Chapter 148 Are you pretending to be your mother?
Boom!
The entire Golden Throne Hall instantly erupted.
rebels?
Killing the Lord?
In ancient times, where imperial power was supreme, each of these words was like a thunderclap, making everyone tremble in fear!
Connecting a Prince with rebels was no longer a simple matter of teaching malpractice; it was shaking the very foundation of the nation, an unforgivable crime!
In an instant, countless gazes, some fearful, some angry, all focused on Shen Yulou.
Wang Shushi, even more dramatic, shed tears and knelt before the dragon throne.
"Your Majesty! If such treacherous rebels are not severely punished, our dynasty is in peril!"
Watching the splendid performance of these old actors, Shen Yulou almost burst out laughing.
Is that all?
I thought you could come up with some big move.
Emperor Ren, however, was very calm; he had clearly heard something about what they were saying.
He also knew about this card game, but at this moment, he did not express an opinion, but rather looked at Shen Yulou.
"Minister Shen, what do you say?"
Several old ministers were already agitated, but they were met with such a light attitude from Emperor Ren.
Their hearts sank, and they had an ominous premonition.
Shen Yulou, however, slowly stepped forward, "Reporting to Your Majesty."
"What the Grand Tutor and Junior Tutor said..."
"It's simply a eunuch meeting—nonsense."
He Shun:??
Shen Yulou looked at Li Deguang and said.
"Lord Li, have you ever played Three Kingdoms Kill?"
Li Deguang snorted, "How could I play such a rebellious thing?"
"If you haven't played, why are you spouting nonsense?"
"You!"
Emperor Ren frowned, "Minister Shen! Debates are allowed in the Imperial Court, but insults are not."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Lord Li, do you know that in this game, while rebels must kill the Lord, there are also Loyal Ministers whose duty is to protect the Lord at all costs!
There are also Infiltrators, who must eliminate all forces in the chaos to win!"
Shen Yulou's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, instantly quieting the originally noisy hall.
He scanned the room, his gaze finally settling on Emperor Ren on the dragon throne, and said loudly:
"Your humble servant had the Eighth Prince play this game not to teach him to be a rebel, but to let him stand from the Lord's perspective to understand why rebels rebel, how Loyal Ministers fulfill their loyalty, and how Infiltrators lie in wait!"
"Sun Tzu's Art of War says: 'If you know yourself and your enemy, you will never be defeated.' The Eighth Prince will be a pillar of Da Hun in the future, and may even be a candidate for Crown Prince."
"Is it better to have the Eighth Prince tediously read 'loyal to the monarch and patriotic' ten thousand times in books, or to let him personally experience the tragic death of a Loyal Minister who exhausted himself to protect the Lord in a series of thrilling simulations?"
"During military campaigns, there are often military strategy simulations."
"And a game like Three Kingdoms Kill, though not comparable to true military strategy simulations, can still allow the people of our Hun Kingdom, even women and children, to learn some strategies and military tactics."
"Over time, wouldn't our Hun Kingdom become even stronger and more powerful?"
"Lord Li has long resided in the Imperial Court, high above, and has forgotten that our Hun Kingdom's empire was established by our ancestors, and even His Majesty has personally led campaigns many times."
"Such a divine plaything that popularizes military strategy, in Lord Li's mouth, has become a malicious and rebellious object."
"Lord Li."
"You're truly a tadpole wearing a frog's backpack—what the hell are you pretending for?"
These words rendered the entire hall silent.
He Shun let out a small laugh, and though the sound was faint, everyone heard it.
Emperor Ren pinched his thigh below, suppressing his laughter, then said sternly.
"Minister Shen! Pay attention to Imperial Court discipline."
Li Deguang pointed at Shen Yulou, trembling with anger, his beard shaking wildly.
"You, you, you..."
He said "you" three times in a row, his blood pressure soaring.
He was red-faced from Shen Yulou's scolding.
Wang Shushi said.
"Your Majesty, Shen Yulou is being sophistical and dares to insult his colleagues in the Imperial Court; he utterly disregards the law!"
Emperor Ren waved his hand.
"The Grand Tutor need not overreact."
"That Three Kingdoms Kill, Your humble servant saw it and played a few rounds with He Shun."
"Your humble servant believes it's not as serious as you say; it's beneficial for those who haven't been to battle to familiarize themselves with basic military tactics."
In this era, very few people could afford to read, and they didn't even understand military strategies like 'crossing the river and demolishing the bridge.'
Now with this card game, a simple play gives them some basic understanding.
Shen Yulou's words were passionate and stirring.
The entire Imperial Court was silent.
Even Li Deguang and Wang Shushi, who had been filled with righteous indignation just now, could only gape, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
How could this young man's tongue be so sharp?
He truly dared to speak.
He even said the Eighth Prince might be a candidate for Crown Prince, what the hell are you talking about?
Li Deguang was almost driven to myocardial infarction by Shen Yulou's phrase "tadpole wearing a frog's backpack."
Damn it, he even curses in such a sophisticated way; is his little mouth poisoned?
Wang Shushi, seeing his teammate about to lose, quickly stepped forward, gritting his back teeth, and continued.
"Your Majesty! Shen Yulou is being sophistical and has a glib tongue! Setting aside this first crime for now, Your humble servant wishes to impeach him for his second crime!"
He took a deep breath, raising his voice a notch.
"His second crime: improper guidance, indulging in playthings and neglecting duty!
The Eighth Prince is already addicted to music and entertainment, often lingering in Brothels.
Not only did Shen Yulou not advise or stop him, but he even intensified it, actually taking the Eighth Prince to stay overnight in a Brothel!
Your humble servant also heard they spent a fortune just to win the courtesan!
How is this fitting for a Prince?
How is this different from those profligate sons of aristocratic families?
If this continues, wouldn't the Eighth Prince become a good-for-nothing?
How can such a treacherous minister as Shen Yulou be fit to be an Imperial Tutor?"
At these words, the entire court was shaken.
What the hell?
Taking a Prince to a Brothel?
And helping the Prince pursue a courtesan?
This operation is too wild!
The officials' gazes at Shen Yulou had changed from shock to awe.
Amazing.
It's still you.
You play even wilder than the Eighth Prince himself!
However, Emperor Ren on the dragon throne had a calm expression, like still water.
Just as calm as when he learned about the rebels in Three Kingdoms Kill, as if he had known all along.
Everyone's hearts instantly sank.
The atmosphere felt a bit off.
Logically, upon hearing that the Prince was taken to a Brothel, shouldn't Emperor Ren have flown into a rage and immediately dragged Shen Yulou out to be executed?
How could His Majesty's reaction be so calm?
An ominous premonition emerged in the hearts of Wang Shushi and Li Deguang.
Emperor Ren took a sip of tea, his gaze turning to Shen Yulou, his tone still flat.
"Minister Shen, what do you say?"
Shen Yulou took a step forward, a serene smile on his face.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Eighth Prince is currently in his rebellious phase, and going along with him yields better results.
Forcing him, as the Grand Tutor and others do, will only backfire.
Your humble servant took him to the Brothel and had him play Three Kingdoms Kill as a method of provocation, to stir his competitive spirit."
"Competitive spirit?"
Li Deguang sneered, "I think it stirred his lust!
Shen Yulou, stop being sophistical!
Your twisted logic will only make the Eighth Prince indulge more in playthings and neglect his duties; it has no effect whatsoever!"
"Precisely!"
Wang Shushi quickly echoed, "This method of teaching is unheard of by Your humble servant; it is utterly absurd!"
Emperor Ren listened to their bickering, rubbing his temples, his head aching a bit.
"He Shun, where is the Eighth Prince now?"
Eunuch He Shun bowed, "Reporting to Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Eighth Prince is currently reading in the Imperial Library Pavilion."
"What?