darknovel Chapter 308 Even the Emperor Has Become a Tyrant
Chapter 308 Even the Emperor Has Become a Tyrant
Consort Jing was deposed, the Pei family was destroyed, and Imperial Physician Zhang held onto a sliver of hope.
He was quite happy to hear that the Empress had summoned him. If he could be given an important position by the Empress, it would be an incredibly lucky thing!
After the formalities were completed, Shen Shixi did not urge them to rise, but instead asked, "Regarding Consort Jing's previous use of medicine, did you summon her yourself, or did I force you to tell her?"
Physician Zhang trembled like a leaf, still trying to argue, but remembering the Empress's hand, he desperately kowtowed, "Your Majesty, spare my life! I had no choice!"
Shen Shixi looked away. She disliked dealing with this kind of person the most. As the ancestor of the "stubborn and unyielding" type, she knew the true thoughts deep in the hearts of every "stubborn and unyielding" person. To her, this was no different from deliberate deception.
Does she really look like an idiot?
Chao Yu stepped forward and pressed down on the back of Physician Zhang's neck. "Her Majesty the Empress is personally interrogating you. You must answer whatever she asks. How dare you lie?"
Physician Zhang pounded his head on the ground, crying, "Your Majesty, spare me! I'll tell you! I'm willing to tell you!"
He was indeed a member of the Pei family, but he was also a double agent and took advantage of the Duke of Xin's mansion... or more precisely, the Consort De's favor. Yinxing managed to pass the prescription to Fuling, who then presented it to the Empress.
The Empress will surely ask Physician Zhang.
Physician Zhang had to find a way to persuade the Empress to use that prescription.
"What's wrong with the prescription?" Shen Shixi asked.
Physician Zhang said, "Consort Jing's body was not suited for pregnancy. Even if she did not bear children, her lifespan would not be long. The reason she was able to conceive was because of this prescription, which forcibly restored Consort Jing's body to the state of being no different from that of a normal person."
It can be said that the mother used all her essence to nurture the fetus. However, because Consort Jing's health was already poor, it was inevitable that the Seventh Prince would be weak and sickly. As for any other defects, I do not know for the time being; we can only wait and see.
Shen Shixi pressed his temples, pondered for a moment, and said, "Send it to the Ministry of Justice!"
Xu Gongmao, the Minister of Justice, was originally a student of Prime Minister Pei. However, he was very shrewd and tactful. He listened to Prime Minister Pei on some matters, but he had his own opinions on others. On the contrary, Pei appreciated this trait of him.
On the contrary, Pei did not follow suit, and Shen Shixi did not implicate him either.
When Physician Zhang was brought in, Xu Gongmao personally interrogated him and became somewhat confused about the Empress's intentions. He was usually a very clever person, but he couldn't see through her.
What does the Empress want him to do with Physician Zhang? She also said that the Empress has other intentions?
When Imperial Physician Zhang was taken away, Consort De quickly learned of it. She panicked and hurriedly sent a message to her mother. Xu Gongmao also received the message from the Duke of Xin's residence very soon.
Xu Gongmao was initially hesitant, but after court that day, the Grand Secretary invited him to join him.
Xu Gongmao thought for a moment and then agreed.
The two went to a newly popular private garden in the capital, the Lotus Pavilion. After sitting down, they had some tea and snacks, chatted for a bit, and struck up a conversation. Once the food and wine were served, the elegant room became quiet.
"When the Empress was the Imperial Noble Consort, she ruled as regent. After the Emperor returned, she still held onto power and interfered in everything. What do you think of this, my brother?" asked Cui Fangli, the Grand Secretary.
Xu Gongmao was well aware of the Grand Secretary's intentions, yet he remained hesitant.
Cui Fangli then said, "With the death of Prime Minister Pei, the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat has been vacant, and the Emperor has shown no intention of promoting anyone. The same was true when the position of Grand Secretary was vacant."
"If it weren't for Prime Minister Pei, I wouldn't be in this position today. As Prime Minister, I have the responsibility to promote younger generations and maintain order within the Three Departments and Six Ministries. I have designs on you, but I don't know if you have designs on the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat."
If we were to say which of the three departments had the most authority, it would be the Secretariat, which was responsible for submitting memorials and drafting imperial edicts and decrees, also known as "the Secretariat issuing edicts and decrees." Memorials submitted by subordinates would pass through the Secretariat, and if they were suppressed, the emperor would never see them.
The Secretariat was responsible for reviewing and approving memorials drafted by the Chancellery, and for raising objections to imperial edicts drafted by the Chancellery. These objections were then revised and returned to the Chancellery. This was known as "the Secretariat in charge of reviewing and approving memorials."
The Ministry of Personnel was in charge of the six ministries and responsible for their implementation.
However, when Prime Minister Pei was in power, he had the final say on many things during the late emperor's reign, and his accumulated authority was immense. The officials of the Secretariat and the Chancellery had to be mindful of his mood, and the three departments were essentially under his control.
Sometimes the emperor's decrees could not even leave the Taiji Palace.
After Li Yuanke summoned five scholars, these five people handled many matters for him, thus enabling him to contend with the three ministries.
To put it bluntly, the extent of an emperor's authority often boils down to whether he has the final say, whether his decrees are effective, how many people serve him, and whether they are dutiful and responsible.
This is power.
Cui Fangli has joined forces with Liang Ji. If he can seize the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, he will become a powerful prime minister.
Liang Ji had no choice but to join forces with him. As long as the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat remained vacant, they would not be safe and would eventually be laid off.
Once the department is laid off, the people who work there will still have a way out, but these two old guys will definitely be abandoned.
Xu Gongmao wanted the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, but he was not at a position where he could know certain secrets. In other words, he did not know the emperor's plan to abolish the three departments, which was a core secret.
Unable to fathom the Empress's thoughts, he awaited her explicit decree. Once she spoke, she would surely bestow benefits upon him. If the Empress were to win him over, she would undoubtedly promise him the position of governor of three provinces.
"I will do my best in my duties. As for whether I can enter the Three Provinces, that depends on His Majesty's decree!" After saying that, he clasped his hands and bowed towards the direction of the palace.
Cui Fangli knew that Xu Gongmao was the kind of person who wouldn't act until he saw a clear benefit. That's why he was able to escape unscathed when the Pei family fell – it was because he had always maintained a distant relationship with the Pei family, meaning he had never truly pledged allegiance to them.
He had never participated in any of the Pei family's rebellions.
It can only be said that he encountered Shen Shixi, a person who only looks at evidence and not at all factions. There are quite a few people like Xu Gongmao in the court; otherwise, half the court would not have been enough to implicate.
"If you're waiting for the Emperor's decree, you'll probably never see it in your lifetime," Cui Fangli said in a low voice. "Do you remember how long the position of Chancellor has been vacant? Do you also remember how long the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat has been vacant?"
Xu Gongmao was taken aback.
Cui Fangli laughed, "As far as I know, the idea of abolishing the three provinces and eliminating the position of prime minister was actually conceived by the Empress. The position of prime minister has existed since the beginning of historical records. Our Empress is truly 'a woman of great talent and ambition'!"
Xu Gongmao couldn't believe it. "Abolish the prime minister system?"
"That's right!" Cui Fangli said when he saw that he still didn't believe it. "You don't need to doubt it. Look at the setup of the Military Affairs Office. Also, Prime Minister Pei hinted at it to me. At that time, I didn't believe it either."
The Pei family has been accused of treason, but if you or I were in Prime Minister Pei's position, what choice would we make?
Xu Gongmao remained silent, lost in thought.
"What is the Empress's intention in doing this? If the Three Departments are no longer in place, will all memorials be submitted to the Emperor? Will all court decrees originate from the Emperor? The officials..."
Cui Fangli continued, "The officials have become mere figureheads, and the power of life and death is in the hands of the Emperor. I have no idea what the future holds!"
The emperor has become a tyrant!