Chapter 2132: A Shocking Big Scandal

In the imperial court, hundreds of officials gathered, whispering among themselves. Many tried to inquire from the high-ranking ministers about what had transpired, but those individuals remained tight-lipped.

"The Emperor and Empress arrive!" Only when the eunuch's shrill voice echoed did the boisterous hall fall silent.

Soon, Zhao Ruizhi and Bi Linglong entered one after another from the side. Zhao Ruizhi took his seat on the dragon throne at the front, while Bi Linglong sat on the phoenix chair behind a beaded curtain.

Seeing both of them present, many previously worried officials collectively breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that everything from last night's events was still under control.

However, many observant individuals noticed that Bi Linglong's seating position today was different from usual. Normally, the Empress Dowager would sit in the center, and her position would be a slightly smaller one beside it. But now, she was in the very center, and the Empress Dowager was nowhere to be seen; even her chair had been removed.

Many in the court had already heard whispers, and upon seeing this scene, they felt a pang of guilt. The Liu family was indeed finished. They had initially thought that with the Empress Dowager, who had managed the palace for years and was a Grandmaster cultivator, the Liu family would have a chance to rise again. But now…

After the ministers paid their respects, Bi Linglong cleared her throat. "All my beloved ministers must have heard about certain events that transpired last night. The Empress Dowager intended to depose and enthrone, colluding with the Liu brothers to rebel from within and without. Fortunately, with the assistance of royal clansmen like Prince Yi and Prince Wu, and the concerted efforts of various noble families, the rebellion was quelled."

Not long ago, her father, Bi Qi, had entered the palace and spoken with her at length. She understood that, given the situation, she could only go along with it. Otherwise, if the matter were truly investigated, would the Bi family be accused of falsely issuing an imperial decree or even rebellion? In any case, she had always been at odds with the Empress Dowager's faction. Now that the Empress Dowager was likely in dire straits, the priority was to stabilize the situation. She could slowly settle accounts with certain individuals later.

Despite being mentally prepared, the news still caused an uproar throughout the hall. Everyone knew that the current Emperor was the Empress Dowager's sister's child. Given this blood tie, why would the Liu family be mad enough to replace him with another prince unrelated to them? However, with the dust settled, no one dared to speak up for the losers. Their gazes, however, kept drifting towards Prince Yi and Prince Wu, realizing that these two had been key players last night. They also occasionally glanced at Bi Qi, as everyone knew the Bi and Liu families had always been on bad terms; no one would believe he wasn't involved in such a matter.

As expected, when it came to distributing rewards, Prince Yi, Zhao Huang, was promoted from Grand General of the Eastern Pacification to Grand General, making him the head of all military commanders. His sons, Zhao Shun and Zhao Si, who had rendered great service last night, were both enfeoffed as princes and granted ten thousand households. Zhao Shun was also promoted to General of the Right Guard. Prince Wu was promoted to the position previously held by Liu Yao, General of the Guards, responsible for the defense of the capital. He also concurrently served as Commander of the Central Guard, with the six camps outside the city under his command.

Bi Qi's fiefdom was increased by eight thousand households, and he was concurrently appointed as Grand Preceptor and General of Chariots and Cavalry. Many perceptive individuals could see that while Bi Qi's rewards might not appear as dazzling as those of Prince Yi or Prince Wu, he gained significant practical benefits. Although the Department of State Affairs was nominally the highest among the Three Departments, it dealt with the execution of specific governmental affairs, making it busy and far from the decision-making center. The Grand Preceptor, however, was different; it was a key figure who discussed and formulated policies directly with the Emperor. The General of Chariots and Cavalry was also the third-highest-ranking among general titles. The Grand General was Prince Yi, and the second-highest, Grand General of Cavalry, the Prince of Qi, had died and that position was now vacant. In terms of military rank, Bi Qi was now second. With him having a hand in both military and political power, the Bi family would likely become the most powerful noble family in the realm.

All those who participated in eliminating the Liu family last night received satisfactory rewards. Additionally, some other highly respected ministers were also honored. For example, Jiang Boyang, the Grand Justiciar, was promoted to Grand Preceptor, bringing him into the decision-making core, and concurrently appointed as Tutor to the Crown Prince. He was also granted an additional five hundred personal guards and an honor guard.

Everyone secretly speculated that the Empress's actions were intended to appease the ministers in court. Someone like Jiang Boyang, who had always been upright and held the position of Grand Justiciar, in charge of law, would make it difficult to conclude matters if he seriously investigated the legality of how the Empress Dowager and the Liu family were dealt with last night. This was especially true considering the Jiang family's marriage ties with the Pei family, the Yu family, and even the imperial family, and his unmarried daughter, Jiang Luofu, was a teacher at the back mountain of the academy, holding significant influence there.

Jiang Boyang's face remained expressionless. Whether he was swayed by this honor or considered the Liu family's demise a fait accompli, he ultimately did not raise objections in court. Due to the Liu family's collapse, numerous official positions and power vacancies appeared in the court, so almost every minister at the imperial assembly received some form of reward, making it a generally joyful occasion.

Seeing her clever maneuvers finally lead to the tacit acceptance of the matter by all civil and military officials, Bi Linglong finally breathed a sigh of relief. Who knew that Zhao Ruizhi, who had been silent all this time, would suddenly speak up: "What about Zu An? I haven't heard anything about how he's been dealt with."

The entire hall suddenly fell into a terrifying silence. Many looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion. How did this involve the Regent? Those they questioned were also bewildered, exchanging glances: "We don't know!"

A faint smile had just appeared on Bi Linglong's face as she listened from behind the curtain, but hearing this, her expression immediately changed. She sharply looked towards Bi Qi, who was below. Her mind was quick, and she instantly realized that yesterday's events had actually targeted Zu An? How dare they!

At this moment, Bi Qi spoke up, answering, "The Regent has gone to the demon sealing grounds to fight against the otherworldly demons. There has been no news since, I'm afraid he might have..."

"Hmph, isn't that letting him off too easily? I want to strip him of his Regent title," Zhao Ruizhi fumed, waving his fists.

"Absolutely not! The Regent has rendered great service to the nation. Even if he unfortunately met with an accident in the sealing grounds, humanity, and indeed the entire world, should remember his achievements. How could we do something so chillingly ungrateful?" Jiang Boyang finally couldn't suppress his anger and spoke with stern severity.

Sang Hong also stepped forward and reported, "Indeed, the Regent has repeatedly rendered extraordinary services to the court in recent years. Now, he has bravely risked danger to resolve the issue of otherworldly demons. I do not know what mistake he has made to incur His Majesty's wrath." What a joke, the Sang family was now closely tied to Zu An; how could he stand by and do nothing?

At this point, ministers from the Qin family, Murong family, and other families friendly with Zu An, as well as many officials close to the Imperial Academy, also began to voice their support.

Zhao Ruizhi never expected that the ministers, who had just been so compliant, would now be so aggressive. Seeing many solemn and authoritative figures among them, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty for a moment. "Even if what you say is reasonable, but... but he bullied my Linglong, I... how can I easily forgive him?"

His words lacked any imperial authority; instead, he sounded increasingly wronged towards the end, his voice almost inaudible. However, any minister qualified to attend morning court was a master of profound cultivation, and everyone heard him clearly.

The court, which had just been fervent, suddenly quieted down, everyone looking at Bi Linglong in shock, wondering how such a sensational scandal had suddenly been exposed.

Bi Linglong almost fainted from anger and embarrassment. However, she reacted quickly, letting out a cold snort. "His Majesty was startled last night and is not entirely lucid today, speaking nonsense. Attendants, help His Majesty back to his bedchamber to rest."

"Yes!" Soon, eunuchs and palace maids came to help Zhao Ruizhi. Usually, the Empress's authority was very high, and apart from sudden special circumstances like yesterday, everyone instinctively obeyed her commands.

But Zhao Ruizhi refused. "I'm not confused! I don't want to go back to rest! That Zu fellow bullied you, and you were just trying to protect me..."

At this moment, Prince Yi lightly coughed, interrupting him. "Your Majesty is indeed a bit confused. It's better to return to the palace to rest early." He was under the most pressure here; last night, to trick this foolish Emperor into signing the decree, his two sons had used Zu An as an excuse. If it were truly investigated, his family might be in serious trouble.

Under normal circumstances, a subject speaking to the Emperor like this would be close to high treason, but now, not a single person in the entire hall found it inappropriate. Instead, many joined in, urging the Emperor to return to rest early. What a joke! If they let this foolish Emperor reveal more, how would they salvage the situation? With so many people in the hall, who could guarantee the news wouldn't leak?

After all, the other party was the legitimate Emperor; his words could not be ignored. And if what he said was true, then a minister having an affair with the Empress, even historically, would be an explosive scandal. Every single one of them would be nailed to the pillar of shame in historical records. The key was how to deal with this in reality? Should they really punish the Regent? Not to mention the Regent's powerful network in court and his position as Grand Preceptor of the Imperial Academy, even without these, just by his personal strength, who would dare touch him, and who could? The Prince of Jin, the Old Ancestor of the Meng family, countless experts from the Prince Dai's mansion, and that terrifying golden dragon were all still unburied. Who would dare to seek death? Furthermore, if he were truly pushed to the side of the demon race, and then he led his army south, whether the Great Zhou Dynasty could even survive would be a question. If what the foolish Emperor said was false, spreading it would also be a massive blow to the Emperor's sanctity and majesty, and the entire imperial family and court officials would likely become a laughingstock.

So... Your Majesty, please be quiet! This was the common thought of almost everyone in court.

Zhao Ruizhi was about to say something more, but Bi Linglong glared at him with icy eyes, and he was immediately scared into silence. He had been disciplined by her since his days as Crown Prince; sometimes she was like his mother, wielding a natural authority over him, like a cat over a mouse.

After Zhao Ruizhi was "escorted" back to his bedchamber by the eunuchs and palace maids, Bi Linglong looked at the assembled civil and military officials, wanting to say something, but her cheeks were burning. She hadn't been this embarrassed in many years. No matter how intelligent she was, or how much imperial dignity she possessed, she was still just a teenage girl; such a matter made it impossible for her to remain composed. She had imagined countless scenarios of her relationship with Zu An being exposed, but never this one. Everything had happened so suddenly...

She didn't speak, and the other ministers in the hall dared not speak even more, each one cautious, fearing they might inadvertently cause trouble. However, this was tough on those who had just stood up to plead for Zu An. Now, continuing to speak was not an option, nor was retreating.

Sang Hong's expression was peculiar. He recalled how he had felt a bit depressed thinking that his daughter and daughter-in-law had both been taken by Zu An. He had to constantly console himself that a son-in-law was half a son, and it was still keeping the wealth within the family. But now, seeing that Zu An could even handle the Empress, he felt a strange sense of pride for a moment. His daughter, daughter-in-law, and the current Empress were all sisters!

Jiang Boyang's face was also quite a sight at this moment. He thought to himself that while he knew that boy was a philanderer, he never expected him to be so audacious as to even lay hands on the Empress. No, he had to go back and tell his daughter to keep her distance from him. Jiang Luofu had known Zu An since Brightmoon City, and now she was at the Imperial Academy, serving under him. It was simply too dangerous.

Prince Wu's expression was also incredibly complex. Zu An had always been a thorn in his side, especially recalling how he had personally sent his wife to Zu An's room to ascertain the secrets of the *Phoenix Nirvana Sutra*. At the time, he thought Zu An was a nobody and could be silenced afterward. Who knew he would grow to such a level! During a previous ambush in the capital, Yu Qing had turned against him to save Zu An, clearly showing she had fallen in love with that fellow. Just once, just once, and his usually loving wife became utterly devoted to him? Prince Wu usually went mad with jealousy and regret every time he thought about this, but that Zu fellow was too powerful, and he had no means of retaliation. Until last night, he finally saw a glimmer of hope. But now he was even happier because even the Empress had been "handled" by him. A dignified Emperor had to endure such humiliation, so he wasn't alone anymore. What kind of ability did that guy have to make women so infatuated?

Perhaps the most depressed people in the hall were those from the Qin family. Zu An's official identity was the Chu family's son-in-law. Although the two had divorced earlier, everyone knew it was merely a temporary measure. Over the years, the Regent and Chu Chuyan, as well as the few from the Qin family, had maintained a good relationship. As Chu Chuyan's maternal family, their own son-in-law was out having affairs, and even with the Empress... Sigh, they just came to court, but it felt like green light was emitting from their heads.

At this moment, Bi Linglong lightly coughed. She had finally recovered somewhat. "Indeed, in the past, there were some rumors about this Empress and the Regent, but at that time, the Grand Preceptor personally testified for us, and the late Emperor supervised, which showed our innocence. His Majesty must have heard some slander from somewhere. All my beloved ministers, you must not take it seriously. This Empress will thoroughly investigate this matter to the end."

Hearing her say this, Prince Yi's face slightly changed. He thought to himself, "Those two little rascals of mine, already decades old, still don't know the gravity of things. Now look what happened."

The others all assented, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty!" However, in their hearts, they became even more gossipy. The Empress's explanation was perfectly reasonable, impeccable from every angle. But many things are like this: the more you explain, the more people think you are hiding something. Originally, when the Grand Preceptor came forward to testify, everyone thought nothing of it. But now, connecting the dots, the old Grand Preceptor had passed on his position to Zu An before his death. It suggested their relationship was extraordinary. Given the old Grand Preceptor's style of conduct back then, he had probably already established Zu An as his successor. So, if such rumors occurred, and he told a lie to protect Zu An, what of it? Furthermore, even if nothing happened between them at that time, what about later? After the late Emperor's passing, the entire palace was under the command of the Empress and the Regent, and the Regent frequently entered and exited the palace. There were simply too many opportunities. Looking back, even when he was still the Crown Prince's tutor, the Regent frequently entered and exited the East Palace and had many interactions with the Crown Princess. Compared to Zhao Ruizhi, that foolish fatty, the Regent was handsome and charming, and crucially, his cultivation was unmatched. What maiden could resist his charm? Before, it was only Bi Linglong's status and her exceptionally mature and rational political acumen that made everyone subconsciously overlook that she was still a young girl. Now, woken up by Zhao Ruizhi's words, they suddenly felt a sense of realization. These two were perfectly matched!

Seeing the strange glances and expressions of the ministers below, Bi Linglong probably guessed what they were thinking. She almost fainted from anger. These unhealthy old foxes were truly hateful! Yet, the matter between her and Zu An was true, making her feel guilty even wanting to refute it. In her helplessness, she could only keep a straight face and let out a cold snort: "Not a single word of what happened today is to be leaked. If this Empress hears any rumors, I will certainly punish severely!"

"Court dismissed!" She didn't want to stay in this hall for another second!

Watching Bi Linglong leave with an icy expression, as if fleeing, the ministers in the hall all had a hint of a smile in their eyes. She's flustered, she's flustered! Indeed, she's still just a young girl.

Bi Linglong maintained a stern face all the way back to her bedchamber. Along the way, none of the palace maids dared to utter a word; not even Rong Mo dared to offer comfort.

"Send Lord Bi to see me!" After giving this command, she locked herself in her room, allowing no one to enter. Then she burrowed under the covers, covered her head, and rolled around on the bed, only her legs flailing wildly outside: "Ah, ah, ah, how utterly embarrassing!"