Chapter 822: Defeated!
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
How could they not know that the original owner was trying to sow discord?
And the more this was the case, the more they would not betray Zhou!
Each and every one of them was proud and unyielding. Even the threat of death could not make them lower their heads!
All the officials in the court had different expressions on their faces. Clearly, they had not expected this outcome.
The original owner was so angry that her chest heaved.
They would rather die than betray Zhou Zicheng. They were simply too stupid!
Did they not know that in Zhou Zicheng’s heart, they were just chess pieces that could be abandoned at any time?
Only Prince Huai’s expression remained the same. Wang Yun had noticed it. No wonder he said to kill them all. If these people insisted on going down the wrong path, there was indeed no need to keep them… “Your Highness, give up! We will never betray Zhou!”
“He did not kidnap Your Highness. It was the maid!”
“If Your Highness didn’t want to impose the crime on Zhou, we commoners wouldn’t be able to stop anything! We are willing to sacrifice our blood to the hall!”
“I hope that more people will take us as a warning in the future and finally know what kind of person the Consort Dowager is!”
The men were filled with righteous indignation. Even if the soldiers held their swords to their throats, they were unwilling to submit.
Zhou Zicheng laughed maniacally. Blood flew out of his mouth. It was a blatant provocation.
Even if he died, there would still be more who would revolt for him!
Si Zhengliang was furious.
He knew very well what Zhou Zicheng was thinking.
If they really killed all those men, then the Consort Dowager’s brutal reputation would be confirmed, and the hard work of abolishing the two-tax system would be in vain.
Everyone was in a dilemma, not knowing what to do. At this moment, Prince
Huai, who had always advocated killing without mercy, spoke again.
His gaze fell on Zhou Zicheng, and he smiled mysteriously. “Zhou Zicheng won over the hearts of thousands of men by himself and made them loyal. This is indeed…a skill.”
Zhou Zicheng’s laughter weakened. The corners of his mouth sank as he looked at Prince Huai warily, not knowing what he was up to.
The ministers did not react in time.
Prince Huai faced everyone’s puzzled gazes and continued, “if you are loyal to the Consort Dowager…”
The original owner looked at him as if she had understood something. She cooperated and asked, “what does Prince Huai mean?”
Prince Huai said, “perhaps the Consort Dowager should not pardon those foolish righteous people, but Zhou Zicheng.”
The ministers: ‘
Zhou Zicheng:
“Zhou Zicheng.” Prince Huai looked at him. “You should have been pierced by ten thousand arrows, but for every man you name, the Consort Dowager will pardon you with ten arrows. There are more than a thousand righteous men here, enough to save you…”
Zhou Zicheng frowned. A moment later, he turned to the Consort Dowager. The original owner nodded calmly. “This is a good idea. I agree!”
“Your Highness!” Si Zhengliang was extremely anxious. “We can’t let the scoundrel Zhou Zicheng live!”
But the original owner didn’t listen to him.
The men sneered. Using the same trick twice, the intelligence of the Imperial Family was worrying!
“I’ll do it!”
However, in the next moment, Zhou Zicheng’s loud and clear voice suddenly exploded in the hall.
It was like a bolt of lightning that directly broke through the eardrums of the righteous men and blasted into their wooden heads!
Everyone was stunned, and their gazes fell on Zhou Zicheng.
Zhou Zicheng completely ignored them. He pointed at his trusted subordinate beside him and started with him. “He was the one who found the place where the Consort Dowager was kidnapped!”
The subordinate: ‘
Zhou Zicheng said, “your humble subject is not lying!!”
Everyone:
Prince Huai just said that he was skilled, but the next second, he called himself a lowly subject!
What a joke!
However, Zhou Zicheng couldn’t care less. He firmly believed that the divination he had done years ago wouldn’t be wrong. He would be able to sit on the dragon throne sooner or later.
Regardless of whether he was working for the Consort Dowager or someone else, as long as he could keep his life, there was hope. After a few years of hardship, he would be able to regain his power again!
The deaths of these men were not worth regretting. In the future, he would have more and smarter capable subordinates!
He pointed out one by one, and in just a moment, he had already sold them all out.
Following his words, the expressions of the men changed from shock and disbelief to disappointment, disgust, realization, and regret. “I can prove that Zhou Zicheng kidnapped the Consort Dowager!”
“I can do it too!”
“The entire plan to kidnap the Consort Dowager was Zhou Zicheng’s idea! He didn’t just want to kidnap Consort Dowager! He even wanted to kill the Consort Dowager!”
In an instant, the situation had completely changed.
Not long ago, the men who would rather die than submit all turned against him and stood up to point out Zhou Zicheng.
“Your Highness! We were wrong! We don’t want to die! I don’t want to die for someone like Zhou Zicheng!”
Zhou Zicheng’s expression was vicious. “It’s too late for you to say anything now. You still want to drag me down with you when you’re about to die! Give up. No matter what you say, Your Highness will not believe you!”
The men couldn’t believe that this despicable man who had no moral integrity was actually the man whom they all regarded as a chivalrous man, Zhou!
How could someone be so shameless?
Thinking back to how they were united just now and were willing to sacrifice themselves in order to protect Zhou, they were simply stupid! “Continue.” The original owner waved her sleeves and smiled.
Zhou Zicheng nodded repeatedly. “Yes…”
“I’m talking to the other men,” the original owner interrupted him with a smile. “I’ll give you one last chance. Whether you can get amnesty or not depends on yourself…”
Zhou Zicheng’s body stiffened.
The righteous men looked at each other. A few seconds later, they rushed to report Zhou Zicheng.
In the time it took for an incense stick to burn, they had already gathered a basketful of evidence against Zhou Zicheng.
Enough for him to die a hundred times!
Si Zhengliang stroked his beard and nodded. The smile on Wang Yun’s lips was mysterious.
The ministers finally understood the cooperation between Prince Huai and the Consort Dowager.
With just a few simple words, the stubborn men were enlightened and saw Zhou Zicheng’s true colors!
This time, the righteous men were not only convinced, but they were also grateful for the Consort Dowager’s wisdom and kindness, not killing them.
When they returned, they told the villagers about what happened in the court today. Those who were still brainwashed by Zhou Zicheng finally understood.
This move was truly powerful!
Zhou Zicheng’s face was ashen, and his figure was on the verge of collapsing.
He had been smart all his life, but at the last moment, he actually fell into the trap of those two people!
His reputation was ruined!
At this point, Zhou Zicheng’s influence in the Great Shang had completely collapsed. In the history textbooks and college entrance examination papers, the page that recorded the national hero Zhou Zicheng in detail was quietly changing..