Just when Zhao Xu was horrified, people from all over the country were already swarming in front of the palace gate, making noisy noises. As the first few people stopped shouting, thousands of people from all over the world knelt down in front of the palace gate and shouted one after another.
"Find out the fraud! Give me my innocence!"
Thousands of people shouted these eight words together, like thunder, exploding in front of the palace gate.
"Everyone stop! Stop!"
If thousands of people alerted the emperor, something big was going to happen. Zhao Xu couldn't care less and shouted, but strangely, the same voice nearby shouted in unison.
Looking back, he saw Qian Wei's bullock cart parked not far away. Qian Wei got out of the cart, shouted, and looked at himself again.
"It must be stopped."
After all, the two have been colleagues for many years, and they immediately had a tacit understanding after just one glance.
Two important ministers rushed over one after another, and Qian Wei shouted: "What are you doing? How unbecoming are you to make such a noise in front of the palace gate? Where did you read your books?"
These powerful words silenced all the nearby voices.
People in the distance were still shouting, but as soon as the sound subsided, people in the distance seemed to notice something, and the sound wave also dropped.
Zhao Xu was one step behind Qian Wei and said loudly at this moment: "If you have any objections, you can submit a letter. We are all scholars, but you don't even understand this?"
Everyone he glanced at with his stern eyes lowered their heads subconsciously.
"Gathering the crowd to force the palace, are you planning to rebel?"
As soon as the word "treason" came out, it was like a heavy rain falling from the sky, which instantly extinguished most of the raging fire in the hearts of thousands of people.
The reason why they dare to do this is actually because "the law does not punish the public."
If there were only one or two people, or even one or two hundred people, they would not dare to run to the palace gate and force the emperor to return their innocence.
But just because they gathered thousands of people, they felt confident...
Could it be that the emperor would kill thousands of people just because they made a request?
If you really do this, the emperor's reputation will be completely ruined!
And they knew very well that although this already old emperor had done some cruel things, he had always been kind to scholars.
It is precisely because of this good appearance that he has never raised a butcher's knife to innocent scholars, which makes them feel that if they do so this time, there will be no problem.
But the two important ministers shouted questions one after another, leaving them speechless. They wanted to say that it was not treason, but they were right. If they had anything to say, they could jointly submit a letter to the court!
The fraud had just happened, and half a day hadn't even passed, giving the court no time to react. People started gathering together to cause trouble. This makes no sense at all!
If a few days had passed and the court ignored the petition, it would be understandable for them to make such a fuss.
Because of understanding this, the voices of these people gradually became lowered.
But to be low is to be low. Even if you come, why don't you just leave in despair without waiting for any results?
Seeing the hesitation of the people, Zhao Xu's face turned livid, and he stood in the middle, saying: "The imperial court has already known about the leaked questions in the tribute examination. The reason for suspending the Spring Festival is to find out the matter and give you, the imperial court, and the people of the world an explanation.
.”
"As scholars, you should trust the court and the emperor. How can you gather people to force the palace?"
"Quickly retreat, or wait for the imperial censor to arrive, and your fame will become a piece of cake!"
As soon as these words came out, they became even more threatening. It was impossible for the imperial court to kill people on a large scale, but it was very possible to remove their honors. Therefore, the people immediately became speechless. For a long time, someone said: "Since the two prime ministers said this, how dare we?
Don’t believe it? Of course you must obey the order!”
royal palace
In the main hall, the emperor, who was wandering back and forth, no longer looked as frail as he needed help to walk just now.
There was a crash, and the things on the desk were swept away with a wave of hands. The pens, inks, papers and inkstones rolled to the floor. The people standing on the left and right lowered their heads and did not dare to make a sound.
The emperor still couldn't understand his hatred, and kicked Long's desk hard, cursing: "Hateful, hateful, that's all for others. You, an old man, have been favored more deeply than officials. You should go to serve your duty. How dare you go against my will and go against my will?"
Do it!"
"And you, I thought you would keep the right path and I had high hopes for you, but I didn't expect you to turn out to be both a loser and a loser."
Such words made the surrounding servants feel horrified.
They kept their mouths shut, knowing that if such words were spread after today, those who serve the emperor might have their heads moved.
It is no small matter that the emperor is at odds with his chief minister, but it is also a major matter that the chief minister is leaning toward his grandson!
Is it really going to change?
When Eunuch Zhao saw this scene, he did not step forward to persuade him, but stood aside and waited with his hands down.
Panting, the emperor sat down to rest. He glanced at Eunuch Zhao and asked coldly: "Are they all gone?"
Eunuch Zhao judged that the emperor had calmed down a little, so he replied: "Your Majesty, the court has dispersed and they have all left. What should we do now?"
"What should we do?" the emperor said gloomily: "First clear the palace from beginning to end, and then we will see what these loyal ministers want to find out."
The man behind this incident was himself, and the eunuch who colluded with the deputy examiner was also the one he sent.
Even if they don't know this now, the cabinet will definitely know it in the future. The emperor wants to see how far they can go, and whether they want to throw his emperor's face to the ground for the sake of his grandson!
Just after he finished speaking, he heard a faint noise coming from outside.
"Go and see what's going on outside." The emperor said unhappily: "There are more and more no rules. Anyone who dares to make a noise will be beaten to death immediately."
"Yes." Eunuch Zhao went out to check in person. As soon as he left the main hall, a young eunuch hurried over.
"What's going on outside? Are those slaves making a noise?" Eunuch Zhao asked.
The little eunuch gasped and said, "Yes, it's Juzi! Thousands of Juzi ran to the gate of the palace, shouting there, saying, 'Find out the fraud and restore my innocence.' Yes, those are these two sentences. They
He’s shouting these two sentences!”
"Thousands of people?"
Eunuch Zhao suddenly turned pale and looked toward the entrance of the palace. It was too far away from the entrance of the palace. If he went to check now and then came back to report, he was afraid that things would become even bigger.
Moreover, once you step forward, the responsibility is yours.
"You go in with our family and tell the emperor what you just saw." Eunuch Zhao changed his mind and immediately returned to the main hall with the little eunuch.
"Your Majesty, the noise is coming from outside the palace gate. Thousands of people are gathering at the palace gate demanding to find out the fraud and restore their innocence..."
Eunuch Zhao asked the young eunuch to describe the situation outside. The young eunuch was looked at coldly by the emperor, and while holding back his trembling, he explained in detail what he saw and heard.
After listening to the report, the emperor unusually remained silent.
Eunuch Zhao took a peek and was shocked to find that the emperor was no longer angry. At least there was no angry look on his face. But if you think that this means you are not angry, you are totally wrong!
The emperor's expressionless look, coupled with his livid face, was actually a sign of extreme anger!
Eunuch Zhao's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he knew something was wrong.
Sure enough, the next moment, I heard the emperor smile coldly: "Since I was in the imperial court, I have been generous, considerate of all officials, and gracious to the scholars. This is why I treat the world with sincerity, but I don't want this group of messy people to look at you.
I am the weak one who can be bullied!"
"This is beyond my dreams."
"If anyone comes, immediately order the guards to disperse them. The leaders will be arrested. If there is resistance, they will be killed without mercy!"
After hearing this decree, Eunuch Zhao not only turned pale, but also trembled all over. He knelt on the ground with a thud and shouted: "Your Majesty!"
"Why, you won't go? Even an internal minister like you will disobey me?" Eunuch Zhao's reaction made the emperor who had already suppressed his anger immediately become furious and roared.
The emperor asked coldly. Eunuch Zhao was trembling, but he still didn't move and knelt there.
"Okay, okay! You are very good!" After saying three good words, the emperor sneered, suddenly picked up the only thing left on the Long Book Desk, and smashed Eunuch Zhao on the head.
After throwing it out, he discovered that what he picked up was an inkstone with a dragon head carved on it!
There was a "poof". Although the emperor's hands were weak, the sharp end of the dragon's head hit Eunuch Zhao on the head, and blood spurted out.
Eunuch Zhao couldn't care less that his head was covered with blood. He still knelt there and begged: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, if you kill and disperse the candidates for this exam, how will it be recorded in history in the future? Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you must think twice."
ah!"
"Dog slave, dog slave! I'm going to kill you!" Eunuch Zhao's reaction made the emperor even more furious. He looked around, apparently looking for a knife.
The young eunuch who had followed in just now, as well as the eunuchs and maids beside him, were all so frightened that they knelt aside and wished they could faint immediately.
Just when the situation in the palace became extremely critical, the faint human voices that had been coming in gradually stopped.
A person hurriedly came in from outside. He was startled by the situation inside the palace. When the emperor looked at him coldly, he lowered his head and quickly reported: "Your Majesty, the people causing trouble outside have been dispersed by the chief minister and Lord Qian!"
The emperor stopped looking for the knife, and Eunuch Zhao, who was kneeling and kowtowing, also stopped.
After a moment, a sneer sounded in the hall: "You are indeed my capable minister!"
The words were kind, but the emperor's expression was gloomy, and the behavior of the first assistant and Qian Wei seemed to have touched the emperor's sensitive nerves again.
The eunuchs and maids around him shivered and buried their heads lower, wishing they didn't exist.
Eunuch Zhao's head and face were covered with blood, and he kowtowed repeatedly. Blood spattered on the nearby bricks: "This slave is guilty of disobeying the emperor. Please punish him severely."
"Are you guilty? You are dedicated to me and the court, and your loyalty is commendable. How dare I convict you?" It seemed that what he just did had greatly hurt the emperor's heart. The emperor sneered and ignored Eunuch Zhao who was kowtowing repeatedly.
Leave.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..." The desperate calls gradually became inaudible.