Chapter 748 – Wanzhou Mu, Male or Female? (Part 3)
Although the one seated on the dragon throne was the Young Emperor, aside from a few old ministers, hardly anyone took this child emperor seriously.
Still, an emperor was an emperor, and a court meeting was a court meeting.
Let alone exposing one’s body, even appearing disheveled could lead to charges of great disrespect—milder consequences like a ruined reputation, and more severe ones could even mean losing one’s head. If someone were to make a big fuss about it, it could jeopardize the entire family.
What was Changshou Wang smoking to suddenly demand that someone expose themselves in public?
Huang Song wasn’t the only one thinking this; all the ministers were equally perplexed.
Though Wu Ma Shang had a bit of a temper, he wasn’t the type to act recklessly or demand nudity in the court.
Ignoring Huang Song, Wu Ma Shang directly stated, “Since this person is unwilling, I cannot force them. Liu Xi harbors a secret in her heart and naturally doesn’t wish to cooperate, but don’t think that this can let her evade the guilt of deceiving the Emperor. Your Majesty, I have witnesses who can definitely prove that Liu Xi is trying to deceive the Emperor and misrepresent herself; she is absolutely unfit to be the Wanzhou Mu! Please summon this witness, Your Majesty.”
The little emperor was at a loss, turning around to glance at the Empress Dowager behind him.
He had no idea what was going on, preferring to rely on his mother in times of trouble, and this time was no different.
Through a layer of sheer silk, he could faintly see the Empress Dowager giving a small nod.
The little emperor felt a little reassured and shyly said, “In that case, why not summon the witness to ask a few questions? What do the ministers think?”
“Your Majesty, court meetings are where national affairs are discussed; not just anyone can step in,” Huang Song frowned and said disapprovingly. “In my opinion, Wu Ma Shang doesn’t need evidence; he just needs a bowl of strong sobriety soup. Drink that down, and I guarantee he’ll sobered up and stop spouting nonsense. Such a solemn place cannot allow him to act so recklessly and disrespectfully!”
Wu Ma Shang also scoffed, his gaze flickering between Huang Song and Jiang Pengji.
He boldly declared, “So that’s how it is! Huang Wang is clearly shielding Liu Xi; turns out she’s his little lover.”
As soon as he said this, not only did Huang Song explode, but all the ministers began to murmur and whisper among themselves.
As onlookers, they found today’s court meeting particularly unusual, packed with juicy gossip.
With the current trend favoring male relationships, some male officials shared close bonds that resembled devoted friends or affectionate couples, but they usually kept their relationships under wraps. Because, after all, while such relationships were considered elegant affairs, they fundamentally violated the norms of yin and yang.
Even if it were an elegant matter, few would make their bond with their sworn brothers public.
While the gossiping officials enjoyed the show, Huang Song was caught off guard.
He said with thinly veiled anger, “I’m not like Wu Ma Shang, who is careless; don’t slander me with talk of male relationships.”
After saying that, Huang Song discreetly shot a glance at Jiang Pengji, signaling her to clarify things too.
Otherwise, if they let this rumor stick, would their reputations still matter?
Thinking of his formal wife at home, Huang Song felt his legs weaken.
If his wife discovered this baseless scandal, he felt he would be met with her rolling pin as soon as he got home.
However, no matter how much Huang Song gestured, Jiang Pengji remained oblivious.
As a party involved, she kept calm and lowered her gaze, as if the events unfolding in the court had nothing to do with her.
Even more intriguingly, Liu Zhi, her father, also kept a cool demeanor.
Both of them wore expressions of “not my problem,” while Huang Song and Wu Ma Shang were engaged in a heated exchange.
Wu Ma Shang coldly snorted, saying, “Wanting to cover it up only draws more attention.”
Arguing wasn’t Huang Song’s specialty, and facing a rogue like Wu Ma Shang, in a fit of rage, he would only want to throw fists.
However, if he were to roll up his sleeves and start punching in a court meeting, the crime would be as severe as appearing disheveled; he could only hold back.
Believing he had the upper hand, Wu Ma Shang looked down at Jiang Pengji with a winning expression.
“Your Majesty, if we allow the deceivers to slip through, it will surely cause turmoil in the state and unrest among the people. I implore Your Majesty to permit the summoning of witnesses to expose Liu Xi’s true colors.” Wu Ma Shang clung to this point relentlessly, drawing out mixed feelings of anger and anxiety from the crowd.
Jiang Pengji coldly chuckled while watching the show, the live stream audience already subjected Wu Ma Shang to the ten most brutal tortures in their imaginations.
The little emperor was indecisive and could only once more turn to his mother.
The Empress Dowager, listening behind her curtain, nodded at the Young Emperor again. After some thought, he finally agreed.
【Gugugugu】: Grabbed a handful of grass! The former Crown Princess was so heartless, recommending herself to the streamer not long ago, even touching the streamer’s hand, wanting her to knead her chest, and now she’s turning her back! Anyone with a brain can see that Wu Ma Shang is taking action now; he must have some incriminating evidence against the streamer. The Empress Dowager should have refused the witness and bought time; how could she allow it?
【Brother Gogo】: Pfft—You’re too blunt! Anyone reading this would think this live stream is filthy! But it’s quite normal for the Empress Dowager to hold a grudge against the streamer, right? She wooed her solely for the backing of her family. Now that the situation is stable, the Empress Dowager doesn’t need their support anymore, so it’s only natural she’d toss them aside.
【Jijijiji】: Let me add that the streamer didn’t satisfy this old woman’s desires that day; she had to watch her suffer for an hour from aphrodisiac. If I were in her shoes, I might hold a grudge and set a trap too.
Jiang Pengji glanced at the live chat, which was buzzing with excitement.
However, the reasons they were discussing were secondary.
While the Empress Dowager may seem petty, she wasn’t foolish. A minor humiliation wouldn’t make her stupid enough to turn on Jiang Pengji.
Unless she had found a more stable ally, with that level of protection, it would be easy for the Empress Dowager to turn hostile.
As it turned out, Jiang Pengji’s guess was correct.
Wu Ma Shang thought he had the throne secure, only for the outcome to slap him hard in the face. However, his ambition was sizable; he wasn’t one to easily back down. The Empress Dowager entered his sights. Once he fully controlled the Empress Dowager, it would equate to controlling the Young Emperor.
By that time, Wu Ma Shang would be even more like an emperor than the emperor himself.
Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager was also seeking a reliable partner to stabilize her and the emperor’s position.
Thus, the two came to a tacit understanding.
The Empress Dowager needed Wu Ma Shang’s real power, while Wu Ma Shang wanted to use the Empress Dowager to control the emperor.
They both had their schemes and needs.
Therefore, it wasn’t without reason that the Empress Dowager cooperated with Wu Ma Shang to make things difficult for Jiang Pengji in the court.
However, their level was still a bit low.
Finally, Jiang Pengji spoke up.
She smiled and said, “I have no objections; let’s proceed as the governor suggested and summon that witness to confront Liu Xi.”
At this moment, Wu Ma Shang’s gaze paused slightly, revealing a hint of unease.
