Chapter 1544: Chapter 1541: Audience with the Emperor
Turning around and striding away, Chu Heng’s departure this ti, regardless of success, would offend a large number of officials.
Chu Heng entered the Imperial Study.
Emperor Xuanming rubbed his forehead and looked at the subject standing upright below, a pleasant smile on his face: “Minister Chu, I have just received news that Duke Zheng has already entered the Northern Region. The network and connections he left along the way have been tracked down. Do you guess, has he arranged any personnel at the Border Pass?”
Chu Heng was not surprised by this.
“Whether he has arranged personnel or not, without funds and manpower, the road he wants to tread will only be more difficult. Your Majesty need not worry.” Chu Heng respectfully saluted, “And with the personnel arranged by Your Majesty in place, there will be no oversight.”
“Ah, you, such sweet talk.” Emperor Xuanming, after serving as emperor for over ten years, had grown rather self-confident and controlling. Regarding the fleeing Duke Zheng, he had transitioned from initial anger to going along with the flow, because he could control Duke Zheng’s fate. Naturally, he was willing to play with him and incidentally uncover so deeply hidden spies.
“Your Majesty, I have a morial to submit.” Chu Heng bent down and presented the morial.
He Dequan was already sowhat frightened upon hearing news of Duke Zheng. He did not expect that the court was full of discussions about when Duke Zheng would be captured, or even about Chu Heng, the Vice Minister of Revenue, ddling with the Ministry of Punishnt. The words were none other than disdain for his insufficient ability, yet he was trusted by the Emperor.
But now it seems, it is evidently a strategy between the Emperor and Lord Chu.
This is far from being unskilled; it’s clearly having control over the entire situation.
He Dequan’s heart surged again, but his face remained unchanged as he briskly stepped forward, receiving the morial and respectfully handing it to Emperor Xuanming.
Emperor Xuanming was in a good mood, but after reading the morial, his smile faded a bit.
Looking at Chu Heng, his expression was ambiguous: “Minister Chu, are you trying to overturn the case of General Lu’s Mansion from ten years ago?”
Chu Heng knelt, perford the rites, and said without arrogance or subservience: “Your Majesty, the evidence I have found tells that there is injustice here. Taking advantage of Duke Zheng’s case, we can thoroughly investigate the circumstances of that ti.”
His words were ambiguous, yet Emperor Xuanming laughed: “You rascal, are you suggesting this doesn’t damage my prestige?”
The case of General Lu’s Mansion back then involved the matter of Disaster Relief Silver and was confiscated, with only a few escaping. It was during Emperor Xuanming’s early reign.
Duke Zheng was a senior official from two dynasties, which gave him a high status in court, constantly constraining Emperor Xuanming.
As for General Lu’s Mansion, it had guarded the Northern Region at the ti. Since General Lu’s incident, the Northern Region fell into a brief five-year chaos, only barely maintaining itself from being breached by Beirong soldiers. Afterward, King of Huainan rose up, as the Great Chu’s largest King of Different Surna. King of Huainan, like Chu Heng, rose from a farr’s family step by step, until now he has beco the steadying force of the Northern Region.
Chu Heng was also guessing that if Emperor Xuanming harbored any aversion towards General Lu’s Mansion, he would certainly not let him review the dossiers at the Ministry of Punishnt. Of course, it could also be a test, probing how he would act.
Chu Heng already had his suspicions in mind.
But he said aloud: “Your Majesty, this case involves the military affairs of the past, and now, overturning General Lu’s Mansion’s case can also give you an even greater level of trust amongst the soldiers, which is beneficial for Your Majesty.”
Back then, no matter what, the Lu family had guarded the Northern Region for many years, exerting a certain influence over the local people and soldiers.
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