novelraw Chapter 368
Chapter 368
Prince Yu scoffed coldly, "Aren't you asking a question you already know the answer to? Chu Huaishan colluded with remnants of the former dynasty to plot against the Prince of Qin..."
"Who are the remnants of the former dynasty?"
"Of course it's..." His words were cut off halfway as Duke of Zou tugged him sharply, reminding him he couldn't say it!
That Regent from the Yun family held an exalted position in the hearts of the common people. Even when the late emperor raised his army back then, he did so under the banner of avenging the Regent! If the people learned they wanted to kill his descendant...
A shiver ran down Prince Yu's spine. He threatened, "Chu Ruoyan, don't forget both you and your father are in my hands. Better not play any tricks!"
Chu Ruoyan gave a derisive laugh, turned, and proclaimed loudly, "In the second year of Qingfeng, the imperial examination fraud implicated over a hundred officials. It was my father who pushed aside all opposition to investigate it thoroughly! In the fourth year of Qingfeng, when floods struck the south and court officials embezzled relief funds, it was also my father who acted first and reported later, opening the granaries to save tens of thousands of lives! All these years, he has exhausted himself for the country and the people. He has no sons, his sleeves are clean of ill-gotten gains. Why should he lose his life over a baseless charge!"
As her voice fell, voices of agreement immediately rose from the crowd.
"Well said! A good official should not be killed!"
"He is Chief Minister Yan's father-in-law! He married his daughter to the Yan family during their most difficult times. He is a good man!"
"We beg His Majesty for mercy!"
The rising and falling voices turned Prince Yu's face as black as a pot.
All these years in court, he had always been overshadowed by Chu Huaishan. Though a prince, the Six Ministries never let him get involved!
Now, having finally managed to remove this thorn in his side, he was about to be swayed by public opinion...
Malice surged within him. "Enough! The hour has arrived! Carry out the execution according to the law! Execute Chu Huaishan for me!"
The Duke of Zou was horrified. "Your Highness, have you forgotten His Majesty's instructions..."
"His Majesty told me to bring the Yun siblings to see him, he never said to keep Chu Huaishan alive!" Prince Yu sneered. A faint smile, however, appeared at the corner of Chu Ruoyan's lips.
Good. She was afraid Prince Yu would heed public opinion and take them back.
That would have wasted today's entire stage play for nothing...
"Everyone!" The woman suddenly turned back, dropped to her knees, and kowtowed. "Under the clear sky and bright sun my husband is still fighting in the southern barbarian lands, yet His Majesty, believing slander, intends to execute my innocent father! Poor me—alone and with child, like a single plank that can hardly bear the weight! I only ask the people of the world to be witnesses. When my husband returns, I will tell him the truth. I, his wife, kowtow with tears of blood!"
With a thud, a red mark appeared on her fair forehead.
Dead silence fell over the execution ground.
Most commoners had come just to watch the spectacle, chiming in occasionally.
But witnessing someone stop the prisoner cart, someone cry out against injustice, and now even his own daughter, the dignified wife of the Chief Minister, forced to kneel and plead with tears—it was clear how tyrannical this emperor was!
Someone roared first, "Duke Chu is innocent!"
Then came roars from all directions, flooding over like a tide.
"Duke Chu is innocent!"
"Duke Chu is innocent!"
...
Prince Yu had never seen such a scene. He was forced back two steps.
Seeing public sentiment rising, the Minister of Justice urgently said, "Your Highness, let's take the prisoner back to the palace first! If this continues, I fear it will damage the imperial family's dignity!"
With the Chief Minister's wife causing such a stir, today they might not even be able to execute Chu Huaishan, let alone ensure their own safe departure!
Prince Yu's legs went weak with fear. He was about to agree when a palace guard galloped up on horseback: "Prince Yu, stay the execution! His Majesty has decreed: summon the Chu father and daughter to the palace!"
Summon the Chu father and daughter to the palace?
Hearing the decree, they were all stunned, but with the crowd's emotions running high, they quickly seized the opportunity to back down.
Chu Ruoyan helped her elderly father to his feet. Chu Huaishan worriedly grabbed her hand and said, "Yan'er, take advantage of the chaos and leave quickly!"
Chu Ruoyan shook her head and whispered, "Elder brother has succeeded."
Chu Huaishan's body swayed, and he closed his eyes.
Imperial City, Hall of Heavenly Worship.
The officials were horrified. Upon the dragon throne reserved for the Son of Heaven sat a white-haired man dressed in eunuch's robes.
He stood on the dragon chair, a gold-threaded folding fan held carelessly against the emperor's neck.
The emperor, ignoring this, glared furiously at an old eunuch nearby. "Yin Shun!! You dare betray me?!"
Everyone suddenly understood. The palace guards were so strict; without an insider, how could this white-haired man have slipped into the Hall of Heavenly Worship unnoticed?
But how could that insider be Yin Shun? He was the emperor's most trusted person...
The old eunuch bowed slightly, a gentle expression on his face. "Your Majesty, forgive this old slave. Before I served you, I was already the Regent's man..."
The Regent?!
The entire court erupted. Gu Sun even couldn't help asking, "Which Regent do you mean?"
Yin Shun smiled. "Lord Gu, this dynasty has no Regent. This old slave naturally means the one from the former dynasty."
A terrifying figure instantly loomed in everyone's minds. Almost in unison, they looked up towards Yun Lang.
Yin Shun said he was the Regent's man, so this man before them...
A cold light flashed in Yun Lang's eyes. He used his fan to lift the emperor's chin. "Murong Feng, I heard you want to destroy my Hundred Knowledge Pavilion? I kept you alive to prevent others from exploiting a power vacuum, but who would have thought... you'd seek death yourself!"
The emperor was furious, but before he could speak, an urgent voice came through. "Pavilion Master, please forgive! His Majesty has no intention of destroying the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion. There must be some misunderstanding!"
Looking up, Empress Pei hurried in, supported by Consort Hui.
News of the events in the Hall of Heavenly Worship had spread throughout the inner palace. Not only she, but the Empress Dowager also rushed in on unsteady feet. "Release the emperor! I, the Empress Dowager, will spare your life!"
"Oh? Spare my life?"
Yun Lang seemed to have heard a joke. With a light flick of his fan, a bloody mark instantly appeared on the emperor's neck.
The Empress Dowager was terrified. Empress Pei urgently said, "Mother Empress! Please say no more!" She then turned to Yun Lang. "Pavilion Master, state your demands. We can agree to anything as long as you do not harm His Majesty!"
Yun Lang chuckled derisively. "In a court full of civil and military officials, apart from Gu Sun, only women step forward for you. Murong Feng, ah Murong Feng, it seems you are quite a failure as an emperor, aren't you?"
Murong Feng's mind went blank. He instinctively looked down.
Apart from Gu Sun, Chu Huaishan was sentenced to death, Cao Yang was also absent, the old censor Yu had knelt until he fainted... In the entire court, there was truly no one reliable left to depend on...
Yun Lang ignored him and looked towards the hall's entrance. "My patience is limited. Have the people been invited back?"
Empress Pei was stunned. Gu Sun hurriedly said, "We have already sent someone to invite them. Please wait a moment, Pavilion Master!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Ruoyan entered the hall supporting her elderly father. Father and daughter both wore white, standing out starkly among the sea of official robes.
"This guilty official, Chu Huaishan, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
The old father pushed her aside and performed a deep bow.
The emperor laughed in extreme anger. "Good, good! Chu Huaishan, you are truly my loyal subject! I want you dead, so you dare collude with bandits to assassinate your sovereign?!"
Chu Huaishan pressed his forehead to the floor. Chu Ruoyan said in surprise, "From Your Majesty's meaning, should my father have simply waited for death?"
The emperor sneered. "If the ruler wants the subject to die, the subject who does not die is disloyal!"
Chu Huaishan desperately tried to suppress his trembling body. Yun Lang lifted his face with the fan. "Oh? So now that I hold your life in my hands, who is the ruler and who is the subject?"