There was silence after Chu Yun took his seat on the throne.
He could almost hear the sound of the gears in the Ministers' heads turning. They didn't expect to see him so soon. Either because they assumed the pregnancy would be too debilitating, or because even if it wasn't, Chu Yun wouldn't want to risk it.
In short, they had written him off as someone of no concern.
So maybe, it was for the best that he hadn't been accompanying Xiao Zai to court recently -- or there would have been an arrow aimed at him too.
The Queen Dowager cleared her throat, "well, since his Royal Highness is here I'm going to retreat back to my rooms, and rest," she said breezily, climbing off her chair as if she had been discussing road repairs with the ministers.
Some of them looked like they wanted to protest her departure, looking between her and Chu Yun as if trying to determine which of them would better serve their goals.
Xiao Yuan straightened up as if he was about to leave as well, but Chu Yun stopped him. "I would appreciate it if brother-in-law could stay," he smiled up at him, "I'm not used to court proceedings, after all."
Those words diffused the tension immediately. Chu Yun could even hear some muffled chuckles from below.
Just like that, he was back to being someone of not much concern.
The Queen Dowager left, aided by her personal servants, but Gu Wei stayed right where he was to the discomfort of several ministers who looked up at him standing to the throne's right, much more comfortable than Xiao Yuan to the left.
Chu Yun smoothed down Gu Wei's notes on his lap, and cleared his throat, before smiling at the ministers.
"It seems that the Wise Prince has been arrested," he paused, "I'd like to know why."
They looked among each other, trying to determine who would go first. A familiar figure stepped to the front of the group with a condescending smile plastered across his lips.
"Naturally, he is the most logical suspect," Minister Hu said, that reed-thin moustache clinging to his upper lip with the same determination as when Chu Yun had last seen him.
He knew that sooner or later the Minister of Works would cause them trouble.
It seemed later had finally arrived.
He smiled up at Chu Yun as if he was a poor, dumb dear, completely in over his head. He probably looked at the members of his vast harem in the same way, and Chu Yun wondered if they wanted to drive a knife between his thin ribs as much as Chu Yun did.
He started shaking his head in denial even before Chu Yun was done speaking.
"Maybe Minister Hu thinks that his 'guesses' are good enough, when it comes to finding the culprit of such a heinous act," Chu Yun said, his voice growing lower and deeper even as it rose in volume. "Perhaps Minister Hu thinks it best if no one looks too deeply into the matter."
Minister Hu fell to his knees, his arms extended in front of him on the wooden floor in a deep prostration. "This servant wouldn't dare, this servant wouldn't dare, please his Royal Highness' shouldn't speak so carelessly."
Chu Yun ignored his pleas and walked down the dais, his hands still loosely folded behind his back.
He came to stop when the tip of his boots bumped into Minister Hu's fingertips, who looked up at him from his kowtow with a look of extreme horror.
Chu Yun smiled down at him, savouring the moment as long as he could.
"Maybe, Minister Hu doesn't want anyone looking too hard into the matter because he has something to hide?"
Minister Hu slammed his forehead against the hardwood floor with such violence that Chu Yun thought he heard a crack.
"This servant wouldn't dare!" he shouted, voice ragged with desperation. "Please, his Royal Highness, this servant wants nothing more than to serve the court of Zui, and his Majesty, may he live for a thousand years."
Chu Yun scoffed, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "Is that so? Wouldn't you rather serve yourself?"
Minister Hu lifted his head from the floor, and Chu Yun saw the trickle of blood running down his forehead and dripping into his eyes. He really had split his head open on the floor.
Good.
"This servant is loyal to Zui and his Majesty."
Chu Yun smiled down at him with a nod, and he could see for a moment that Minister Hu thought that was it, that he was free, and then Chu Yun said, "If that's so, you won't mind participating in an interrogation."
He lifted his chin towards the guards stationed inside the throne room. "Guards, take Minister Hu to a holding cell."
The guards snapped into action as if Chu Yun had whipped them, dragging Minister Hu away by the armpits.
Chu Yun went up the dais again, disguising the pain he felt, and sat back down on the throne. He smiled at the stunned ministers, "Now, where were we?"