As it was a matter of facing the blade whether to stick one's neck out or draw it back, and they had reached this point, Shunxi could only steel himself. After cupping his hands towards everyone, he spoke directly.
"What did you say? Is the Emperor unwell? Have you consulted the imperial physicians?"
As soon as his words fell, Yu Shen stopped the brush in his hand.
"This..."
Under Yu Shen's glare, Shunxi trembled all over.
"Does the Emperor have something he wishes you to convey?"
Seeing his hesitant look, Fan Zheng Guo, who had been sitting beside them, finally opened his eyes.
"This..."
Just Yu Shen alone made him want to prostrate himself on the ground. Now, with Fan Zheng Guo added to the mix, Shunxi immediately felt worse.
What the Emperor had said, the Emperor himself could say, but how could he, a eunuch, dare to repeat it...
"Since His Majesty has given instructions, you should speak frankly!"
Seeing the dense beads of sweat on his forehead, Zhong Shidao, who had been whispering with Wang Xiang, also spoke.
"I dare not conceal from you, esteemed officials. His Majesty said that since you gentlemen conduct yourselves with utmost discretion, it matters little whether the Emperor attends or not. The affairs of state are to be deliberated and decided by you gentlemen yourselves..."
After mustering the courage to relay Zhao Huan's words, the atmosphere in the grand hall suddenly became strange.
In the deathly silence, Shunxi felt a sense of suffocation.
Zhao Huan's words, between the lines, revealed his dissatisfaction with the prime ministers!
The new emperor had just ascended the throne, and had not even held a single grand court session. If he were to anger all the prime ministers into resigning, the situation would truly be dire!
"It seems His Majesty is displeased with us!"
After nearly a quarter of an hour, Fan Zheng Guo was the first to speak.
"Slave, slave does not know..."
Secretly wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Shunxi hurriedly explained.
This was not something he could meddle in...
"Since His Majesty is displeased with us, please relay this back to His Majesty: Today, I, Fan Zheng Guo, will kneel at the gate of the Daqing Hall to beg for forgiveness. When His Majesty's anger has subsided, then we shall request His Majesty to preside over this grand court session!"
With a cold snort, Fan Zheng Guo rose and strode out of the hall.
Seeing this, Shunxi's forehead, which had just dried, was immediately covered in sweat again.
This was the prime minister of the Great Song Dynasty!
A newly appointed emperor, not yet established, forcing the prime minister left by the previous emperor to kneel and confess. How would the historians write about this?
What would the literati of the empire think?
"I also had a hand in last night's events. If an apology is to be made, count me in!"
As soon as Fan Zheng Guo left, Zhong Shidao followed suit.
"Since both prime ministers are going, if I don't, I'll seem petty!"
Having reached his current position in officialdom, when it came to shamelessness, Wang Xiang could certainly rank in the top ten of his time.
His departure left Yu Shen and the newly appointed Commissioner of Military Affairs, Li Ruoshui, in a difficult position.
"As the Grand Preceptor, to incur such thunderous wrath from His Majesty, Yu Mou cannot escape blame!"
In just a few breaths, Yu Shen had made up his mind.
Although he was not allied with Fan Zheng Guo and the others, he was, after all, the Grand Preceptor of the court. If his subordinates were to kneel, how would the scholars of the empire view him?
"Why are you still standing there? Hurry back and report to His Majesty, tell His Majesty to come and apologize to the prime ministers!"
Seeing Yu Shen also walk away, Li Ruoshui, who had remained silent throughout, finally lost his patience. He stepped forward and kicked Shunxi, sending him tumbling.
At this moment, he truly couldn't understand Zhao Huan. After being the crown prince for so many years, enduring for so long, how could his temper suddenly change after ascending the throne?
Was holding a grand court session something that could be done or not done on a whim?
Even if he was displeased with the prime ministers, he should have proceeded gradually. At this juncture, forcing the prime ministers to kneel and beg for forgiveness together – if he couldn't handle this matter well, he would be branded a foolish emperor after today's grand court session!
If the former Emperor were not absent from the palace, it was likely that before long, someone would petition for the establishment of a new emperor!
"Yes!"
Although his old wounds had not healed, and he had just endured another kick, making him feel truly wronged, at this critical moment, Shunxi dared not utter a word of complaint. He quickly got up and scurried towards the Funing Hall.
As the ministers gathered in small groups, chatting softly, they suddenly saw several prime ministers emerge one after another from the doors of the side halls.
While everyone was bewildered, the prime ministers all knelt silently at the entrance of the Daqing Hall.
Upon seeing this, everyone present froze.
Although they did not know what had happened, Zhang Shaoyou and Li Gang, within the crowd, quickly realized that this matter must be related to yesterday evening's events.
"Esteemed Prime Ministers, why go to such lengths? Why go to such lengths!"
After Yu Shen also knelt silently before Fan Zheng Guo, Li Ruoshui, who arrived late, finally appeared.
"Prime Minister Li, since we have angered His Majesty, it is naturally our place to seek forgiveness. Prime Minister Li need not persuade us further!"
As soon as Li Ruoshui finished speaking, Fan Zheng Guo directly replied.
"Esteemed Prime Ministers, there must be some misunderstanding in this matter. His Majesty is benevolent, how could he do such a thing? The ground is too cold, please rise first, esteemed Prime Ministers."
As Zhao Huan's only confidant among the prime ministers, Li Ruoshui was now in a terrible predicament.
Fan Zheng Guo alone was enough to give him a headache, let alone three kneeling beside him. At this moment, he truly resented the eunuchs around Zhao Huan. Did they not offer any counsel in such matters?
"Prime Minister Li, no need to say more. We await His Majesty's punishment here. If His Majesty does not come today, then let us kneel to our deaths here!"
Damn it!
After hearing Wang Xiang's words, Li Ruoshui now wished he could hang the old fellow up and whip him.
Did that sound like something a human would say?
Was that the speech befitting a prime minister of a nation?
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This is terrible, all the prime ministers have knelt at the gate of the Daqing Hall to beg for forgiveness, and Prime Minister Wang said that if Your Majesty does not come, they will kneel to their deaths today!"