vstars Chapter 2331 Request for Instructions
Chapter 2331 Request for Instructions
Deng Hongwen also stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Liu is an upright man and an honest official. For decades, he has been conscientious and selfless in his duties, which is evident to everyone in the court and the country."
"All of Lü Xiuwen's actions were clandestine, and it is perfectly normal that Lord Liu was unaware of them."
“If Lord Liu is punished for this matter, it would likely discourage loyal ministers. I implore Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and forgive Lord Liu.”
Xue Huaide also stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting: "Your Majesty, although I am a military general and am not familiar with court affairs, I do know Lord Liu as a person."
“If he knew what Lü Xiuwen had done, he would not have stood idly by. This matter is indeed unrelated to him. I beg Your Majesty to make a wise judgment.”
Although generals such as Zhao Yu and Ma Chao did not have a deep relationship with Liu Shouren, seeing that he took the initiative to plead guilty and that the officials were pleading for him, they also stepped forward and clasped their hands in supplication.
In an instant, a sea of people knelt down in the Golden Palace.
Chu Ning sat upright on the dragon throne, quietly watching all of this.
His gaze slowly swept over the kneeling officials pleading for mercy, finally settling on Liu Shouren's prostrate figure.
His face was expressionless, only a deep calm remained.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
The sound wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly:
"Liu Shouren".
Liu Shouren was startled and quickly kowtowed, saying, "Your subject is here."
Chu Ning slowly said, "Lu Xiuwen is a cunning and treacherous man who is good at disguising himself."
"He was able to deceive me and the entire court, secretly colluding with Chu Xuan to transfer officials from Youzhou. How could you possibly see through that?"
Liu Shouren lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to raise his head, and simply listened quietly.
Chu Ning continued, "You have served in the same court as him for decades. It is only natural for you to trust him and be close to him."
"He committed evil deeds in secret, and you were unaware of it. This is not your fault. If I were to punish you for this, wouldn't I be punishing the entire court of civil and military officials?"
Liu Shouren's body trembled slightly.
Chu Ning's voice softened: "Besides, after the incident, you took the initiative to plead guilty and confess your mistakes, which shows that you have a clear conscience and are upright and honest."
"I am very pleased with this."
He paused, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the kneeling officials pleading for mercy. Finally, his voice was clear as he pronounced his verdict:
"Liu Shouren, I hereby pardon you. Rise."
Upon hearing this, the tense atmosphere in the hall instantly eased.
The officials who had been kneeling and pleading for mercy raised their heads, their faces showing a sense of relief.
Liu Shouren lay prostrate on the ground, and upon hearing the words "You are pardoned," he trembled violently, and tears streamed down his face.
He raised his head, looking at Chu Ning on the steps, his lips trembling, his voice choked with emotion:
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty's boundless grace...I...I could never repay it even with my life..."
Chu Ning nodded slightly: "I know you are loyal. Rise and return to your ranks."
Liu Shouren kowtowed heavily, his forehead touching the ground, and remained motionless for a long time.
After a long while, with the help of his colleagues, he stood up shakily and returned to the ranks of civil officials.
His eyes were red and tears streamed down his face, but he forced himself not to cry out loud.
Inside the hall, silence returned.
Chu Ning's gaze slowly swept over the assembled officials, his voice regaining its authoritative and cold tone:
"The matter of Lü Xiuwen ends here, but the case of Chu Yun's treason has far-reaching implications and must be thoroughly investigated!"
"Anyone involved in this case, regardless of their official rank, will be thoroughly investigated without exception! I want to see just how many treacherous individuals remain in this court!"
His voice echoed throughout the Golden Palace, making everyone's heart tremble.
Everyone knew that an even bigger storm was about to break.
The courtiers fell silent, as if trembling with fear, and none dared to utter a sound.
Chu Ning's gaze slowly swept across the hall, finally landing on the two people at the front of the civil officials' line.
"Right Chancellor Di Ying, Minister of Justice Ling Haoran."
Upon hearing this, the two men immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, we are here."
Chu Ning's voice was authoritative and cold: "I hereby appoint the two of you to be fully responsible for investigating Chu Yun's treason case."
"All persons, regardless of their official rank, who are involved in this case may be summoned, interrogated, and detained."
"Minister Ling, you are in charge of the Ministry of Justice and are well-versed in the law. You will lead the trial of this case."
"Prime Minister Di, as the Right Prime Minister, you hold a high position and wield great power. You are in charge of coordinating the overall handling of this case."
Ling Haoran immediately bowed and accepted the order: "Your subject obeys! I will certainly enforce the law impartially and investigate thoroughly without leniency!"
Di Ying also bowed quickly, but a troubled look appeared on his round, chubby face.
He hesitated for a moment, then cautiously raised his head, looking at Chu Ning on the steps, and tentatively spoke:
"Your Majesty, I dare to ask a question..."
Chu Ning frowned slightly: "Speak."
Di Ying swallowed hard, his expression of difficulty deepening: "Your Majesty, if we find someone with a special identity, such as a prince of the imperial family, a nobleman or duke, or a high-ranking minister in the court, what should we do?"
His voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a whisper.
But everyone understood what he meant—what would they do if they found out that the person they were investigating was a member of the royal family or a powerful senior official?
To arrest or not to arrest?
To review or not to review?
If I offend someone I shouldn't, how will I survive in the imperial court in the future?
Di Ying's concerns were not unfounded.
The Great Chu Kingdom has existed for a century, with its royal family, nobles, and powerful clans deeply intertwined, where a single move could have far-reaching consequences. While Chu Yun, as a prince, has certainly been executed, who can guarantee that his faction doesn't include other members of the royal family?
There are no such deeply rooted aristocratic families.
If the investigation leads back to them, how could Di Ying and Ling Haoran, given their status, dare to take action?
Inside the hall, all the ministers' eyes were fixed on Chu Ning.
Everyone wanted to know what His Majesty's attitude would be.
Chu Ning's expression suddenly darkened.
He didn't answer immediately, but just looked coldly at Di Ying.
That gaze, as cold as ice, sent a chill down Di Ying's plump body.
"Humph."
Chu Ning snorted coldly, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable air of authority and killing intent that echoed within the Golden Palace:
"Di Ying, I ask you—what is meant by a person of special status?"
Di Ying was startled and quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet Chu Ning's gaze.
Chu Ning's voice suddenly rose, booming like thunder: "The case I ordered you to investigate is a treason case!"
"Someone wants to kill me! They want to overthrow the Great Chu! With such a heinous crime, what special status do I have to speak of?"
"So what if they are princes of the imperial family? So what if they are nobles and dukes? So what if they are important officials in the court? As long as they are involved in this case, even if they are the Emperor himself, I will arrest them without hesitation!"
"Anyone who dares to obstruct is an accomplice! Anyone who dares to cover it up is a conspirator!"