RPAGF Chapter 476 His Majesty Threatens Me?
Chapter 476 His Majesty Threatens Me?
He had no idea when the Emperor had conceived such a thought. While the officials who impeached Xiao Youchuan and Si Mutong were certainly despicable, how could the Emperor have deemed such a memorial correct if he had no suspicions?
The younger sister continued, "But if I arrest them directly, the world will think I don't care about sisterly ties. So, I need you to do something for me, Feng Zizhou, are you willing?"
Feng Zizhou was speechless for a long time before finally saying, "What does Your Majesty want me to do?"
The younger sister smiled slightly: "I want you to spread the word among the people that Xiao Youchuan is hoarding private soldiers, colluding with Si Mutong, and plotting to usurp the throne!"
Feng Zizhou was so startled that he took two steps back and fell to the ground.
Besides him and the emperor, there were two eunuchs and imperial guards in the entire hall.
But the eunuchs and imperial guards kept their eyes down, seemingly oblivious to what they had seen or heard.
Only him.
Feng Zizhou saw his younger sister come down and approached him step by step until she stood in front of him.
He thought she wanted him to do it immediately.
But the younger sister didn't. She walked over, looked down at Feng Zizhou, and smiled slightly, as if she had just been joking.
She said, "Zhao Ning should rest now. She's doing well in the palace. Once she's feeling better, I'll have someone send her back to the Duke's mansion."
Feng Zizhou opened his mouth, wanting to say that Zhao Ning was six months pregnant and that living in the palace was inconvenient for her.
But he couldn't say anything.
The younger sister raised an eyebrow and continued, "She told me that she felt heavy and tired. Your elder brother told me that this baby might be a girl. If that's true, Zhao Ning will be a great contributor to your Duke's success."
Feng Zizhou suddenly felt his mouth was dry and his whole body felt as if it were being strangled.
The younger sister added, "However, her pregnancy is somewhat unstable, which is a real headache for me. I don't know much about childbirth, and if something unexpected happens..."
She turned around, walked slowly to the window and looked outside, but didn't continue talking about Zhao Ning for a long time.
"The weather is gradually getting cooler."
Feng Zizhou felt a chill run down his spine, and after a long while, he finally managed to speak: "Is Your Majesty... threatening me?"
The younger sister didn't turn around and said, "Feng Zizhou, you're already in your thirties. Compared to your brother, you're far behind. Go back and ask your elder brother. After all, I trust him the most."
Feng Zizhou did not insist on bringing Zhao Ning back; he returned home in a daze.
The Crown Prince's wife had been extremely worried. Upon seeing him return, she immediately ordered people to prepare water and set out a meal.
"You silly child, you went out without telling your sister-in-law. You haven't come back for several days, and your sister-in-law has been worried sick."
Feng Zizhou stared blankly at his sister-in-law, his eyes unconsciously reddening. But he didn't shed a tear; he knew it would be useless.
The incident involving the Shao family a few days ago had caused him immense distress, but compared to his audience with the Emperor today, such distress seemed insignificant.
His sister-in-law couldn't help him.
He said, "Sister-in-law, where is my eldest brother?"
The Crown Prince's wife looked unwell and sighed softly, "Your elder brother is ill, and... sigh, go and see him, but don't upset him again."
When Feng Zizhou went to the study to see Feng Ziheng, he almost didn't recognize him. His elder brother, not yet fifty, already had half his hair turned white.
"Big brother, what's wrong with you? What's wrong?"
Feng Ziheng sat in his study, reviewing documents sent by his staff. He wasn't surprised to hear that Feng Zizhou had arrived.
He didn't answer the question about his gray hair and beard, but simply asked, "Have you entered the palace?"
"Yes……"
Feng Ziheng said, "His Majesty did not allow your wife and children to return to the manor?"
Feng Zizhou, somewhat anxious, walked over and said, "Brother, what does Her Majesty mean? Is she... trying to threaten me by detaining Ningning and the child?"
"Don't rush, sit down first." Feng Ziheng asked him to sit down and then asked him to brew tea before asking, "Tell me what His Majesty asked you to do."
Feng Zizhou asked in surprise, "How did you know His Majesty had ordered me to do this?"
Feng Ziheng chuckled but did not answer.
Feng Zizhou relayed what his younger sister had told him in the palace, and asked anxiously, "Brother, is what His Majesty said true or false? Princess Xintong is her own sister, how could she be so heartless as to send General Cao to... to..." because of some rumors.
He couldn't bring himself to say it, and even felt somewhat discouraged.
Feng Ziheng took the teacup from his hand and said softly, "How similar it is to what happened back then? The late emperor asked me with a memorial, what should he do with the Shao family?"
Feng Zizhou then realized: "Back then, when the late emperor asked you what you thought, elder brother... he wasn't asking, he was demanding that you stand on his side, so elder brother, you..."
Feng Ziheng looked up at him: "Do you think I have the right to refuse?"
No, even though he was the heir of the Duke of Fengguo's mansion and the late emperor's most capable assistant, he had no right to say no.
The Shao family and the Feng family are related by marriage; the matriarch of the Shao family is his great-aunt.
But what could he do? Was he supposed to defy the late emperor and disregard the safety of the Feng family for something whose truth was unknown?
"Not only can I not say a word for the Shao family, but I also have to find a way to extricate the Feng family from the middle... and the Si family is my pledge of allegiance."
Feng Zizhou clutched his chest: "You advised the late emperor to punish the Si family so that our Feng family could be safe, is that it?"
Feng Ziheng gave a bitter smile: "Back then, your second and third sisters-in-law were both pregnant, and your mother's health was not good. How could I not consider these things?"
Feng Zizhou pointed at him, wanting to curse him out loud, but thinking of Zhao Ning in the palace, he was filled with resentment and couldn't utter a single word.
His voice was hoarse: "Then... does Your Majesty know about these things?"
Feng Ziheng said, "Your Majesty is wise. You may not have known this before, but you should know it in the future."
"How did His Majesty forgive you?"
Feng Ziheng laughed: "Because Your Majesty, like me, knows that there is no right or wrong in anything in this world. It is true that I used the Si family as a pledge of loyalty, but I also indirectly helped the Si family. If the Si family had stayed in the capital, it wouldn't just be Si Jingyu and Si Jingyuan who would have died. I'm afraid Si Xingzhi and Si Jing'an would not have escaped either."
Feng Zizhou had absolutely no idea how to react.
He said, "If my elder brother really thought he was right, how could half of his hair have turned white in just a few days after the Shao family appeared?"
Feng Ziheng touched his gray hair and gave a bitter smile: "Right and wrong, what does it matter? Zizhou, you've grown up. You should know how to be sensible and how to act. That's the most appropriate choice in the current situation."
Feng Zizhou pursed his lips and remained silent.
Feng Ziheng said, "Rest tonight, and tomorrow go to the palace to apologize to His Majesty and bring Zhao Ning and the child back."
Feng Zizhou said in a low voice, "But I think that if there are still pure people in this world, it can only be Xiao Youchuan and Si Mutong."