Chapter 296: Chapter 297: Choose to Protect Pei Chengye Chapter 296: Chapter 297: Choose to Protect Pei Chengye The Emperor’s eyes reddened at the ntion of Consort Ming, tears swirling ceaselessly within his eyes.
He lanted, “I have always felt that Consort Ming’s death was rather strange, but I had just ascended the throne, the Imperial Court was unstable, and the Zheng Family wielded imnse power. Without any evidence found, the matter was shelved.”
Pei Huaian’s cool gaze finally softened upon hearing his father’s words, for he had always thought that his father was indifferent to his mother’s death.
He had not expected that, after all these years, he had misjudged the Emperor, who also had his compelling reasons.
The Emperor, filled with remorse, looked at Pei Huaian and continued, “At that ti, you were still young; I was worried that the Empress might harm you, so I had no choice but to have you raised under her na.”
Only in this way would the Empress dare not lay a hand on Pei Huaian, because if anything indeed happened to him, the bla would fall upon her. Thus, she would protect Pei Huaian as he grew up, no matter what.
The Emperor also knew that Pei Huaian had feigned the role of a profligate son all these years to put the Empress at ease; only by doing so could he assure the Empress and remove her concerns.
At that ti, the Emperor felt imnsely relieved.
Pei Huaian nodded slightly, “Father, you needn’t bla yourself; your son understands you,”
As he spoke, a faint smile played across his lips; his deep, dark eyes brimd with confidence and audacity.
The Emperor was stunned by Pei Huaian’s deanor and words, and it took him a long while to co back to his senses.
Shao He, seeing the empty dicine vial, coughed lightly to interrupt the two. She walked over, removed the needle, and placed it into her bag.
It was not that she planned to reuse it, but rather she feared soone with intentions might misuse it.
“Your Majesty, this is the ninth day; tomorrow is the last infusion.”
“Doctor Shao’s dical skills are indeed wondrous.”
The Emperor could not help but greatly admire her; he had thought his days were numbered, only to find himself granted a new lease on life.
“You flatter , Your Majesty. If there is nothing else, this commoner girl shall take her leave,” Shao He said.
“Hmm,” the Emperor waved his hand dismissively.
Pei Huaian’s gaze had been fixed on her the entire ti. Seeing his son like this, the Emperor smiled helplessly, “She is already far away; what are you still looking at?”
“Your son, your son…” Pei Huaian stamred.
“Tell the truth, do you like her?” asked the Emperor.
“Yes. In this lifeti, I will wed no one but her,” Pei Huaian declared with firm resolve.
He had never been so persistent about anything as he was about Shao He, stubbornly wanting to keep her by his side.
The Emperor sighed deeply, “I have asked her before, but she does not wish it.”
“Your son understands.”
The Emperor, resigned, shook his head and waved him off.
After a month’s worth of treatnt, the Emperor’s health was nearly fully restored, no longer requiring acupuncture, although he still needed to continue taking herbal decoctions; walking was no longer an issue at all.
The matter of the private minting of silver was rebelled against by Zheng Rufeng, Zheng’s legitimate second son.
In the Imperial Court, Zheng Hai, kneeling before the Emperor, was overco with tears, “It is this old minister’s failure to teach his son that led him to commit such a foolish act, to secretly mint private silver in the na of the Second Prince!”
They ultimately chose to protect Pei Chengye because if the Second Prince were to beco the Crown Prince in the future, it was still possible for the Zheng Family to regain its forr glory.
After a lengthy silence, the Emperor suddenly asked, “Beloved Minister Zheng, what do you think should be done?”
Upon hearing these words, the officials inhaled sharply, looking at the Emperor in disbelief. Was His Majesty actually asking Elder Zheng for his opinion? This was his own biological son!
“This old minister believes that he should receive fifty strokes of the cane and be exiled to the borderlands!” Zheng Hai said through gritted teeth before adding, “Your Majesty, please grant this request.”
“If that is the case, let it be done as my beloved minister says!” A sharp glint crossed the Emperor’s eyes.
Zheng Hai felt as if his heart was being carved out, but he had no way out…
He removed the black hat from his head and submitted his resignation, “This old minister has failed in his duties and disgraced Your Majesty; today, I hereby resign from my office. I beg Your Majesty’s approval.”
After speaking, Zheng Hai presented his petition with both hands to the eunuch beside him.
The eunuch trembled as he took the petition and placed it on the imperial desk; he then whispered softly in the Emperor’s ear, “Your Majesty, this is Master Zheng’s letter of resignation!”
The Zheng Family’s strength was deeply entrenched and intricate, making it no easy task to shake their foundation.
After reading the letter, the Emperor smiled faintly, “Since Beloved Minister Zheng is so reasonable, I shall grant your request.”
He tossed Zheng Hai’s resignation onto the table, then declared loudly, “Let the decree be known, Master Zheng is stripped of his first-rank official title, reduced to a commoner!”
The Imperial Court instantly erupted into chaos; everyone was talking at once, so sympathetic, others gloating…
The decline of the Zheng Family was inevitable; who asked them to offend the Emperor by daring to mint private silver in the na of the Second Prince?
The Emperor had made up his mind to suppress the Zheng Family! Who would have thought that Zheng Rufeng could provoke His Majesty’s thunderous anger? It seed unlikely that the Zheng Family could turn their fortunes around anyti soon.
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s great benevolence!” Zheng Hai prostrated himself three tis, then stood up and left, his steps faltering as if he could collapse to the ground at any mont.
The Emperor continued to announce, “The Second Prince is relieved of attending court for three months, Fourth Prince is to resign from his position at the Ministry of Works.”
These successive Imperial Decrees made everyone’s allegiance waver yet again.
After all, following this incident, the Zheng Family’s power would undoubtedly be significantly weakened; those who were considering aligning with Pei Chengye now hesitated.
After all, with the Second Prince having lost the support of the Zheng Family and now having displeased the Emperor, being born of the Empress was not enough to ensure that the ministers would firmly support him.
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