Chapter 8: His Majesty Wields His Might

Morning court, Great Yuan Hall.

The person impeaching Shen Yu was indeed the same as in the previous life: Minister of Personnel, Chen Chi.

The bird that sticks its head out first often meets a bad end.

“Your Majesty, Shen Yu privately used corporal punishment in Suozhou. Without going through the Ministry of Personnel to ask Your Majesty, he executed Suozhou’s prefect. This is clearly overstepping his authority, he doesn’t hold the Emperor in regard.”

Fang Rui’s gaze fell on Minister Chen Chi, who was impeaching Shen Yu and sneered inwardly. If today the prefect of Suozhou had executed the imperial commissioner in Suozhou, they’d probably be calling it “relieving the Emperor of a burden.”

Shen Yu, the one being reported, wore a calm expression, neither happy nor worried, as if utterly unafraid of what others said.

Indeed, why fear? Not only was his conscience clear, but yesterday the Emperor had also said that beheading a treacherous minister helped to relieve his worries.

“Minister Chen, what you said is not correct. What is an imperial commissioner? An imperial commissioner tours on behalf of the Son of Heaven. When the Son of Heaven tours and executes a corrupt official, must he still seek the Ministry of Personnel’s approval?”

Fang Rui heard the voice and looked toward where it came from. It was Gu Changqing speaking. He vaguely remembered that it was Gu Changqing who had defended Shen Yu the last time as well.

Jindu had four great young masters who excelled in character, looks, and literary talent. Shen Yu was one, and the second was Gu Changqing. Unlike Shen Yu’s cool aloofness, Gu Changqing had the demeanor of a gentle and warm gentleman.

Fang Rui nodded in agreement with Gu Changqing’s words.

If in his previous life he hadn’t been blind and buried this man’s talent, Gu Changqing would probably have achieved great things.

Gu Changqing had ambitions, yet he refused to collude with the Empress Dowager’s Wang family. That was most admirable.

Minister Chen glared at Gu Changqing and angrily snapped, “You’re twisting my words!”

Fang Rui glanced at Minister Chen and, calm and unhurried, called out, “Minister Chen.”

Upon hearing the Emperor call him, Minister Chen turned back toward the dragon throne and bowed, “Your servant is here.”

“A few days ago your Ministry of Personnel apparently executed a group of traitorous rebels, is that so?”

Minister Chen didn’t know why the Emperor suddenly raised the matter from a few days ago. He hesitated a beat before replying, “Your Majesty, indeed…”

“Who gave you the nerve!”

Before Minister Chen could speak, Fang Rui scolded him angrily, startling Chen into silence. He immediately knelt, “Your Majesty, this was the execution of rebel traitors…”

Fang Rui glared at Minister Chen, “Then tell me what kind of rebel traitors they were!?”

Minister Chen didn’t understand how the blame had landed on him.

Perhaps from guilt, sweat broke out on Minister Chen’s forehead and his face paled. “Your Majesty, it was…it’s the Revival Society.”

Fang Rui snorted coldly. He realized they were looking for a scapegoat.

The Revival Society was a faction formed during the previous dynasty to oppose the Great Qi government. The prior emperor was foolish and tyrannical, persecuting the loyal. Fang Rui’s grandfather, from the Fang imperial clan, raised a banner and led like-minded men in rebellion. When the previous dynasty fell and the army surrounded the Great Yuan Hall, that prior emperor ran headlong into a pillar of the Great Yuan Hall and died.

Some remnants escaped. The previous emperor’s empress, thought to be innocent, was honored as Empress Dowager Shuo. Moreover… she was not only demoted to empress but became his grandmother.

When his grandmother was Empress Dowager she was pregnant and gave birth to the previous dynasty’s crown prince, who died in infancy. But the remnants of the old regime claimed the prince hadn’t died and they rallied around him to form the Revival Society. It had existed for over fifty years, been suppressed by the court for many years, and long ceased to be a threat, yet now, Minister Chen dared to drag it out as a scapegoat.

Fang Rui stared coldly at Minister Chen, his tone frosty, “But others told me those were ordinary commoners whose families were common for three generations. Where is the talk of rebel traitors coming from?”

Minister Chen swallowed and put on an act of composure, “Your Majesty, some of them were indeed rebel traitors. Without solid evidence, I wouldn’t have dared to arrest people at random.”

Fang Rui gave a cold smile. “I won’t look at your evidence for now. First let’s see the evidence others have given me!” He then looked toward Rong Tai. “Bring the evidence forward.”

A couple of days ago he had already ordered Rong Tai to investigate and collect materials.

The moment the word “evidence” was spoken, the whole court buzzed. Cold sweat appeared on Minister Chen’s brow and he was far from composed.

Rong Tai shouted toward the main gate, “Bring everything in!”

Fang Rui looked at Minister Chen with such a gaze that Chen Chi chilled through. It reminded Chen Chi of the late emperor, and people said the late emperor most resembled Emperor Cheng, the founder of Great Qi, who was a man beloved by the people and ruthless in consolidating his century-long regime.

If anyone most resembled Emperor Cheng, it wasn’t the late emperor. The late emperor once said the one who most resembled Emperor Cheng would be his great-grandson Fang Rui. Given time, his forcefulness might even surpass Emperor Cheng’s.

All the officials’ gazes were fixed on the hall’s entrance. Several men dressed as constables were led in, and a eunuch carried a stack of papers. Then came three stretchers covered in white cloth, exuding waves of stench. One could guess what lay beneath.

Minister Chen looked at the three corpses carried into the Great Yuan Hall. Panic appeared in his eyes and his lips twitched uncontrollably.

Wang Zhongyuan glanced at Chen Chi, whose expression was already falling apart. His hand beneath his sleeve rubbed his arm lightly as he thought to himself that this man could no longer be tolerated and he must find an opportunity to get rid of him.

When the stretchers were set down, Fang Rui said expressionlessly, “Lift the cloth.”

Fang Rui gave a cold smile and asked, “Minister Chen, do you recognize them? There are another thirty-two corpses like these outside the hall!”

“Y-Your Majesty! These are all rebel traitors!” Minister Chen was already flustered.

“Eh? Why do I find the person on this stretcher somewhat familiar?” Others stepped back, but Lei Shengda, who had seen many dead people in his lifetime, leaned in toward the already blackened corpse.

Squinting at an older corpse on the stretcher, his eyes suddenly widened like copper gongs. “Isn’t this the father of my eighth concubine?! My father-in-law! Chen Chi, I’ll kill you!” Lei Shengda spun around, his face fierce, and swung a punch. His strength was like an ox. Chen Chi, taken off guard, was hit in the abdomen, flew out as if hurled, struck a pillar with a thud, slid to the ground, and spat up a great mouthful of blood.

Lei Shengda wanted to go on, but Fang Rui shouted angrily, “Lei Shengda!”

Lei Shengda ground his teeth and stopped, looking aggrievedly at Fang Rui. “Your Majesty, you must give me justice, the one on the stretcher is my father-in-law. If my father-in-law were really a traitor, wouldn’t that make me an accomplice?!”

Fang Rui’s mouth twitched as he glanced at Lei Shengda. “I will give you an explanation, and I will give these wronged souls lying here an explanation too!”

He looked at the already unconscious Minister Chen and smiled coldly, “Do you really think I’m blind? These people were ordinary citizens from Songyuan Street at the South Gate of Jindu. Wealthy merchants offered sky-high prices to buy their houses out to build gambling houses and brothels. That required official paperwork and the people’s consent, but these older folks refused, so they were arrested one by one and labeled rebel traitors. Chen Chi, you’ve really got some nerve!”

The papers the eunuch brought were land deeds and property contracts signed and finger-printed, though whether they were signed voluntarily was another matter.

“Guards, send traitor Chen Chi to the Court of Judicial Review. Spare his life; interrogate him to find out who else was involved.”

After the hall was cleared, Fang Rui swept his gaze over the civil and military officials and sneered, “Reporting what you’ve done only after doing the deed? I permit that. But we’ll see who has the nerve to pay lip service while secretly acting otherwise and commit such filthy deeds. To such people I will show no mercy!”

Each word weighed like a thousand-pound stone, full of authority, suppressing the officials so they didn’t dare breathe. Regarding Shen Yu’s matter, who would dare utter a single word now?

They realized the Emperor trusted Shen Yu deeply. He was practically a confidant. Shen Yu enjoyed unparalleled imperial favor, so whoever offended Shen Yu had, in effect, offended the Emperor.

After the court adjourned, Fang Rui sat on the dragon throne, staring at the now-empty hall. He lifted his hand onto the table and sighed.

Seeing Fang Rui in low spirits, Rong Tai asked, “Your Majesty, is something bothering you?”

Fang Rui looked at Rong Tai and smiled, a smile tinged with helplessness. “Too many worries.”

He had been reborn for over half a month now. But because his return in time was to five years earlier for him, an ordinary person wouldn’t remember those events so clearly. Moreover, his memory had faded considerably due to poisoning. He mostly remembered things related to Shen Yu. If he had been able to recall Chen Chi’s matter clearly, perhaps those people could have been saved.

But the reality was otherwise.

It seemed he could not afford to be careless now.

“Rong Tai, prepare plain clothes. I will leave the palace for a while.”

Rong Tai was taken aback and hesitated, “Your Majesty, it’s not yet noon…”

Going out so early*? A**ren’t you afraid of being recognized?*

Fang Rui’s mouth twitched, “I am going out in disguise, not pretending to be a thief.”

Rong Tai understood instantly. Going out in ‘disguise’ meant it was alright to show his face, while ‘being a thief’ meant not showing it…

The Emperor intended to leave the palace openly.

“Your servant will prepare at once, but where does Your Majesty intend to go?”

“First to the Grand Guardian’s residence.” His wounded heart also needed Shen Yu’s comfort.

Having left the palace, Shen Yu sat in the carriage sneezing repeatedly, frowning. She thought to herself that she’d probably caught a chill from soaking in the pool too long last night.

The events in court today exceeded Shen Yu’s expectations. She never imagined the situation would turn around like this.

The affair in the court had come to a temporary end, but tonight’s matter was what truly gave her a headache.

She hadn’t told the old master since he couldn’t bear shock, and he was ruthless. If he learned her identity had been exposed, it was hard to imagine what extreme actions he might take for the sake of the Grand Guardian’s house.

After much thought, a hint of chill appeared in Shen Yu’s eyes. She told the coachman outside the carriage, “Send someone to the apothecary to buy some arsenic. Act secretly, don’t let any slip-ups show.”

Arsenic couldn’t be bought at ordinary pharmacies, but with the right connections it could be obtained.

The coachman outside showed no curiosity and no hesitation as he answered, “Yes, young master.”