Great, it's just a lackey, we're saved!

Chapter 145 The Position of the New Crown Prince!

Inside the Fengtian Hall, everyone was silent, except for the echoing sobs of Li An.

The court officials who were familiar with him all looked reluctant to let him go.

Chen Wenyu bent down to help Li An up: "Jimin, please accept my condolences."

Chen Wenyu gently called out Li An's courtesy name, hoping to calm him down, but Li An seemed not to hear her.

It seemed as if they wanted to vent all their emotions at this moment.

The crown prince stood awkwardly in place, glancing out of the corner of his eye at court officials who were glancing at him from time to time, which fueled his growing resentment towards Li An.

This person mourned Lady Li at the court assembly; what about him, the crown prince?

“Li An! Stop with your hypocrisy. Li’s death was an accident. What does it have to do with Xingyue?”

"Your father has already promoted you to Minister of Justice and moved Xingyue out of the Eastern Palace so that she can be personally taught by the Imperial Noble Consort. What more could you possibly want?"

What are your complaints?

Ang Lee's hair was somewhat disheveled, with clusters of white hair hidden beneath a layer of black on the surface.

Zhou Wei remembered that his hair was still jet black yesterday.

How could my skin have turned so white overnight?

Ang Lee stopped crying and stood up shakily.

He looked at the Crown Prince and asked, "What is my dissatisfaction? Does Your Highness think I should be satisfied?"

"If this position of a second-rank official can bring back my daughter, I will immediately retire to my hometown and never return to court."

The prince's breath hitched, and anger surged within him.

"Li An, you disregard the law and utter arrogant words. Are you even going to defy the Emperor's decree? Isn't your behavior forcing me, the Crown Prince, into a corner?"

Upon hearing this, Ang Lee suddenly laughed, but the laugh was filled with sorrow.

"I forced the Crown Prince? If I truly dared to force the Crown Prince, today, it wouldn't be Mei Xingyue who would pay for my daughter's life, but you, the instigator, who would pay for it!"

Chen Wenyu's face twitched, and he quickly grabbed Li An.

"Jimin, be careful what you say! The Crown Prince is the heir apparent!"

Li An brushed Chen Wenyu's hand away and said in a sorrowful voice, "It is precisely because I know he is the crown prince that I am so helpless."

"I, Li An, passed the imperial examination at the age of sixteen, entered officialdom at seventeen, and only had a daughter at the age of thirty-six, whom I cherish as a treasure!"

"Since entering officialdom, I have been diligent in my duties and have never slacked off for a moment. I have read the books of sages and understood the principles of the sages."

"The distinction between ruler and subject must not be overstepped; this is ingrained in my very being. I also teach my daughter the same thing, to always put the Crown Prince first and to learn to be patient."

"My daughter and I upheld our vows of chastity and propriety, only to have my daughter's body still warm in the cold!"

Li An became more and more excited as he spoke, pointing towards the outside of Fengtian Hall.

“I, Ang Lee, am a complete coward. I can neither protect my daughter nor uphold my moral principles.”

"The relationship between ruler and subject, the principle of the sage, is the shackle on my head!"

As Zhou Wei listened to Ang Lee's accusations, she was filled with mixed emotions.

Ang Lee's words are filled with anguish, like a terracotta figurine imprisoned in the feudal era that suddenly gains consciousness but cannot break free from its final shackles.

The shackles on him were Confucianism and the way of the ruler and his subjects.

Even though she harbored deep hatred for the Crown Prince, he was still the heir apparent!

As a subject, he was torn between his daughter and his duty to the emperor, his heart aching as if being cut by a knife.

Modern people might find Ang Lee pedantic.

Regardless of rulers and subjects, anyone who harms my family will pay the price!

It is precisely because of eccentric individuals like Ang Lee that, as dynasties declined, loyal ministers who died for their country and upheld integrity continued to emerge.

Zhou Wei disagreed with Ang Lee's ideas, but respected him.

The Crown Prince was so angered by Li An's words that a chilling glint appeared in his eyes!

"Ang Lee, you are truly arrogant! I think you have a death wish."

“I do not wish to live anymore. I have been dead since the day my daughter died in the heavy snow,” Li An’s expression gradually returned, and he looked calmly at the Crown Prince. “But what I say is not madness! I still have my senses. I beg the Imperial Noble Consort to discern the truth.”

Amidst the commotion inside the hall, many people overlooked Bai Xiaoxiao on the dragon throne.

At this moment, Bai Xiaoxiao nodded: "I think what Lord Li said is reasonable and well-founded!"

Upon hearing this, Ang Lee felt a sense of relief.

"I, the Empress Dowager, and the Director of the Astronomical Bureau observed the stars at night, and Lord Li An testified that there is a demon causing trouble in the Eastern Palace."

"In my opinion, the sudden snowfall in the capital is inextricably linked to the Crown Prince; it is clearly caused by the Crown Prince's misconduct!"

"Therefore, I hereby issue an edict today to abolish the position of Crown Prince Jiang Yueshan."

"My lords, who is in favor and who is against?"

The court officials all looked at Bai Xiaoxiao in shock!

Although he felt that this woman was arrogant and childish, she had the status of an imperial concubine and the power to oversee the country.

They are indeed qualified to request the deposition and installation of a new crown prince!

After Bai Xiaoxiao finished speaking, she glanced at the assembled officials, waiting for their reactions.

Chen Wenyu spoke first: "Imperial Noble Consort, the deposition and establishment of the Crown Prince concerns the future of the country. I believe that Your Majesty should be informed."

Bai Xiaoxiao waved her hand to interrupt him: "Lord Chen, I see you haven't understood the meaning of the imperial edict."

"Your Majesty said that all matters of the court shall be decided by me alone. Although the deposition and establishment of the crown prince is important, I hold the Imperial Seal of the State and can certainly make the decision."

Helpless, Chen Wenyu could only continue to ask: "Imperial Consort, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Now His Majesty has been residing in Hexi Palace for a long time, and the Imperial Consort is overseeing the country. The situation is special, so the country cannot be without a crown prince for a day."

"If the Crown Prince is deposed, may I ask the Imperial Noble Consort, who would you like to appoint as the heir apparent?"

This question immediately piqued the interest of the court officials.

I didn't dare to take sides just now, but if you mention establishing a new crown prince, then everyone will have something to say.

One of them stepped forward and said, "In my opinion, the Third Prince is capable of undertaking this great responsibility!"

Another person countered, "The Third Prince is shallow in knowledge and dissolute by nature. How can he be the Crown Prince? I believe the First Prince is more suitable."

"In my opinion, neither the Third Prince nor the First Prince is suitable; only the Second Prince is appropriate."

The court officials started chattering amongst themselves, leaving Chen Wenyu speechless.

Are these people even able to distinguish between what is important and what is urgent?

Is this the time to discuss the new crown prince? Absolutely ridiculous!

How can you govern a country well when you're with a bunch of scoundrels like this!

"Everyone, His Highness the Crown Prince has not been deposed yet!" Chen Wenyu shouted to remind them.

The courtiers then awkwardly stopped their discussion and lowered their heads to continue examining their shoes.

Bai Xiaoxiao chuckled lightly: "Lord Chen is right. Let's discuss the matter of deposing the Crown Prince first."

"but……"

As Bai Xiaoxiao spoke, she glanced at Jiang Yueli unintentionally.

"However, I am not very satisfied with the candidates for the new crown prince that you all just mentioned."

What do you mean?

The crowd was somewhat bewildered; the emperor only had a few sons, all of whom had just been recommended for the throne.

If Bai Xiaoxiao is not satisfied with any of them, then who does she plan to appoint as the crown prince?

Bai Xiaoxiao changed the subject and continued to ask the others questions.

"I will ask you one more time: who supports and who opposes deposing Jiang Yueshan from his position as Crown Prince?"

"I object!"

At this moment, an anxious voice rang out from outside the Fengtian Hall.

The crown prince looked in the direction of the voice and found that the person who came was Mei Xingyue!

She sat in a wooden wheelchair, being pushed by a palace maid, with Jiang Nianyue and Jiang Nianxing following behind.