Chapter 31 The Great Injustice!
Liu Cheng, who was being held by the golden-armored guards, shuddered and the color drained from his face instantly.
He struggled frantically, shouting and trying to explain himself.
"Injustice! Empress Dowager! Your Majesty! This is a grave injustice!"
His face flushed red as he desperately turned his head toward the dragon throne.
"This old minister has been utterly loyal to the Great Yu Dynasty and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the late emperor. He has never harbored even the slightest thought of disloyalty!"
"This picture! This picture must be a fake! It's that wicked woman! It was Wang Tonghua who forged it to frame this old minister!"
Liu Cheng, seemingly insane, pointed at his wife with all his might.
However, Wang Tonghua, standing to the side, didn't even raise an eyebrow.
I just watched him perform quietly, as if I were watching a clown.
Only when Liu Cheng shouted until his voice was hoarse and cracked did she slowly turn around and bow again towards the dragon throne.
"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager."
Her voice was clear, firm, and her tone was extremely steady.
"Many of the markings on this map are in Liu Cheng's own handwriting. He served as an official for decades, and most of his colleagues in the court could recognize his handwriting. Whether it is real or fake can be determined simply by having someone verify it!"
Upon hearing this, several senior officials standing in the front row subconsciously moved closer and craned their necks to look at the map.
Upon seeing this, the expressions on their faces changed slightly, and they exchanged glances.
The Minister of Revenue couldn't help but nod: "Indeed, this handwriting is indeed the work of Grand Tutor Liu."
"Yes, I recognize it too. Grand Tutor Liu's calligraphy is quite elegant and unpretentious. There's no way to fake that." An elderly censor with white hair and beard chimed in.
Liu Cheng's face instantly turned ashen.
It's over!
He turned his head in despair, placing his last hope on the figure that was supporting him.
"Your Highness! Your Highness, save me! This old minister is doing this for you!"
However, all he could see was a solitary golden pillar with a coiled dragon.
The second prince, Yu Jinghong, was clinging tightly to the pillar, shrinking behind it as if he wanted to embed himself inside it.
He was so nervous that he even forgot to hide himself properly, and his round little bottom was still sticking out, swaying slightly.
[Oh my gosh! This is hilarious!]
On the dragon throne, Yu Zhaoning's short legs swung like a little windmill, her heart filled with joy.
[The old man's been dumped by his second brother! Look at him, he doesn't even glance at him, just turning his precious backside towards him!]
[Tsk tsk tsk, what a pathetic sight! At this age, still fighting for someone, only to be used as a shield! What's that called? That's what you call a simp who ends up with nothing!]
Lin Xiang's lips twitched violently as he tried to suppress his laughter, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
Yuan Hua couldn't help but chuckle, and gently touched the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief to keep himself from losing his composure.
Poor Liu Cheng couldn't hear these inner voices; he only saw his last hope, which was turned away from him.
A tremendous sense of humiliation welled up within me.
He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, staining his official robes red.
His eyes rolled back, and this time he really kicked his legs and passed out, completely unconscious.
The golden-armored guards were stunned for a moment, looked at each other, and then hurriedly dragged him aside.
The atmosphere in the imperial court became extremely complicated.
Although Liu Cheng was extremely wicked, he was, after all, a veteran of three reigns, with his protégés and former officials spread throughout the court and the country.
Seeing his miserable end, some of the officials he had once promoted showed expressions of pity.
Finally, the officials exchanged glances and reluctantly stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, isn't this all too much of a coincidence?"
"Yes, even if Grand Tutor Liu is wrong, why did Madam Wang choose this moment to report him instead of earlier or later? There might be something else going on."
"I implore Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager to investigate this matter thoroughly! It is not too late to deal with the matter after the truth has come to light!"
They knelt on the ground, speaking earnestly, hoping to secure a chance for their teacher's survival.
Yuan Hua narrowed his phoenix eyes, about to lash out.
[well...]
A childish sigh echoed in the minds of most officials.
[One after another, they are all utterly wronged!]
Many people were taken aback, wondering what a "great misfortune" meant.
[You only see the old man's current miserable state and feel sorry for him. In reality, many of you painstakingly crafted your brilliant strategies and ingenious ideas for governing the country back then, all of which he took and presented as your own achievements to the late emperor!]
What?
The officials who had pleaded for leniency suddenly froze.
[Otherwise, how could he, a mere incompetent fool who rose to power through connections with the Langya Wang clan, with such meager knowledge, possibly have risen to the position of Grand Tutor, a first-rank official? And even been revered as Imperial Tutor by my father? Do you all think my father is blind?]
[He appeared kind and approachable, tasking you with collecting rare, lost poems and essays from various regions, ostensibly to compile them into a book for posterity. But who ever saw that surviving collection? He claimed all the credit for it!]
[They're all being sold out and still helping count the money! They're all blatant victims!]
These heartfelt words stunned all the officials.
Their faces instantly changed from sympathy to ashen, and finally to shame and indignation!
I see!
It turns out that all their hard work over the years has been wasted!
That teacher who usually taught them so earnestly and whom they revered like a god was actually a shameless academic thief behind their backs!
Almost simultaneously, the officials who were kneeling on the ground suddenly jumped up as if they had springs in their buttocks.
They all ran faster than the last, retreating to their positions at lightning speed, as if they wanted to distance themselves from the unconscious old man on the ground.
One of the most hot-tempered censors was so angry that he was trembling all over.
He raised his hand and slapped himself hard on the mouth!
That was solid, decisive, and efficient!
His colleagues around him were all stunned, staring at him in disbelief.
Dude, what's going on here...?
What kind of show is this?
On the ground, Liu Cheng, who had just been slowly awakened by having his philtrum pinched, opened his eyes groggily.
He thought his students had succeeded in pleading for him and was about to show a relieved smile.
But when he looked up, he found that the group of people were all eight feet away from him, and the way they looked at him was as if they wanted to tear him to pieces.
What's going on?
The sight before him made his vision go black.
Liu Cheng let out a muffled groan of resentment, his head lolled to the side, and he fainted again from anger.
This time, he was truly unconscious.
Wang Tonghua watched all of this quietly, watching the man she once admired now lying motionless on the cold floor tiles.
She took a deep breath, and the pent-up frustration in her chest finally dissipated.
I raised my head and looked at the two people on the high platform.
The four-year-old empress, exquisitely beautiful and as cute as a New Year's picture doll, rested her little face on her hand and looked over curiously.
Meanwhile, Yuan Hua, standing beside the Empress, remained the same legendary woman who held immense power in the court, exuding elegance and majesty with her phoenix eyes.
Wang Tonghua recalled events from decades ago.
Back then, the brilliant and ambitious Emperor Ming was such a brilliant and talented person, yet he was willing to give up his three thousand concubines for Yuan Hua alone, and even allow her to jointly rule the world.
If it weren't for Emperor Ming's paving the way and his trust, how could the Empress Dowager have had such power to elevate a princess to the supreme position?
The Empress Dowager was a truly remarkable woman.
Wang Tonghua admired her all her life and imitated her all her life.
She thought she had found a good man and that she could, like the Empress Dowager, follow her husband and be remembered for eternity.
Now it all seems like a joke!
She was fooled her whole life, and ridiculously, she cared for that guy, took care of his household chores, and built his reputation.
Everything is fake.
In the end, the only people you can truly rely on are yourself and your family!
Liu Cheng's involvement in the rebellion is an unforgivable crime, and the Empress Dowager will absolutely not let him off the hook.
All she can do now is surrender completely and exchange Liu Cheng's life for her own and her two children's lives!
Once things were settled, she would take her children back to the Wang family and live a life of quiet contemplation, detached from worldly affairs.
Thinking of this, Wang Tonghua's gaze became even more resolute.
On the high platform, Yuan Hua's cold gaze swept over the people in the hall, finally landing on Liu Cheng, who was lying on the ground.
"Guards! Go to the Grand Tutor's residence immediately and investigate thoroughly! Not a single blade of grass should be spared!"
"yes!"
She sighed softly, waved her hand, and her voice carried a hint of weariness.
"Take Liu Cheng away as well."
Soon, two guards stepped forward and dragged the completely unconscious Liu Cheng away like a sack of potatoes.
The Golden Palace was temporarily restored to calm.
But everyone knew that what followed was destined to be anything but peaceful.
Just then, the impartial and incorruptible Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate stepped forward.
He bowed deeply, his voice loud and clear.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I have a memorial to present."
"Speak," Yu Zhaoning waved her little hand.
"The law of the land states that husband and wife are one body, sharing both glory and ruin. Liu Cheng's intention to rebel is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of his family. As his wife, even if Lady Wang has performed the merit of putting righteousness before family, she will likely still be implicated!"
These words immediately sparked a flurry of discussion in the imperial court.
Several officials from the Langya Wang clan glared angrily at the ungrateful censor.
[Oh dear, what should we do?]
Yu Zhaoning's inner thoughts rang out at just the right moment, carrying a hint of teasing as if she were enjoying the show.
[Oh yes, the old lady and the old man are husband and wife! According to the law, they should be beheaded together, right?]
Lin Xiang's eyelids twitched.
Your Majesty, please don't make things worse!
Yuan Hua's eyes darkened, and he remained silent, simply watching His Highness Wang Tonghua quietly, wanting to see how she would respond.
Upon hearing this, Wang Tonghua showed no sign of panic.
She slowly turned around and calmly glanced in the direction of Imperial Censor Zhou.
Then, facing the direction of the dragon throne, he knelt down on both knees decisively.
Her skirt spread out like a golden lotus blooming in a golden palace.
She straightened her spine, raised her head high, and spoke in a clear and melodious voice that resounded throughout the hall.
"Your humble servant, Wang Tonghua, is willing to accept my punishment!"
"Everything is at Your Majesty's and the Empress Dowager's disposal!"