kingnovel Chapter 439 Changes
Chapter 439 Changes
Two months have passed since the death of the envoy from the northern desert in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The end of the year is approaching, but no news of battles has come from the border.
On the surface, everything was peaceful in Kyoto this winter. However, due to the sudden drop in temperature, this winter seemed colder than usual.
The Emperor then bestowed the grace that the three-day mini-court assembly be changed to a five-day or ten-day grand court assembly.
Furthermore, thick curtains were placed in the main hall, and the emperor sat behind the curtains to listen to the government affairs. Although the court officials could see that it was the emperor, they could not see him clearly.
Moreover, after the previous court session, the Emperor would always select a few officials to discuss matters in the Hall of Diligent Governance. Now, the same few ministers come and go during these meetings.
The courtiers were quite curious, so they asked Kuang Tiansong for a few.
"Lord Kuang, it seems the Emperor has been summoning court officials to audience very rarely lately?"
Kuang Tiansong glanced at him sideways: "There are no major matters in the court. Why does the Emperor summon his ministers to an audience? In the past, the cabinet was useless, and the Emperor had to do everything personally, which was exhausting. Now there are many capable ministers in the cabinet. Don't make a fuss about such trivial matters before His Majesty."
That's not what the official meant, of course. He rolled his eyes and looked at Feng Ziheng again.
"Your Highness, I wonder how the Emperor is doing lately?"
Feng Ziheng said, "We're all lazy in winter, and so is His Majesty. If you're worried, will you take me with you next time His Majesty summons me?"
How could they dare? They shook their heads repeatedly.
However, since the adults all said so, they gave up on the idea.
When the news reached the wise prince, his face darkened: "That old codger, could it be that his body is weakened?"
The aide hesitated before replying, "Your Highness, His Majesty has always taken good care of himself and is only forty-six years old now, which is not old."
The Prince Xian tightened his lips and called Hu Manman over to ask, "How long does it take for the medicine you gave to the Empress to take effect?"
Hu Manman replied, "Your Highness, if we take that medicine, it will take at least half a year to see its effects. Moreover, I have my father keeping an eye on things. If the Empress gets the medicine, my father will definitely find out."
The wise king stroked his chin: "So, that old man didn't take any medicine. If that's the case, his body isn't deficient. Then why is he being so mysterious?"
An aide warned, "Your Highness, be careful. At the beginning of the year, the Emperor feigned a serious illness to lull you into a false sense of security."
The wise prince didn't actually believe that his father would use the same method twice. But what if his father was absolutely certain that he wouldn't believe it?
"Better safe than sorry, Your Highness. You must not act rashly."
The wise prince took a deep breath, his mind in turmoil. His father had stripped him of his power, and all his former cronies had been wiped out. Although he had now won over some nobles and court officials with the help of his uncle and Lord Hu, it was still not enough.
Does that mean he can only proceed gradually?
Before the wise prince could take his time, a much bigger event occurred in the court as the year drew to a close: the Right Chancellor, Lord Hu.
Lord Hu was found to have formed cliques for personal gain and sold official positions. The Emperor was furious and ordered his family's property to be confiscated and him executed.
It was also discovered that in the imperial examinations several years ago, Lord Hu leaked the exam questions in order to promote his own people. He was the chief examiner that year, and many of the people he promoted were his protégés.
Things happened so fast that the Prince Xian didn't even have time to react. When Hu Manman learned what had happened, she rushed over, knelt on the ground, and burst into tears.
"Your Highness, please, Your Highness, save my father!"
Lord Hu's selling of official positions was something that happened many years ago. After becoming Right Chancellor, he was exceptionally cautious and never committed the offense again. Unexpectedly, the Emperor brought this matter up again.
Furthermore, the leak of the imperial examination questions was not orchestrated by Lord Hu. His current power and status depend on his adopted daughter. He sends her to various court officials' homes, and when she gains their favor, he whispers in their ear to win them over.
But the chief examiner for that year's imperial examination was indeed Lord Hu, who was aware of the leak of the exam questions and turned a blind eye to it.
The Emperor brought these matters up at this time on purpose.
The wise king was so angry he almost vomited blood: "He did it on purpose, he did it on purpose! He knows I don't have many capable people at my disposal right now, and he still wants to wipe them all out!"
His eyes were bloodshot with rage, but the evidence was irrefutable, and he was completely powerless to do anything about it.
Hu Manman fainted and insisted on going to the palace to see the Empress, but when she presented her nameplate, no one paid any attention to her.
Gui Shan was summoned to the palace and spoke with her younger sister for half a day. The younger sister said that Gui Shan's uncle had performed meritorious service and the emperor had rewarded him.
Back at the Prince's residence, Hu Manman rushed over and asked Gui Shan if she had pleaded on behalf of her father.
Gui Shan said with difficulty, "Consort Hu, your father's crimes are irrefutable, and this is a matter of the previous dynasty, so even the Empress can't do anything about it. The Empress sent me back to comfort you, saying that you are a married woman who has married into the royal family and will not be affected by your maternal family."
Lord Hu's crimes are far too grave; under normal circumstances, his entire family, including his nine generations of relatives, would be executed. However, Hu Manman is a concubine of the royal family, so even if her family were executed, it wouldn't apply to the Prince Xian's residence.
However, under normal circumstances, concubines who had no children would be divorced and sent back to their maternal families, and would be punished the same as their maternal families.
Gui Shan sighed, "It was Her Majesty who felt sorry for you and specially asked His Majesty to spare your life."
Hu Manman trembled all over. How could she believe Gui Shan's words? She thought of the prescription; it was from Si Muwan. It must have been Si Muwan who sensed something was wrong and deliberately set a trap.
Now, she has failed completely, and her family has been destroyed.
Not long ago, she was still having a beautiful dream, dreaming that the wise prince ascended the throne, and she stood beside him, becoming the empress. And she was carrying a child in her womb, the child of the wise prince and herself, the eldest son of the emperor, who would inherit the throne in the future.
Hu Manman has gone mad.
No one cared about her madness; even the steward of the Prince Xian's mansion became increasingly unhelpful to Hu Manman.
The rather dim-witted Zuo He surprisingly refrained from provoking Hu Manman. She often sat by the window, weeping, a sorrowful lament for the passing of her comrade.
Only Gui Shan remained in the peaceful backyard, still managing everything. She dismissed the unhelpful servants from Hu Manman's courtyard, leaving only those who were still diligent, and forbade the steward of the inner courtyard from mistreating Hu Manman, saying that she was still the Prince Xian's concubine.
The emperor in the palace was getting weaker and weaker. He listed all the children under the age of seven in the royal family and considered which one to choose as his heir.
However, he hesitated for a long time, because the child was not his own, and he was still somewhat unwilling.
Feng Ziheng was the one who opposed it the most.
He knelt before the emperor and pleaded, "Your Majesty, it is absolutely unacceptable to establish a young member of the imperial clan as the heir apparent and to require the heir apparent to respect the Empress as his mother. If the son is young and the mother is strong, it will surely disrupt the court. There are many such cases in history. Your Majesty must not be soft-hearted."
The Emperor glared at him: "Do you mean I should reinstate Prince Xian as the crown prince? Or do you mean I should summon those two from the imperial mausoleum back?"