Chapter 1605: Please Address This Minister as Chancellor

The news of Xiao Xiao Changsheng's death stirred up a wave of commotion in the court.

Court officials who didn't know the inside story instinctively assumed the Emperor had done the killing!

Emperor Yuanding was so furious his inner fire blazed, yet he couldn't defend himself. The more he explained, the more suspicious he'd seem. This silent grievance seemed to be his lot.

But he was unwilling to accept it.

Right in front of Xie Changling, he flung down that confession.

"The world misunderstands Zhen, assuming Zhen sent someone to kill Xiao Xiao Changsheng. Zhen won't explain! Xie, my dear minister, you know the truth. Tell Zhen, how should this matter be resolved?"

Xie Changling flipped through the confession briefly, his face expressionless.

"How does Your Majesty wish to resolve it?"

Emperor Yuanding instantly breathed a sigh of relief. He'd feared the man would throw the words right back at him. Since he asked, it meant there was room to negotiate.

He said solemnly, "Zhen can leave Prince Ning and his three companions untouched, but not a single one of those people mentioned in the confession can be spared. This small request isn't excessive, is it?"

"Not excessive!"

Before Emperor Yuanding could even be glad, he immediately heard a jarring remark.

"However, at present, this minister cannot agree to Your Majesty's request."

"Xie, my dear minister!" Emperor Yuanding was beside himself with rage, gnashing his teeth, so furious his mind went blank, unable to curse out a single word.

He gripped his fist tight. "Xie, my dear minister, please think carefully before you speak."

"Your Majesty, what matters most right now is not the Xiao Xiao Changsheng case, but the Northwest! The late Emperor, while alive, always had the Northwest problem on his mind. The Northwest has been a thorn in the Court's side since Emperor Emperor Taixing's reign. Now, an opportunity has presented itself. At this moment, the Court must remain stable and should not engage in large-scale criminal prosecutions. I hope Your Majesty will prioritize the greater good."

"The greater good! Every time it's the greater good. Xie Changling, am I still the Emperor or not? I'm making one small, reasonable, and lawful request—what right do you have to block it! Since all you want is a puppet Emperor, why did you fight so hard to protect me back then? Speak!"

"Your Majesty, mind your words!" Xie Changling's gaze bore into him. He was deeply displeased.

Why so childish—why, whenever things didn't go his way, did he only know how to throw a tantrum.

Why couldn't he consider the greater good.

Even harder to please than Emperor Jian Shi.

Like a half-grown boy who never grew up, only thinking about how to vent his emotions.

"I can't mind them at all. Stop wasting Zhen's time with nonsense! Zhen is already miserable enough, carrying the blame for poisoning Xiao Xiao Changsheng without being able to explain. Zhen only wants to deal with a few corrupt officials who pervert the law, and even that's not allowed. Xie Changling, don't push it too far!"

"Please address this minister as Prime Minister Xie, or simply as Chancellor!" Xie Changling too flared with anger, sternly reminding him that the form of address was wrong—this was a serious matter.

Propriety, propriety!

The first essential of propriety is the form of address!

Ruler rules, minister ministers; father fathers, son sons!

A minister may not address the Emperor by his given name. Likewise, out of respect, the Emperor should not address the Court's Weight by name either!

"You—you're lecturing Zhen?" Emperor Yuanding couldn't believe it for a moment, his head a bit dazed. Since his ascension, no matter how wildly he behaved, Xie Changling had never spoken to him in such a stern tone. Nor had he ever looked at him with such a cold gaze.

"How dare you! Xie… my dear minister!" Emperor Yuanding's fury knew no bounds; his liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys were all burning, his rage shooting straight to the heavens.

"As Chancellor, as the late Emperor's appointed regent, it is this minister's duty to instruct Your Majesty and correct Your Majesty's errors. I hope Your Majesty will not commit the same mistake again."

"Good, very good!" Emperor Yuanding raged. "Xie, my dear minister, what if Zhen insists on punishing those men?"

"The Zhengshitang will surely reject Your Majesty's edict!" Xie Changling's face was exceedingly stern.

Emperor Yuanding struggled to control his fury, his fists clenched so tight the skin on his palms broke and bled. "Zhen will have the Brocade Guard handle the case—no need to go through the Zhengshitang!"

"If the Brocade Guard arrests people on its own without the Zhengshitang's approval, the Zhengshitang has the duty to halt all Brocade Guard operations."

The Court's various yamen check and balance one another.

The Brocade Guard is the Emperor's hound—it needs no Court approval, only the Emperor's decree to handle cases. It can even act first and report later, arresting people directly.

The premise is that the Emperor is strong enough, and imperial power and chancellor power can check and balance each other, each making compromises.

For instance, in Emperor Emperor Taixing's time, when the Brocade Guard handled cases, it needed no Court approval and decided matters on its own.

In Emperor Jian Shi's time, the Brocade Guard was also very powerful.

Nowadays…

Emperor Yuanding was crushed so hard he could barely breathe. The Brocade Guard, being his lapdog, naturally lacked its former glory. It could investigate cases in private, do some unsavory work.

But if it wanted to arrest people without the Court's nod of approval, the Brocade Guard would certainly face impeachment.

Those censors, once they got to work—especially when targeting the Brocade Guard—each and every one of them threw their lives away. In Emperor Jian Shi's time, censors dared to storm into the imperial prison to smash, beat, and kill; how much more so now.

Once the Censorate's censors attacked en masse, given Emperor Yuanding's current situation, he simply couldn't withstand it. When that time came, he'd have to obediently retract his order and personally sever the Brocade Guard's claws.

Caught between a rock and a hard place!

Emperor Yuanding was of average talent, but he was no fool.

Having been Emperor for several months now, he understood most of what he needed to understand, and clearly knew the consequences of going against the Zhengshitang.

He would surely lose!

Not the slightest chance of winning!

His breathing quickened as he tried hard to tell himself: endure, endure! Endure for three or five years; once his wings were full, settling scores in autumn wouldn't be too late!

"Zhen truly is a puppet!" He laughed in extreme fury. "May I ask Xie, my dear minister, should Zhen not even attend court? Zhen should simply suspend court, stay hidden in the harem all day, and ignore state affairs. After all, whether Zhen is there or not, it doesn't affect the Court's operation."

Xie Changling's gaze burned like a torch as he looked at him without emotion. "Your Majesty attends court to understand how the Court operates, to understand the situation across the realm, to understand the people's suffering, and to learn how to govern. Yet Your Majesty is only eager to take revenge and vent anger; Your Majesty's mind has not been on proper matters. If Your Majesty insists on suspending court, this minister cannot stop you! This minister only asks Your Majesty to wait patiently for a year or two. Once the Northwest matter is settled, this minister will submit to whatever Your Majesty wishes. When that time comes, whether Your Majesty wishes to kill or flay me, this minister will have absolutely no objections."

Emperor Yuanding suddenly went blank and couldn't speak.

He stared at the man, his lips trembling, and felt fear deep within.

Xie Changling had made no threats, offered no persuasion—only a calm statement of facts.

Yet he felt an intense panic and unease!

"What's wrong with the Northwest? I didn't say anything—how did it turn into killing and flaying!"

He was afraid!

How could Xie Changling possibly be someone who sits and waits for death, letting him do as he pleased?

This statement is too severe!

So severe it made his heart panic!

These words should not have come from Xie Changling's mouth.

It's over!

At this moment, this was the only thought in his mind.

It's over!

He had completely offended the Xie family.

How would Xie Changling deal with him?

Xie Changling coldly glanced at Emperor Yuanding. "The treasury is empty, and the northwest has consumed too much; the court can no longer support it. If the northwest problem is not resolved in time, the Great Qian Jiangshan will eventually be dragged down! Hearing this, does Your Majesty still have the mind to quibble over trivialities and spend all day plotting murders to vent anger?"