The Prodigal Son

The ministers all submitted their petitions.

Song Zhuo, Du Zhiwen...

Even Xue Chengdao, who had always been on good terms with the Qin family, joined in the petition this time.

They are expressing an attitude.

Zhao Luan cannot continue to act so willfully and recklessly!

That puts people at ease!

She could protect Qin Yu, she could smooth things over and not frame him for serious crimes, but she had to severely punish Qin Yu!

Everyone knows that Zhao Luan instructed Qin Yu to do this.

The problem is, Zhao Luan can't possibly punish himself severely, can he?

Since we can't severely punish her, then we have no choice but to severely punish Qin Yu!

This is to give an explanation to the Empress Dowager and the Lü family!

After all, Madam Lü suffered a miscarriage!

If we don't give the Empress Dowager and the Lü family an explanation, the Empress Dowager will never let this go!

Currently, the Crown Prince of Chengyang is seeking a marriage alliance with the Prince of Chengyang, while the Northern Qi is eyeing the country covetously.

If this matter is not handled properly, Da Ning may once again fall into internal and external troubles.

Seeing that all the civil and military officials were on Su Yu's side, Zhao Luande's face immediately turned extremely ugly.

"Prime Minister Song, do you also think I should severely punish Qin Yu?"

Zhao Luan frowned and looked at Song Zhuo with an unfriendly expression.

"yes!"

Song Zhuo answered without hesitation, "Madam Lü suffered a miscarriage; the Lü family must be given an explanation!"

"Explain?"

Zhao Luan's face fell, and she demanded sharply, "I gave an explanation to the Lü family, but who will give an explanation to me?"

"His Majesty!"

Song Zhuo suddenly raised his voice, "I have already said that the so-called witchcraft is nothing but a misunderstanding! The witchcraft was neither a frame-up by Qin Yu nor something the Lü family did intentionally! However, Qin Yu acted too aggressively when he went to search the Lü family, causing Madam Lü to miscarry. We must give the Lü family an explanation!"

Hearing Song Zhuo's words, many ministers nodded in agreement.

Song Zhuo has already made his point clear.

Define this deliberate political frame-up as a misunderstanding!

Zhao Luan did not instruct Qin Yu, nor did Qin Yu frame him!

It's all a misunderstanding!

In this way, she could preserve her own reputation, protect Qin Yu to the greatest extent possible, and also give an explanation to the Empress Dowager!

This is the optimal solution!

If Zhao Luan tries to punish Qin Yu without any consequences, things could easily escalate to an uncontrollable state!

Meeting Song Zhuo's gaze, Zhao Luan gritted her teeth in anger.

After a long silence, Zhao Luan said with a dark face, "Let's set aside this matter for today! Let's talk about the disaster situation in the three prefectures of Long, Ju, and Tong!"

"If we don't even discuss this matter, what's the point of discussing the disaster situation again?"

Song Zhuo, his face cold, said, "In my opinion, the disaster in the imperial court is far more severe than the drought in the three prefectures!"

"I second that!" Su Yu immediately chimed in.

"I second that proposal!"

"I second that opinion..."

In an instant, a group of ministers voiced their support for Song Zhuo.

Seeing this, Zhao Luan's face darkened further, and she shouted angrily, "What, are you trying to force me to abdicate?"

Song Zhuo, showing no fear, angrily said, "We are not forcing Your Majesty to abdicate; we merely implore Your Majesty to consider the fate of the Great Ning dynasty!"

"right!"

Cui Xu nodded emphatically and rebuked, "The late Emperor overruled all objections to pass the throne to Your Majesty so that Your Majesty could safeguard the land and its people, not so that Your Majesty could indulge in personal feelings!"

"presumptuous!"

Zhao Luan roared angrily.

"Lord Cui, that's going too far!"

Shangguan Youyi's sharp gaze fell on Cui Xu. "You are an upright and outspoken censor, not a gossipy woman who spreads rumors!"

"Cui Xu has never been a gossip!"

Cui Xu stepped forward with a death-defying resolve, once again confronting Zhao Luan head-on: "Your Majesty, please remember, Your Majesty is first and foremost an Empress, and only then a woman! With the nation in turmoil, neither the court officials nor Your Majesty are worthy to speak of personal feelings!"

"you……"

Zhao Luan was so angry he couldn't speak, but he gritted his teeth and growled, "Tell me, when have I ever been sentimental about men and women?"

Cui Xu straightened his posture and said, "Your Majesty appointed Qin Yu as the Palace Attendant, and then, in order to protect Qin Yu, disregarded the loyal words of the entire court. May I ask Your Majesty, what is this if not sentimentality?"

A cold glint flashed in Zhao Luan's eyes, and she was about to lash out when Qin Yu stepped in front of Cui Xu. "If His Majesty were to order the execution of your entire family one day, I, Qin Yu, would certainly protect your mother! Don't I share a tender bond with your mother?"

"Well said!"

Qin Fumeng clapped his hands and laughed, then pointed at Qin Yu and said to Cui Xu, "Quickly call him 'Father'!"

Cui Xu was furious at the sight of this scoundrel grandfather and grandson.

"Shameless!"

Cui Xu raised his hand, pointing tremblingly at the grandfather and grandson.

"If we're talking about shamelessness, then you, Cui Xu, are the most shameless!"

Qin Yu stared intently at Cui Xu. "You always talk about internal and external troubles. If you're really capable, go and solve those problems yourself! That's what it means to share the burdens of the ruler, not to criticize His Majesty here!"

"His Majesty appointed me as a Palace Attendant, deeming me, Qin Yu, innocent. Is that what you call 'love between lovers'?"

"Years ago, you wrote a poem satirizing the Empress Dowager, yet the late Emperor not only didn't blame you but also gave you an important position. Could it be that the late Emperor also had romantic feelings for you?"

"I know you pretentious intellectuals dislike me and will try to kill me at the slightest chance!"

"But I'm determined not to let you have your way!"

"I love the way you can't stand me but can't do anything about it!"

Qin Yu unleashed his full power, leaving Cui Xu red-faced and speechless.

Just as Su Yu was about to speak up, Qin Yu immediately turned his attention to Su Yu: "And you, Su Yu, as the Minister of Rites, you not only didn't stop Cui Xu from being so disrespectful to His Majesty, but you even wanted to speak up for him? Where do you get the nerve? Don't you know what 'Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher' means?"

Su Yu's face twitched, and he was so angry that he couldn't speak.

Upon seeing this, Lu Cheng immediately sneered, "If we're talking about rudeness, Qin Yu, using such a low-down trick like 'the monkey stealing peaches' against His Majesty is the most rude thing, isn't it?"

"Yes! I, Qin Yu, have been disrespectful to His Majesty, but I have made amends!" Qin Yu immediately turned his attention to Lu Cheng, "Besides spreading rumors, what merits have you, Lu Cheng, rendered to the court? How dare you accept a monthly salary from the court?"

After criticizing Lu Cheng, Qin Yu went on to criticize other ministers.

"And you, Fei Zhong, I think you'd have trouble even hanging yourself. A Minister? You might as well be called a good-for-nothing!"

"And you, Prime Minister Song! As prime minister, instead of sharing the emperor's burdens, you only cause him distress. What kind of prime minister are you?"

"Du Zhiwen, how many years have you been Minister of Revenue? Is the national treasury full? There's drought in three regions; do you have any disaster relief plans? You can't even handle your own affairs properly, yet you have the nerve to come here and demand an abdication?"

Qin Yu went all out, criticizing each and every minister in the court.

The courtiers were both angry and furious at Qin Yu's rebuke, wishing they could tear Qin Yu's foul mouth apart.

"Qin Yu, shut your mouth!"

Zhao Luan stopped Qin Yu, who was in the middle of a heated argument, and said, "These officials are all pillars of the court. How can you be so disrespectful to them? From this day forward, you are to be confined to your residence and reflect on your actions. Without my decree, you are not to step out of the Duke of Wei's mansion!"

Upon hearing Zhao Luan's words, the assembled officials were immediately enraged.

Qin Yu was the Inner Attendant and concurrently the Director of the Six Ministries. She should at least dismiss one or two of Qin Yu's official positions to appease the Empress Dowager and the entire court!

What is this now?

Are they not even going to act anymore?

This is no punishment!

They were clearly protecting Qin Yu!

crazy!

Zhao Luan has really gone mad!

To protect Qin Yu, he was willing to stand against the entire court!

What kind of bewitching potion did Qin Yu give her?

Or was she bewitched by Qin Yu?