The Mushroom Emperor & His Empress General

Chapter 22 (R-18+)

While still on his bed, the Emperor decided to analyse the who situation again.

Zhen Shi told him about his childhood and how he became a Jiangsu, if you truly look at it, Zhen Shi truly had so many chances of secretly assassinating his mother yet he didn't, simply because she was his mother, Peng Qi tried to put himself in Zhen Shi's shoes, he realized if he was the one he would have murdered the Empress Dowager long ago without a second thought.

He gradually began to understand Zhen Shi more, he also taught about the reason why the sect stole from the rich, it was only to take care of the needy which was in fact a heroic act.

He then began to regret not knowing how to read or write earlier, if he was learned, he would have not signed that decree to that wiped out FuYao village.

The more he taught about this the more felt he his mother was a manipulative dangerous witch, he now realized why his second brother ran away to exile .

On the case of the dethroned king of ZanZhu, he also felt that the case was also shady and he himself acted out of anger by approving that decree, he remembered that truly, Zanzhu kingdom was very rich in salt and salt is a very expensive commodity and that alone was a great reason for his mother and the Minister of Rites to be interested in controlling that kingdom and would go to any length to get it.

He doesn't know why, but after pondering about Zhen Shi's role in everything, he came to believe strongly that such a person like Zhen Shi can never poison an unborn baby and his mother or could it be that the Minister of Rites actually set Zhen Shi up?

He is now totally sure that on the case of ZanZhu, his mother master minded everything while the case of the poisoning of consort Ying, his mother might not really be aware and suspects the Minister of Rites and his daughter Xue Ling because they are the only one that stand the chance to gain anything if Zhen Shi is out of the way. So they must have set up Zhen Shi because as the first and highest ranking consort, she stood the chance of becoming the next Empress.

He then thought about the discussion he had with the Minister of Defense earlier on and had a glimmer of hope to rescue his Empress.

Next morning at the court, the Minister of Justice and the whole court were already set to vote on the findings of the disciplinary committee.

The Empress Dowager and Minister of Rites were also set to hear the good news after bribing majority of the ministers and court officials.

Because this was a case that involved the Empress, the whole court needed to vote but if it was an ordinary person the Emperor can just pass a decree.

The Minister of Defense and Finance were also waiting to cast their votes after they have also done their home work.

At the order of the Emperor, the court secretary stood up and said.

"Haven heard the findings by the disciplinary committee, we will now cast our votes in a closed ballot, if found guilty the Empress will be finally dethroned and sentenced to death by public beheading according to the laws of Lang, the officials will pass the ballot box around, so write guilty or acquitted on a paper and also write the reason for your votes under and drop in the box, the votes will be counted and the Emperor will have to do the wish of the people and according to the laws of the Lang."

Once they finished casting their votes, Zhen Shi was brought in by the guards to kneel before the dragon throne, he was so weak and dispirited because he knows this was a make or break situation, he knew he does not stand the chance of been acquitted because of the way the Emperor disappointedly left him in prison, so he has resigned to his faith.