Zheng Sansi was the Minister of Revenue. With him personally speaking up as well, Minister Chen felt his heart leap into his throat. He hastily followed the others who were kneeling down in succession with a thud, kowtowing until his head banged loudly.
Cen Biliang looked with a stony face at Zheng Sansi kneeling in front, feeling as if he had never known him at all.
One after another, quite a few people stood out begging Emperor Jianzhang to consider granting amnesty to Han Zhengqing and Prince Gong. Their arguments were all the same set that Zheng Sansi had just stated—the national treasury was empty, military strength was deficient, unable to sustain the effort, and so on.
Bai Dong cried with streams of tears and snot, his long beard covered with mucus, almost crying himself into unconsciousness. “Your Majesty, the Minister is right. Now the entire Xibei region has fallen into the hands of the Tartars. If we want to fight, how can we fight?” He seemed unable to see Emperor Jianzhang’s ashen expression and wailed on his own accord, putting on the appearance of a loyal minister. “The Tartars have a hundred thousand iron cavalry as backup behind them, and ahead they have Han Zhengqing and Prince Gong helping to clear the way. If we clash with them head-on, what great price will we have to pay? Originally Fujian could barely hold on. A while ago when the Japanese pirates couldn’t break through Fujian, they simply went and plundered Zhejiang instead… And there’s Guangdong—Tun County in Guangdong was almost completely ransacked, and many common people were also captured.” He sighed and kept kowtowing. “If we continue fighting now, it can only result in suffering for all living creatures and people unable to make a living!”
After he finished speaking, he prostrated himself on the ground motionless, as if he no longer had the strength to continue. In fact, he truly had no strength left. He was extremely unwilling to come out as this sacrificial pawn, but there was no choice—who told him he used to rely on Elder Du? Who told Elder Du to have been Prince Gong’s teacher in the past? Elder Du was old and shrewd. For many matters he wouldn’t personally take action, always pushing Bai Dong forward as a vanguard. Therefore, Prince Gong held quite a few of his vulnerabilities. If he didn’t become this sacrificial pawn, who would?
After a moment of silence in the great hall, Cen Biliang suddenly let out an explosive roar. He took off his other shoe as well, but didn’t strike anyone else with it—he directly slapped it across Zheng Sansi’s face.
“Ptui!” Angrily pushing past the Imperial Guards who had already rushed in, he swiftly pounced forward and grabbed Zheng Sansi by the throat. “You actually came up with this! The Tartars kill our people and insult our national dignity, yet you still say we should send a princess to make a marriage alliance with them! Our Great Zhou’s princesses are of golden branches and jade leaves, heaven’s favored children—to go marry inferior Tartars?! As if they’re worthy!”
“I truly misjudged you!”
Bai Dong looked up from the ground in astonishment. Before he could react, several of the more radical censors and investigating censors from the pro-war faction had already swarmed forward, each and every one pouncing. Very quickly a tight circle of people surrounded Zheng Sansi and Chen Tingxuan. His hands, which had been placed outside his wide sleeves, were trampled until they curled up.
This… He wailed out loud, shuffled forward on his knees for a few steps, and looked up at Emperor Jianzhang shouting loudly, “Your Majesty! This… Minister Cen actually strikes people in court. This is simply… simply harmful to public morals and shows contempt for law and order!”
Cen Biliang, busy as he was, found time to spit at him. “You still know the words ‘public morals’? You still have the face to go back and face your ancestors? You servile, fawning wretch!”
Soon the officials from the pro-peace faction also reacted and came forward to help. The court hall descended into complete chaos.
Emperor Jianzhang, who had not moved from beginning to end, seemed to finally come to his senses. He glanced at Eunuch An. “Summon the Imperial Guard! Summon the Imperial City Guard!”
Eunuch An trembled and in a shrill voice summoned the Imperial City Guard and Imperial Guard to the hall, separating all those who were fighting in a tangled mass.
Emperor Jianzhang looked down at Zheng Sansi, who had been beaten by Cen Biliang until his face was bruised and swollen. “A marriage alliance? Peace negotiations? Amnesty?”
Zheng Sansi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and kowtowed properly. “Your Majesty, please think thrice…” He looked at Emperor Jianzhang with utmost sincerity. “Marquis Dingyuan died for the nation, Prince Zhennan’s life or death is unknown, and even General Commander Cui has now fallen into the Tartar trap and is trapped in Suzhou. Why must we waste resources and exhaust the people?”
Seeing that everyone in the great hall had quieted down, he sighed again. “Moreover, this minister has heard news that Prince Gong’s rebellion actually has other hidden circumstances.”
The elders who had not spoken all this time looked toward him one after another, as if just coming to their senses.
Finally, it’s here. Song Chengru’s eyebrows twitched but he still maintained a composed expression.
Zheng Sansi looked with a complex gaze at Grand Consort Zhou Weizhao standing at the head of the left row, then deeply pressed his head to the ground. “This minister has heard that Prince Gong truly was held hostage and assassinated, and only escaped from the imperial mausoleum when forced with no alternative. Prince Gong wanted to report to higher authorities but could not, and was pursued and attacked all along the way…”
The fig leaf they had originally wanted to give Prince Gong had now become Prince Gong’s lifeline. The corners of Emperor Jianzhang’s mouth held a cold smile, his voice calm. “Oh? Where did Minister Zheng hear this from?”
“It’s spread all over Xibei.” Zheng Sansi sighed. “Prince Gong weeps daily facing toward the capital, only hoping to clear the treacherous ministers from the court… and resolve the misunderstanding with Your Majesty.”
“Then according to Minister Zheng’s meaning, when he clears treacherous ministers from the court, who is he clearing?”
The hall was quiet to a somewhat frightening degree for a moment. Everyone knew what banner Prince Gong raised—when he spoke of clearing treacherous ministers from the court, he naturally referred to Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace and Zhou Weizhao. In his proclamation, Prince Gong had clearly stated that he suffered Zhou Weizhao’s frame-up, causing him to lose favor with Emperor Jianzhang and putting his life in danger—that was why Prince Gong had no choice but to raise troops in rebellion.
“This minister requests that Your Majesty order the Three Judicial Offices to thoroughly investigate this matter!” Zheng Sansi took a deep breath, both hands tightly clenched into fists. “Matters have reached this point, rumors fly everywhere. If the truth is really as Prince Gong says, Your Majesty can also make a decision. If what Prince Gong says is false, then…”
“Then what?!” Emperor Jianzhang suddenly threw his memorial right at his face. “Thoroughly investigate?! How should it be investigated?!” As he spoke, he glanced at Lai Chenglong who was already waiting outside. “Since they want to see, bring out the documents where Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of Rites and the heir of Marquis Guangping and others signed and confessed their crimes!”
Lai Chenglong had long been prepared. Without even looking, Emperor Jianzhang had Eunuch An read them aloud in the hall.
“Fei Zhan colluded with him, working from inside and outside to kill the Imperial Guards and imperial mausoleum guards, helping him escape from the capital. Chen Ping had already investigated this clearly at the time.” Emperor Jianzhang surveyed the group below. “The evidence is as solid as a mountain—how else should it be investigated?! How can it be investigated?!”
“You collude with Prince Gong—is it truly for the common people, or is it for your glory and wealth, for your careers?!” Emperor Jianzhang let out a cold laugh, his words extremely blunt. “I’m not dead yet, General Commander Cui is still in Xibei, and Huang Yiqing is also bravely resisting the enemy. Yet you’re already turning your coats this thoroughly—isn’t it a bit too early?!”