Chapter 1537: The weakening and mockery of imperial power

Chen Guanlou was summoned to the Ministry of Justice to receive instructions.

Sun Daoning was rarely serious, whispering a warning to him: "Keep a close eye on the one surnamed Wei. This person is the key to the case. In broad daylight, he dared to clamor in the Golden Throne Hall for the execution of Imperial Consort Jing and her son, and insulted His Majesty as a muddle-headed ruler; I fear his schemes are vast. His Majesty suspects this person is acting under someone's direction. Tomorrow, I will personally interrogate him."

Chen Guanlou asked curiously: "How does the matter of the earthquake involve Imperial Consort Jing and her son?"

"Heh, there are many ways to make an issue out of an earthquake. A warning from Heaven! Why a warning? Naturally, because His Majesty is without the Dao. Why without the Dao? Naturally, because there is an evil consort bewitching His Majesty. Who is the evil consort... with this chain of logic, do you understand now?"

"I don't! I know the concubines in the inner palace look down on Imperial Consort Jing, but the key is that Prince Rui is just a little tot, not even a year old; whether he can even be raised to adulthood is a question. Why be in such a desperate rush to deal with the mother and son? To jump out so anxiously, are they truly not afraid of His Majesty settling the final account?"

Chen Guanlou did not understand!

The rational approach to dealing with Imperial Consort Jing and her son would be to do it quietly, handling it without a sound.

To liquidate Imperial Consort Jing and her son with such great fanfare is like stabbing Emperor Jian Shi in the heart. Added to matters like the earthquake and the Heaven-offering ceremony, a great slaughter is only a matter of time.

If their goal is not Imperial Consort Jing, then who do they want to kill?

Sun Daoning also furrowed his brows: "This person, Wei Huaizhang, reminds me of Zhao Mingqiao back in the day, yet they are not entirely the same. Everyone suspects Wei Huaizhang's intentions, suspecting he was bought and directed to point his sword at Imperial Consort Jing and her son. Yet you suspect he has other plans?"

Chen Guanlou sneered: "What threat are Imperial Consort Jing and her son? Imperial Consort Jing is only a threat to the concubines in the inner palace, and Prince Rui won't be a threat for another seventeen or eighteen years. Right now, the mother and son appear to be in a bed of flowers, but in reality, every step is terrifying. I truly cannot imagine that with an earthquake of such magnitude, it is worth involving the mother and son."

Chen Guanlou believed the cost of this move was too high and not worth it.

A shrewd politician should not, and would not, invest such a high cost to deal with Imperial Consort Jing and her son.

"Is it possible that Wei Huaizhang is simply targeting Imperial Consort Jing and her son?"

"Old Sun, you are going to interrogate the one surnamed Wei tomorrow, why not ask him yourself? Encountering an earthquake during the Heaven-offering ceremony, how do you plan to handle this? How will you explain it to the people of the world?"

Chen Guanlou was even more curious about this.

Sun Daoning did not hide it: "The entire Astronomical Bureau has been thrown into prison and taken away by the Embroidered Uniform Guard; their life or death is uncertain. Everyone in the Ministry of Rites is trapped in their yamen and not allowed to leave without an imperial decree. The consequences of this Heaven-offering ceremony are unimaginable! Everyone will be very busy next. Put more heart into it, and don't let anyone die in the Heavenly Prison."

Chen Guanlou nodded in agreement.

He also did not want to touch Emperor Jian Shi's bad luck at this time.

That evening, he rested in the Heavenly Prison.

Early spring, the weather was alternating between warm and cold.

It rained in the middle of the night, and when he got up in the morning, the weather had turned suddenly cold. People were digging out their winter cotton-padded jackets to wrap around themselves.

This season is the easiest time to catch a cold, and a cold could potentially cost a person their life, so he dared not be negligent.

Chen Guanlou was still wearing thin spring clothes, standing under the corridor.

Early in the morning, Sun Daoning brought a group of Ministry of Justice officials and Six Shanmen constables to the Heavenly Prison to interrogate Wei Huaizhang.

Without any nonsense, they dragged the person directly into the interrogation room for torture!

With matters concerning the Heaven-offering ceremony, His Majesty, and Imperial Consort Jing and her son, Sun Daoning, who did not want to take action, could only act as the executioner himself, using all 108 torture methods on Wei Huaizhang.

Chen Guanlou did not go down to the Jia-rank prison; he stood under the corridor the whole time.

Last night, he had listened all night to the ghostly wailing coming from the neighboring Imperial Prison.

Today, he heard movement coming from the interrogation room again.

His ears could not find peace.

Chen Quan was a bit afraid.

This was his first time seeing Minister Sun personally go to the interrogation room to question someone, which showed how serious Wei Huaizhang's case was.

"My lord, we are standing outside, if we don't go take a look, will it really be alright?"

"Look at what? Look at how the Ministry of Justice officials interrogate prisoners? Listen to how Zhang Yushi Wei confesses? If you want to die, go ahead."

Chen Quan shook his head repeatedly: "This little one does not want to die. This little one is just uneasy in his heart and wants to do something to distract his energy."

Chen Guanlou snorted coldly: "Remember, when the Ministry of Justice and the Six Shanmen come to interrogate prisoners, don't look, don't listen, and don't ask; play deaf and dumb. Even more, don't get close to the interrogation room. No one can guarantee that if Zhang Yushi Wei confesses some incredible inside information and you happen to hear it, do you think they will silence you or silence you?"

Chen Quan immediately covered his mouth, promising that from now on he would not look, listen, or ask.

After a while, he asked again: "Will many people die?"

Chen Guanlou gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

"The entire Imperial Board of Astronomy being thrown into prison is just an appetizer. Just wait, many more officials will be imprisoned later on."

Medical Official Mu sat in the side chamber waiting, ready to enter at any moment to extend Wei Huaizhang's life. Mu Wenxu stood by, holding the medicine chest and waiting to serve.

Chen Guanlou signaled for them not to be too nervous.

"Minister Sun has a sense of proportion; Wei Huaizhang should not die."

"In this weather, things are naturally unpredictable. If the injuries are severe and an infection occurs, this old man can only say he is powerless."

Medical Official Mu stated the ugly truth first; he could not be expected to handle everything.

If the man surnamed Wei had a thin fate, one could not blame his medical skills for being inadequate.

"Rest assured, even if something really happens, it won't implicate you. I will protect you!" Chen Guanlou made a promise.

His promise would certainly be fulfilled.

Medical Official Mu immediately let out a sigh of relief and felt at ease.

He was a person of low status and little influence, just an ordinary medical official, and could not withstand the wrath of the Imperial family. Fortunately, there was Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen!

Mu Wenxu was a bit nervous and accidentally knocked over a teacup.

Medical Official Mu scolded him, "You are a father now, be steady. Even if you are nervous inside, you must remain steady on the outside! Learn more from Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen."

Mu Wenxu gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

To ease the atmosphere, he took the initiative to say, "I heard the epicenter of the earthquake was in the mountains hundreds of miles away, and the casualties were not severe. I wonder if that is true?"

After speaking, he looked toward Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen.

Among those present, only Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen had the most well-informed news.

Chen Guanlou nodded, "The epicenter was located in a certain mountainous area seven hundred miles away. The situation in the local county seat is very serious, and some people have died. The situation in the villages cannot be entered for the time being because the roads have collapsed and there have been landslides and other such conditions. According to local population statistics, in the worst-case scenario, it is estimated that twenty or thirty thousand people will die."

A population of twenty or thirty thousand in a mountainous area is already a very huge number.

Of course, this is the worst-case scenario, a judgment based on the assumption that everyone in the mountains has died.

The actual situation will certainly be a little better than the worst-case scenario.

As for the surrounding county seats, there are also deaths. Fortunately, the number of casualties is not high.

This is physical damage; the Great Gan Empire can bear it. It could bear ten times the population loss.

However, the symbolic loss is immeasurable.

The Emperor offering sacrifices to Heaven and encountering an earthquake is the greatest weakening of imperial power and a naked mockery of it. It is as if Heaven has tolled the funeral bell for the Great Gan Empire.

The subsequent impact will last for several years!