This time, the main person who spoke out against Su Qi'an was no longer the Duke of the country, but the six ministers.
Under the leadership of the Minister of Civil Affairs, the other five officials basically attacked Su Qi'an from the inside to the outside, from top to bottom, from Daliang laws, etiquette, local taxation, military power, etc.
It was as if Su Qi'an was a heinous sinner who wanted to be executed immediately.
Compared with the previous attacks by Zhao Cheng, Sima Yue and other princes, this time all the six ministers spoke out in unison. The charges against Su Qi'an were well-founded. If they wanted to refute it, who was more proficient in the six ministers than them?
This criticism was the real trump card against Su Qi'an. The officials from the six departments were talking more and more excitedly. If it weren't for the distance, the saliva would have been sprayed on Su Qi'an's face.
Su Qi'an had no expression on his face as he listened to the scolding of himself, during which he drank a cup of tea very calmly.
This move completely angered the six ministers. They knelt down before Su Xuanyong and begged Su Xuanyong to punish Su Qi'an immediately.
If this kind of lawless, erratic, and unruly Dongshan Marquis is not properly punished, the entire Great Liang will be in chaos.
At this moment, Su Qi'an, who had been speechless, suddenly said, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, it's rare to see six ministers working together like this, just to punish me. I am flattered by this concerted effort."
"The six ministers must have wasted a lot of effort in committing all kinds of serious crimes against me. Once the six ministers have finished speaking, it will be my turn to convict the six of them."
"Just you? Don't be too arrogant, Marquis Dongshan." The Minister of Punishment sneered.
"Yes, just rely on me." Su Qi'an looked calm.
Before several ministers could speak, Su Qian's voice sounded.
"Shang Shu of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, you said that I am lawless, abused my power, and want to be demoted and imprisoned. I have no objection, but before that, I want to ask you, as the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, you are supposed to supervise the Great Liang All officials should share your Majesty's worries."
"But what are you doing? In the twelve states of Daliang, each state has its own faction. The governors and magistrates of the states are levying excessive taxes and killing the people indiscriminately. But you, you turned a deaf ear and turned a blind eye. A vegetarian like you A mediocre official is not worthy of the position of minister."
"And you, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, the Great Liang Law is the foundation of our dynasty, but now, how many officials follow the Great Liang Law to police the people? And now you have the nerve to use the Great Liang Law to severely punish me?"
"And you four, the four ministers of the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of War, what have you done while in office?"
"Indifference to local officials, dandyism, disregard of human life, excessive tax collection, wanton construction of various mansions, extravagance and waste, and forced recruitment of strong men. Officials like you, who are high above us and don't know the suffering of the people at the bottom, are worthy of interrogating me. What a joke!"
"Now that Great Liang has become like this, you have an unshirkable responsibility! You want me to be imprisoned, and I admit it, but the six of you and the princes, do you dare to touch your conscience and let His Majesty investigate it carefully? ?Say that you are innocent?"
Su Qi'an's voice was soft but cold, filling the hall. At first, the six ministers felt very angry when they heard Su Qi'an's scolding.
They were thinking about how to fight back, but as Su Qian continued to speak, most of the fire in their hearts disappeared in an instant, and was replaced by trepidation.
During this court meeting, three first-level officials, Zheng Yuan, Zhao Cheng, and Sima Yue, took action in person and persuaded them to stand on the same side.
The three princes' wooing had been discussed by six ministers. They knew the prestige of Dongshan Marquis, but compared with the weight of the three first-rank princes, it seemed insignificant.
And this time, they were not the only ones to be attacked, there were also more than a dozen second-rank officials. It could be said that more than 80% of the officials in the court were all together.
Regardless of the purpose or the exchange of interests, at least they are temporarily one, just to defeat Su Qi'an.
With the alliance of these veterans of the court, even if Su Qi'an is extremely talented, can he still be their opponent?
It is obviously not cost-effective to offend all the princes of the court for the sake of Dongshan Hou, who has no relationship with him.
Therefore, the six ministers joined the joint camp without much thought, but no one expected that this Dongshan Hou was really no ordinary person.
Not only was he cruel to them, but he was also cruel to himself. Not only did he admit all the crimes at once, but he also wanted to drag them all into the water. This was a common death!
Not leaving any way for themselves to fall back, the six ministers just wanted to go along with the flow and give face to the three princes.
But this Dongshan Marquis directly risked his life with them, and he didn't hesitate to make a drama of dying together.
If they really had a clear conscience and were honest and honest officials, they wouldn't care at all if Su Qi'an died together.
But unfortunately, as Su Qian said, how many officials in the court can have a clear conscience? Be frank and forthright.
Maybe there are only a few senior scholars in Wenxuan who have no real power and have a false reputation except Chu Xiong who has already become an official.
And among them, whose hands are not as black as crows in the sky.
Su Qi'an's self-destruction stunned all the officials present. Even the two princes who had been listening in without speaking a word frowned, not expecting Su Qi'an to come out like this.
After Su Qi'an fell behind, the first to speak were not the Six Ministry officials and Su Xuanyong, but several great scholars in Wen and Xuan.
Wenxuan laughed, breaking the somewhat awkward atmosphere in the hall.
"Haha, you are indeed my student. This speaking style is a bit like my demeanor when I was young."
"You are right. We, the literati, have read the books of the sages and cultivated the sages, but our actions are nothing but magnanimous."
"Since the princes and ministers want to punish my students to death, I won't force it. I dare to ask which adults are willing to prove it with their own lives? Accompany me, a student, to confront you?"
Although Wenxuan's laughter alleviated the embarrassment in the palace, as he said, it pushed the situation into a more tense situation.
As Wen Xuan spoke, the four great scholars on the side spoke directly, striking while the iron was hot.
"I think what the master said is very good. Since the six ministers want to return the Qingming Festival to me, the Qingming Festival should simply start with me waiting for the court. If you want to pay back, I will pay it all back. There is no need to be petty."
"That's right. Come on, check me first. I wonder which of the adults wants to confront me?"
The four great scholars spoke one after another, making the adults who were so angry just now speechless.
Although they wanted to refute, they didn't even have the courage to speak out. With their flashing eyes, they wanted to eat Su Qi'an, Wen Xuan and others alive.
All he could think of was scolding Su Qi'an. Who knew that Su Qi'an would be so angry if she didn't play? Who could bear it?
Even Zheng Yuan, who had been sitting firmly on Diaoyutai and taking charge of the overall situation, was confused by Su Qian's behavior.
But he was the Prime Minister after all, and he still had some strength. When the atmosphere in the palace gradually fell into a low and became more and more depressed, he finally stood up and spoke.
"Haha, you are worthy of being the Marquis of Dongshan. What he said does sound a bit arrogant. I admire him."
Immediately, Zheng Yuan turned his head and said to Su Xuanyong above, who had never expressed his opinion.
"Your Majesty, I admire the words of Marquis Dongshan very much, but some of them are a bit too much. I, Daliang, have been a country for more than three hundred years. Many things happened during this period, but in the end we all got through it safely."
"The most important thing for a stable life is stability and internal unity. With the situation in Great Liang now, the court officials must be guilty of dereliction of duty. As a veteran minister, he is also guilty, so he will naturally accept the punishment."
"But as Dongshan Hou and several great scholars said, all officials have begun self-examination. What I want to return to Daliang is not a clear government, but chaos, which may even shake the foundation."
"To borrow a saying from the sages, no one is a saint, and no one can make mistakes. Even saints understand this truth. As veterans who share the burden for His Majesty, how can we not know this?"
"I think the six ministers are at fault in this matter, because they were too excited and spoke too much. Here, I will take them to admit their mistakes to the Marquis of Dongshan. I think this matter will be over. I hope your majesty will grant permission."
Not long after Zheng Yuan finished speaking, the six ministers followed closely, stood up one after another, and apologized to Su Qi'an. Their attitude was completely different from the previous angry outburst.
Without waiting for what Su Qi'an wanted to say, the two princes spoke one after the other as if they were well coordinated.
"Father, I think what Zheng Zaifu said is very true. In the final analysis, it is all for the future of Great Liang. This is how the court discusses crimes, and the words are naturally fierce. For the sake of the internal stability of our court, I ask my father to forgive them. Reckless.”
"My son and my second brother also think so. I think with the character of Marquis Dongshan, he won't be so narrow-minded. I hope my father can forgive the officials for their excesses."
As they spoke, the second prince and the fourth prince stood up and kowtowed to Su Xuanyong.
Su Xuanyong's face was calm. Seeing the two princes acting like this, his face was moved and he said quickly.
"Okay, I know how talented you two are, so this matter will be over as you said."
After hearing Su Xuanyong's words, all the princes and officials kneeling down below breathed a sigh of relief unconsciously.
Whether Su Qi'an wanted to drag them to death together, or the aggressiveness of Wen Xuan and other great scholars, it was far less important than Su Xuanyong's golden words.
If Su Xuanyong really agrees to Su Qi'an's request, I am afraid that it will not only be Su Qi'an who will be demoted and imprisoned this time, but more than 80% of the officials in the entire court.
It is no exaggeration to say that it was directly emptied. Such a major event would have been extremely sensational in all dynasties.
Fortunately, our Majesty is quite wise. Everything must be done for the stability and unity within Da Liang. If we really want to move them, Su Xuanyong will have a headache.
This matter was wiped out by Su Xuanyong, but the crime on Su Qi'an was not wiped out.
This time they were tricked by Su Qi'an because they were not cautious enough. There was plenty of time. No matter what happened, Su Qi'an's guilt had to be determined in court.
Just when all the princes and officials were thinking about how to deal with Su Qi'an, Su Xuanyong spoke at this time.
"This discussion has been going on for a while. Both of you are insisting on your own opinions. No one can convince the other. I am also tired. Let's just retreat for now and rest for half an hour before making a decision."
