coobybook Chapter 226 The Wrath of the Emperor
Chapter 226 The Wrath of the Emperor
After much hesitation, Shi Wanxia finally gritted her teeth and told Lin Yu, "The Princess has come here for me, a woman who has broken with worldly conventions and etiquette."
"In this day and age, women are not allowed to hold official positions, so she is trying to stop it. Don't worry, the princess is doing this for your own good. You've been away from home for some time now, why don't you go home and see your parents!"
She looked at Lin Yu with a complex emotion in her eyes, "I still need you here. I know you want to be a great hero, but to be a great hero you have to uphold justice and help the weak. Without money, you can't be a great hero for long. You are welcome to come back here."
Lin Yu rolled his eyes at her. Although he didn't know why the princess had come here, he was certain that this matter was definitely related to Shi Wanxia.
They were still lost in their own thoughts and calculations, completely unaware that a huge crisis was quietly approaching.
The atmosphere in the imperial court of the capital was oppressively suffocating. The current emperor, his eyes wide with rage, stared at the memorial in his hand and then slammed the inkstone in his study to the ground.
The inkstone shattered with a crash, and ink splattered on the ground, much like the gloom that permeated the court at that moment.
The Minister of Personnel, Yan Chaoyan, and the Prime Minister, Cui Zhe, were kneeling on the ground. They were trembling with fear at the Emperor's sudden outburst of anger and repeatedly begged for mercy: "Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!"
The emperor paced back and forth in anger, roaring, "Calm down! How can I calm down? Cui Zhe, your good nephew."
"Ah! To please a woman, he actually made her a county magistrate! It's unforgivable, utterly absurd!"
"As the head of all officials, tell me, let's see how you explain yourself? Your good nephew, you are truly remarkable. Since ancient times, men have been in charge of the home, and women have been in charge of external affairs."
"It is utterly absurd for a woman to serve as an official. This disrupts the imperial court and disregards ancestral laws and regulations."
Prime Minister Cui Zhe's forehead was covered in beads of sweat. He knew that this matter had angered the emperor, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet and reply: "Your Majesty, my nephew is young and ignorant and has made such a big mistake. I am also guilty of oversight."
"But that woman is indeed exceptionally talented and has been quite effective in governing the area. I hope Your Majesty will be lenient in your punishment."
The emperor sneered, "Treat her leniently? Cui Zhe, are you out of your mind? If this precedent is set, won't all women in the world follow suit? Won't the court descend into chaos?"
Minister of Personnel Yan Chaoyan quickly echoed, "Your Majesty is wise; this trend must not be allowed to continue."
"However, the woman must have some extraordinary qualities to be appreciated by Lord Cui's nephew. Perhaps we should find another way to settle her to avoid inciting public resentment."
The Emperor coldly snorted: "I don't care what methods you use, but you must handle this matter properly and not let me hear a single word of gossip. If anything goes wrong, you two will answer to me with your heads!"
"Your humble servants obey!" Cui Zhe and Yan Chaoyan replied in unison, but their hearts felt as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on them. They knew that quelling this matter would not be easy; they would not only have to deal with the emperor's wrath, but also consider the interests and power of the various parties behind it.
In his rage, the emperor suddenly remembered that since these two dared to be so audacious, he wanted to see what this woman looked like and what kind of magic she possessed that could make the members of the Cui family of Qinghe make an exception for her.
"Wait!"
He shouted loudly, and then ordered the Grand Eunuch, "Summon Pei Xuan, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review."
The Grand Eunuch dared not delay in the slightest and immediately ordered someone to convey the order.
At this moment, His Majesty was burning with rage, and the air in the entire Imperial Study seemed to be on fire, hot and oppressive.
The Cui family of Qinghe is a prestigious clan with deep roots and extensive influence in the court. Now that its members have committed such a blatant act of violating ancestral rules, it has undoubtedly severely damaged the emperor's dignity.
Cui Zhe knelt on the ground, cold sweat pouring down his forehead and sliding down his cheeks, soaking the back of his official robes.
He knew that his nephew's mistake was extremely serious, not only angering the emperor but also putting the entire Cui clan of Qinghe in the eye of the storm.
In this world of strict feudal ethics, it was a great taboo for women to hold official positions, a serious desecration of ancestral etiquette. As the prime minister, it was inevitable that people would see his nephew's actions as a sign of lax family discipline, and even suspect that he was condoning it behind the scenes.
Time passed slowly in this heavy atmosphere, each second agonizing for the two kneeling figures on the ground.
Finally, Pei Xuan, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, rushed over. He ran into the Imperial Study and saw the Emperor's angry face and Cui Zhe and Yan Chaoyan kneeling on the ground, trembling. He had a general idea of what had happened.
Pei Xuan hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I, Pei Xuan, have come on orders. May I ask what Your Majesty's instructions are?"
The Emperor looked at Pei Xuan, his eyes filled with authority and a hint of inquiry: "Minister Pei, I have heard that someone from the Cui family of Qinghe has appointed a woman to an official position. Are you aware of this matter?"
Pei Xuan respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I have heard some rumors. This matter has been widely discussed in the capital. I am about to investigate it further, but I have not yet reported it to Your Majesty."
The emperor snorted coldly: "I order you to immediately go to Youzhou to arrest these two people and bring them back to the capital. Investigate this matter thoroughly and find out the woman's identity, background, and actions during her time in office."
"And the role played by the Cui family of Qinghe has been thoroughly investigated by me. I want to see what they are really up to!"
Pei Xuan accepted the order: "Your subject obeys the decree. Your subject will do everything in his power to investigate this matter thoroughly and will never tolerate any lawbreakers."
After saying this, Pei Xuan withdrew to prepare for the investigation. Cui Zhe watched Pei Xuan's departing figure, his heart filled with worry.
He knew that Pei Xuan was known for his fairness and impartiality, and that this matter concerning his nephew would likely not end well if it fell into his hands.
Just as Cui Zhe was about to get up, the emperor's sharp gaze swept over him like an arrow, as if it could pierce through his soul, frightening him so much that he dared not move and froze on the spot.
After a brief silence, he came to his senses and quickly pleaded, "Your Majesty, please calm down. The Cui family of Qinghe has always been loyal to you and the court."
“Since our ancestors, we have been blessed with imperial favor and have been bathed in His Majesty’s boundless grace for generations. We have devoted ourselves to the court until our dying breath.”
Cui Zhe's voice trembled slightly, and beads of sweat kept sliding down his temples, but he dared not raise his hand to wipe them away.
“This time, Cui Zhihao’s audacity is a disgrace to the family. I have failed in my duty to discipline him and deserve to die.”
"But I know Your Majesty is wise and discerning, and will surely see through everything and know that this is only the selfishness of that rebellious son, and is by no means the collective will of the Cui family of Qinghe."
The emperor's face was cold and stern, like frost in a cold night. He stared intently at Cui Zhe, remaining silent for a long time. The heavy sense of oppression made the entire imperial study seem as if it were shrouded in dark clouds.
"Cui Zhe, as the Prime Minister and an elder of the Qinghe Cui clan, how can you claim to be completely unaware that your nephew has committed such a transgression against ancestral rules? Do you think I would believe you?"
Cui Zhe kowtowed repeatedly, “Your Majesty, every word I have said is true. Although Zhihao is a bit willful on a daily basis, I never imagined that he would dare to act so recklessly.”
"Your Majesty, I will fully cooperate with the investigation by the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. If there is any concealment, I am willing to accept Your Majesty's severe punishment."
The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, the anger in them seemed to have subsided but still retained its power.
"The Cui family holds a very important position in the court, and I have always placed high hopes on you."
"Now that such a disgraceful incident has occurred, how can we convince the public if it is not handled properly?"
"I will give you a chance. Once Pei Xuan has investigated the truth, you had better give me a satisfactory explanation. Otherwise, I will not let you off lightly."
"Thank you for your leniency, Your Majesty. I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations." Cui Zhe felt as if he had been granted a pardon, but his voice still carried an undisguised sense of fear.
After Cui Zhe and Yan Chaoyan left, the emperor sat alone in the imperial study, his brows furrowed.
He knew that the Cui family of Qinghe wielded immense power in the court, and that any move they made would have far-reaching consequences. However, the matter of women holding official positions concerned ancestral rites and the order of the court, and could not be tolerated or indulged.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Shi Wanxia was calmly handling her affairs, unaware that a storm she had started was about to sweep in, dragging her into an unknown vortex of fate.