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

No sooner had Zhu Qiyu finished speaking than Chen Yi shouted to stop him!

The court was instantly thrown into turmoil, with many officials expressing their discontent and cursing. The court quickly turned into a marketplace, filled with shouts and surging emotions. Some officials even burst into tears again, perhaps angered by Zhu Qiyu, or rather, by Empress Dowager Sun.

Seeing the chaotic scene, Zhu Qiyu did not order the Great Han General to maintain order. Instead, he summoned Xing'an, whispered a few words in his ear, and Xing'an nodded and left immediately.

Is there still no conclusion?

Could it be that the Tumu Crisis, in which the army was almost completely wiped out, the emperor was captured, and Wang Zhen ruined the country, was not true?

How can it be that there is no conclusion yet? Is it because they are unwilling to reach a conclusion, or because they dare not to reach a conclusion?

Every court official was shrewd enough to understand the implication instantly. The one unwilling to draw a conclusion was probably Empress Dowager Sun, while the one who dared not make a conclusion was the current Prince of Cheng.

Empress Dowager Sun was naturally unwilling to admit her son's shameful deeds. As long as Zhu Qizhen could be brought back quickly, everything could be made up for.

Once he admitted it, it was like a final verdict. Even if he recanted later, he would offend the court officials and lose the trust of the people. This would not be a good thing for Zhu Qizhen.

Empress Dowager Sun did not want to cause trouble for her son.

The Prince of Cheng dared not admit it because he was worried that if His Majesty returned to the capital one day and investigated the matter, how would His Highness Cheng face himself?

Thinking of this, the ministers' indignation subsided slightly. Looking at Zhu Qiyu on the throne, they even felt a pang of pity. This move had indeed put the Prince of Cheng in a difficult position, making someone take the blame for no reason, which was a violation of the moral principles of a gentleman.

When Chen Yi saw that the morale of his ministers had weakened even slightly, he immediately sensed something was wrong. After all, the planning of the major events that followed was only understood tacitly by a few key ministers; the others did not have such insight.

Now that we've launched a kneeling remonstrance, the sword is already drawn; there's no going back. If we back down now, we'll never have another chance to draw our sword!

Chen Yi roared, "His Majesty's capture in the north was all due to Wang Zhen's usurpation of power and arbitrary decisions. The people yearn to execute Wang Zhen and his faction. If Your Highness does not act swiftly, how can you appease their hearts?"

Upon hearing Chen Yi's words, the ministers were instantly jolted awake. This was no longer a game; today, they had to make the imperial power bow down, no matter what.

All I can say to Zhu Qiyu is my apology!

"Your Highness, we humbly request a swift decision!" The voices of the ministers resounded to the heavens.

On the other side, Ma Shun, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was very flustered. His back was cold and he felt a surge of anger. Every now and then, several menacing eyes fell on him.

If His Majesty and Wang Zhen were still alive, he would not care at all, but now the situation has changed drastically, and the slightest mistake could cost him his life.

Ma Shun's gaze remained fixed on Zhu Qiyu, because the power to decide his life or death rested in Zhu Qiyu's hands.

Once Zhu Qiyu agrees to the court officials' request, Ma Shun, as Wang Zhen's trusted confidant, will inevitably be the first to be dealt with, a situation where death is certain.

As long as Zhu Qiyu did not agree to this matter, and with the Empress Dowager's intervention, and if he was lucky enough to wait until the Emperor returned from his northern hunt, he would most likely be able to save his life.

Ma Shun was almost always ready to quickly drag these officials out of the Meridian Gate at Zhu Qiyu's command.

Just as Ma Shun was in great agony, as if he had been waiting for a thousand years, he finally received a meaningful look from someone.

Ma Shun and Zhu Qiyu locked eyes for a fleeting moment before looking away.

But this look filled Ma Shun with joy; he could clearly see the deep meaning in the Prince of Cheng's eyes.

What is the purpose of this move?

A moment later, the astute Ma Shun realized that His Highness must have ordered him to stop this farce.

definitely is!

Ma Shun stepped forward, seemingly worried that the officials might not hear him clearly, and raised his voice several notches, righteously rebuking them: "His Highness Prince Cheng has already made his decision, and as subjects, we should obey. Why are you kneeling here to remonstrate, roaring in the court? Are you perhaps deliberately showing contempt for imperial authority and trying to coerce the court?"

This statement not only failed to quell the debate, but intensified, with many officials filled with righteous indignation. However, since Zhu Qiyu had not yet spoken, the officials were still able to control their emotions for the time being.

Ma Shun glanced up at Zhu Qiyu and saw that Zhu Qiyu's expression was normal and he did not stop him. Ma Shun immediately felt that his judgment was correct and became much bolder.

"You all, why don't you leave immediately? How can you be subjects of the Great Ming Dynasty with such disrespect for the emperor!" Seeing that the officials were still kneeling in the court, Ma Shun prepared to summon the Imperial Guards to expel them.

Upon hearing this, all the ministers looked like they wanted to devour someone, their teeth almost bleeding from clenching!

Ma Shun, a eunuch's crony, actually dared to drive away the officials; he truly didn't know his place.

Zhu Qiyu looked at Ma Shun and immediately felt that this man was very brave.

Perhaps because they were used to abusing their power by relying on Wang Zhen, they did not notice the abnormality in the court this time. Did you not see that the officials next to Ma Shun had already turned red in the face and their fists were clenched so tightly that their knuckles turned white?

However, the ministers remained patient, like the Ninja Turtles, and did not make a move. Instead, they looked at Zhu Qiyu with complicated expressions.

Wang Zhi and Yu Qian even showed a hint of disappointment. Could it be that they had really entrusted the wrong person?

Perhaps sensing the intense gaze, Zhu Qiyu felt uncomfortable in his sitting position. He merely shifted his body slightly, preparing to sit back, without any intention of getting up.

However, this subtle movement caught the attention of the ministers, who felt a chill run down their spines. Something terrible had happened; His Highness Prince Cheng was about to leave!

If the main character leaves, wouldn't the play have been performed in vain?

Ma Shun's attention was always on Zhu Qiyu, and now he realized that Zhu Qiyu was really leaving.

He hurriedly ordered several Imperial Guards to drive away the officials, giving Zhu Qiyu time to leave. If the officials rushed in and blocked the gate, the Prince of Cheng would not be able to leave.

"You scoundrel, you've gone too far!"

A dark figure flashed out from nearby Ma Shun. The newcomer was none other than Wang Hong, a censor of the Ming Dynasty. This man was tall and imposing. Although he was a civil official, he was clearly also somewhat skilled in martial arts. With a whoosh, he threw a heavy punch straight at Ma Shun's face.

Ma Shun felt as if he had been hit on the head with a blunt object, and suddenly felt dizzy and his surroundings were pitch black. This was a feeling he had only experienced in the womb.

Ma Shun staggered back two steps, unable to stand steadily, and swayed precariously.

Wang Hong used both fists and words, his fists raining down like raindrops as he roared, "In the past, you abused your power by aiding that treacherous Wang Zhen, and now the country is in turmoil, yet you show no remorse, daring to bark wildly in the main hall! Prepare to die!"

Although Ma Shun had mastered martial arts, youth had its own advantages. Wang Hong was only in his thirties, in the prime of his life. Caught off guard, Ma Shun had almost no chance to fight back.

More importantly, Wang Hong's roar instantly ignited the anger of the ministers.

The officials recalled the horrific scene of Liu Qiu's dismemberment, the executioner being none other than Ma Shun. In a short time, many officials surrounded him, turning what was supposed to be a one-on-one duel into a brutal brawl devoid of any martial virtue.

Wang Hong was also a warrior, and the extent of his hatred for Wang Zhen was evident in the fight that was taking place before him.

He spoke again, this time not by shouting, but by biting Ma Shun's face, tearing off a piece of flesh. His mouth was full of blood, and his face was particularly ferocious, as if he had achieved a great revenge.

The other officials unleashed a barrage of punches, a scene only seen when blacksmithing. Some officials, before they could even throw a punch, pulled away their colleagues who were throwing themselves at Ma Shun, just to deliver a blow to him as well.

Shouts and yells rose and fell, accompanied by the sound of tearing official robes and flying hats, as the civil officials of the Ming Dynasty displayed an unprecedented level of valor.

The Imperial Guards were also stunned. Ignoring the fact that their commander was being beaten, they hurriedly retreated to the side. Perhaps they couldn't squeeze in. They stared blankly at the scene before them, beginning to doubt their own existence. Who was the military officer?