The Protector of the State's firm stance was an attempt to gauge Ji Shiyou's attitude.
His family had held military power for generations, and the emperors of Langyue had always favored them.
He understood that this favor was solely due to their control of the military.
Even Ji Shiyou, upon his return from Wuman, had treated him with great respect.
A significant part of his reason for choosing Ji Shiyou back then was for his daughter's sake.
She was his only child and had already fallen for Ji Shiyou.
Thus, he had used his military power to threaten Ji Shiyou into marrying his daughter as his empress.
However, Ji Shiyou told him that to balance the various factions, he could not establish an empress for the time being.
He was only willing to grant his daughter the title of Imperial Consort. The Protector of the State had disagreed at the time.
But his daughter threatened to take her own life, leaving him no choice but to agree.
Later, after pacifying Wuman and bringing peace to the land, the court stabilized.
When Ji Shiyou intended to make Mingyue his empress, the Protector of the State had threatened to commit suicide in the golden hall.
Yet, his actions did not change Ji Shiyou's intentions. From then on, he felt that Ji Shiyou was no longer under his control.
With his daughter's current predicament, he wanted to ascertain Ji Shiyou's intentions to make his own plans accordingly.
"Protector of the State, do not be alarmed. As the Son of Heaven, how can I disregard right and wrong and twist the truth?
Guards, bring forth the witnesses!"
Ji Shiyou spoke calmly, his expression unchanged, revealing nothing of his thoughts.
Soon, Feng Tang, Yan Liu, and those who had witnessed the events in the Imperial Kitchen.
Along with those present from the Imperial Household Department, were brought to the grand hall.
"Your servant, Feng Tang, Head Eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen.
Today at noon, Miss Fanhua from Changning Palace, along with her retinue, trespassed into the Imperial Kitchen with weapons.
It was because the meal sent by the Imperial Kitchen was Wuman cuisine.
She demanded that this servant be beaten twenty times with a plank and that Yan Liu beat me to death with a cudgel.
At the critical moment, the Empress intervened to stop their violence.
But Fanhua actually ordered her subordinates to attack the Empress.
The Empress acted to control the situation and ensure everyone's safety, thus subduing those servants."
After bowing to Ji Shiyou, Feng Tang recounted the events.
Although he spoke the truth, everyone could hear that.
Noble Consort Zheng had incited her servants to commit violence, and Mingyue, as the mistress of the Six Palaces.
Even if she had killed everyone who violated the palace rules, she would have committed no wrong.
Following this, the guards from the Imperial Household Department further testified that Noble Consort Zheng had arrived at the Imperial Household Department.
Without regard for the truth, she had attempted to assassinate the Empress, and Mingyue had merely defended herself passively.
"This is biased testimony. Moreover, my daughter does not know the Empress at all. These are all misunderstandings.
Your Majesty, do not be deceived by those with ulterior motives. They must have colluded.
My daughter is forthright and must have offended them.
Therefore, they set a trap to harm my daughter."
The Protector of the State, with his neck stiff, explained everything as a misunderstanding and a frame-up, refusing to admit guilt.
"Very well, since the Protector of the State does not believe, then listen to their words."
Seeing the Protector of the State acting shamelessly, Ji Shiyou spoke calmly and gestured towards the southeast.
Dingnan understood and left the hall, followed by a group of people who were all servants from Changning Palace.
Upon seeing Ji Shiyou, those individuals knelt and confessed that since the decree to establish the Empress was issued, Noble Consort Zheng.
Had cursed the Empress daily in the palace, vowing to kill Mingyue one day.
Furthermore, an archery target with Mingyue's name written on it was discovered in Changning Palace, riddled with arrows.
With both human and physical evidence present, Noble Consort Zheng was speechless.
She did not understand why the servants in her own palace would testify against her.
In reality, she was unaware that those individuals had been deliberately placed in her palace by Ji Shiyou.
Ji Shiyou had long wanted to reclaim the Protector of the State's military power, and he had planned for a long time.
He had merely lacked an opportunity, and today, Mingyue's accidental involvement.
Had provided him with an excellent chance, thus he had expedited his plan.
Feng Tang and Yan Liu owed Mingyue a life-saving debt, so they naturally spoke in her favor.
As for Prince Chun, Ji Shiyou had not only agreed to rebuild the Imperial Household Department for him.
But also promised to posthumously ennoble Prince Chun's mother. Prince Chun's birth mother was merely a palace maid.
At the time of her death, her rank was only that of a concubine, and she did not even have the right to be buried in the imperial mausoleum. This had been his lingering regret for many years.
Ji Shiyou's promise of posthumous ennoblement filled him with joy, leading him to speak in his favor.
"Your Majesty, this subject has failed to discipline his daughter and has failed to repay your grace, causing her to commit a heinous crime.
I implore Your Majesty, in consideration of the Protector of the State's household's generations of loyalty and devotion to Langyue, to spare her life.
This subject is willing to surrender his military seals and retire to a life of farming. I hope Your Majesty will grant this wish!"
Witnessing this scene, the Protector of the State made a swift decision in his heart.
He knew what Ji Shiyou desired, and that was the military power in his hands.
Thus, he immediately knelt and declared his intentions. Nothing was more important than his daughter's life.
Moreover, even if he surrendered his military seals, the generals of those three hundred thousand troops were all his confidants.
There would be a long future. Since Ji Shiyou was unrighteous, he would not be blamed for being unloyal.
"Protector of the State, you are thinking too simply. Attempting to assassinate the Empress is an act of treason.
It carries the punishment of extermination of the nine kindred and the beheading of the entire clan. You still wish to retire?
Do you think I am unaware of your forming factions and eliminating dissent?
More than half of the generals of Langyue's three hundred thousand Protectorate Army are your confidants.
Do you expect me to keep you around until you rebel?
Let me tell you something else. I have already issued an edict ordering the generals of the Protectorate Army to report to the capital.
All their positions will be temporarily filled by deputy generals. Have you thought this through?"
As Ji Shiyou's words fell, the Protector of the State immediately collapsed to the ground, his face ashen.
He understood that Ji Shiyou had planned this long ago.
Without a doubt, those deputy generals must be Ji Shiyou's people.
"Guards, throw them, father and daughter, into the imperial prison and seal off the Protector of the State's mansion.
Allow no news to leak out. Wait until those generals arrive in the capital.
Imprison them all and hand them over to the Ministry of Justice for trial."
With Ji Shiyou's command, he was about to have the Zheng family, father and daughter, dragged away to the imperial prison.
"Your Majesty, this concubine asks you one last question: have you ever loved this concubine?"
Noble Consort Zheng struggled frantically, but Ji Shiyou had made arrangements, bringing in elite guards from the palace.
She could not break free and could only cry out in despair, like a madwoman.
"No. Take her away."
Ji Shiyou replied with a stern expression and a cold face.
He was speaking the truth; he had never had any affection for Noble Consort Zheng.
Years ago, the Protector of the State had forced her into the palace by threatening with his military power.
"I understand. I understand why, after three years in the palace, you refused to consummate our marriage."
Upon hearing Ji Shiyou's decisive answer, Noble Consort Zheng was dragged away in a daze.
"So heartless! Are you made of stone?"
Mingyue stood up from her seat and walked out.
Seeing this, she knew that she would not die.
As she passed by Ji Shiyou, she said mockingly.
She could not understand why a man of such deep emotions.
Had become so unfeeling and disloyal. She truly felt it was not worth it for Noble Consort Zheng.
"Thank you for your help!"
Ji Shiyou ignored Mingyue's mockery and said earnestly.
"I helped you?"
Mingyue stopped and turned back to ask, her face filled with confusion.
"Oh, Princess, His Majesty had long wanted to reclaim the military power but lacked the opportunity.
You have been of great help today. With your disturbance, not only is there a legitimate reason.
But with the grave crime of attempting to assassinate the Empress alone, they are rendered speechless and unable to turn the tables.
With your actions, the problem that has long troubled His Majesty is easily solved. Did you not help greatly?"
Dingnan had known Mingyue for a long time and was accustomed to calling her Princess. He hurried over to explain.
"Ji Shiyou, you used me!"
She had worked hard all this time, not died, and even helped Ji Shiyou. This was unacceptable to Mingyue.