Chapter 476: Know your crime
"How long has the emperor been inside?" She then asked.
"Since coming back from the Empress Dowager"s palace, the emperor called several ministers and has been in the royal study ever since. They even had this servant send in their meals. The emperor said that no one was allowed to go in and bother them, so this servant has been guarding here ever since." Xiao Si respectfully replied.
Empress Dowager Zhou was stunned as she repeated, "Since the emperor left this widow"s palace, he has been in the royal study without leaving?"
"Yes, Empress Dowager. Xiao Si would not dare deceive the Empress Dowager. Not only did the emperor not leave, even the ministers did not leave." Xiao Si replied while lowering his head.
Empress Dowager Zhou gave an "oh" sound. She knew in her heart that the emperor did not know about this matter. Since it"s like this, then they should hide it first and let the emperor deal with the political issues.
She looked at Chu Shao Yang and slowly said, "Shao Yang, it seems like this matter is not related to the emperor. Let"s go back to the Peaceful Life Palace and wait for Su Jin"s news first."
How could Chu Shao Yang believe this? He wholeheartedly believed that this was something done by the emperor. Although Xiao Si insisted that the emperor did not leave the room, without personally seeing it, he did not believe that the person inside the study was the emperor!
Not to mention that with his internal strength, he could hear several people"s voices coming from the study, but he could not recognize the emperor"s voice from these people"s voices.
"Royal grandmother, the emperor is busy with political matters this late, Shao Yang is King Ding Yuan and should help the emperor share his matters. Shao Yang wishes to go in and pay respects to the emperor, as well as greet the other ministers."
After saying this, he took a large step and moved towards the royal study. He said while standing outside the door, "Minister Chu Shao Yang comes forth to greet the emperor."
"King Ding Yuan, you really are bold! Without being summoned, you dare enter the royal study!" Xiao Si was stunned. He quickly came forward to stop him, but it was already too late.
As soon as Chu Shao Yang"s voice fell, he reached out a hand and slammed open the doors to the royal study.
His eyes stared right into the room, but when he looked in, he was instantly stunned.
Inside the royal study, Mo Chuan was sitting at the imperial table with a few reports in front of him, looking dignified.
Surrounding him were several ministers, all sitting down. There was also a minister standing with an excited expression, currently saying something.
Everyone was startled by the sudden appearance of Chu Shao Yang and looked over at him with strange gazes.
"……" Chu Shao Yang"s mouth fell wide open, looking extremely awkward. For a while, he did not know what to say.
He had thought the emperor was not in the study, but who would have thought that the emperor would be there.
"King Ding Yuan, you"re trespa.s.sing in the royal study and disturbing imperial matters, know your crime!" Xiao Si charged forward, stopping in front of Chu Shao Yang and snapping at him.
Mo Chuan slowly looked up and his cold eyes fell onto Chu Shao Yang. His face revealed no expressions, but the coldness in Mo Chuan"s eyes released a pressure.
"King Ding Yuan, you were away from morning court because you were sick, so what are you here now?" His voice was cold with a touch of anger and ridicule in it.
The eyes of the ministers looking at Chu Shao Yang suddenly filled with disdain. They all turned their heads, no longer looking at him.
Chu Shao Yang"s face couldn"t help turning red.
How could he care about court right now, he was only thinking of Chen Ning, thinking of a way to bring Chen Ning back to his palace from the royal palace. Hearing the accusations of the emperor, he was speechless for a period of time.
Chapter 477: A sincere heart
He had decided that Chen Ning had been taken by the emperor, but seeing the situation in front of him, he quickly realized that he had made a mistake.
Chen Ning had not been stolen by the emperor because the emperor did not even know about it.
The idea he quickly thought of was that he could not let the emperor know about this matter!
He had to find her before the emperor did!
"Emperor, this minister, this minister." His face was red, trying to find a reason for himself.
Empress Dowager Zhou slowly moved forward. When she appeared by the door of the royal study, she gave a gentle cough.
"Mother?"
When Mo Chuan and the ministers saw her, they all revealed looks of surprise.
"Greetings to mother!"
Mo Chuan was the first one to greet her and the ministers also greeted her.
"Everyone can rise, no need for courtesies. This widow just came to see the emperor and did not want to disrupt your meeting, so I hope all these sirs will not mind."
Empress Dowager Zhou acted modest and polite because of her previous training. The royal harem would never interfere with politics and even with her position as the Empress Dowager, she did not interfere in politics.
She looked over at Mo Chuan and revealed a faint smile.
"Emperor, Shao Yang came to pay his respects to the widow and when he heard that the emperor was busy with political affairs, he quickly rushed over to help the emperor solve the problem. Isn"t that right, Shao Yang?"
Her words were like a life saving straw that made Chu Shao Yang"s eyes light up.
He immediately replied, "That"s right, this minister came to share the emperor"s worries."
After saying this, he looked at Empress Dowager Zhou with a look of grat.i.tude. He thought that his royal grandmother really cared for him.
"So it"s like this. Since King Ding Yuan is so sincere, then this one is very pleased."
Mo Chuan"s cold expression finally softened and Chu Shao Yang let out a sigh of relief.
"King Ding Yuan, you came right on time. This one and the ministers were discussing the issue of the East Qin tributes. The ministers were endlessly debating, so this one wants to hear your opinion."
Mo Chuan"s face turned incomparably dark, looking at Chu Shao Yang"s face, speaking without any hesitation.
Chu Shao Yang was stunned, "What East Qin tribute? Is it time to pay the yearly tribute already?"
He looked at the solemn expressions of Mo Chuan and the ministers and his heart filled with doubts.
He had only not gone to morning court for a single day. Had something important happened in morning court today?
"King Ding Yuan was truly sick, not even knowing about the major matters of our West Chu Country." A minister on the side couldn"t help criticizing him.
"If you"re truly sick, then go back and rest yourself. Wouldn"t running to the palace at night like this aggravate it? Stop giving the emperor random ideas because the one who suffers are the citizens of our West Chu Country!" Another minister gave a cold snort.
They were all ministers born in the West Chu Country, being filled with loyalty to West Chu. Since Chu Shao Yang dared to speak frankly with the emperor and adding in the fact they weren"t pleased with Chu Shao Yang, even if they were in front of the emperor, they did not give him any face at all.
Chu Shao Yang"s face turned green and red, bitterly glaring at everyone here.
Mo Chuan waved his hand and stopped the criticism of the ministers.
"King Ding Yuan coming into the palace this late is because he wanted to help this one, which shows his love and loyalty to the country. Shao Yang, come and sit down. Xiao Si, go and prepare a chair for King Ding Yuan."
How did Chu Shao Yang have the heart to care about politics right now? However, he was already on a tiger that he could not dismount.
The fierce eyes of the emperor and ministers made him freeze and it suddenly felt like there was a stone trapping his feet to the ground.
Under their watchful eyes, he could only enter the royal study and seat his b.u.t.t in a chair.
Chapter 478: Counsel before taking action
But how could he sit there? His b.u.t.t felt like it was being poke by thorns. Once thinking about how Chen Ning was missing and he didn"t know if she was even still alive, he was filled with worry.
"Xiao Si, you confused thing. King Ding Yuan is sick, so how could he sit on such a hard chair! Go and bring a soft cushion over!" Mo Chuan looked over and could see Chu Shao Yang"s uncomfortable sitting appearance.
"Yes, yes." Xiao Si suppressed his laughter and brought the cushion over.
"Many thanks for the emperor"s concern." Chu Shao Yang squeezed out a smile and rose to thank him.
Mo Chuan looked at Empress Dowager Zhou, "Mother, your son still has things to discuss with the ministers, so I"ll pay my respects to mother on another day. Please take care of yourself mother."
Empress Dowager Zhou nodded and looked into her son"s vibrant eyes, feeling a bit of pain in her heart, "The emperor works hard for the country, but you also need to take care of your body. This widow will leave first."
She slowly turned around and her heart filled with a bit of pain.
If the emperor knew that his beloved woman was sent out of the palace by her and that she had been unknowingly been kidnapped by someone, with the emperor"s personality, perhaps……
Empress Dowager Zhou gritted her teeth. She couldn"t let the emperor know about this matter and had to hide it as long as possible!
She slightly looked to the side at Chu Shao Yang inside the study, with a look of warning in her eyes.
Chu Shao Yang"s eyes perfectly met here eyes. When they looked at each other, he immediately understood the Empress Dowager"s meaning, giving a slight nodding.
The Empress Dowager did not want the emperor to know Chen Ning was missing and he didn"t want him to know either.
He secretly clenched his fist. Definitely! He had to find Chen Ning before the emperor knew about this matter. He would trap her by his side forever, never letting anyone see her!
Chu Shao Yang never thought that this discussion would take an entire night!
All the way until morning court the next morning, the ministers were still arguing with one another, being filled with rage. Some wanted to fight and some wanted peace. Some suggested first paying the tribute, but some were advocating giving the East Qin envoys a fierce beating.
Chu Shao Yang"s mind was not present and how could he have the heart to listen to politics, but he understood most of it after listening for a bit. It seemed like the East Qin sent envoys to collect the tribute and to have three compet.i.tions. If West Chu loses these compet.i.tions, they would have to pay double the tribute.
When he heard this, anger filled his mind.
"Emperor, please give this minister a troop of soldiers. This minister will immediately cut off the heads of the East Qin envoys!" He suddenly stood up and loudly said this.
When he said this, everyone was surprised and looked over at him.
The ministers were originally looking down on him. They saw him sitting there without saying a word even in the face of the aggression of the East Qin Country He was the dignified King Ding Yuan, the emperor"s blood related nephew. If he became a turtle that did not dare come out his sh.e.l.l, what use did he have!
But when everyone heard what he said, they couldn"t help revealing a smile of ridicule.
They were thinking what kind of clever idea he had, but it was this!
If we could casually cut off the heads of the East Qin envoys, then why would the emperor need to call all the ministers here to discuss counter measures for an entire night?
It seemed like this King Ding Yuan was nothing more than a brave idiot!
Mo Chuan"s deep eyes looked over at Chu Shao Yang and calmly said, "Don"t be impatient King Ding Yuan. This one has already sent King Jing An to investigate the origin of the East Qin envoys and the news should be coming back soon. As for how to deal with the East Qin envoys, let"s wait for King Jing An"s news first and make a move after discussing these matters."
Chapter 479: Having bad intentions
When the ministers heard this, they all praised him.
"So the emperor has already made a move and sent King Jing An already. You really look far into the future, the others and I cannot compete."
"The emperor truly looks far into the future, this old minister is filled with admiration."
Mo Chuan stood up and said, "Everyone"s worked hard an entire night, so there is no need for morning court today. Everyone should head back and rest. Xiao Si, go and send out my orders. There is no morning court today and this one is going to pay respects to the Empress Dowager in the Peaceful Life Palace, otherwise the Empress Dowager will worry."
He prepared everything before walking out of the royal study. There was already a sedan prepared outside.
The ministers all left.
Chu Shao Yang"s expected end to the meeting finally came. He quickly ran out of the royal study, running in front of everyone.
Who would have thought that as the emperor sat down in the sedan, he would turn to look at him and wave his hand to say, "Shao Yang, you are also going to the Peaceful Life Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager? That"s good, come with this one."
It was like Chu Shao Yang ate a bitter melon and could not say a word.
He could only follow behind the emperor"s sedan, heading towards the Peaceful Life Palace. His heart felt like it was being placed in a burning pan and this feeling felt like torment for his heart.
Finally arriving in the Peaceful Life Palace, Chu Shao Yang wanted to pay his respects to Empress Dowager Zhou as quickly as possible. He wanted to return quickly and send people out to find Chen Ning"s whereabouts.
Who would have thought that Su Jin would come out and tell them that Empress Dowager Zhou was not up yet because she stayed up late last night.
"Emperor, since the Empress Dowager is not up, this minister will first return to my palace and come pay my respects to the Empress Dowager another day."
Chu Shao Yang quickly said this and then turned to leave.
"Wait, Shao Yang. This is a rare trip to the Peaceful Life Palace, how could you bare to leave so quickly?"
Mo Chuan stepped forward and gripped Chu Shao Yang"s wrist, smiling at him.
Chu Shao Yang"s heart turned cold and he said in a deep voice, "What does the emperor mean? Please forgive this minister for not understanding."
"You don"t understand?" Mo Chuan raised his brows and gently said, "Does King Ding Yuan not want to see his princess? This one remembers that on the day of the spring banquet, Shao Yang professed his feelings to his princess in front of everyone. Could it be that you already forgot about your princess? Coming to the Peaceful Life Palace and not seeing the princess. If the princess were to know this, wouldn"t her heart turn cold towards you?"
Chu Shao Yang was surprised, but then he understood. The emperor really did not know the situation and thought Chen Ning was still in the Peaceful Life Palace. So once the meeting ended, he did not even go to sleep before rushing over to the Peaceful Life Palace.
Humph!
It sounds good that he wants to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, but he had bad intentions. He wanted to come here and see his, Chu Shao Yang"s woman!
Chu Shao Yang felt anger instantly fill his mind.
"Emperor, you caring about this minister"s family matters fills this minister with grat.i.tude. Ning"er is this minister"s princess and whether her heart is cold or not, she will always be this minister"s woman. If this minister want her to live, she lives and if this minister wants her to die, she dies. There is no need for the emperor to defend her from injustice. What, has this minister"s princess moved the emperor"s heart and you wish to show affection to her?"
He curled his lips into a cold smile.
From the day of spring banquet, he found that the emperor"s gaze towards her was not right. After, he found that his guess was right.
It seemed like the emperor fell in love with his princess, with his woman! He was trying to find ways to take her from his side!
There were things that could be tolerated and things that couldn"t!
"Shao Yang, this one only asked a single question about your princess, is there a need to be this angry? Alright, since you"re not willing to see your princess, then this one will not force you. You can go back now. This one will wait here to pay respects to the Empress Dowager."