"You also said that he should be executed, but the late emperor did not kill Zheng Wang. Why is that?" The Empress Dowager retorted, forcing herself to stay calm.
Cai Zhen's face flushed red beneath his white beard. He glanced quickly at Lu Xingjian but didn't dare to speak again.
The case of Zheng Wang's seditious remarks was suppressed by the late emperor.
Zheng Wang, a poor soldier, actually colluded with several eunuchs, claiming that his daughter, Zheng Jinlian, was the biological mother of Crown Prince Lu Xingjian.
Zheng Jinlian was sold by Zheng Wang when she was a child, changed masters three times, and finally entered the palace as a maid.
She served Empress Dowager Zhou in Qingning Palace and, by a twist of fate, gave birth to Prince Lu Xingjian.
Empress Zhang's act of taking another man's child as her own not only failed to silence public opinion but also sparked controversy both in the court and among the people.
The late emperor personally reviewed and concluded this case.
The eunuchs involved were executed by slow slicing.
In the end, they didn't kill Zheng Wang, but simply imprisoned him.
There must be someone behind Zheng Wang; it's impossible for Zheng Wang to have accomplished this alone.
As for who instigated it, Cai Zhen was unsure.
It could be the Zhou family, the Marquis of Qingyun, who have always been enemies of the Zhang family.
Of course, it cannot be ruled out that it was Emperor Lu Xingjian standing in the main hall.
If it were the Zhou family, that would be fine.
If it were Lu Xingjian...
This struggle is probably far from over.
Princess Chun'an sided with Empress Dowager Zhang too early, but he couldn't be foolish and follow suit.
He had witnessed Lu Xingjian's methods and boldness over the past two years.
This was a ruthless and heartless ruler who purged all the senior officials in the court within just two years of ascending the throne.
First, they forced Ma Wensheng, the Minister of Personnel, and Liu Daxia, the Minister of War, to leave.
Following them were Su Jian and Xie Qian from the cabinet, and even Han Wen, the Minister of Revenue, was forced to retire.
He managed to replace so many people so decisively without any problems. This was because he had taken control of the capital's military early on, and he had cultivated a group of loyal officials to fill important positions, thus preventing any trouble from arising.
This ability and decisiveness were something the late emperor, who had favored Empress Dowager Zhang his entire life and was indecisive by nature, did not possess.
He just hasn't had the time to deal with his harem yet.
Once he has the time to reorganize the harem, no one can say for sure how the situation in the harem will change.
Princess Chun'an continued the conversation:
"Leaving aside other people for now, the Empress has fallen ill, and strange omens have appeared in the heavens. Chaos is brewing in the harem, and we must be extremely cautious."
"Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, it is better to kill the innocent than to let the guilty go free. Su Wanwan truly cannot be allowed to live."
Su Wanwan's heart was pounding.
A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.
The opportunity has finally arrived!
She immediately seized upon the flaw in Princess Chun'an's words and finally spoke.
A miraculous comeback:
“Princess Chun’an, you might just be the jinx.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
