Nanny Gui responded and stepped back to get the torture instruments.
General Shen, however, was not afraid. He had been through many hardships in his life and had no idea what pain was.
He forced himself to open his sleepy eyes and stared sharply at the queen's face.
"A woman who has been with the emperor for decades is actually like this. I am really surprised. Queen, you are not worthy of being the mother of a country, and your son is even less worthy of being the emperor! If you want to kill me, Shen Tianao, you can, but stop talking nonsense. Even if my head is broken and bloody, I will not even shout the word fear!"
The queen looked at Shen Tianao with a sneer.
"Send someone to bring the prince here. I want him to see with his own eyes how his mother treats those who betrayed the country."
Shen Tianao would rather break than bend, but he couldn't stand this great humiliation.
"You evil woman, you will not have a good ending. You have taught the prince to become an unfilial son who usurps the throne. Sooner or later, the country of Daliang will be destroyed by you!"
"The kingdom of Daliang?"
The Queen sneered, "Since ancient times, the throne has been full of bloodshed, and patricide and fratricide are everywhere. I just did what I should do at the right time. General Shen is stubborn and cannot accept the new emperor's accession to the throne. Why should I pity you for your past merits? If it weren't for the support of the imperial power in the past, I'm afraid you, as a general, would not be able to make it."
"Don't put on airs in front of me. Without Da Chu and the emperor who looks up to you, you, Shen Tianao, are nothing in front of me. If I tell you to live, you live. If I tell you to die, you won't even get through tonight. You are so stupid that you don't understand your own identity."
In the firelight, the cold and hard instruments reflected a terrifying light.
"General, do you know which of these fifty torture methods is the most unbearable?"
The queen pulled out a silver needle and without giving Shen Tianao any time to react, she stabbed it into his thigh.
"Um… "
Shen Tianao was a man after all. Even though the needle pierced the nerve inside, he didn't even utter a cry of pain. Instead, he shouted excitedly, "Ignorant women and children only know how to use these despicable methods! But I'm not afraid. Just use whatever tricks you have. The more sins you commit against me today, the better the King of Hell will take care of you when you go to hell in the future!"
The queen was furious and ordered Nanny Gui.
"Put the torture on him! Put this fifty-year-old guy on top of it. I want to see him suffer with my own eyes!"
"Yes, my lady!"
"Don't worry, General. I will pick the least painful of these torture instruments and torture you slowly and slowly. I will make you suffer all the pain in this world, and you won't even be able to die."
That night, screams echoed throughout the Queen's harem.
In the morning court, the new emperor sat on the throne without going through the sacrificial ceremony. The empress continued to rule the country from behind the curtain.
Seven out of ten times, the young emperor Fu Mochen would turn back to ask his mother for her opinion.
Many ministers dared to be angry but not to speak out.
Isn't it true that the kingdom of Daliang is going to fall into the hands of a woman
"My dear ministers, please stand up. Today, I have something to announce. My mother is virtuous and has managed the harem for many years. I have decided to make her the queen mother from now on and temporarily take charge of all matters in the harem. Now that my father has passed away, the future generations may handle it immediately. I will issue an imperial edict to announce the specific reasons to the world. My father sacrificed himself in the plague for the people of Daliang. Ebb tide!"
"Wait, Your Majesty!"
The Minister of Works couldn't help but speak.
"Hmm? What do you want?"
Under the influence of the Queen, Fu Mochen becomes more and more like her.
"Your humble servant, I just feel that some things are not appropriate. If we hold the funeral before finding the emperor's body, it will be difficult to convince the public."
He had followed Fu Yuheng for many years, and although he didn't respect him very much, he also had a lot of feelings for him. Now that Da Chu was no longer under his control, the Minister of Industry always felt like the sky was falling, and he couldn't be convinced no matter what.
The queen frowned behind the curtain, very displeased.
Last time, the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the heaven was ruined by an old stubborn man, and now another old guy is coming to destroy her son's decision. This is intolerable.
"Minister of Works, you have been evaluated well on weekdays. I will not pursue your misconduct in front of the palace because I think you have been loyal to Daliang for many years. Please leave first. The emperor has his own opinion on this matter."
The Minister of Works didn't dare to say anything more. He just kowtowed and left, his back completely wet with cold sweat.
Back in the palace, the Queen threw a tantrum, and Fu Mochen was so scared that he dared not speak. He just hid behind the nanny who had served him since he was a child, secretly watching the Queen's movements.
"Come here, my son."
Fu Mochen had no choice but to walk over obediently.
"Have you learned everything that your mother taught you?"
Fu Mochen nodded.
"Remember, everyone is coveting this position. You can't lose. Mother is doing this for your own good. Now, show her the memorial from yesterday and she will tell you how to handle it."
Fu Mochen obediently asked someone to get it. The queen patted his head with satisfaction, then left him alone and started reading the memorial seriously.
She ignored the floods in the south and the earthquakes in the north, and only kept those memorials that contained "slanderous advice", with anger in her eyes.
"That's all nonsense! Who in this world can stop me from doing something?"
Nanny Gui was there to comfort her.
"Yes, Madam, you are the Queen Mother now, no one dares to oppose your ideas. Just drag these people out and teach them a lesson."
The queen smiled slowly and walked down the stairs holding Nanny Gui's hand.
"Mammy is right. Go prepare some scallop soup for me. I want to drink it tonight."
Nanny Gui retreated in response.
The prince didn't dare say a word, he just shrank in his seat, holding on to the corner of the palace maid's clothes.
"My son, come here."
When the Queen's chilling voice sounded, the Prince dared not disobey.
"Mother, what do you want?"
The queen took his hand and said, "My son, from now on, you must listen to me and do what you should do, otherwise I will be angry!"
Prince Fu Mochen nodded silently and left.
After the prince left, the queen asked Nanny Gui to issue an imperial decree.
"Former General Shen Aotian was disrespectful to the new emperor, so I have specially approved the parade to be held tomorrow. I hereby decree this."
In the prison, Shen Tianao, who had finally taken a break, curled up on the hay, unconscious.
An imperial physician came to treat him, and when he saw the injuries, some minor and some serious, he couldn't help but be amazed.
He simply followed orders to bandage the wound and prevent it from bleeding, then took away all the medical treatments and left him alone in the dungeon to suffer.
That morning, everyone was watching the fun.
Shen Tianao, the former great general who defended the country and conquered the world on the battlefield, was now being put in a prison cart and taken to the most prosperous street.
No one spoke along the way, and no one dared to make a noise.