indeed guilty!"
His few words, delivered with such force and authority, left all the civil and military officials completely bewildered…
I was thinking, "Are you guilty or innocent?"
The second prince, Li Ke, and the third prince, Li Si, wanted to rebuke Li Zhu, but they didn't know how to begin...
Filial piety is something rooted in the blood of every Chinese person. Every filial person deserves respect, while the unfilial person is despised!
Are they going to criticize Li Zhu for making a quilt for his mother out of filial piety? Wouldn't that imply that they themselves are unfilial? If such a reputation spreads, they will only drift further away from the throne. Even if the emperor likes them, they won't be able to convince the people of the land…
When news of everything reached the imperial study, the emperor was so angry that his whole body trembled…
He could not punish Li Zhu now; on the contrary, he had to praise Li Zhu for doing a good job. As a wise ruler, he should be a good husband and provide Nangong Qing with a better living environment. As a wise ruler, he should also be a good father and not let the crown prince be so poor. Therefore, he had to give Li Zhu some rewards…
Originally intending to trap Li Zhu, the emperor has now backfired, leaving the emperor with an expression even more unpleasant than eating excrement…
The emperor was so frustrated that he could hardly breathe. The feeling of wanting to kill someone but being unable to was extremely painful!
What's even more unbearable is having to suppress this feeling while rewarding the two people he dislikes the most; it's like finding flies on top of shit while eating it...
He suddenly realized that he didn't want to be a wise ruler anymore. Sometimes being a foolish ruler wasn't so bad; at least he wouldn't have to live such a stifled life...
"Issue the imperial decree: reward..."
Even though he was unwilling, after calming down, he still issued two imperial edicts, one to Nangong Qing in the inner palace and the other to the imperial court…
Li Zhu was still preparing to gather his emotions and say something, but at that moment the imperial edict arrived.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Crown Prince Li Zhu, who is in charge of the State Regent, is commendable for his filial piety and is hereby awarded ten thousand taels of gold as encouragement!"
boom!
The entire court was in an uproar. No one understood why the emperor would do such a thing, but everyone was smart enough to quickly figure out why!
When Nangong Qing received the imperial edict in the harem, she was momentarily bewildered. Upon learning it was her son's doing, a relieved smile appeared on her face, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in her eyes. She knew some things needed to be expedited…
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