Chapter 60 The real show is just beginning.
"Smack!"
The teacup exploded on the ground like a firework. The maid serving tea was so frightened that she took a few steps back, narrowly avoiding the flying shards, but her skirt was still inevitably splashed with tea.
Everyone standing in the room lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, and the only sound in the room was the angry shouts of the Earl of Yuyang.
"What is Xue Guangting? A nobody, a mere petty official, yet he dares to impeach me? A peasant from some backwater village, trying to frame me!"
Feng Man forgot that he too came from humble beginnings and rose to a noble title through his daughter's connections, forgetting the hardships he faced as a poor man.
Lord Ma sat on the high chair at the head of the table, his eyes filled with hatred.
Despite her anger, she was the one in charge of things at home, and she thought things through more thoroughly than Feng Man: "Send someone to ask Prime Minister Wang what's going on with this Xue Guangting. I'll immediately send a letter to the palace and have Hua'er find out the Emperor's opinion."
Hua'er was Feng Fei's name when she was at home. After gaining favor with the emperor, Feng Fei refused to use this name anymore, finding it too vulgar.
No one in the palace would mention the names of the concubines except the emperor. Even the family members of the imperial concubines would bow to her when they saw her. Only the Feng family still called her by her full name.
Ma Junjun's mind raced, and she remembered the people Xue Guangting had mentioned: "What's the deal with that guy surnamed Zhao? How did Qian Lin handle him? Go and call him over!"
A maidservant quickly agreed and ran off to find Steward Qian.
Qian Lin had just heard about the impeachment of the Feng family. As soon as she came in, she put on a smile and tried to shirk responsibility: "Those people in Meiyuan County took the money and couldn't even control a cripple. It's also my fault. I thought it would be easier for the locals to handle it than for us from the capital, but I didn't expect such a big mistake to happen."
Ma Junjun glared at Qian Lin before saying, "Why aren't you going to deal with that family? Are you going to leave them around to give others leverage against you?"
Qian Lin nodded hurriedly in agreement.
Lord Ma glanced at the Earl of Yuyang standing beside him, and his anger immediately flared up again. He grabbed the fruit plate next to him and threw it at the Earl of Yuyang: "And that Lu family guy, if it weren't for you two, you wouldn't have caused so much trouble."
Being pelted with the grime in front of the servants and the steward, Feng Man felt a little embarrassed. He flicked his sleeve to brush off the residue and said irritably, "Stop talking nonsense!"
"Did I say something wrong?" Lady Ma's voice suddenly rose, her eyes wide with anger as she glared at the Earl of Yuyang. "If you hadn't taken pity on that bitch and let her coax that old blind woman out with a few sweet words, would Xue Guangting have been able to find out all this? In the end, that little bitch still tried every means to escape. If I hadn't dealt with her immediately, that little bitch might have accused you in court today!"
Feng Man was furious at what Ma Junjun said and shouted, "Anyway, the case is in the Ministry of Justice, what do I have to be afraid of!" He pointed at Ma Junjun, "Don't you dare stand there looking at me like that, I..."
Before he could finish speaking, a maid suddenly burst in. The Earl of Yuyang, already furious, immediately scolded the servant for her recklessness: "You blind fool, are you looking for death?"
The maid was so frightened that her legs went weak and she knelt down on the ground, saying in a trembling voice, "Someone from the Ministry of Justice has come to ask the Lord to come."
When the Earl of Yuyang arrived at the Ministry of Justice, he was still seething with anger. As soon as he entered, he saw a young man in a blue robe standing in the hall. Just as he was wondering what was going on, someone next to him introduced him: "This is Xue Guangting."
Upon hearing the name "Xue Guangting," the Earl of Yuyang's anger surged to his head.
"Hmph!" He flicked his sleeve, held his belt, and strode into the room with his belly protruding. "These days are strange indeed. Any Tom, Dick, or Harry can wear blue robes and official hats. Letting such a thing in here, aren't they afraid of dirtying the Ministry of Justice?"
Everyone knew who he was referring to. Xue Guangting turned around and bowed respectfully: "This humble official, Xue Guangting of the Censorate, greets the Earl of Yuyang."
The Earl of Yuyang acted as if he hadn't seen him, only glancing at him sideways: "A stinking, poor wretch who just crawled out of the countryside, a beggar on the street, dares to gossip in the Taiji Hall?"
Several officials from the Ministry of Justice passing by outside the gate stopped and looked over. Some of them, who did not recognize the Earl of Yuyang, whispered among themselves, occasionally uttering very soft "Consort Feng" or "Feng Mansion".
Xue Guangting ignored the Marquis of Yuyang's provocation and earnestly explained, "Although my official rank is low, I am a member of the Censorate, and my audiences with the Emperor are permitted by law and approved by His Majesty. Moreover, everything I said in court was true. There is witness testimony and evidence that the Marquis of Yuyang allowed his servants to seize farmland, accept bribes, and abuse women. This was not a deliberate slander by me. Marquis of Yuyang, the laws of our dynasty strictly prohibit aristocratic officials from annexing land. The matter of Meiyuan County should be handled according to the law..."
"Your mother's legs are no match for him!" The Earl of Yuyang had no patience to listen to his laws and regulations. This stinking pauper had made him lose face in the court, and he wished he could spit on Xue Guangting's face.
"Do you know who I am? My daughter is an imperial concubine! I am a member of the royal family! You, a mere eighth-rank official, haven't even had a chance to warm your official hat yet, and you dare to try and bite me?"
The Earl of Yuyang grabbed Xue Guangting by the front of his robe and roared at him, spitting as he spoke.
The Vice Minister of Justice entered from outside the door, saw what was happening in the hall, silently walked past the two men, and sat down in the hall. He seemed not to have seen them, not saying a word, only lowering his head and pretending to look at the case files.
Seeing the Ministry of Justice's attitude, the Earl of Yuyang became even more arrogant, grabbing Xue Guangting's collar and refusing to let go.
He was pampered and his belly was as full as a seven-month pregnant woman's. Xue Guangting had been working hard for days, and his already not-so-robust body was now just skin and bones. When he was pulled like that, he couldn't help but stagger two steps.
Xue Guangting forced himself to steady himself and tried to pull the clothes out of the Earl of Yuyang's hands. With a tug, the blue robe was torn open with a "rip," revealing the starched and fuzzy linen undergarment.
The Earl of Yuyang laughed as if he had seen the biggest joke in the world, pointing at the half-exposed undergarment and saying, "Look at your poor, wretched appearance! Even the dogs in my manor are dressed better than you. You're just a nobody with no connections. Who gave you the audacity to meddle in the affairs of royalty?"
As he spoke, he grabbed the half-worn undergarment and shook it: "You can't even afford a decent set of clothes. Let me ask you, where did you get the money to take the imperial examination in the capital? Did you swindle it from some rich man by selling your face?"
A murmur arose outside the door, and several seasoned old men quickly lowered their heads and pulled away the young officials who still wanted to watch the spectacle.
No matter how poor Xue Guangting's background was, he was still a legitimate Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and an official serving in the Censorate. The Feng family only knew how to flaunt their noble titles and had no understanding of the dangers of officialdom; how could they utter such inappropriate words in public?
Xue Guangting's face flushed red. He had studied diligently for years, passing the imperial examinations with his own talent and integrity, and believed himself to be clean and honest, having never done anything despicable. He could tolerate the Earl of Yuyang mocking his poverty, but how could he remain indifferent to the Earl of Yuyang's slander of his reputation?
"Lord Yuyang, please have some self-respect!" Xue Guangting grabbed Lord Yuyang's hand and forcefully pulled it away, saying sternly, "It is true that I come from a humble background, but every penny I have spent has been clean and honest. Lord Yuyang, aren't you afraid of being reprimanded by the Emperor for slandering an official of the court out of thin air?"
Bo Cai of Yuyang did not believe in anything about being upright and honest.
He earned his title by selling his daughter, and those families in the capital with any sense of family values and traditions disliked associating with the Feng family.
He was surrounded by wealthy people who indulged in frivolous pleasures and squandered their money, as well as impoverished nobles who lived off the sale of their ancestral property. He witnessed all sorts of shady dealings and naturally felt that such a penniless person could not enter the imperial court without someone promoting him.
He sneered inwardly. Xue Guangting didn't have the money to pass the exam; he was probably either working as a male prostitute for some examiner or selling himself to some powerful figure as a lackey.
The Earl of Yuyang was able to recognize the term "male prostitute" thanks to the Duke of Shen. He had heard some of the absurdities of Prince Mu from the Duke of Shen, and out of curiosity, he had also visited a few "male prostitutes," finding the experience quite different.
He glanced at Xue Guangting sideways; if he were a little fairer and more delicate, he would be no less attractive than that male prostitute.
The Vice Minister of Justice, who had been silent until now, finally coughed twice. The Ministry of Justice had summoned Xue Guangting and the Earl of Yuyang today because of the Earl of Yuyang's several disgraceful deeds. It would have been fine if the Earl of Yuyang had just made a few sarcastic remarks, but the more he talked, the more outrageous he became. If they didn't interrupt him, it would reach the Emperor's ears, and the Ministry of Justice would be in a difficult position to explain.
"Did he really say that?" Fu Sui asked incredulously.
The person who came to report replied, "I inquired with several clerks in the Ministry of Justice, and the door was wide open. The Earl of Yuyang was making a huge fuss, and most of the Ministry of Justice could hear him. Moreover..." The person thought of the Earl of Yuyang's actions and found them too absurd to say, "The Earl of Yuyang even tore Xue Guangting's clothes in public."
Fu Sui was now truly impressed by Feng Man. What were those border generals and civil officials who died for their cause compared to the fearlessness of the Marquis of Yuyang?
Xue Guangting was wearing an official robe and was an imperial censor. How dare he tear Xue Guangting's official robe? Did he really think that doing so would be a slap in Xue Guangting's face?
There are a few incorruptible officials in the Imperial Academy who even Fu Sui doesn't want to provoke. It's only because the Earl of Yuyang doesn't hold any official position and can't attend court that he's been subjected to so much criticism from the Imperial Academy.
She summoned Qin An: "Send a few men to Meiyuan County to find that family surnamed Tian. If the Feng family makes any moves, don't let them succeed."
Xue Guangting didn't even have a place to live in the capital and had to stay at someone else's house. It's estimated that there was nowhere to house a paralyzed person. The Tian family was probably still in Meiyuan County.
The collusion between the Feng family and the local elders and government officials of Meiyuan County is not a recent phenomenon. The forced land purchase and the assault both occurred last year. That's ample time for Meiyuan County to cover up the crimes. Xue Guangting, a newcomer from out of town, will likely have little material evidence; therefore, the fate of the witnesses becomes crucial.
"Also, inquire about Madam Lü's mother. It would be best to find out who gave her directions back then." The fact that someone could give directions to Madam Lü's mother means that this person either witnessed it firsthand or knew the inside story.
"And..." Fu Sui hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Be discreet in your actions. If you discover that the emperor's people are involved, do not interfere."
If the emperor truly intended to use this opportunity to eliminate the Feng family, he wouldn't allow them to destroy evidence. If she were to fight the emperor for the person, it would appear that she was excessively interfering in court affairs. However, if the emperor didn't send anyone, she wouldn't mind adding fuel to the fire.
Fu Sui gently flicked the little bird on the table, and the bird immediately began to sway back and forth. The real show was just beginning.
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