Before four o'clock, the civil and military ministers of the Manchu Dynasty were standing at the gate of the palace, waiting for the palace door to open.
He went to court on time every day, but the palace door opened at four o'clock.
The palace gate guard opened the palace gate on time at 4:00 a.m., and the ministers walked into the palace gate in order and walked in the direction of Chengguang Hall.
Normally, the ministers would talk and laugh when they entered the palace, but these two days, the ministers were silent when they entered the palace.
Ever since the incident in Yangzhou reached the capital, the atmosphere in the capital immediately changed and became very depressing. Both the people and the ministers became silent and did not dare to speak at will.
The gate of Chengguang Hall has not yet opened, so the ministers went to the side hall to wait.
This side hall is specially used for ministers to rest.
As soon as the ministers sat down, the eunuch brought hot tea.
Although it is now April and the weather has warmed up quite a bit, it is still very cold in the morning. The ministers had just been waiting at the palace gate for a while, feeling more or less cold.
The ministers picked up teacups and drank hot tea slowly.
There was only the sound of drinking tea in the entire side hall, and there was no other sound.
After drinking tea, the ministers looked at each other and wanted to say something but they didn't dare to speak.
After the sound of drinking tea stopped, the atmosphere in the side hall became eerily quiet, and the ministers all lowered their heads. Some looked at their official boots and saw that they were stained with dust, so they quickly lowered their bodies and wiped them. Some look at the sleeves of their official uniforms to see if there are any threads in the sleeves. Some looked at their hands to see if they had any dirt on them.
Some ministers looked up at the roof of the side hall and studied the carvings on the beams. Some ministers simply closed their eyes and took a nap. Anyway, no one spoke.
Some ministers couldn't stand this depressing and strange atmosphere, and looked very uncomfortable and restless.
He Xiang, who was sitting at the head of the ministers, was sitting there drinking tea.
The prince and the king didn't speak either. They stared at each other.
He Xiang finished drinking the tea and let out a sigh of relief.
His sigh sounded particularly loud in the quiet side hall, and immediately attracted all the ministers to look at him.
When He met the ministers, they all looked at him and smiled calmly at them. The ministers immediately smiled back.
The prince couldn't stand the strange atmosphere. He coughed twice and then said, "Prime Minister, you look good today. It seems you slept well last night."
After being shown concern by His Highness the Crown Prince, He Xiang said respectfully: "Thank you very much for your concern, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I have slept very well these days."
After hearing what Xiang He said, the ministers complained in their hearts: Xiang He, how can you sleep when such a big thing happened?
He Xiang said again: "I haven't slept so well for a long time. I have slept very well these days." The matter in Yangzhou was finally solved, and a big stone in He Xiang's heart could finally fall to the ground. He just felt that his whole body and mind were much more relaxed, and he could naturally sleep well.
When the prince heard what Xiang He said, he was stunned. Then the corner of his mouth twitched slightly and said, "Prime Minister, it's good if you sleep well."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I slept very well."
The prince looked at He Xiang and asked hesitantly: "Prime Minister, what's going on in Yangzhou..."
When the ministers heard His Highness the Crown Prince asking about Yangzhou, although none of them turned their attention to His Highness the Crown Prince, they all listened with their ears pricked up.
Although His Highness the Crown Prince has not finished speaking, He Xiang knows what he wants to ask, "Don't worry, Your Highness the Crown Prince, things in Yangzhou are going very smoothly."
What His Highness the Crown Prince wants to ask is not whether it went smoothly or not, but what specifically happened in Yangzhou.
"As long as things go smoothly." After saying that, His Royal Highness did not ask any more questions.
The ministers were still waiting for His Highness the Crown Prince to continue asking about things related to Yangzhou, but His Highness the Crown Prince suddenly stopped asking, which made the ministers anxious.
Your Highness, please continue to ask.
When Dai Wang saw that the prince did not continue to ask questions, he was so impatient that he had to ask what was going on.
"Prime Minister, what happened in Yangzhou?"
When the ministers heard His Highness Dai Wang ask, they praised His Highness Dai Wang for asking a good question in their hearts.
"Your Highness, the King will announce the affairs of Yangzhou this morning." He Xiang said respectfully, "You will know later."
When the king heard this, he smiled gratefully at He Xiang: "Thank you, Prime Minister, for informing me."
"Your Highness, you are welcome."
The ministers were both looking forward to and afraid when they learned that they would know about Yangzhou's affairs in the morning.
At this moment, Emperor Zhou Wu had just finished his breakfast and was drinking tea leisurely.
Sun Kui came in from outside at this time. He bowed respectfully to Emperor Wu of Zhou, and then reported to Emperor Wu of Zhou: "Your Majesty, all the ministers are here."
Emperor Wu of Zhou asked: "What did they say?"
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked He Xiang whether he slept well last night, and His Highness Dai Wang asked He Xiang what happened in Yangzhou." Sun Kui reported everything he heard to Emperor Wu of Zhou.
"The other ministers didn't speak?"
"No, only His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness King Dai are talking to Mr. He."
After hearing this, Emperor Wu of Zhou sneered: "You can calm down."
"Your Majesty, there is one thing I don't understand."
Emperor Wu of Zhou was in a very good mood these past two days and allowed Sun Kui to ask questions.
"What don't you understand?"
"What happened in Yangzhou has been reported to the capital. Why haven't you announced this matter for so long?" Sun Kui also dared to ask the question after seeing Emperor Wu of Zhou in a good mood. "Everyone has received or heard about what happened in Yangzhou. Aren't you afraid that the companies involved should take precautions in advance?"
Emperor Wu of Zhou turned the tea lid with his right hand and said casually: "So what if you take precautions in advance?" As he said that, he stood up and threw the tea lid on the tea cup. With a click, the tea lid closed perfectly on the tea cup.
He raised the corners of his lips and sneered: "None of them can escape."
Sun Kui was frightened by the coldness at the corner of Emperor Zhou Wu's mouth, and his heart went cold. He quickly lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty is wise."
Emperor Zhou Wu returned to his playful smile, put his hands in his sleeves, bowed his waist slightly, drooped his head, and reluctantly walked to Chengguang Hall.
Sun Kui walked behind Emperor Wu of Zhou. When he saw Emperor Wu of Zhou carrying heavy steps and exuding the aura of "I don't want to go to court" all over his body, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Every day when the emperor goes to court, he looks like this...very reluctantly.
At this time, all the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were already standing in order in the main hall of Chengguang Hall.
Emperor Wu of Zhou walked into the Chengguang Hall slowly and hunched over like an old man.
"Wow..." Emperor Zhou Wu yawned inelegantly, which seemed particularly loud in the quiet Chengguang Hall.
"Tsk" Emperor Zhou Wu clicked his tongue impatiently and immediately sat down on the dragon chair.
Sun Kui stood beside Emperor Wu of Zhou, shook his fly whisk, and immediately shouted loudly: "Go to court!"
The ministers below immediately saluted: "I am here to see the Emperor. Long live the Emperor. Long live the Emperor."
Emperor Wu of Zhou stretched out his left hand and raised his hand to the ministers kneeling below, "Everyone, get up." After saying that, he opened his mouth and yawned again.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." All civil and military officials stood up.
Emperor Wu of Zhou changed his posture and lay horizontally on the dragon chair.
"Tell me, what's the matter?"
The ministers were already used to Emperor Wu of Zhou sitting like this. At first, Yushi Zhongcheng persuaded Emperor Zhou Wu to sit upright when going to court, but Emperor Wu ignored him and continued to sit however he felt comfortable.
Ministers looked at me and looked at you, but no one came out to report the matter. What are they waiting for?
He Xiang didn't seem to feel the gazes of the ministers, and stood at the forefront of the matter.
The king and the prince looked at He Xiang frequently.
Didn't Prime Minister He just say that he would announce what happened in Yangzhou? Why didn't he say it now?
The ministers are all waiting for Prime Minister He to report what happened in Yangzhou.
Emperor Wu of Zhou rested his head on the right armrest of the dragon chair, put his hands in his sleeves on his stomach, and rested his feet on the left armrest of the dragon chair. He had his eyes closed, as if asleep.
"Why, you have nothing to report?" Emperor Zhou Wu said without opening his eyes.
The ministers looked at each other again, but they still didn't stand up to report. They had no choice but to speak out.
Emperor Wu of Zhou was lying on the dragon chair, closing his eyes and listening to the performance of the ministers.
Sun Kui glanced at Emperor Zhou Wu from time to time to confirm whether Emperor Zhou Wu was asleep. After all, Emperor Zhou Wu often slept in the morning.
After the ministers finished talking about the matter, seeing that Emperor Wu of Zhou did not respond, they all looked at Sun Kui, as if to say, "The emperor will not fall asleep again, right?"
Sun Kui's face was stiff when the ministers looked at him. He sighed helplessly in his heart, then walked to Emperor Zhou Wu and shouted softly: "Your Majesty!"
Just when he thought he would have to shout several times to wake up Emperor Zhou Wu, he unexpectedly woke up Emperor Zhou Wu with just one cry.
Emperor Wu of Zhou was not asleep. He opened his eyes and looked at Sun Kui and said, "Tell them that matter."
Sun Kui immediately understood, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Then, Sun Kui took out the imperial edict and walked to the front and read it in front of all the ministers: "Yangzhou..."
The ministers subconsciously breathed lightly and listened carefully to Sun Kui's reading.
The hall was very quiet, and Sun Kui's voice echoed in the hall.
Soon, the expressions of the ministers changed. There were expressions of astonishment on their faces, as if they couldn't believe what they heard.
Some ministers turned pale, and their eyes showed fear and uneasiness.
The content of this imperial edict was very long, and it took Sun Kui two full seconds to read it.
After Sun Kui finished reading the imperial edict, the hall became very quiet. The ministers all lowered their heads and did not dare to say a word.
The prince and the king did not lower their heads, both of them had extremely shocked expressions on their faces.
Emperor Wu of Zhou sat up, raised his hands and stretched, then stood up and walked to the front.
"You heard it, tell me what you think?"
The ministers lowered their heads even lower.
"What, you're all mute?" Emperor Wu of Zhou said with a half-smile, "Do you want me to tell you?"
The ministers still didn't speak.
Emperor Wu of Zhou put his hands behind his back and said with a smile: "Are you sure you want me to say it? If I say it, you will be finished."
Finished? !
Many ministers were shocked when they heard what Emperor Zhou Wu said.
Finished?
What does the emperor want to do?
Some ministers' faces turned pale, with cold sweat covering their foreheads and faces. Their bodies were shaking slightly and their legs were weak.
Emperor Wu of Zhou walked to the stairs and sat down.
When the ministers saw this, they quickly knelt on the ground.
Emperor Wu of Zhou sat on the steps, supporting his face with his right hand and resting his elbow on the knee of his right leg, looking playfully at the ministers kneeling on the ground.
"I've been in a good mood these past two days. I'll give you a chance. If you don't tell me, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"I am guilty." A certain minister knelt down and kowtowed heavily to Emperor Wu of Zhou.
This person is from the Wang family!
The ministers looked shocked: The Wang family was actually involved in the affairs in Yangzhou!
Emperor Wu of Zhou: I don’t like going to court, just like you don’t like going to work.
Something happened today, so I only had time to update two chapters.
(End of chapter)
