Today, the Great Zhou court observes a day of rest, and the Emperor and his officials are not required to attend court.
Before dawn, the gates of the Ministry of Justice were crowded with courtiers braving the biting cold and snow, eagerly awaiting the release of the Pri Minister.
Yet, to everyone’s great surprise, instead of hearing news of the Pri Minister’s acquittal, they were greeted with the dreadful decree of his execution and the confiscation of his family property.
The crowd was dumbfounded.
Eunuch Fu entered the heavily guarded prison with the imperial decree in hand.
He flicked his horsetail whisk and said, "Xun Xiuyuan, receive the decree."
...
When Eunuch Fu erged from the prison, he was imdiately surrounded by the ministers.
Cabinet Minister Yang asked in disbelief, "Director Fu, could there be so mistake? Did His Majesty truly decree the execution of the Pri Minister? How is this possible?"
Eunuch Fu raised his horsetail whisk, calmly distancing himself from Yang’s grasp on his arm. "I am rely the ssenger. If you gentlen have any doubts, you can enter the palace and ask the Supre Emperor for clarification."
Having said this, he strode away, leaving no chance for the crowd to detain him further.
The ministers could not bring themselves to believe that the Supre Emperor would so hastily execute Pri Minister Xun. A group of them promptly rushed to Zhaoming Palace to petition the Supre Emperor.
As they entered, the Supre Emperor had specially summoned Zong Zhengxi to join them.
Although young, this kingdom would ultimately fall upon his shoulders soday.
Zong Zhengxi had just finished reviewing the evidence against Pri Minister Xun and was too shocked to speak.
Had his judgnt been so poor?
How had he failed to discern loyalty from treachery, favoring Pri Minister Xun over Lu Yuan and nearly causing a grave mistake?
Guilt swirled within Zong Zhengxi, rendering him speechless.
He longed to ask his father if he was a failure as Emperor.
Yet, he couldn’t summon the courage to voice the question aloud.
The Supre Emperor cast a glance at his silent son and spoke earnestly, "Steady your spirit; you are Emperor. Do not let yourself lose the dignity of imperial authority in front of the ministers."
"Yes, Father."
Zong Zhengxi suppressed his emotions deep inside, striving to compose himself and restore his imperial dignity.
The Supre Emperor said to Eunuch Fu, "Let them enter."
"Yes." Eunuch Fu turned toward the hall’s entrance. "Announce—The distinguished lords shall have an audience—"
The ministers hurriedly filed into Zhaoyang Hall.
There were too many officials seeking an audience today, and the Warm Pavilion couldn’t accommodate them all. The Supre Emperor and Zong Zhengxi convened with the full assembly of civil and military officials in the East Wing Hall instead.
With a sweeping glance, the Supre Emperor smirked, "Coming so early in the day, all of you are keen on paying your respects. Thoughtful indeed. Where is Lu Yuan? Is he unsociable, or does he no longer consider as his Supre Emperor?"
The civil and military officials were acutely embarrassed.
They weren’t here to pay respects—they had co to plead on behalf of Pri Minister Xun. At least half were here with this purpose, while others had heard the news en route and rushed to join, fearful of missing this bustling scene.
Lu Yuan’s absence, however, seed to indicate he did not align with Pri Minister Xun. Perhaps, it signaled he walked a different path altogether?
Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao appears.
Lu Yuan "arrived."
He had already been inside the palace for so ti. The evidence against Pri Minister Xun had been presented to the Supre Emperor by him. He deliberately road about before entering subsequently, pretending he had only just arrived.
"Your servant pays respect to the Supre Emperor and His Majesty."
Lu Yuan bowed properly.
Having grown accustod to his brazen arrogance, seeing him so restrained lately was oddly unsettling to many.
"Rise."
The Supre Emperor raised his hand.
Lu Yuan straightened himself and gazed at the gathered officials with mild surprise, "Have you gentlen all co regarding Pri Minister Xun?"
Cabinet Minister Yang was startled, "You too?"
"Of course."
Lu Yuan readily admitted, "His verdict is confiscation of property and execution. I am here to comnd the Supre Emperor and His Majesty for their keen insight in ridding Great Zhou of this calamity!"
Cabinet Minister Yang was thoroughly exasperated.
A venerable Cabinet Minister could hardly hold his ground in argunt against an Imperial Censor, let alone an unscrupulous figure like Lu Yuan. Utter humiliation!
With a furious flick of his sleeves, Cabinet Minister Yang decided to ignore Lu Yuan, turning instead to plead to the Supre Emperor and Zong Zhengxi, "Your Majesty, may we inquire what cri the Pri Minister has committed to warrant such punishnt?"
The Supre Emperor’s smile vanished. "Fu Dequan, present the evidence against the Pri Minister!"
Eunuch Fu carried in a tray stacked high with incriminating docunts and approached the assembly of officials.
The ministers began to browse the evidence.
Lu Yuan nudged Cabinet Minister Yang, "Careful—damaging evidence incurs charges. Surely you’re not trying to exonerate the Pri Minister with such foolish tactics? Shall I lend you a few pointers?"
Cabinet Minister Yang nearly fainted from rage.
What a treacherous knave, just as shaless as the Miao King!
"Minister Huo, read faster—the others are waiting."
"Minister Li, you’re holding it upside down."
The hesitant and opportunistic Minister of Rites felt utterly aggrieved.
Minister Huo’s expression grew increasingly grave.
Lu Yuan curled his lips into a smirk, "Studying it so thoroughly—searching for your own na on the list, perhaps?"
Minister Huo glared at Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan chuckled, "Only joking. No harm ant. Unless, of course, such words strike your guilty conscience, Minister Huo?"
With a face stiff as iron, Minister Huo passed the docunts to the Minister of Rites.
The Minister of Rites: "Thank you, but I’d rather not."
"This is just part of the evidence—there’s plenty more... yet to be uncovered. Perhaps confiscating his property will reveal more."
Lu Yuan deliberately tested the waters with this remark, gauging everyone’s reactions.
Sure enough, those not implicated in the evidence initially sighed in relief, only to tense up again upon hearing Lu Yuan’s comnt.
Lu Yuan noticed it; so did the Supre Emperor.
While Zong Zhengxi’s insights weren’t as sharp, he too discerned the increasingly tense atmosphere in the room.
Lu Yuan grinned, "Cabinet Minister Yang, feeling warm? Want to wipe off so sweat?"
Cabinet Minister Yang stamred, "N-no need."
Minister Huo solemnly inquired, "Where did this evidence co from? Could soone have tampered with it, deliberately framing Pri Minister Xun? The Pri Minister has served the court with unwavering loyalty. I cannot believe he would engage in collusion with the Ten Lords, waging wars for profit, maintaining a private army, and falsifying military achievents."
Cabinet Minister Yang chid in, "Agreed! Lu Yuan can win battles, so why couldn’t the Pri Minister? In my opinion, this is likely the work of soone envious over the Pri Minister’s return to court, and seeking to eliminate a rival through despicable thods!"
The Supre Emperor had anticipated skepticism regarding the validity of the evidence.
With dignity and authority, he declared, "I have my own thods. Summon the Sacrificial Officer and the Grand Tutor to the palace for handwriting verification."
The two were Great Zhou’s most learned scholars, equally proficient in the art of calligraphy.
The Supre Emperor ordered soone to retrieve letters written personally by the Ten Lords and compare them with the handwriting in the incriminating docunts.
Finally, they confird that the letters exchanged with Pri Minister Xun were indeed in the handwriting of the Ten Lords.
The Supre Emperor then revealed his trump card—a pair of letters delivered by Xun Qi to the border on behalf of the Pri Minister: one requesting reinforcents from the Ten Lords, the other instructing the Border Army to stage a mutiny.
"It is the Pri Minister’s handwriting."
Sacrificial Officer Lin stated.
The Grand Tutor nodded solemnly.
If the earlier docunts from the Ten Lords could still be argued as attempts to fra the Pri Minister, then the handwritten letters instigating rebellion were irrefutable evidence of his treachery.
Every step taken—from carefully scheming to the initial accusation—was aid at cornering the Pri Minister, culminating with this fatal, handwritten letter.
Such an approach carried imnse risk.
Had Xun Qi trusted the Pri Minister less, or had Xun Liu failed to be rescued, or had Xun Qi wavered in loyalty...
Any single misstep would have prevented acquiring this conclusive letter.
The East Hall fell silent.
It seed that Pri Minister Xun’s faction had been caught entirely off guard.
Lu Yuan seized the montum, "Supre Emperor, Your Majesty, my grandfather’s army of ten thousand elite soldiers has already departed Miaojiang. He is on his way to et them, and within five days, they shall arrive at the Southwest Border. Additionally, I have sent ssenger pigeons to Zhang Feihu, instructing him to lead his three armies to march upon West City. With twenty thousand troops assembled at the border, this governor refuses to believe we cannot suppress the rebel forces!"
Zhang Feihu had just achieved glorious victories at Yun Pass—the border troops were brimming with morale.
With Miaojiang’s elite soldiers augnting their ranks, there was little doubt the battle would have at least a seventy or eighty percent chance of success.
The Minister of Rites stroked his beard thoughtfully, "The Miaojiang army is skilled in the art of Gu. Rumor has it that a single vial of Gu worms can incapacitate an entire battalion—is that true?"
Lu Yuan maintained his composure, "Completely true."
Minister Huo observed, "I have never heard of Miaojiang’s so-called elite soldiers."
Lu Yuan raised his brows, "You have now. And soon you shall see them yourself. Let us rely hope that when the ti cos, you stand among my grandfather’s troops under their protection, rather than as a rebel invader under their attack!"
Step one: Present evidence, establish legitimacy.
Step two: Showcase strength, sow discord.
Next ca the final and most critical move.
"Pri Minister Xun’s defeat is inevitable. The only remaining question is how many of his allies remain within the court. I am one who favors swift justice—even if it ans mistakenly executing one hundred, I would rather not spare even one. However, both the Supre Emperor and His Majesty are benevolent rulers, unwilling to shed unnecessary blood. If the lords present unite to purge treachery from among us for the sake of the court and the people, they shall gain rits and leave their nas in the annals of history!"
Lu Yuan’s words plunged the East Hall into yet another tense silence.
He did not speak of atonent but rather of glory earned—signaling to all that by abandoning darkness for the light, they could not only preserve their lives and wealth but might also achieve advancent in rank.
Lu Yuan smiled slightly, "Speaking of rewards for rit—the first among them will always be the one to claim the highest honor."
"Pri Minister Xun bears countless cris, each more heinous than the last. I plead to the Supre Emperor and His Majesty for severe punishnt!"
Lu Yuan raised his brows, his smile deepening, "Cabinet Minister Yang."
Even Lu Yuan hadn’t expected that the first to denounce Pri Minister Xun would be Cabinet Minister Yang.
This was a seamlessly executed open sche. Lu Yuan offered just two choices: Either the Pri Minister dies, and they survive; or, the Pri Minister dies, and they perish alongside him.
Given that the Pri Minister was dood, why not leverage his downfall to secure their survival?
If not for the Pri Minister’s years of cruelty and tyranny—if not for the border victory won a year ago, if not for the Miao King’s treachery, if not for the Pri Minister’s catastrophic missteps, and if not for his recent month of imprisonnt...
Lu Yuan may not have been able to manipulate them so effectively today.
This move had been set in motion long ago by Lu Yuan.
-
Ministry of Justice Prison.
Minister Xing and Steward Hu were organizing the incriminating docunts in the records room.
All of a sudden, a shadow flashed past and entered the depths of the prison, unlocking the heavy iron doors to enter the innermost cell.
"My lord, disaster has struck! News of the border has leaked, and the ministers have petitioned for the Supre Emperor to sentence you to imdiate execution! The public execution planned for three days hence at the marketplace has been changed to today!"
The Hidden Guard urgently whispered, "My lord, you must escape at once!"
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