Chapter 379: A Futile Effort

While waiting for several people to enter the palace, Chu Qinghuang sat and drank a cup of tea, looking through the files and memorials that had accumulated on the Long Case during this period.

During her absence, all the matters reported by the ministers were discussed and approved by Prince Rong together with several ministers in the cabinet. They were handled in an orderly manner. The file contained the process and list of students selected in the spring period, which were also recorded in detail.

Chu Qinghuang's eyes fell on the first and second names on the student list. After a moment, he said lightly: "Mingyue."

"His Majesty."

"Summon Chu Xuance and Wen Zhan in the evening to have dinner at Muyunxuan." Chu Qinghuang ordered, "Go to Qintian Prison and summon Hong Yu."

"yes."

After a while, King Rong and others arrived one after another, and each performed the courtesy of a monarch and his ministers.

Chu Qinghuang raised his eyes slightly, glanced at Chu Tianling and Chu Tiankuo, quickly looked away, and said calmly: "Pingshen."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Chu Qinghuang lowered his eyes slightly, "Uncle Huang has worked hard during my absence."

"This is the official duty of the minister, and I dare not express my sorrow." Prince Rong said in a humble tone, adhering to his duties as a minister, "Your Majesty, for the sake of the Western Qi State, you went to Dongling to borrow money in person, regardless of your own safety. It is really hard for you."

Chu Qinghuang glanced at him: "I have just read the archives and roughly looked at Qiu Wei's rankings. The imperial examination will be scheduled for early June. The emperor's uncle and the Ministry of Rites are responsible for arranging the food and accommodation of the students who have entered the rankings during this period. ”

"yes."

"Students have been preparing for the exam for three years. It is self-evident that they have worked hard during this period. You can relax a little this month." Chu Qinghuang said, "There is no need to control the brothels and palaces too strictly. Students just don't overindulge. Occasionally indulge in sensuality and arty manners." These are all normal needs.”

As soon as these words came out, the Qinzheng Hall suddenly became quiet.

"What's wrong?" Chu Qinghuang raised his eyes, "Am I wrong?"

"No." King Rong shook his head quickly. He just suddenly remembered something, "During the period when His Majesty was away, I received nearly a hundred letters of gratitude, all written by students to Your Majesty. I didn't want to aggravate other adults. In order to bear their burden, we temporarily collected the letters and presented them to His Majesty for review later."

When Chu Tianling and Chu Tiankuo heard this, their expressions suddenly became a little ugly.

Chu Tian's broad bamboo basket fetched water in vain.

Years ago, he carefully arranged for the Zhou family to prepare money in advance and distribute it to students who came to Beijing to take the exam, in order to win people's hearts.

However, someone ruined this plan.

The students were embarrassed along the way, and some even handed out pens, ink, paper and inkstones after arriving in Beijing, but all the credit for these achievements goes to Her Majesty the Queen.

A dignified student who studied sagely books for ten years but did not know the principles of yin and yang could succumb to the rule of a woman so easily. It was simply eye-opening.

Zhou's trash!

The more Chu Tiankuo thought about it, the more unwilling he became, and he couldn't help blaming all this on the Zhou family's incompetence.

"The students are all the new blood in the court and will be the pillars of the country in the future. It is right for me to do something for them." Chu Qinghuang said, "However, on the way back to Beijing this time, I encountered something that made people uncomfortable. Pleasant thing.”

Not too pleasant?

King Rong looked slightly stern: "Your Majesty is referring to..."

"Does King Xuan know this secret letter?" Chu Qinghuang picked up a secret letter and raised it, looking at Chu Tiankuo, "This is a letter written by the second emperor brother to Zhou Shao, the young master of the Zhou family, asking him to Arrange men at various intersections from Dongling to Xiqi to assassinate me."

Like a bolt from the blue, Chu Tiankuo's face suddenly changed and he denied sternly: "I didn't!"

"You have." Chu Qinghuang's expression was cold and his attitude was tough and could not be refuted, "Starting today, Chu Tiankuo will be stripped of all his royal titles and demoted to a commoner. He will no longer enjoy the honor of the royal family and will be thrown into a prison. Dali Temple joint interrogation!”

The air seemed to freeze instantly.

Chu Tiankuo's face turned pale: "Chu Qinghuang, you are slanderous! In order to deal with me, you fabricated evidence at will and fabricated rumors to frame me——"

"Chu Xuanyi." Chu Qinghuang ignored his hysteria and said coldly, "Take him down."

"I obey the order." Chu Xuanyi responded, turned around and said in a deep voice: "Here comes!"

More than a dozen imperial guards with swords came in outside the Qinzheng Hall, lowering their heads and waiting for instructions.

"Take Prince Xuan..." Before Chu Xuanyi finished speaking, he changed his words and said, "Take the common man Chu Tiankuo to the prison to await trial."

"yes."

Chu Tiankuo struggled: "Chu Qinghuang! Chu Qinghuang! You have wronged me. That letter is fake. I don't know the young master of the Zhou family at all. Are you afraid that I will threaten your throne? Chu Qinghuang , as soon as my father abdicated the throne, you couldn’t wait to eradicate dissidents. You are narrow-minded and vicious--"

The imperial guards escorted him away, and their voices became farther and farther away, until they could no longer be heard clearly.

The Qinzheng Hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.