After Qu Jingze finished speaking, the court became even quieter. Murong Zheng looked at the ministers, and all of them lowered their heads and said nothing.
Ever since the incident when he gave the Phoenix Jade Hairpin to Concubine Dong Guifei, the court officials have been unanimous in turning a deaf ear to everything involving Concubine Dong. This is not the first time and it will not be the last.
But this time, Murong Zheng felt extremely ashamed and angry.
Because Qu Jingze was almost pointing at his nose and scolding him.
It is said that if a king humiliates his subjects, they will die. Not only did they not take their lives, they did not even say a word to express their opinions. Their reaction made him feel more humiliated than Qu Jingze's words.
"How outrageous." Murong Zheng couldn't help but let out angry words.
He was referring to Qu Jingze, and even more so to the ministers in front of him who claimed to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic.
"I am indeed presumptuous, but who gave me the reason to be presumptuous? I don't want to be presumptuous either, but I watched my two princesses in Bei'an struggling in the sea of fire, one was disfigured and injured, and the other was worried and uneasy. If Your Majesty were in their place, I'm afraid you would be even more presumptuous than me, right?"
Qu Jingze's words were powerful, but the ministers still pretended to be deaf and dumb.
"If His Majesty the Great Zhou Emperor can seek justice for my Princess Bei'an and the foreign minister, the foreign minister is so presumptuous and I am willing to accept any punishment from His Majesty the Great Zhou Emperor."
After saying this, Qu Jingze leaned over and kowtowed, but his hands were still holding the phoenix jade hairpin.
Qu Jingze's attitude was strong and firm, and Murong Zheng didn't know what to do for a moment. Deep down, he still wanted to protect that person, but when he thought about protecting her, he felt infinite fatigue in his heart.
"How do you think this matter should be handled?" Murong Zheng suddenly spoke in the silence where one could hear a pin drop.
As soon as he finished speaking, all the civil and military officials in the court knelt on the ground in unison, as if they had discussed it beforehand, and kept saying "They didn't dare".
"You..." Murong Zheng originally hoped that someone would come out to mediate, but he didn't expect that none of the ministers were willing to give him this face.
The group of people in front of him were discussing state affairs yesterday, and had candlelight talks with him about relations with other countries the day before yesterday. He believed that they were his loyal ministers and generals, but when the envoys from Bei'an forced him, they all retreated, knelt on the ground, and were humble, which made his anger grow more and more.
"Envoy Zhang Yu, what do you think about this matter?" Murong Zheng looked at the old minister kneeling in the second row. He usually defended the king's face the most. Now that he called him out, he didn't believe that he would not stand on his side.
"Your Majesty, you said back then that matters between concubines are your family affairs and outsiders are not allowed to interfere." The already old and frail Zhang Yushi slowly raised his head and stared at Murong Zheng while speaking. The disappointment in his eyes could not be concealed.
"But now it's no longer a family matter, it's a national matter." Murong Zheng said hatefully.
"Back then, regarding the Phoenix Jade Hairpin, the Emperor himself stated to the court that Concubine Dong's matter was your Majesty's family affair."
Zhang Yu's words were sonorous and he showed no fear in the face of Murong Zheng's anger. Murong Zheng looked at him but ultimately said nothing.
With just a few words from Zhang Yushi, he understood clearly that if this matter was handled as a state affair, Concubine Dong would certainly not be able to be saved.
He originally wanted the court officials to join him in protecting Concubine Dong, but he didn't expect that these officials who claimed to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic had already stood on the opposite side of him over the matter of Concubine Dong.
Perhaps they had been waiting impatiently for this day, waiting for the day when they could no longer protect Concubine Dong and then everyone would turn against them.
"I didn't know that you and the Empress Dowager had the same idea." Murong Zheng sneered lightly, but he didn't know whether these words were spoken to himself or to the court officials kneeling on the ground.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is loyal to the Great Zhou. If she had not assisted the late emperor, the Great Zhou would have long ago..." Murong Zheng had just finished speaking when the silent Lord Xu suddenly spoke. His voice was not loud, but as he spoke, the ministers who were kneeling on the ground with their heads buried in their hands raised their heads with clear eyes, as if they had heard someone talking about their gods.
(End of this chapter)