The Emperor Emeritus narrowed his eyes slightly, slowly shifting his gaze from his grandson to Prime Minister Chu with a chilling, icy look. His gaze seemed to pierce through to the heart, sending shivers down one's spine.
The Emperor Emeritus parted his thin lips slightly and said coldly, "Prime Minister, now that things have come to this, are you going to confess yourself, or do I have to expose you personally?"
Faced with the Emperor Emeritus's sharp questioning, Prime Minister Chu's heart sank, but he still feigned composure. He tried to make his voice sound calm and even: "This old minister is foolish and truly does not know what the Emperor Emeritus is referring to!" However, only he knew that his heart was already in turmoil. Because his previous suspicions had now been confirmed—all of this had not escaped the Emperor Emeritus's control. It seemed that the Chu family was doomed this time.
The retired emperor raised a mocking sneer on the corner of his mouth, and then shouted loudly, "Guards! Quickly bring me the evidence of Chu Zhongjie's crimes!" His voice was like a bell, echoing endlessly in the spacious hall.
Before the Emperor Emeritus had finished speaking, two burly, fully armed guards strode into the hall with measured, powerful steps. They carefully carried a beautifully crafted wooden box, its surface entirely black and intricately carved, giving it an air of solemnity and mystery.
Everyone present was stunned and speechless at the sight.
No one had expected such an astonishing scene to unfold in the imperial court today. For a moment, the entire hall was silent, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the wooden box, as if trying to glimpse the secrets and truth hidden within.
The retired emperor strode over to the old, heavy box, his majestic gaze fixed on its contents. He bent slightly and, with the hands that had once held the reins of power, slowly picked up the blood-written petition from the people and the ledgers detailing Prime Minister Chu's various crimes of embezzlement and bribery.
As the Emperor Emeritus raised his arm, the petition written in blood by the people and the ledger detailing Prime Minister Chu's embezzlement and bribery drew an arc in the air, then flew straight toward Tantai Tianming like a thrown boulder. This throw seemed to contain the Emperor Emeritus's boundless anger and disappointment, yet also a steadfast belief that justice would ultimately prevail.
With a solemn expression, Tantai Tianming bent down and gently picked up one of the many account books scattered on the ground with his slender fingers. He slowly turned the yellowed pages, his gaze focused and sharp, carefully examining each line and word.
As time passed, his brow furrowed deeper, and a look of shock flashed in his eyes. The events recorded in the ledger, and the associated amounts of embezzlement, matched perfectly with the results of his previous painstaking and painstaking investigation!
"Grandfather, I dare not utter a single falsehood. To tell you the truth, I have been secretly investigating the matter of Prime Minister Chu. The evidence I saw in this ledger today is completely consistent with what I already possess!" Tantai Tianming took a deep breath and respectfully reported to the Emperor Emeritus.
The Emperor Emeritus nodded slightly, a barely perceptible smile appearing on his face, and said slowly, "Tianming, the evidence you have is merely the tip of the iceberg of the whole incident. Please continue reading."
Upon hearing the Emperor Emeritus's words, Tantai Tianming felt a chill run down his spine, and his already serious expression became even more solemn. He nodded solemnly, then bent down again to pick up the other account books and began to read them with great eagerness.
Time seemed to stand still, and the entire palace was so quiet that only the soft rustling sound of Tantai Tianming turning the pages of the account books could be heard.
Finally, when the last page of the ledger was closed, Tantai Tianming let out a long sigh of relief, but his face remained ashen.
He then carefully organized the account books and signaled to his attendants to pass them on to the courtiers in the hall for them to read in turn.
The atmosphere in the hall instantly became extremely tense. Everyone held their breath, awaiting the storm that might rage on...
Shen Yunsheng never dreamed that her grandfather would deal with Prime Minister Chu today. Once Prime Minister Chu falls from power, Consort Chu will be rendered powerless. In that case, her mission to overthrow Consort Chu will be completed soon.
Xiao Jingchuan was equally shocked. He never expected that the evidence the Emperor Emeritus had obtained was exactly the same as the evidence he had painstakingly collected!
With a solemn expression, he stepped forward, then knelt respectfully on the ground and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I dare to accuse Prime Minister Chu of treason! This villain not only secretly colluded with General Cao Zixuan to fabricate military achievements, but also attempted to deceive Your Majesty and disrupt the court!"
These words caused an immediate uproar in the court! Everyone was stunned, their hearts pounding in their throats. At this moment, the most terrified were Prime Minister Chu and his daughter.
Their faces were ashen, their bodies trembled uncontrollably, and their clothes were already soaked with cold sweat. This sudden turn of events caught them completely off guard; they never dreamed that the usually quiet Xiao Jingchuan would step forward at this moment and openly sue them!
"Prince Consort Xiao, you accuse us of fabricating military achievements. Do you have any evidence?"
Prime Minister Chu glared sharply at Xiao Jingchuan. Xiao Jingchuan gave Chen Lin, Prime Minister Chu's personal bodyguard, a wink. Chen Lin then stepped forward, knelt in the main hall, and reported.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Emperor Emeritus, everything that Prince Consort Xiao said is true. Prime Minister Chu was not only the mastermind behind the fabrication of military achievements, but also the culprit behind the massacre of Shangmai Village.”
"You...you dare to betray me!" Prime Minister Chu, enraged, lunged at Chen Lin and kicked him.
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