Chapter 1817: Contending for the foundation of the country

Sun Daoning's prediction was like a god.

Cui Qingping's self-defense memorial was submitted for a few days, and the palace issued an oral decree, severely reprimanding him. He scolded Cui Qingping for being ungrateful, glib, and ordered the relevant departments to investigate strictly.

The news was sent into the Heavenly Prison, Cui Qingping was like mourning, sitting on the bed board with a decadent face, not knowing where to go.

He submitted a memorial to defend himself, originally intending to gain attention and get out of prison early. Even if the Emperor didn't agree, it was nothing more than maintaining the status quo. Never expected that the Emperor would order a reprimand and require the relevant departments to investigate strictly.

The sky fell!

"What is the movement in the court now?"

"Both sides are still pulling. Zhao Jichong is pressing step by step, and Minister Xie is responding steadily. In the past two days, there has been an extra voice, and censors have impeached officials of the Six Ministries, all of whom came out of the Jixia Academy, or surrendered to Zhao Jichong early."

Cui Qingping heard this and was instantly happy. "Minister Xie has begun to counterattack! Zhao Jichong's group, their bottoms are not clean. Zhao Jichong himself, his ability is limited, if it weren't for the opportunity, being valued by the Emperor, he would have no qualification to enter the Political Affairs Hall to stir up trouble. Minister Xie has been tolerating him, but he is advancing inch by inch."

"It's useless for you to look down on Zhao Jichong, as long as the Emperor values him, he won't collapse."

Cui Qingping snorted coldly. "Zhao Jichong is just a treacherous official. It's a pity that Minister Xie refuses to move Zhao Jichong no matter what, allowing him to stir up trouble in the Political Affairs Hall."

"If Zhao Jichong leaves, another Li Jichong, Wang Jichong will come, which is no benefit to Minister Xie and the others. At least, Zhao Jichong is easy to deal with."

Chen Guanlou's position was swaying, sometimes standing on the Emperor's side, criticizing Cui Qingping. Sometimes standing on Xie Changling's side, mocking the Pro-Emperor Faction.

He completely forgot his identity as a descendant of a noble family, purely watching the fun.

Cui Qingping was very dissatisfied with this.

Chen Guanlou explained with reason: "In the Heavenly Prison, I only look at right and wrong, not at positions. Even in the same position, there are conceptual differences and internal friction. Don't say as if we are very good. You can't slander my innocence!"

Cui Qingping was so angry he wished he could spit on him. Prison Warden of the Heavenly Prison, where does innocence come from. As black as a crow, and dare to speak shamelessly about the word innocence.

A few days later, the Ministry of Justice, together with the Dali Temple and the Censorate, interrogated Cui Qingping. Firewood was just a lead, and the Censorate intended to investigate party strife, wanting to make a big fuss.

The Dali Temple's attitude was ambiguous.

The Ministry of Justice, under Sun Daoning's suppression, only investigated the firewood matter.

The three parties pulled!

Fortunately, no torture was used.

After interrogating for a day, in the end, Cui Qingping returned to the Heavenly Prison completely.

It was hot, it was dark, and it was still hot enough to make people panic.

Cui Qingping's spirit was listless, and through today's joint trial, he already had a bad premonition in his heart. Firewood was just the beginning, and there was a big battle waiting for him later.

He began to worry that he wouldn't be able to survive. Especially the Censorate, coming fiercely, definitely couldn't end well.

Count of Fanyang, Lü Pu, except for not eating well, everything else was quite good.

The Ministry of Justice interrogated him separately, without the Dali Temple and the Censorate, a round of interrogation, most of the questions were just going through the motions, giving an account to the above.

Count of Fanyang, Lü Pu, had a hard mouth, denied all charges, and firmly stated that he was innocent.

The Ministry of Justice officials prevaricated: "Know, know."

Count of Fanyang, Lü Pu, also wanted to get out of prison early, and inquired several times during the period.

The Ministry of Justice officials were impatient. "Just entered the big prison, and thinking about getting out of prison, how can there be such a good thing. Wait! When the storm passes, then talk about getting out of prison."

Everyone thought that this storm would pass at most in two or three months.

However...

This storm actually involved the matter of establishing the foundation of the country, and even local officials began to express their positions one after another.

The cause was that the Censorate impeached a certain official, and one of the charges was unauthorized speech about the foundation of the country.

This is not okay!

The foundation of the country has always been the most sensitive topic in the court, involving countless people and countless deaths.

In the last two years of Emperor Taixing, because of the foundation of the country, countless people suffered.

During the time of Emperor Emperor Jian Shi, from the first year of Emperor Jian Shi until Emperor Emperor Jian Shi died, the whole process was around the two words of the foundation of the country. When he was dying, he was still arguing.

If it weren't for Xie Changling and the others guaranteeing, Emperor Yuanding almost couldn't sit on the throne. The person who inherited the throne would have to be changed to Prince Ning.

If Emperor Emperor Jian Shi had died ten years later, it might be that the person sitting on the throne would have to be changed to Prince Rui, and Concubine Jing would be the Empress Dowager.

The two words of the foundation of the country came out, moving the nerves of everyone in the world.

It was not that the officials were sensitive, but that this topic was sensitive by nature. Even the most dull people had to tighten their nerves, not daring to have the slightest slack. Just afraid of a negligence, standing on the wrong team, having a way to die.

Once the storm of the foundation of the country started, no one mentioned the firewood matter.

The price of firewood in the capital remained high.

Chen Guanlou:...

He knew that this toss, in the end, not only didn't bring down the price of firewood, but also caused a lot of trouble.

Look at the lively appearance of the court now, every day, hundreds or thousands of memorials are sent to the palace, can the Emperor see them all? If he were the Emperor, his mood would be very bad at this moment.

Emperor Yuanding was indeed very angry.

But it wasn't all anger, there was also a bit of excitement.

This was an opportunity, an opportunity to make a big fuss. Zhao Jichong used small firewood to set off such a big storm, which he didn't expect.

All memorials requesting the establishment of the foundation of the country, he left them all in the palace and firmly did not express his position. He wanted to see which direction the wind in the court would blow.

The Hou Fu, as one of the centers of the storm of the foundation of the country, was exceptionally quiet.

After Chen Guanfu's mourning period, he began to cultivate his character, chatting with the guests in the mansion every day, reviewing the past events of the previous dynasty, but never mentioning the liveliness in front of him.

Some nobles couldn't hold back and sent posts wanting to meet, all of which were blocked back.

"The matter of the foundation of the country, His Majesty has his own decision, everyone should not easily submit memorials."

Chen Guanfu let the big steward pass a word to the nobles in the capital.

In short: it's not time yet!

Eldest Prince Song Qiyu is only how old, what's the rush. Exposing one's hole cards early, this is handing a knife to the Emperor, afraid that the Emperor has no excuse to clean them up.

Empress Chen was also not in a hurry.

The concubines in the inner palace these days, all performed floating and irritable, only she was sitting steadily in the middle palace, the matter of the foundation of the country, never mentioned half a word.

Emperor Yuanding suspected she was pretending, tested her several times, all returned without success.

But the more steady she performed, the more the Emperor guarded against her.

"The Empress has deep thoughts and cannot be underestimated. Among the concubines in the inner palace, no one is her opponent."

Liu Shun bowed his body, wishing he could cover his ears. The Emperor could say this, but he dared not listen! He still wanted to live a few more years.

He acted as a wooden man, pretending he didn't exist.

"Does the Empress really have no intention of contending for the foundation of the country? Doesn't want to let the eldest son sit on the throne? Hmph! I don't believe her. Liu Shun, what is the situation in the Hou Fu recently?"

Liu Shun came back to life instantly. "Reporting to Your Majesty, since the father-in-law's mourning period, the Hou Fu has been very quiet. The father-in-law talks to the guests every day."

"Talk about what?"

"Talk about poetry and prose, chat about the past events of the previous dynasty!"

Emperor Yuanding laughed. "The father-in-law's days are quite leisurely, and I also have a bit of envy. Issue a decree, allowing the women of the Hou Fu to enter the palace to visit the Empress."

"Your Majesty, the Hou Fu is still in the mourning period!"

"No matter!" Emperor Yuanding wanted to test Empress Chen and the Hou Fu, so he had to make both sides move. ===== CHAPTER 1818 =====