roccoschili Chapter 285 The Queen Mother is ready to take action
Chapter 285 The Queen Mother is ready to take action
She knew her plan was halfway successful. But she still feigned worry and fear, her eyes slightly reddened, as if tears were about to fall. She glanced cautiously at Empress Dowager Li and whispered, "Your Majesty, you must be careful. The Prince of Yan is cunning and scheming. He might have already..."
"I know!" Empress Dowager Li suddenly interrupted Cen Jiexiao's words, and a fierce look flashed in her eyes, as sharp as a knife.
"I will summon the ministers immediately to discuss countermeasures! This traitor must be brought to justice!"
Cen Jiexiao nodded gratefully, lowering her brows and looking apprehensive. But inwardly, she sneered, a flicker of triumph passing through her. She knew she had successfully planted her chess piece. Now all she had to do was watch the drama unfold, as Chai Zhen and the Prince of Yan fought and slaughtered each other.
After leaving the palace, Cen Jiexiao breathed a sigh of relief, casting off her disguise. Acting was exhausting, especially facing the old face of Empress Dowager Li, and having to feign a submissive attitude. It was more disgusting than eating a fly. She rubbed her sore cheeks, feeling the muscles stiffen.
"Dean, are you okay?" Yu Lan came up and asked with concern, her eyes full of worry.
"It's okay, I just feel a little nauseous." Cen Jiexiao smiled and waved her hand, pretending to be relaxed, but her tone still couldn't hide her fatigue.
Yu Lan smiled at Cen Jiexiao, nodded in appreciation, and said, "The dean's acting skills are getting better and better. It's almost indistinguishable from the real thing."
Cen Jiexiao smiled and said self-deprecatingly, "I'm forced to do this. I have no choice but to do this in order to survive."
Yu Lan said, "When the dean acts, he always plays the role completely, meticulously and striving for perfection. Especially those injuries on the dean's arms, they look so real. If I hadn't known that the dean painted them on himself, I would have believed them!"
Cen Jiexiao lifted her sleeves and looked at the "scars" she had painted with rouge. These "scars" were of varying shades and looked shocking, as if she had actually been injured. She smiled smugly and said, "Of course I am a professional actor! This little trick is no problem for me!"
Yu Lan covered her mouth with her hands and chuckled, her eyes moving like a clear spring, rippling with smiles. She leaned close to Cen Jiexiao and whispered, "Dean, your acting skills are amazing. It's a shame not to act in this talent! You are simply perfect, superb, and have reached the pinnacle of your skills! No wonder the students in the opera class love to listen to your acting classes. They are all so fascinated by your performances, they want to engrave every word you say in their heads!"
She paused, lowered her voice, and said mysteriously, "The Queen Mother is probably still figuring out how to set up this scheme! Maybe she's even praising you in her heart!"
Cen Jiexiao raised her eyebrows and smiled, her eyes full of cunning, like a little fox that had stolen a fish, wagging its tail proudly.
"Let her be proud for a few days; the best is yet to come. I want to see who has the last laugh in this drama." She stretched lazily, her mood as bright as the warm spring sun. This move was a brilliant one. Chai Zhen and Empress Dowager Li, let them fight each other!
The atmosphere in the Golden Throne Hall was as solemn as the calm before a storm, a suffocating sense of oppression hanging in the air. Empress Dowager Li sat high atop a phoenix throne, her expression utterly gloomy. She wore a golden phoenix robe and a nine-phoenix golden hairpin, appearing elegant and regal, yet unable to conceal the fierceness that etched itself between her brows. The ministers below were hushed, daring not to utter a single sound, fearing the slightest misstep would bring disaster upon themselves. Like frightened birds, they cautiously observed the Empress Dowager's expression.
"Everyone, what do you think about Prince Yan's rebellion?" The majestic voice of Queen Mother Li echoed in the hall like thunder, making everyone's eardrums buzz. Her voice carried an unquestionable sense of oppression, as if a mountain was pressing on everyone's heart, making it hard to breathe.
Immediately, several ministers stood up and denounced the "crimes" of Prince Yan with righteous indignation. Their voices were so passionate that it seemed as if they wanted to cut Prince Yan into pieces and grind his bones into ashes.
"Prince Yan is ambitious and has evil intentions. His crimes are unforgivable!"
"Please, Queen Mother, order the immediate arrest of Prince Yan as a warning to others!"
"The King of Yan deserves the death penalty, and even the extermination of his entire clan is not excessive!"
Most of these people were Empress Dowager Li's confidants, so naturally they had to follow the Empress Dowager's steps and try their best to show their loyalty.
Some ministers remained silent, most of them neutral, unwilling to offend Empress Dowager Li or get drawn into the vortex of this power struggle. They lowered their heads, their eyes watching their noses, their noses watching their hearts, like old monks in meditation, quietly observing the situation, waiting for the opportunity to act.
Empress Dowager Li glanced coldly at the silent ministers, sneering inwardly. These people were fence-sitters, swaying wherever the wind blew. They were nothing to be feared. She only needed to firmly grasp the power in her hands to suppress these dissenting voices.
"Yan Wang Chai Zhengqi intends to rebel, and the evidence is irrefutable!"
Empress Dowager Li slammed the table and shouted angrily, "Come here, arrest the Prince of Yan!"
"Wait!" An old voice rang out in the hall, breaking the solemn atmosphere. A white-haired old minister stood up tremblingly, his face full of worry and anxiety.
"Sir He, what do you want to say?" Empress Dowager Li asked in a cold tone with narrowed eyes.
"Empress Dowager, the Prince of Yan is a loyal minister to Daliang. He has worked hard for the country and the people and has made great contributions. You must not believe in slanderous words!"
The old minister said in a trembling voice: "I hope the Queen Mother will be more discerning and not wrongly accuse the loyal and good people!"
"presumptuous!"
Empress Dowager Li was furious. She stood up suddenly and pointed at the old minister, angrily scolding him, "How dare you plead for the traitor Prince of Yan! Are you planning a rebellion too?"
"Wei Chen doesn't dare!"
He remained neither humble nor arrogant, and spoke righteously.
"I just hope that the Queen Mother can find out the truth and not wrongly accuse the Prince of Yan!"
"The truth? Do we still need to investigate?" Empress Dowager Li sneered.
"The King of Yan's crimes are proven by witnesses and evidence. What else is there to investigate?"
"Empress Dowager, both the witnesses and the evidence could be fabricated!"
And adults still stick to their own views.
"Please think twice, Queen Mother!"
"I have made up my mind!"
Empress Dowager Li shouted sternly, "Come here, drag this old man out and put him in the prison!"
"Queen Dowager, think about the late emperor and the people of the Great Zhou!"
I listened as the adults' shouts gradually faded away.
Empress Dowager Li glanced at the crowd with a cold gaze, her voice sonorous and powerful, resounding and unquestionable.
"Since all of you, my dear ministers, believe that the Prince of Yan is unforgivable, I hereby order the immediate arrest of Prince Chai Zhengqi. If he resists, he will be executed on the spot!"