The Empress remarried, and I retaliated by wiping out the court.

Hundreds of people, holding torches, illuminated the entire Qianqing Palace as bright as day.

Almost all the civil and military officials, ministers of the six ministries, and representatives of the eight great families were present.

The person in the lead was none other than Regent Prince Xiao Linyuan.

He stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in a python robe, exuding an imposing aura.

On the left are Fang Xiaoyi, Minister of Personnel; Zhang Shouzhi, Minister of Rites; and the heads of the Fang and Su families, among others.

A huge crowd of people stood there, making the air outside the Qianqing Palace feel incredibly oppressive.

Cao Ji stood in front of the palace gate, his forehead already covered in cold sweat.

"It hasn't been long, and His Majesty has already incurred the wrath of both Heaven and the people!"

The people who came tonight represent half of the Great Yan's power; a mere stomp of their foot could shake the entire empire.

Xiao Linyuan took a step forward, his voice booming like thunder.

"Please, Your Majesty, come out and meet us!"

The sound rolled on, echoing for a long time above the palace.

crunch--

The gates of the Qianqing Palace slowly opened.

Ye Wudao walked out slowly with his hands behind his back, looking as if he had just woken up.

He was taken aback when he saw so many people.

"Oh, what a lively evening! Have you all come together to say goodnight to me?"

"Don't kneel, get lost!"

In a word.

It almost made Zhang Shouzhi die of anger.

Zhang Shouzhi roared, "Ye Wudao! You, the emperor, have imprisoned the empress, disgracing the imperial family! Such foolish behavior is an outrage against the entire nation!"

Minister of Revenue Wu Qingxun followed closely behind.

"The Empress is the mother of the nation. Your Majesty has privately imprisoned four Empresses. What does he care about propriety and law? If you do not give the people an explanation, how can you convince them?"

Su Wensheng, the eldest son of the Su family, took a step forward, his eyes bloodshot.

"Your Majesty! Where is my wife, Liang Mei?"

Zhong Jinchen, the head of the Zhong family, shouted, "His Majesty has murdered people and imprisoned his wife, committing countless evils. Our Great Yan cannot have such an emperor!"

One voice after another rose in condemnation, and for a time, the entire area outside the Qianqing Palace was filled with deafening shouts of protest.

It was as if Ye Wudao had become a tyrant whom everyone hated.

Ye Wudao snorted coldly:

"Are you planning a rebellion?"

With just one sentence, the assembled noble families and civil and military officials fell silent.

Everyone knows that Ye Wudao is a puppet emperor without real power, but he is, after all, the reigning emperor, and the imperial majesty is inviolable. No one would be foolish enough to reveal their true thoughts in public.

Xiao Linyuan stepped forward and said calmly:

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. We had no such intention. It is only because Your Majesty has imprisoned the Empress that we asked this question. We have absolutely no intention of offending Your Majesty."

At this point in the usual conversation, Ye Wudao, as a puppet emperor, even if he was clearly unhappy, had to be mindful of the bigger picture and dared not go against the court officials and powerful families.

But this time, Ye Wudao persisted, saying, "Not offensive? You, Xiao Linyuan, have gathered so many people to force me to abdicate, and you call that not offensive? Fine, then next time I send a large army to attack your Zhenguo King's Mansion, I was just joking around!"

In the feudal era, which emphasized the hierarchical relationship between ruler and subject, such words were already considered extremely threatening.

Xiao Linyuan forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, I truly did not mean that. I beg Your Majesty to open the Qianqing Palace so that I may search it thoroughly..."

With a cold snort, Ye Wudao shouted at Xiao Linyuan, "Get lost!"

Xiao Linyuan was breathing rapidly, his eyes blazing with anger.

How dare he!

Even when the late emperor was in power, no one dared to speak to him like that!

Ye Wudao, you're asking for death!

"Someone come here..."

At a command, Yan Shichang, the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards, knelt on one knee:

"My lord, please give your orders, and I will do my utmost!"

"search!"

Xiao Linyuan has completely broken off relations, publicly disrespecting Ye Wudao.

There has always been a tradition of kings searching their subjects, but there is no record of subjects searching the king's bedroom.

After today, regardless of whether Ye Wudao imprisoned the Empress or not, news of the Regent's search of his palace will spread.

The royal family's dignity will be completely destroyed!

"Wait!"

Ye Wudao said in a deep voice, "Minister Xiao, if I hadn't imprisoned the Empress today, what would you have done?"

"Your Majesty, please dispose of me as you see fit!"

Xiao Linyuan laughed loudly.

The news that Ye Wudao imprisoned the empress is absolutely true. The empresses have not eaten for five days. How could this be false?

Even if he doesn't take action after today, the four princes will definitely send troops to the capital after hearing that their daughter has suffered such a great humiliation!

Take Ye Wudao's head!

"You said it yourself!"

Ye Wudao pointed at Yan Shichang's nose: "If you can't find anything today, I will definitely execute you!"

Yan Shichang's forehead immediately broke out in a cold sweat:

"Your Majesty, I was merely following orders... to search!"

Before the words were finished, a graceful figure slowly walked out of the hall.

Luo Hanyan changed into a crimson palace dress, her eyes carrying a hint of spring.

She bowed gracefully to the crowd and said, "Your Majesty, I greet you all."

The Fang family was immediately alarmed. Fang Yan, the eldest son of the Fang family, was to marry Luo Hanyan, but on the very night of their wedding, Fang Yan was beheaded by Ye Wudao.

In terms of social status, the Fang family still regards Luo Hanyan as their daughter-in-law.

Fang Xiaoqian said in a pained voice, "Good daughter-in-law, is someone imprisoning you? Don't worry, with the Regent and all the officials here today, no one dares to harm you. Just tell us, and we will stand up for you!"

All eyes were on Luo Hanyan. With just one word from her, Ye Wudao would be unable to defend himself tonight!

Luo Hanyan gave a slight bow: "Minister Fang, I have not yet entered your Fang family, so I cannot be called your daughter-in-law. Please be careful with your words. I am His Majesty's wife, and His Majesty treats me with great care. How could there be any talk of imprisonment? Please, Minister Fang, do not believe everything you hear and be instigated by others!"

One sentence left everyone stunned.

Everyone couldn't help but look at Xiao Linyuan.

That look seemed to say, "Didn't you say they were imprisoned? That's a lie!"

Xiao Linyuan's face flushed red and then paled: "Niece Luo, you must have been forced by a villain to say such things! If you weren't imprisoned, why have you been secluded in the palace these past few days, unable to be seen by outsiders?"

Luo Hanyan lowered her head, her cheeks flushed, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

"Your Majesty treats me extremely well, providing me with delicacies every day without fail. However, Your Majesty's energy is simply too great, and I have indeed been unable to get out of bed these past few days."

After she finished speaking, her pretty face turned bright red with shyness, and her eyes sparkled with spring-like joy.

The area outside the Qianqing Palace was deathly quiet.

Fang Xiao: "???"

Xiao Linyuan: "???"

It was as if a flock of crows had flown through everyone's minds, leaving behind a string of ellipses.

No.

I initially thought you were prevented from leaving the house by someone.

I didn't expect to see this today...

It really is!