Fahai was well-read and could debate with a group of scholars, yet he couldn't out-argue a country bumpkin.
Tian Zhonghou said a few words and howled a few times, then put himself in the position of Fahai's elder, leaving Fahai speechless and clenching his fists in anger.
Tian Zhonghou noticed the movement in his hand and suddenly lay down on the ground: "The scholar from the Duke of Tong's mansion beat his own uncle! Right under the emperor's nose, this scholar is a snob who beats his own uncle!"
Fahai was dumbfounded. He hadn't raised his hand or moved his foot. How could he let this old man jump into the air and then fall to the ground?
Tian Zhonghou was spoiled in the countryside and didn't know that the capital and the countryside were different.
In the countryside, if someone rolls around in the mud a few times and then cries a few times, relying on their age, most people with thin skin will avoid them.
In the capital, you could run into an official every three steps, and censors were everywhere. When Tian Zhonghou, with his swaggering manner, stopped Fahai, someone cleverly went to invite the Commander of the Nine Gates.
Tian Zhonghou lay on the ground, his howls turning into groans, while Fahai watched him expressionlessly.
He gradually felt guilty and scared, regretting that he hadn't gone to the capital.
Those raised by the emperor's maternal family are different from ordinary people. They may look frail and delicate, but they are terrifying in every way.
“Nephew, I came to the capital for no other reason than to say that you have become a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations). The Duke’s mansion is so wealthy that it doesn’t care about tax exemptions. Why don’t you give me all the exemption vacancies under your name? Your birth mother is my own sister. We share half the same blood. There’s no reason for you to be rich while my family is poor.” Tian Zhonghou was good at making up excuses, and he could make his arguments seem reasonable.
After so much time, Fahai calmed down: "Words are meaningless. Do you have any proof that I am your biological mother or brother? Even if I do, my Tong family has no rule against allowing people to take land from our land."
Tian Zhonghou lay sprawled on the ground, opening his mouth to curse.
Suddenly, a white steamed bun appeared out of nowhere and was stuffed into his mouth.
"I was wondering why my second brother wasn't home. Turns out he was being harassed by some thugs trying to scam me. Well, that makes sense. My second brother is a man of integrity and upright character; how could he possibly win against such scoundrels? You can't argue with a dog that barks at you; just chase the mad dog away." Kua Dai arrived with the Nine Gates Admiral after receiving the news.
Regardless of Tian Zhonghou's identity, Kua Dai must first distance himself from Fahai.
"Is this young master the third son of the Duke of Tong's mansion?" Tian Zhonghou, relying on Tong Guogang's influence in the countryside, would certainly want to know how many sons he had.
Three parts truth and seven parts falsehood; Tian Zhonghou was a master at deceiving people.
Kua Dai stepped back to block Fahai and explained to the Commander of the Nine Gates, “To avoid any misunderstanding, sir, let me make this clear beforehand. My second brother’s birth mother signed a contract of indenture before entering the household. The money was exchanged for her, and she was sold into servitude, not as a concubine or a noblewoman. Even though she gave birth to my second brother, he only has one mother, who is the primary consort of the Duke of Tong. Your Excellency should interrogate this person thoroughly. Regardless of whether what he says is true or not, he has disregarded the laws of the Qing Dynasty and committed a serious crime.”
Tian Zhonghou became anxious: "Where did I break the law?"
Kua Dai said, “According to the laws of the Great Qing Dynasty, a son born out of wedlock shall regard his legal mother as his mother, and his maternal relatives as his legal mother’s maternal family. The marriage relatives of the Duke of Tong’s family are of the Gioro clan, and my second brother’s maternal uncle is a current official. You just referred to yourself as his maternal uncle, which is impersonating an official of the court, and that is the first crime.”
“My second brother is a successful candidate in the provincial examination and a future official of the imperial court. You, as the head of the household, have obstructed him and used insulting language, which constitutes the crime of insulting the imperial court. This is the second crime.”
"My lord, thank you for your trouble." Kua Dai said to Tian Zhonghou, then stepped aside to make it easier for the Nine Gates Admiral to arrest the man.
The Nine Gates Admiral looked at Kua Dai with admiration. As expected of Lord Tong's eldest son, his methods were truly extraordinary. His approach was magnanimous and overwhelming; he directly convicted the man, listing the charges clearly, without any hint of oppressing the people.
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