He actually knew Zhong Shidao and Wang Xiang would be at Prince Xin’s mansion tonight.
However, he hadn’t expected the two of them to walk directly out of the carriage at this very moment…
“So you still recognize me? I thought after becoming the Director of the Imperial City Directorate, you’d forgotten your own name!”
Glancing again at the lackeys surrounding the carriage, Zhong Shidao’s expression grew even more displeased.
“Your Excellency the Grand Councilor, I beg your pardon, your subordinate didn’t mean it like that!”
Despite Wang Zongzhu being Zhao Huan’s maternal uncle, he had indeed served in the northwest during his youth. At that time, he was just a junior officer under Zhong Shidao.
Although he had truly soared to great heights later, and for a period, his official rank even surpassed Zhong Shidao’s.
But now, Zhong Shidao had become a signatory of the Privy Council, a genuine Grand Councilor Zhong.
To say he held high office and great power was absolutely accurate!
Although his position as the Director of the Imperial City Directorate held considerable authority, it was ultimately an inner court official. In front of Zhong Shidao, the current Chancellor, he hardly had any grounds for argument…
“Didn’t mean it like that? Then what are you doing now? Don’t you know this is Prince Xin’s carriage? The Retired Emperor is waiting outside the city for Prince Xin to see him off. You are now blocking Prince Xin’s carriage. Do you intend to commit treason?”
Seeing that Zhong Shidao had already diminished his aggressive stance, Wang Xiang seized the opportunity to press his advantage.
Although Zhong Shidao, Wang Xiang, Zhao Zhen, and Wang Zongzhu all understood in their hearts that the Retired Emperor had probably already slipped away, otherwise this token wouldn’t have ended up in Zhao Zhen’s hands.
However, given their positions, the two of them insisted on speaking nonsense with their eyes open, and Wang Zongzhu truly had no way to deal with them.
He couldn’t exactly escort them to confront the Retired Emperor, could he?
“My Lords, you misunderstand. I didn’t mean that. It’s just that His Majesty has an urgent matter and needs to summon Prince Xin. We request that you two esteemed officials allow us passage…”
Having no ability to handle this himself, he could only invoke the name of Zhao Huan, the new Emperor.
“What do you mean by that? Are you using His Majesty to pressure the Retired Emperor? Are you saying that the Retired Emperor’s words no longer carry weight now that he has just abdicated? I say, Wang Zongzhu, is this your intention or His Majesty’s? Our Great Song Dynasty governs the world with filial piety. Are you trying to lead His Majesty into impiety?”
Listening to Wang Xiang’s forceful words, Wang Zongzhu felt a wave of depression. What in the world was going on?
Only now did he realize he had made a fatal mistake. Arguing with these civil officials was like having a broken brain!
But the matter had already reached this point, and where in this world was there a medicine for regret?
Having lost the initiative, he was now utterly passive.
In the current Great Song Dynasty, a single word of "impropriety" was enough to condemn him completely.
No matter how much he argued tonight, Zhao Zhen would not be stopped…
“I, I didn’t mean it like that! It’s just…”
“Since you didn’t mean it like that, have your men clear the way. His Majesty has matters to summon the Prince for. After His Highness sees the Retired Emperor, he will naturally go to the palace!”
“I beg your pardon, Prime Minister Wang…”
Reasoning was out of the question. Gritting his teeth, Wang Zongzhu prepared to resort to brute force.
Tonight was the last chance to kill Zhao Zhen. Although he didn’t have conclusive evidence yet, all indications suggested he was almost certain that Zhao Zhen had obtained what he wanted.
Once he truly entered the military camp, with 100,000 troops protecting him at this crucial juncture, Zhao Zhen would truly soar.
Although Zhao Huan had ascended to the throne, in this precarious situation, who could guarantee that Zhao Zhen wouldn’t attempt a coup?
“What do you want to do? Are you planning to rebel? Intercepting the current Chancellor and a Prince, Wang Zongzhu, you have quite the gall!”
At Zhong Shidao’s thunderous roar, the once arrogant demeanor of Wang Zongzhu’s subordinates immediately subsided.
“I implore the two esteemed officials to forgive me. Prince Xin must see His Majesty first today before any further decisions can be made! Men, attack!”
Taking a deep breath, Wang Zongzhu gritted his teeth and waved his hand again.
“Guards!”
With the situation having reached this point, Zhong Shidao immediately shouted.
“Your subordinate is here!”
Following this, a team of guards rushed out from Prince Xin’s mansion.
Although their numbers were fewer than Wang Zongzhu’s men, and the weapons they carried were all ordinary swords, spears, and cudgels, not nearly as imposing as the crossbows held by the Imperial City Directorate’s subordinates, with Zhong Shidao and Wang Xiang present, their morale was clearly much stronger than the opposing side.
“I am the current signatory of the Privy Council. I order you, in the name of the founding ancestors of the Great Song, to escort Prince Xin. Those who dare to obstruct will be killed without mercy!”
Zhong Shidao spoke as he drew the sword at his waist.
“Yes!”
At his command, the guards of Prince Xin’s mansion immediately drew their weapons.
At this point, Wang Zongzhu was completely cornered…
If he were to fight, and by chance, Zhong Shidao were injured, let alone being the Emperor’s maternal uncle, even if he were the Jade Emperor himself, his entire clan would be in dire straits!
The Great Song Dynasty valued the shared governance of the emperor and the scholar-officials. If the scholar-officials were to learn that an Imperial City Directorate spy had injured the current Chancellor, Wang Zongzhu could guess his fate with his eyes closed…
“Prime Minister Zhong speaks well. How can such a righteous act be without me, Wang Xiang?”
Although Wang Xiang did not wear a sword, his position as a Fellow of the Privy Council was weapon enough.
“Hahahaha, to be able to travel with Prime Minister Wang is my honor!”
Exchanging a glance with Wang Xiang, Zhong Shidao and Wang Xiang leaped from the carriage almost simultaneously. Without any other discernible actions, they swaggered directly towards Wang Zongzhu.
The distance between them was not far. After they strode forward five steps, they were less than a foot away from the tips of the swords held by the Imperial City Directorate’s spies…
With every step they took forward, the spies had to take a step back. And the carriage behind them moved forward one step. After more than ten steps, Wang Zongzhu finally despaired…
Damn it, this was too much bullying!