FID – Chapter 739

Chapter 739: So What?

After receiving the letters, Feng Qingbai handed them over to Feng Mohan and the Empress Dowager, who was behind the beaded curtains.

Feng Mohan opened the letter, and after a moment, his expression changed drastically. “Absurd! Treasonous ministers and rebellious scoundrels!”

The officials’ hearts immediately tightened, unsure of what had caused the Emperor’s sudden outrage.

Treasonous ministers and rebellious scoundrels? Who was he referring to?

“Minister Zuo! You’d better explain yourself to this Empress Dowager! Why have you had private dealings with the Dongyue Kingdom?” Behind the beaded curtains, the Empress Dowager’s voice was filled with anger, as if a storm was approaching.

Minister Zuo’s heart sank, and he quickly knelt. “I beg the Emperor and Empress Dowager to clarify, I do not understand what you mean! What private dealings with the Dongyue Kingdom? I have never done such a thing!”

Something was thrown from behind the curtains toward him, falling before the throne. The officials stared at it. The writing was not entirely clear, but the seal stamped on the letter was unmistakable — it was Prime Minister Zuo’s personal seal!

They had only seen one of the letters, but there were several others. As Feng Mohan brought out the letters one by one, many recognized that some of them even bore the royal seal of the Dongyue Kingdom.

This clearly indicated that he had been in private contact with Dongyue!

A high-ranking official of one country having dealings with the royal family of another — what could he be plotting?

There were too many possibilities to consider.

Feng Mohan coldly stared at the man kneeling and pleading his innocence. He gritted his teeth and sneered, “We are not so blind as to fail to recognize the Left Prime Minister’s handwriting! Your personal seal, the royal seal of Dongyue… These letters have been exchanged since three years ago, almost every year, with one or two instances of correspondence! You clearly have rebellious intentions! You are conspiring with the enemy, betraying your country! No wonder you wanted to imprison me and eliminate my loyal ministers one by one! You are utterly treacherous!”

“To add a crime is easy, but I have never wronged Your Majesty or the court!” Minister Zuo cried out, kneeling on the ground, his voice filled with sorrow. “I have been loyal to Your Majesty and the court for years, and have never committed any wrongdoing. My heart is as clear as the sun and moon!”

“Your heart is as clear as the sun and moon? Minister Zuo, you’re exaggerating; aren’t you afraid you’ll hurt your tongue?” Feng Qingbai’s voice was cold as he continued, “Not to mention that these documents were either taken from your manor or intercepted along the way. And this year, our Nanling and Beicang were supposed to coexist peacefully. Yet, the Beicang delegation was ambushed at the border, losing a grand general, almost triggering war between our two countries. Later, when Nanling sent an envoy to Beicang, a Beicang prince was also assassinated, causing the peace talks to drag on. It seems you have been trying to incite war between the two countries, Prime Minister. All of this is likely for the benefit of colluding with Dongyue and profiting from the chaos!”

“Feng Qingbai! Do you have any evidence to prove that I did these things? To defend two traitors, you are willing to fabricate facts and wrongfully accuse a loyal minister! With people like you, who can’t distinguish right from wrong, Nanling is doomed!” Minister Zuo straightened his back, his usually calm face finally showing anger, his eyes filled with grief and indignation.

“Evidence? These letters are more than enough evidence,” Feng Qingbai said as he stood with his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his lips. “If we follow the trail of these letters and investigate step by step, the truth will eventually come to light. I am not in a hurry, and since Minister Zuo claims to have a clear conscience, you should not be in a hurry either.”

Minister Zuo’s gaze sharpened. “Feng Qingbai, you are bold!”

Anyone involved in treason, collusion with the enemy, or rebellion could never escape easily.

No matter what the final result is, before a conclusion is reached, Minister Zuo must be imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court Prison, awaiting his sentence! 

He hadn’t expected that Feng Qingbai would use such a method to challenge him. How long had he been planning for this moment?!

“Guards, take Minister Zuo to the Clan Court Prison! As for the charges of treason and collusion with the enemy, I will thoroughly investigate before making a final judgment!” Feng Mohan spoke coldly from the dragon throne.

The Empress Dowager, who had been listening from behind the curtain, did not object, which implied her tacit approval.

The guards dragged him, his eyes bloodshot, out of the court. The civil and military officials barely dared to raise their heads.

Many of them were from his faction, but today, with him being accused of treason, no matter whether he could clear his name in the future, any official who sided with him now would certainly be implicated.

By making such a decisive move, the King not only aimed to bring down Prime Minister Zuo but likely intended to eliminate his faction as well.

Who would dare to plead for him at this moment?

Moreover, the accusation was no trivial matter—it was treason, it was betrayal of the country!

Could anyone plead on his behalf?

Such an uproar happened in the early morning court session. Taking advantage of the absence of the King to expand his own power, Prime Minister Zuo was actually toppled in the very first round after the King’s return to court!

“All evidence points to the Prime Minister’s collusion with the enemy, attempting to incite chaos in Nanling. Do we still need to investigate further what such a minister calls ‘traitors’?” Before the officials had even recovered from the shock of the previous events, the man spoke plainly again.

The ministers exchanged glances and then shouted in unison, “Your Majesty is wise, Your Highness is wise!”

Would a traitor’s words about a loyal minister be true? No, the true traitors were those who fabricated crimes, slandering loyal ministers as villains, leaving the Emperor with no one to trust. 

That was the true treasonable act!

Feng Qingbai stood at the front of the officials, receiving their respectful salute, then turned his gaze towards the curtain behind which the Empress Dowager sat.

“Previously, the Emperor was confined to his palace by traitors. The Empress Dowager, fully supporting the Prime Minister’s accusations, labeled Elder Yang and Liu Zhixia as traitors. After this event, Your Majesty should now understand that she was deceived by these villains. Elder Yang and Liu Zhixia are loyal and capable ministers. Does Your Majesty still wish to impeach me?”

Behind the beaded curtain, there was silence for a while. Then, a figure stood up and said, “Return to the Yangxin Hall!”

“Your Majesty, please wait. As the Regent, I represent the His Majesty in the court. Allow me to say something unpleasant: since ancient times, the harem should not interfere in state affairs. This rule cannot be abolished, no matter Your Majesty’s intentions. It is a boundary that must not be crossed. I still hold the late Emperor’s imperial edict. If Your Majesty has any objections, I can read it to you again!”

The late Emperor’s imperial edict! One of the edicts explicitly forbids the harem from engaging in political matters, with the penalty of treason for violation!

If not for the King bringing it up in court again, many had already forgotten the specific content of the late Emperor’s edict.

The figure behind the curtain paused for a moment, then lifted the curtain and left.

The court session ended there.

After the court session, Feng Qingbai did not go to the Imperial Study as usual, but instead made his way to the Imperial Clan Court Prison.

Minister Zuo was being held there.

This was the place for imprisoning court officials who had been convicted of crimes. Previously, Elder Yang and Liu Zhixia had just been here. Now, it was his turn to experience it for himself.

Seeing the person approaching, the prison guard hurriedly attempted to kneel and salute, but the man raised his hand to stop him and then dismissed him.

He stepped forward, slowly walking inside.

Finally, he stopped in front of Minister Zuo’s cell.

“Feng Qingbai!” Upon seeing the visitor, Minister Zuo’s eyes turned bloodshot as he spat out each word slowly, “To bring me down, you truly spared no means! You fabricated evidence, you slandered me!”

The man smiled at him and replied, “So what?”