Incensed
Ming Feizhen would scoff at anyone who told him Shen Yiren would cry. As soon as he saw her tears, he set down the chest and used his sleeve to wipe her tears. “What happened? Come sit down. Tell me what happened. Don’t cry. What gave His Majesty the nerve to make you cry? Wait for me, Boss. I’ll go pull his beard out.”
“H-he…”
Shen Yiren recounted how His Majesty started questioning her after Ming Feizhen departed.
“… Do you recognise your wrongs?” Emperor Yuansheng questioned.
“Your subject… let you down. She pleads guilty.”
“You plead guilty? You’re here to plead guilty?” Emperor Yuansheng sat up straight and slammed his table, silencing everyone in the palace. “The three offices overseeing the martial world have distinct duties. Your Shen clan has safeguarded the capital for generations. Do I need to remind you what Liu Shan Men’s responsibility is? Who was meant to be in charge of protecting the capital after Ming Feizhen and Huang Yuzao went missing, and Fiends’ Genesis surfaced?”
“Liu Shan Men,” softly answered Shen Yiren.
“Right. Emperor’s Entourage?”
A member of Emperor’s Entourage cupped his hands before him. “Present.”
“Your duty is to supervise all officials. Who was in charge of guarding the capital?”
“Commander Ye initially led, and then the reins were passed over to the Qilin Guards.”
“You hear that? Where were you during that time?”
“Away from the capital,” Shen Yiren answered.
Emperor Yuansheng laughed sarcastically. “You all hear that? Away from the capital. Away from the capital, she says. All sorts of criminals infiltrated the capital; the capital was in utter chaos. Fiends’ Genesis took advantage of the situation to rampage. I almost had a Prince executed in public. Have I ever had to go through anything as remotely ridiculous in the thirty years I’ve been on the throne? Meanwhile, my Liu Shan Men threw their duty into someone else’s lap, and their leader left the capital without permission. What is the point of employing Liu Shan Men?!”
Emperor Yuansheng threw the report in his hand to Shen Yiren’s knees. “Read it for yourself.”
Shen Yiren picked it up to read.
“Is what’s reported there true? Did you really say you’re quitting Liu Shan Men?”
Once she finished reading, Shen Yiren nodded. “It is.”
Secretary Lie voiced, “Your Majesty, Vice-Captain Shen is still young; young people speaking impulsively is common, is it not? This old one often says the wrong things. If every word he said was taken seriously, he would not have enough heads for you to remove.”
“You need not speak up for her, Secretary Lie. Is it reasonable to publicly declare you are quitting? Is it legal for an official of the imperial court to unliterally leave the capital without my approval? Couldn’t she have at least informed me first before deciding to leave even if she truly wanted to leave Liu Shan Men? If this goes unchecked and others started following her example, who am I?!”
There was no way Secretary Lie was going to be able to defend Shen Yiren after that. Everyone was aware of how lenient Emperor Yuansheng was towards Shen Yiren. Therefore, he had to be inflamed to an extreme point for him to be taking the matter so far with her.
“Captain Song is here right now. He had to take care of the capital in your absence. Do you think I’m ignorant to how you oppress him at Liu Shan Men? Do you think I’m ignorant to who Liu Shan Men’s members take orders from? Do you think I’m unaware of who should be held accountable for this?”
Song Ou wiped his tears. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Yuansheng paid no heed to Song Ou. “If you could handle the situation well, then so be it, but the capital was never in this much disorder even when your father and shifu were away. In contrast, Liu Shan Men has been a complete mess without you. What use do I have for such an incompetent Liu Shan Men?!”
Not a single person in the palace wasn’t worried after hearing that.
Liu Shan Men was an important stepping stone for Song Clan, so all of Song Ou’s suffering over the years wouldn’t pay off if Liu Shan Men was shut down.
The White Princes wanted the three offices to keep each other in check. In the scenario that Liu Shan Men was removed, the Qilin Guards would be getting a free bye. That wouldn’t benefit the White Princes as the Qilin Guards were in support of stripping the seven.
Emperor’s Entourage would be in a dilemma. While they’d be more than happy to see Liu Shan Men go, they couldn’t publicly say so, particularly in the presence of Emperor Yuansheng.
As such, everyone tried to dissuade Emperor Yuansheng from shutting down Liu Shan Men.
On the other hand, Shen Yiren just raised her hands in salute. “Your subject was wrong.”
Emperor Yuansheng held his gaze against Shen Yiren’s for a while prior to slapping himself on the thigh. “It’s all my fault. I’ve spoilt you rotten. I doted on you after Brother Shen’s passing, afraid you’d be treated unfairly, but that’s only made you lawless! What do you see the imperial court’s laws as? What do you see my trust as?!”
Shen Yiren lowered her head. “Your subject was wrong.”
Emperor Yuansheng found Shen Yiren’s reaction even more infuriating. “You still don’t think you’re wrong? Do you remember what I asked you prior to the imperial martial arts tournament?”
“You asked if your subject was mentally prepared, and your subject replied that she was.”
“Now, Emperor’s Entourage, the Qilin Guards and Song Ou have come together to request an investigation into you be launched. You were mentally prepared, weren’t you? So, tell me, what I should do?”
Those who vocally backed Shen Yiren a moment ago awkwardly cleared their throats. Everybody knew the three offices had squabbles with each other, but nobody expected His Majesty to point it out so blatantly in his fit of rage.
Shen Yiren raised her head and, still emotionless, stated, “Please investigate your subject.”
“You think I won’t?!” Emperor Yuansheng jumped to his feet and thundered, “Don’t go thinking you’re being treated unfairly just because you contributed. Had Tianhu not tailed you, you’d be dead already, yet you still want to act tough in front of me?!”
Shen Yiren appeared unshaken. Those who weren’t convinced she could lead Liu Shan Men successfully at her young age no longer questioned her mental fortitude. If they were in her shoes, they’d have started begging for mercy already.
No matter how long he stared back, Emperor Yuansheng couldn’t find a hint of surrender in Shen Yiren’s eyes. In the end, he slammed his table again before declaring, “Shen Yiren, on account of your contributions, I shall not strip you of your rank or demote you. However, you are not allowed to remain in the capital. Once the special exams are over, you are to leave the capital and improve yourself. Once you have matured enough to fulfil your post, you can return. Get out of my sight.”
Shen Yiren bowed, then left without a trace of fear or regret, all the way until she returned to Ming Feizhen.
“Feizhen, Uncle told me to get out of his sight!”
