The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 1150 - 1129: The Lawsuit

Chapter 1150: Chapter 1129: The Lawsuit

Guchong immediately knelt down, his head lowered tightly, and said, "Your Majesty, it is the newly appointed secretary, Young Master Bai, who is crying."

The Emperor slightly frowned and turned his head, saying, "Bai Shan, today is the Empress Dowager’s birthday, why are you crying?"

Bai Shan stood up from his seat, wiped away his tears, and knelt down in the great hall. The smile on the Empress Dowager’s face also faded, and she looked at him with some displeasure.

Bai Shan bowed to the ground and said, "Your Majesty, I see the Empress Dowager surrounded by filial descendants and, noticing her kindness and benevolence, I couldn’t help but think of my late father. My father passed away early, and I was unable to bring joy under his knees. Now my grandmother is getting older, yet she still has to toil and travel on my behalf. My heart suddenly became sorrowful, and I couldn’t hold back."

The Empress Dowager’s expression eased slightly, and she smiled, "It’s good that you have such filial piety, your father died a martyr for his country, without any regrets. Just be more filial to your grandmother from now on, good child, stop crying now."

Bai Shan cried even louder, his entire body prostrated on the ground, his sobbing was suppressed and full of sorrow, which instantly spread throughout the quiet great hall.

Old Lord Tang and Wei Zhi exchanged glances, both having a bad premonition.

The Empress Dowager, somewhat displeased, asked, "Child, why are you becoming even sadder the more you cry?"

Bai Shan raised his head, his face streaming with tears as he looked directly at the Empress Dowager and the Emperor sitting above. Glancing at the Emperor and seeing his impassive face, with no intention of stopping him, he understood something.

Bai Shan’s lips trembled slightly, his hands shaking with anger and fear. Suppressing his worry for his two friends, he wiped away his tears and said, "Because I am not a filial person, my father died wronged, but I have been hiding out of fear of power. Seeing the Emperor and all the princes and grandsons so filial to the Empress Dowager, I feel guilty in my heart, and I hate not being able to take my own life to apologize to my father, so I couldn’t help but cry in pain, please punish me, Your Highness."

The Empress Dowager pursed her lips and said, "What grievances do you have...?" Go to the Ministry of Justice and Punishments afterward to speak...

But before she could finish her words, the Emperor continued, "Your father died in suppressing bandits, which is considered dying for the country, what grievances do you have?"

The Prince of Yizhou clenched the wine cup in his hand, about to speak, but Bai Shan quickly interjected, "Your Majesty, my father died for the country, but not in suppressing bandits. He was killed by the Prince of Yizhou!"

The entire hall was shocked.

The Prince of Yizhou threw his wine cup violently, "Where does this impudent child come from, slandering me at the birthday celebration of my royal mother, Imperial Brother!"

The Empress Dowager glanced at the Prince of Yizhou, then turned her head and said, "Emperor, I don’t understand the affairs of the imperial court, but today is my birthday. Whatever the matter is, it would be better if someone took the child away and you ask him tomorrow."

Bai Shan bowed to the ground and said, "Your Majesty, twelve years ago, the Prince of Yizhou embezzled the embankment silver of the Jianwei Canal to raise his private army. Over these twelve years, he has continuously plundered the wealth of the people of Yizhou to recruit talent and raise his private army. His private soldiers are as elite as the imperial guards, and their number even exceeds that of the imperial troops. Should this also be overlooked?"

The officials were greatly alarmed.

The Prince of Yizhou’s eyes widened, and he subconsciously looked towards the Emperor.

The Emperor too was astounded. He hadn’t reacted yet when he already reprimanded, "How dare you! Do you have evidence for your claims? Slanderous accusations without proof against royalty is a crime punishable by the extermination of a family line!"

The officials had already begun discussing amongst themselves, and the great hall suddenly became noisy.

Lord Tang and Wei Zhi exchanged a glance, then stood and stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, raising a private army is a grave matter. Since this young man speaks with such certainty, why not take him away first and then dispatch someone to investigate thoroughly?"

By this point, today’s events were sufficient, and the Emperor turned his head to glance at the Empress Dowager, noticing her displeasure. He quickly nodded, "Very well, guards, take Bai Shan away."

"Hold on," the Empress Dowager tugged at her sleeve to hide her trembling hand, glaring at Bai Shan, "Since he claims to be so certain, he must have evidence. Let him present his evidence now. Otherwise, who knows if he’s just slandering the Prince of Yizhou with empty words?"

The Empress Dowager said, "If we do not punish such acts severely, today on my birthday someone accuses the Prince of Yizhou of raising a private army; tomorrow on the Emperor’s birthday, someone else might accuse other princes of rebellion. Should the strength of the entire nation be expended on chasing after the lies of one or two individuals?"

The vassal princes who had already been vested in their fiefs knelt down one after another, feeling they had been wrongfully implicated.

The Emperor slightly furrowed his brow, looking down at Bai Shan from his elevated position.

Seeing Bai Shan kneeling, the Empress Dowager became angry, "What, did you enter the palace empty-handed to lodge a complaint? Or do you have no evidence, and are simply seizing this opportunity to slander the Prince of Yizhou due to a private grudge?"

"The evidence is with me," a voice sounded from outside the hall.

Everyone turned to look, and saw Manbao running in, panting. She didn’t slow down until she made her way into the great hall. Then, she brushed her disheveled hair back behind her ears, facing everyone with a bloodstain marring her face as she approached step by step.

When Manbao had entered the palace today, she had been wearing two buns, modestly adorned with a few beaded flowers. Now, her hair had become disheveled, and the bloodstain on her face was especially conspicuous.

Since she had been sitting with Princess Mingda earlier, most of the people in the hall had taken notice of her. Seeing her in such a disarray, they couldn’t help but glance behind her.

The Fifth Prince, Ji Hao, and Princess Changyu were chasing after her into the hall. They evidently hadn’t heard what the Empress Dowager had just said and were unaware of what had transpired in the hall. Seeing the silence inside, and Zhou Man walking forward with his head raised, the Fifth Prince was startled. He hurriedly came forward, grabbed Zhou Man, and dropped to his knees, "Imperial Grandmother, Father Emperor, my cousin Yunfeng and Doctor Zhou Junior had a conflict. In a fit of anger, my cousin accidentally struck Doctor Zhou Junior with a whip. I will take her out right now."

The Fifth Prince knelt down, but Manbao did not. She wrestled free from the Fifth Prince’s grip and walked over to where Bai Shan was kneeling.

Bai Shan had already turned his head to watch her. Seeing her disheveled appearance, with a wound on her face, his entire face tensed. He watched as she approached him step by step.

Atop the great hall, the Fifth Prince couldn’t forcefully pull Zhou Man away. He could only get up and follow her, lowering his voice to persuade, "Zhou Man, have you lost your mind? You were already out of control just now. How can you now... The Empress Dowager is very fond of Yunfeng, she won’t... for you..."

Manbao quickened her pace, and the Fifth Prince, unable to follow, could only clench his teeth and stop in his tracks.

Earlier in the garden, Zhou Man didn’t know what had gotten into him. He clearly had stopped Li Yunfeng, and she should have just walked away with Mingda.

Instead, she suddenly charged at him, pushed him aside, and then shoved Li Yunfeng hard to the ground.

Not only were he and Li Yunfeng stunned at that moment, but so were the other witnesses. Then Li Yunfeng got up and viciously struck her with the whip.

Who would have known that she wouldn’t dodge or yield, instead standing still and taking the whip across her face.

At that time, everyone was frozen in shock. Ji Hao rushed forward to check on her face but was brushed aside by Manbao. Then, right in front of their eyes, she yanked open her hair and began running toward the great hall.

Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m