RPAGF Chapter 269 How to Win Over the Public?
Chapter 269 How to Win Over the Public?
After hearing Chen Tongyu's words, Zheng Luoqi did not immediately jump up to refute him as he had imagined, but instead remained unusually calm.
He slowly picked up the prescription, then walked up to Chen Tongyu and held it up in front of him.
"Lord Chen, you think I'm talking nonsense? Then explain to me what this prescription is all about!"
"This was personally given to me by Her Majesty the Empress. His Majesty was also present at the time and can testify to it. This prescription is definitely for treating His Majesty's illness, and it is not something I made up on the spot."
Zheng Luoqi stared intently at Chen Tongyu, her eyes filled with questioning and doubt. Chen Tongyu's expression stiffened slightly, his fingers unconsciously clenching the hem of his clothes, a barely perceptible hint of panic flashing in his eyes.
He took a deep breath and tried to make his voice sound steady and strong.
"Lord Zheng, do you know what you're saying? Her Majesty the Empress is the mother of the nation, how can you slander her like this? This prescription might be a mistake made by the imperial physician due to a momentary oversight."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Luoqi's smile deepened, her eyes filled with cold mockery.
"Oh? Lord Chen has certainly found a good excuse for Her Majesty the Empress. It's a pity, this prescription isn't the only problem."
As he spoke, he slowly pulled out a stack of papers from his sleeve, shook them gently, and the papers made a rustling sound, attracting everyone's attention.
"These are the records of medicinal materials entering and leaving the Imperial Pharmacy, which I sent people to copy."
Zheng Luoqi's voice was deep and clear, as if every word struck the hearts of everyone, "Please look, everyone, in the past few months, the medicinal materials used to treat colds in the Imperial Pharmacy have been consumed very little, but on the contrary, a large number of several extremely precious tonic medicinal materials have been lost."
"And where did these medicinal herbs go..." Zheng Luoqi suddenly looked at Chen Tongyu and said, "Lord Chen, would you like to guess where these medicinal herbs went?"
Chen Tongyu felt Zheng Luoqi's gaze. His expression was somewhat indifferent, as if he did not want to have much interaction with Zheng Luoqi, and could even be described as somewhat resistant.
At this moment, Chen Tongyu frowned slightly, revealing a clear sense of impatience.
Seeing this, Zheng Luoqi continued, "Half of these medicinal herbs went to Consort Shu's palace, and the other half naturally went to the Emperor's palace."
"The whereabouts of these medicinal herbs are inconsistent with the prescription Her Majesty the Empress gave me. Why is that?"
Zheng Luoqi looked at Chen Tongyu with a smile, but there was a hint of mockery in that smile.
The atmosphere in the hall froze instantly, and everyone seemed to stop breathing.
Chen Tongyu's expression changed completely, cold sweat trickled down his forehead, and his throat was so dry that he could barely speak.
"You...you're framing me! How could Her Majesty the Empress possibly..."
Zheng Luoqi's face was ashen, and she directly raised her hand to interrupt Chen Tongyu.
"Whether it's slander or not, it's not something you and I can decide by making things up here!" Zheng Luoqi said coldly, her face ashen. "Since that's the case, why not hand this matter over to the Imperial Guard for a thorough investigation, so as to clear Her Majesty the Empress's name!"
Zheng Luoqi's words were resounding and caused a stir in the court.
The crowd whispered amongst themselves, some nodding in agreement, while others looked troubled.
Upon seeing this, Zheng Luoqi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile.
He turned to Chen Tongyu and said provocatively, "If Her Majesty the Empress really has a problem, then how dare she, a woman from the inner palace, presume to seize power and even plot to murder the Emperor? The consequences would be unimaginable, Lord Chen!"
Chen Tongyu trembled with rage. His eyes widened in fury as he pointed at Zheng Luoqi's nose and cursed, "You scoundrel! You're spouting utter nonsense! Her Majesty the Empress is a paragon of virtue and prestige; how dare you slander her like this!"
Zheng Luoqi remained calm and composed, replying casually, "Lord Chen, I am merely stating the facts. If Her Majesty the Empress has a clear conscience, why should she fear the investigation by the Imperial Guard?"
Chen Tongyu was speechless, his face turning pale and then red. After a long while, he finally managed to choke out, "You, a mere subject, dare to make arbitrary judgments and investigate the Empress without the Emperor's decree. This is simply outrageous!"
Zheng Luoqi sneered and retorted, "Lord Chen, you are mistaken. My actions are not intended to investigate Her Majesty the Empress without authorization."
"This matter concerns His Majesty's health and safety. Special cases require special handling. If Her Majesty the Empress is innocent, I will apologize to Her Majesty and accept whatever punishment I may receive!"
Seeing Zheng Luoqi pressing him relentlessly, Chen Tongyu dropped the pretense and sneered, "If we were to thoroughly investigate the Empress based on every single suspicion you have, what would become of her dignity? What would become of her authority as the mother of the nation?"
He paused, then continued, "This world is not for you, Zheng, to dictate. Whether the Empress has any problems or not, let the Emperor decide!"
Zheng Luoqi's face darkened with anger. She snorted coldly, her voice revealing a hint of disdain, and retorted without backing down, "The Emperor's life or death is currently unknown. This is a matter of great importance concerning the nation! If we don't find out the truth, how can we serve as his subjects with a clear conscience?"
Zheng Luoqi straightened up and continued, "Today, I, Zheng Luoqi, as the Censor-in-Chief, along with twenty-one other important court officials, have reached a consensus and request a thorough investigation into this matter!"
After saying that, Zheng Luoqi waved to signal the people around her to bring up the memorial that had been prepared in advance.
The memorial looked quite thick. Upon opening it, one would find the names of twenty-one officials, headed by the prime minister, densely written at the end. Each name was stamped with their official seal to signify its solemnity.
"We must not only ascertain the Emperor's safety, but also find out why Consort Shu suddenly passed away!"
"If Her Majesty the Empress is indeed guilty, then she shall bear the corresponding punishment. But if she is innocent, we will report to His Majesty what he did today and deal with it according to the laws of Great Xia!"
Zheng Luoqi's voice was strong and clear, revealing a strong determination.
Chen Tongyu looked at the memorials, his face ashen, his hands clenched into fists. His gaze lingered on Zheng Luoqi's face for a moment, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.
Chen Tongyu gave a cold laugh, "Lord Zheng, are you trying to take advantage of the Emperor's illness to stir up trouble?"
Zheng Luoqi remained unmoved, a faint sneer playing on her lips. "Lord Chen, you are mistaken. I am devoted to the country and only seek the truth to come to light. But Lord Chen, why are you in such a hurry to distance yourself? Is there some hidden story behind this?"
Chen Tongyu's face darkened further. "Insolence! Are you implying that I am colluding with the Empress to murder the Emperor?"
Zheng Luoqi remained calm and composed, looking directly at Chen Tongyu. "I dare not draw any conclusions, but the facts are clear: the Empress's prescription does not match the records of the Imperial Pharmacy's medicinal materials. If this matter is not thoroughly investigated, how can we convince the public?"