Chapter 40

During the morning assembly, Lin Jiayue watched as the civil and military officials below performed the grand ceremony, their shouts of “Long live Your Majesty” echoing through the hall.

However, her expression was not good. Before the assembly, Star-Spy had delivered a message to her. Having learned the news, she was radiating a palpable chill.

Standing below the platform, Zhang Huairou watched this scene, burying her head even lower. Wei Jinming was very curious; what had Zhang Huairou said to the Emperor just now to make her emanate such murderous intent?

The process moved quickly. Once the rituals were over, Wei Jinming announced loudly: “If there is business, memorialize; if not, the assembly is adjourned.”

The atmosphere in the Hall of Supreme Harmony was heavy. Minister of War Hou Yong held a memorial high above his head. “Your Majesty, this official has a petition.”

Lin Jiayue looked at the ministers below without speaking. Wei Jinming spoke up loudly, “Denied!”

The civil and military officials: “…”

This was the first time they had seen the Emperor deny the very first petition of a morning assembly. Could it be the young Emperor already knew what they were going to memorialize?

Lu Siling jerked her head up, her gaze falling directly on Lin Jiayue’s face, her eyes full of disapproval. This kind of behavior was simply a farce. Lin Jiayue gave Lu Siling a sweet, obedient smile; she didn’t believe for a second that if she denied the petition, these ministers would actually stop.

Sure enough, Hou Yong held his memorial even higher and fell to his knees with a thud. “I, Hou Yong, impeach the Grand Chancellor for monopolizing power and acting arbitrarily, encroaching on imperial authority, suppressing the channels of speech, discarding the public for the private, and practicing nepotism!”

Hou Yong bowed and rose again without looking at Lin Jiayue. Perhaps they didn’t care about this young Emperor at all; otherwise, they wouldn’t have ignored her explicit denial and insisted on speaking.

“Hou Yong, how dare you!” Sun Hanzhang immediately stepped out. “Your Majesty, Hou Yong has ignored Your Majesty and forced his petition. This official requests he be punished for the crime of great irreverence toward the Sovereign.”

Sun Hanzhang was very clever. Lin Jiayue knew that even if she forbid the petition, Hou Yong and his lot wouldn’t stop, but what she wanted was to seize the initiative.

The charge of “Great Irreverence” could be large or small. After all, the Emperor hadn’t technically spoken the denial—Wei Jinming had. Though in a certain sense, Wei Jinming represented the Emperor. If treated as a small matter: a few strokes of the cane, a fine on his salary, a reprimand, or a demotion—though for someone like him, a demotion would be quite painful. If treated as a large matter: a public caning and imprisonment, dismissal from office and exile, or even death and the execution of his kinsmen—that would be a blow from which one could never recover.

Thus, Sun Hanzhang was smart; he caught the opportunity instantly. Hou Yong and the others wanted to impeach? Then they would first be charged for their irreverence toward the Emperor. Once convicted, only then would their impeachment be valid. This way, the effect of Hou Yong’s impeachment was cut in half—if you are irreverent to the Emperor yourself, how dare you impeach others for encroaching on imperial power? Where is your shame?

The plan was hitting a snag at the very start. The Hou Yong faction looked grim; could they still achieve their goal? They felt the memorials hidden in their sleeves; after all, they weren’t alone. This was the first cooperation between the Cui and Li families, and more than just a few people were impeaching. Remembering the sheer number of people behind them, their hearts grew firm.

As Sun Hanzhang finished speaking, an official from the Ministry of Personnel stepped out. “Your Majesty, Minister Hou’s conduct was unseemly; he should be punished.”

Lin Jiayue narrowed her eyes. Lu Siling was not without allies; once [unauthorized copy]she started the opening, someone immediately followed up. Without waiting for other officials to speak, she asked, “Elder Zhou has revised the laws; how do you think Hou Yong should be punished?”

She was setting it in stone: Hou Yong must be punished. Those behind Hou Yong could try to protect him, but then his irreverence toward the monarch would be handled lightly—something neither she, nor her supporters, nor Lu Siling’s people would allow. Under the back-and-forth bickering of both sides, the matter of impeaching Lu Siling would end quietly.

If they didn’t protect Hou Yong… Lin Jiayue curled her lips. Then let’s try it.

Zhou Shouzheng walked over. “Reporting to Your Majesty, Hou Yong was irreverent to Your Majesty and should technically be exiled. However, considering his loyalty, this official believes one hundred strokes of the cane, to see his future conduct, would suffice.”

Zhou Shouzheng belonged to no faction. Though she was a “slacker,” she was capable and finished any task given to her well. Furthermore, as the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, she was the most qualified person in the court to sentence Hou Yong. The ministers could accept her sentencing.

Perhaps the sentence was too light, or perhaps these people were so set on biting Lu Siling that they had no intention of speaking up for Hou Yong.

Lin Jiayue’s lips parted, letting out a soft snort. “Then proceed as Elder Zhou said. Zhang Huairou, you do the striking—strike him right here in this hall, and strike him truly!”

Zhang Huairou understood her hidden meaning and immediately stepped forward to take the order.

“Your Majesty!” Zhang Wuwei finally couldn’t sit still. “A scholar may be killed, but not humiliated.” If Hou Yong were beaten in front of the entire civil and military assembly, he would lose all face; how could he manage the Ministry of War in the future? Furthermore, if those they had united saw the miserable state of Hou Yong being beaten, would they not retreat?

“Heh!” Wei Jinming let out a cold laugh. “Elder Zhang’s words are strange. Hou Yong was irreverent to Her Majesty first; not killing him is already Her Majesty’s [bailiantales.com]mercy. It’s just a hundred strokes—how is that humiliating him?” Before he finished, Wei Jinming issued a fatal question: “In your heart, is Hou Yong’s face more important than Her Majesty’s?”

“This official does not dare!” Zhang Wuwei knelt immediately, burying his head deep.

“Then strike!”

No one expected the young Emperor to play such an unconventional card—simply denying the petition. But there was nothing wrong with it; if the Emperor doesn’t want to hear it and you insist on speaking despite the refusal, that is great irreverence. But they had to speak.

Thus, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhang Huairou raised the board and brought it down heavily. Hou Yong cried out in pain. Zhang Huairou’s gaze was icy: Stupid fool who disrespected Her Majesty—Her Majesty said to strike him truly! She guaranteed that by the time the hundred strokes were over, Hou Yong wouldn’t even be able to stand.

As she struck, she even “accidentally” let the board slip, hitting Hou Yong across the mouth. Hou Yong’s screams grew louder. And he’s the Minister of War, many thought to themselves. One couldn’t see the blood seeping through Hou Yong’s crimson robes, but Zhang Huairou’s board would occasionally land on his neck, and his mouth had been hit twice; due to the force, his mouth was bleeding and swollen—a wretched sight.

A hundred strokes wouldn’t be so bad if the force was light, but since Lin Jiayue had ordered Zhang Huairou to do it, there was no intention of being soft. Seeing Hou Yong’s misery, those who were prepared to impeach felt a chill in their hearts. They began to hesitate; was it right to lead the charge for the Cui and Li families? After all, this world belonged to the Emperor, and the young Emperor was about to take power. Unless… she didn’t take power so soon, or at all.

Zhang Wuwei looked back at several people in the ranks behind him. Someone received the signal and walked out.

“Your Majesty, if the beating continues, Minister Hou will be crippled.”

“We implore Your Majesty to show mercy!”

As soon as these words were spoken, a dozen people knelt down. Zhang Wuwei wanted those who supported him to know that no matter who they were, he wouldn’t abandon them. Zhang Huairou’s movements didn’t stop; as if she hadn’t heard them, she struck stroke after stroke.

Lin Jiayue snorted coldly. Unless she spoke, Zhang Huairou wouldn’t stop. She looked at Lu Siling below, who remained silent with her eyes lowered, as if viewing everything happening in the hall as a mere farce.

Wait, Lu Siling specifically came to find me this morning to tell me not to do anything… is she angry?

If she’s angry, so be it. Lin Jiayue couldn’t stand by and watch this woman be falsely accused for no reason while she did nothing. Being angry can be coaxed out of, but if she stood by and did nothing, once she regretted it, she couldn’t go back in time and do it over.

One hundred strokes—not one more, not one less. Hou Yong had fainted on the floor. Those pleading were still kneeling; since they had knelt, and the Emperor hadn’t told them to rise, they stayed kneeling.

Lin Jiayue waved her hand. “Take Hou Yong down and hand him over to the Imperial Physicians.” A hundred strokes with a wooden board wouldn’t kill a person, but it would leave them half-dead. Hou Yong certainly wouldn’t be standing up from this anytime soon.

However, those people had no intention of giving up. A Hanlin scholar stepped out. “Your Majesty, I also impeach the Grand Chancellor. Since she took office, any administrative matter she decides on cannot be changed; everything is decided by her alone, making the Secretariat a mere shell.”

“Recently, for the disaster relief in the Capital Camps, Li Sheng—who is more familiar with the camps—should have led the team. Yet the Grand Chancellor bypassed the Secretariat, the Five Military Commissions, and the Ministry of War, directly appointing a general she favors as the Commander. This behavior is undoubtedly making decisions on behalf of Your Majesty; the Grand Chancellor is encroaching on imperial power!”

With someone starting, people kept stepping forward as if Lu Siling were a [bailiantales.com]person of heinous crimes.

“Your Majesty, we have advised many times that the reforms have many flaws and should be temporarily halted until a better way is found. Yet people are either demoted or exiled from the capital. Such suppression of the channels of speech truly chills our hearts.”

“The Grand Chancellor practices nepotism; her confidants hold high positions despite having almost no talent. If this continues, the country will no longer be a country, Your Majesty!”

The group listed Lu Siling’s “crimes,” describing her as a treacherous official. Lin Jiayue’s gaze fell on Lu Siling’s face. The woman stood as straight as a pine tree, completely unbothered by these slanders. Since she didn’t speak, naturally there were those who spoke for her.

“A joke! You refuse to take responsibility and push all matters to the Grand Chancellor, and yet you call it monopolizing power?”

“The reforms were established by the late Emperor—they appeared during the Xining era. Why were you silent then, and only now do you start saying the reforms are failing?”

“Simply ridiculous. Are they impeaching the Grand Chancellor, or are they afraid the reforms will touch their interests?”

There were plenty of people speaking for Lu Siling too. The two sides went back and forth until it seemed only a physical fight could decide the winner. Lin Jiayue listened to them argue and felt her head ache. She winked at Lu Siling: When is this going to end?

Lu Siling returned a cold gaze. Stop radiating that cold air and speak already.

Lu Siling was helpless, so she barked coldly: “Enough!”

The moment the Grand Chancellor spoke, even those impeaching her shut their mouths and listened obediently. “In this hall, where is your decorum? The correction officers of the Ministry of Rites—one hundred strokes of the board and dismissal from office!”

Lu Siling started with such an overbearing sentence. Those impeaching her had their eyes light up; she bypassed the Emperor to give orders directly—if that wasn’t exercising imperial authority, what was?

However, Lu Siling’s icy gaze swept the room, and no one dared to speak again. “Since you impeach this Grand Chancellor, submit your memorials; I shall review them myself.”

???

Bold! Absurd! Loathsome! The person they are impeaching is the one reviewing their memorials? Then what was the point of their impeachment?

But the Emperor seemed to be on Lu Siling’s side. The ministers looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Lin Jiayue gave Lu Siling a thumbs-up. Is this the Grand Chancellor? Truly overbearing.

However, Lu Siling gave her a look that said “childish,” and lowered her eyes to hide her inquiry. The young Emperor should have taken the opportunity to take away my position as Grand Chancellor… how can she still provide help after I specifically warned her? What is the young Emperor thinking?

Does she not fear that once she takes full power, she still won’t hold real authority?

Regardless, the Empress Dowager and the Empress were in the inner palace; the person who could seize the most of her power was Lu Siling. Everyone believed [read the original at bailiantales.com]the young Emperor would not only not help Lu Siling, but that she would be lucky if the Emperor didn’t kick her while she was down. Yet everyone—including Lu Siling herself—had guessed wrong. The young Emperor was genuinely protecting her.

Lu Siling knew well that her blocking Lin Jiayue’s path this morning wasn’t just to warn her, but also to test her. The result of that test was unexpected. The young Emperor had responded to her probe with sincerity. Whether it was Wei Jinming or Zhang Huairou, they were all focused on the young Emperor. Even Zhou Shouzheng had inexplicably grown close to her.

So what was Lin Jiayue doing this for? To help her so tirelessly? Lu Siling, thinking from the perspective of self-interest, couldn’t figure out a reason for Lin Jiayue to help her; not helping seemed to better serve the Emperor’s interests.

Unless… a sentence kept echoing in her mind: “Sister Teacher Lu, I love you too much!”