The following morning at court, Shen Chang was severely impeached by the Imperial Censor and several other ministers.
"As an official appointed by the court, he does not set an example, but instead leads the way in promoting such unhealthy practices! If everyone were to forcibly take wives from the people like Lord Shen, how could the court be governed and the people of the world be convinced of his authority?"
Being openly insulted to his face, Shen Chang blushed instantly, overwhelmed by immense humiliation. He suppressed his anger and tried to explain that he had also been deceived by Fang and was unaware that she had been married before.
Imperial Censor Chen, however, was unconvinced and coldly snorted: "Lord Shen is, after all, a second-rank minister and a pillar of the court, yet he was so easily manipulated by a woman. Judging from this, one cannot help but doubt Lord Shen's ability as an official!"
Chi Yan raised an eyebrow slightly, as if she wanted to laugh.
The Imperial Censor's mouth is indeed sharp; he's really putting his father-in-law in a very difficult position!
As expected, Shen Chang's face turned pale upon hearing this. Observing Emperor Chongde's darkening expression, he knelt down with a thud and cried out that he was innocent:
"Your Majesty, I...I was confused for a moment! I can guarantee that this mistake will never happen again. Please, Your Majesty, give me another chance!"
He harbored a deep resentment in his heart. The old scoundrel, the censor, was clearly settling a personal score. The two of them had always disagreed on politics, and the censor himself didn't particularly like Shen Chang's smooth and worldly manner. However, Shen Chang's disguise was just too good!
This time they've finally caught him red-handed, I have to give him a good thrashing.
Emperor Chongde's gaze was unreadable as he swept his eyes across the crowd before suddenly landing on Chi Yan: "Chi Yan, what do you think of this matter?"
In an instant, several gazes fell upon Chi Yan.
Everyone knows that Chi Yan is Shen Chang's son-in-law, so his position is somewhat delicate.
If he were to side with Shen Chang, he would inevitably face criticism, offend the Censor-in-Chief, and perhaps even anger His Majesty!
But if he doesn't speak up for Shen Chang, his wife will definitely be angry, and it will create a rift between him and his father-in-law, thus losing the Shen family as an ally...
The Imperial Censor looked at Chi Yan, his eyes gleaming. He had always thought highly of this young man, but if the other party chose to show favoritism, he would be disappointed!
At the same time, Shen Chang stared intently at Chi Yan, his eyes filled with hope.
Under such pressure, Chi Yan slowly stepped forward a few steps, avoiding Shen Chang's gaze, and bowed with his hands clasped, saying, "Your Majesty, a country has its laws and a family has its rules. I cannot comment on whether Lord Shen was right or wrong this time, but the negative impact he caused is an undeniable fact."
The hall fell into complete silence.
Only Shen Chang stared wide-eyed, his eyes filled with disbelief!
"Officials, as the pillars of the country, should set an example. If they lose the trust of the people, it may affect the court's standing in the hearts of the people in the future."
Chi Yan finished speaking slowly and deliberately, then raised his head, awaiting Emperor Chongde's judgment.
The emperor remained silent for a long time, seemingly deep in thought, all his emotions concealed in his deep, cold eyes.
The waiting process was extremely long. Shen Chang's palms were sweating, and he was in great agony. At the same time, he cursed Chi Yan mercilessly!
He never expected that Chi Yan would stand against him. What a bastard! Did he really think that he could rest easy just because he was favored by His Majesty?
What a joke! He's a newcomer with no foundation in the court. If it weren't for others giving him face, would Chi Yan have been able to get to where he is today?
After a long silence, Emperor Chongde finally spoke: "By imperial decree, Shen Chang, as a second-rank minister, has failed in his personal conduct and has disappointed me. He is hereby demoted to vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue. I hope he will reflect on his actions. The former vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue is hereby promoted to minister of the Ministry of Revenue!"
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