I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

Chapter 199 Sharing Father's Worries

Shen Yan raised his head, his eyes determined: "I won't give it to Your Highness. If Your Majesty is unwilling to issue an edict of apology, I will do it myself. Even if I die, I will tell the world the truth."

Before Lu Mingyang arrived, Chu Mingzheng had been trying to persuade him for a long time. Now his mouth was dry and he said angrily, "People in the world don't care about the truth. They only care about whether they can live well."

Shen Yan was stunned.

Chu Mingzheng continued, "The Xiongnu are watching covetously, the Western Qiang are preparing their troops, and the Baiyue are restless. Your one word of truth has caused our Great Sheng to lose its composure and unsettle the people. If someone rebels again, the whole country will be shaken, and the people will suffer miserably. When that happens, I dare to ask, how will the upright Lord Shen cope with it?"

Shen Yan's head was buzzing: "Could it be that His Majesty is wrong..."

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and the Son of Heaven cannot make mistakes."

Chu Mingzheng interrupted sharply, a look of helplessness and self-mockery between his brows. He admired Shen Yan's character and wished he could be as pure as him, but the world couldn't tolerate such a person. He wasn't qualified to be such a person.

If we want the world to run peacefully and orderly, we must weigh the pros and cons. Weighing the pros and cons requires making choices, and making choices cannot be just about right or wrong.

"Your Highness, let's go and not waste time talking to him." Lu Mingyang gently stroked his chest to comfort him.

Chu Mingzheng held Lu Mingyang's hand and said, "Let me ask you one last question. How can you be sure that Your Majesty was the mastermind behind the murder of the former Marquis of Chengyang?"

Shen Yan said, "I thought that Lord Zhongxin was collaborating with the enemy and committing treason, so I went to the Xiongnu in disguise to gather evidence. I didn't expect to hear the Xiongnu talking about the battle outside Yanmen Pass."

"They said the Xiongnu found two seriously injured soldiers of the Marquis of Chengyang. They said that Lieutenant General Sun had ambushed the Marquis of Chengyang, severely injuring him. Lieutenant General Sun died as an apology, revealing before his death that he had assassinated the Marquis of Chengyang on orders from the Emperor. The Marquis of Chengyang was severely wounded and died tragically outside Yanmen Pass."

"I don't know whether it's true or not. The evidence I have can only prove that Lord Zhongxin planned to send out the army. The situation is urgent, so I can only test Your Majesty in the court." Unexpectedly, the result of the test was unbearable.

"Okay, I understand." Chu Mingzheng pulled Lu Mingyang away.

At the gate of Ningyuan Prince's Mansion, the two men got off the carriage and saw the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict from the palace. Xuan Chu Mingzheng immediately entered the palace.

"I'll go with you." Lu Mingyang subconsciously grabbed Chu Mingzheng's hand. In her impression, whenever the emperor encountered something, he would always indiscriminately accuse Chu Mingzheng.

"What's the big deal about you going? It's okay!" Chu Mingzheng smiled and sent Lu Mingyang back home, but he did not step into the mansion. He turned around and followed the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict into the palace.

In the Qinzheng Hall, the emperor sat cross-legged on the couch. In just one hour, he looked much older.

"sit down!"

When he heard the door open, the emperor still closed his eyes.

Chu Mingzheng sat down opposite the emperor and asked, "Father, why did your Majesty summon me here?"

The emperor raised his eyes, his gaze as cold as a torch: "I heard that you personally sent Shen Yan home and even hired a doctor for him?"

Chu Mingzheng stood up and knelt, saying in panic, "I just want to get the evidence in Shen Yan's hands to relieve my father's worries."

With a loud slap, the emperor slapped him hard and said angrily, "You also think it was me who did it?"

"I dare not!" Chu Mingzheng bowed his head.

If the Jinyiwei sent by the police had not heard him say "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and the Son of Heaven cannot make mistakes", he would have really thought that he wanted to use this matter to deal with him.

But at this moment, the emperor looked at it and felt a sense of separation in his heart.

"Is it coming?" he asked.

Chu Mingzheng shook his head, "I plan to go there again tonight and will not let him deceive the people with his lies."

"Stand up. We are not only king and subject, but also father and son. Don't kneel down at every turn." The emperor said soothingly in a gentle voice and handed the evidence found in Shen Yan's house to Chu Mingzheng.

Chu Mingzheng said angrily: "With just these, how dare he slander my father?"

"Yes!" the emperor sighed. "But with him making such a fuss, it seems like I'm ordering the loyal and trustworthy earl. What do you think we should do?"

"Father!" Chu Mingzheng said, "It's harder to stop the people from speaking than to stop the river from flooding. Now that things have come to this, we can only hold a public trial. As for the mastermind behind the Earl of Zhongxin..."

He paused, then said with certainty, "It must be the Xiongnu. They spread rumors, hoping to cause discord between the ruler and his ministers in Dasheng and demoralize the people, so they could take advantage of the chaos and launch an attack. Their evil intentions are clear as day."

The emperor looked upon his son with new eyes, but said, "Soon after Dasheng made peace with the Xiongnu, something like this happened."

Chu Mingzheng advised: "Father, there are priorities, and there is no better reason than the Xiongnu."

Yes, the emperor made the decision: "Okay, you will preside over this case."

Chu Mingzheng said, "Father, only by letting Shen Yan preside over this case can we silence the world's gossip."

"Then you will assist in this case." The emperor did not give Chu Mingzheng a chance to refuse.

Study of Ningyuan Palace

Lu Mingyang sat in Chu Mingzheng's arms, looking at the imperial edict he brought back, and asked, "Didn't it say it was Concubine Song?"

Chu Mingzheng said: "Yangyang, anyone can suggest that the emperor is Concubine Song, but I can't. Moreover, Shen Yan's evidence is too shallow to prove that it is Concubine Song."

"What about my eldest sister?" Lu Mingyang was now most worried about Lu Mingyuan's life or death. He asked anxiously, "If it proves that Earl Zhongxin is collaborating with the enemy and treasoning against the country, won't my eldest sister be considered to have killed the enemy?"

"I'm afraid it won't be that easy. There's no precedent in Dasheng for civilians to enforce the law, and right now, I'm not sure whether the emperor would prefer my eldest sister to be dead or alive."

Chu Mingzheng realized that he had said too much, so he kissed her cold lips and comforted her softly: "Don't worry, Yangyang, I won't let anything happen to my elder sister."

Lu Mingyang touched the face so close to him and kissed it. He always asked me to help him, but until now, I haven't helped him at all. Instead, he has been helping me.

No matter how realistic a fake is, it is never real and will be shattered by the real thing. Furthermore, with Shen Yan, a stubborn person, in charge, Chu Mingzheng had a very difficult time forging the fake evidence.

But those fake certificates had not been used yet when Lu Mingze appeared.

In the court of the Ministry of Justice, although the Huns were kneeling, they still held their heads high and spoke of the bravery of the Huns outside Yanmen Pass.

Outside the court, the crowd was excited.

The drums sounded, and the densely packed crowd of people made way for him. Lu Mingze walked into the court and said loudly, "I am Lu Mingze, son of Lu Shao, Marquis of Chengyang. I have a grievance to report."

"The disastrous defeat at Yanmen Pass was caused by Concubine Song's collusion with Chen Hong, the Loyal and Trustworthy Earl, which led to the army's isolated advance. She also bribed Deputy General Sun Jisheng to assassinate my father, resulting in his severe injuries and the annihilation of the entire 30,000-strong cavalry."

Lu Mingze presented the evidence, turned to look at everyone, and took off his mask.

The crowd was in an uproar.