Emperor Ming: Your Majesty, you have caused me so much suffering.

Zhu Qiyu watched his ministers leave.

Outside the hall, Yu Qian bowed to his many colleagues.

"Gentlemen, I'll go ahead first."

He bore the heaviest burden and could not afford to hesitate at this moment. The Prince of Cheng's actions today gave Yu Qian enough confidence, and he felt that victory was assured!

Yes!

He wanted to be the great man who could turn the tide, just as the Prince of Cheng had described!

Seeing Yu Qian gradually disappear into the distance, Wang Zhi spoke up: "Gentlemen, let's unite and overcome these difficult times together!"

The group nodded and then quickly dispersed.

Hu Ying trailed behind, walking side by side with Wang Zhi.

"Everyone has misjudged Xingjian. Prince Cheng has truly surprised me. His actions today alone demonstrate the qualities of a wise ruler. I wonder if this is a blessing or a curse?"

Wang Zhi naturally understood Hu Ying's meaning: if the Prince of Cheng was an incompetent person, he would be nothing more than a puppet if he were to take over the reins of the country, at the mercy of the court officials and Empress Dowager Sun. Once the difficulties were overcome, he could simply be removed.

However, the Prince of Cheng may very well turn the tables and take control. More importantly, today's series of actions have tightly bound the court officials together. Unless the emperor can return, no one can strip the Prince of Cheng of his power, not even the current Empress Dowager.

Going forward, the court officials will definitely push Prince Cheng forward. Even if Prince Cheng doesn't want to take another step, the court officials will absolutely not allow him to retreat. In this way, the emperor in the north might not be able to return, and even if he does, his fate will not be good.

Regarding this matter, Wang Zhi had already made his decision in his heart. From the moment Zhu Qizhen foolishly chose to personally lead the expedition, his loyalty was no longer to the emperor, but to the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty should not be allowed to be ruled by the emperor. This country does not belong to the emperor alone, but also to many officials and hundreds of millions of people.

Wang Zhi paused for a moment, then said, "Yuan Jie, I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should!"

"Practice frugality, feel free to speak your mind!"

"The late Emperor entrusted you with the responsibility of governing the country and maintaining the benevolent rule of Emperor Renzong, nothing more. As for whether it's a blessing or a curse, as long as it preserves the Ming Dynasty, it is a blessing; if it leads to the downfall of the Ming Dynasty, it is a curse!"

Upon hearing this, Hu Ying was greatly shaken, and a look of struggle inevitably appeared in his eyes.

Although Wang Zhi's words were veiled, he made almost no attempt to conceal his resentment towards Zhu Qizhen. If the Prince of Cheng could lead his ministers to defeat the Oirat Mongols and preserve the empire, Wang Zhi would choose to support the Prince of Cheng.

At least in Wang Zhi's eyes, Zhu Qizhen was a scourge to the Ming Dynasty and the culprit who ended the reign of Emperor Renzong and Emperor Xuanzong.

Hu Ying couldn't make a decision because he had watched Zhu Qizhen grow up, and to him, Zhu Qizhen shouldn't have such an ending. Moreover, he had promised Empress Dowager Sun that he would do his best to ensure Zhu Qizhen's safe return.

Knowing that Hu Ying was in a difficult position, Wang Zhi sighed deeply, said that he had said all he needed to say, and prepared to leave.

Hu Ying was not one to disregard the bigger picture. After much internal struggle, he finally said, "Xingjian, the only thing I can do is to stand by and watch."

Wang Zhi smiled wryly and said, "Yuanjie, I'm sorry to trouble you! We both have important matters to attend to. There's no point in thinking about other things. Let's focus on the present."

"please!"

Hu Ying, after all, was a seasoned veteran of officialdom who had been immersed in the game for decades, and quickly adjusted his mindset.

Inside the Wenhua Hall, Zhu Qiyu prepared to rise and pay his respects to Empress Dowager Sun before heading straight back to his residence.

"Prince Cheng, please wait!"

Empress Dowager Sun finally couldn't help but speak up.

"Your Majesty, I am here!"

Empress Dowager Sun gestured for Li Yongchang to lift the curtain, and then sent Jin Ying and Xing An to stand guard at the door, coldly watching Zhu Qiyu.

"Prince Cheng, I underestimated you in the past! Who taught you to act this way?"

Zhu Qiyu blatantly lied, saying, "Before I was enfeoffed, I studied with my elder brother, the Emperor, and was taught by many teachers. I have learned some things from them."

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Sun's expression turned slightly displeased. In that case, her sons were incredibly stupid, with one who secretly learned being better than the other who learned properly.

"snort!"

Zhu Qiyu was already on high alert, and feigned fear as he bowed and asked, "Empress Dowager, have I done something wrong?"

Empress Dowager Sun sneered and said, "How dare you act on your own initiative and arbitrarily in all these matters today?"

Empress Dowager Sun was furious. Ignoring her presence and arranging things so meticulously made her and her family seem incredibly stupid.

"Your Majesty, I have been ordered to oversee state affairs and manage national matters. My actions today were entirely within my duties. I do not understand why Your Majesty accuses me of acting arbitrarily. I am truly wronged. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

"You..." Empress Dowager Sun was furious; the truth always hurts people.

"If the Empress Dowager feels that I have handled things improperly, she may issue another decree to strip me of my power to oversee the state. I originally did not want to oversee the state, but it was the Empress Dowager who insisted that I do so. I believe I have not done anything wrong this time, so why am I being held accountable by the Empress Dowager? I truly do not understand!"

Zhu Qiyu spoke again, rubbing salt into Empress Dowager Sun's wounds.

There's nothing to fear now. If the Empress Dowager issues a decree requiring the Grand Secretariat to go through, the Grand Secretariat can simply "return" the document. If the Empress Dowager bypasses the Grand Secretariat and issues a decree, the Six Ministries can exercise their power to "reject" it.

Even if the policy is ultimately enforced forcefully, under such circumstances, it would be a miracle if those newly appointed officials agreed.

Zhu Qiyu sneered, "This is your own choice, and now you're blaming me? This woman is truly fickle!"

A sharp glint flashed in Empress Dowager Sun's eyes as she said, "Are you so certain that I dare not issue an imperial edict?"

"Your Majesty, I truly do not know what I have done wrong. Please enlighten me!" Zhu Qiyu knelt down, pinched himself hard, and tears welled up in his eyes. He sobbed, "The nation is in peril. We should work together wholeheartedly, both inside and outside the palace, and not harbor any suspicions. Whether my brother can return depends on defeating Esen."

"Otherwise, all our efforts will be in vain. I have never heard of the strong yielding to the weak. Now that our Great Ming is weak, if we do not turn the tide and make Esen fear, this villain will not negotiate with our Great Ming. In that case, my brother's return from the north will be uncertain. I cannot sleep at night when I think of my brother's suffering in the north. Does not the Holy Mother have any pity for my brother?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Sun almost burst into tears. For a moment, she couldn't tell whether Zhu Qiyu truly sympathized with her son's plight, but Zhu Qiyu's words were undoubtedly correct.

If she couldn't defeat the Oirat Mongols, not only would her son not return, but her husband's kingdom would also be in danger of collapsing.

Zhu Qiyu's performance made her uneasy. The more outstanding Zhu Qiyu was, the more incompetent her son Zhu Qizhen seemed. Once Zhu Qiyu had selfish motives and held power, people's hearts would always change.

That location possesses a deadly magic!

She wanted to protect her husband's empire and her son's position.

Seeing that the time was right, Zhu Qiyu hardened his heart, kowtowed to the ground with a loud thud, and his head instantly turned red. He then burst into tears and said, "Holy Mother, Father's tomb is here. I cannot be an unfilial son. Even if the villains eat my flesh, I will not disturb Father in the slightest. Holy Mother... please do not doubt me!"

Looking at Zhu Qiyu, who was weeping, Empress Dowager Sun felt a tightness in her chest. She knew that she couldn't do anything to Zhu Qiyu today because he was in the right.

Jin Ying and Xing An exchanged a glance outside the door, eager to see what had happened inside the hall, which was so tragic.

After a short while, Empress Dowager Sun softened her expression and said to Li Yongchang, "Help Prince Cheng to his feet!"

Zhu Qiyu "struggled" to get up and exchanged a glance with Empress Dowager Sun.

Empress Dowager Sun looked at Zhu Qiyu, whose tears were still wet and whose forehead was red, and immediately felt annoyed and waved her hand.