The ministers did not dare gamble with the emperor.
How could a pack of wine sacks and rice bags who clung to life and feared death dare trade their own clans for Chen Qian?
Was Chen Qian really the emperor's trusted confidant?
No. Men like Hua Biao and Zhong Hui, who had rendered great service in subduing Gao Rou, were the ones who counted as trusted confidants. What had Chen Qian done when Gao Rou rebelled?
In fact, Lü Xun's accusation could hardly even be called false, because Chen Qian really had taken part in Gao Rou's rebellion.
It was only because the emperor still needed his help that he had spared him responsibility and pardoned him.
Why would the emperor not dare trade a man he had provisionally pardoned for the ministers?
Just because he was Minister of Justice?
Compared with Chen Qian, who arrested people, Zheng Mao, who could place people in office, might have been more important to the emperor.
If Chen Qian's clan was exterminated this time, then even if the emperor did not dare slaughter every last minister afterward, there would surely be some unlucky souls sent on their way alongside Chen Qian. How could the ministers be certain they would not be those unlucky souls?
Who would willingly gamble on those odds?
Even Guo Zhang, who had maintained a correspondence with Gao Rou for years, did not dare gamble.
He vaguely glimpsed something of the Grand General's expression on the emperor's face. Now, even the look he directed at Lü Xun brimmed with hostility.
Gao Rou was only just arrested, and the emperor has only just pardoned our crimes, yet you're already leaping up to demand that he punish us?
Well done, Lü Xun! You dare pave your own road with our lives!
*A