Chapter 182 Rejection
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
The great general slowly rose to his feet. His tall and imposing figure immediately became the center of attention in the entire hall.
He faced the throne, clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager has shown her mercy and compassion for my lonely and hardship-stricken state. I am deeply grateful!"
The Empress Dowager gently put down the ivory chopsticks in her hand.
"Indeed! My wife is the only love of my life! When she was bedridden and her life was nearing its end, she held my hand tightly and said that she would only be with me in this life, and that she would grow old with me and never betray me!"
“Her words still ring in my ears, each one a tear of blood! At that time, before her sickbed, I swore to the heavens that in this life, she would be my only love, and I would never marry again! This vow is as firm as a mountain, etched into my very bones! As a man of seven feet tall, upright and honorable, how could I betray my deceased wife's last wish and break my vow for the sake of wealth and glory, or for the good intentions of others?”
When he mentioned his deceased wife, tears welled up in the eyes of this iron-willed general, and his deep affection and grief were genuine!
"If I agree today, I will be a treacherous traitor! How will I face my deceased wife in the afterlife? How will I stand between heaven and earth?"
Upon hearing these words, the one whose face turned the most unpleasant was not the Empress Dowager, but the Emperor.
Hearing Xie Zhenting talk about how loving he was with Lin Ruyue made him extremely irritated!
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! Your subject, Xie Zhenting, vows never to remarry in this lifetime! Heaven and earth bear witness to this, and the sun and moon are as clear as day! I would rather betray Your Majesty the Empress Dowager's kindness and bear Your Majesty's blame than dare to break my deceased wife's last words or the vow I made that day! I humbly beg Your Majesty the Empress Dowager... to rescind your decree!"
These words caused an uproar throughout the Xuanhe Hall!
The assembled officials were shocked and paled!
No one expected Xie Zhenting to refuse so directly, so fiercely, and so without leaving any room for negotiation! So...unforgiving.
The Empress Dowager's face instantly turned from green to white, and then from white to purple!
She had calculated everything, including that Xie Zhenting would need to be appeased upon returning to the capital, and that he might be reluctant to refuse her out of consideration for their relationship. However, she had not expected that this military man would be so devoted and passionate, nor had she expected that he would dare to silence her in front of the entire court with such ruthlessness!
This was not only a failure of the plan, but also a provocation against her authority as Empress Dowager!
The hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.
The music from earlier had fallen silent, and even breathing was deliberately suppressed.
Pei Yan took a deep breath and sighed:
"Alas... Minister Xie's deep affection and loyalty, his commitment to keeping his promises, are truly moving! Even I am touched by them!"
He turned his gaze to the Empress Dowager, whose face was ashen. “I am well aware of Your Majesty’s love for talent. However… everyone has their own ambitions. Minister Xie’s devotion to his deceased wife is as clear as day. I cannot force him to do something against his will.”
He raised his wine cup: "This matter...is over. Today is a banquet to celebrate the achievements of my meritorious generals, let's not let this matter spoil the mood! My ministers, let's raise our cups together! To the General Who Protects the Nation! To the Great Celebration!"
"Congratulations to His Majesty! Congratulations on the grand celebration! Congratulations to the General!"
The ministers responded in unison, their voices loud and clear.
The Empress Dowager stared intently at Xie Zhenting, her eyes dark and gloomy. Finally, citing feeling unwell, she left her seat with the help of a palace maid, unable to even maintain a semblance of politeness.
Xie Zhenting bowed deeply again in the direction of the emperor: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your compassion!"
As expected, Xie Zhenting was kept behind by the emperor after the banquet.
Inside the imperial study, he stood with his hands at his sides, eyes downcast, seemingly lost in thought, his posture respectful.
The two sat and stood, facing each other in silence.
Time slips away quietly, and every breath seems exceptionally long.
After an unknown amount of time, so long that even Desheng, who was standing in the corner, felt a cold sweat break out on his back, Pei Yan finally spoke slowly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger:
"Desheng, please take a seat."
"Here you go!"
Desheng felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He quickly bowed and carefully moved a square stool, placing it at a spot not too far from the emperor's desk.
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness."
Xie Zhenting clasped his hands in greeting, then sat down, his posture still upright, his gaze fixed straight ahead, without deliberately meeting the gaze of the emperor on the throne.
Pei Yan watched him sit down, a complex emotion flashing across her eyes.
"My dear minister, you have endured ten years of hardship on the battlefield. Now that you have achieved your goals and returned to the capital in peace, you can finally enjoy wealth and honor and be with your grandchildren. I wonder how you feel right now?"
His gaze seemed to fall casually on Xie Zhenting's face, but in reality, he was capturing any subtle change in expression.
Xie Zhenting raised his eyes, his gaze meeting Pei Yan's probing eyes with a frank expression:
"Your Majesty, after ten years of military service, I have longed for my daughter. Every time I dream of her in the dead of night, my heart is filled with regret. Today, seeing my daughter Sang Ning safe and sound at the city gate, and growing up so beautifully, I am greatly comforted. This scene is far better than any worldly riches for me. As for my feelings, seeing my own flesh and blood at this moment is naturally beyond words."
He paused slightly, then abruptly changed the subject: "As for Your Majesty's words about enjoying wealth and honor and retiring after achieving success... I am ashamed to accept such a title. Your Majesty is wise and should know that the storms in this capital are no less severe than those on the frontier battlefields. As a subject, it is my duty to share Your Majesty's burdens and toil for the country."
"Moreover, I still have children under my wing, and there are countless trivial matters in the household, each requiring my attention. As for enjoying a life of leisure," Xie Zhenting shook his head slightly, "it's too early to talk about it now. I'm afraid my body is not yet ready to be idle."
Inside the Imperial Study, the air seemed to freeze for a moment!
The candlelight cast flickering shadows on Pei Yan's face.
How wonderful! How premature!
Every word he uttered was closely tied to his daughter, emphasizing her hard work and dedication. On the surface, it was a lament about family affection and responsibility, but in reality, every word was sharp and witty!
Seeing one's own flesh and blood is naturally a wonderful thing, but it is a reminder to Pei Yan: who caused the pain of ten years of separation from one's family? If it weren't for your decree back then, how could this separation have happened?
The storms in the capital may be no less intense than those on the frontier battlefields. This is an allusion to the fact that the seemingly prosperous capital is actually fraught with danger, and Xie Zhenting is not here to retire!
This old man is probably not going to be idle, and I'm making a blatant declaration! Xie Zhenting will not relinquish his military power, nor will he withdraw from the center of power. He will remain firmly rooted in the capital, protecting the family he has finally reunited with!
Pei Yan's gentle facade was almost crumbling, and a flash of anger instantly crossed the depths of his eyes!
"Oh?" Pei Yan's voice deepened. "So, my dear minister... you blame me for separating you and your daughter for these past few years?"
Xie Zhenting sat upright, without even frowning.
"Your subject dares not."
"You dare not?"
Pei Yan sneered inwardly, a surge of anger rising within him!
What a fine "I dare not!"
It's not that we don't have it, or that we never have, but that we dare not!
You dare not blame me? That means you harbor resentment, but you simply don't voice it due to the constraints of your relationship as ruler and subject!
Throughout the entire Qing Kingdom, only Xie Zhenting dared to play such word games and express such an arrogant attitude in front of Pei Yan!
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