Traveling through the Tang Dynasty: The Concubine Goes to War

During the morning court session, sunlight streamed through the windows of the magnificent palace, illuminating the entire court. The emperor, dressed in a bright and gorgeous imperial robe, stepped steadily onto the dragon throne. As he took his seat, the court was filled with solemnity.

The court officials lined up neatly on both sides. After the emperor took his seat, they shouted "Long live the emperor" in unison, their voices resounding through the sky.

After the court officials finished kneeling and chanting "Long live the emperor" three times and stood up on both sides, the emperor said, "Pass on my order. Although Prince Rui has committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, he has no intention of betraying the court. Therefore, he should be given a lighter sentence. Prince Rui is fined one year's salary and must return to his mansion, close the door and reflect on himself for three months."

The emperor's tone was firm and unquestionable, as if he had already made the decision.

As soon as this decree was announced, the ministers in the court looked at each other in surprise and confusion. They never thought that the emperor would let off Prince Rui, who had committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, so easily.

For a moment, the court was silent and everyone fell into deep thought.

Some ministers thought that the emperor might have a deeper meaning behind this move; others thought that the emperor was too lenient and worried that if this precedent was set, someone would dare to offend the emperor in the future. However, no matter how the ministers felt, at this moment, they could only respectfully accept the emperor's will.

After the court session, the emperor signaled Du Zhonghai to stay: "Lord Du..."

"I'm here!" Du Zhonghai responded quickly.

"I wonder whether you think my treatment of Prince Rui is appropriate?" the emperor asked meaningfully.

Du Zhonghai knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise. Although Prince Rui is guilty, he has not committed treason. This punishment not only demonstrates your majesty's benevolence, but is also fair."

The emperor nodded slightly to show his approval. He turned and looked out the window, and said thoughtfully: "I hope Prince Rui can reflect deeply on this punishment and not make the same mistake again in the future."

Du Zhonghai raised his head and asked cautiously, "But, why didn't Your Majesty explain in court the reason for the light punishment of Prince Rui?"

The emperor raised his lips slightly and said, "Some things do not need to be explained. The ministers will understand my intentions." After that, he waved his hand and let Du Zhonghai leave.

After Du Zhonghai left, a sly look flashed in the emperor's eyes. He knew that the light punishment for Prince Rui would cause an uproar in the court and the country. But he didn't care, because he had his own plans...

The emperor turned to look at the guard Shangguan Yu beside him, lowered his voice, and ordered in a serious tone: "Send some smart and capable people immediately to have them secretly monitor Prince Rui. No matter what movement or abnormal situation they find, they must report to me immediately! Remember, this matter must be done in secret and cannot be discovered by anyone!" Shangguan Yu responded respectfully, then turned and left. His movements were swift and neat, as if he had long been accustomed to accepting such confidential and important tasks.

The emperor thought to himself: "Prince Rui, Prince Rui, let me teach you a small lesson this time. If you still refuse to change your ways, don't blame me for being merciless to you!" At the same time, he was constantly thinking about his next plan. He knew that this incident was not just a simple lesson, but also a rare opportunity to consolidate his throne and eliminate those hostile forces in the court.

After all, the court is as cruel and ruthless as a battlefield, and every step needs to be taken carefully and cautiously. If you are not careful, you may fall into an irretrievable situation.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, quite a while has passed. Prince Rui has been reflecting on his mistakes for several days.

It was a sunny day with a gentle breeze, but the emperor had no time to appreciate the beautiful scenery. He was sitting in the imperial study, concentrating on dealing with a mountain of government affairs. Just as the emperor was concentrating on reading an important memorial, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

Shangguan Yu walked over hurriedly with a panicked look, knelt on the ground with a plop, and reported with a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, I have something important to tell you. According to your observation, Prince Rui's behavior has been quite unusual recently, and it seems that he is secretly planning something."

When the emperor heard this, his eyes, which were originally focused on government affairs, suddenly became sharp. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said thoughtfully: "I have long known that this person has ill intentions. Now it seems that it is just as I expected. Continue to closely monitor Prince Rui's every move, and do not miss any clues. We must find out the conspiracy behind him."

After Shangguan Yu left, the emperor sat alone on the dragon throne, his eyes confused, as if he had lost focus. His thoughts gradually drifted away, and the beautiful figure of Yuxi appeared in his mind...

Suddenly, the emperor seemed to have remembered something important, and his face became a little serious. He stood up suddenly and shouted loudly: "Someone come!" The voice echoed in the empty palace.

Hearing the emperor's call, Eunuch Chen hurriedly trotted into the hall, knelt on the ground, and replied respectfully: "I am here, what do you want, Your Majesty?"

The emperor took a deep breath and said slowly: "Pass on my decree, pardon Ye Cairen and allow her to continue living in Xiuzhen Palace." His tone was firm, as if he had thought it over carefully.

Eunuch Chen was slightly stunned, but then responded, "Yes, sir. I will convey your majesty's order right away." After that, he turned and left, ready to convey the news to the relevant personnel.

Looking at the receding back of Eunuch Chen, the emperor sighed inwardly.

He knew that the decision he had just made might cause some controversy and dissatisfaction, but he firmly believed that it was the right choice.

After all, in this palace, power struggles and intrigues have never stopped, and Ye Cairen may just be an innocent victim...