newbobooks Chapter 458 The arrow is on the string
Chapter 458 The arrow is on the string
The palace today.
The air was filled with smoke and the smell of gunpowder.
Prince Chen led his court officials to Xuanqing Hall, the place where court was held.
He pretended to watch the court officials present their memorials.
"I have a report to make: the Yellow River has breached its banks in Yangwu, Heyin, Linghe and other places, causing floods that have destroyed houses and fields."
"I have a report to submit: since the beginning of spring, the capital region has been suffering from drought and famine, and the people are starving and destitute."
"Your humble servant has a report to submit: In Xinzhou, Dengzhou, Jizhou and other places, there have been several earthquakes over the past few months. Most houses have collapsed, mountains have crumbled and the ground has caved in, resulting in heavy casualties..."
"I have a report to submit: due to heavy snow in Shangzhou, many people and livestock have frozen to death..."
"I also have something to report..."
"..."
Cui Yan remained silent and simply watched their performance.
Those old fogies.
The claim of multiple breaches is actually just a compilation of all the breaches that have occurred in the Yellow River over the past six months, which was then reported together.
As for earthquakes, of course they happened, but they were exaggerated.
If we accept what they say...
A bunch of idiots, willing to report anything just to force the emperor to show his face.
These memorials will later become evidence of their crimes.
Cui Yan had Eunuch Yu collect all the memorials and then prepared to leave.
"I have received your memorials and will present them to the Emperor. We will discuss them after informing the Emperor. If there is anything to report, please do so. Otherwise, the court is adjourned."
This is nothing; the civil and military officials are unwilling to leave.
Whether forced or voluntary, they all wanted to take this opportunity to find out the truth.
Because recently, many rumors have been circulating in the palace.
Some say that the emperor has been in a coma and is completely unaware of what is happening outside, while the empress dowager and Prime Minister Cui control the court officials.
Some say that the Empress and Empress Dowager held the Emperor hostage to command the officials, intending to murder the Emperor and support Prince Jing to ascend the throne.
So Prince Chen got anxious.
The imperial heir was murdered, but the emperor did not show up.
Consort Chen plotted to harm Consort Shen and set fire to the palace, but the Emperor did not show up.
Even when these memorials concerning people's livelihoods were presented, the emperor still did not appear.
Your Majesty, it can't be true...
The world of Daliang is about to change.
The civil and military officials looked at each other, their hearts filled with unease.
The Left Prime Minister stepped forward first, kneeling before the empty throne: "Your subject Yan Fu has urgent military intelligence to report and requests an audience with Your Majesty."
Cui Yan: "I wonder what urgent military situation the Left Chancellor has that I, the Right Chancellor, cannot know?"
"Please forgive me, Right Chancellor, but this matter must be reported to the Emperor in person." Chancellor Yan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Cui Yan.
They abandoned their usual respectful attitude and completely disregarded him.
In his eyes, Cui Yan was already dead.
Outside the palace, Prince Chen's troops were already waiting at the palace gates.
In the palace, apart from the emperor's personal guards, most of the imperial guards had defected to Prince Chen.
All this fussing and haggling is just to make the play more realistic.
Taking advantage of the situation, Prince Chen put on a show of sympathy, saying to the court officials with a helpless expression, "My father has been bedridden for a long time, and I am very worried about him. I kneel outside his bedchamber every day to beg to see him, but I am not allowed to enter. It is only natural for us, as his children, to visit him and serve him medicine, but we are being prevented from doing so. What is the reason for this?"
Yan Xiang echoed, "You all may not know this, but my wife went to Prajna Temple to worship Buddha a few days ago and saw Prince Chen kneeling on the steps, taking one step and then kneeling again, praying for the Emperor's well-being. His filial piety is truly touching. But unexpectedly, he didn't even get to see the Emperor. This makes me wonder if the Empress Dowager's efforts to prevent him from seeing the Emperor are due to some unspeakable secret?"
King Jing gagged, almost vomiting.
Without mincing words, he retorted, "Prime Minister Yan, are you perhaps getting old and hard of hearing? Didn't Father Emperor send a decree saying that he is slightly unwell and is recuperating, and doesn't want to see anyone? What does this have to do with the Empress Dowager?"
Yan Xiang's old face turned green instantly, and he actually said that Yan Xiang was hard of hearing.
He simply couldn't stand Prince Jing's arrogant and disdainful attitude, as if he cared about no one.
Whatever happened to the prince, Prince Chen remained humble and courteous, treating scholars with respect.
He's more suited to that position than anyone else.
If he were to become emperor, wouldn't he be so arrogant? And wouldn't he put the prime minister in such a difficult position?
I shudder to think about it.
The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment.
I'm already used to Prince Jing's style. Although I don't think much of him, I admire his outspokenness in court, especially his confrontation with the Left Chancellor right now.
That really hit a nerve with many people.
It's unlikely that the Empress Dowager had any unspeakable secrets.
The Empress Dowager usually doesn't interfere in affairs, but when she does, it's always something big.
As for the matter of the heir apparent, I imagine the Empress Dowager would also be involved.
None of the descendants of the Liang royal family are her bloodline. When she passes away, it's hard to guarantee that the glory of the Mu family won't go with her. So she chose one of these princes to be her niece's husband, and her intentions were self-evident.
The emperor had many sons, but she only had one niece who was a princess.
In the struggle for the throne, it was only natural that the Empress Dowager wanted to support her nephew-in-law, Prince Jing.
It's hardly a secret.
But the Emperor didn't seem to think that way. Ever since Prince Chen returned from suppressing the rebellion, he had treated him differently and valued him highly.
Prince Chen instantly became the most popular prince.
But the Emperor's heart is as unpredictable as a needle at the bottom of the sea. Does he really not fear Prince Chen?
not necessarily.
The Emperor's heart is unfathomable!
Until the very end, no one knows what the emperor is really thinking or who his preferred prince is.
But the current situation seems to have left the Emperor to decide; it all comes down to who will prevail, the Prince of Chen or the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager has troops, but her troops are far away in the northern border, and distant water cannot quench a nearby fire.
But the Empress Dowager's status was undeniable, and there were also the Imperial Guards.
Prince Chen seemed to have been prepared, judging from the private troops he had summoned today, they were strong and well-equipped.
This round is hard to predict.
Among the civil and military officials, especially those who followed Cui Yan's lead, there were many insightful and astute individuals.
For example, the Minister of Revenue, the Minister of War, and the Minister of Works.
They have a very clear understanding of the current situation.
Even at this point, Prime Minister Cui remains so calm and composed; he must have a plan in mind.
They trusted Prime Minister Cui's judgment.
Whoever Cui Xiangze chooses as his leader, they will follow his lead without question.
However, among the officials, there were those who would switch sides at the slightest breeze, and those who were short-sighted.
For example, the Minister of Personnel and the Minister of Justice.
Intimidated by the imposing presence of Prince Chen's army, they immediately defected.
They all knelt down behind the Left Chancellor, pleading with the Emperor: "Your Majesty, we request an audience..."
"I request an audience with the Emperor..."
The voices of the courtiers echoed in the hall.
There was no response; silence fell instantly.
Prince Chen felt relieved. The last thing he wanted to see when he walked here was for his father to appear before him safely and unharmed.
If that were the case, everything he did would be completely different in nature.
They would be regarded as traitors and rebels.
Even if they win, their victory will be illegitimate and they will be criticized by scholars.
To be a wise ruler, one must not have this stain.
What he had to do was to take control of the situation before his father woke up.
The Emperor has been in a coma and his days are numbered; this was revealed to him by Consort Zhen and Eunuch Qian.
The Empress Dowager and Empress Cao could never have imagined that the two people closest to their father were his spies.
Just as he was overjoyed, footsteps came from outside the palace.
Eunuch Yu appeared at the door: "By imperial decree, I am unwell. The affairs of state will be temporarily handled by Prime Minister Cui in charge of the cabinet. You may all return."
"You must be Eunuch Qian's godson. In the past, it wasn't Eunuch Qian who delivered the imperial edicts. Why is it you today?" Prince Chen raised an eyebrow and sized him up.
Eunuch Yu replied unhurriedly, "Your Highness, my godfather is currently serving the Emperor his medicine, so he sent me to deliver the imperial decree."
Hearing him say that, Prince Chen was even less convinced.
Want to cover up.
With things having escalated to this point, if Father were awake, there would be no reason for him not to intervene.
He took a step forward and knelt down again, bowing deeply to the golden throne, and said in a raised voice, "Father, I am truly worried about your health. Please allow me to see you before I can put my mind at ease."
The arrow is already on the string and must be released; how could I easily give up?
……