Early the next morning.
Led by Old Censor Yu, the Ministers of the Six Ministries brought the civil and military officials to gather in front of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
The newly appointed Minister of Personnel said in a loud, clear voice, "Chief Minister, the one-day deadline has arrived. Please lead us to see the Emperor, so we may confirm that His Majesty is in good health!"
As soon as his voice fell, the officials shouted in unison, "Please lead us to see the Emperor, Chief Minister!"
Their uniform voices echoed throughout the imperial palace. Cao Yang stood expressionless, blocking the palace gates, and simply said, "His Majesty has ordered that he will not see any court officials before the deadline is up. Please return, everyone."
Old Censor Yu said sternly, "Chief Minister Cao! We agreed yesterday. If we do not see His Majesty today, we will have to offend you!"
With that said, a large crowd pressed forward. Cao Yang shouted, "Commander ng, Commander Xie!"
ng Yang imdiately rushed in with the imperial guards, followed closely by Xie Zhizhou's Wardens Office of the Five Boroughs.
The officials panicked for a mont. Old Censor Yu flew into a rage, "Cao Yang! You are digging your own grave!"
Those ministers in the court who did not get along with him also jumped out one after another, "Cao Yang! Are you colluding with the imperial guards and the Wardens Office to plot a rebellion?"
"No wonder you have delayed letting us see His Majesty. You have actually put the Emperor and Empress under house arrest!"
Thousands of tongues condemned them together, and the sword in ng Yang's hand trembled slightly.
The situation was too tense. If there was any mistake, things would get completely out of hand!
Cao Yang clenched his fists and was about to speak when a clear voice suddenly said, "My lords, if you trust Tingyun, let Tingyun go in and see His Majesty on your behalf."
The courtyard fell silent for a mont. Old Censor Yu's anger subsided slightly. "Scholar Su, can you go in and see His Majesty?"
Su Tingyun did not speak, but looked at Cao Yang.
Cao Yang thought for a mont and nodded. "You may."
ng Yang's eyelids twitched. Rembering Su Tingyun's past record, he still felt a lingering fear...
However, the officials looked at each other and agreed to this proposal. "Then please go see His Majesty on our behalf, Scholar Su, and confirm the safety of the Emperor and Her Grace!"
The gates of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility slowly opened. Under everyone's watchful eyes, Su Tingyun, Cao Yang, and the others entered together.
Just as he stepped over the threshold, an incredibly sharp sword was placed against Su Tingyun's neck.
Cao Yang said disapprovingly, "Commander ng!"
But ng Yang stared at Su Tingyun with a vigilant look. "Scholar Su, you should know in your heart what you should and shouldn't say when you go out later..."
Before the word "understand" could be spoken, Su Tingyun said calmly, "I know, she is not here."
The few of them were startled, and then heard him say, "Don't worry, I won't say anything. The simultaneous disappearance of the Emperor and Empress is enough to shake the foundation of the country. No matter what, Tingyun would not dare to joke with the state of the nation."
Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. ng Yang sheathed his sword and muttered, "Everything was fine before, why do they suddenly insist on seeing His Majesty?"
Su Tingyun said in a deep voice, "Soone among the officials is spreading rumors that you have put the Emperor and Empress under house arrest! This person must hold an important position, otherwise he would not be able to convince the ministers. If Lord Gu hadn't been ill today, I'm afraid he would have co too..."
Even Gu Sun was persuaded. Who on earth was it?
Just as they were pondering, the palace gates were slamd open with a bang, and two imperial guards tumbled into the hall.
Then, they saw the Minister of Personnel rush in, followed closely by the Six Ministries and the Censorate...
Old Censor Yu was supported by others and walked at the very end. When he saw the empty hall clearly, he looked terrified. "Your Majesty, Your Grace!" He cried out in grief, his legs giving way as he fell to his knees on the ground.
The other officials followed suit. They only saw the Minister of Personnel wipe away two drops of tears before he challenged, "Cao Yang! What else do you have to say?"
Cao Yang looked at him for a mont and slowly understood sothing. "So it's you. Whose man are you? The Murong clan of the previous dynasty, or the rebel Yun Zihao? But what I don't understand is, you are already the head of the Six Ministries, what else can move you?"
A dark glint flashed in the eyes of the Minister of Personnel, and he said loudly, "Cao Yang, don't speak nonsense! It was you and those two thieves, ng and Xie, who murdered the Emperor, and now you want to put the bla on !"
His cronies imdiately echoed, "That's right! We saw it with our own eyes, don't even think about arguing your way out of this!"
"Ministers, Old Censor Yu, since the Emperor has been murdered, the country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. We must elect another wise monarch!"
"The Emperor has no heir, but the Yan family still has a son, Wenjing, who is also of royal blood! We petition to support him to succeed the throne!"
This series of words seed to have been rehearsed countless tis.
Cao Yang exchanged glances with Su Tingyun, Xie Zhizhou, and the others, and finally understood what the Minister of Personnel was here for.
Although he was a first-rank official, Cao Yang, the Chief Minister, always suppressed him.
But if he supported a new emperor to succeed the throne, he would be a ritorious minister who assisted the dragon. And the new emperor was still a child, much easier to manipulate!
Human greed is insatiable. One Pei Ji fell, and now ca a Minister of Personnel.
No wonder the Emperor had repeatedly warned them before leaving not to leak his whereabouts at all!
While they were thinking, soone had already brought Yan Wenjing over from the imperial study.
The Minister of Personnel straightened his clothes, knelt before Yan Wenjing, and said, "The Emperor has been missing for a month and we fear he has t with an accident. We beseech you to succeed the throne and inherit the great lineage!"
His cronies followed closely, even pulling the confused ministers beside them along. In just a short mont, more than half of them had knelt down.
Old Censor Yu finally realized sothing was wrong. He pointed at them and said, "You... you are acting recklessly... We haven't seen the Emperor's true face, how can we establish a new ruler!"
However, his voice was drowned out by the petitions.
Yan Wenjing blinked his eyes and asked, "What does 't with an accident' an?"
The Minister of Personnel said respectfully, "It ans encountering danger and possibly having passed away."
Yan Wenjing's face suddenly darkened. "You dare to curse my Third Uncle?" Without waiting for an answer, he suddenly asked again, "If I beco the Emperor, does that an all of you have to listen to ?"
The Minister of Personnel hurriedly said, "Exactly! When you beco the Emperor, you will be the greatest person in the world. Whatever you say goes, and everyone must listen to you!"
He originally wanted to bewitch this child, but unexpectedly, the little boy smiled sweetly. "Okay then. n, drag him down and behead him first!"
The Minister of Personnel was stunned, and then saw his small hand move across, pointing one by one at those who had asked him to succeed the throne. "And you guys, those who cursed my Third Uncle, all must die!"
The ministers were all stunned.
Cao Yang held back a smile and waved his hand. Yan Wenjing trotted all the way over. "Lord Cao, was Wenjing right? Was the punishnt too light? Should they be chopped in half at the waist and exposed in the marketplace, or torn apart by five horses?"
The innocent face spat out these killing thods incredibly naturally, carrying a kind of naive cruelty.
The Minister of Personnel hardened his heart and roared, "Cao Yang murdered the Emperor and bewitched the new ruler, an unforgivable cri! Co, take him down first!"
Several military officers among his cronies imdiately lunged forward.
Just as Xie Zhizhou and ng Yang stepped in front to block them, a flash of cold light swept past, directly taking the lives of those military officers.
ng Yang was overjoyed. "Shadow!"
Sure enough, the next mont, the tip of the youth's sword was pointed at the throat of the Minister of Personnel.
Yan Wenjing cheered, "Third Uncle! Third Aunt!"
He threw himself over like a swallow returning to the forest. Yan Zheng caught him a step earlier, picked him up, and walked to the center of the hall. "I heard that We t with an accident. Why didn't We know about it?"
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