Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Confrontation Before the Throne, My Eyes See Only Your Majesty

Imperial Palace.

Even though it was the Mid-Autumn Festival, Emperor Jingtai was still busy with state affairs, reviewing memoranda in the Imperial Study.

After all, the entire Great Zhou rested on his shoulders.

A eunuch walked in silently with his head bowed and reported, "Your Majesty, Vice Minister Tang requests an audience."

Emperor Jingtai’s hand paused.

After a moment of silence, he said coolly, "Send him in."

His former admiration for Tang Fei had already turned into disgust—disgust for his disloyalty, disgust for his foolishness.

He was planning to find an excuse to dismiss him after the festival. Out of sight, out of mind, and it would also serve as a warning to others.

But now Tang Fei had suddenly come to the palace. It might be on official business, so no matter how annoyed he was, he had to see him.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Tang Fei’s voice arrived before he did. He walked into the Imperial Study, dropped to his knees with a THUD, and wailed, choked with sobs, "I beg Your Majesty to seek justice for me!"

This caught Emperor Jingtai off guard and piqued his curiosity. He said gently, "Minister Tang, why are you like this? What has happened? Get up and speak slowly."

"Your Majesty! Lord Pingyang, Pei Shaoqing, holds a personal grudge against my son, so he framed him for murder! Just now, he brought the Jing’an Guard and forced his way into my mansion to arrest him! I beg Your Majesty to seek justice for me!" Tang Fei remained kneeling, his voice hoarse as he tearfully accused Pei Shaoqing of outrageous misconduct.

Emperor Jingtai was stunned. Based on the impression Pei Shaoqing had left on him last time, he was a smart and utterly loyal man. Logically, he shouldn’t act so rashly.

He quickly understood, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes. ’While my dear Pei Aiqing certainly intended to settle a personal score, his main goal was to alleviate my worries.’

’It seems I haven’t showered him with favor and rewards in vain.’

’Daring to act against the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites just to curry favor with me—doesn’t that prove his loyalty?’

Then his gaze turned cold. The more he looked at Tang Fei, the more displeased he became. ’Is his brain getting slower with age? Has he wasted all his years for nothing? He’s less sensible than a young man like Pei Aiqing.’

"What are you all standing around for like idiots? Help Vice Minister Tang up!" he snapped at the eunuchs on either side.

Two eunuchs hurried forward to help Tang Fei to his feet.

Tang Fei allowed himself to be helped up this time. Tears streamed down his old face, and he pleaded in a choked voice, "Your Majesty, he is my only son! He has never suffered a single hardship in his life. I don’t know how he’s being tortured in Lord Pingyang’s hands. I beg Your Majesty to quickly issue a decree and summon Lord Pingyang for a confrontation in your presence!"

"Vice Minister Tang, you worry too much. Lord Pingyang knows his limits. Don’t be overly concerned," Emperor Jingtai comforted him, then turned his head and said deliberately to Liu Hai, "Immediately send someone to summon Lord Pingyang to the palace."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Liu Hai replied and departed.

Meanwhile, in the dungeons of the Jing’an Guard in Yong’an County, Tang Zhi, who was covered in blood and on the verge of death from torture, finally broke. He signed and pressed his fingerprint on the confession.

He couldn’t even clearly see what was written on it.

The story Pei Shaoqing had concocted for Tang Zhi was that he had coveted the beauty of a certain mistress from Prince Qi’s Mansion. He secretly tried to woo her, but was accidentally discovered by Wang Er, who was out for a stroll. To silence him, Tang Zhi killed him.

It was a crude fabrication, but that didn’t matter.

"SOB! WAAAAH!" After being dragged to the table to sign and press his fingerprint, Tang Zhi burst into desperate sobs. He hadn’t wanted to admit to it, but he just couldn’t take it anymore.

Pei Shaoqing stepped forward, picked up the confession, and shook it out. He leaned down, looked at Tang Zhi, and smiled. "Brother Tang, oh, Brother Tang. If you had just given me some face that day at Ningxiang Courtyard and buried the hatchet with Brother Zhou, instead of being so insolent, would you have ended up in this disaster?"

Adults must be rational and cautious when making decisions, and not be swayed or controlled by emotions.

Otherwise, they might just pay a terrible price.

"Pei Shaoqing, may you die a horrible death and have a son born without an asshole!" Tang Zhi cursed hoarsely.

"Empty words." Pei Shaoqing sneered contemptuously. He then leaned close to Tang Zhi’s ear and whispered, "Jiang Yuechan’s body is truly exquisite."

"You bastard!" Hearing this, Tang Zhi’s eyes flew wide with fury. He lunged at Pei Shaoqing but was pinned down by two Jing’an Guards, unable to move.

He struggled and roared, "So you framed me for that bitch! You adulterous pair, you’ll come to a bad end! My father will come save me! My father will avenge me!"

"HAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHA!" Pei Shaoqing laughed loudly before saying with pity, "How pitiful, truly pitiful. To this day, you still don’t realize the real reason you’ve ended up in this state."

’Still counting on your father?’

’You’re in this mess precisely because of your father.’

Just then, a Jing’an Guard ran in and reported respectfully, "Reporting to Lord Pingyang, a eunuch has arrived outside with a message that Your Majesty summons you to the palace immediately."

"I understand." Pei Shaoqing nodded, then looked at Gao Xi and said, "Hundred Households Commander Gao, keep a close watch on Tang Zhi."

"As you command!" Gao Xi, who was of the same rank, clasped his fist and replied.

...............

"Your subject, Pei Shaoqing, pays his respects to the Emperor! Long live the Emperor, for ten thousand years, for ten thousand times ten thousand years!" Pei Shaoqing completely ignored Tang Fei, who was sitting to the side, and knelt, kowtowed, and proclaimed loudly.

Although Tang Fei was desperate to ask Pei Shaoqing what he had done to his son, he did not dare commit a breach of etiquette before the Emperor, so he could only suppress his anxiety.

Emperor Jingtai said, "Pei Qing, you may rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Pei Shaoqing stood up, standing respectfully with his head bowed, appearing very well-behaved.

Emperor Jingtai asked leisurely, "Vice Minister Tang says you led men to force your way into the Tang Mansion, arrested his beloved son, and framed him for murder. I ask you, is this true?"

"Your Majesty, it is true that I arrested him, but the accusation of framing him is baseless. I fear those are merely the words of a Vice Minister desperate to protect his son," Pei Shaoqing replied in a steady tone.

"Nonsense!" Tang Fei couldn’t help but stand up and rebuke him harshly, demanding, "Pei Shaoqing, since you claim my son committed murder, who did he kill? What evidence do you have? Present it before His Majesty!"

"Minister Tang, please calm yourself for now," Emperor Jingtai said, displeased. He looked at Pei Shaoqing and said in a softer tone, "Pei Aiqing, do you have any evidence?"

"Your Majesty, this is Tang Zhi’s confession. He has already admitted to the murder. If he didn’t do it, why would he confess?" Pei Shaoqing took the confession Tang Zhi had just signed from his robes and presented it with both hands.

Seeing this, Tang Fei couldn’t hold back any longer. He said, breathing heavily, "Your Majesty! This must be a confession beaten out of my son! I don’t even know what state he’s been tortured into! Pei Shaoqing has harmed an innocent person for a personal grudge! I implore Your Majesty to see the truth!"

"Bring it up," Emperor Jingtai said in a deep voice.

"Yes." Liu Hai quickly walked to Pei Shaoqing, took the confession, and turned to present it to Emperor Jingtai.

Emperor Jingtai took it and glanced at it.

He could immediately tell the frame-up was full of holes.

’But it’s good enough.’

He predicted that once Pei Shaoqing made his move this morning, the Jiang Family and the King of Qi would get the news and waste no time kicking a man while he’s down, ensuring the Tang Family could never recover.

He handed it to Liu Hai. "Let Vice Minister Tang see it."

Liu Hai walked down and handed it to Tang Fei.

Tang Fei received it with both hands.

As he read it, his hands began to tremble.

"Utter nonsense! Utter nonsense!" Tang Fei glared at Pei Shaoqing, then looked at Emperor Jingtai with a wronged expression and said, "I beseech Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly."

"Minister Tang, rest assured. I will immediately order the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Justice, and the Imperial Censorate to hold a joint trial for this case. If Tang Zhi is truly innocent, his name will be cleared. If he did indeed commit murder..." Emperor Jingtai left his sentence unfinished.

Tang Fei immediately picked up where he left off, "If my son truly took a life, I ask that he be punished severely according to the law!"

As his words fell, he shot a dark look at Pei Shaoqing. "But if my son is ultimately proven innocent, I ask that Your Majesty severely punish Lord Pingyang!"

He believed the Emperor was on his side.

’He even deliberately excluded the Jing’an Guard from participating in the case.’

"Mm, Minister Tang, rest assured. I will absolutely not tolerate anyone who abuses their power," Emperor Jingtai replied solemnly.

Tang Fei was deeply moved. He dropped to his knees with a THUD, prostrating himself fully and crying out, "There is none more sagacious than Your Majesty!"

Pei Shaoqing watched with cold detachment, a faint, mocking smile on his lips. ’Idiot. The Emperor ordered a joint trial by the three judicial offices precisely to give Prince Qi’s Mansion and the Jiang Family a chance to get involved. They will fill in any missing evidence.’

’Tang Zhi is doomed to be branded a murderer.’

"Minister Tang, rise quickly. You may return home and wait for news with a peaceful heart," Emperor Jingtai said softly.

"Yes, this old subject takes his leave." Tang Fei got up from the floor, shot Pei Shaoqing a cold glare, then turned and hurried away, anxious to see Tang Zhi.

Only after watching Tang Fei depart did Emperor Jingtai’s face suddenly turn cold. He snapped harshly, "Pei Shaoqing, how audacious of you!"

"I know my crime!" Pei Shaoqing immediately knelt.

Emperor Jingtai said in an unfriendly tone, "That confession of yours is full of inconsistencies and riddled with holes! Who gave you the nerve to frame the Vice Minister’s son? Do you have any regard for the law? Any regard for justice?"

Although he understood that Pei Shaoqing had done this to alleviate his worries, he still needed to reprimand him.

"Your Majesty, in my eyes, there is no law and no justice," Pei Shaoqing raised his head and answered loudly.

Emperor Jingtai had not expected this answer at all. Seeing his self-righteous expression, he was so angry he laughed. "Then what is in your eyes?"

"In my eyes, there is only Your Majesty!" Pei Shaoqing declared forcefully, his voice full of emotion. "I only wish to alleviate Your Majesty’s worries! You intended to appoint Tang Fei to the Grand Secretariat, yet he rushed to use it as a bargaining chip for a marriage alliance with the Jiang Family. This is a betrayal of Your Majesty’s trust! To not be absolutely loyal to you is to be absolutely disloyal! I wanted to vent this frustration for Your Majesty!"

To not be absolutely loyal is to be absolutely disloyal.

Emperor Jingtai repeated these words to himself in his mind.

’Well said. Truly well said!’

"What nerve. How clever of you. You dare to presume my thoughts," Emperor Jingtai snorted.

Trying to guess the Emperor’s intentions was something every official did.

But they never dared to say it out loud, or even let the Emperor realize it, for fear of making him wary.

Yet here was Pei Shaoqing, saying it openly. And Emperor Jingtai felt no wariness at all, only that Pei Shaoqing was forthright and devoted. He felt that Pei Shaoqing was only loyal to him, with no selfish motives, which was why he dared to speak so freely.

Pei Shaoqing put on a guileless, carefree expression and said, "Your Majesty treats me like a real son. In my eyes, even if you are not my real father, you are better than one. What’s wrong with a son trying to figure out his father’s thoughts and vent his frustrations for him? It’s only natural. Besides, I trust that Your Majesty will not blame me for this."

It was a bit shameless, but not starting with a tale of a lifetime of hardship was his last shred of restraint.

Liu Hai sighed internally. ’This Lord Pingyang is truly clever. If these words were spoken by the Emperor’s own son, the Emperor would never believe them. But because he isn’t the Emperor’s son, they sound all the more credible coming from him.’

People are like that sometimes.

Especially old men from whom there is something to be gained.

"You are really something, Pei Shaoqing! If the Marquis Weiyuan were to hear that, I’m afraid he’d get jealous of me!" Emperor Jingtai said, laughing heartily.

The more loyal Pei Shaoqing appeared, the more it proved that the Emperor’s strategy towards him was correct. And receiving positive feedback would only make him double down on his original strategy.

And in this way, the ultimate beneficiary was still Pei Shaoqing.

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