SCT-Novel Chapter 385 Court of Secrets III
Chapter 385 Court of Secrets III
Yang Luoyang's eyes narrowed as he faced Zheng Liang. The court held its breath, waiting for his response.
"Your Highness," Yang Luoyang began, his voice steady and confident, "I firmly deny these baseless accusations. My years of loyal service speak for themselves."
He paused, sweeping his gaze across the assembled ministers before continuing, "These so-called 'discrepancies' are nothing more than administrative errors, blown out of proportion by inexperienced eyes."
Zheng Liang's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with barely contained anger. "Inexperienced eyes, Minister Yang? Are you suggesting that Prince Zheng Xiang is incompetent?" He paused, his voice growing colder. "Or perhaps you're accusing me of being incompetent, unable to make a fair judgment?"
The court fell into a hushed silence, the tension palpable as they awaited Yang Luoyang's response.
Yang Luoyang bowed slightly, a picture of false humility. "Not at all, Your Highness. I would never dare to question your judgment or Prince Zheng Xiang's capabilities. I merely suggest that the intricacies of imperial finance are complex. It takes years to grasp fully—"
He paused, his eyes glinting with calculated malice. "And of course, one must consider the source of these accusations. After all, we mustn't forget recent... unfortunate events."
A hushed murmur swept through the court. Zheng Xiang stiffened, his face paling.
Yang Luoyang continued, his voice dripping with false concern, "It pains me to bring this up, Your Highness, but can we truly trust the judgment of someone so closely connected to... someone who committed a grave crime by attempting treason and almost—" He paused, letting the implication hang in the air, before continuing softly, "Well, we all remember those dark days.
The apple, as they say, doesn't fall far from the tree."
A collective gasp echoed through the hall. Ministers exchanged worried glances, some nodding in agreement with Yang Luoyang's thinly veiled accusation.
Zheng Xiang's face paled, his fists clenching at his sides. Zheng Liang's eyes flashed dangerously, but before he could respond, Minister Lao stood up, his voice quavering.
"Your Highness, Minister Yang raises a valid point. The former Empress's actions are still fresh in our minds. How can we be certain her son doesn't harbor similar... inclinations?"
The court erupted into chaos, with ministers shouting over one another:
"It's true! How can we trust him?"
"Perhaps this is all a ploy to discredit loyal ministers!"
"Your Highness, we must reconsider Prince Zheng Xiang's position!"
Zheng Liang raised his hand for silence, his face dark and grim with fury. "Enough!" His voice thundered through the hall, momentarily quieting the uproar. "Prince Zheng Xiang's loyalty is not in question here. We are discussing Minister Yang's—"
But his words were quickly drowned out as the tumult resumed, even louder than before. Ministers shouted over one another, their faces flushed with emotion:
"But Your Highness, how can we ignore such a connection?"
"The safety of the empire is at stake!"
"What final words did Minister Zen leave?"
As the clamor grew, Emperor Zheng Huang, who had been observing the proceedings in silence, raised his hand. The court immediately fell quiet.
"Crown Prince," His Majesty's voice was calm but firm, "it seems the court is eager to hear Minister Zen's last words. Let us not keep them in suspense."
Zheng Liang looked up, his face a mask of shock and disbelief. Seeing his son's distress, Emperor Zheng Huang's jaw tightened as he understood what was going on. But he remained calm and nodded to his personal guard.
"Read the note aloud," he commanded.
The guard stepped forward, taking the crumpled paper from Zheng Liang's unresisting hands. In a clear, steady voice, he began to read:
"I, Minister Zen, confess to all crimes of corruption. The fraudulent documents, the misappropriated revenues, and aid - all were my doing. I betrayed Minister Yang's trust, using his name to further my own greed. Even the villa in the south is mine, acquired through my deceit."
A collective gasp echoed through the hall. The guard paused, then continued:
"I can no longer bear the weight of my sins, nor the... the violent interrogations aimed at forcing me to falsely accuse Minister Yang."
The court erupted into chaos. Ministers who had been silent now clamored in support of Yang Luoyang.
"By the heavens, we've gravely misjudged Minister Yang! What a terrible injustice we nearly committed!"
"To think that Minister Yang bore the weight of such betrayal in silence! His loyalty to the empire is beyond question!"
"We should be ashamed of ourselves! Minister Yang was nearly condemned for crimes he didn't commit. How can we ever make amends?"
"This is outrageous! Who will answer for this false accusation against such a devoted servant of the empire?"
"Minister Yang's reputation must be restored immediately! He deserves our utmost respect and apologies!"
Zheng Liang stood frozen, unable to believe the turn of events. His eyes met Zheng Xiang's across the room, both of them stunned by this unexpected development.
Yang Luoyang stepped forward, his face a mask of sorrow, but his eyes glinting with triumph. "Your Majesty, Your Highness," he began, his voice heavy with false grief, "while I'm deeply saddened by Minister Zen's actions and ultimate fate, I cannot help but feel vindicated. My conscience is clear, as it has always been."
The tide of opinion in the court had completely shifted. Ministers nodded in
agreement with Yang Luoyang, some even glaring accusingly at Zheng Liang and Zheng Xiang.
As the uproar continued, Zheng Liang caught a fleeting expression on Yang Luoyang's face - a smirk of victory, quickly masked by practiced grief. In that instant, Zheng Liang knew. This was no coincidence. Somehow, Yang Luoyang had orchestrated this entire scenario.
As if hearing Zheng Liang's thoughts, Yang Luoyang's lips curved into the barest hint of a smirk. His eyes seemed to say, "Did you really think you could corner me so easily, Your Highness?"