Chapter 1236: Countermove

"At last!" Taishu Xiong muttered. He shook his head with a bitter smile, immediately put down his chopsticks, rose, picked up a napkin, and wiped his mouth. Then he pointed toward Tao Lue. "Bring everything We prepared."

Tao Lue bowed. "Your Majesty may rest assured. Everything is ready."

"Then let us go." Taishu Xiong strode away at once, leaving his meal unfinished. Qiyun Sect's Sect Leader, Taishu Feihua, had summoned him. He did not dare delay.

Because of the war, and to make coordination easier, Taishu Feihua had remained inside the imperial palace for the time being.

Naturally, he stayed in a quiet and elegant part of the palace. When the imperial complex had been built, such places had been set aside specifically for honored guests.

With Taishu Feihua residing there, Qiyun Sect disciples personally guarded the surroundings, while the imperial guards were kept farther out along the perimeter.

Taishu Xiong could enter conveniently enough. Unlike others, he did not need to pass through layers of strict inspection. He traveled through without obstruction, and Qiyun Sect disciples who saw him still cupped their hands in salute.

Beside a small lake stood a waterside pavilion. Moon Butterflies fluttered through the air while Taishu Feihua stood on the bank with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the moon.

Taishu Xiong approached from behind and cupped his hands. "Your nephew greets Eldest Uncle!"

Taishu Feihua sighed without turning around. "A-Xiong, when it comes to affairs of the court, I should not interfere too much. Cultivators require great amounts of time for secluded cultivation, and I have sect matters to handle as well. I simply do not have the time or energy to meddle in court business."

"Besides, everyone in the family has seen your ability. When you handle matters, I am at ease."

"But what happened today? Why has such a great commotion erupted outside? I hear you even mobilized the capital-region army for defense. What, has someone rebelled?"

Taishu Xiong bowed. "Your nephew is ashamed. Disturbing Eldest Uncle's cultivation truly is my fault."

"We are all one family. Speak of the matter itself. There is no need for talk of fault." Taishu Feihua waved a hand and finally turned around, stroking his beard.

"You are the Emperor. When controlling the court, I trust you know what methods should be used. I will not interfere. If I meddled in everything, you would have no way to govern."

"The State of Jin belongs to our Taishu family. Throwing it into chaos would mean throwing our own house into chaos. I will not set that example, nor will I allow other disciples of Qiyun Sect to behave recklessly. You may set your mind at ease on that point."

"But I truly cannot understand today's affair. The son of a great minister of the court—is he someone any random person may invent an excuse to barge into his home and kill?"

"If things could be done so casually, where would the order of the court be? Where would law and discipline be? Where would justice be? Where would the hearts of the people be? Wouldn't all under Heaven descend into chaos?"

"A-Xiong, I am not your equal in governing a state, but I do preside over the whole of Qiyun Sect. Surely there are principles the two share."

"That Shao Pingbo—I admit he is capable. But no matter how capable one man is, he cannot monopolize every affair. Are you planning to let him monopolize the entire court?"

"He stormed into a minister's residence and killed the minister's son. Who gave him the nerve? Even I would not dare act that way. Hasn't he gone too far?"

"And he stormed through seven households in succession, arresting people from all seven. If any disciple of Qiyun Sect dared act like that, I would chop him down myself. It is simply lawless. Are there no rules anymore?"

"Something like this happens, and not only do you ignore it, you leave seven senior ministers kneeling outside and suffering humiliation. Great officials of the court were crying and begging to see you, yet you could not spare even a moment."

"A-Xiong, haven't you gone a little too far? You may admire and favor Shao Pingbo, but you cannot be so excessive."

"Several Elders could not very well criticize you directly, but all of them came to me. They are extremely dissatisfied with how you handled this affair. You need to reflect carefully."

Taishu Xiong bowed deeply. "Yes. Eldest Uncle's rebuke is correct. Your nephew truly failed to consider the matter thoroughly. Disturbing Eldest Uncle's cultivation and making you worry as well—your nephew is deeply ashamed. It is all my fault."

With an attitude of admission like that, there was little anyone could say.

Taishu Feihua found it pleasant to hear and waved his hand again. "As I said, we are one family. There is no need to speak of right or wrong. We are discussing the matter itself."

"I also know those fellows in court went somewhat too far before. They showed no regard for their sovereign and actually joined hands to force the ruler's hand. You were unhappy and punished them a little. That is only proper."

"A ruler is a ruler, a minister a minister. If everyone behaved as they did, where would the sovereign's authority and dignity be? How would you command the court? That tendency cannot be allowed to grow."

"So there was nothing wrong with punishing them. Handle the aftermath properly, and the matter can pass."

Taishu Xiong bowed modestly once more. "Eldest Uncle has spoken directly to your nephew's heart. Thank you for understanding!"

Taishu Feihua said, "But now that something like this has happened, you cannot hide from them forever. There is no principle by which ruler and ministers never meet again."

"Several Elders also have opinions, and those seven ministers are still waiting outside the palace. You must hold morning court tomorrow. Are you planning to quarrel with them there?"

"Why not meet them now? The sooner you meet, the sooner matters can be resolved. I will sit here and watch. Let everyone speak openly, and the matter should be over."

Taishu Xiong smiled bitterly inwardly.

Speak openly and it will be over?

Did Eldest Uncle think this was some feud in the cultivation world, where one could invite a respected elder to mediate and everyone would simply let the matter pass?

When men like these fought, blood could be drawn without a blade ever being seen.

Naturally, what Taishu Xiong thought was one thing. What came from his mouth was another. "Very well. We will follow Eldest Uncle's wishes."

"Mm." Taishu Feihua nodded in satisfaction, then turned his head and called, "Someone go. Say it is His Majesty's decree and bring the seven ministers here."

"Yes!" A disciple on the far side of the lake cupped his hands, then flashed away.

Perhaps sensing that his intervention might look like suppressing the Emperor, Taishu Feihua followed with a few comforting words.

Tao Lue remained silent at the side, making not the slightest sound.

Only he understood most clearly that His Majesty's apparent obedience was merely a method of maneuvering against Taishu Feihua. There was no need to argue or explain. Saying too much might only provoke dislike, which would harm His Majesty.

Behind the scenes, the Emperor had already prepared everything.

Only one final countermove remained.

The imperial palace was vast. After they waited for some time, the seven ministers finally arrived in hurried steps, all of them worn out from the day.

The moment the seven entered the waterside pavilion, Zhao Gongquan suddenly quickened his pace and dropped to his knees directly before Taishu Xiong.

"Your Majesty, this subject has suffered an injustice! My son died unjustly! I beg Your Majesty to uphold justice for this subject!"

The other six ministers cupped their hands together. "We beg Your Majesty to uphold justice!"

Taishu Feihua cut in. "Enough, enough. You are great ministers of the court. What kind of conduct is this, crying and wailing? If you have something to say, say it. There is no need for uproar."

Zhao Gongquan immediately swallowed his loud sobs, leaving only choked weeping. In merely half a day, he had visibly grown much more haggard. Losing a son in old age was indeed difficult to bear.

"Lord Zhao," Taishu Xiong asked coldly, "you say your son died unjustly. Where is the injustice?"

Before this group of ministers, Taishu Xiong was no longer nearly so mild and obedient. The bearing of an emperor returned at once.

Taishu Feihua merely glanced at him and voiced no objection. There were matters even he understood. An Emperor had to possess an Emperor's bearing.

Zhao Gongquan said in anguish, "Your Majesty, Shao Pingbo forced his way into this subject's residence and killed my son without proof or evidence. Since the founding of Jin, such wicked conduct has never been heard of. I beg Your Majesty to punish that traitorous villain Shao Pingbo severely!"

"No proof or evidence?" Taishu Xiong asked. "How do you know he had neither?"

"He stated clearly that he was investigating spies colluding with a foreign state. He stated clearly that the matter concerned the war at the front. He was only taking people away for questioning. No guilt had yet been fixed."

"For something so serious, carried out according to law and procedure, are people not even allowed to be taken away and questioned?"

"What tremendous official arrogance the Zhao household possesses!"

"When Blackwater Terrace entered the Zhao Residence, did they or did they not reveal their identities? Did Shao Pingbo or did he not produce Our token?"

"He was investigating collusion with the enemy. Blackwater Terrace was enforcing the law, and Our token was present besides. Not only did your son refuse to cooperate, he dared obstruct them. Who gave him that courage? Was it you, Lord Zhao?"

"According to what We have heard, there were plenty of people shouting inside the Zhao Residence at the time. In Our opinion, killing only one was too few!"

Taishu Feihua looked surprised. He glanced at Taishu Xiong, then at the ministers. This time, he remained silent.

Zhao Gongquan immediately shouted in defense, "Your Majesty, my son was young and ignorant. He had only just rushed back and did not understand the situation at all! Shao Pingbo deliberately killed my son in revenge!"

Lord Gong cupped his hands as well. "Your Majesty, Shao Pingbo not only killed Lord Zhao's son, he seized many members of all seven of our households. This truly is using public authority to avenge private grievances!"

The others echoed together, "We humbly ask Your Majesty to judge clearly! We beg Your Majesty to order the arrest of that traitorous minister Shao Pingbo at once!"

"Revenge?" Taishu Xiong asked. "Revenge for what?"

Lord Gong said gravely, "There are matters everyone understands without saying them. The answer is obvious. It is because our court discussion forced him to marry the Seventh Princess!"

"Everyone understands?" Taishu Xiong said. "Understands what?"

"Good. We understand. Let us say We understand exactly what you mean."

"Then answer Us this. Many people in court seconded the proposal that Lord Shao marry the Princess. Why did he not seize people from any of the others? Why did he seize only yours?"

Censor Li spoke in a deep voice. "Your Majesty, the others merely seconded the proposal. That is precisely why he chose us for retaliation!"

"Your Majesty, the people have already been taken into Black Prison. If he uses this to pursue private revenge, our families may suffer every torture imaginable. Lord Zhao's grief at losing a son may be repeated upon the rest of us."

"We beg Your Majesty to order their release immediately!"

"Release them?" Taishu Xiong gave a cold chuckle and held out one hand. "Tao Lue."

Tao Lue quickly stepped forward and placed a stack of confessions in his hand.

Taishu Xiong shook the stack once, then suddenly flung it straight into the face of the kneeling Zhao Gongquan.

"Read them yourselves!"

"After you finish reading, tell Us how We are supposed to order anyone released!"

The sudden throw caught them all off guard. None of the ministers knew what the papers were, and for a moment they were stunned.

What was this?

Suspicion appeared in Taishu Feihua's eyes. He lifted a hand.

Cultivators nearby immediately guided the Moon Butterflies together above the pavilion, brightening the area so the ministers could read.

The men bent to gather the scattered sheets, each reading what he had picked up before exchanging pages with the others.

Every sheet contained testimony.

The Fire God Temple officiant on Nanling Mountain had been secretly bought by people from Song's diplomatic mission. How he had deceived and manipulated Noble Consort Lan and her daughter was confessed in perfect detail.

Grand Herald Guo Wenshang's testimony was equally clear, corroborating the affair from another angle.

More alarming still were the confessions stating that members of all seven households had provided the Fire God Temple officiant with large amounts of money in the form of incense offerings. Transaction after transaction was enough to make the eye twitch.

Taken alone, there was nothing strange about it.

But place those large payments beside the fact that the officiant had been acting for Song, beside Jia Wuqun's manipulation of Noble Consort Lan and her daughter, and beside the seven ministers' actions in court...

The combined picture was enough to send a chill through anyone.

One could hardly avoid wondering just how deeply Song had infiltrated Jin's court.

Once they finished reading, all seven ministers began to panic.

Censor Li was the first to recover. He hurriedly defended himself. "Your Majesty, those were merely incense offerings donated by women of our households seeking peace of mind and showing devotion to the gods!"

Taishu Xiong pointed straight at his face and roared, "Li Yanshao, do you mean to explain all of this away with two words—'incense offerings'?"

[End of Chapter 1236]