Compared with the young emperor, Chen Guang trusted Prime Minister Lu more. So on many occasions, when he received news from Yangxian, he would inform Prime Minister Lu. Little did he expect that he would be attacked this time!
Fortunately, he had just been rescued by Zhou Kou!
On the way back from Prime Minister Lu's mansion, Feng Wan finally remembered the owner of that figure - Chen Guang, the guard beside Prince Jing!
Feng Wan didn't know the inside story, nor did she understand why Chen Guang had been knocked unconscious and taken away. But now that Prince Jing was not in the capital city, something happening to his subordinate was surely not a good sign. So she immediately changed her route and headed for Prince Jing's mansion. Coincidentally, Zhou Kou also came to the mansion at this moment.
Based on the clues provided by Feng Wan, he finally managed to rescue Chen Guang with his men before the men of the Assistant - Regent could kill him.
However, by the time Chen Guang woke up, the news from Yangxian and Guangling had spread throughout the capital city and even evolved into the saying that "the current emperor is unworthy of his position and will surely bring disasters."
It was said that quite a few people in the civilian population had openly claimed that the current emperor should abdicate!
In less than a day, the public opinion in the capital city had developed to such an extent. Chen Guang would never believe that there was no handiwork of Shang Mozheng behind it.
"Zhou Kou, we have to go to Prime Minister Lu quickly!"
"It's too late," Zhou Kou said, pressing down Chen Guang's attempt to get up. His face was extremely solemn. "Before you woke up, I went to the prime minister's mansion. Prime Minister Lu suddenly fell into a coma this morning."
"What?!"
First Yangxian and then Guangling had incidents. The prince was injured and unconscious. Rumors were running wild in the capital city, and Prime Minister Lu happened to fall into a coma at this very moment.
The current situation seemed as if a giant hand was hanging above everyone's head, deliberately manipulating everything. Chen Guang naturally knew who the owner of this hand was, but he was powerless.
"Let's go to the palace!"
Since they couldn't break the deadlock, they should protect the emperor well. As long as the emperor's position remained unshakable, everything the Assistant - Regent did would be unjustifiable!
The Mansion of the Assistant - Regent
Shang Mozheng was sitting in front of his desk, writing with a brush.
After the saying "unworthy of his position and will surely bring disasters", there was a faint "public opinion" among the people saying something like "begging the Assistant - Regent to continue to assist in governing and hold great power".
This remark was undoubtedly an insult to the emperor. If one thought deeper, it could even be said that the speaker was coveting the throne. Although Shang Mozheng did have such an idea, he had to stand on the side of righteousness in his actions first. So he planned to write a memorial to plead guilty.
In the memorial, he "pleaded guilty several times" and felt "extremely terrified in his heart". He dared not face the emperor again, so he imprisoned himself in his mansion and refused to see outsiders.
"Yang Li, after the morning court tomorrow, spread the content of the memorial."
First, pressing forward step by step, and then retreating to advance. Shang Mozheng's move was really vicious and ruthless!
Now that he had control over the public opinion in the capital city, people were gradually beginning to doubt and be dissatisfied with the current emperor's character and ability, and at the same time, they pinned their hopes on him. But he chose to submit a memorial to plead guilty and imprison himself at this moment.
In the eyes of outsiders who didn't know the inside story, it seemed that he was forced by the emperor and had no choice but to do so.
At this time, Chen Guang and Zhou Kou had entered the palace and reported the news from Yangxian one by one.
"Brother is injured? How serious is his injury? Is his life in danger?"
Seeing that the emperor was concerned about the prince first, Chen Guang felt a little better. He replied immediately, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. The news from there said that the prince is out of danger."
"That's good..."
Shang Luoze heaved a sigh of relief, but his heart was still in his throat. His brother was still trapped in Yangxian. It was impossible for him to feel at ease now.
After a moment of thought, he said, "Zhou Kou, I order you to lead five hundred elite soldiers immediately to pick up my brother! Remember, this is my secret order!"
The common people only knew about the uprising in Guangling and didn't know that his brother was trapped in it. Once they knew, with the prestige Shang Luoshu had established, his current situation might become even more passive.
So Shang Luoze could only let Zhou Kou secretly go to rescue his brother, and the number of people he led couldn't be too large. Zhou Kou understood his meaning and immediately withdrew after receiving the order.
The emperor had already given the order to rescue the master. Although Chen Guang was still worried, he could only trust Zhou Kou at this moment and focus on the current situation.
"Your Majesty, now rumors are spreading everywhere in the capital city, and Prime Minister Lu... Are we just going to do nothing?"
"So what about the rumors?"
Shang Luoze glanced at him. He became even calmer. "As long as I don't care, those rumors can't hurt me!"
If Shang Luoze in the past had encountered this move of Shang Mozheng, he would surely have flown into a rage and ordered people to arrest all those who spread the rumors and make an example of them.
In this way, it would just fulfill the wish of the Assistant - Regent and correspond to the saying "will surely bring disasters".
But now, he was no longer the old Shang Luoze!
He wanted Shang Mozheng to know that even if he was not as good as his brother, he was still his opponent!
"Decheng, grind the ink! I'm going to write a memorial to admit my faults!"
Zhu Jie had searched the whole of Yangxian but couldn't find any trace of Shang Luoshu and his entourage. Needless to say, the people sent out of the city by that Miss Xia must have been them!
But now, knowing this was of no use. Xia Lingyin was dead, and Xia Shouzheng was almost crazy. He locked himself in his study all day and ignored everything.
To catch Shang Luoshu and his entourage, Zhu Jie could only rely on himself. But he didn't know that as soon as they left the city, the people he was looking for had traveled overnight and completely left the territory of Yangxian.
By now, Lu Yinxi had recovered a lot. The after - effects of Yan Ling's power always disappeared quickly, although the process was rather torturous.
After she woke up, Shang Luoshu also woke up once. Although he fainted again soon after, compared with his long - term unconsciousness before, everyone finally felt a little more at ease.
"Hongrui, can we talk?"
After changing Shang Luoshu's medicine together, Lu Yinxi stopped Hongrui who was about to leave. Her eyes were firm. "It's about that day."
The Capital City
Shang Luoze acted quickly. He said he was going to write a memorial to admit his faults in the morning, and it was announced to the public in the afternoon of the same day.
First, he admitted that he was young and that there were indeed some inappropriate aspects in his actions. Then he thanked the common people for helping him recognize this. Finally, he expressed his willingness to learn modestly.
As soon as the edict was issued, it immediately won the favor of many people.
Because a memorial to admit one's faults was a kind of oral edict or written document for an emperor to conduct self - reflection.
In the eyes of ordinary people, the current emperor was the real dragon emperor, the most noble person in the world. It was even a profanity for others to take an extra look at him.
But such a person was willing to humble himself and admit his mistakes. How could this not move people?
Many people began to waver in their thoughts because of his action.
"Your Highness, what should we do next?"
Hearing the news brought by Yang Li, Shang Mozheng raised his eyebrows. His nephew was not completely brainless and only capable of furious outbursts. But after all, he was still too young.
"Don't be in a hurry. Let him be happy for a while. Do as planned after the morning court tomorrow."
"Yes."
Compared with Shang Mozheng's calmness, Shang Luoze in the palace was nervous and aggrieved.
His elder brother was trapped in Yangxian, and he didn't know the specific situation. The common people in the capital city all thought that he "would surely bring disasters". Helplessly, he could only use the memorial to admit his faults to win back the hearts of the people, but this also meant that he had admitted those charges.
After a night, no more bad news came from outside the palace, and Shang Luoze felt a little more at ease.
During the morning court, because of his memorial to admit his faults, the court officials naturally praised him a lot. They selectively forgot that when Yangxian was affected by the disaster, no news had been sent to the capital city, and the emperor had never ordered to increase the tax in Yangxian.
But there was nothing he could do. Shang Luoze could only bear the nausea and accept the praise, and then announced the end of the court.
Unexpectedly, not long after, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. The next moment, someone almost stumbled into the imperial study.
"Your Majesty, something bad has happened! The imperial guards killed a commoner in the busy market!"