Xu Songming smiled and said, "Your humble subject is just a civil official. How could I be so hopeless? Moreover, when I speak in front of Your Majesty, how could I talk nonsense?"
Seeing the two of them going head - to - head, Rong Xun on the dais finally spoke up. He calmly looked at the two men, both of whom were his right - hand men.
If anything happened to either of them, it would be an irreparable loss to him.
With a kind look on his face, he looked at the two of them and smiled, "Both of you, my dear ministers, are my right - hand men. If you two have an internal strife, wouldn't it just play into the enemy's hands?"
As Rong Xun spoke, he hid the shrewdness in his eyes. He blinked innocently and looked at the two men, but most of his gaze lingered on Su Minhuai.
He trusted Xu Songming. As the head of a major noble family in the Great Ming Dynasty, there was no need for him to tell lies for the sake of fame and fortune, and he would never say anything unfavorable to himself in the court, unless he was absolutely certain.
After the morning court, Rong Xun glanced at Su Ningde beside him. Su Ningde naturally understood what Rong Xun meant. While the ministers were dispersing, Su Ningde went to find Xu Songming.
Seeing Su Ningde's kind smile, Xu Songming seemed to have guessed it long ago. "Did His Majesty send Your Excellency to invite me?"
Hearing this, Su Ningde was stunned for a moment and then immediately nodded. "Recently, some fine wines were tribute from the Western Regions. His Majesty thought that Lord Xu had been busy in the court, so he wanted you to take a break. Thus, he sent this servant to invite you."
Su Ningde spoke very politely. He had a good impression of Xu Songming. After all, there were few such upright ministers.
Hearing this, Xu Songming nodded. Looking at Su Ningde with an obsequious smile, although he didn't like it in his heart, he still treated him politely. He folded his hands and bowed slightly, only saying, "Your Excellency, please lead the way."
Su Ningde led Xu Songming to the Administrative Hall and then immediately closed the door and left. Xu Songming also strode towards the main hall.
There, behind the dragon table in the distance, sat Rong Xun with a frown on his face.
Hearing the sound, Rong Xun looked up at the person coming and then calmly continued to wave the brush in his hand, leaving marks on the memorials.
After a long time, Xu Songming finally couldn't help but speak first. "Your humble subject pays respects to Your Majesty. I wonder why Your Majesty has summoned me. If Your Majesty wants to ask me about what happened during the day, I have nothing to say."
After saying that, Rong Xun showed a smile. He was becoming more and more interested in Xu Songming. Although this old man had a white beard, his mind was very clear.
"Lord Xu seems to have misunderstood my meaning. I just want to ask you, should Su Minhuai be killed?"
Rong Xun's cold voice echoed throughout the hall, like a curse engraved directly in Xu Songming's mind.
He was so frightened by this sentence that his lips turned white, and he couldn't say a word for a long time.
He had only made a guess today, but the emperor was already thinking about pronouncing the death sentence on Su Minhuai.
His legs went weak, and he took two steps back and knelt on the ground. However, Xu Songming still suppressed the panic in his heart and tried to control his emotions.
He said, "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. Your decision, Your humble subject has no right to interfere."
After he said this, Rong Xun raised his eyebrows and pondered the meaning of his words.
Obviously, Xu Songming was right this time. Now Rong Xun was no longer as overbearing as before. Instead, he looked amiable.
Rong Xun's calm voice sounded again. "Lord Xu really has a good eloquence. In the court today, you clearly had deep doubts about Su Minhuai, but now your reply to me is so decisive."
Xu Songming shook his head nervously. His voice trembled but was firm. "Your Majesty, all my doubts in the court today are traceable. If Your Majesty doesn't believe me, you can check the accounts in Prime Minister Su's hands."
Rong Xun was delighted. He just wanted to bluff Xu Songming, but unexpectedly, he really got important information.
However, he didn't stop there. Instead, he motioned for Xu Songming to pick up the wine cup on the table in the distance.
Xu Songming dragged his heavy steps and finally came to the table. He carefully picked up the cup on the table, but the next moment, his hand slipped and the cup shattered on the ground.
The wine in the cup spilled out. The wine corroded the floor, and there was a hissing sound from time to time, which was very creepy.
Xu Songming looked at the situation on the ground and then looked up at Rong Xun, who remained calm. He knelt on the ground nervously again and kept kowtowing. Even when blood came out of his head, he didn't dare to stop.
"What is Lord Xu doing? I just wanted you to taste the wine. Why are you so scared?" Rong Xun asked with a smile.
Seeing that he didn't answer, Rong Xun continued, "If Lord Xu doesn't like the taste of this wine, then perhaps someone else can taste it."
After saying that, Rong Xun's smile was like that of a wild cat that had stolen fish. He must "tame" this unruly Xu Songming and make him his own man.
Then, in the cold Administrative Hall, Xu Songming's forehead was covered with sweat, as if he was in a steamer, and his face was also covered with crystal sweat.
"Your humble subject understands Your Majesty's meaning. I will be loyal to Your Majesty alone for my whole life. If I do something wrong, I will surely die a violent death!"
Seeing that Xu Songming had made such an oath, Rong Xun's voice was still cold. "That's good."
"That's all for today. After Lord Xu goes back, clean up those dirty things and submit them to me. Since I ascended the throne, the people in the court seem to have been too peaceful, so there are many people who have forgotten their roots. It's time to clean up the dirt."
The implied meaning was clear to both of them.
Hearing this, Xu Songming quickly nodded in agreement.
Rong Xun finally relented. He glanced at Xu Songming and said, "Alright, since Lord Xu has understood my meaning, go back quickly. It's getting late."
Hearing Rong Xun's dismissal order, Xu Songming almost cried. He could finally leave this hellish place. He used to think that this young emperor was just a good - for - nothing, but he didn't expect him to be a living Yama.
"Yes, yes, yes. Your humble subject takes his leave."
Saying that, Xu Songming disappeared quickly in front of Rong Xun like a man with oil on his feet. At this moment, he finally escaped from the sight of death.
At the door, Su Ningde looked at Xu Songming who was fleeing in a hurry in surprise. This old - fashioned man who usually paid great attention to etiquette, how could he be so out of control now?
He looked as if there was a ghost chasing him from behind.