Chapter 1473: Chapter 1472: Princess, Be Ruthless
"Your Highness, the Princess, they mean..."
The official was just about to explain when Chu Qianli interrupted him once more: "I have never liked forcing others. If you don’t want to speak, then don’t. Swallow it back down."
"This..." The official was exceedingly aggrieved.
Who said he didn’t want to speak? Why bother preparing so many lines if he wasn’t going to speak!
Just a moment ago, it was merely a deliberate evasion.
The words were ready, they had to be said.
"Your Highness, I am not in a difficult position. I will clearly state the belief of the people. They say..."
"Didn’t you hear me tell you to shut up? You wanted to speak and were playing coy, now when you’re not allowed to speak, you can’t hold it in?"
Chu Qianli walked to her chair and sat down, turning back to glare at the official whose face was flushed red.
She said displeased, "Hypocrite, disgusting! Get out! I don’t want to hear such a vile person utter half a word more in my presence!"
"Princess..."
"Guards!" At Chu Qianli’s command, Yang Xun immediately entered with two guards.
"This person dared to play tricks in front of Father and me. Yang Xun, take him away and give him thirty strokes!"
"Yes!"
"What? This... Princess have mercy! Your Majesty... Your Majesty, have mercy, please..."
In the end, the person was dragged away.
The Princess actually ordered him to be whipped just because he said something unpleasant!
Be aware, he was just a civil official with poor physical condition.
Thirty strokes of the cane, even if it didn’t kill him, would cost him half his life!
Your Highness, the Princess, such a ruthless heart!
"Do the officials think I have a ruthless heart?" Chu Qianli asked with a smile that did not reach her eyes.
The officials below all hung their heads, none daring to speak.
Chu Lingyang felt elated: "Spreading wicked rumors deserves such punishment!"
"Second Imperial Uncle is right. Spreading wicked rumors and bringing such vulgar words before the court is disrespectful to Father and me."
"If we don’t impose some punishment, in the future, if everyone behaves so, the grand hall will become nothing but a teahouse for common gossip?"
Chu Qianli glanced at everyone and asked with a smile, "Do the officials think there is reason in what I say?"
"Yes, yes, the Princess is right!"
Indeed, it is just so!
Such matters, the truth of which is uncertain, how can they be brought before the court?
Before the Princess spoke, everyone saw no issue.
But after she spoke, those officials who had not come with special intentions suddenly realized.
No wonder just now it felt off; so this is why!
The grand hall is grand and solemn.
How can it be like a teahouse where the common folk discuss gossip?
As for those officials who had clearly come with personal agendas, though internally dissatisfied, they found no words to rebut for the time being.
After a moment, someone spoke again: "Regardless, Your Majesty, Prince Yu allowed Mr. Lan to associate with the Commandery Princess for the sake of securing Mr. Lan for the Imperial Court."
"Prince Yu did not know what kind of person Mr. Lan is, so this could hardly be Prince Yu’s fault?"
"But if Your Majesty uses this as an excuse to imprison Prince Yu in the Sky Prison, then it would be too unfair to Prince Yu."
"Indeed, Your Highness, the soldiers at the border city, upon hearing Prince Yu was imprisoned in the Sky Prison, are currently all agitated, all pleading for Your Majesty to release the Prince."
"Your Highness, if Prince Yu is not released soon, we fear the soldiers at the border city might hold back no longer, and... may commit irreversible actions!"
"Indeed! We implore Your Majesty to release Prince Yu!"
