Chu Lu was shocked and immediately knelt on the ground: "What do you mean, Your Majesty? From the moment Chu Yu and I were rescued by Your Majesty, you are our only relative! Did we do something wrong that you don't want us anymore?"
Jiang Qianruo raised his head and drank the medicine in one gulp: "Get up."
"You and Chu Yu have been with me since you were thirteen, and you're almost forty now. Back then, I said I'd find you a good family, but you refused no matter what. Now, you've been wasting most of your lives in this palace with me. How could I let you stay in this cage forever?"
"If it weren't for you, Chu Yu and I would have died on the street! I made a vow when I entered the palace: I will never marry. Wherever you go, we will go too!"
Chulu's expression was very determined. She would never leave the Empress in her life.
Jiang Qianruo smiled and said, "Okay, take your people down first. I need to rest for a while."
Chu Lu looked at Jiang Qianruo's face as if nothing had happened, and retreated worriedly.
After everyone left, Jiang Qianruo said to the air: "Everyone around me, keep a close eye on their movements during this period."
A reply came from the air: "Yes."
Jiang Qianruo looked at the empty bedroom and sat there for a long time.
He stood up, walked around the screen with a landscape painting, and stood in front of a half-human-high sword with an ancient shape.
The blade was polished to a shine, but dark brown deposits could be vaguely seen on the handle, which were the result of the blood of countless people.
Jiang Qianruo looked at the big knife with a complicated expression, raised his hand and put it down again. After hesitating for a while, he finally made up his mind and decided to pick up the knife.
He grabbed it and exerted force, but the big knife did not move at all on the knife holder.
Her expression changed again and again. She secretly took a deep breath and tried harder. Her face turned red. The blade just shook a little, but it was still firmly on the shelf.
She looked at her hands with a sense of loss: "After all, I am getting old..."
——
The capital city has been particularly lively recently.
First, the Tieling Guards led by Jiang Zhuo were easily invaded by foreigners and then went on a killing spree, causing heavy losses to the people in the southwest of Xinyang Pass.
Moreover, before Jiang Zhuo could be taken back to the capital for interrogation, he was killed by an unknown soldier at the border.
Later, it was reported that problems had arisen within the Jiang family because some people colluded with foreigners both inside and outside the family, which caused heavy losses to Xinyangguan.
The head of the Jiang family, Marquis Jianping, was furious about this.
Two great generals were lost within a year. First, Jiang Yucheng (Jiang Buxu) died suddenly for unknown reasons outside, and now Jiang Zhuo, who was guarding Tieling Wei, is also dead?
Let them die, but the key is that they left such a big mess for them.
What's more, there were rumors in the court that the person who actually colluded with foreign races was King Xuan.
There is no other reason, it’s just because King Xuan has a close relationship with the Jiang family. Who in the capital doesn’t know this?
It’s not like the Jiang family is tired of living and suddenly colludes with foreign races. Maybe they want to help King Xuan seize power?
There was a huge quarrel inside and outside the court over this matter.
King Xuan was also somewhat angry with the Jiang family because of this, and had been quite cold towards them recently.
King Zhuang's men insisted that King Xuan was colluding with both internal and external forces, but King Xuan's men naturally refused to admit it and insisted that it was a false accusation.
After all, that traitor named Song Yifei doesn't even have a sense of national justice. How do you know whether the things he easily confessed are true or false?
Prince Yi's men watched the show in the middle, not interfering with either side, and were happy to see them biting each other.
Emperor Mingde sat in the hall, watching the people below quarreling endlessly. He secretly wrote down their names on a list, so that it was clear who belonged to whom.
At this time, the envoys from Northern Yan arrived.
The grand ceremony when entering the city, the luxury of the carriages, and the things the envoys brought with them not only amazed outsiders, but also surprised those who had always lived in the capital.
What a big deal!
But this news was quickly drowned out by another piece of gossip.
On the day when the Northern Yan envoys arrived in Beijing, many people witnessed a dispute between the people from the Criminal Investigation Department and the three princes, and blood was seen.
In the court, memorials impeaching Xie Siheng were delivered to Emperor Mingde's dragon desk like flying snow, but he suppressed them with all his strength and ignored them directly.
Such actions not only failed to calm the officials, but instead secretly gave rise to a lot of dissatisfaction.
Not long after the court session began that day and the issue of the placement of the Northern Yan envoys had just been discussed, the atmosphere in the court briefly became dull.
Just as Emperor Mingde was about to leave the court, a Censor stood up from among the many officials. With a solemn expression, he raised his tablet and said, "I have a memorial to make!"
"I wish to impeach Lord Xie, the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department! He relied on his merits to gain favor and beheaded the prince's personal guards in the street. He has disregarded the imperial power and the prince, and treated the royal majesty as nothing! Your Majesty, please punish him severely!"
As soon as these words came out, everyone's faces lit up with colors.
Han Yushi's superior, Doctor Yushi, was shocked and turned to look at Han Yushi with a frown.
This idiot!
Being used as a gun!
Emperor Mingde glanced at everyone and remained silent for a long time, his face showing no emotion.
Xie Siheng was standing at the front, and when he heard Han Yushi's words, he didn't even glance at him.
"Do you have any evidence for what you said, my dear?"
Just when Censor Han looked solemn and didn't know whether to continue speaking, Emperor Mingde slowly spoke.
"Yes! It is said that when the incident happened, the Minister of Rites and everyone else were present and witnessed the entire incident. I have also questioned the surrounding vendors. It's all here. Your Majesty, please review it!"
It was obvious that Censor Han came prepared.
He took out a confession that had been prepared long ago from his bosom and presented it with both hands. Immediately, a eunuch came forward to take it and handed it to Eunuch Liu, who then passed it to Emperor Mingde.
The Minister of Rites never expected that after he diligently reported his work, he would be called out by a subordinate in such an occasion.
After glancing at Han Yushi angrily, Song Fengxian also knelt on the ground:
"That day, I, an old minister, was ordered by the Emperor to go with His Royal Highness Prince Zhuang to welcome the Northern Yan envoys. I did meet Lord Xie on the way."
"However, I later ran into His Royal Highnesses Prince Yi and Prince Xuan. The three of them were chatting casually, so I was completely focused on official business. I was constantly keeping an eye on the movements of the Northern Yan envoys at the city gate, so I didn't notice what was going on between Lord Xie and the other princes."
"When I came back to my senses, I saw the Empress getting off the carriage. We immediately bowed to her without hesitation! Therefore, I... don't know what exactly happened."
"Your Highness, I am the same as you!"
"Chen Ye..."
The people from the Ministry of Rites knelt on the ground with their heads bowed, secretly hating Censor Han.
Are you so bold as to drag them into this?
Han Yushi remained calm, his back straight. "I never deceive myself, others, or God! You were only a meter away from the princes and Lord Xie at the time. How could you not have known such a commotion? The Emperor will know the truth once he investigates. Why should you be afraid of what others say?"
Everyone in the Ministry of Rites was angry. They didn't expect that Censor Han would go crazy today!
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