Daughter of aristocratic family

Chapter 485 Suppression
On the second day of the Shangsi Festival, the emperor severely reprimanded Prince Zuo in front of all the ministers, "Seventh Brother, you are a prince, how can you compete with the people for profit, and even use the power of the royal family to oppress the people, do you admit this crime?"

"Father, I have never done anything to oppress the people. Someone is slandering me behind my back. I hope your Majesty will understand." Prince Zuo remained calm and knelt straight.

"Oh? Then tell me, why are there so many rumors circulating in the capital in recent days about you seizing people's land and forcing the people to lose their homes? Are these all groundless?" The emperor's voice was low and powerful.

"Father, I know very well that as a prince, I should set an example. How could I do such a heinous thing? I did purchase some land outside the city recently, but they were all legitimate transactions and there was no coercion at all. As for those rumors, I suspect that they were deliberately spread by someone with ulterior motives to ruin my reputation." Prince Zuo spoke earnestly.

"I have been taught by my father since I was young, and I know that the people are the foundation of the country, and a solid foundation will bring peace to the country. Everything I do is to help my father and be loyal to the court. How could I do anything that would hurt the people or go against the will of the emperor? As for those so-called 'people's fields', they are actually wastelands that have been abandoned for many years and no one cares about them. I feel sorry for them, so I hired idle farmers to open up the wasteland. This will not only increase the national treasury income, but also allow the people to support their families. It is really a strategy that kills two birds with one stone."

"As for the claim that 'the people were forced to lose their homes', it is even more nonsense. When I purchased the land, I strictly ordered my subordinates not to oppress the people, and I bought the wasteland at the price of good farmland. I would like to ask the emperor to send an imperial envoy to investigate. If there is really an injustice that I am not aware of, I am willing to accept the punishment without any complaints.

Prince Zuo spoke passionately, and every word revealed his deep concern for the country's economy and people's livelihood and his loyalty to his father's teachings.

Upon hearing this, the emperor's gaze lingered on Prince Zuo for a moment, as if examining the truthfulness of his words.

There was silence in the hall for a moment, all the ministers held their breath and the atmosphere was tense and subtle.

"Your Majesty, I think this matter is of great importance. It concerns the reputation of the royal family and the people's support. Since Prince Zuo insists that he is innocent, then you might as well send someone to investigate the matter in detail. On the one hand, you can give Prince Zuo justice, and on the other hand, you can take this opportunity to purge the treacherous officials in the court and set things right." Ling Ze stepped out and said.

Prince Zuo looked at him, a little surprised.

The emperor, who had been silent for a long time, followed the step Ling Ze gave him and said, "Ling Qing is absolutely right, Old Seven, your words are very convincing, and I will send someone to verify them. If you are really wronged, I will take care of it for you; but if there is any untruth, I will never tolerate it."

“I, your son, will follow your father’s teachings and will definitely reflect on myself and live up to your expectations.” Prince Zuo bowed his head respectfully.

He appeared respectful on the surface, but in his heart he was secretly wondering who was behind this turmoil.

"The Grand Justice is to start an investigation immediately and make sure the truth is revealed and an explanation is given to me and the people of the world," the emperor ordered.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The Dali Temple Minister had just had a few days of leisure when something happened again.

After the morning court was over, Prince Zuo did not show any abnormality in front of the crowd. It was not until he returned to the Prince's Mansion that he said to Mr. Zeng in a deep voice, "Father, he can't tolerate me."

Over the past month, Prince Zuo has acted like a filial son in front of the emperor, but the emperor has become increasingly unfriendly to him.

Not only did he find several excuses to take away his power, he also threw him into the Ministry of Justice to observe his administration.

"Your Highness, right now, the most important thing is to find out who is behind this." Mr. Zeng said in a deep voice.

Prince Zuo sneered, "I'm afraid the person behind this is fanning the flames is being instructed by someone." He suspected that it was the emperor who facilitated this in order to get rid of him.

"If this is the case, Your Highness can only temporarily avoid the limelight, be patient, and wait for the opportunity." Mr. Zeng said.

"I am afraid that if I continue to endure it, I will lose my head." Prince Zuo said angrily.

"Your Highness, you must remain calm. Throughout history, countless heroes have been able to achieve success by finding opportunities in adversity. Although we are at a disadvantage right now, we are not completely powerless." Mr. Zeng hurriedly comforted him.

Prince Zuo took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "This prince is very calm."

"Your Highness, no matter what you do, direct confrontation is not the best strategy," said Mr. Zeng.

"I know." Prince Zuo raised a meaningful smile, "Since my father is so wary of me, even if I behave myself, he won't be at ease. Instead, it will arouse his greater suspicion."

Mr. Zeng frowned slightly, "What's your plan, sir?"

"I will write a petition and volunteer to go to the border to pacify those foreign races that are ready to make trouble." Prince Zuo said firmly, with a sharp light flashing in his eyes. "I have made military achievements and hold military power, so I have the bargaining chip to fight against my father."

Mr. Zeng's mouth twitched slightly. What he said before was in vain, but he also understood Prince Zuo's ambition.

Having followed Prince Zuo for so long, if he continued to voice his opposition, Prince Zuo would not only not listen but would probably get angry.

"Your Highness is far-sighted. This plan is brilliant. It can avoid the sharp edge in front of us and pave the way for the future. In the border areas, the sky is high and the emperor is far away. It will be more convenient for Your Highness to act there." Mr. Zeng looked at the smug look on Prince Zuo's face and changed the subject, "But Your Majesty will not let Your Highness leave the capital so easily."

Mr. Zeng hadn't said anything more. With so many famous generals in the court, it was not the Prince's turn to go to the frontier to make achievements.

Upon hearing this, Prince Zuo's smile widened, as if he had already anticipated Mr. Zeng's concerns. He slowly walked to the window, looked at the gloomy sky outside, and said in a deep voice: "Father will not let me go easily, but this is the time to test my wisdom and determination. I will try to let Father see that no one else can take on this important task except me."

"I will also arrange some 'surprises' in the court to make my father realize that if I don't go to the border, there will be undercurrents in the capital and the situation will be difficult to control. In this way, he will be more inclined to keep me, the 'thorn in his side', away from the capital in order to seek temporary peace."

"Since Your Majesty has such a good plan, I will do my best to assist you. However, Your Majesty needs to be careful and not let His Majesty know your true intentions."

"Don't worry, I know what to do." Prince Zuo smiled slightly. In that smile, there was both infinite longing for the future and a calm examination of the current predicament. "When I return triumphantly, the world will change."

"Your Highness has both lofty ambitions and powerful methods. He is truly a blessing to the country," Mr. Zeng complimented.