After the Emperor had laughed enough for quite a while, he asked again, “Is there any other fresh news?”
He had been reviewing memorials for four to six hours today, and his head felt heavy and dull.
At this moment, his gloomy mood was completely swept away.
The young eunuch kept his head lowered and continued, “Your Majesty, there is!”
“Right now, the streets and alleys are all filled with rumors that Grand Tutor Chen is impotent, and because he is disliked by his wife and concubines, he developed a penchant for abusing young girls.”
“All the young girls who went missing in the Imperial Capital over the years were kidnapped by Grand Tutor Chen and his wife, Lady Ruan.”
“Grand Tutor Chen tortured those girls to death, and their bodies are all buried under a peach blossom tree in the garden of the Grand Tutor’s Residence.”
The smile on Emperor Shangde’s face came to an abrupt halt. With anger in his eyes, he said in a deep voice, “What did you say?”
“The cases of missing young girls in the Imperial Capital over the years were all Grand Tutor Chen’s doing?”
The young eunuch quickly nodded, then shook his head.
The Son of Heaven was angry, and it was terrifying!
The young eunuch’s heart was in his throat. He had only gone out to investigate on orders, but he never expected to uncover such a shocking, monumental case.
Just at this moment, another young eunuch hurried in from outside, knelt down, and reported, “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Second Prince, Grand Tutor Chen, Lord Ye, and Young General Ye request an audience.”
Emperor Shangde narrowed his eyes. “Let them in.”
“Yes!”
Soon, several people stepped into the Imperial Study.
“Imperial Father!” The Second Prince, Yun Songming, bowed in greeting.
“This subject pays respects to Your Majesty.”
Grand Tutor Chen, Ye Changlin, Ye Jinmo, and Zhang Ting knelt down one after another.
Grand Tutor Chen, in particular, kept his head extremely low.
If he didn’t have to save his daughter, he wouldn’t want to step out of his house at all right now.
He wished he could gouge out the eyes of everyone who had seen that part of him and kill them all.
At this moment, Grand Tutor Chen’s disgust and hatred for the Second Prince had reached its peak.
He must destroy this Second Prince!
Ye Chuchu stood behind Ye Jinmo.
She was a head shorter than Ye Jinmo.
Just now, when Ye Jinmo dragged her away from the Dali Temple, he had wanted to send her home.
But Ye Chuchu held onto Ye Jinmo’s arm, looking at him with large, tearful eyes.
Ye Jinmo could only sigh, patted her shoulder, and said, “Little Sister, once we enter the palace, you must not let your thoughts wander wildly.”
At that time, Ye Chuchu nodded very obediently.
She only thought her brother was quite amusing. It was just her thinking to herself in her head, so what did it matter? No one else would know anyway.
At this moment, as the people in front knelt down, Ye Chuchu also hurriedly knelt down.
She secretly tried to raise her head to see what the Emperor, whom she could only see on television before, actually looked like.
But her brother knelt perfectly straight, as if intentionally blocking her behind him, making it impossible for her to see the Emperor’s face clearly.
“It is so late, yet you all have entered the palace. For what matter is this?”
Emperor Shangde’s gloomy voice rang out.
Everyone’s heart skipped a beat.
Years of accompanying the sovereign let them know that Emperor Shangde was currently in a very bad mood.
They had walked straight into the line of fire.
Zhang Ting also felt this cold and heavy atmosphere, but he still prepared to grit his teeth and explain the course of events.
Just as Zhang Ting was about to speak, he was interrupted by Grand Tutor Chen’s voice.
“Your Majesty, this old subject is guilty!”
“Your Majesty, this old subject failed to educate his daughter properly, letting Your Majesty down. Please hand down your punishment, Your Majesty!”
Grand Tutor Chen cried out loud. His face, wrinkled like a chrysanthemum, had bloodshot eyes, and old tears welled up, making him look pitiful.
“Your Majesty, this old subject is advanced in age; if I die, so be it. But this old subject does not wish for the white-haired to send off the black-haired. For the sake of this old subject’s utmost loyalty over the years, Your Majesty, please show mercy!”
“Your Majesty, I beg of you…”
Zhang Ting was instantly infuriated. This sly fox, Grand Tutor Chen, actually played the victim first.
Just as Zhang Ting was about to speak, he heard the Emperor let out a cold laugh.
“Grand Tutor Chen, you have indeed failed to educate your daughter properly.”
“Lady Chen not only hired assassins to commit murder and snatched another woman’s husband, but she also poisoned the Third Miss of the Ye Family to make her mute, and even tried to drown her in a well. She even hid male consorts in her courtyard, committing such atrocious and despicable acts. Do you still have the face to come and weep before me?”
Everyone: Oh… so the Emperor already knows everything.
“Grand Tutor Chen, considering that you are my mentor, Lady Chen is Lady Chen, and you are you. I will not lay blame on you.”
“But even if the Son of Heaven breaks the law, he must be punished like a commoner!”
Emperor Shangde’s gaze landed on Zhang Ting. “Have you passed judgment on this case?”
Zhang Ting shook his head and lowered his head even further. “Your Majesty, this subject originally intended to sentence Lady Chen to death, but Grand Tutor Chen came to the Dali Temple and repeatedly obstructed this subject from passing judgment. As of now, this case has not yet been decided.”
Emperor Shangde’s gaze fell upon Grand Tutor Chen, and he gave a cold snort. “Foolish.”
“Someone, come! Immediately throw Lady Chen into the death row, and execute her by decapitation in public at noon tomorrow.”
With the order given, Grand Tutor Chen slumped to the ground, his face completely despondent.
He had thought the Emperor would spare that rebellious daughter once for his sake.
He never expected the Emperor to be so heartless!
It was difficult for him to have offspring, and he had managed to have only two daughters with great difficulty.
To think that one would be ruined today.
The more Grand Tutor Chen thought about it, the more sorrowful he became. He crawled and knelt at Emperor Shangde’s feet, hugged his leg, and cried loudly, “Your Majesty, oh Your Majesty…”
“I beg of you, do not kill my daughter!”
“Although my daughter is rebellious and traitorous, I beg Your Majesty, for the sake of this subject exhausting his life to do his utmost for Your Majesty, to spare her dog’s life!”
“…”
Emperor Shangde looked with disgust at Grand Tutor Chen, who was hugging his leg, and then glanced at Eunuch Lin.
Eunuch Lin immediately stepped forward, grabbing Grand Tutor Chen and pulling him back.
“Grand Tutor Chen, what proper decorum is this? Hurry and let go of His Majesty.”
“Grand Tutor Chen, you only think of that Lady Chen. Do you not consider yourself?”
“Even if you truly disregard everything, you must still think of Her Highness the Imperial Noble Consort.”
At the mention of Her Highness the Imperial Noble Consort, Grand Tutor Chen was like a deflated ball, his entire body going limp and weak, able only to wipe his tears continuously.
Yes, he still had another daughter, who was also the favored Imperial Noble Consort.
It was no wonder Grand Tutor Chen protected his daughter like this.
He had never fathered a son in his entire life, and with great difficulty, he had two daughters, whom he protected like the apple of his eye.
Especially Lady Chen, who was the youngest daughter in the family.
Since childhood, Grand Tutor Chen had pampered Lady Chen, afraid that she would melt if held in the mouth or drop if held in the palm.
Eunuch Lin was right. Right now, he could only abandon Lady Chen!
Emperor Shangde cast a look of disgust at Grand Tutor Chen, then turned his gaze to the Second Prince.
If he guessed correctly, the Second Prince had another grand gift to present to him tonight.
Grand Tutor Chen had been forming factions and cliques over these years; the Emperor had long wanted to find a pretext to bring down this giant tree.
Ye Chuchu: [Wow, Zhazha, the Emperor is so amazing! As expected of the all-powerful and all-knowing Emperor, so incredible!]
Emperor Shangde’s train of thought was suddenly interrupted by this voice, and even the rising anger in his heart was completely thrown to the back of his mind.
His gaze slowly landed on Ye Chuchu, who was hiding behind Ye Jinmo.
Ye Changlin, Ye Jinmo, and the Second Prince all looked toward Emperor Shangde. Seeing his reaction, they knew that he could also hear Ye Chuchu’s voice.
A smile curled up at the corner of the Second Prince’s lips. A good show was about to start!
Hurry, hurry and expose his Imperial Father’s gossip, he really wants to hear it!