PFC Chapter 400 Good calculation
Chapter 400 Good calculation
Chapter 400
He sneered and said, "You are so bold as to reveal your greed for money to me. You are so fearless that you are not afraid of death."
Eunuch Su fell to his knees with a thud, hands on the ground, and a fawning look on his face: "Your Majesty, please understand! It's not that I'm brave and fearless, but I know from the bottom of my heart that you are a wise ruler of all ages, and you would never dislike me because of this little quirk of mine!"
As the chief eunuch at the Yuanzhen Emperor's side, he held a crucial position within the palace. Numerous factions sought to gather information and ascertain the Emperor's preferences, while the concubines of the various palaces, eager to secure his favor, sought to win his favor. Junior eunuchs, eager to rise through the ranks, often resorted to patronizing him. Yet, he was no fool. If he truly lacked understanding, how could he have served the Yuanzhen Emperor for so many years? The gifts he accepted were all innocuous, implicitly signifying the Emperor's tacit approval and connivance.
As a eunuch, he had no desire for women. To say he had no desires would be hypocritical. Initially, his greed for money was just a self-created "persona" to dispel others' suspicions, but over time, this "persona" became his reality, and he truly fell in love with gold, silver, and other valuables.
Emperor Yuanzhen was naturally well aware of this, and many of the misleading false news were spread through Eunuch Su's mouth at his secret instruction. Emperor Yuanzhen always turned a blind eye to Eunuch Su's petty schemes for self-protection and profit, and as long as they did not cross the bottom line, he would let him do it.
He leaned back in his chair, looking up at the hall ceiling embroidered with gold thread patterns. He slowly closed his eyes, his tone filled with regret, "Cheng has been with me for many years. Despite all her faults, she ultimately gave birth to a son for me. Even though I know she deserves death, I still feel unhappy when I'm implicated. That's why I've put my previous idea on the agenda. This impulsive move was indeed reckless. I want to protect the Great Zhou dynasty for thousands of years. If I push her too hard, wouldn't I be a sinner for eternity after a hundred years? Let me think...is there any other way?"
Seeing that His Majesty had no intention of paying attention to him, Eunuch Su hesitated for a moment, then tentatively stood up from the ground. Seeing that Emperor Yuanzhen still had his eyes closed and was mumbling to himself, he slowly backed away, tiptoeing out of the hall.
When he arrived outside the hall, he glanced at the eunuchs, palace maids and patrolling guards nearby, then looked back into the hall and sighed slightly.
Lord Ye was young, his understanding of the relationship between man and woman was too shallow. Eunuch Su, though a eunuch, had spent years in the palace, having seen all sorts of women, and perhaps understood these matters better than Lord Ye. "A day of marriage is a hundred days of grace"—this was no casual remark. Lord Ye should not have been so reckless as to personally take Cheng's life. If he hadn't, His Majesty wouldn't have taken it to heart and rekindled that long-forgotten thought.
Then he sighed again. "Speaking of which, this Cheng family member is truly not to be underestimated. Even her death isn't necessarily a bad thing. She knows Your Majesty all too well. Even someone as resolute as Your Majesty nearly fell at her hands. If Your Majesty hadn't remained rational and prioritized the Great Zhou Empire above all else, had He complied with her wishes, regardless of what Lord Ye might have done, I'm afraid Your Majesty would have been self-defeating, making the situation even worse."
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Jingren Palace, once the residence of Concubine Cheng, had, in just half a day, transformed the once magnificent palace, once overflowing with rare treasures, into a desolate place. The palace gates were now sealed, and no one came or went. The eunuchs and maids within had been imprisoned or punished, leaving the empty palace a desolate place, abandoned and neglected.
At that moment, someone quietly entered Jingren Palace, a place the palace guards were supposed to avoid. Cautiously surveying their surroundings, they leaped into the inner chambers of Concubine Cheng's former residence. All the vases, ornaments, and other valuable items within the chamber had been confiscated by the palace. Even the magnificent glass mirror that had once graced the table had been removed. The palace was empty and silent, showing no signs of human habitation since the morning.
But the man showed no concern. As if purposefully, he sidestepped and squeezed behind the bed curtains. After groping in the cramped space for a while, he finally pried open a section of the floorboards and pulled out a jade pendant. He quickly put the floorboards back in place, tucked the jade pendant into his arms, and in a few flashes, he left the palace. His movements were so swift and smooth that he didn't even alert anyone.
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On the second day, the court was silent. The courtiers and censors who usually loved to argue and confront each other were now afraid to breathe. They were all silent, as if they had become voiceless birds, and did not dare to say a word.
Yesterday's situation was utterly chaotic, with numerous officials and members of the imperial clan falling from power. Even Concubine Cheng, who had long been in charge of the harem, was declared to have died suddenly and without cause. The Chen clan was severely punished, with the entire family exiled to Ningguta, and never allowed to return to Beijing to serve as officials.
Many of the court officials were related to the Chen family by marriage. At this moment, each of them was terrified, fearing that the emperor's wrath would burn and turn against them, and their families would be dragged into this storm.
Furthermore, Emperor Yuanzhen had clearly been ill and bedridden for days, yet after yesterday's turmoil, he managed to force himself to attend the morning court today. This circumstance only fueled widespread suspicion and speculation. Ministers with hidden agendas and guilty consciences would have immediately feigned illness and retreated to avoid the emperor's scrutiny, if not for the fear that staying home sick would arouse his majesty's suspicion.
As was the custom in previous court meetings, when the eunuch shouted in his shrill voice, "If you have a petition, please proceed. If you don't, please leave the court," everyone looked down at their noses and their noses at their hearts, and remained silent, not daring to make a sound.
Only Protector Zhou looked around and, seeing that everyone was silent, he stepped forward with a memorial in hand and said in a loud voice, "I have a memorial to submit."
Emperor Yuanzhen had been sitting bored at the top of the table, observing the ministers below him with varying expressions. He had been about to leave the court when he heard someone speak, and sat down again, looking at Protector Zhou with interest. "Announce!"
Seeing this, the eunuchs hurried forward to take the memorial from Zhou Duhu and presented it respectfully to Emperor Yuanzhen's desk.
Emperor Yuanzhen took the memorial and glanced at it casually. His eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the tiger talisman tucked inside. He took the talisman and twirled it between his fingers for a long moment before slowly looking up at Protector Zhou. "If anyone else had this, they would clutch it tightly, fearing I might want to take it back. But you, on the other hand, offered it to me. You're truly sincere."