Chapter 50 Only Once
When Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian returned, they made very little noise, with only five carriages and about thirty soldiers accompanying them.
They entered through the city gate and passed through the convenience street.
Despite the light rain, there were still quite a few people on the street.
Upon seeing a convoy approaching from afar, accompanied by government troops, the people instinctively hid behind the stalls. Many had already knelt down skillfully, and others followed suit one after another, soon covering the ground with knees.
Until someone raised their voice and said, "It's the Qin family's carriage frame."
The people then looked up and slowly stood up.
There are many rules in the capital, and the people of Bianmin Street remember them very well.
The most important rules to remember are actually only two: first, when you see the carriages of the powerful and wealthy, you must step back and give way; second, when you see the carriages of government officials and soldiers or the four great families, you must kneel down and kowtow.
The second is the Qin family.
From the moment Grand Commandant Qin and his family moved into the capital, the Qin family issued an order that the Qin family members were no different from ordinary people, and that ordinary people did not need to show them any courtesy or give way.
The same applies to the convenience street. If the Qin family's convoy passes by, the people don't need to pay attention to it, as long as they don't deliberately rush up to bump into it.
Although the head of the Qin family has now become Prince Ning, Qin Xiao, this rule remains unchanged, and the people naturally won't rush to disobey it.
Furthermore, news of Hexi County has been circulating in the capital recently. The people have heard about how Qin Xiao managed the river embankments and provided them with food and drink, which is a good thing.
Public opinion about Qin Xiao has improved somewhat.
However, the people also heard other things, such as how many people Qin Xiao killed after arriving in the area, and even used the punishment of slow slicing!
This undoubtedly further confirms the fact that Qin Xiao was tyrannical, and the people now both respect and fear him.
Therefore, when the motorcade passed through the streets, the people did not speak, but stood quietly to the side with their heads slightly bowed.
Hearing how quiet it was outside, Chu Jiubian gently lifted the carriage curtain and saw this scene.
The awe on everyone's faces was hard to conceal.
"When my grandfather was alive, the people would smile and bow when they saw the Qin family's carriages and horses, and the bolder ones would even say a few words."
Chu Jiubian lowered the carriage curtain and turned to look at the man sitting opposite him.
Qin Xiao's expression was calm, as if he were only narrating something that had nothing to do with him.
"Do you want to continue to be loved by the people?" Chu Jiu asked.
From admiration to awe, the Qin family grew increasingly powerful, but the distance between them and the common people grew ever wider.
Qin Xiao did not answer yes or no, but said: "What I need now in this position is reverence."
Chu Jiubian's heart stirred, and he smiled silently.
Human nature is inherently evil; selfishness, greed, and fickleness are hidden within human nature. It's just that some people use reason and morality to suppress these negative thoughts.
But most people don't have that kind of strong self-control.
Even people who appear gentle and kind on a daily basis will instinctively make the choice that is most beneficial to themselves when their own interests are about to be harmed.
Moreover, the people of Daning are even more so; they only have their own small plot of land to think about, and they are more easily misled by appearances and more easily incited.
Therefore, they are more afraid of punishment and power than of so-called "love and respect".
At present, Qin Xiao represents the emperor and the court. His ideal state is to be both loved and respected by the people.
If it is impossible to have both, then it is better to choose to be "feared".
The vehicle quickly left the convenience street and drove along the widest main street of the imperial city, heading towards the imperial palace.
The palace gates were wide open, and Baili Hong paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his eyes constantly fixed on the outside of the palace gates, his little face unable to hide his anticipation and anxiety.
My uncle and husband were gone for a full ten days!
Since the day he ascended the throne, he had never been separated from them for so long. These past few nights, he hadn't missed his mother as much as he had missed his uncle and teacher.
Knowing they were coming back today, Baili Hong ate an extra small steamed bun this morning.
Moreover, since there was no morning court session today, the children had no worries at all and were only looking forward to their return.
If Hongfu hadn't coaxed him, he would have come over to wait from noon.
Hong Fu and Qin Chaoyang stood guard not far away, glancing out of the palace every now and then.
"It's almost time, I reckon we'll be there soon," said Eunuch Hong.
Qin Chaoyang nodded: "I just said that we have entered the city gate, but there are many people in the city, so the carriages and horses should travel a little slower."
Hong Fu looked at the restless child, his expression softening.
He stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, we'll catch up with the officials later when we return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. For now..."
There are many eyes lurking in the shadows within the palace, so Baili Hong should remain cautious and avoid getting too close to Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.
Hongfu started reminding them from the morning, afraid that the child would feel wronged when seeing relatives and would be unable to resist rushing over for a hug.
Baili Hong didn't find him long-winded and obediently nodded, saying, "I know."
"They're here!" An Wuji ran in from outside the palace gate and stood behind Baili Hong, where he joined the other two.
Behind them, a dozen palace servants, including Xiao Xiangzi, also showed joy on their faces.
They were all used to having two adults leading and protecting them. With both of them away these days, even though Qin Chaoyang and Hong Fu were there, everyone was still unsure and hesitant in their actions.
Now that they saw the two of them return, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Bai Lihong's heart was pounding. Although he stood up straight and his face was tense, his cheeks were already flushed with excitement.
The carriages stopped after entering the palace gates, and as everyone eagerly awaited, the curtain of the lead carriage was lifted.
Qin Xiao, dressed in a dark blue robe, stepped out of the car and looked over in this direction. Chu Jiubian, dressed in a silver-white robe, followed closely behind him and got out of the car.
Without exchanging a glance, the two strode quickly toward this side.
Their robes fluttered, their steps were synchronized, and their demeanor was elegant and dignified.
When they approached, Qin Chaoyang and the others bowed and greeted them, saying, "Greetings, Your Excellency."
Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian then bowed to the young emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, we pay our respects."
The child immediately said, "No need for formalities, please come back with me to rest for a while."
He tried his best to remain calm, but his childish voice still carried a hint of crying.
Chu Jiubian looked up and saw that the little boy's eyes and nose were red. He opened his big eyes and tried his best to hold back his tears.
That's so pitiful.
A smile flickered in Chu Jiubian's eyes, along with a well-hidden tenderness.
Baili Hong remembered Eunuch Hong's words and knew he shouldn't say too much outside.
So he turned around, strode quickly to the palanquin, sat down, and said, "Let's go back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
The palace servants immediately lifted him up and carried him into the palace.
Qin Chaoyang stayed behind to arrange the convoy, while An Wuji instructed his men to take the soldiers who had come with the convoy to rest, and the rest of the people left with the palanquin.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao walked along one side of the palanquin, their pace not slow either.
Qin Xiao tilted his head and carefully examined the child. Seeing that his face was still round, he knew that Eunuch Hong and the others had indeed taken good care of him.
The Hall of Mental Cultivation is not located in the inner palace, so it was quick to reach this place.
As soon as the palanquin was put down, the child hurriedly tried to climb down. Hongfu quickly stepped forward to protect him, but the child was careful and did not bump into anything.
He strode quickly through the gate of the Hall of Mental Cultivation with his short legs, then turned around, his eyes shining as he looked at the entrance.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao followed him in.
Baili Hong knew that he would be safe once he entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation, so he immediately lost all his composure and seriousness, and with red eyes, he ran over and hugged his uncle and teacher's legs.
One for each of them; luckily they were standing close together, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to hold them all.
Qin Xiao lowered his eyes, placed his palm on the child's head, and unusually refrained from saying anything that would spoil the atmosphere.
Chu Jiubian knew that Qin Xiao must still care about Baili Hong after being away for so long, otherwise he wouldn't have kept Qin Chaoyang in the palace as well.
Chu Jiubian himself, though he deliberately tried not to think about things in the capital, would occasionally think about what this little child might be doing at that moment.
Baili Hong looked up at them, her little mouth trembled, and tears streamed down her face.
"It's been ten days! Miao Miao misses Mr. and Uncle so much."
Qin Xiao gently rubbed his little head: "Why are you crying? We're back now, aren't we?"
Chu Jiubian gently grasped the child's arm, "removed" him from his and Qin Xiao's laps, and then squatted down to be at eye level with the child.
The child was already sobbing uncontrollably.
Fortunately, Hong Fu knew this would happen and didn't let anyone else come in.
Chu Jiubian took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the child's tears, saying softly, "Your Majesty, don't be afraid, we're back."
Even with many familiar faces around, a young child left in this deep palace cannot compare to Qin Xiao.
He must have been terrified during this time.
Baili Hong was indeed afraid.
He kept telling himself to be strong and not to worry his uncle and husband, but he was still afraid.
Afraid of sleeping alone, she had Hongfu bring a soft couch to keep her company in the palace.
Because he was afraid of attending court, even An Wuji, who never attended court, had been attending these past few days. He stood among the officials and made funny faces to amuse them, and also made unreasonable demands on the ministers without any regard for right or wrong. This was to prevent these people from bullying Baili Hong while Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were away.
Of course, it's not enough for only people like An Wuji to cause trouble; there are always people who won't buy into his act.
At this point, it's up to Hong Fu to decide how to respond.
He is now the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, a third-rank official, and indeed has a lot of influence in the court.
Fortunately, both of them were there, otherwise Baili Hong would have had an even harder time these past few days.
Even so, Baili Hong still felt afraid. This feeling was completely different from when Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were both present. He was still unsure of himself.
However, he was afraid that Hongfu and the others would worry, so he kept pretending that he wasn't afraid.
But seeing Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, and especially hearing Chu Jiubian comfort him by saying "Don't be afraid," the little boy couldn't hold back anymore. He threw himself into Chu Jiubian's arms, and tears streamed down his face like broken beads, instantly soaking his shoulder.
Chu Jiubian's heart softened, and he picked up the child and walked towards the inner hall.
Qin Xiao watched them leave, paused for a moment, and then followed.
Even after entering the hall, the child's crying did not stop.
Having cried too much and getting a headache, Chu Jiubian said, "Your Majesty, my uncle and I have brought you a gift."
"A gift?" the child sobbed. "What gift?"
Qin Xiao poured water for the three of them, and then glanced at Chu Jiubian upon hearing this.
Given the situation in Hexi County, how could they possibly have the leisure to buy gifts?
Chu Jiubian laughed and said to the child, "He's with your uncle."
The child immediately looked at Qin Xiao with longing eyes.
Qin Xiao: "......"
Just as he was wondering whether he should tell a lie, he heard Chu Jiubian say to him, "Stretch out your hand."
Qin Xiao met his smiling eyes, his fingertips curled slightly, and then he raised his hand, palm facing up.
The next moment, the young man's pale, thin hand landed on his.
Chu Jiubian gazed at the man's slightly lowered eyelashes, lightly tapped the other's pulse point twice with the tip of his middle finger, and his hand tightened as it was grasped.
A moment later, Qin Xiao released his grip, as if his momentary loss of composure had never happened.
Baili Hong had stopped crying and was staring curiously at their hands.
“Your Majesty, blow a breath,” Chu Jiubian said.
Baili Hong was puzzled, but he obediently did as he was told, blowing on their hands.
Then he saw the man slowly raise his hand and separate it from his uncle's.
The uncle's hand moved upwards and then stopped. After that, a round, chubby wooden doll appeared in their palms. It was colorful and had a cute, innocent smile.
"Wow." Baili Hong covered her mouth with her small hand.
Chu Jiubian withdrew his hand and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, please take a look."
The child had forgotten to cry and happily reached out to grab the doll. As soon as he took it, only the upper half of the doll followed him back, and in the remaining half, there was a smaller version of the same doll.
"Huh?" The child looked at what he was holding, then at what his uncle was holding, and reached out again, only to find that there were more dolls among the dolls.
His eyes lit up, and he curiously reached out, taking one and then another.
Qin Xiao looked up at Chu Jiubian.
“This is called a matryoshka doll,” Chu Jiu argued.
Qin Xiao laughed.
He laughed again.
What's so funny about matryoshka dolls?
Chu Jiubian lowered his eyes and saw that Baili Hong had completely stopped crying. Now, his eyes no longer held his uncle and teacher, but only curiosity about the matryoshka dolls.
Children's moods come and go quickly. After being coaxed by two adults for a while and given a new toy, they quickly became cheerful again.
However, he still clung to the two of them, wanting them to eat with him and pitifully sleep with him.
But they couldn't just move a couch over to sleep like Hongfu, so they agreed to wait until he fell asleep before going back to their room.
Baili Hong immediately beamed with joy. He had a matryoshka doll by his pillow, and he was holding the small blanket his mother had left him. He curled up on the bed with his eyes closed.
Chu Jiubian sat on the edge of the bed, while Qin Xiao moved a chair and sat beside him. Neither of them spoke, just quietly keeping him company.
Bai Lihong lay with his eyes closed for a while, then quietly opened them. Seeing that his uncle and teacher were both there, he smiled and revealed his white teeth before closing his eyes again.
My emotions were quite volatile today, and the child fell asleep very quickly.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao stayed for another quarter of an hour before getting up and quietly leaving the inner hall.
Hong Fu, who was guarding the outer hall, greeted the two men with a smile as they came out.
"Go and rest," Qin Xiao said.
Hong Fu quietly agreed, then lightly entered the inner palace, intending to stay with His Majesty for another two days.
The two left the main courtyard and walked forward to the palace road outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
There was still a light drizzle at night, and the two of them shared only one umbrella, their shoulders very close together, occasionally brushing against each other.
Qin Xiao didn't offer to see him off, and Chu Jiubian didn't say he couldn't see him off either, but they tacitly didn't stop walking.
The palace path was long and quiet, with only a dim oil lamp at intervals.
It was as if the only sounds in the world were the raindrops falling on the umbrella and the soft patter of water under their feet.
The palace road always has an end. Chu Jiubian looked up and saw the corner.
Turn off that palace path and keep walking straight ahead, and you will reach Yaotai Residence.
He lowered his eyes and saw that his steps were in sync with Qin Xiao's, both very slow.
A faint, woody scent wafted into his nostrils; it was a unique fragrance emanating from Qin Xiao, which Chu Jiubian found somewhat appealing.
As they reached the corner, the person beside them suddenly stopped, and Chu Jiubian also stopped.
He kept his eyes down, but could catch glimpses of the man out of the corner of his eye.
One more step forward and they would turn onto the palace path.
But none of them moved.
After a long silence, Qin Xiao finally spoke: "Do you know what I was thinking when the lights went out?"
Chu Jiubian raised his eyes and turned his head to look at him.
The man's eyes were deep and dark, his expression hidden in the darkness, only his high nose and thin lips were faintly illuminated by the dim light.
He was referring to that night in Huai County.
"What are you thinking about?" Chu Jiubian's voice was a little soft, the coldness and aloofness in it gone, replaced by an unspeakable ambiguity.
Qin Xiao turned around to face him, the umbrella still tilted in his direction.
"Only this once," Qin Xiao said.
Chu Jiubian blinked lightly, and the next moment, an arm crossed across his waist.
He was pulled forward, his chest pressed against the man's hard body.
The umbrella was lowered slightly, obscuring the heads and faces of the two people.
The hand at his waist slid down to the back of the young man's neck, and with a slight force, made him lift his chin.
Chu Jiubian wrapped her arms around the man's lean waist and gently gripped the fabric of his shirt on the back with both hands.
The man's hot breath brushed against her lips, and Chu Jiubian's eyelashes trembled slightly. She instinctively wanted to dodge, but the hand on the back of her neck tightened again.
The warmth of another man spread, his jaw was easily pried open, his Adam's apple bobbed, and a buzzing sound came from his ears again.
A burning, indescribable sensation spread throughout Chu Jiubian's body, causing him to tremble involuntarily.
He kept his eyes closed, unaware of the struggle and repression in the man's eyes.
But he knew what Qin Xiao meant by "only this once".
With the overall situation still uncertain, Qin Xiao had no right to indulge in romantic feelings. He simply sensed that Chu Jiubian shared the same sentiments as him, so this was a one-time thing.
He just wanted to indulge himself this once.
After a long while, Chu Jiubian's Adam's apple bobbed, and he even felt water stains running down his neck, soaking his collar.
It went on for so long that he could clearly feel the man's increasingly burgeoning desire beneath the fabric.
Finally, the numbness in my lips and the back of my neck was released.
Chu Jiubian opened his eyes, but before he could see anything clearly, the man had already taken his hand, placed the umbrella in his palm, and then gently pushed him forward.
"Go." The man's voice was deep and hoarse.
Chu Jiubian gripped the umbrella handle tightly, stepped forward, and turned around the palace road.
Not far ahead, in front of the Yaotai Residence, Xiao Xiangzi happened to be out with an umbrella to check the situation. Upon seeing him approaching, he immediately ran forward with a beaming smile: "Young Master, you're finally back! We servants have missed you so much."
Chu Jiubian smiled and said, "I brought you some trinkets. Come pick them up from my place later."
"Thank you, young master!" Xiao Xiangzi said with a smile, then noticed Qin Xiao standing deep in the palace path and hurriedly asked, "Why isn't your umbrella, sir?"
"Ignore him." Chu Jiubian didn't even turn his head.
Xiao Xiangzi looked back every few steps, but he still didn't go against Chu Jiubian's wishes. After all, his master had said that he used to listen to the adults and His Majesty, but now the adults and His Majesty listen to the young master.
Today is a day off, but tomorrow we have to attend court.
Early in the morning, Chu Jiubian changed into his familiar crimson-purple official robe again.
It rained again today, and even more heavily than yesterday. When he arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the hem of his robe was already a little wet.
Baili Hong was waiting for him to have breakfast, and Qin Xiao was also there.
Chu Jiubian looked at the other person, only to see that the other person was avoiding his gaze.
The young emperor ate breakfast with great joy, and even when he went to court, he didn't look miserable like he had in the past few days. Instead, he walked with a proud and confident air, as if he had powerful backers.
Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian walked behind the palanquin procession, each holding an umbrella.
They stood half a step apart and didn't speak again until they reached the Fengtian Hall.
Inside the inner hall, Eunuch Hong poured some warm water for Baili Hong to drink, then led him on a slow walk to aid digestion, and even took him to relieve himself.
We'll have to sit for a while during the court session, and if the children need to relieve themselves, they'll have to wait, which is quite embarrassing.
Chu Jiubian did not linger in the inner hall and went straight to the outer hall, standing in his usual spot.
Qin Xiao watched him leave, paused for a moment, and then followed him out.
Seeing him follow him out, Chu Jiubian glanced at him.
Their eyes met, and Qin Xiao subconsciously glanced at the young man's soft, slightly cool lips, then down to his prominent Adam's apple, before looking away completely.
He walked down the steps and looked at Chu Jiubian from a distance.
Chu Jiubian didn't look at him, but turned his head to look outside the hall.
The six rows of people, led by the Minister, slowly walked up the steps. When they reached the outside of the hall, they put away their umbrellas, tidied their clothes, and then went inside.
It had been ten days since they last met. Chu Jiubian's gaze swept over these people, and whoever met his eyes would politely smile and nod as a greeting.
Even Xiao Wendao, the Vice Minister of Works, showed no unusual expression.
Meanwhile, everyone was also observing Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao.
They received all the news about the events in Hexi County, and they witnessed the abilities and methods of these two men once again.
Putting aside the fact that Qin Xiao dared to kill so many officials in one go, the punishment of slow slicing alone was enough to make them all tremble with fear.
There was also the matter of food shortage in Hexi County, and everyone was waiting to see if Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian would bow down to the King of Anhuai because of it.
The message that came back was that "the reincarnation of the Chu Grand Tutor, the Divine Lord," and that not only was there food, but also warm clothing.
The people in the capital were unaware of the inside story and could only attribute it to yet another miracle by Chu Jiubian.
The flood was originally a huge conspiracy from beginning to end, and everyone was a pawn of the "third party" hiding in the shadows.
But now, the third party's goal, apart from suppressing the Xiao family, has not been achieved at all.
On the contrary, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian not only gained control of Hexi County, but also won the hearts of the people.
Even the common people in the capital have changed their opinion of Qin Xiao.
The Qiu family, who were better informed, heard that people throughout almost the entire Beizhili region, as well as several provinces bordering Hexi Prefecture, were praising the benevolence of the imperial court. Many people were also defending Qin Xiao's "death by a thousand cuts" punishment, saying that he was not cruel, but that Zhou Boshan deserved to die, and that even death by a thousand cuts was too lenient.
In the end, Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian reaped almost all the benefits from this whole operation.
Hong Fu walked to the side of the dragon throne and, seeing that everyone had arrived, announced loudly, "Let the court begin!"
All the officials bowed their heads in unison. Baili Hong walked to the dragon throne, sat down, and said, "Rise." The morning court session had begun.
"Your Majesty, I have a report to make." Wang Pengyi, the Vice Minister of Revenue, stepped out of the ranks and bowed respectfully.
Everyone knew that the attacks on Jiannan King and the Xiao family had begun.
"The breach of the dike in Hexi County has destroyed land and flooded fields, resulting in the deaths of over ten thousand people!" Wang Pengyi frowned, feeling a lump in his throat as he thought of the reports describing the situation in Hexi County.
He stared intently at Xiao Huaiguan, the Minister of Personnel, and said in a deep voice, "This tragedy was not caused by a natural disaster, but by the failure of the Prince of Jiannan to repair the dike! Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to severely punish the Prince of Jiannan to appease the people!"
Before anyone else could say anything, Xiao Wendao stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying, "I believe this matter has nothing to do with the Prince of Jiannan."
Chu Jiubian glanced sideways, his expression indifferent.
The Xiao family will definitely protect the Prince of Jiannan, as this is their most advantageous bargaining chip to reach the highest position, and someone must take the blame for this incident.
Moreover, the matter was too significant to be left to the officials of Hexi County to handle alone; the Xiao family had to make sacrifices.
The only one who can be sacrificed right now is Xiao Wendao.
"Your Majesty, the collapse of the dike in Hexi County was caused by the embezzlement of funds by Prefect Lü Yuan and Assistant Prefect Zhou Boshan. They took advantage of the fact that Prince Jiannan was young and ignorant of water conservancy, which led to this tragedy. Prince Jiannan was truly innocent."
His intention was to completely extricate Jiannan Wang from the picture.
“Minister Xiao’s words are quite interesting,” Wang Pengyi scoffed. “When you wanted Prince Jiannan to take on this task, you all said he was not young and should learn some skills. How come now that something has happened, he’s become an ignorant child?”
“Even so, the Prince of Jiannan is only responsible for oversight,” Xiao Wendao continued. “And considering that this is his first time handling such a major matter, some mistakes are understandable.”
Wang Pengyi: "So, Minister Xiao, you mean that this matter cannot be blamed on the Prince of Jiannan? Then were the people who were thrown down by Zhou Boshan to fill the dam just wasted? What about the silver and grain paid by the court for the destroyed farmland?"
“Of course not.” Xiao Wendao bowed again toward the dragon throne. “Your Majesty, this matter was caused by the governor and the vice governor of Hexi County. Now, one of them committed suicide out of fear of punishment, and the other was executed by slow slicing by Prince Ning. This can be considered an explanation to the people.”
He intends to let the matter drop, since both culprits are dead, and the rest can only be attributed to inadequate supervision or oversight.
What does the imperial court's overspending have to do with the Xiao family?
“Minister Xiao makes it sound so easy.” Censor-in-Chief Qi Zhili stepped forward with a cold face, first bowing to the emperor, and then looking at Xiao Wendao, “With just a few words, two local officials have become the culprits.”
"I would like to ask, as the Vice Minister of Works, you are in charge of this dike repair project. Do all those people under you obey your orders? They depend on you, so how could they dare to embezzle funds or disobey their superior? Could it be that you gave them instructions?"
"Minister Qi, you must provide evidence before you speak," Xiao Wendao immediately retorted. "The people under you each have their own agendas. Even if I failed to discover it in time, it would only be due to inadequate supervision and a mistake in personnel selection. How could it be that I instructed them to do so?"
Qi Zhili then sneered, "Is Zhou Boshan a member of your Xiao family?"
"He is the son-in-law of the Xiao family!" Xiao Wendao said loudly. "Our Xiao family is upright and honest. It's just that the women in our family misjudged people and married a bad man. Minister Qi, please don't try to implicate our Xiao family."
Qi Zhili wanted to argue further, but Qin Xiao said, "That's enough."
The court was quiet.
The Xiao family is trying to throw a tantrum and act shamelessly to the end. It's only because they were truly innocent victims this time that they're making such a fuss.
Everyone knew that this matter involved the vassal kings, and they couldn't involve them for the time being, so they could only make the Xiao family take the blame. The Xiao family also knew that they had to make sacrifices, but they were unwilling to do so and still hoped that they could save Xiao Wendao.
But Qin Xiao wouldn't let this opportunity slip by.
He took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, unfolded it, and handed it forward: "Minister Xiao, take a look. This is the confession of your son-in-law."
Xiao Wendao's expression changed, and even Xiao Huaiguan, who had remained silent, raised his cloudy eyes and looked at Qin Xiao.
Xiao Wendao stepped forward to take the confession, and the more he read it, the paler his face became.
The dried bloodstains on the paper, in particular, made him feel nauseous.
Yes, if Qin Xiao could resort to the punishment of slow slicing, what difficulty would it be for Zhou Boshan to forge a confession?
Upon seeing the confession, everyone could guess what it contained without even reading it. It was clear that Zhou Boshan had implicated Xiao Wendao, shifting blame for all the sins he had committed onto Xiao Wendao.
"Does Minister Xiao plead guilty?" Qin Xiao asked calmly.
Xiao Wendao's face turned pale, and he lost the strength he had shown in arguing just moments before.
He gritted his teeth and looked down the steps.
In the first row, Minister of Personnel Xiao Huaiguan stood there, his expression unchanged. He glanced at him briefly and then lowered his head.
Xiao Wendao gripped the offering paper tightly in both hands.
After a few breaths, he stepped down the steps, then turned and knelt down, bowing respectfully towards the dragon throne.
He kowtowed, his voice muffled: "I did indeed instruct Lü Yuan to embezzle funds and use inferior goods as substitutes. But the matter of the people filling in the dikes was Zhou Boshan's doing, and has nothing to do with me!"
Xiao Huaiguan finally coughed violently again, then slowly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Minister Xiao was only confused for a moment and had greedy thoughts, but he would never dare to do something that disregards human life. Moreover, he made many contributions and did many good things for the country and the people when the late emperor was in power."
"It is the waterway in Pingkang County. Five or six years have passed since he repaired it. The river transport is smooth and it has also met the irrigation needs of the people along the river. It is truly a great achievement. Considering his merits and hard work, how about giving him another chance to make amends?"
Embezzling funds would at most result in dismissal from office, but with Xiao Huaiguan's words, dismissal would only mean demotion and pay cuts.
However, if one adds the act of disregarding human life, then even the death penalty would not be excessive.
Xiao Wendao is exceptionally capable, and the Xiao family will certainly not let him die. If they are pushed too far, they might drag the vassal kings into it, which would be bad for everyone.
Therefore, demoting him is the best possible outcome.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao had previously discussed the same idea: to get the Ministry of Works back into Jian Hongzhuo's hands.
Everyone in the court knew that the matter could only end there, so no one spoke up.
"Xiao Wendao, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, embezzled funds intended for dam repairs, causing the dike in Hexi County to collapse, flooding fields and resulting in heavy casualties." Qin Xiao said calmly, "But considering his contributions to the court, he was granted leniency and demoted to a sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Works, with a three-year salary deduction, as a warning to others."
Xiao Wendao started his official career as a fourth-rank official, and now, after finally reaching the second-rank position, he is now...
He closed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your mercy!"
A sixth-rank official has no right to attend court.
Xiao Wendao got up from the ground, head down, and backed away.
Yu Guangli watched as the official robes of crimson, scarlet, and navy blue faded away one after another until they reached the palace gate.
He turned around, took a deep breath, and then stepped out of the palace gate.
Without lingering any longer, he strode down the steps of Fengtian Hall, his back still straight.
The court fell silent for a moment.
Xiao Huaiguan walked back to his seat, lowered his eyes, and silently exhaled.
He is old, and even his most capable juniors have been implicated and demoted, forced to leave the center of power. From now on, the Xiao family will face great difficulties.
Qin Xiao spoke again: "The Prince of Jiannan failed to supervise properly. Considering his young age, he ordered him to stay in the mansion to reflect on his mistakes. He can come out when he is older."
These words were undeniably ironic, and many in the court concealed their laughter.
Without giving a time limit for reflection, it's tantamount to house arrest. However, Xiao Huaiguan has no intention of pleading for leniency now. The Xiao family was indeed very powerful before, so it's better for things to be more stable now.
He realized that Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian intended to suppress all of them, these powerful and influential people, one by one.
Now it's the Xiao family's turn to suffer, being made an example of; it's time for others to be made an example of next.
"Your Majesty," Wang Yu, a senior official in the Ministry of Personnel, stepped out of the ranks, "I have a report to submit."
Chu Jiubian turned his head. This Wang Langzhong was his subordinate. He had introduced Chu Jiubian to the various departments of the Ministry of Personnel before, so they were quite familiar with each other.
Previously, this man had always been silent; this was the first time Chu Jiubian had seen him speak in court.
"What do you wish to report, my dear minister?" Baili Hong asked in a childish voice.
Wang Yu respectfully said, "The position of Vice Minister of Works is currently vacant, and Minister Jian is not in court. The Ministry of Works cannot be without a head. I request Your Majesty to appoint a new Vice Minister of Works."
Qin Xiao and the young emperor had discussed this topic that morning, so Baili Hong asked, "Does my esteemed minister have any recommendations?"
"I believe that Liu Junqi, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, is capable of this position, but he is not currently in the capital."
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