Everyone was looking at Murong Jie. The provocation from the Crown Prince was clearly intended to provoke anger. Although he was the regent who governed the country and could scold and teach the Crown Prince a lesson, he had just said that he didn't know how long he would sit on the throne of Crown Prince. This was a bit presumptuous. After all, only the Emperor could say this.
He was exercising the emperor's power over state affairs, but he was never the emperor.
Murong Jie was not angry, but ordered someone to call over eunuch Bao, who served the emperor. Eunuch Bao had served the emperor for many years and had served the previous emperor. He was an old man in the palace, and even the empress dowager had to give him some face.
Eunuch Bao arrived and bowed, saying, "Greetings to the Queen, and to the Prince."
"Stand up!" The Queen looked at Murong Jie in dissatisfaction, "Eunuch Bao is serving the Emperor, what did you ask him to do?"
Murong Jie did not answer the Queen's words, but only asked: "Eunuch Bao, please give the Emperor a second decree."
Eunuch Bao seemed to have been prepared. He responded and said, "Come on, please give the emperor's second decree."
The first imperial edict left by the emperor was to announce that Murong Jie would be the regent and to entrust him with some matters. No one knew that there was a second imperial edict.
Everyone looked at each other, even Taifu Liang subconsciously looked at the Queen. The Queen looked confused, and then asked Murong Jie, "What second imperial edict? Did the Emperor leave a second imperial edict?"
Murong Jie said calmly: "Is there more than just the second one?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the queen's face turned pale and she began to feel uneasy. She could almost predict what the imperial edict would say.
As expected, Bao Gonggong read out the imperial edict, "The Emperor proclaims that I have been ill for a long time and have not seen any improvement. I have therefore entrusted the government to my younger brother Murong Jie, allowing him to act as regent and supervise the country and temporarily manage the government. If my death is approaching, the Regent will support the Crown Prince to ascend the throne. However, I am worried that the Crown Prince is young and arrogant and will not listen to my teachings. Moreover, he lacked discipline when I was here, which led to his stubborn and frivolous temperament. For the sake of the Great Zhou, I hereby inform all officials that if the Crown Prince misbehaves and does something that violates the law of the country and refuses to change after repeated admonitions, I will not tolerate it. The Regent can exercise the power to depose the Crown Prince..."
The prince fell into his chair and muttered, "It's impossible. Father can't possibly issue such an imperial decree."
Murong Jie looked cold and arrogant. After Eunuch Bao finished reading the second imperial edict, he asked him to go back.
Xia Wan'er was stunned for a moment, and nervously grabbed Madam Linglong, "What's going on? Are you going to depose the prince? No, you can't."
If the crown prince is deposed, she will no longer be the crown princess, but now she is in a relationship with the crown prince...
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Xia glared at Xia Wan'er fiercely and shouted angrily, "Shut up!"
As soon as this imperial edict came out, Prime Minister Xia's heart skipped a beat. Murong Jie had the power to depose the crown prince, which meant that even if the emperor passed away, the crown prince might not be the candidate to inherit the throne.
After feeling guilty, the prince said stubbornly, "My father said in the imperial edict that if I violate the laws of the country, I can be dismissed only after repeated admonitions. It's useless for you to ask for the imperial edict now. Although I am not talented, I have not violated the laws of the country."
Murong Jie said expressionlessly: "You and Bai Ye have violated military law by privately mobilizing troops. Considering that you are not a soldier, I will only give you thirty strokes of the cane. As for Bai Ye..."
He slowly raised his head and looked at Master Liang, with a cold light in his eyes, "Kill without mercy!"
Su Qing, who had been standing there, took the order and left.
Master Liang moved his lips a few times, but in the end he said nothing and stepped back with a gloomy look on his face.
He really miscalculated tonight. He did not expect the false accusation from Prince Nan Huai, nor did he expect the appearance of Murong Jie. What he did not expect the most was the second imperial edict from the emperor. This second imperial edict completely disrupted his plan.
The prince had mobilized the army privately, which was already illegal and he was punished with beating. The so-called repeated failure to mend did not really mean that he would have several chances. After the second or third time, he could justifiably depose the prince.
He couldn't afford to sacrifice one arm in exchange for time to breathe and plan just because Bai Ye and Murong Jie were in a stalemate.
Zi'an couldn't understand why Murong Jie had a better chance to strike at the Crown Prince and Tutor Liang by simply publishing the letter. Why did he go to so much trouble to kill Bai Ye and ask for the Emperor's edict
While everyone was whispering, she quietly asked Murong Jie, "Your Majesty gave up a great opportunity, didn't you?"
Murong Jie glanced at her and said, "You claim to be smart, but you don't know my intention?"
Zi'an was startled, looking at the cold color in his eyes, his mind suddenly brightened. Yes, he couldn't make it public, because now he couldn't depose the crown prince. It should be said that it was not the right time to depose the crown prince. If he made the letter public now, Taifu Liang would have no way to retreat and would have to give it a try. Then, the emperor would be in danger, because when the emperor passed away, the crown prince could ascend the throne.
Unless the crown prince has made mistakes three or four times, he can be deposed according to the second imperial edict. Murong Jie is waiting, waiting for the crown prince to make a mistake again.
So he first made this imperial edict public, firstly to frighten the prince and make him restrain himself, but obviously with the prince's character and Liang Taifu's ambition, the prince had no way to restrain himself. Secondly, it was to inform all officials that he, as the regent, was not arbitrary and everything he did was authorized by the emperor, thus establishing his position in the hearts of all officials and in the court.
The prince was dragged away. As he was dragged away by the palace guards, he shouted at Murong Jie, "You abused private punishment. When my father wakes up, I will report you to him..."
"Murong Jie, I am the crown prince, you have no right to hit me with a scepter, you bunch of rubbish, let me go..."
The queen wanted to stand up and plead for him, but Murong Jie glanced at her coldly, "The queen feels sorry for him? If you feel sorry for him now, you will cry later."
These words were spoken harshly and without any mercy, which showed that he was ready to break up the pretended harmony between him and the queen and to break off relations.
The queen said nothing, but clenched her fists very tightly. Her resentful and cold eyes slowly moved from Murong Jie's face to Zi'an's face.
She was unaware of the ambush on the Regent this time, so she pleaded for mercy when Xia Zian was detained by the Concubine Dowager. However, she did not expect that Xia Zian would save Murong Jie and ruin her plan.
If she didn't have to rely on Xia Zian to treat Prince Liang, I'm afraid the Queen would not let her live until tomorrow.
Whether the Queen would allow Zi'an to stay is a matter for the future, but now in Prime Minister Xia's heart, he has already made up his mind that he cannot keep her.
She harbored hatred for both him and the Prime Minister's Mansion, and he did not think that this hatred could be resolved. She came back with hatred and with the support of the Regent, so he could not allow her to continue living.
While they were all thinking about their own things, the queen heard the prince's pig-slaughtering howl. Her eyes almost bled. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her flesh.
Xia Wan'er was naturally very distressed, so she rushed out and saw the palace guards holding the prince and beating him with a stick in front of the palace. She rushed over and pushed the guards away, saying angrily, "He is the prince, can't you be gentler?"
Zi'an saw it, raised his lips slightly and laughed, "Xia Wan'er, you are not the Crown Princess yet, even the Queen can't plead for you, and you actually pushed away the palace guards who were carrying out the execution?"
This is a blatant challenge to Murong Jie's authority!
(End of this chapter)