News within the palace walls is never a secret in some people’s eyes.
The four corpses hanging on Chengtian Gate were ordered by His Majesty to be beaten to death in court and exposed for three days.
Among them were an Emperor’s Supervising Army officer and two heirs of noble families of the court’s Three Families.
The Forbidden Army Camp at Xuankong Mountain had those soldiers from the sparring ordered to be detained, and their Lang Colonel was reprimanded.
The Emperor was furious!
All the advisors knelt before the Taiji Palace gates, petitioning His Majesty to issue a decree to investigate Chen Yuan, but His Majesty did not meet them.
Later, it was heard in the palace that His Majesty summoned the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Xu Liang, for a private audience, and they conversed behind closed doors for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.
After coming out, this Vice Minister left the palace with a frowning expression, took a carriage back to his residence, and closed his doors to guests.
Within the Imperial City, officials were in a state of panic; the chain reaction caused by the sparring was far greater than imagined.
The Emperor’s fury and the execution of the Three Families’ heirs at Chengtian Gate was a clear warning to the Three Families.
As for the border general from Shu, it was feared it might provoke a backlash.
No one knew what would happen next; speculations abounded, and undercurrents surged.
Until the next day, after three sounds of the Silence Whip, officials entered the hall and were shocked to find that Grand Commandant Gongyang Wu and Imperial Censor Meng Ziyi, two important ministers, were absent from the court assembly.
"Your Majesty, Lord Meng has decided to reflect on his family’s offenses that have demeaned the imperial grace and requests Your Majesty’s forgiveness while staying at home."
"Your Majesty, Grand Commandant Gongyang claims illness at home, stating his family heir could not share Your Majesty’s concerns, feeling ashamed to face Your Majesty."
Officials from the Imperial Censorate and the Grand Commandant Mansion stepped forward to explain, causing a rustle of disturbances in the court.
Who didn’t know the real reason for these two ministers’ absence was the conspicuous corpses hanging at Chengtian Gate they witnessed while entering the palace; how could these elders not mind them? This was also a form of silent protest.
Thinking of this, many civil and military officials couldn’t help but glance at the figure leading the civil officials at the front.
Prime Minister Huangfu!
This Prime Minister stood at the very front, his eyes lowered, seemingly resting, his face weathered by nearly a century of court politics and three ascensions and descensions to the Prime Minister position, exuding an immovable presence.
Facing the gaze of civil and military officials, the Prime Minister didn’t twitch an eyelid, unaffected by the incident yesterday, where a member of the Huangfu Family, Huangfu Qi, was killed on the spot by the Ninth Mountain Troops, a situation even more ridiculous than being beaten to death, yet it seemed like it did not faze this Prime Minister.
On the high platform of Jinluan Palace, Emperor Wu’s bead curtain hanging over him dulled the Emperor’s eyes, who then spoke lightly,
"Granted."
Afterwards, he said nothing else, glanced at the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, who immediately called for the assembly to begin.
Then, following procedure, the Minister of the Ministry of Communication reported on the memorials from each department.
Once Minister of Communication Zhao Tianming finished his report, someone jumped out.
"Your Majesty, I want to impeach Minister Zhao of the Ministry of Communication for deceiving the Emperor."
"The Colonel of the Ninth Mountain from Shu comes to the capital, causing such a big commotion yesterday; does Mr. Zhao take all officials as fools, why did he not file the memorials properly?"
"This caused the mishap with the imperial guards, which angered His Majesty."
Everyone was slightly startled and looked at the person who jumped out.
This kind of issue being exposed suddenly surprised the civil and military officials, for sometimes everyone can play dumb and deaf, entirely depending on looking at His Majesty and the ministers.
Previously, His Majesty had reached a tacit understanding with the court’s Three Families, and now with the affair exposed, someone rushed to uncover it, risking offending others, for what reason?
As serious as yesterday’s incident, which even began spreading among the public, it was known that a Colonel from Shu had come to the Divine Capital, making it pointless to keep covering up.
But some things can’t be said, for saying them means offending people.
The civil and military officials noticed it was merely an advisor, usually unassuming, known to bootlick His Majesty.
Now, everyone’s faces turned odd.
In the court, many speculated about the Emperor’s thoughts, seeking advancement, but for this person to speak up, there must be an explanation.
Just having reported on the memorial, Zhao Tianming had an unpleasant expression, wishing to tear the advisor’s mouth open; this was a burden he dared not bear, so he quickly kneeled, panic-stricken,
"Your Majesty, I’m wronged. The Ministry of Communication indeed received the salutation memorial submitted by General Chen from the Imperial Secretariat, but since it’s his first time in the capital, this general wasn’t familiar with how to write the salutation memorial, and there were some errors, so it was returned for revision."
"These are the rules that must be followed since they need Your Majesty’s review, and no mistakes are permitted." The old official responded quickly, immediately finding an excuse to seal the gap.
But that advisor was relentless, "Mr. Zhao, are you trying to treat His Majesty and all present ministers as children? From what I understand,"
"A simple salutation memorial was returned several times by you, Mr. Zhao, without even being looked at, this was intended to make it difficult for the general from Shu, and this adversely impacted the court’s relationship with the border army, leading to yesterday’s conflict. This matter is now a hot topic in the Divine Capital, how the public views the court, how they view His Majesty."
"Do you know, Mr. Zhao, that this General Chen was summoned back by imperial decree for appeasement? The entire population of Shu knows, and if this becomes known in Shu and causes a military rebellion, who will bear that responsibility?"
"Can you, Mr. Zhao, bear this?"
This advisor’s words were sharp, magnifying small issues, each word lethal.
Causing civil and military officials to blink furiously, unable to help but draw deep breaths.
Because His Majesty did not interrupt, did not stop.
Had the wind direction suddenly changed?
Or was His Majesty looking to scapegoat someone?
Minister of Communication Zhao Tianming was one of the Nine Ministers, a second-rank official, and from being indignant at this person’s impeachment, he seemed now to be sweating and nervous, the "panic-stricken" expression on his face becoming more genuine,
"Your Majesty, this old minister is wronged. This person is full of slander and recklessly discussing right and wrong. I implore Your Majesty to see clearly."
Just as the atmosphere in the court was tense, a heavy and vigorous voice rang out,
"Your Majesty, the memorials and documents should be handled by the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and then passed to the Ministry of Communication. Perhaps the Secretariat was inefficient in handling the matter, causing a delay for Mr. Zhao. As the one in charge of administration, I also have negligence in oversight, and I hope Your Majesty will punish."
The Prime Minister Huangfu, who had been closing his eyes to rest, lifted his eyes, revealing a pair of eagle-sharp eyes. His crimson sleeve shook, and he bowed slowly, displaying a formless might.
This caused the advisor, who was planning to continue speaking, to pause with his lips, showing a look of fear and hesitating to speak.
At this moment, the softly noisy hall gradually quieted down.
On the dragon throne, Emperor Wu squinted his eyes slightly, then slowly spoke,
"Someone, remove the main officer in charge of this matter from office and investigate him, imprison him in the Heavenly Prison."
As soon as these words were spoken, the Imperial Guard walked towards the civil servant side in the hall, reaching the sixth row, where an official dressed in a blue robe, who had previously mocked Xu Liang on the court, from the Six Departments of the Imperial Secretariat, went weak at the knees, and his face turned ashen.
This person was stripped of his official robe by the Imperial Guard and dragged out of the hall, but he did not dare to say a word.
He understood that if he dared to speak, he would truly be doomed.
And at this time, in the court, some people looked at each other, some frowned, and some were frightened and suspicious.
The situation changed too quickly!
The advisor was obviously aiding His Majesty’s decision.
Taking the opportunity to eliminate a member of the Secretariat, is His Majesty reprimanding Prime Minister Huangfu for yesterday’s matter, or preparing to placate the border general from Shu!
Thus, it is difficult to predict the Emperor’s intentions. For a moment, the court ministers were a bit confused, uncertain how to interpret it.
But they felt that the court situation was about to change, with undercurrents surging!
Thereafter, the court session continued, but after the earlier incident, this session ended hastily.
And the events that took place in the court quickly spread, many people knowing that at tomorrow’s court session, the truth would be revealed.
And so, a day passed.
The next day, at mao hour.
"Dong"
"Dong"
"Dong"
Before the azure morning mist dispersed, the drum sound from the Imperial City Corner Tower penetrated through the many deep palace gates of the Dragon Court.
One by one, valiant Warriors vigorously struck the court drum at the Corner Tower of Chengtian Gate.
"Dong"
"Dong"
"Dong"
Outside Chengtian Gate, carriages gathered, and figures dressed in court attire alighted.
But very quickly, there was a series of low murmurs.
"Lord Meng has arrived!" Yesterday, after "reflecting," the Imperial Censor, who introspects thrice daily, arrived today, dressed in a red robe with a crane, white hair yet spirited, nine feet tall, a gentleman of Confucianism, but in earlier years skilled in subduing others with force.
"Grand Commandant Gongyang has also arrived!" Another heavily guarded chariot arrived, from which a middle-aged man dressed in a red White Tiger robe disembarked, with sharp eyes. He looked at the body atop Chengtian Gate, expressionless, then strode into the palace walls with a majestic presence, showing no signs of feigning illness, as everyone along the way retreated to make way.
But that wasn’t all. Today, outside Chengtian Gate, many Important people who typically only attend court for major issues also made appearances.
The three Patrol Angels who are always elusive:
Serving as the Crown Prince’s Tutor in the Eastern Palace;
Residing outside Dragon Court, opening separate offices, several Princes;
....
A plethora of all kinds of people, on this apparent ordinary day at chen hour, came rushing in.
When the civil and military officials stood on the Han Baiyu Square outside the Jinluan Hall, they discovered the assembly was lively, surprisingly not inferior to the grand assemblies of previous years.
One by one, individuals of significant influence in the Daqian Court appeared one after another.
"Silence Whip——"
At the right time, with a ray of golden sunlight breaking the day, the golden light illuminating the gilt dome of the imperial roof, reflecting dazzling golden light, piercing through the sea of clouds. An official of Honglu Temple shouted loudly, and the Silence Whip, several feet long, struck the ground heavily, with three sharp cracks rolling through the sky over the square like thunder.
Then, the Dragon Chariot flew along the heavenly path into the Jinluan Hall, as civil and military officials stepped onto the stairs into the hall, loudly acclaiming long live, with the sound of official hats and beam crowns bowing like a wave of ink-wheat, the Hu Ban tapping the ground in unison, echoing throughout the nine skies.
Soon, inside the hall, it sounded, "We dutifully submit to Your Majesty, accept the Mandate of Heaven and carry out the holy virtue of the Universe..."
"Minister Zhao Tianming respectfully reports to Your Majesty"
"The Ministry of Communication received a total of seventy-one internal and external memorials today, the Six Ministries... the Imperial Censorate, Honglu Temple... Among them, Colonel Chen Yuan of Shu submitted a request to enter the capital, presenting the memorial for Your Majesty’s review!"
"Oh, upon hearing that Shu encountered distress, this general has made merits, summon him in!"
"By the order of the Emperor of Daqian, summon Colonel Chen Yuan of the Ninth Mountain, Jiannan Road, into the hall!"
A loud call echoed from within the Jinluan Hall, passing through the nine palace gates, reverberating within the palace walls of the Dragon Court.

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