Chapter 116 A King's Mind: Embracing All Things...
Having served as an official for over twenty years, this was the first time Ning Yuanzhi had mustered the courage to look directly at the supreme ruler in the hall.
"Your Majesty, I am in charge of the Ministry of Rites and the education of the nation. I rely entirely on Your Majesty's appreciation and promotion. Since I receive the Emperor's salary, I should be loyal to the Emperor. If there are any false accusations or framing, I should report them to the court, be open and honest, clear the name of the wronged, and punish the traitors." Her eyes were bright and her spirit was upright.
Emperor Chengtai paused in his hand, which had been rubbing his temples, when he heard the first half of the passage. He nodded slightly, surprised that someone as cunning as Ning Yuanzhi still possessed such loyalty. He realized he had wronged her in the past.
"Continue." Emperor Chengtai felt slightly relieved, took the evidence handed to him by a palace maid, and leaned back on the dragon throne, flipping through it casually.
She didn't care about the certificate that Zhang Ting hadn't participated in the management and distribution of Ke Ying Lou before she passed the imperial examination, and continued flipping through it.
The more he looked, the deeper his brow furrowed, and the faster he flipped through the pages.
Emperor Chengtai couldn't find what he wanted to see after a long time, and a bad feeling suddenly rose in his heart.
A second before she could question Ning Yuanzhi, the other party said: "Imperial Censor Zhang has two accusations against Compiler Zhang. First, he accuses Compiler Zhang of violating the court's prohibition against engaging in business and abusing his power for personal gain. I dare ask Imperial Censor Zhang, before Compiler Zhang was even appointed to an official position, he stopped participating in the financial distribution of Keyinglou. What kind of official is he, engaging in business and abusing his power for personal gain?"
Zhang Fengyi was drenched in cold sweat, her face covered in large beads of sweat. She dared not accuse Xu Pin, and could only stammer, "Perhaps... perhaps this humble official has misremembered, no, no, no, it must be that the subordinates have misinvestigated, it must be that the officials have misinvestigated!" She hurriedly crawled towards the center of the hall, stammering, "This humble official has also been deceived by treacherous people, please have mercy, Your Majesty!"
"When I return, I will definitely, definitely hand over the villains who instigated and framed Lord Zhang to the Ministry of Justice. It's all their fault! It's all their fault! Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I am innocent, I am innocent." Her eyes were wide open, and a long trail of water trails behind her emitted a foul odor.
The officials on both sides turned away in disgust, not giving her a second glance, their eyes filled with mockery. They casually glanced at the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, as if to say, "Is this the kind of person you've raised?"
The Imperial Censor angrily covered his face and retreated, feeling that he had lost all face in his life at this moment!
Why did they recruit such a person into the Censorate in the first place? If she had gone down a dark path, she would have respected her as a woman, but she cowered like a hound. When things were exposed, she shifted the blame to her subordinates. It was despicable behavior. She was indeed in the same boat as Xu Pin, Gao Qiu, and the others!
Ning Yuanzhi didn't even bother to give this kind of person a second glance. "Imperial Censor Zhang, the imperial court is not a place where you can change your testimony at will. If you have any questions, go to the Ministry of Justice after court."
The main hall was completely silent.
Seeing that all hope was lost, Zhang Fengyi slumped to the ground, his gaze unfocused.
It's over, it's over, everything is over...
"And the second one?" Emperor Chengtai pressed down on the last page under his palm, his gaze fixed on Ning Yuanzhi.
Ning Yuanzhi first bowed respectfully to her, "Your Majesty, the second point is that when Zhang Ting took Zong Suyi as a servant, she had already been freed from slavery and was a registered citizen of the court. Therefore, it does not count as taking in a government slave privately, nor does it violate the rules of etiquette."
"Throughout the history of our Great Yong Dynasty, there has never been a law or regulation prohibiting officials from taking men who have been renounced from their lowly status as servants. The two points that Imperial Censor Zhang accused Zhang Xiuzhuan of are both deliberate framing."
Emperor Chengtai's face was more gloomy than ever before, his fingers clenched so tightly they turned white, and his eyes were filled with a storm of anger.
The last one was the contract that freed Zong Suyi from slavery, but it has now been torn to shreds and scattered throughout the palace.
She had only enslaved the son of the imperial clan for less than six months! And yet someone dared to disregard the imperial will!!
These despicable, treacherous servants! They deserve to die!
A long, deathly silence fell over the hall, as if an icy chill had frozen everyone inside.
Suddenly, Ning Yuanzhi raised her eyes and looked directly at the emperor, her eyes flashing with an unprecedented determination. "Your Majesty, Zhang Xiuzhuan is innocent. I implore you to summon her back to court." Maintaining this stance, she slowly knelt down. "Please, Your Majesty, exonerate Zhang Xiuzhuan to demonstrate your impartiality!" The world belongs to Your Majesty, but the court is not solely her domain. A ruler who punishes virtuous officials without cause will only be remembered with infamy for eternity in history.
The Qingliu faction behind her immediately knelt down, shouting in unison, "Your Majesty, please exonerate Zhang Xiuzhuan to demonstrate your impartiality!"
The corrupt officials stood opposite, silently watching this dramatic confrontation between the emperor and his ministers. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with mockery.
The Qingliu faction actually risked offending the Emperor for the sake of a mere compiler position. Isn't that hilarious? Haha, they'll laugh at this joke for the rest of their lives!
Just as the corrupt officials were mocking the upright ones, a loud bang was heard inside the hall.
"Bang—"
They suddenly looked up, their eyes trembling. His Majesty had actually cleaved the imperial desk in two with a single sword strike!
Startled, they all knelt down in unison.
"Please calm your anger, Your Majesty!"
"Calm down?" Emperor Chengtai carefully considered the two words, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you gentlemen to calm down?"
The ministers looked at each other, then suddenly shrank back, saying, "Your Majesty, we dare not! Long live the Emperor!"
"Your Majesty..." Chief Steward Xu Qiu hesitated and called out as he looked at her carrying a sharp sword.
Emperor Chengtai's eyes were sharp as knives as he gouged out her eyes. "I am perfectly sober!"
This glance startled Xu Qiu, who immediately knelt down and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."
Emperor Chengtai turned his head and walked slowly down the steps with a cold face. He stood in front of Ning Yuanzhi and pressed the sharp blade in his hand against her neck.
"You dare threaten me, Minister Ning? Do you also want to follow in Zong Xuanyue's footsteps?"
Ning Yuanzhi could clearly feel the cold touch on her neck. She swallowed hard and forced back her panic as she looked at Emperor Chengtai. "Your Majesty's subject is not one to follow others' example. I am simply acting out of a sense of justice and cannot bear to see my virtuous ministers wronged." She knew that if the blade at her neck were to go any further, blood would flow freely. But she not only did not regret what she had done today, she felt a great sense of relief.
Emperor Chengtai gave her a cold look, then glanced at the officials kneeling at his feet in the hall, and finally his eyes fell on Xu Pin, his gaze turning sinister.
She sheathed her sword, turned and left, leaving behind only a stern and indifferent command, "Dismiss the court."
The corrupt officials accused Ning Yuanzhi of acting without any method and even implicating his comrades.
Ning Yuanzhi, however, shifted the blame to Xu Pin, saying, "If you have any grievances or hatred, you should blame Minister Xu, after all, she is the mastermind behind it all. If any of you are ever framed, you should be grateful to have someone like me to seek justice for you!"
"Ning Yuanzhi, stop making false accusations! How could Lord Xu do such a despicable thing?"
Ning Yuanzhi glanced at her and sneered, "Song Yin, whether it is true or not, the officials themselves have their own conclusions. Why are you in such a hurry to refute? Are you a cornered dog?"
"you!"
"Alright!" Xu Pin called out to his apprentice with a frown, "Song Yin, let's go back."
Song Yin had no choice but to suppress his temper and follow behind her.
Xu Pin glanced at Ning Yuanzhi one last time, his eyes swirling with unspoken emotions, before leaving with his large retinue of followers.
Some neutral officials stayed behind until both factions had left before daring to speak in hushed tones.
"Good heavens! Today is a three-way battle, and no one has come out on top."
"Who exactly is Zhang Ting? A mere sixth-rank official, yet she can stir up trouble in the court. These days, every single incident is caused by her, and every outbreak is due to her. I'm almost developing a phobia of the name 'Zhang Ting'."
"Well, who can argue with that?"
...
The matter had been cleared up, but Xu Pin kept bringing up ambiguous issues, and neither side was willing to give in. Emperor Chengtai's attitude was also ambiguous, and the stalemate lasted for half a month.
Ning Yuanzhi had already prepared for a protracted battle, but that very night he received a letter.
The two characters written neatly above are "露怯" (showing one's weakness).
The letter was unsigned, but the handwriting was strangely familiar to her. She pondered for a long time, still unable to grasp the profound meaning of this move. Did Zhang Ting no longer want to be an official?
No, how could this be?
Ning Yuanzhi wanted to write again to inquire in detail, but he was afraid of leaking the news. He tossed and turned all night, picked up the letter again and carefully examined it. The handwriting was dignified and peaceful, revealing a calm and confident demeanor.
She nodded slightly, ready to follow the instructions.
Starting the following day, the Qingliu faction appeared powerless and suffered repeated defeats in the attacks against the Zhuoliu faction, as if they were at a loss and had no strength left to resist.
Many court officials secretly thought that the Minister of Rites was indeed no match for Prime Minister Xu, and that Zhang Ting was doomed even if he was truly innocent.
On this day, Zhang Ting's senior sisters and Luo Zijun knelt on the ground, begging His Majesty to remove the treacherous officials, restore the innocence of loyal ministers, and not to chill the hearts of students across the land.
But no one paid them any attention as they knelt until dusk.
Xu Pin lifted the sedan curtain and scoffed, asking his disciple, "Do you know why, even with such ample evidence, I was still able to defeat the Qingliu faction?"
Song Yin smiled obsequiously, "It is because of your exceptional skills, teacher, and Your Majesty's wisdom."
Xu Pin gave her a light, fleeting glance, and Song Yin immediately stopped smiling.
Xu Pincai continued, "His Majesty wants Zhang Ting dead. We are her tools, and she will know to exert her influence in secret. If you encounter this situation in the future, you only need to go with the flow."
"Hehe, disciple understands."
"This Zhang Ting must not be allowed to live. Tomorrow, add fuel to the fire, and we'll just have to wait for His Majesty to pronounce her death sentence." Xu Pin slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again, his expression ruthless. "This is what happens when you oppose this old woman!"
Meanwhile, in the inner court of the Zichen Hall, wisps of smoke rose, filled with a rich, incense-scented fragrance of sandalwood.
Emperor Chengtai had just met with Daoist Xi and received several health-preserving pills. He was in a very good mood and even had the leisure to chat with Xu Qiu.
"The petitions submitted recently are really mediocre. Humph, what kind of 'two-listed scholar' or 'first-class scholar' are they? It's all bullshit," she sighed and walked into the tent. "Old friend, what do you say we should do?"
Xu Qiu smiled and followed closely behind her, "Master, have you forgotten? Didn't you praise a certain piece before for being exceptionally well-written? Why don't you just have that person write another one?"
Emperor Chengtai paused, his brow furrowing as he thought of the person who created that poem.
He said to Xu Qiu, "She is not obedient. I do not need a subject who disobeys my will."
"How dare you defy the emperor!" Xu Qiu laughed. "That official is truly a stubborn man."
Cheng Taidi, hands on his hips, found it somewhat amusing. "Oh, you figured it out! You really are a stubborn one."
Since he had nothing else to do, he continued, "Steward Xu, please tell me, have you noticed anything else?"
“This servant also noticed that even though she was disobeyed, Your Majesty still likes her.” Xu Qiu smiled faintly. “Otherwise, if she had offended Your Majesty, this person would have died long ago.”
Emperor Chengtai continued walking inside, remaining silent for a long while before finally admitting, "You're right, I do still like her. Even though she's ungrateful and disobedient, I truly admire her character—unyielding and unyielding, she's a real woman. It's a pity she can't be used by me, alas!"
"What crime has this man committed that has angered and saddened His Majesty so much? Is it because I have been disloyal?"
What crime did he commit? Emperor Chengtai summarized it as simply being blind to the fact that he had taken a concubine.
But it wouldn't be good to say it so bluntly, lest she seem petty. She only answered the last question, "No, this man is extremely loyal, a hundred times better than those old fogies in the court." She sighed, thinking of Zhang Ting's sincere and earnest gaze that day.
“Then this person hasn’t committed any fundamental errors,” Xu Qiu concluded. “Although I don’t know who this person is, I can deeply feel that Master likes her. You also said she is loyal, so why not give her another chance?”
Emperor Chengtai curled his lip, "I've already given it to him, but this person doesn't know what's good for him."
"Huh? She's been disrespectful to her master, and you still don't want to kill her?"
Emperor Chengtai choked on his words and glared angrily at Xu Qiu.
Xu Qiu smiled at her angry expression and suggested, "The emperor's heart is as vast as the ocean. Since you are so reluctant to let her die, why not simply let her live?"
Emperor Chengtai considered these words carefully, then hesitated and asked, "Would this be beneath my dignity as the Son of Heaven?"
"If Your Majesty has any concerns, you can simply send the person far away and summon him back when you wish to meet him."
That's definitely a good idea! Emperor Chengtai was quite tempted, but also had some concerns.
"Let me think about it."
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