"Prince, what do you think?" Emperor Chu looked at Xiong Chu among the crowd and asked.

Everyone turned their attention to Xiong Cui.

"Father, it is great blessing for Da Chu that I, a student of Da Chu, can have such an innocent heart!" Xiong Cui bowed and replied.

When all the ministers heard this, they were all stunned again.

After reading this book of ten thousand words, if the prince wants to plead for Yang Hao, this will be his last chance.

But the prince's answer, didn't this push Yang Hao into the fire pit again?

"Put it away." Emperor Chu stared at Xiong Chuan for a few seconds, then casually ordered, turned around and walked towards the dragon throne.

Sitting back on the dragon chair, Emperor Chu gently rubbed his forehead and remained silent.

The ministers all returned to their seats, looking at the silent Emperor Chu on the dragon throne, making their own calculations in their minds.

"Cheng Lin, the person who wrote the letter comes to the palace." To everyone's surprise, after a long silence, Emperor Chu gave this order.

After a while, Cheng Lin entered with three young people.

Many of the ministers knew these three people.

The young man in the middle, as handsome as jade, with a handsome face that looks slightly haggard, is none other than Shen Mu, the new top scholar.

To the left of Shen Mu is Zeng Yiming, the new flower explorer.

To the right of Shen Mu is Duan Xinqiao, the seventh new scholar.

Like Shen Mu, Zeng Yiming and Duan Xinqiao also looked a little haggard.

Entering the palace, Shen Mu and the other three people walked to a distance of about ten feet from the dragon throne, prostrated themselves on the ground, and said: "Caomin Shen Mu (Zeng Yiming) (Duan Xinqiao) bows to your Majesty! Long live my emperor! Long live my emperor!"

You readers may want to ask, why would these three people, one of whom is the number one scholar in a new subject, one who is a top scholar in a new subject, and one who is the seventh most successful scholar in a new subject, call themselves ordinary people when they meet the Emperor of Chu?

This is related to the current official system of Da Chu.

From the founding of Chu to this dynasty, just like the previous dynasties and dynasties, as soon as the imperial examination was over, the successful candidates who needed to be released to other places were immediately released as officials.

However, this practice was changed five years ago by the current Emperor of Chu.

The revised civil service system is that all new scholars must continue their studies in the Imperial College for three years before they can be released as officials.

Rumor has it that the reason why Emperor Chu changed this part of the official system was because of Ning Yuan's influence.

It is said that students in Ningyuan are not allowed to serve as officials immediately after completing their studies. Instead, they must study for another three years, which is euphemistically called internship.

The reason why Ning Yuan did this is said to be that he was worried that if students became officials immediately after completing their studies, they might do bad things with good intentions due to lack of practical experience in governing.

When the imperial court promulgated this reform five years ago, it caused huge waves among scholars in Dachu.

Regardless of the ten years of hard work among scholars, most of them are full of ambitions. After finally getting through, they have been named on the gold list. It is time to show their ambitions. With the changes in the court, everyone has to endure three more years.

How many three years can youth last? How can it withstand such a waste?

Therefore, when this decree was promulgated five years ago, had it not been for a special clause in the imperial edict that strictly prohibited anyone from raising objections to it, Dachu students, especially those from the Imperial College, would have been in trouble.

However, although this decree was enforced, scholars in Dachu, especially those who needed to enter the Imperial College to study again after being named on the gold list, have always complained about it.

Without further ado, let’s get back to the main topic and go back to the Jinluan Hall.

"Raise your head. I have something to ask." Emperor Chu said as he looked at Shen Mu and others kneeling at the foot of the stairs.

"Did you three write this remonstrance?" Emperor Chu asked when Shen Mu and the other three raised their heads.

"Your Majesty, this remonstrance was written by Cao Min and three other people." Shen Mu replied.

"Is this remonstrance written by you on the spur of the moment?" Emperor Chu asked.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this remonstrance was written by Cao Min and three other people overnight after the incident at Wangjiang Tower was reported." Shen Mu said.

Upon hearing this, all the ministers nodded secretly.

Since this remonstrance begins with the incident at Wangjiang Tower and criticizes Yang Hao's domineering behavior in Wangjiang Tower in detail, it is unlikely that it was written in advance.

"Do you know Yang Hao's identity?" Emperor Chu said.

When the courtiers heard the Emperor Chu's question, the more alert ones frowned slightly.

"Reporting to your majesty, Yang Hao is the eldest son of the Zhenguo Palace, and he also revealed his identity as the emperor's personal guard in Wangjiang Tower." Shen Mu said.

"Let us not care about the identity of the Crown Prince. My personal bodyguard is actually an official. Do you know this?" Emperor Chu said.

When Emperor Chu asked, more courtiers smelled the smell and changed their expressions slightly.

"Reporting to your majesty, the grassroots and others are clear." Shen Mu said.

"Shen Mu, since you are a new scholar in a new subject, and you are also a top scholar in a new subject, you have come to tell me what should I do if the people sue the officials?" Emperor Chu's face darkened and he asked.

As soon as the Chu Emperor said these words, the expressions of everyone in the civil and military dynasties changed.

"Your Majesty, anyone who accuses an official from the people shall be punished with a rod for thirty years." Shen Mu replied, and he fell down at the same time as Zeng Yiming and Duan Xinqiao.

As soon as Shen Mu said this, many ministers became even more outraged.

What Shen Mu said is true.

According to the laws of Dachu, anyone who files a lawsuit against an official, regardless of whether he is right or wrong, must first receive thirty punishments with a cane.

At this moment in the Jinluan Palace, since the Emperor of Chu has asked this question, it is very likely that he will be tortured. Because all the ministers know that although the Emperor of Chu rarely speaks harshly to the ministers, when it comes to legal matters, the Emperor of Chu will But he rarely gives in.

However, the three people kneeling in the hall are all weak scholars. Moreover, looking at Shen Mu and the others' haggard looks, they must have been writing remonstrances all night long, stayed up all night, and then went to school again. After waiting in the cold wind outside the imperial city for so long, how could he still bear the punishment of the rod?

What's more, this is in the Jinluan Palace, and the torturers are the warriors in front of the palace. When they start to use their hands and torture with the stick, they will never and dare not show any mercy.

From now on, I'm afraid that before the thirty strokes are finished, Da Chu's new champion and third prize will be beaten to death.

"Now that you know this, aren't you afraid?" Emperor Chu said.

"Your Majesty, the common people are willing to accept this punishment!" Shen Mu and the others kowtowed at the same time.

When the ministers heard this, they were even more shocked.

"I would like to ask you again, what is the crime for gathering in the imperial city?" Emperor Chu said.

As soon as Emperor Chu asked this question, many of the ministers turned pale.

"Reporting to your majesty, it is a capital crime to gather in the imperial city with a roar!" Shen Mu said.

"You guys, aren't you afraid of death?" Emperor Chu asked carefully.

"Reporting to your majesty, the common people are willing to die to remonstrate with you, and beg your majesty to severely punish the heir apparent of the Yang family!" Shen Mu and three other people said in unison.

Emperor Chu stared at the three of them and said nothing.

In the Jinluan Palace, all the ministers did not dare to express their anger and looked at Emperor Chu with great nervousness.

After a moment of silence, the Emperor of Chu said expressionlessly: "That's all. The festival of the death of a national scholar is a beautiful story for thousands of years. Although the three of you have no official status, let alone national scholars, you can still be regarded as one of our great Chu scholars. Leaders. Today I will achieve your eternal reputation."

After saying that, without waiting for any reaction from the ministers, Emperor Chu's face darkened again and said: "Old Yu, please pass on my instructions to execute the execution!"

Hearing this, Yu Huaien took a step forward and shouted in a deep voice: "Preach Long Live Lord's will! Shen Mu and others sue the officials from the people, follow the laws of Chu, and use thirty sticks! They gather in the imperial city, and kill with sticks according to the laws of Chu!"

Following Yu Huaien's shout, the palace chief shouted loudly: "Where are the warriors in front of the palace?!"

As soon as the official shouted, two majestic warriors holding golden melons stepped into the palace. After bowing to Emperor Chu who was sitting on the dragon chair from a distance, they strode towards Shen who was kneeling on the ground. Mu and the other three left.

From the moment the Emperor of Chu ordered the execution to the time when the warriors entered the palace, things happened very quickly.

While the courtiers were stunned, two warriors in front of the palace had grabbed Shen Mu's left and right shoulders respectively and dragged him up from the ground. The next moment, Shen Mu would be dragged outside the Jinluan Palace and receive thirty sticks.

Shen Mu was picked up first, but his expression was extremely calm. He neither struggled nor shouted, and just allowed the two warriors in front of the palace to escort him toward the entrance of the Jinluan Palace. Zeng Yiming and Duan Xinqiao, who were still kneeling on the ground, also His face was calm and showed no fear.

"Wait a minute!" At this moment, a loud shout suddenly sounded in the Jinluan Palace.

Everyone looked and saw that the person who made the noise was none other than Prince Xiong Chu.

When the two warriors in front of the palace heard the current crown prince's shouting, they stopped, grabbed Shen Mu and turned around to look at the Emperor of Chu.

Emperor Chu's face was as dark as water, and he looked at the prince who was once again in the procession, his eyes were frighteningly cold.

"Father, I sincerely ask my father to forgive Shen Mu and others for their sins!" Xiong Cui said loudly as he bowed to the ground before the Emperor of Chu.

"Prince, are you asking me for help in vain?" Emperor Chu stared at the prince and asked in a cold tone.

"Father, I don't dare! It's just..." Xiong Ai said.

"Just what?" Emperor Chu interrupted Xiong Chuan's words coldly, and continued: "Do you want to say, just because they have an innocent heart? Or do you want to say, just because things happened for a reason?"

"Although Father, Shen Mu and others violated the law, they did have a heart full of deficits, and there was a reason for the incident." Xiong Ai said loudly.

"You can ignore the law if you have a deficit heart? You can gather in the imperial city when there is a reason? Prince, tell me, then what is the use of the law in a big country like me? Where does the dignity of this imperial city of mine belong? "Chu The emperor's voice became colder and colder.

Hearing this, Xiong Chu hesitated for a moment, and then replied: "What my father, Shen Mu, and others said and did were all for the sake of the great Chu. They never intentionally violated the law, and they never meant to offend the dignity of the imperial city!"

When all the ministers heard this, they couldn't help but be greatly surprised.

When the prince shouted "wait a moment", many courtiers were surprised.

The current prince has a gentle temperament. If placed in an ordinary family, the prince's character would be very lovable.

However, as a prince, especially as the future king of the Chu Kingdom, the prince's character makes many courtiers very worried. Because most courtiers believe that a king does not have to be compassionate, but But it is absolutely impossible not to use thunderbolt means. Otherwise, how to govern the huge Chu State, with a territory of thousands of miles and hundreds of millions of people?

Therefore, many courtiers hope that the prince's character can be more firm and decisive.
To be continued...