I died tragically in my previous life, and I want to be an empress in my next life

The atmosphere at the morning court the next day was unusually solemn.

The emperor ordered the execution of Zhao Yunbo and his men, confiscated their property, and exiled everyone in the palace to the northwest. Zhao Taifu was dismissed from his post as Taifu for failing to supervise properly, and the crown prince was fined for three years.

Prince Jing was rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold for his meritorious service in investigating the case, and all meritorious persons were rewarded according to their merits.

In the court, everyone heard the decree and speculated that Prince Jing had made great contributions but was only rewarded with some gold and silver. It was conceivable that the emperor did not value Prince Jing, and Xuanyuan Ping knew this.

As for the punishment for the crown prince, everyone felt that it was too light. It was just a fine of three years' salary, which was hardly a punishment for the crown prince.

At this time, another censor stepped forward, holding the memorial in both hands, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to submit."

The emperor frowned slightly, looked at the censor, and asked, "What do you want to report?"

The censor took a deep breath and said loudly, "Your Majesty, the case of Zhao Yunbo has caused great public outrage. As the crown prince, he should set an example. However, this incident has exposed the crown prince's inability to govern his country. I dare to ask Your Majesty to depose the crown prince to calm the public outrage and maintain the stability of the court."

As soon as this was said, the court was in an uproar. Many ministers discussed it, some supported the censor's point of view, and some opposed it. The emperor's face was livid and he was furious, but he did not issue an order for a long time.

Upon seeing this, Xuanyuan Ping hurried forward and knelt before the emperor, "Father, my brother was also deceived by a traitor. I beg you to forgive me this time."

Xuanyuan Ping knew in his heart that the emperor still cared about his family, especially since Crown Prince Xuanyuan Zheng had been raised by him since he was a child. How could he have the heart to depose the crown prince like this?

Xuanyuan Ping was well aware of the emperor's inner conflicts and struggles, so he chose to plead for the prince at this critical moment.

Giving the emperor a way out is not only a smart decision, but also a wise choice. Doing so will undoubtedly add a lot of points to his status in the emperor's heart.

Xuanyuan Ping knelt down to the emperor again and said earnestly, "Father, my brother has been deceived by the villain these days and has done some foolish things. Please forgive him. My brother is kind by nature."

Sure enough, the emperor's expression softened a little after hearing Xuanyuan Ping's words.

Just as the emperor was hesitating, another censor stepped forward and said righteously, "Your Majesty, the crown prince is immoral and cannot continue to serve as the crown prince. He should be deposed!"

The emperor frowned upon hearing this, and was extremely upset. He knew clearly that the matter of deposing the crown prince was a serious matter and must be considered carefully. However, he also understood that this incident had caused great damage to the crown prince's image, and that something must be done to calm the public anger.

Finally, the emperor took a deep breath and made a difficult decision. He waved his hand, with a hint of helplessness and fatigue in his voice, "Although the prince has made mistakes, his crime is not serious enough. This matter will be discussed later, and I will make a final decision."

The censor saw that the emperor had made up his mind and knew that he could not change it, so he could only withdraw silently. Everyone in the hall looked at each other, and no one dared to speak for a while.

Xuanyuan Zheng, kneeling in the main hall, breathed a sigh of relief. In this incident, the prince's party suffered heavy casualties and was seriously injured.

Xuanyuan Zheng prostrated himself on the ground, his voice trembling, "Father, I know my crime. I will turn over a new leaf and do my best for the people!"

The emperor sat on the dragon throne and looked at Xuanyuan Zheng with deep eyes. His eyes flashed with complex emotions, including anger and disappointment, as well as helplessness and regret.

He knew that although Xuanyuan Zheng had made mistakes, he was still his son after all and he could not completely give him up.

The emperor said in a deep voice, "Prince needs to reflect on his behavior. From today on, you must study hard and cultivate your character. I hope you can truly understand your mistakes and become a virtuous crown prince."

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Zheng kowtowed three times and said firmly, "I obey your command!"

Then, the emperor stood up and left with a cold face. Seeing this, the eunuch in front of the emperor shouted loudly, "Dismiss the court!"

Prince Jing's Mansion

"Your Highness, don't be discouraged. Although this action has not been able to completely eliminate the prince's party, it has already shaken their foundation." Zhang Musheng picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and his eyes became solemn.

This cup of tea was a famous Jiangnan tea given by Xuanyuan Ping. The tea leaves were tender green, the tea soup was clear, and the fragrance was fragrant, but his mind was not on the tea at this moment.

"However, the prince's party will definitely fight back after this attack, so we must be on guard."

Xuanyuan Ping's eyes flashed with coldness, and he looked intimidating without even getting angry. "This time, we have completely torn our relationship with the Crown Prince's party. In the future, they will definitely fight back madly, intending to clip my wings."

Zhang Musheng nodded and agreed, "Your Highness is right. The prince's party has suffered heavy losses this time, and they will be eager to restore their strength. This is the perfect opportunity for us to seize the opportunity and pursue the victory."

Xuanyuan Ping nodded, gently picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, took a deep breath, and continued, "If General Lin's forces are in the military camp, I will be confident. General Lin is loyal and reliable, and his support is crucial to us. However, the prince's party still has considerable power in the court, so we still need to remain vigilant and not take it lightly."

Zhang Musheng nodded again and agreed, "Your Highness is right. General Lin's support is indeed crucial, but we must also confirm his true intentions and make sure that he truly supports Your Highness. At the same time, we cannot ignore the power of the prince's party in the court, and we must be prepared to deal with it."

Xuanyuan Ping put down the teacup and took a deep breath, "Well, I will take care of this myself."

Zhang Musheng took the order and left.

Xuanyuan Ping sat alone in the study, thinking secretly in his heart that although General Lin had been secretly supporting him, he still felt a little unsure because it had always been Pei Zhiyan who had been in contact with the General's Mansion, and he had no contact with the General's Mansion.

Xuanyuan Ping knew very well that the situation in the court was complicated and unpredictable. If General Lin suddenly changed his mind, he would lose more than he gained.

However, he also understood that the emperor most abhorred the princes from having too close contacts with court officials, and he himself could not have too much contact with General Lin.

Thinking of this, he got up and went to Yime Garden. At this time, the only one who could help him was Pei Zhiyan.

As soon as he walked out of the study, Xuanyuan Ping met Pei Zhixuan.

She walked over with a smile, holding an exquisite porcelain bowl.

"Your Highness, this is the bird's nest porridge that I just cooked. It will be very helpful for your recovery." Pei Zhixuan said softly.

Xuanyuan Ping was so worried that he had no mood to enjoy the bird's nest porridge. He just nodded slightly and said, "Xuan'er, I'm going to Yimei Garden now, you go back first."

Pei Zhixuan looked a little disappointed, but she still said gently, "Your Highness, it happens that Xuan'er hasn't seen her sister for a long time, why don't you go with your Highness?"

Xuanyuan Ping was eager to find Pei Zhiyan, so he said, "I have something important to discuss with the princess, so Xuan'er should go back first."

His tone was a little stiff, and it was obvious that he wanted to go to Yime Garden alone.

"Your Highness..." Pei Zhixuan's voice carried a hint of grievance and unwillingness, but Xuanyuan Ping turned around and walked away in big strides.