"What did you say? Several memorials submitted consecutively, all like clay oxen entering the sea? How is this matter related to Old Eighteen?"
Indeed, after he finished speaking, Zhao Ji's expression immediately turned grave.
When he looked back at the eunuchs behind him, his gaze had completely changed.
Even though he was only brushed by Zhao Ji's peripheral vision, Cai You couldn't help but feel his entire body tremble.
This was no joke; the Emperor's gaze explained many things.
It was likely that many people would die soon.
But the most important thing now was that he had to find a way to quickly pass on this news. Prince Yun needed to act immediately and eliminate all the clues that were about to be extinguished.
"It's not just my eighteenth brother; I myself have submitted five memorials before and after, but Your Majesty has always had no response!"
"I have tried to seek an audience with Your Majesty several times, but I have always been blocked at the palace gates. My eighteenth brother and I were helpless, so we could only raise grain ourselves. However, the manpower in his mansion is extremely limited; even with grain, it cannot be distributed properly!"
"Not to mention that after a great disaster, there will be a great epidemic. Relying on the meager manpower he has, how can he possibly handle such a task! With the disaster victims increasing day by day, reaching 200,000 in just a few days, I was afraid that the news would leak and the Jin people would find out. That is why I could only impersonate an imperial decree to provide disaster relief on behalf of Your Majesty!"
As Zhao Huan spoke, tears streamed down his face, and he was completely choked with sobs.
The entire Daqing Hall fell into complete silence. Cai You's face had turned ashen.
These few simple words had immediately salvaged the entire situation.
More importantly, almost all the things he said were facts, merely presented in a different way. This instantly turned everything around.
Even Cai Jing couldn't help but cast a deep glance at the young man in front of him. The Crown Prince's performance today was truly beyond everyone's expectations.
He had originally thought that this Crown Prince would remain incompetent his entire life. However, after not seeing him for such a short time, he had actually learned the art of manipulation.
He now understood why this Crown Prince had suddenly exposed such a significant flaw.
After all this talk, it turned out that everything was planned, waiting for them to fall into the trap. The trap was set quite deep.
This was truly putting oneself in a desperate situation to survive!
Although it seemed like a risky move, upon closer analysis, each step was fraught with peril but ultimately safe.
Even he, a master of political maneuvering, couldn't help but want to clap his hands in admiration.
"You say that you were blocked at the palace gates several times when you tried to seek an audience with me in the past few days?"
As Zhao Ji spoke, his face was already filled with murderous intent.
Even if his son was not favored by him, the fact remained that this was the Crown Prince of the nation. The Crown Prince of the nation wished to see the Emperor, and he, the Emperor, had not heard a single word.
If he continued to think along these lines, it was truly terrifying.
If something were to happen to him, the Emperor, in the imperial palace, who would come to his rescue?
The matter of isolating the internal from the external had reappeared once more.
"Shou Dao! You are familiar with the people in this imperial palace. Take your men and seal the Bureau of Imperial Records immediately. Investigate all the memorials submitted by the Crown Prince and the eighteenth prince, Zhao Zhen, in the past half month!"
He could tolerate his officials manipulating power, he could tolerate them forming factions, but for any Emperor, the act of isolating the internal from the external was intolerable.
After all, the Emperor was confined alone in this imperial palace, and memorials were his channel to understand the outside world.
If even the memorials submitted by his own son could be arbitrarily withheld, what about the military and state affairs outside?
"Yes!"
Liang Shicheng took a deep breath and replied spiritedly.
"Dao Fu! You also take a contingent of men, starting from Xuande Gate, and investigate who blocked the Crown Prince at the palace gates!"
Zhao Ji's face was dripping with anger. Everyone held their breath.
Even the prime minister could not intervene in such matters, as they were internal affairs of the imperial palace.
"Yes!"
Tong Guan also broke out in a cold sweat. The Crown Prince's maneuver was truly brilliant. If the Emperor had not left a sliver of hope for Prince Yun, their positions would have been swapped today, and Prince Yun would have been irrecoverably ruined!
However, he also understood that with the matter escalating to this extent, it would not be easily covered up. It was likely that they would suffer heavy losses this time. If Prince Yun did not deliver dozens of heads, it would be difficult for him to get through this night.
Tong Guan also left, and the hall fell into silence again, with only the Crown Prince's sobbing sounds, which now sounded so jarring to the ears of the several high officials...
Cai You's body began to tremble uncontrollably. Even the stoic Cai Jing was a little panicked now; the situation had changed too quickly.
It was likely that it would not be so easy to get through this. Not only would Prince Yun be in trouble, but he would also be in great trouble.
Judging by Cai You's current appearance, he understood that this matter must have been orchestrated by Cai You and his associates.
Although this brat had turned against him, he was very close to the third prince.
He could even guess with his toes that the memorials from the Crown Prince and Zhao Zhen were definitely intercepted by Cai You through his connections!
Cai Jing truly couldn't help but lament in his heart. He had painstakingly built this vast network his entire life, but unfortunately, he had raised such two prodigal sons.
However, now that things had reached this point, he could not extricate himself. Therefore, he could only mentally prepare for the worst-case scenario.
The Bureau of Imperial Records was definitely finished, and the Office of Memorial Presentation would also not fare any better.
With just these two places, combined with the connections involved, he would likely lose at least a dozen capable subordinates this time.
The reason he had been able to navigate his career smoothly in the past was precisely because of the people in the Office of Memorial Presentation and the Office of Presentation of Memorials!
Whenever someone impeached him, before the memorial could reach the Emperor, it would be intercepted by his own people.
Turning around, Cai Jing could directly move to catch them off guard!
With the loss of control over these two places, his future days would likely not be so smooth.
However, this was not the worst situation. He was now beginning to worry vaguely about the person in the Kaifeng Prefecture prison. He could only hope that that scoundrel did not know too much...
Otherwise, for him, this would be a fatal blow!
But then again, if the Crown Prince had not already secured all the arrangements, why would he directly attack the son of a mere county magistrate?
Thinking of this, Cai Jing truly felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. How had the Crown Prince suddenly become so formidable? Who had given him this idea!