The mood in the throne room changed completely after Minister Hu was dragged away.
The same people who moments before had been only indulging Chu Yun condescendingly now looked at him as if he was a fox that had sneaked into their chicken coop -- an all around very apt metaphor.
Chu Yun had gotten rid of Minister Hu for now, but there were more names in Gu Wei's list. Many of them were familiar, like the Minister of Finance -- who was giving him a cold, calculating look all the way across the room.
He remembered their meeting well. She was a traditional woman, happy to point out how Xiao Zai's lack of heir made him unfit to be King -- but now here they were anyway.
And she clearly wasn't happy about it.
"I think it's vexing that while his Majesty fought for his life, this courts' ministers did nothing to get to the bottom of the cruel attack on his person," Chu Yun said, leaning his elbow over the throne's armrest and balancing his chin on his open palm. "I think an enquire should be called into all the members of this court."
That landed about as smoothly as a shovelful of fresh manure to the face. The incredulous ministers started talking over each other, trying to make themselves heard above the inane pleading. Some of them begged Chu Yun for understanding, others accused him of overstepping his position.
Chu Yun let them at it for a while, not reacting beyond the bored look on his face.
The lot of them really were like clucking hens. And he was in the mood to pick his teeth with their bones.
Finally, the Minister of Finance couldn't hold herself back any longer. She elbowed the person next to her away and advanced towards the dais, breaking away from the group of disgruntled ministers.
"His Royal Highness can't just show up in this court and make baseless accusations, that damage the honour and reputation of those who have been Zui's most loyal servants for years." Her hands were balled into fists at her sides, and even in a room full of other alphas Chu Yun could sense the threatening aura of alpha pheromones coming off her in waves.
Chu Yun quirked one eyebrow at her bold proclamation. "Oh, but this court's ministers can make baseless accusations regarding something as grave as the attempt on his Majesty's life?"
She was about to retort but Chu Yun was in no mood to hear her. His righteous indignation wasn't for show. Xiao Zai was unconscious in bed, and all these vultures cared about was how they could benefit from the situation -- what bribes were getting paid to whom, whose estate would be expanding as a result of a power shift in the Zui court.
In that moment he despised them all. He wanted nothing more than to get them out of his sight. Only the sight of Minister Song's solemn face among the crowd, as well as that of other lower ministers who wisely stayed out of the altercation prevented Chu Yun from ordering the guards to arrest everyone in the room.
He silenced the Minister of Finance with one look and a raised finger. "I know that one, or several, members of this court are responsible for the attack on his Majesty."
His finger remained trained on the Minister of Finance as he spoke. If he was making a direct accusation to the woman herself or the room at large he left up to interpretation.
His family wasn't from Zui, and wasn't tied by previous marriage alliances with any of the noble families of Zui. Chu Yun owed no one loyalty, or had to worry about the consequences for some distant cousin, or sibling married to a faraway lord.
These ministers, their powerful families, had no sway over him.
They had no idea what to make of him, how far he would go.
And by the looks of it, many weren't willing to risk it.
A heavy silence reigned in the throne room. Chu Yun taped a fingernail against the armrest with a smirk. "Or," he enunciated the word loudly and clearly, and saw how the ministers' necks strained upwards towards the dais, thirsty for the pocket of oxygen he was offering them.
"Or," he repeated, "someone comes forward and gives me the name of those responsible, and no one else has to be punished for the crimes of a few."
He smiled widely. "Of course I don't expect anyone to make such revelations in public," he said sounding almost conciliatory. "I know several of you are probably feeling threatened, or have been coerced to remain silent in some way." He frowned, almost commiserating about the fact. "This is the kind of dirty tactics to be expected from such lowly traitors."
He got up from the throne again, effecting an ease he wasn't feeling. He felt pain all over his back, bile burning the back of his throat -- but he couldn't afford to show weakness now.
"I'll be interviewing each one of you in private," he said, coming down the dais' steps, nodding towards Xiao Yuan to follow after him. "Please remain in the room, you'll be called by name once it's your turn to give your own testimony."
Chu Yun knew firsthand how effective the 'divide and conquer' technique was to persuade an adversary of their inherent weakness from how he'd handled the matter with Xiao An's harem.
Xiao Yuan followed him out of the throne room and towards a nearby study. Chu Yun allowed himself to sag against the door once it was closed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with a pained grimace.
He felt as week as a newborn fawn. He was glad to see the high-backed chair behind the long cherry wood table, because he was sure that if he sat on the floor he would lose his balance and topple sideways. His legs trembled as he dragged himself to it and took a seat.
"Do you need me to call someone?" Xiao Yuan asked, already halfway to Chu Yun. He looked uncomfortable, and scared too.
Chu Yun must look terrible.
He shook his head and straightened his back. He couldn't be showing weakness while interviewing the ministers. It was crucial that he seemed healthy, strong, capable of following through with his threats.
"Call for Hua Nanyi, tell her I need my medicine, and some tea."He straightened the fall of his robes. "After that call the first of them in. I think we should start with Tan Ruo's wife, Minister Song."