kingnovel Chapter 1923: Pleading for the old master?
Chapter 1923: Pleading for the old master?
There was complete silence in the Golden Palace.
Dugu Jia and Liu Xiang, this mother and son are the widow and heir of the previous emperor, and are the last symbols of the Han Dynasty's legal system.
Their fate touches the sensitive nerves of everyone present and also tests the choices they are about to make.
Chu Ning leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the armrests of the throne, and swept his eyes across the entire audience again, taking in the fear, struggle, and numbness on everyone's faces, as well as the glint of speculation in the eyes of a few people.
The corners of his mouth seemed to curl up in a very faint, imperceptible arc, as if he was enjoying a drama that he had long expected.
He asked slowly, his voice was particularly clear in the silent hall:
"I wonder what advice you gentlemen have?"
This question was light and yet it was as heavy as a thousand pounds.
In an instant, the air in the entire Golden Throne Hall seemed to completely freeze.
The officials lowered their heads even lower, some even held their breath, with fine beads of cold sweat oozing from their foreheads.
Give me some advice?
How to make suggestions?
If you plead for your former master, you may be immediately regarded as a dissident and be killed.
Advocating severe punishment or even proposing execution might please the new emperor, but the stigma of regicide or betrayal, as well as the remaining moral shackles in their hearts, made it difficult for them to speak out.
This is a question that will lead to death, but also a token of allegiance.
The Emperor of Chu handed the chosen knife into their own hands, forcing them to personally sever the last connection with the old era.
The hall was dead silent, with only the occasional crackling of candlelight and the heavy breathing of some people due to nervousness.
Every moment of prolonged silence is a torment and torture to the soul.
The first political direction of the new dynasty will be quietly established in this suffocating silence and the speeches that follow.
Chu Ning's words, "I wonder what insights you gentlemen have?" were like a stone thrown into an ancient well, causing silent but violent ripples in the silent Golden Palace.
The lingering sound, but no one dared to respond first.
The air was so stagnant that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it. The heavy pressure made many officials almost breathless. They stared at the gold bricks under their feet, wishing they could find a crack to crawl into.
The person on the throne is not so much soliciting opinions as conducting a cold screening. Every word of response may determine his own fate and even the fate of his family.
The suffocating silence lasted for what seemed like a century.
Finally, among the crowd that lowered their heads and held their breath, a voice rang out with a hint of loyalty and eagerness that was deliberately emphasized.
It was Li Bi, whose back injury had not healed and whose face was still pale.
He endured the sharp pain in his back when he bent over, and tried to make his voice loud and firm:
"Your Majesty! I believe this matter does not need further discussion!"
As soon as he opened his mouth, he set a tough tone and instantly attracted everyone's attention.
"Dugu Jia and Liu Xiang are the remnants of the previous dynasty and the symbols of the pseudo-Han legal system!"
"If these two are not eliminated, the world will still be nostalgic for the old dynasty, and the hidden danger will never be eradicated!"
"We must obey the will of heaven and revolutionize the world. How can we imitate the soft-heartedness of women? We must use drastic measures to eliminate future troubles!"
"I implore Your Majesty to publicly execute these two men according to the law of punishment, in order to bring peace to the world and reassure the people!"
Li Bi's words were like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake.
He knew that he had no way out, and the only way to consolidate his position was to appear more resolute than anyone else and support the new dynasty.
The public execution he mentioned was even more cruel, with the intention of completely trampling on the dignity of the old dynasty.
As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Yu beside him immediately stepped forward and echoed him.
Wang Yu was a thin man. He was once an important figure in the civil service of the Han Dynasty. His voice was as decisive as his personality:
"Lord Li is absolutely right! Your Majesty, those who achieve great things do not dwell on trivial matters!"
"That vicious woman, Dugu Jiana, was still roaring even as the city was broken. Her hatred was clear to see!"
"Although Liu Xiang is young, he is still a pseudo-emperor and his title still exists. Keeping him here will only lead to disaster!"
"Only by eradicating the root of the problem can your majesty demonstrate your divine authority and ensure that the Chu Empire remains as stable as Mount Tai! I second the motion!"
Immediately afterwards, Zhang Tao and Zhao Ming also stepped forward.
Zhang Tao, who was in charge of finances and grain, spoke more pragmatically:
"Your Majesty, as long as the fake Han imperial family exists, it could be exploited by those with ulterior motives, wasting the court's efforts on monitoring and prevention, and increasing costs in vain."
"It's better to cut the Gordian knot and put an end to it all."
Zhao Ming added from an administrative perspective: "Only when the situation is decided can we appease the local authorities more quickly and ensure that government policies are implemented smoothly."
"We all agree that this should be resolved quickly!"
As representatives of the surrender faction, these people had clear attitudes and fierce words.
A court meeting that was supposed to be a discussion was instantly pushed to the brink of a death trial for the former master.
Many officials in the hall, especially those who were already weak-willed or secretly inclined towards the new dynasty, showed expressions of thought or approval on their faces, and some even nodded slightly.
However, not everyone is overwhelmed by this strong argument.
Just when Li Bi and the others were at their peak of momentum, a clear and resolute voice came from the ranks of civil officials:
"Your Majesty! I think this is absolutely unacceptable!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the person coming out was Liao Qian, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy.
He was about fifty years old, with a gaunt face, and was wearing an old official robe that had been washed to a pale color, which he wore meticulously.
Although his face looked solemn at the moment, his back was straight and his eyes showed the stubbornness and character of a scholar.
"His Majesty!"
Liao Qian bowed deeply to the throne and raised his voice slightly, trying to suppress the solemn and murderous atmosphere just now.
"The Zuo Zhuan says, 'When a country is about to rise, the bright spirit descends to monitor its virtues. When it is about to fall, the spirit descends again to observe its vices.'"
"Your Majesty has just ascended the throne and established a long-lasting peace. This is the time to demonstrate the spirit of the new dynasty and spread virtue far and wide!"
"Dugu Jia and Liu Xiang, a woman and a child, are already prisoners. To Your Majesty, they are like ants."
"Killing him is just a piece of cake, but the harm far outweighs the benefits!"
He paused, and glanced at Li Bi and the others with undisguised contempt:
"What you gentlemen just said about permanently eliminating future troubles is just a common man's opinion, not a good way to govern the country!"
"If Your Majesty were to suddenly start a massacre at this moment, how would the people of the world view it? They would surely think Your Majesty was using the power of victory to intolerant others. This is hardly the behavior of a benevolent monarch!"
"Wouldn't this push the Han court's former ministers and scholars, who might have originally submitted to the throne, into opposition?"
Liao Qian's words, citing classics, directly pointed to the two key points of benevolence and human nature, attempting to bring the discussion back to the level of political influence.
He knew very well that if he wanted to save Dugu Jia and Liu Xiang, he had to get out of the current situation.
He placed his hope on quoting classics, hoping that Chu Ning would be cautious and thus achieve his goal.
"Mr. Liao is wrong!" Li Bi stood up.