Chapter 28: The Emperor and His Ministers Have Met with the Time (28)

Before Shen Minghuan went to the battle, Luo Xiuyuan confided his uneasiness to him at the farewell pavilion outside the city.

At that time, Shen Minghuan looked indifferent: "You can still not be the crown prince."

Luo Xiuyuan smiled bitterly, thinking that Shen Minghuan did not understand the symbolic meaning behind it. He thought that this person was born in a scholarly family and was the only heir. Shen Changqing loved him like a treasure. It was normal for him not to understand.

But... what if Shen Minghuan knew?

Since ancient times, the struggle for power in the royal family has been first-class cruel and dirty, with countless conspiracies and calculations, and the law of the jungle.

Shen Minghuan is familiar with history books, and these deeds are clearly recorded in the pages of the book. How arrogant is he to think that Shen Minghuan does not understand?

"You can't give up the position of crown prince. Do you know what it means?"

"Luo Xiuyuan! Why can't you tell the priorities?"

"Your Highness, give me a little more time. I will definitely find a way."

"Your Highness, don't go to see the emperor. Believe me."

"Your Highness, please..."

Luo Xiuyuan couldn't help but think of the past. Shen Minghuan's eyes were so sad.

He knew that his best friend had great ambitions and wanted to restore the glory of the Shen family, but Shen Minghuan was very proud. Was it because... he was worried about him when his eyes were red and fragile?

"Your Highness, I will never hurt you."

Luo Xiuyuan stared blankly at the void, his eyes unfocused. He seemed to have lost all his perception. Only Shen Minghuan's words kept repeating in his mind.

Shen Minghuan killed King Rui cleanly and neatly, which showed that he was not really assisting him. With the military power in hand and the entire Yanling under his control, he could become emperor if he wanted.

But he chose to retreat and be just a minister.

Luo Xiuyuan felt his heart throbbing with pain.

His father was suspicious and cruel, and Xiuqi was becoming more and more like his father. How hard must it have been for Shen Minghuan to compromise with Luo Xiuqi for him?

That man was originally a proud young man.

That man said that he could not be the prince.

So he paved a smooth road for him to the supreme position.

Fortunately, the nine steps were high enough, and the ministers did not dare to look directly at the emperor due to years of inertia, and not many people noticed Luo Xiuyuan's abnormal expression at this time.

The few people who noticed it did not find it strange. After all, it was normal to find it difficult to accept such a big change.

Shen Minghuan continued, "Before His Majesty died... he ordered the eldest prince to inherit the throne and appointed me as the regent to assist the new emperor. The incident happened suddenly, so the coronation ceremony was postponed, but the country cannot be without a monarch for a day..."

The more he spoke, the more stern his tone became: "Do you have any objections?"

The ministers looked at each other and communicated with their eyes.

Let Luo Xiuyuan be the emperor, the good officials not only have no objection, but even want to buy some fireworks to celebrate.

The corrupt officials dare not have any objections, fortunately Luo Xiuyuan is kind and kind, and I think their days will not be too difficult.

But if Shen Minghuan is the regent, the people present will have big objections.

But before everyone could think of what to say, Qu Zhengcheng took the lead and knelt down, "Your Majesty, the regent."

Qu Zhengcheng is the prime minister and the current imperial teacher. He stands at the front of the ministers.

After he knelt down, the four ministers Lu, Wang, Lu, and Lin also knelt down one after another.

These people can be called the leaders of the civil officials. When the emperor's mind is not normal, others just listen to their commands and gather together in the court for warmth.

——Literati have always looked down on each other, and it is also the merit of the late emperor to make the civil officials of Daqi who really do practical things so united.

So even if they are reluctant, except Shen Minghuan, everyone including Zhuo Feichen still kneels down neatly and shouts: "Your Majesty, the regent."

Luo Xiuyuan came back to his senses, took a complicated look at Shen Minghuan who was sitting on the dragon chair calmly, and said: "No need to be polite."

Minghuan is more suitable to be the emperor.

He dragged Minghuan down and robbed Minghuan of his throne.

The little eunuch next to him trembled. He planned to play dead and not speak, but he blurted out reflexively when he heard the word "no need to be polite": "Something happened-"

Little eunuch: "...play."

The little eunuch cried in his heart.

Qu Zhengcheng walked to the center of the hall and bowed, "Your Majesty, the imperial examination will be held in the spring. Many students have arrived in Yanling. Please make the decision on all matters related to the imperial examination."

"What does the Prime Minister mean?" Xue Huai asked coldly, shaking his sleeves.

The emperor had already handed over this year's imperial examination to Xue Huai. Everyone in the court knew that he had started preparing early. Qu Zhengcheng's words seemed to say that he was unreliable.

Xue Huai also walked out of the queue and knelt down beside Qu Zhengcheng, "Your Majesty, the imperial examination is related to the future of our dynasty. Since I received the order, I dare not relax for a moment. The Prime Minister's words are related to my reputation. I have to ask the Prime Minister for an explanation."

"I haven't said anything yet, why did Lord Xue start to quibble?" Qu Zhengcheng said sarcastically.

The civil servants looked at each other in shock.

What happened? Prime Minister Qu, who is usually taciturn, can actually mock people in a strange tone?

Qu Zhengcheng glanced at Xue Huai with a half-smile, and said to Luo Xiuyuan: "Your Majesty, the imperial examination is a major national event. Its purpose is to select talents for the court to maintain the country, but Xue Huai openly took the opportunity to make money. As long as you can pay, you can occupy a place on the list. The ranking is based on the amount of money, which makes the low-talented and inferior people celebrate. Please dismiss him and investigate thoroughly."

Xue Huai shouted angrily: "Nonsense!"

There was a guilty conscience in his voice that could not be concealed.

He admitted that this matter was done blatantly, but it was difficult for him not to be bold, after all, even the late emperor acquiesced. Who could have expected that the Qi Dynasty would suddenly change?

Luo Xiuyuan temporarily suppressed his thoughts and listened carefully to Qu Zhengcheng's words. The more he listened, the angrier he became.

"Does the Prime Minister have any evidence?"

"We have both evidence and evidence."

Luo Xiuyuan seemed to have suddenly transformed. His gentle bookish air was hidden, and there was a murderous and decisive majesty between his eyebrows.

"Cheating in the imperial examination is a serious crime punishable by death. As Prime Minister Qu is my teacher, in order to avoid suspicion from the ministers, I will first remove Xue Huai from his post and make a decision after finding out the truth."

"Your Majesty!" Xue Huai, who was kneeling, raised his head in panic and calmed down in an instant.

He dared to be so bold, of course he had something to rely on.

Dynasties change, but the family remains strong. Since the establishment of the Xue family, it has gone through three dynasties and has continued to Qi. It has long been deeply rooted and flourishing.

Since the founding of the Qi Dynasty, emperors of successive dynasties have worked tirelessly to reduce the influence of the family, and they almost succeeded.

However, when the previous emperor was still a prince, he borrowed the power of the family again in order to seize the throne. Later, in order to consolidate his regime, he also asked the family for help, but failed.

Although there are some dirty things among the noble families, they are always united in the face of the outside world.

In short, the Xue family, the head of the noble families, now controls one-third of the financial resources of Daqi, and the descendants of the younger generation are all over the court. They are driven by other noble families.

If they really make trouble, even if the state machine will not collapse, it will at least stop working for a while.

Xue Huai is fearless, "Your Majesty, are you sure you want to listen to the slander of the villain and dismiss me from my official position?"

"Bold! Xue Huai, what's your attitude? Rebellion is a heavier crime!" Wang Jin stood behind Qu Zhengcheng, pointed his finger at Xue Huai's nose and scolded him.

Xue Huai snorted disdainfully, and turned his kneeling body slightly: "Your Majesty, please judge, to be frank, my Xue family is rich enough to rival a country, how could we use such means to make money? I am upright and honest, and everyone in the Xue family can die for Daqi. If Your Majesty does not believe it, I am willing to prove it to Your Majesty."

Every sentence is about "Your Majesty", "rich enough to rival a country", and "die for the sake of Daqi". Everyone present is not stupid, and they can hear the implication of Xue Huai's words.

Xue Huai is not stupid either. He has never heard of the supremacy of the feudal dynasty, but he also knows that the emperor is appointed by heaven.

If he has a choice, he does not want to oppose the person in power.

Luo Xiuyuan is different from Luo Dan. The new emperor seems to be determined to oppose their Xue family. Fortunately, the person in power now is not the emperor.

Shen Minghuan sat leisurely on the chair, smiling.

Luo Xiuyuan was a little entangled and hesitant. He knew that the Xue family was a cancer that must be eradicated. If he was treated lightly this time, they would surely become more aggressive.

But now the power of the aristocratic family is strong. If he acted rashly, only the people would suffer.

He hadn't come up with an idea yet. Seeing Xue Huai's actions, he turned his head and looked at Shen Minghuan. There was no grudge in his eyes. He just wanted to know what Shen Minghuan would do.

The ministers lowered their heads, but secretly glanced at Shen Minghuan. For a moment, Shen Minghuan suddenly became the focus of attention.

Shen Minghuan seemed to be accustomed to being followed by everyone's eyes. Not only was he not uncomfortable, but he even felt a little bored.

"Well, prove it." Shen Minghuan said lazily: "Then prove it to me with your life."

Without waiting for Xue Huai to react to the meaning of his words, Shen Minghuan raised his voice slightly and called out to the outside of the hall: "Chen Xiaoyu."

Chen Xiaoyu, who was guarding the door, twitched his mouth and sighed helplessly, just thinking that he had a nickname.

He entered the hall expressionlessly, ignoring the new emperor as nothing, and walked straight to Shen Minghuan. Because he was wearing armor, he saluted in a very standard way.

"Chen Xiaoyu, drag him out and chop him up." Shen Minghuan said lightly.

Qu Zhengcheng felt a shock from the bottom of his heart, not knowing whether it was because of this man's indifference to life and death, or the courage to wield a knife against the aristocratic family.

Chen Xiaoyu nodded in response, and directly pressed Xue Huai's shoulder and was about to drag him out.

Xue Huai was caught off guard and was pressed hard, and he felt that his bones were about to break.

"Stop, what are you going to do? Shen Minghuan, please make him stop and let me go." Xue Huai, who was confident just now, was unexpectedly shrouded in the shadow of death. He looked at Chen Xiaoyu's "ferocious" expression and screamed in disarray, "Help, Your Majesty, please save me, Shen Minghuan, no, Your Majesty, I was wrong, I don't dare anymore..."

Luo Xiuyuan looked disapproving, and he shook his head, "Minghuan, even if Xue Huai really committed a heinous crime, he cannot be lynched before the three courts have tried him."

Shen Minghuan raised his eyes politely, indicating that he heard it, but he did not intend to change it.

Chen Xiaoyu didn't care what the new emperor said. Seeing that Shen Minghuan had no other instructions, he simply reached out to cover Xue Huai's mouth and forcibly dragged him out.