diskusbooks Chapter 895: One move higher
Chapter 895: One move higher
Not only Prime Minister Lu, but all the civil and military officials stared wide-eyed at the person who slowly walked out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Only Qin Qingshan bowed respectfully to Zhou Ziming, saying, "Your Majesty!"
There was no surprise on his face.
"Rise!" Zhou Ziming waved his hand gently.
Although his face was pale and bruised, he exuded the unique majesty and oppression of an emperor. "In my life, I have experienced countless dangers and ruled the world for more than ten years under the mandate of heaven. But today's show is the most spectacular!"
"Holding up armor and weapons privately, spying on the Imperial Palace at night, attempting to emulate the old story of Xuanwu? What, do you really think this dragon throne is something you can just sit on as you please?"
Zhou Ziming's tone wasn't agitated, but anyone could sense the impending storm emanating from it.
No sooner had he finished speaking than countless elite soldiers in armor rushed in, weapons in hand.
Leading the group was Cui Ling, the garrison commander of Juyong Pass, whom Zhang Ping'an had dealt with before.
"Your Majesty, I am late in coming to your aid. I beg your forgiveness. All the rebels inside and outside the city have been executed and are awaiting Your Majesty's judgment!"
Cui Ling was still breathing heavily as he spoke, and with blood all over his body, it was clear that he had just been through a fierce battle.
But his eyes were bright and shining, and there was a hint of excitement in them.
With this tremendous act of saving the emperor, a bright future is just around the corner.
Those who have risen to this position are no fools; everyone immediately realized that the Emperor had faked his death!
They were all merely pawns in His Majesty's game today, each a link in the chain of the game.
Although the second prince had the ambition to usurp the throne, Zhou Ziming was one step ahead.
Seeing that Zhou Ziming was still alive, the Crown Prince was the most excited. He twisted his body on the ground, as if trying to say something, his face turning red.
Qin Qingshan personally went over and untied the person, saying, "Your Highness, you have suffered!"
"Father!" The crown prince ran over and called out as soon as he was untied.
I felt a mix of relief and excitement, but also a deep sense of defeat.
He was completely unaware of such a major event happening today.
At that moment, doubts arose in his mind again: could he really be a good emperor?
Zhou Ziming patted his son on the shoulder without saying anything, and had no idea what his son was thinking.
He turned and ordered Cui Ling in a deep voice, "Seize the Second Prince and his entourage. Anyone who disobeys will be executed immediately!"
"Yes, sir!" Cui Ling had already instructed his men to surround the Second Prince's men and the civil and military officials outside the hall when he entered.
Upon hearing Zhou Ziming's order, the Second Prince and the others were quickly tied up. Although the newly appointed Imperial Guards were quite capable, they were powerless against the court's most elite forces.
There wasn't even much fighting.
The Second Prince was a smart man; the moment he saw Cui Ling enter, he knew that all was lost.
It turned out that none of her little tricks had ever escaped Zhou Ziming's notice.
He didn't resist, but struggled a little and said proudly, "Don't tie me up, I can't run away anyway. But I have something to say. Even a dying man has the right to speak freely!"
Qin Qingshan sneered, "What else is there to say about your utterly rebellious behavior?!"
The second prince ignored Qin Qingshan.
With his eyes fixed on Zhou Ziming, he continued expressionlessly, "In the past two years, what I have done is probably quite laughable in Father's eyes. Father, you are like a god, always sitting at the highest point, coldly observing everything, with everything under your control."
My biggest regret is not finishing you off last night, hoping to leave you with a dignified corpse. If things had turned out this way last night, perhaps my chances of winning would have been better, or at least I wouldn't have suffered such a crushing defeat today, right?
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ziming seemed disheartened. He closed his eyes, unwilling to say more, and simply waved his hand, signaling to drag all the rebels outside the hall away.
This includes Prime Minister Lu and others.
Prime Minister Lu had seen a lot in his life, but when he thought about the fate of his entire family and clan, he couldn't help but tremble like a leaf.
He looked utterly defeated as he was dragged away, offering no futile resistance and refusing to protest.
The others didn't have such composure, and cries for mercy were heard everywhere.
But this only made them die faster. Anyone who begged for mercy or struggled was chopped down on the spot, leaving a trail of blood.
Zhang Ping'an couldn't help but look at his father-in-law, Grand Tutor Qian, whose face was also pale. Although he had escaped being dragged away, his expression was still heavy.
I have no idea what happened in the Hall of Mental Cultivation from last night to today.
In less than half an hour, Cui Ling had cleared the area outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation and placed it under heavy guard, so that not even a fly could get in. All that remained were a group of officials who were filled with anxiety and huddled together on their knees.
No matter how glamorous they are in the outside world, in their current situation, they are no different from a weak little chick.
It's just a matter of waiting for Zhou Ziming, who sits at the very top, to make the final decision.
A cold wind blew silently, and there was no sound outside the palace.
After a long pause, a voice finally rang out: "In the past, Emperor Wu of Han executed the Crown Prince Li, and Emperor Taizong of Tang had the Chengqian Incident. Only today do I understand the hearts of the ancients! The Second Prince Zhou Shu is utterly rebellious, attempting to kill his father and usurp the throne. He is disloyal and unfilial, disregarding human ethics. Although I am reluctant to do so, the laws of the land are as solid as a mountain, and the principles of ruler and subject, father and son, and the ethical norms are the foundation of the nation and must never be violated. I have no choice but to comply!"
At this point, Zhou Ziming paused for a moment.
Zhang Ping'an had his head down and couldn't see Zhou Ziming's expression, but he was no ordinary person and must have felt sad. He still remembered how much Zhou Ziming doted on his second son when he visited the Zhou residence.
No matter what happened, the feelings I invested were genuine.
After a pause, Zhou Ziming continued, "My pain today is not just a misfortune for my family, but a wound to the nation! This suppression of the rebellion was entirely due to your loyalty and dedication to the country, and your concerted efforts, which turned the nation from danger to safety. I am very gratified. A strong wind reveals the strength of the grass, and turmoil reveals the loyalty of the ministers. After this incident, I know even more who the loyal and virtuous are."
Now that the mastermind has been apprehended, this matter is considered closed. The court should prioritize stability, each member remaining in their proper place and fulfilling their duties. There should be no further discussion or suspicion among us. From this day forward, I hope all my ministers will work together with me to create a new era of peace and prosperity, thus fulfilling the hopes of the people!
This means that everyone present today should be careful with their words and actions, and keep their mouths shut.
"Your Majesty is wise!" Grand Tutor Qian led the way in kowtowing.
Others followed suit and expressed their opinions.
They knew what they could say and what they couldn't say, after all, the world still belonged to the Zhou dynasty.
People like Zhang Ping'an, who are only partially involved, don't actually have a complete understanding of the ins and outs of the matter.
As for those who weren't involved, they knew even less about the details.
Zhou Ziming did not make things too difficult for his officials. The court needed to function, and he couldn't just execute them all.
Before long, Cui Ling sent someone to politely escort everyone to the palace gate.
It means letting them go home.
There was still a long way to go from the Hall of Mental Cultivation to the palace gate, and there were dead bodies everywhere in sight. At present, the people brought by Cui Ling were directing the palace servants to carry the corpses.
Some of the palace maids were busy wiping the floor tiles.
But Zhang Ping'an knew that once human blood seeped into the floor tiles, it was the hardest thing to clean, and the tiles would always be stained dark red.
Everyone lowered their heads and left the palace gates in a daze.
Upon reaching the palace gates, each person was escorted by armored soldiers according to their rank and position.
Zhang Ping'an had ten people around him, the highest level of rank.
These people didn't speak or engage in conversation; at the slightest movement, they would draw their long knives, their eyes filled with murderous intent.
Ordinary soldiers wouldn't have this kind of imposing presence; it's obvious they were specially trained.
Once they arrived home, these people stood guard about ten feet away from Zhang Ping'an.
They also didn't interfere with what Zhang Ping'an did.
Once inside the main room, Zhang Ping'an involuntarily pressed his right hand to his heart, where an uncontrollable, dull ache was throbbing.
It's been hurting on and off since this morning, and it's been a whole day now.
Xu and Zhang Lao Er were completely unaware of what had happened in the palace. Seeing their son return safely, they felt it was only natural. After putting on their clothes, they ordered someone to help bring them food.
Seeing that there were soldiers guarding the door, he didn't think much of it. After all, his son held a high position and was escorted by a few soldiers, which was normal.
"Why did you take so long to get back? You must be hungry. Go and have something to eat first," Mrs. Xu asked with concern.
"Thank you, Mother. I am indeed hungry. It's so good to be alive and see you all!" Zhang Ping'an gave a bleak smile.
Madam Xu was taken aback, then slapped her son's hand and scolded him, "What nonsense are you talking about, child? Bah, bah, bah! Of course you should live well, you're still young! These past few days, with you and Xiaoyuer gone, your father and I have felt rather lonely, and even our meals have lost their flavor. It's always best for the family to be together. After Xiaoyuer finishes his imperial examinations next year, he can get married, that would be even better!"
Listening to this rambling voice, Zhang Ping'an felt a warmth in his heart, and the pain in his chest didn't seem so bad anymore.
When it was time to eat, Zhang Ping'an realized how hungry he was. He didn't care about his image and shoveled down several mouthfuls.
Pengpeng also came out dressed in casual clothes at this time.
He chuckled and said, "I heard some noise outside just now, and I knew it was my uncle coming back. How have things been going these past few days?"
"Hmm, that's good. Why aren't you asleep yet?" Zhang Ping'an paused to catch his breath and asked.
Before Pengpeng could speak, Zhang Lao Er chimed in, "Pengpeng is studying. He's been studying until very late these past few days, just like you were when you took the provincial exam. This child is so ambitious; your second sister is going to have a good life from now on."
Zhang Lao Er rarely praises people, so his praise now shows he really appreciates his grandson Peng Peng.
Speaking of this, Madam Xu couldn't help but think of her grandson and asked with some complaint, "By the way, son, didn't you say that Xiaoyuer went out to meet friends? Why haven't we received a single letter? When will he be back? I miss him so much!"
"Soon," Zhang Ping'an said succinctly.
He didn't plan to let his son return until things calmed down in the capital, since at this crucial juncture, there was no guarantee that nothing unexpected might happen.
No matter how important the imperial examination was, it was not as important as his son's life.
Moreover, the fact that Zhou Ziming sent out soldiers to guard them proves that these people are not completely safe, and there will be more trouble later on in the thorough investigation.