Chapter 140
Many court officials opposed the emperor's sudden and whimsical proposal, but very few actually stood up to speak. They looked at each other, exchanging knowing glances, and not one dared to say "I oppose it."
This is because the Seventh Prince was involved in the matter.
The Seventh Prince's year-long confinement ended before the new year, and everyone was trembling with fear, afraid that he would unleash his power. After all, the Seventh Prince rarely made public appearances, but each time he did, he caused serious trouble: when he appeared at a palace banquet, the First and Second Princes were confined, and the Third Prince was crippled; when Jiu Tianyi directly used a flying knife to kill the Rongdi envoy, the entire Ministry of Rites was thrown into chaos...
The Seventh Prince's evil nature was already etched in their minds, and no one wanted to challenge his power at this time.
However, they waited anxiously for a day... ten days... a month, and the Seventh Prince actually stayed obediently in Zhaoyang Palace, just like before he was confined, never leaving the palace. The palace was peaceful, and no more stories came out.
There are always some people in this world who take an inch and want a mile, and are insatiable. Xue Jin'an appeared too harmless, so some people immediately forgot about his cruelty and jumped out to write extensively about the Seventh Prince's crimes, such as disrespecting elders and behaving recklessly, disregarding etiquette and rules... They kept fabricating charges, almost turning the Seventh Prince into the Marquis of Haihun.
Finally, he not only demanded that the seventh prince move back to the princes' quarters to continue reflecting on his mistakes behind closed doors, but also asked the emperor to abolish the posthumous title of empress bestowed upon his birth mother. It can be said that he had revealed his true intentions.
The Empress Dowager sneered upon hearing this, and rebuked her without any politeness: "It is said that even the sharpest sword cannot withstand the harm inflicted by a scholar's words. I have truly witnessed this today. The duty of the Censor is to supervise all officials. Since when did you have to meddle in the ranks of the empress dowager?"
"They say a prime minister's belly can hold a boat, and I think Imperial Censor Liu has a sea in his heart too, otherwise how could he be so nosy? Why don't we let you sit on the throne as well, and the emperor and I will all follow your orders? What do you think?" The Empress Dowager's last words were spoken lightly, but they were like a mountain that directly knocked Imperial Censor Liu to his knees, making him cry out, "I dare not."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I am truly acting in the best interests of the Seventh Prince and the reputation of the Imperial Family! Soon the imperial concubines will be arriving in the capital, and the Seventh Prince is already of age where he should avoid suspicion. The other princes are all residing in the Princes' Quarters, while he alone resides in the inner palace. Wouldn't this arouse suspicion? Boys and girls should not sit together after the age of seven; such a violation of etiquette must be addressed as soon as possible!" Imperial Censor Liu spoke with great righteousness. "Concubines should reside where concubines should reside, and princes should also reside where princes should reside. This is an ancestral rule, how can it be disregarded? If we go against the natural order and forcibly do so, we will surely be punished by Heaven, Your Majesty!"
Imperial Censor Liu spoke passionately, frantically professing his loyalty to the emperor, completely unaware that the Empress Dowager's gaze had turned utterly cold.
Don't forget, before the Seventh Prince moved into Zhaoyang Palace, there was a concubine who couldn't enter the inner palace and could only barely live in a palace built on the edge of the boundary between the front court and the inner palace. This concubine was the late Emperor's Consort Hui, and it was the Empress Dowager who prevented Consort Hui from entering the inner palace.
Thinking further afield about the final outcome of this event, the Empress Dowager and the late Emperor almost broke off relations, Consort Hui lost two sons and suffered a miscarriage, and the late Emperor also passed away in his prime... It just so happened that Imperial Censor Liu said, "He will surely be punished by Heaven."
The fact that the Empress Dowager did not fly into a rage on the spot and order Liu, the Imperial Censor, to be dragged out and beheaded shows that she was already quite good-tempered.
"Imperial Censor Liu, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want." The Empress Dowager had a faint smile on her face, but her voice was chilling and went straight to Liu's head, startling him awake.
After that, until the court session ended, Imperial Censor Liu did not dare to speak again. The next morning, this junior imperial censor did not appear at the court session. Many people couldn't help but glance at the Empress Dowager, and their expressions clearly showed that they thought the Empress Dowager had done something to someone.
The Empress Dowager remained calm and composed, not sparing a glance at anyone else, completely unaffected by their scrutiny.
Of course, the matter was quickly clarified, because the stubborn Right Censor-in-Chief stood up and asked about the situation of the young censor from yesterday. The emperor called on an official from the Ministry of Personnel to answer, and the official said that the censor was ill and asked for a few days off.
Only then did they learn that the censor had been hit in the waist by a carriage in front of his own residence on his way home from court the previous day.
The Empress Dowager immediately said coldly, "The waist is where the kidney water resides, and it needs to be rested for a while. Since that's the case, let him rest at home for a while and he doesn't need to come to court for the time being."
They said it was recently, and that he should rest at home, but there was no guarantee of a time limit, which is basically equivalent to dismissing him from his post and investigating him.
The ministers were in an uproar, feeling that a mere censor deserved such a punishment. However, after all, he was just a minor censor, and they didn't want to offend the Empress Dowager for such a small matter. So they lowered their heads and did not refute him. The emperor thought so too, and thus the Censorate lost a censor.
Soon, this junior censor was forgotten.
Originally, this matter was a political anecdote of the Empress Dowager and should not have been too much involved with Xue Jin'an. However, someone spread the rumor that the censor's fate was due to the fact that he accused the Seventh Prince and was cursed by him.
Some people believed it, but many more did not. Just as some people were careful not to mention Zhaoyang Palace again, others seemed to have a longer life than others and insisted on clinging to the Seventh Prince. These people were mostly old-fashioned scholars who valued reputation and rules more than anything else.
Grand Tutor Li was one of them. Due to a recurrence of his leg ailment in winter, he was bedridden and did not attend court. He only submitted a memorial opposing the Seventh Prince's continued residence in Zhaoyang Palace. He still remembered the Seventh Prince's impressive performance at the palace banquet years ago, where he single-handedly tested all the officials, leaving them speechless. He was a rigid man, but he valued talent most highly and was much more tolerant of talented individuals. When Liu Gu was arrested for his literary inquisition, Grand Tutor Li spoke highly of him, which could be considered as contributing to Liu Gu's intangible release.
Grand Tutor Li acknowledged the Seventh Prince's talent, and his memorial was much more polite. The entire article was more like a heart-wrenching lament for a stubborn and unruly disciple than a critique.
These old scholars generally controlled their words, focusing only on the behavior at Zhaoyang Palace, without generalizing it to Xue Jin'an.
Well, what a coincidence! These old men who impeached Xue Jin'an all fell ill one after another over the next two weeks. Unsurprisingly, people immediately attributed the cause to the Seventh Prince. Rumors about the Seventh Prince being evil spread like wildfire, with both truth and falsehood circulating, gradually demonizing the Seventh Prince.
The details of each and every incident were listed clearly and seriously, which confused Cui Zui. Cui Zui even ran over to Xue Jin'an and asked, "Master, Master, can you really curse other people?"
"We can use magic," Xue Jin'an said truthfully.
After a year of recuperation, his body was no longer as dilapidated as before. His battery was also constantly being repaired, and he could clearly feel that as his body improved, the repair speed of the battery also increased, and the data in all aspects increased exponentially.
"Humans who can automatically repair and grow are truly amazing." Xue Jin'an touched the location of the battery on his chest, feeling the strong and powerful heartbeat inside. He finally completely gave up the idea of replacing it with the healthiest battery. At that repair speed, his battery would soon be healthy again, as would the other organs in his body.
Xue Jin'an's physical condition improved, and his magical power naturally recovered considerably. Whether he could do other things was still debatable, but cursing someone to have bad luck was still very simple.
But Xue Jin'an was certain he hadn't done that. He could make someone suffer with a single word, and there was no need to waste his magic power on such a person. He was also certain that he was the only cultivator in this world, and that the world's consciousness was still trying to climb over the wall and establish a connection with the cultivation world by relying on his "□□".
"Could it be... Master, you are the protagonist in the storybook who turns misfortune into good fortune and escapes danger?" Cui Zui's thoughts jumped around.
Xue Jin'an said indifferently, "It's just survivor bias."
When people reach a conclusion, they always dig out a bunch of random things from the corners of their memory to prove the conclusion's rationality. Teacher X used this very skillfully, and swindled a lot of money from the emperor.
Cui Zui nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
Some people were skeptical of the Seventh Prince's strange behavior, saying, "The Right Censor-in-Chief also impeached the Seventh Prince, yet he's perfectly fine and nothing has happened to him?"
"The Right Censor-in-Chief impeaches people, but he never deliberately slanders them or makes them unhappy." The fact that the Right Censor-in-Chief can remain in his position for so long despite impeaching people every day is largely due to this characteristic of his personality.
Gradually, the Seventh Prince became a living Yama who could decide life and death with a single word, and this prosperous era finally came as the Fifth Prince had wished.
The lesson of that censor was still fresh in everyone's mind, and no one wanted to become a new case to prove the Seventh Prince's identity as the King of Hell. The Right Censor, who was usually the most talkative, stood there calmly with his hands in his sleeves, eyes closed, completely oblivious to what was going on around him.
This made people realize even more how formidable the Seventh Prince was, to the point that even the Right Censor-in-Chief was wary of him.
However, in reality, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief did not object to the princes going to the Imperial Guard for training. He even thought that it would be best if the training was real and hard, so that they could suffer and expend their energy, instead of being as troublesome as the ones standing in the hall.
As if on cue, trouble struck. Just as no one objected and the emperor was about to make a decision, the second prince gave his man a wink, signaling him to object, but the emperor rebuked him.
The emperor was exceptionally resolute on this matter. Once it was decided, he immediately announced the positions assigned to the princes. The fourth, fifth, and sixth princes all started in the city defense battalion, and their task was to wear armor and guard the city gates every day, in three shifts.
The Seventh Prince was assigned to the main camp of the Imperial Guard, which is the core fighting force of the Imperial Guard. Their duty is to protect the capital. If there is a rebellion in the capital, they will be the first to be on the battlefield. If the capital is peaceful, they will train in the camp every day.
This differential treatment was obvious to everyone. The Third Prince was alright; he was half asleep during the morning court session, letting the words go in one ear and out the other, without giving it much thought. The First and Second Princes, however, were more thoughtful. Their eyes were unreadable, and they were once again certain in their hearts that their father truly favored their seventh brother!
Their fear and hostility towards Xue Jin'an rose to another level, which made the Empress Dowager frown.
The emperor was well aware of the consequences his actions would bring to Xue Jin'an, but he didn't care. He only wanted Xue Jin'an to immediately become the "talented general" that Lu Bingzhu had described, to become his capable general and contribute to his future fame.
Xue Jin'an paid no attention to these people's thoughts. He watched the recording of the morning court session that night, went to bed an hour earlier than usual, and woke up an hour earlier the next day. After waking up, he did not do any morning exercises, but washed up and went directly to the Imperial Guard camp.
At that time, the emperor's edict had not yet been issued.
Delay could lead to unforeseen changes. Xue Jin'an was determined to seize control of the Imperial Guard. The meat that had already been handed to him was something he would not agree to even if the emperor issued an edict. He already considered the Imperial Guard to be his for the taking. His main purpose in setting off for the Imperial Guard now was to reorganize it.
As mentioned before, the Imperial Guards had become a "nursery" for the powerful and wealthy families of the capital, and countless useless people had infiltrated them. These people had seriously corrupted the Imperial Guards' fighting capacity, turning the once-renowned capital's garrison into a useless army with only a name.
Xue Jin'an's "Code Techniques" pursues the minimalist beauty of code and rejects ugly, bloated code.
The emperor was willing to reform the Imperial Guard, but he was always somewhat "weak" in his political methods. The powerful and influential families were too big to be controlled, and he did not have the courage to cut them off completely. However, he was unwilling to watch such a large army be hollowed out by the corrupt officials. So he transferred people from the Imperial Guard to control the core troops and preserve part of the Imperial Guard's fighting strength.
In reality, all of this is just self-deception. If the rotten flesh is not cut off in time, it will erode the healthy part. The Imperial Guard needs a thorough reform.
However, such reforms would cause growing pains in the early stages, and the emperor certainly wouldn't be able to handle it. So Xue Jin'an decided to take advantage of the situation before anyone realized what was happening and strike first.
Yes, Xue Jin'an went there to cause trouble.
Sometimes, the more anxious you are to do something, the more likely you are to encounter people or things that waste your time.
On that well-connected road, Xue Jin'an encountered the Eighth Prince, who was heading to the Imperial Study. The Eighth Prince paused, his expression momentarily unnatural.
The Eighth Prince had a strange feeling about Xue Jin'an. They were close in rank and only a few months apart in age, but their backgrounds were worlds apart. However, later, people in the world fell into the mud, covered in mud, and were constantly dragged down by hands in the mud, unable to struggle and falling downwards.
The Eighth Prince, who grew up in the mud, did not offer a helping hand, but stood aside and watched coldly. Only when he saw his figure gradually being swallowed by the mud did he seem to receive the emotion conveyed by the other party and show a sympathetic expression.
The Eighth Prince never took advantage of Xue Jin'an's misfortune. He simply watched him gradually decay and wither, revealing his scarred body. The Eighth Prince acknowledged his own despicable nature, drawing nourishment from Xue Jin'an's tragic situation to help himself grow stronger.
When did this change happen? Seeds that should have been rotting in the mud suddenly took root, sprouted, and blossomed. They grew so large that they covered the sky and the sun, turning the mud into a treasure trove of nutrients. Everyone praised its excellent nutrition, calling it a sacred place for planting.
Only the Eighth Prince, shrouded in shadow, knew that the mud beneath his feet was still beyond redemption.
Or perhaps it wasn't the mud that couldn't be helped, but himself. What he desperately sought was something Xue Jin'an wouldn't even glance at. The person he abandoned his dignity to curry favor with, yet he eagerly became Xue Jin'an's brother and was still looked down upon.
And then there's his father, the emperor. Even if his favor is like poison coated in honey, at least it tastes sweet. He can't even ask for that little bit of sweetness.
Look, he is the same age as Xue Jin'an, only two months apart, but the Emperor's attention is only on Xue Jin'an. He doesn't even spare a glance for him. He has been completely forgotten, and no one remembers him.
The Eighth Prince wanted to drag Xue Jin'an back into the mire, yet he also wanted to cling to him to climb out of it. A myriad of emotions gathered in his eyes, but he managed to suppress them, forcing a smile onto his face as he prepared to greet him with the prepared speech he had recited countless times in his mind.
However, Xue Jin'an did not stay.
Xue Jin'an paid no attention to the Eighth Prince's emotions, nor did he feel that he had any relationship with the Eighth Prince that required him to stop and greet him, so he prepared to walk past without looking to the side.
The Eighth Prince's expression instantly turned extremely ugly, and a surge of emotions welled up, revealing deep-seated malice and resentment.
His voice cracked with rage, low and suppressed, "Xue Jin'an!"
"Hmm?" Xue Jin'an stopped and turned to look at him, uttering a questioning syllable.
Looking at his emotionless face, the Eighth Prince felt the anger in his chest burning even brighter. He sneered, "Do you think you're in a good position right now? Do you think the favor you're receiving is real? How long do you think you can remain so arrogant?"
"Don't get too cocky, or you might end up getting caught off guard," the Eighth Prince warned.
Xue Jin'an sensed the malice emanating from him and roughly analyzed the logic behind his actions and words from his ferocious and complex expressions.
He tilted his head and asked honestly, "Does 'ditch' refer to you?"
The Eighth Prince choked, his face almost contorted with anger, and said with a twisted smile, "Yes, that's right, compared to you, I'm just a gutter, just a pile of mud, so what?"
"Even mud can kill!" he hissed.
"Yes, it can cause someone to suffocate to death." Xue Jin'an nodded seriously.
The Eighth Prince felt like he'd punched a pillow, and glared at him angrily. "What do you mean? You look down on me? You think I can't touch you, so you're completely indifferent? Show me some reaction, you bastard!"
Xue Jin'an thought about it and felt that what he said made some sense, so he granted his request.
Xue Jin'an swiftly drew his soft sword from his waist, his gaze sweeping over the Eighth Prince with an emotionless intensity. He offered him end-of-life care with remarkable tenderness, a standard smile curving his lips as he solicited his opinion in a friendly tone: "How would you like to be dissected? 1. By muscles; 2. By bones; 3. By meridians. I'm in a bit of a rush. If you don't answer within ten seconds, I'll assign you randomly. Your choice is—?"
Eighth Prince: "..."
For the first time, the Eighth Prince realized that being looked down upon wasn't so bad.
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