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Chapter 24 I don't need to explain to anyone

In the main hall, civil and military officials knelt on the ground, feeling a chill in their hearts.

Zhou Chen's question, "Do you want to rebel?" struck a chord with the officials, causing their expressions to change involuntarily.

Even General Wu Jin and Prime Minister Yuan Bo, who were kneeling at the very front, were no exception.

rebel?

This is no ordinary crime.

Once arrested, the consequences could be the confiscation of one's property and the extermination of one's entire family.

Even the most powerful person cannot easily bear such a crime.

Fortunately, all the officials understood that Zhou Chen was trying to intimidate them.

Even if the officials stormed the palace to rebel, it's impossible for them to do so without a single soldier. It's only these hundred or so people who rebelled!
The officials were aware of this, and so was the one on the dragon throne.

If this matter is investigated.

The only source of confidence for the officials was the belief that the law does not punish the masses.

The emperor can't just take down all these officials at once because of this!

If that were the case, then the central government of the Great Zhou Dynasty would be paralyzed.

"Your Majesty, we know that we are guilty of breaking into the palace."

"But when we learned that the Grand Tutor had been poisoned to death in the imperial prison, we were filled with grief and indignation and could only think of going to the palace to see the Emperor."

"The Grand Tutor has made great contributions and has devoted his life to the Great Zhou. He is also a minister who assisted the country and a pillar of the court left by the late emperor. Yet now he has been poisoned to death in the imperial prison."

"We are filled with grief. Even if the Grand Tutor's disaster relief efforts were inadequate, his crime does not warrant death!"

"Your Majesty, please make the judgment."

Prime Minister Yuan Bo said with a face full of grief and indignation, and kowtowed heavily.

The crisp sound rang out in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but it struck a chord in the hearts of all the officials.

"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is right. The Grand Tutor devoted his life to our Great Zhou, yet he died in the imperial prison. We are heartbroken."

"If Your Majesty finds us ministers who assist the state in the way, then please also bestow upon us a cup of imperial wine, so that we may keep the Grand Tutor company!"

General Wu Jin also spoke up.

However, compared to Chancellor Yuan Bo, General Wu Jin's words were more direct.

It can be said that General Wu Jin's words were a veiled attack on Zhou Chen's heart.

Zhou Chen stared directly at General Wu Jin with a cold glint in his eyes.

What does it mean to find the regent minister an eyesore?
And what does it mean to bestow a cup of imperial wine upon him, so that he may keep the Grand Tutor company?
General Wu Jin was implying to the officials that Emperor Zhou Chen disapproved of the veteran officials and wanted to take action against them.

This is just making him, the emperor, the target of hatred!
What a great general, Wu Jin!

Very good.

They can kill without shedding blood.

Zhou Chen could imagine the ripples that General Wu Jin's words would cause in the hearts of the officials and the veteran ministers.

"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister and the General are right. The Grand Tutor has worked hard all his life. Even if he has no great achievements, he has certainly put in a lot of effort!"

"The Grand Tutor died in the imperial prison, which is truly disheartening to us. We beg Your Majesty to give us an explanation."

The Minister of Personnel also stood up and spoke with great indignation.

"Yes! Your Majesty, even if the Grand Tutor has no merit, he has worked hard. Please give us an explanation."

“That’s right, Your Majesty. We stormed the palace to see Your Majesty because we hope Your Majesty can give us an explanation. We are afraid that we will end up like the Grand Tutor, imprisoned for life and death.”

……

The six ministers and high-ranking officials of the court all spoke with indignation.

Following closely behind, all the civil and military officials spoke up, each expressing their heartbreak at the death of Grand Tutor Yan Hua.

As Zhou Chen listened to the officials' impassioned words, his expression grew increasingly grim.

This isn't about expressing the heartbreak over the death of Grand Tutor Yan Hua, or demanding an explanation.

This is clearly a coup attempt. Let's not even mention that the poisoning of Grand Tutor Yan Hua in the imperial prison had absolutely nothing to do with Emperor Zhou Chen.

Even if it really was Emperor Zhou Chen who gave him a cup of poisoned wine to kill him, it was still a case of the emperor ordering his subject to die, and the subject had no choice but to die.

Does he, as the emperor, need to give an explanation?
Who can give an explanation to him as emperor?

"enough."

Zhou Chen roared loudly, coldly sweeping his gaze over the kneeling officials below; "As the Emperor of Great Zhou, the ruler of the world, do I need to give you an explanation?"

"Can you live up to the expectations I have for you?"

Zhou Chen's icy gaze, sharp as an eagle's, swept across the faces of every official.

All the officials who met Zhou Chen's gaze unconsciously lowered their heads, not daring to look him in the eye.

“I tell you, I don’t need to answer to anyone, because I am the Emperor of the Great Zhou, the ruler of the world.”

"No one in this world is qualified to make me give an explanation."

Zhou Chen's gaze lingered on Prime Minister Yuan Bo.

It was this old fox who ruined his plans. Zhou Chen's show of force had already subdued the officials.

But unexpectedly, the old fox Prime Minister Yuan Bo turned the tables in the end, forcing him to confront the officials head-on.

Zhou Chen remembered this grudge.

When the opportunity arises, Zhou Chen will definitely settle accounts with this old fox.

"Now I announce something: the Grand Tutor and the Empress suspected Zhang De of poisoning me. The Grand Tutor committed suicide out of fear of punishment, and the Empress is confined to Qingfeng Palace to await further action."

Zhou Chen withdrew his gaze and said.

Although Zhou Chen could stand against all the officials and didn't need to give anyone an explanation.

But a reason is needed.

Zhou Chen brought up the matter of Zhang De poisoning him, which was just the right thing to do.

After all, Empress Wu Ying was the most suspicious and had the strongest motive for Zhang De poisoning Zhou Chen.

It just so happens that Grand Tutor Yan Hua is a member of Empress Wu Ying's faction, and a representative figure among them.

That makes sense.

Perhaps with this reason, they can eliminate Empress Wu Ying's power in one fell swoop.

what?
The Grand Tutor and the Empress suspected that Zhang De had poisoned the Emperor.
Upon hearing this, the officials' expressions all changed.

If this is true, then it would be a huge scandal.

Poisoning the emperor is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. Once confirmed, it would implicate Sheng Guang.

Officials, especially those from the Empress's faction, all felt a chill run down their spines.

They were somewhat afraid; if this were true, they would definitely be implicated.

General Wu Jin's face darkened, and he asked directly, "Does Your Majesty have any evidence? If you don't have any evidence, this is no joke."

"The Grand Tutor has worked hard and made great contributions throughout his life. He is also a minister who assisted the country left by the late emperor. If he is accused of regicide, his reputation will be completely ruined."

"And then there's the Empress, the matriarch of the harem, who has served my Great Zhou with utmost dedication and is also my daughter."

"If Your Majesty does not have conclusive evidence, and you accuse the Empress of regicide, does Your Majesty know what the consequences will be?"

"Should Your Majesty also accuse me of regicide?"

General Wu Jin said with a grim expression.

This isn't something you can just deduct from someone's record like that.

This can kill people.

General Wu Jin insisted on making things clear no matter what.

He knew that once this news spread, the consequences for the Empress and for him, the great general, would be unimaginable.

(End of this chapter)