In the meeting room, everyone was present.
A total of thirteen royal relatives came, including the deputy chief, Prince Baoan. As for Prince Yuedong, he was also temporarily invited to the palace.
Murong Jie asked everyone to take a seat. This was the meeting room where ministers used to discuss government affairs, so there were many chairs and desks.
After everyone was seated, Murong Jie looked around at everyone and spoke slowly, "I invited everyone to the meeting room today because I have something to discuss with you. All the clan members and ministers present know that the emperor has authorized me. If the prince commits evil deeds and is treasonous, I have the right to depose him."
Taifu Liang immediately stood up and said, "Your Majesty, may I ask if there is an imperial decree on this matter?"
Murong Jie's eyes fell on Master Liang's face, "Master, do you not believe what I said?"
Taifu Liang smiled and shook his head. "No, Your Majesty, please don't misunderstand me. I just feel that deposing the Crown Prince is a matter of national importance and cannot be done lightly. Without the Emperor's order, I dare not discuss this matter."
Murong Jie said: "If you dare not discuss this matter, you may leave the table."
The Grand Tutor suddenly said, "Your Highness, this is a serious matter. Please forgive me for being rude and blunt. The Crown Prince was originally established to consolidate the foundation of our Great Zhou. To shake the Crown Prince's position is to shake the foundation of our Great Zhou. Without the Emperor's clear order, I think we should not have bothered to raise this issue today."
Murong Jie sneered, "What is the Master in such a hurry for? Am I proposing to depose the Crown Prince now?"
Taifu Liang was startled, looking a little annoyed, "Your Highness, you are talking nonsense. Just now, it was you who said that you had summoned the clan members and officials to depose the crown prince, but now you say that you didn't mention it."
Shangshu Ling Lord Cui said: "Why is the Grand Tutor so angry? Just now, the prince only told everyone that he has the power to depose the crown prince, and he did not say that he wanted to depose the crown prince. But the Grand Tutor got anxious and angry when he heard this question. He wanted to make a clear decree and smash the Great Zhou root base. It makes people think deeply."
Taifu Liang said angrily, "If you didn't intend to depose the crown prince, why would you gather so many people?"
Everyone was very surprised. This Taifu Liang was usually the most patient person. Why did he get so angry today when the prince didn't say anything? This was very abnormal.
Murong Jie knew that he was stalling for time and taking the initiative to prevent him from speaking out today's agenda and waiting for the arrival of the Queen and the Empress Dowager.
Sure enough, the guards outside could be heard shouting, "The Queen Mother has arrived, the Queen has arrived!"
Murong Jie clearly saw that Taifu Liang's expression relaxed and he sat down.
The Empress Dowager walked in quickly accompanied by Eunuch Sun, and the Empress followed closely behind.
The clan members and officials stood up, "I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress!"
Murong Jie also stood up and went forward to support the Queen Mother, "Why is Mother here too?"
The Queen Mother said calmly, "I heard that the prince has summoned all the clan members and officials to discuss something, which must be very important. I just happened to have nothing to do, so I came to listen. Does the prince mind?"
Her voice and tone were extremely cold, and she was not as close to Murong Jie as before, which showed that she was displeased with what he did today.
"Of course, if your mother wants to sit in, you can," Murong Jie ordered someone to bring a chair and let the empress dowager sit on the main seat, while he moved his seat.
The Queen Mother sat in the seat he had just sat in and said, "Your Majesty is the Regent, and what we are discussing are matters of state. I, a woman, don't understand anything, I am just listening in."
Murong Jie did not refuse and sat down.
The Queen and the Grand Tutor exchanged glances and took their seats.
Although the Queen Mother was only listening, she asked after she sat down: "What are you discussing today? Why do you want to trouble the royal family to come to the palace?"
Murong Jie said, "Mother, I was just discussing with the Grand Tutor whether I have the authority to depose the Crown Prince."
The Empress Dowager's eyes tightened and she said, "Your Highness naturally has the right to do this. I heard the Emperor's order myself, but I don't know what crime the Crown Prince has committed that would require him to be deposed."
The Queen Mother took the initiative to change the subject, which actually scared the Queen.
However, when she saw that the Queen Mother's body was slightly tilted, very stiff, with her hands on the armrests of the chair, as if ready to strike, she knew that if the Regent told her about the Crown Prince and Concubine Yi, she would immediately stand up and stop him.
Murong Jie said loudly, "Everyone, I summoned you to the meeting hall today because the crown prince did something that damaged the friendly diplomatic relations between the Great Zhou and the Liang Kingdom a few days ago, and today he committed the crime of being unkind and unfilial to the Princess Zhenguo, which made me extremely suspicious of the crown prince's morality. I invited you to the palace to discuss what kind of crime should be imposed on the crown prince. To put it bluntly, today is the palace deliberation of the crown prince's crime."
After hearing this, the Empress Dowager relaxed a little. At least the two crimes he mentioned did not involve an affair with Concubine Yi.
However, the Queen and Taifu Liang were stunned for a moment. This matter of damaging the diplomatic relations between the two countries was probably a false accusation by the Regent. As for being unkind and unfilial to Princess Zhenguo, this was even more nonsense. Princess Zhenguo was now lying in bed with only one breath left. The Crown Prince was unfilial at most in not visiting her. It was ridiculous to use these two things to judge him.
Taifu Liang asked, "Your Highness, please tell me what exactly is this matter that damages the diplomatic relations between the two countries? Did Liang Guo's Crown Prince Song Ruiyang come to complain to you? The Crown Prince has been recuperating in the palace these past two days. It is impossible for him to offend Liang Guo's Crown Prince."
The clan members and ministers also looked at each other. Yes, they heard that the prince was injured. How did this offend the prince of Liang? If the prince of Liang went to complain to the prince, it would be a bit sinister.
"Your Highness, could there be any misunderstanding? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince should not have a conflict with the envoys from the State of Liang." said the Minister of Revenue.
Murong Jie stretched out his hand and pressed it. "Be patient. Since I have brought up the charges, I will naturally explain the situation. Today, Liang State Crown Prince Song Ruiyang told me that Crown Prince Murong Qiao kidnapped Liang State Princess Wang Yier and brought her to the Imperial Temple. I have ordered someone to bring the monks from the Imperial Temple. They will be able to enter the palace in a moment. Since the witnesses have not arrived yet, let's talk about the second thing first."
As soon as Murong Jie finished speaking, the Queen spoke up, "My Lord, how could Wang Yi'er be the princess of Liang? She is clearly a citizen of my Great Zhou."
Murong Jie glanced at the queen calmly and said, "Whether it is true or not, the Crown Prince of Liang will come to the palace to testify later. However, from what the Queen said, it seems that she knows that the Crown Prince has captured Wang Yier."
Everyone looked at the queen. She looked a little embarrassed, but she said bluntly, "Yes, I know about this matter, and I have already punished him for it."
"May I ask how the Queen punished me? How did she deal with me?" Murong Jie asked.
The queen raised her chin and said, "I have already punished him by confining him to his home for three months. I have a reason for giving him such a light punishment. The King of Liang has already taught him a lesson and beaten him so badly that his body was covered with bruises. So I didn't beat him with a stick again, and only confined him to his home for three months."
Prince Baoan said: "The Queen's treatment is unfair. Regardless of whether Wang Yi'er is the princess of Liang or not, even if she is just a commoner girl of our Great Zhou, the Crown Prince kidnapping a commoner girl is a criminal offense and must be dealt with according to the law."
(End of this chapter)