Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?-Chapter 652 - 521: The Way of Heaven is Changeable, Fortune Rotates
At this moment, all eyes were collectively focused on the slim figure who suddenly stepped out of the line, a person whose very silhouette exuded a sense of hardship.
This was none other than the venerable official Pei Xu, who had been previously exiled to the South and only recently returned to Daxing to resume his official duties.
Shang Ruyi had long heard of him by reputation. This Left Director of the Imperial Secretariat, whether in appearance or demeanor, bore a striking resemblance to Shen Shiyan in the sorrowful concern for the nation and people evident in his eyebrows. However, his hair was whiter, the wrinkles on his face more numerous, and his back somewhat hunched, clearly showing the indelible marks left by more than a year of exile.
At the sight of him, a slight shadow immediately clouded the small face of Chu Chengfei, while the courtiers displayed a variety of expressions.
Pei Xu stood in the center of the hall, raising his hand in salute to Chu Chengfei, but before he could speak, Chu Chengfei had already frowned in displeasure: "Lord Pei, just a moment ago when I asked if anyone had a report, you remained silent. What do you have to say now? You may step down."
"Your Majesty,"
Pei Xu’s expression remained unchanged, and he even straightened his somewhat hunched back as he declared proudly, "This old minister did not speak earlier because I was carefully considering my words, for I must be cautious not to fall into the same fate as the Minister of Rites."
At the mention of "Minister of Rites," the hall was once again abuzz.
Even Yu Wenquan looked at him with some surprise.
Chu Chengfei immediately responded with displeasure, "That person incites alarm and disrupts the court. I assume Lord Pei would not mimic such deception of the sovereign. Please stand down."
With that, he waved his hand.
But Pei Xu remained unmoved, stating, "This old minister has thought long and hard, yet still chooses to speak, for I am resolved that even should I meet the same end as the Minister of Rites today, I must finish what I have to say. Once I have spoken, even if Your Majesty casts me into prison or beheads me in public, I shall have no regrets or complaints!"
"...!"
Hearing this, it was clear that he intended to offer counsel at the risk of his life again.
Chu Chengfei’s small face was almost twisted in frustration—his late father, Chu Yang, had detested these ministers who dared to speak bluntly, yet his authority sufficiently supported his whims. But Chu Chengfei, being different from Chu Yang, was young, lacking both the intimidation to awe the courtiers and the wisdom to outmaneuver them. As long as the Grand Chancellor remained silent, the courtiers could almost manipulate this Little Emperor at will.
And at this moment, upon hearing the words "Minister of Rites," Yu Wenquan stood unmoved, his eyelids lowered.
Clearly, he had no intention of speaking.
Chu Chengfei felt a slight panic, but it was too late to say anything, as Pei Xu had already stepped forward to address the visibly flustered Emperor: "Your Majesty, the other day, Your Majesty imprisoned the Minister of Rites for his advice. This humble servant has thought hard, but cannot understand—Your Majesty summoned him to the palace to inquire about past events, and the Minister of Rites did indeed report truthfully, so why should he suffer such a calamity?"
At these words, the hall erupted once more in murmurs.
Though the matter had already been widely known and discussed, with some knowing the details and others not, no one had expected Pei Xu to so bluntly reveal everything.
Chu Chengfei’s expression immediately changed, yet, in the end, he was still a child. When questioned in this manner, not only did he lack the ability to respond, but he also felt an instinctive fear. However, Pei Xu did not wait for him to speak and continued, "I often hear it said that if a ruler is virtuous, the ministers will be forthright; if forthright ministers are punished, then the ruler cannot be considered virtuous."
"..."
"Your Majesty, if the Minister of Rites’ words have merit, Your Majesty should choose to heed them, if—"
"Lord Pei!"
A voice filled with evident anger suddenly interrupted Pei Xu’s words, as astonished gazes once again turned toward the graceful and elegant figure. Chu Ruoyan stood up with anger displayed on her face, addressing Pei Xu: "You, as the Left Director of the Imperial Secretariat, how can you be so unaware of what is important or trivial? If the Minister of Rites’ words held merit, would Your Majesty have had him imprisoned? It is clear that his words incited fear and disrupted the court, yet you still speak on his behalf?"
Pei Xu immediately saluted her: "Your Highness, Eldest Princess, this old minister does not speak on behalf of the Minister of Rites."
"Then what are you doing?"
"This old minister is speaking out for him, seeking justice!"
These words were not merely a response within the court; they clearly carried a confrontational tone, compelling the surrounding courtiers to utter gasps of concern, while Shang Ruyi, kneeling on the ground, felt her heart pounding heavily like thunder over her head.
At this moment, a hand reached out to grasp her arm, pulling her to her feet.
Turning back to look, it was Yu Wenye, who casually stepped out from the line to stand beside her, yet he said nothing and merely looked quietly toward Pei Xu. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
This—
Shang Ruyi glanced at him, then at Pei Xu, and suddenly she understood.
In recent days, although he had been angry, upon careful reflection, he had done nothing but express anger, and aside from taking her to the Ministry of Justice Prison, he seemed to do nothing else. However, this was clearly unlike his personality and style—this matter not only involved the future of the Yuwen Family but also intimately concerned his own future. How could he truly remain indifferent, allowing only Yu Wenquan and herself to make decisions?
The Pei Clan had long-standing ties with him, and Pei Xu had personally witnessed the events when Chu Chengfei punished Shen Shiyan a few days ago. He understood the situation clearly, and only he could effectively challenge this at such a moment.
"Raising objections?"
These three words added fuel to Chu Ruoyan’s anger, and she said fiercely, "Do you know that his reckless words are an affront to the monarch!" As she spoke, her eyes grew cold, and she suddenly said, "You and Shen Shiyan are birds of a feather—previously, you were exiled to Lingnan for crimes of deceiving the Emperor, yet now, upon the Emperor’s ascension and pardon across the realm, you return not to redeem yourselves but to form cliques and manipulate under the guise of a comet’s appearance, sowing chaos amongst the people!"
Saying this, she gritted her teeth and said, "You are nothing but treacherous ministers and traitors deceiving the Emperor!"
Her words immediately terrified the gathered crowd into changing their expressions.
One must know, Shen Shiyan was punished precisely for deceiving the monarch, and now this Eldest Princess attaches the same charge to Pei Xu’s name, could it be she intends to punish him as well?
The surprise of the crowd was not only due to this—despite the Eldest Princess’s favored status, since she was placed on the court by Chu Yang as a child and cried out in fear, she had never been involved in any political affairs, remaining merely a cherished and exalted princess.
No one expected her to speak decisively on the court now, and with such words, to accuse Pei Xu!
Shang Ruyi became anxious, instinctively taking a step forward to speak.
But a firm force pulled her back immediately—turning her head, she saw it was Yu Wenye, who silently shook his head at her.
"...?"
What does this mean?
Just as Shang Ruyi was somewhat bewildered, Pei Xu also recovered from the shock brought by Chu Ruoyan’s last sentence, looking at the Eldest Princess with a faint smile, he said, "Indeed, the ’abdicate’ word the Minister of Rites uttered was an offence, yet he dared to speak it at the risk of death. Why did he say it?"
"..."
"His Majesty the Emperor, Princess, do you not have the slightest idea?"
His words seemed to retreat slightly, but everyone understood that it was an advance by retreat, like someone gathering strength by stepping back before a reunion.
Realizing this, Chu Ruoyan’s complexion shifted dramatically!
Her reaction was mirrored by the entire court as they nearly held their breath.
In this suffocating silence, Pei Xu slowly spoke again, "The Da Ye Dynasty has lasted twenty-eight years, defeated the Turkic in the north, pacified Jiangdu in the south, pressured Gouli in the east, secured Dunhuang in the west, spreading benevolence all over the world, and infused culture into the four corners—it is truly a rare accomplishment seen once in a century, the name of Da Ye is well deserved."
"..."
"But the ways of heaven are impermanent, prosperity alternates."
"..."
"Now, the Da Ye Dynasty is engulfed in war, people suffer, Luoyang has fallen, Jiangdu is split, Xue Xian’s forces temporarily ward off from the west, while the Turkic in the north watch eagerly, amidst all this, citizens suffer profoundly, the nation stands in peril like eggs in a stack. His Majesty does not ponder reclaiming lost lands nor revitalizing the country, instead indulging in leisure daily—is this worthy of Emperor Wen, worthy of the late Emperor, worthy of the name ’Da Ye’?"
"..."
"Thus, ominous signs descend, a comet appears in the northwest as a portend of calamity, the Minister of Rites proposes a solution, encapsulated in one word—abdication, as a means to avert disasters, also a remedy for the stalemate of the Da Ye Dynasty."
"..."
Saying this, he straightened his back, his aged yet clear eyes looking at the little Emperor on the court, who was struck dumb by his words, unable to utter a single word. Then he turned to the pale-faced Eldest Princess, obviously flustered and uncertain of how to respond, and loudly said, "Your Majesty! Your Highness! You must comply with divine mandate, seize the right moment, otherwise, when disaster strikes—"
As his last words were uttered, thunderous sounds from the sky accompanied them, growing closer as if the heavens themselves were adding force to his speech, making the entire hall tremble with the echo of those words!
At this moment, Shang Ruyi’s breath caught.
Only now did she understand why Yu Wenye stopped her—for she was merely a Second Rank imperial decree lady, her status was high but she held no real power in the court, nor did any renown, and even if she had spoken those words just now, they would hardly have the ear-splitting effect that shocked the courtiers and might lose credibility due to her familial ties with Shen Shiyan.
But Pei Xu was different—he was an old minister, and with significant renown in court, his words were able to capture everyone’s attention and truly astonish all present!
And now, he not only brought up "abdication," but also drew everyone’s emotions towards those two words—
Disaster!
Which is what she "hoped" for, a turning point!
At this moment, this path seemed almost laid at Shang Ruyi’s feet.
