A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

On that day, when the court was in session, all the ministers looked at Emperor Huang of Han with strange eyes.

Even the ministers who had always been loyal to the royal family, as well as the head of the imperial clan, kept their heads down and refused to look at Emperor Huang of Han.

Faced with the temptation of high-ranking official positions and generous salaries, the suppression of powerful figures, and the emperor's incompetence and debauchery, they never flinched or retreated, and always stood on the emperor's side.

But when faced with an emperor who could strangle his own son with his own hands, they began to feel it wasn't worth it.

Are such rulers truly worthy of their loyalty?!

Emperor Huang of Han also keenly sensed that something was amiss in the atmosphere of the court.

While calmly discussing court affairs, he kept observing the many ministers, pondering what had happened.

The palace maid was arranged by Wang Mang, so naturally she wouldn't pass the message on to Emperor Huang of Han.

In addition, due to the special circumstances before, Emperor Huang of Han almost never inquired about the affairs of the Cold Palace.

A concubine who is not valued by the emperor will not be reported to the emperor in time even if she dies.

He turned his gaze to Zongzheng, hoping Zongzheng would give him some hints.

However, Zongzheng kept his head down and couldn't see his hint at all.

What exactly happened?

Emperor Huang of Han felt a sense of unease. He knew that something extraordinary must have happened to cause Wang Mang to act so arrogantly and expand his power by taking advantage of the court's affairs.

However, the Imperial Party he had just formed did nothing, as if they had all become deaf and mute.

So he hastily dismissed the court assembly and summoned the Imperial Clan Minister and his trusted ministers to the palace.

"What exactly happened? Why didn't you raise your heads during court?"

"And what other matters have you remained silent on, allowing Wang Mang to seize all the power for himself?"

Several people focused their attention on the core member of the Imperial Party, the Imperial Clan.

Zongzheng slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse.

From Emperor Huang's angle, one could clearly see that the Imperial Clan's eyes were bloodshot, with almost no whites visible.

"Your Majesty, this old minister has a question for you, and I hope you can answer it truthfully."

"Please speak, Your Excellency. I will tell you the truth."

Emperor Huang of Han prepared himself mentally, and no matter what the matter was, he would take the initiative to admit his mistake.

Lower your stance to the lowest possible level and win the forgiveness of the people in front of you.

"it is good."

"I would like to ask Your Majesty, how exactly did the young prince die?"

Zongzheng stared intently at Emperor Hanhuang with bloodshot eyes, as did the others.

Emperor Huang of Han couldn't help but shrink his pupils, but he quickly concealed it.

But this shrinking back did not escape the eyes of this group of people. Those who were able to climb to the official positions in the court were all shrewd and cunning, carefully selected from among hundreds of millions of people in the entire country.

Reading between the lines is a fundamental skill for them, and each of them is an expert at it.

This revelation revealed the truth to them. Even if it wasn't as rumored, that the emperor had personally strangled him, it was at least a death sentence ordered by the emperor himself.

It was definitely not as Emperor Huang of Han had previously claimed, that the Zhao sisters had killed him when he was off guard.

Emperor Huang of Han finally realized what had happened, but how could this matter possibly get out?

All the palace maids who knew about this have been executed by him, and now only he and the three Zhao sisters know about it.

No one else knew.

"What do you mean by that, Your Excellency? Didn't I already say that the Zhao sisters killed the young prince when I wasn't paying attention?"

Zongzheng closed his eyes in anguish. As the Zongzheng of the Liu imperial family, he was responsible for managing the affairs of the imperial family, resolving disputes between clans, and uniting the forces of the clans.

However, the patriarch of the Liu imperial family, who is now the emperor, actually strangled his own child with his own hands.

True fratricide is an outrage against humanity.

"Your Majesty, what has that child done wrong? He was just born!"

"They actually want you, his father, to kill him with your own hands!!!"

"He's only a month old, what did he do wrong!"

"He just wanted to live, what did he do wrong!"

"Say something!"

"Say something!"

"presumptuous!"

Emperor Huang of Han was terrified when his deepest secret was exposed.

"How dare you!"

"What do you mean by that!"

"I said, it was the Zhao Feiyan and Zhao Hede sisters who killed them!"

"That was my own flesh and blood, my only son! How could I possibly strangle him with my own hands!"

Upon hearing this, everyone closed their eyes.

Two streams of tears flowed from the corners of Zongzheng's eyes. "Your Majesty, I only said that you killed the little prince, but I didn't say that you strangled him."

Emperor Huang of Han: "..."

"I misheard you. I thought you said 'pinch'."

Emperor Huang of Han said in a dry voice.

"Now the whole of Chang'an is abuzz with the news that Your Majesty strangled your own son to win the favor of the Zhao sisters."

"Before they died, the Zhao sisters wrote the truth in blood and spread it far and wide."

"impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

"How could they die!"

Emperor Huang of Han panicked; he hadn't expected the news to come from the Cold Palace.

Moreover, he was completely unaware of the huge news that the Zhao sisters had died.

What alarmed him even more was that the news had already spread throughout Chang'an.

Soon the whole world will know that he strangled his own son with his own hands.

He absolutely cannot admit it!

"Wang Mang, this must have been done by Wang Mang!"

"They managed to deceive my eyes and ears, kill the Zhao sisters in the palace, forge a blood letter, and spread the blood letter throughout Chang'an overnight."

"Only Wang Mang could have done that!"

The other family is the Wei family, but the Wei family would not do that. Even if they were to change the emperor, it would be a piece of cake for them.

They wouldn't do that kind of thing; it would only do them harm, not benefit them.

The only one with both the motive and the ability to do so was Wang Mang.

Zongzheng believed that Wang Mang was responsible for this.

But Emperor Huang's actions just now made him believe that this was the truth.

Wang Mang simply publicized this truth.

"I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to retire and return to my hometown."

Zongzheng slowly took off his official robe, neatly folded it in front of him, and placed his official seal on the robe.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to retire and return to my hometown."

The other ministers did the same thing; as members of the emperor's united faction, they could no longer shake off this identity.

The only option is to retire and return to one's hometown.

"I will not allow you to resign!"

Emperor Huang of Han roared in fury.

If these people resign from their posts, wouldn't that be tantamount to admitting the truth of this rumor?

How can this be allowed?!

Absolutely not!

The Emperor of Han's eyes flashed with murderous intent, not only towards Wang Mang, but also towards the loyal ministers before him.

These ministers dared to betray him; they are doomed.

And then there's that old fellow Zongzheng, who, instead of thinking about how to help him suppress this matter, is thinking about retiring to his hometown to maintain his good reputation. He's already courting death.