A Scummy Alpha Emperor Transmigrated and Marked the Powerful Prime Minister - Chapter 19

Lu Siling stepped forward from the ranks, her gaze fixed on Lin Jiayue with a look that was almost a smile—yet upon closer inspection, a deep, underlying chill remained in her eyes.

“Does Master Cao, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Rites, mean to imply that it was I, the Grand Chancellor, who taught Her Majesty to act in such a manner?”

Cao Cheng’s face stiffened. Deep inside, he harbored a long-standing fear of Lu Siling’s accumulated authority, and he had to force himself to remain composed.

“The Grand Chancellor is the Imperial Preceptor; it is only natural that she should instruct and advise Her Majesty.”

He had known all along that speaking this way would inevitably implicate the Grand Chancellor. But so be it—if he succeeded, he would soar to the heavens; even if he failed, questioning the monarch during a morning assembly would ensure his name lived on in the history books.

Lin Jiayue had only asked because she saw how comfortable Lu Siling looked, not because she wanted Lu Siling to solve the problem for her. Adopting Lu Siling’s own icy demeanor, her eyes filled with a sudden, sharp intensity.

“Supervising Secretary Cao says I am extravagant. In what way am I extravagant? Have my daily meals exceeded the ancestral regulations? Has the palace maintenance exhausted the national treasury? Or are you suggesting I cannot even spend money from my own private purse? If you cannot produce a specific itemized list, then you are fabricating rumors out of thin air—and I will surely have you executed.”

The moment the word “executed” left her lips, Cao Cheng felt a jolt of shock, yet he maintained his stubborn front. “Does Your Majesty intend to kill a loyal minister?”

“Fabricating rumors and slandering the sovereign… it is my first time seeing such a ‘loyal’ minister. Furthermore, I did not grant you permission to speak. Speaking out of turn is a slight against me. Where is the Minister of Rites? What is the penalty for such a crime?”

The Minister of Rites stepped forward. “Reporting to Your Majesty, it ranges from bastinado or flogging at the light end, to exile or death at the heavy end. However…”

“I only asked you what the penalty is.”

Lin Jiayue cut off the Minister’s attempt to plead for mercy and turned her gaze back to Cao Cheng. “I shall not settle scores with you over that matter. However!”

As she emphasized the word “however,” her gaze shifted to the Minister of Rites. “Supervising Secretary Cao asked me who taught me. I shall tell you who my teachers are.”

Lu Siling frowned. Is this bastard Lin Jiayue going to drag her into this again?

Immediately, Lin Jiayue’s crisp, clear voice rang out: “My mother, the late Emperor Ying; my sister, the late Emperor Xining; my teacher, the current Grand Chancellor; the various Elders of the Secretariat; and the various scholars of the Hanlin Academy.”

“Supervising Secretary Cao may ask them what they have taught me.”

The moment those words were spoken, Cao Cheng felt as if several heavy pots had been slammed onto his head one after another. This was a massive accusation—setting everyone else aside, she had even dragged in two deceased Emperors. Anything Cao Cheng said now would be labeled as defaming the late Emperors—two of them.

The officials who had followed his lead felt their worlds go dark. The entire Grand Secretariat, the Hanlin Academy… had they just offended the most powerful people in the Great Zhou?

“A censor’s remonstrance should be based on facts, or perhaps on heard reports, but one must not make unfounded accusations. If you have no physical evidence today, you are defaming Emperor Ying, the late Emperor, the Regent, the Grand Secretaries, and the Hanlin scholars.”

Lin Jiayue didn’t mention herself once; everything she said was on behalf of others. For a censor to report based on rumors was common, but to address it from her own perspective would make her seem petty. Instead, she was “seeking justice” for the late Emperors and her various “teachers.”

It was reasoned, grounded, and flawless.

Cao Cheng’s spirit wavered, his body trembling as he struggled to defend himself. “I… I heard Your Majesty used ‘Ten-Gold Wood’ to make pens to give to the Grand Chancellor. Is that not extravagance?”

Lin Jiayue smiled. As expected, it was about that.

“The Ten-Gold Wood is indeed a fact.”

This admission made Cao Cheng and the officials who had stepped out breathe a sigh of relief. A second later, Lin Jiayue stood up and looked toward the curtain that had not yet been removed. However, due to the fallout involving Wang Duoshi and Cui Bai, the Empress Dowager—who usually loved attending court—was absent. Behind the curtain stood a figure, an ear sent by the Empress Dowager to listen.

Lin Jiayue turned around, walking down the steps one by one until she reached Lu Siling and took hold of her sleeve.

“Then let the Court of Judicial Review investigate. The causes and consequences must be brought to light. If I am in the wrong, I shall be punished. But if you lot have defamed the late Emperors, your crime is punishable by death.”

Yes, she could be investigated, but who said the charge against them was slandering her? Listen clearly: it was defaming two late Emperors.

Investigate the Emperor? Gao Changqing, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, lowered her head. These people are truly insane. They thought the young Emperor was easy to manipulate, and now they were heading for an early grave. But to investigate the Emperor? Gao felt her career—and perhaps her family—was on the line.

Still, a single thought appeared in everyone’s mind: the young Emperor was beginning to show her sharp edges. Even an Emperor without full power is still the Emperor; especially when speaking during a morning assembly, not even the Empress Dowager could directly contradict her. This was the absolute authority of the sovereign.

Lin Jiayue tilted her head and smiled at Lu Siling. “What does the Grand Chancellor think?”

The change in title represented a change in their relationship and the underlying meaning of her words. She was asking the Grand Chancellor of the Great Zhou, not her more intimate teacher.

Lu Siling withdrew her sleeve, her tone icy. “Since Your Majesty requests it, let Elder Zhou lead the investigation, with the Court of Judicial Review assisting.”

Zhou Shouzheng: I truly thank you for this.

Gao Changqing: A savior! How can I ever repay the Grand Chancellor’s kindness?

Same time, same place, but very different states of mind. No one expected Lu Siling to actually agree to the young Emperor’s request. Everyone knew that while Zhou Shouzheng slacked off, he completed any task handed to him with absolute meticulousness. Gao Changqing was Lu Siling’s person; she wouldn’t favor the Empress Dowager or the Emperor. The combination of the Censorate and the Court of Judicial Review represented absolute authority.

The Bureau of Equipment was in trouble.

Some gloated, some looked for profit, and others re-evaluated the current sovereign. The Emperor had grown up; she would eventually take power. No Emperor would allow imperial authority to fall into other hands. Today was merely a small test of her strength.

Lin Jiayue’s performance showed the officials that even if she only had nominal supreme power, she was not to be provoked. Simultaneously, it fired up those loyal to the monarch. They cheered in their hearts—the Emperor was taking power, and they, the neutrals, were saved!

While everyone’s heads were bowed, Lin Jiayue gave Lu Siling a sweet smile before turning back to sit on the throne.

“I shall wait here with my loyal ministers.”

Meaning: she wanted the results right here, during the morning assembly. Zhou Shouzheng immediately sent Gao Changqing to the Bureau of Equipment. The young Emperor was not going to give the enemy time to react. Since the case was handed to her, she would solve it in the shortest time possible.

Zhou Shouzheng called for Wei Jinming and began questioning her in front of the officials. Who did you meet on the way to deliver the order? In front of how many people was the order given? Wei Jinming thought carefully and named several people.

The matter was actually easy to investigate; it just depended on whether the Bureau of Equipment told the truth. Perhaps someone had already arranged things, or perhaps the opposition simply hadn’t expected the young Emperor to pull a move like this during the assembly. Was there still time?

Lin Jiayue met Lu Siling’s gaze with a smile and gave her an innocent blink. “Someone, bring seats for the Elders of the Secretariat.”

She didn’t know how long they’d be standing. Providing a seat only for Lu Siling would look bad, so she had all the Grand Secretaries sit.

Lu Siling lowered her eyes. Smug little thing.

However, Lin Jiayue’s performance today was commendable; she finally looked like a ruler. Although she was still a bit green—and that secret, mischievous grin of hers was childish—she was just like that little Song dog.

Lu Siling opened her palm with a complicated heart; inside was a piece of candy Lin Jiayue had forced upon her.

How did Lin Jiayue know that she sometimes felt dizzy and needed sugar?