Chapter 60 Attending Court
The study in the Xie family mansion.
The candlelight flickered on the bronze lampstand, casting intermittent light and shadow on Xie Ji's still-shaken face.
His withered fingers still gripped the life-saving ledger tightly.
“Minister Xie,” Xie Sangning tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, “how do you think the Emperor will treat you after the truth comes out at tomorrow’s morning court?”
Xie Ji's Adam's apple bobbed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead: "This humble official... this humble official has been exonerated, His Majesty will surely..."
"Should I apologize to you? Or should I issue a decree of self-reproach?" Xie Sangning suddenly chuckled.
"boom!"
These words struck Xie Jitian like a thunderbolt!
He shivered violently, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat.
He then realized that he had almost made a terrible mistake!
How could the emperor possibly apologize to his subjects?!
Throughout history, the emperor has always been right!
If the emperor is proven wrong, then that is the death knell for that subject!
Xie Sangning coldly watched Xie Ji's face turn from white to green, then from green to ashen, before slowly stepping forward, taking out a draft of a memorial from her sleeve, and pushing it in front of Xie Ji with two slender fingers: "Take a look."
Xie Ji took the draft with trembling hands. The draft clearly stated:
Your Majesty, I, Xie Ji, humbly request Your Majesty's well-being. An investigation has revealed errors and omissions in the Ministry of Revenue's accounts, the work of treacherous individuals who have misled Your Majesty. Your Majesty's keen insight has allowed me to clear my name. However, my failure to promptly detect the treacherous plot has caused Your Majesty great distress; I deserve death for this sin…
"This..." Xie Ji looked up, his eyes filled with a mixture of shock and admiration.
Every word in this memorial was an attempt to exonerate the emperor, shifting all the blame onto the second princess and Qian Yong, and even taking the initiative to take responsibility for his oversight!
Such a meticulous and watertight method is hardly the work of a young lady who is not yet twenty.
Xie Sangning picked up her celadon teacup: "Tomorrow, Qian Yong will accuse the Second Princess of coercing him to falsify accounts. What you need to do is to throw all the blame on the Second Princess."
"Remember, the Emperor is not at fault. The fault lies with the Second Princess who deceived the Emperor, with Qian Yong who neglected his duties, and with..."
She paused meaningfully, then parted her red lips slightly: "It's you who failed to detect the conspiracy in time."
Xie Ji suddenly understood and quickly cupped his hands to his forehead, saying, "This humble official understands! I will certainly do as instructed!"
He hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously, "But... the Second Princess is, after all, a princess of noble birth..."
"A princess of noble birth?" Xie Sangning scoffed. "If only Qian Yongzhuang had accused the Second Princess, the Emperor would have certainly let it go leniently, since the princess also represents the dignity of the royal family."
"But if the princess is to take the blame for the Emperor, she will certainly not be punished lightly. This is exactly what I want to see, and I believe Minister Xie will not disappoint me."
"If this matter is handled properly, it is not impossible for Lord Xie to become a minister."
Xie Ji was startled!
Minister of Revenue!
That's a powerful position, equivalent to a second-rank official!
In the past, in order to protect himself and his family, he had always served as an honest official, but today's situation has unexpectedly brought out his fighting spirit!
He didn't want to be bullied by others, and he didn't want to become a sacrifice in someone else's struggle!
Furthermore... with the inkstone already given away, he had no more worries.
He suppressed his overwhelming joy, but then Xie Sangning changed the subject: "However... I hope that Lord Xie will stand firmly on the right path in the future."
These words were like a wake-up call!
Xie Ji immediately understood that Xie Sangning was trying to get him to take sides completely!
He took a deep breath and bowed solemnly: "This humble official understands Miss Xie's meaning! From now on, Xie Ji will follow Miss Xie's lead!"
Xie Sangning smiled slightly and stood up to leave.
Xie Ji hurriedly saw them off, and the two walked through a messy courtyard.
The servants were busy cleaning up the items that had been overturned during the ransacking of the house, and when they saw the two men, they all knelt down and bowed.
As they approached the gate of the mansion, Xie Sangning suddenly stopped and turned around, his gaze passing over Xie Ji's shoulder and landing on Xie Rubao, who was peeking from behind a pillar.
The little girl still had tear stains on her face, but she had already regained some of her vitality.
"The universe within the inkstone," Xie Sangning suddenly whispered to Xie Ji, her voice so low that only the two of them could hear, "I already know."
Upon hearing this, Xie Ji's legs went weak and he almost collapsed to his knees!
He stared wide-eyed at Xie Sangning in disbelief.
She found out?! She found out so quickly?!
What shocked him even more was that Xie Sangning knew that the inkstone contained a hot potato that could overthrow the court, yet he still had no intention of returning it!
This...this is about to take on this heavy responsibility?!
"Miss Xie..."
Xie Ji's voice trembled, and he was almost crying. Over the years, he had worried day and night that the inkstone would be discovered, and he was also afraid that careless disposal would bring disaster.
It wasn't until he saw Xie Sangning's cunning and astonishing financial and human resources that he finally agreed to send his daughter away.
Now that his secret has been exposed, he felt both fearful and relieved, his complex emotions leaving the Vice Minister unsure of what expression to make.
Xie Sangning gave him a meaningful look: "It is indeed a great gift, far exceeding the original value of the inkstone."
Having said that, he turned and boarded the carriage, saying no more.
Xie Ji stood frozen in front of the mansion gate, watching the carriage gradually disappear into the distance, and suddenly tears streamed down his face.
Hidden inside that inkstone was the tiger tally used by the previous dynasty to mobilize troops!
When the current emperor, Pei Yan, seized the throne, the tiger tally mysteriously disappeared, preventing him from rightfully wielding military power.
Over the years, the imperial court has publicly claimed that the Tiger Tally was in Pei Yan's possession, but in reality, it has been searching for it in secret.
Who would have thought that this vital artifact, concerning the very foundation of the nation, had been hidden by Xie Ji in the most conspicuous inkstone in his study!
Only Xieji knows!
Pei Yan's title was not legitimate, but he had always been careful to protect himself and dared not hand it over to the emperor, fearing that the emperor would silence him or that he would be discovered. He had lived in constant fear all these years.
Xie Sangning has now taken on this hot potato!
For some reason, Xie Ji felt like crying.
The next day.
Just after the fifth watch, the area outside the Golden Palace was already filled with civil and military officials.
Xie Ji stood in the line of Ministry of Revenue officials, trembling with nervousness.
Qian Yong, who was in front of him, was even more ashen-faced, and the back of his official robe was soaked with cold sweat.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
As the eunuchs' shrill voices rang out, Pei Yan, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, entered the main hall.
His face was gloomy, and his gaze swept over Xie Ji and Qian Yong.
"Speak your business; otherwise, the court may adjourn," Desheng announced loudly.
Xie Ji took a deep breath and was about to step forward when he saw Qian Yong kneel down first: "Your subject Qian Yong has a memorial to present!"
Pei Yan narrowed his eyes: "Speak."
Qian Yong pressed his forehead to the ground, his voice trembling: "Your Majesty, I deserve to die! I was coerced by the Second Princess to falsify the salt tax accounts and frame Minister Xie for embezzlement! This is the genuine account book; please, Your Majesty, take a look!"
Desheng took the account book and presented it to him.
Pei Yan flipped through the pages for a moment, then suddenly slammed the book shut: "How dare you!"
This angry shout was like a thunderclap, causing all the officials in the hall to kneel down.
Xie Ji seized the opportunity to step forward and presented the memorial with both hands: "Your subject Xie Ji has a memorial to present!"
Pei Yan coldly replied, "Read it."
Your Majesty, I, Xie Ji, humbly request Your Majesty's well-being.
Xie Ji's voice boomed: "Yesterday's mistake was indeed the work of someone who misled Your Majesty. Your Majesty's discerning eye allowed me to clear my name. However, my failure to detect the villain's plot in time caused Your Majesty great worry, a crime deserving of death..."
The memorial was full of excuses for the emperor, and Pei Yan's expression softened slightly: "Thank you, my dear minister, rise. This matter has nothing to do with you."
Xie Ji did not rise: "Your Majesty, I have another matter to report. The Second Princess not only coerced Lord Qian into falsifying accounts, but also boasted, 'So what if Father Emperor finds out?' Such disrespectful words to the Emperor's authority cannot be concealed!"
Xie Ji trembled slightly after saying this, because the Second Princess had never said such a thing, but Xie Sangning said that he should just say it and that there would be people to testify for him.
Pei Yan slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Insolence!"
The atmosphere in the hall froze instantly.
Xie Ji prostrated himself on the ground and refused to get up. Qian Yong also quickly kowtowed: "Your Majesty is wise! The Second Princess did indeed say those words, and Lord Zhao was present at the time and can testify to it!"
The man named, Lord Zhao, immediately replied, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty has indeed heard of it..."
Moreover, these words seemed to open a floodgate, and many officials came forward to accuse the Second Princess of wrongdoing.
Some of them were arranged, while others were genuinely wronged!
The second princess had long been unpopular.
Everyone knows that the Second Princess cannot escape this calamity today, and the more they say, the more satisfied the Emperor will be.
"Summon the Second Princess, Pei Mingyue!"
Pei Yan roared, "I'd like to see how she explains this!"
The hall was completely silent; everyone held their breath in anticipation.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Second Princess, Pei Mingyue, arrived late.
She was dressed in a gorgeous gown and had exquisite makeup, clearly unaware of what had happened.
"What does Father Emperor want with his daughter?" she asked sweetly, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes as she glanced at Qian Yong and Xie Ji kneeling on the ground.
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