Chapter 231

In the Emperor's eyes,

this was nothing more than a brawl between the juniors of the Prince's mansion and the Hou Jue's estate.

However, in the eyes of those below, what they saw was entirely different.

As fellow nobles and officials, they saw that the Fu Chang Hou Jue's mansion had been humiliated; what could the Rong family do?

It would be nothing more than coming to the palace to weep and complain to Imperial Consort Rong, and the Imperial Consort weeping and complaining to the Emperor.

For the Crown Prince of Yan to bully Rong Xian to such an extent, the worst result would be a reprimand from the Clan Court; he himself had essentially accomplished this act without suffering any loss.

It even made the Rong family realize they lacked a deep foundation,

and made Imperial Consort Rong realize the difficulty of having no support outside the palace.

In that case, could Rong Feiyan consider the Jinghai Hou Jue's mansion and the Ruyang Hou Jue's mansion?

If she didn't consider those two houses, then would the Bao family and the Huyan family—those who wanted to seek Rong Feiyan's hand in marriage—go and stir up trouble?

If Rong Xian agreed,

then those two Hou Jue's mansions would have someone whispering in the Emperor's ear, and the promotion and ennoblement of their clan's children would certainly ride the Rong family's coattails.

As the middleman, how could the Prince of Yan's mansion not benefit?

Regardless, as long as Xu Zaijing and the other two didn't stir up trouble, the Prince of Yan's mansion would always be in a position to win without losing.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Yan's mansion has coerced and lured the Rong family in such a way, what they are plotting..."

"Silence!"

The Empress scolded sternly with a straight face.

Xu Zaijing stopped speaking sheepishly; the Emperor behind the imperial desk no longer had any expression of anger on his face.

The Empress said softly:

"The child has no bad intentions; it is all for the sake of Fang'er."

The Emperor glanced at Xu Zaijing with an inscrutable expression,

and then looked at Zhao Fang beside him and said:

"Stop kneeling, get up."

Xu Zaijing blinked, not daring to move.

The Emperor's expression softened:

"Hmph! You know to be afraid now?"

Xu Zaijing bowed and said solemnly:

"Your Majesty, only just now, when you had a straight face, did I truly experience the kindness you show when you smile."

After finishing, Xu Zaijing knelt and bowed in salute.

The Empress glanced at Xu Zaijing with appreciation.

The Emperor, however, was so angry he blew into his own beard and said:

"You little beast, what do you mean by saying that! Someone, drag him out for me! Give him five strokes!"

"Fa—"

Zhao Fang was anxious and about to speak, but after being glared at by the Empress, he respectfully shouted:

"Your Imperial Majesty is wise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing the strokes."

"Hmph!"

The Emperor once again flicked his sleeves and left the imperial desk. After walking two steps, he stopped and raised his elbow. The Empress hurriedly took his arm and said softly and lowly:

"My husband, you are wise."

The Emperor tried hard to suppress the corners of his mouth and walked out with a straight face.

The imperial guards stood beside Xu Zaijing; they didn't take action, but first bowed to Zhao Fang.

Zhao Fang looked at Xu Zaijing, who was smiling at him, then glanced at the Grand Eunuch who was nodding at him, and then looked at his father and mother, who were walking far away and seemed to have forgotten him, and hurriedly chased after them.

On the way to being dragged out,

watching the Grand Eunuch smiling and following beside Xu Zaijing,

the guards' movements in dragging the person became cautious.

On the way back to the sleeping palace,

listening to Xu Zaijing's high-pitched wails as he received the strokes,

the Emperor cursed under his breath and then held the Empress tighter,

tonight,

I am not going anywhere.

South Lecture Hall Lane.

Not far from the palace wall,

Rong Feiyan got off the carriage in low spirits and followed behind Rong Xian.

Listening to his own elder brother, who was being supported,

muttering, "Jingge'er is truly righteous,"

"He is my good brother,"

"Yege'er is not bad either,"

"Xiaoge'er is even more impressive,"

Rong Feiyan bowed and was about to return to the Hui Xue Courtyard.

Rong Xian stopped his rambling and called out:

"Little sister."

Rong Feiyan turned her head, the jewelry on her head swaying:

"Brother?"

Rong Xian looked at his sister under the hazy lamplight, but the words on the tip of his tongue remained unsaid.

A hideous smile appeared on his face, which had been beaten black and blue:

"It's nothing."

Rong Feiyan rolled her eyes at him and walked toward the Hui Xue Courtyard.

Watching his sister's retreating back,

Rong Xian seemed to have suddenly thought of something,

and his smile vanished.

"Xian'er, come in quickly; later, let the imperial physician take another look at you."

Inside the Imperial Palace,

the various families who had been permitted to enter the palace to visit were following behind the eunuchs and the palace guards, walking toward the outside.

Four palace guards were carrying a wooden board, and lying or prone on it were all the wounded.

Although they had received treatment from the imperial physician, the pain was unavoidable.

Zheng Xiao and Gu Tingye, however, were fine.

After exiting the palace gate, the two walked around Xu Zaijing, who was lying prone on the wooden board, talking.

"Jingge'er, is the strength of the eunuch carrying out the punishment really that great? I could hear your wails even inside the hall."

"Mm, he has a lot of strength!"

Xu Zaijing said.

Sun Shi, who was to the side, asked worriedly: "Then let's invite an imperial physician to the house to take a look at you."

"Yes, Mother."

As they spoke, they had already arrived at the place not far from the palace gate where the carriages were parked.

Gathered here were the servants sent by each family to wait for news.

Seeing the group come out, the servants hurriedly walked over.

"Madam, I am Dongrong from the Sheng family; Jingge'er, he..."

"Madam, I am Youqing from the Gu family; is our family alright?"

Sun Shi smiled and said a few words, and upon receiving the news, the servants of each family scattered, either boarding carriages or riding horses to return to their mansions to report that all was well.

After Xu Zaijing got down from the wooden board, he was supported by Qingyun and boarded the carriage.

Before entering the carriage, Xu Zaijing said to Zheng Xiao and Gu Tingye:

"I appreciate your favor today."

Zheng Xiao and Gu Tingye looked at each other and said:

"Then when you have time, you must carve roast duck for us again."

Xu Zaijing said: "Alright! When the time comes, I'll let you two eat to your heart's content."

The two left the place.

Sun Shi looked at the carriages not far away, which hung lanterns with the characters "Bao" and "Huyan," and sighed before ducking into the carriage.

By the light of the lantern inside the carriage, Sun Shi saw that Xu Zaijing was already sitting steadily on the stool.

"It doesn't hurt anymore?"

"Mother, rest assured, it doesn't hurt anymore."

"It's good that it doesn't hurt. Once we get home, I can rest assured and beat you."

"Hiss, ouch, why does it hurt again?"

"It hurts now? It's too late. With this scene you've caused, your sister's marriage is in a bad way."

Xu Zaijing put away his cheeky face and said: "A good woman need not worry about marriage; if their family is gone, there will naturally be others."

Sun Shi looked at her youngest son, shook her head helplessly, and then revealed a smile.

Because what Xu Zaijing said was the truth.

Given the current situation of the Xu family, the Master is popular and useful, and the eldest son is hardworking;

the eldest daughter married a Hou Jue with real power and gave birth to the eldest grandson;

the second son married the daughter of a civil official in the Ministry of Personnel;

they have marital ties with both nobles and civil officials.

Even for those who don't know the background and don't understand how much the youngest son is currently favored by the Emperor, just looking at his future in the imperial examinations is quite good.

The Xu family's economic situation is even more famously good.

For such a capable family, whether it be nobles or civil officials, once they know of the change in Anmei's marriage prospects, who knows how many people will fight tooth and nail for it.

The hour of Zi had just arrived (11:00 PM).

Xu Zaijing arrived at his own home.

Returning to his own small courtyard,

Qingcao, having received the news, was carrying a basin of water, and two followers, one on each side, walked over.

After Xu Zaijing wiped his body, he lay down on the bed.

Feeling the cool night breeze blowing into the room,

Xu Zaijing thought about today's events and muttered to himself: "When the Shenbao Temple god's birthday comes next year, I still won't go out."

Dongrong got off the carriage,

entered the backyard through the side gate,

and after being announced, was brought to the Shou'an Hall.

At this time, the Sheng family members had not yet gone to sleep.

"How did it go?"

Sheng Hong asked.

Dongrong bowed to the group and said:

"Master, Jingge'er has come out of the palace; he said he was given five strokes and was ordered to be confined at home to reflect on his mistakes."

Upon hearing this, the Old Madam felt the heart she had been holding finally settle, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly. The Old Madam let out a breath and said:

"Then it means he is alright. You all go back; Hualan will sleep with me tonight."

"Mother, how can he be alright after being beaten with strokes? Isn't this the Emperor showing his displeasure?"

"Hong'er, you can talk to your Madam about it."

The Old Madam waved her hand and was then supported by Hualan back to the bedroom.

Exiting the Shou'an Hall.

"My husband, tell me quickly, what does Mother mean?"

"I am going to the Linqi Pavilion; you explain it to the Madam."

"Hey! You!"

Wei Shuyi crouched in a salute behind Wang Ruofu.

Wang Ruofu frowned and looked at Wei Shuyi: "You understand?"

"Mistress, if he were truly displeased, he would either give twenty strokes or throw him in prison; how could there be only five strokes?"

"You mean, this is just for show?"

Wei Shuyi nodded.

"Yes, yes, yes, what kind of punishment is five strokes! Hiss, to have beaten the Crown Prince of Yan and yet be alright... This Xu family is becoming more and more extraordinary."

"Mistress, we still have to see if there are any remonstrating officials or censors who will submit a memorial in the imperial court tomorrow! And with Jingge'er causing such a scene, and with the Huyan family..."

Wang Ruofu raised an eyebrow: "Hmph, according to what you say, it's possible that by tomorrow morning, there will be people waiting at the Xu family's gate."

The next morning,

Quyuan Street,

Madam Wu got off the Liang family's carriage, and as the cold wind blew: Achoo!

And in the imperial court,

the state affairs of the Great Zhou had already been discussed for the most part.

At this moment, a remonstrating official from the Censorate stood out.

"Your Majesty, I, Lu Xingjun, have a memorial to submit."

Gu Tingyu stood in the center of the officials and thought to himself: It's here.

Sheng Hong shrank his neck and glanced toward where the remonstrating official was.

"Speak."

"Your Majesty, I wish to impeach the Jinghai Hou Jue, Huyan Feng, for occupying a position without performing his duties..."

Gu Tingyu looked at this official surnamed Lu, sorting out the interpersonal relationships behind him in his mind, and very quickly he understood: he was the cousin-in-law of the Empress's third brother of the Cao family.

It wasn't just Gu Tingyu; other officials in the court also understood what had happened: the Empress was going to back Xu Zaijing.

At this moment, another official from the Censorate stood out.

"I, too, wish to impeach the Jinghai Hou Jue, Huyan Feng, for failing to govern his household strictly..."

Sheng Hong glanced again, his heart filled with doubt: "This, shouldn't they be impeaching the Xu family? Why..."

(End of chapter)