Chapter 531: Your Majesty, I Was Wronged…
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
“Ah, the Imperial Concubine Hua Fei of today, ranked 17th in the Imperial Roll, commander of the Imperial Army, Chen Fei Yu’s elder sister, Chen Feihua!” Fang Zhengzhi thought to himself.
If this were a year ago…
He would have been shocked upon that sight. Well, it was an appalling scene indeed.
And he would never have expected that the commander of the Imperial Army would be Hua Fei.
Not to mention the thought that Hua Fei would even be ranked in the Imperial Roll.
Chen Feihua’s gaze laid on Fang Zhengzhi momentarily, then slowly shifted towards the Ministry of Finance official Yue Hu.
“I deserve to die, I deserve to die…” A shivering Yue Hu dropped to a kneel. He was absolutely petrified.
“Yue Hu, do you know your mistake?” Chen Fei Hua asked with a nod, her tone bland and emotionless.
But virtually all the officials present shuddered. Chen Feihua had never once questioned the Imperial Government. Besides her duty of defending the palace, she had never said something like this to an imperial official.
But now…
She had said it.
And this meant the Ministry of Finance official Yue Hu could never stand to free himself of this shame.
He lowered himself, with his head on the ground and his body trembling. He did not fear death because death, to him, was ultimately a relief. It would set him free.
But he was spiteful.
He yearned to kill Fang Zhengzhi with his own hands.
While everyone believed Yue Hu acted in a fit of rage, nobody knew that his mind had remained been calm and composed.
Having served in the Imperial Government for decades, he had a wealth of experience under his belt.
He had truly mastered the control of his emotions. Even when his second son had an affair with a servant, he never allowed his reason and rational thought to be engulfed by rage.
Hate.
Of course, he hated.
Yet, what he did was not totally due to his hate; he knew that, at this juncture, if Fang Zhengzhi lived, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong would be in imminent danger.
For this, he was furious.
Yue Hu acted in full control of his emotions.
However, he did not expect Yan Xiu to block his enraged blow, and never did it cross his mind that he would accidentally hit Crown Prince Lin Tianrong.
Of course, there was only one thing he knew…
That he was now as good as dead.
“I know my mistake!” Yue Hu did not raise his head. He clenched his fist. There was only one chance, and missing it meant death.
If he could kill Fang Zhengzhi in a blow, maybe in a few years when Lin Tianrong ascended the throne, he could still have a glimmer of hope for survival.
But now, all had come to naught.
“Bai Qi.” Chen Feihua turned towards an Imperial Soldier standing still a stone’s throw away.
“Present!”
“Lock up official Yue.”
“Right away!” The Imperial Army’s second-in-charge Bai Qi promptly nodded. Without hesitation, he walked toward Yue Hu.
Yue Hu slowly stood up and looked at the couple rooted in their positions.
He did not say a single word.
But it was apparent to all that this Rank Two official’s strength had completely left his body. He summoned every ounce of energy. Every step was excruciating.
And this was how Yue Hu was brought away.
The man and woman were brought away too. Yue Hu’s crime was so serious that they were unfortunately implicated.
Harming the Crown Prince in public.
This was not a crime that could be forgiven in light of the contributions of a Rank Two official.
As a matter of fact, the moment Chen Feihua intervened in that total chaos, no one dared to move a muscle.
Even Wen Dabao, who wanted very much to scream aloud, stayed silent.
Every single person turned their attention to Chen Feihua, waiting for the most prized Imperial Concubine to calm the situation and protect the Crown Prince.
Yet, Chen Feihua did not do that.
She did not check Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s wounds, but gave a quick salute towards Emperor Lin Mubai, who was on the throne, and then walked through the Palace entrance.
Very quickly…
Chen Feihua once again vanished into the Palace.
All of this happened in the very same place. But without that scene a few moments ago, no one would have realized Chen Feihua had been present.
A cough broke the uncanny, deafening silence.
Everyone turned towards this abrupt noise, where an imperial official stood awkwardly, his face red in embarrassment.
H was innocent in every meaning of the word.
The official was slightly ill and could not contain his cough. Never did he expect this tiny disturbance turned all eyes on him.
He quivered.
“I am guilty, I am guilty…” The imperial official hastily knelt, frantically kowtowing in a plead for forgiveness, his skull knocking audibly on the ground.
Upon witnessing this sight, the other officials could not help but smile wryly.
Actually, Chen Feihua only did so in her duty as the commander of the Imperial Army and saved the Crown Prince.
Yet, it is this act of professionalism…
That utterly astounded the imperial officials, the surrounding commoners, and even transformed the atmosphere around the Palace entrance.
Was this the power of her rank of 17th in the Imperial Roll?
Or her influential impact as the current top imperial concubine!
That imperial official continued to pound his head on the ground, but everyone’s attention had shifted towards another man. A man dressed in a blue robe.
In any case, what happened moments ago was too unsettling.
The Ministry of Finance official Yue Hu did, in fact, initiate the attack, but as everyone knew, he would never in his wildest dreams think of hurting the Crown Prince Lin Tianrong.
Yet, it was an undeniable fact that he did so.
Was it an accident, or a deliberate attack?
If it was an accident, it seemed too coincidental. Yet, if it was the latter, who would do such a thing intentionally?
Each imperial official at present had only questions upon the confusion, and it happened so quickly no one had observed clearly.
“It’s getting late, let us start the feast!” Emperor Lin Mubai’s voice rang, rousing the imperial officials who were still processing what they had just witnessed earlier.
Eunuch Wei stood up.
“It’s time for the feast!”
“Feast! Feast!” echoed in the Palace.
With that, a chatter resumed in the Palace. The same ordinary sounds that came through from there not long ago.
The initially tense atmosphere loosened up. The officials seemed to have reached some conclusions, put their thoughts aside, conjured courteous smiles as they tidied their clothes as they prepared to enter the Palace.
But at this moment…
A figure walked towards Lin Mubai, his robe swaying lightly in the breeze. Behind him followed Yan Xiu.
“Your Majesty, I have a grievance to raise!” Fang Zhengzhi bowed lightly, but he did not pay heed to hierarchical rules of speaking to the Emperor, using the word “I” informally to represent his identity.
The officials halted in their tracks. Their smiles froze on their faces, their eyes fixed on Fang Zhengzhi.
Of course, they knew what Fang Zhengzhi was up to.
But…
How dared he intervene as the Emperor’s order was carried out?
The surrounding commoners stared at Fang Zhengzhi, stunned. At this very moment, they seem to know what Emperor Lin Mubai was thinking.
Fang Zhengzhi had already revealed the truth to all, and the Ministry of Finance official could hear their conversation. Fang Zhengzhi was under the effect of this same poison a year ago.
Yet, Emperor Lin Mubai could still initiate the feast.
His attitude was obvious.
“What is he trying to do?”
“Is he really trying to overturn the case?”
“Would the Emperor let him have his way?”
Questions arose among the commoners.
Emperor Lin Mubai’s gaze turned towards Fang Zhengzhi as he stood from his throne.
“Minister of Rites, must you voice this grievance now?” Emperor Lin Mubai’s was tone showed nothing besides tranquillity.
But all the imperial officials and commoners instantly felt a wave of peculiarity.
Because Emperor Lin Mubai called Fang Zhengzhi…
The Minister of Rites!
Everyone was clear that a year ago when the war with the Southern Region ended, the Emperor had promoted Fang Zhengzhi from a Rank Four Sword Envoy to the Minister of Rites.
However, Fang Zhengzhi did not return to the Ministry of Rites, nor did he take over the Ministry of Rites Seal.
This was because Fang Zhengzhi killed a Southern Region Noblelite and injured the Crown Price.
But now, Emperor Lin Mubai addressed Fang Zhengzhi as the Minister of Rites, wasn’t this an unbelievable sight?
Crown Prince Lin Tianrong was stunned.
His fiery eyes glared at Fang Zhengzhi and Emperor Lin Mubai as blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
Rage and indignation filled every vessel in his heart.
Yet he understood that when Emperor Lin Mubai addressed him this way, it meant Fang Zhengzhi was cleared of the grievances from what happened in the Southern Region.
Chi Hou also froze.
Today, when Fang Zhengzhi emerged from the crowds and blocked Southern Region Prince Shan Yu, he never thought that Fang Zhengzhi would succeed.
At that moment, he only wished to save Fang Zhengzhi.
But now…
Fang Zhengzhi had indeed succeeded.
Even if did not attempt to overturn the case, he had already succeeded. Succeeded in clearing the grievances from the Southern Region, which was hitherto unfathomable.
Not only did Emperor Lin Mubai not pursue Fang Zhengzhi’s fault, but recognized Fang Zhengzhi in another light and restored his position as an imperial official.
This meant a silent acknowledgment of sorts.
The Southern Region case would see tremendous progress in time to come.
“Was Your Majesty talking to me?” Fang Zhengzhi’s voice lit up again.
“Do you think there would be a second Minister of Rites here, alive?” Emperor Lin Mubai then glanced at the official on the floor.
“Your Majesty was speaking to me indeed, but did Your Majesty address me incorrectly?” Fang Zhengzhi replied.
“Incorrectly?!”
“He actually said the Emperor addressed him incorrectly?”
The officials could not believe the conversation.
“Fang Zhengzhi, don’t spout nonsense! How would Your Majesty address you incorrectly? Stop your behavior!” Chi Hou felt things would not end up well for Fang Zhengzhi.
Certainly, he knew what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking.
But it was also important to weigh the urgency and importance of matters and the setting in which they were raised.
In this day, the Southern Region King, Southern Region soldiers, countless commoners and personnel of the Imperial Army had gathered in the Palace.
In this situation…
How would Emperor Lin Mubai make an immediate decision?
Hanging the proverbial dirty laundry, especially with the reputation of the Crown Prince at stake, did not seem like a good idea.
Now that Emperor Lin Mubai had publicly acknowledged Fang Zhengzhi’s identity, overturning the Southern Region case would only be a matter of time.
Chi Hou was clear on this point, hence he could not help but worry for Fang Zhengzhi.
“Official Fang, the feast is about to begin and could not be delayed. If you have any important matters, you should address them later.” Eunuch Wei said sharply while displaying an exaggerated respectfulness.
With that, Emperor Lin Mubai did not comment further.
Slowly, he walked down from his throne, briefly looked at the Palace door and strode towards it.
“Official Fang, the feast has begun, and a place has been reserved for you.” Eunuch Wei bowed at Fang Zhengzhi and promptly followed behind Emperor Lin Mubai.
Among the crowd, Wen Dabao watched in envy.
“Bravo! Just like that, he has become the Minister of Rites? Indeed, I have not followed the wrong person!” Wen Dabao lit up in joy as though he had become a Minister himself.
And at this moment, Fang Zhengzhi took a step forward.
“Your Majesty, last year at the Southern Region celebratory dinner, I was plotted against and poisoned. In my delirium, I was brought into Southern Region King’s room. While unconscious, I was accused of killing the Southern Region Noblelite. But I was so weak, and I had no grudges with these people, how would I kill the Noblelite? I plead for Your Majesty to address this injustice of mine!”
