Within the Tang residence on Jiyun Alley, Tang Ning slept soundly, completely unaware of the dispute raging outside because of her. While she rested peacefully in her dreams, chaos erupted in the court as if a pot of oil had exploded, leaving everything in utter disarray.
The second wave of impeachment in the court was far fiercer than Song Hong and his allies had anticipated. This time, it wasn’t just Censor-in-Chief Cao Dejiang who was involved; even members of the *Zhongshu, Shangshu, and Menxia departments all joined in. Their fierce accusations nearly destroyed the reputation that Song Hong and his son had built over the years.
At the same time, Xiao Yan’s actions—assaulting a court official, overstepping his authority at the Imperial Medical Office, and using the Black Armored Guard to intimidate the capital’s medicine halls—were also seized upon by the faction led by *Zhongshuling Lu Chongyuan.
"The Song family was in the wrong first, trespassing on Jiyun Alley and injuring others..."
"That’s no excuse for him to assault a court’s official wife! Your Majesty, Xiao Yan abuses your favor, using the Black Armored Guard to pressure the court and the capital. Today, he coerces the Imperial Medical Office and the medicine halls; tomorrow, he could endanger Your Majesty and the royal palace itself. Such arrogance must not be tolerated!"
"And yet the matriarch of the Song family is a vile and vicious woman—how is she fit to hold the title of a court official's wife?"
"She is the grandmother of the Song family! How could it be wrong for her to discipline her household?"
"What a joke! The Song family took an illegitimate daughter and passed her off as a concubine-born daughter, then indulged their son in violent acts. Now, the matriarch tried to disfigure Miss Song, intending to kill her—how can someone so malicious be worthy of respect?"
The court was divided, one side accusing the Song family of immorality, the other condemning Xiao Yan for his recklessness. The great hall turned into a marketplace brawl, with high-ranking officials, who normally maintained an air of dignity, shouting red-faced at each other, almost ready to roll up their sleeves and fight.
Emperor An, having indulged himself with golden elixirs and a night of pleasure with Lady Chen and a few others, felt weak and exhausted in the morning. Already low on energy, his thoughts lingered on the new batch of elixirs that had yet to arrive. Listening to the clamoring officials only worsened his headache.
"Enough!" the emperor called out, instantly silencing the hall.
"You all sound like fishwives arguing in the street," Emperor An remarked, glancing at Xiao Yan, who stood with his arms folded, looking as though he was enjoying the spectacle. "Xiao Qing, you explain."
Lu Chongyuan’s eyes darkened at the emperor’s words, and those who had been impeaching Xiao Yan cursed inwardly. How had this eunuch managed to win the emperor’s trust so completely?
Xiao Yan stepped forward leisurely, meeting the stares of the crowd.
"I’m not entirely sure what’s going on either," he said, casting a look at the official who first raised the accusations. "Minister He, you mentioned earlier that I injured someone. Is that correct?"
The named official, a member of the Censorate, glanced at Lu Chongyuan before stepping forward, righteous as ever. "I did indeed say so. Yesterday, in front of many witnesses, you injured the old matriarch of the Song family and left her to be humiliated in the street. Do you deny it, Supervisor Xiao?"
"I never intended to deny it. I just have one question—where did this incident take place?"
Minister He’s expression shifted. "It was at Jiyun Alley, but—"
"Exactly, Jiyun Alley." Xiao Yan cut him off, his tone calm. "In my own residence, I struck someone who trespassed on my property. What’s wrong with that? Or does Minister He leave the gates of his estate wide open, allowing anyone to barge in, insult your family’s women, beat up your daughters, and ransack your home—only for you to escort them out with the utmost respect?"
Minister He’s face flushed red. "You’re twisting the facts! The old matriarch was merely visiting her granddaughter!"
"Oh? Is that how you visit—by disfiguring someone, knocking them unconscious, and beating them until they vomit blood and remain bedridden?"
Xiao Yan’s retort left the official momentarily speechless.
"Not to mention, I haven’t even officially transferred the house to Miss Song. The Song family was already in the wrong for trespassing. Even if I had given the house to her, as the Chief of Internal Affairs, if I saw someone unlawfully entering another person’s property, causing harm, and heard cries for help—should I have just ignored it?"
Minister He’s face turned white and red in turns as he shouted angrily, "That’s not the same! The old matriarch was simply disciplining her family’s younger generation!"
"Oh, I see. So in Minister He’s family, ‘disciplining’ means beating your descendants to death?"
"You!" Minister He was furious. "You’re deliberately changing the subject! Even if we set aside the matter between the old matriarch and Miss Song, how do you explain your coercion of the Imperial Medical Office and the capital’s medicine halls, preventing them from treating patients?"
"Where did you hear such nonsense?" Xiao Yan frowned. "The Song family trespassed on Jiyun Alley yesterday, and I was frightened. I stayed in my residence all day and didn’t step outside. When could I have coerced or threatened anyone?"
Minister He almost spat in Xiao Yan’s face. It was clearly Xiao Yan who had beaten the old matriarch, thrown her out, and had his men break her hand and ruin her reputation. How could he now claim to have been ‘frightened’?
"Supervisor Xiao, there’s no need to lie. Everyone in the court knows what happened…"
"Oh? Is that so?" Xiao Yan raised his eyes and scanned the gathered officials. "The Imperial Medical Office hasn’t filed a complaint, and none of the medicine halls in the capital have cried foul. The Black Armored Guard has been stationed at the Office of Internal Affairs all day. So, Minister He, I’m quite curious—who in this court, other than you, knows whom I supposedly threatened?"
The once noisy court fell silent. Even those who had been backing Minister He in accusing Xiao Yan now avoided eye contact.
It was true that Xiao Yan had injured the Song family’s matriarch and intimidated the Imperial Medical Office and the capital’s medicine halls. Everyone knew that. But in the end, these were just rumors spread by a few people. No written complaints had been filed, and Xiao Yan had never personally shown up to issue any threats. Unless someone from the Imperial Medical Office came forward, who could prove that the rumors were true or false?
Take a step back. Even if someone from the Imperial Medical Bureau does step forward to testify, the situation remains unchanged. The one delivering the message was just an insignificant household servant, and Xiao Yan never appeared at the Imperial Medical Bureau nor said a single word. Not even the Black Armor Guards went to any pharmacy. At that point, anyone could push a scapegoat forward, but the person accusing Xiao Yan would be doomed for sure.
Even though their hearts were filled with curses, calling Xiao Yan shameless and cunning, their faces turning livid with anger, no one in the hall dared to speak.
“If any of you know something, feel free to speak. I won’t make it difficult for you,” Xiao Yan said.
Everyone remained silent.
“No one?”
Even after Xiao Yan’s words, no one spoke. He glanced coldly at Censor He, his gaze carrying a hint of mockery, like cold mist. "Lord He, is this what you meant by ‘everyone in the court knows’?
Aside from you, does no one in the court know?"
Censor He turned back in disbelief, looking at the officials behind him. "Lord Huang, Lord Lin..."
But before he could finish, the two officials he called out to quickly lowered their heads and stepped back, as if avoiding a plague, showing none of the earlier solidarity they had displayed. Not far away, Chancellor Lu Chongyuan also wore an unpleasant expression, yet he remained silent.
The blood drained from Censor He's face.
Xiao Yan sneered. "I understand that in the past, to purge the court for His Majesty, I’ve stepped on many people's toes. I also know some are unhappy with me for managing the Black Armor Guards and eliminating dissent. But I never expected that even the Censorate, known for its uprightness, would resort to wild speculation."
"Lord He, without a shred of evidence, you attempt to slander me and use such a ridiculous reason to accuse me. Is it because you are dissatisfied with me carrying out the Emperor’s orders before, or are you dissatisfied that the Emperor appointed me to head the Privy Council? Are you so desperate to ruin me that you’re willing to throw away the Censorate’s reputation?"
Emperor An's expression had already turned cold.
Cold sweat streamed down Censor He’s face as his knees buckled, and he knelt to the ground. "Your Majesty, I swear, I have no personal motives. I was merely fulfilling my duties as a Censor."
“Do you have any concrete evidence regarding the Imperial Medical Bureau?”
“Your subject…” Censor He’s face was ashen. “Your subject merely heard…”
At this, Xiao Yan chuckled softly. “When did it become permissible to accuse a high-ranking court official based on hearsay?”
"The Censorate has always had the authority to report based on rumors..."
"And where did this rumor come from? Who spread it? You’re the only one who seems to have heard it. No one in the capital or the court knows anything. So, Lord He, is this rumor from the streets, or did you invent it yourself?"
Xiao Yan’s words were sharp and relentless, leaving the usually eloquent Censor He speechless.
Emperor An’s brows furrowed deeply as he looked at the stammering, pale-faced Censor He below with growing displeasure. He then heard Xiao Yan’s cold voice:
"Lord He, why do you keep glancing at Chancellor Lu? Could it be that this rumor was passed to you by him, or perhaps some other official in court who holds a grudge against me?"
“I did no such thing!”
Censor He denied it quickly, but Xiao Yan’s words had already sown doubt in Emperor An’s mind about Lu Chongyuan and others.
Emperor An cast a deep look at Chancellor Lu before speaking in a frigid tone, “He Zongran, do you have any solid evidence to back up your accusations against Xiao Yan?”
Censor He opened his mouth, but no words came out for a long time. "Your subject… Your subject..."
“Do you have evidence or not?”
"Your subject... has no evidence..."
At these words, Emperor An chuckled in fury, his eyes filled with anger.
"The Censorate was established to inspect officials and uphold discipline, not for you to conspire in petty vendettas and frame loyal ministers. Since you lack evidence, you have slandered the Privy Minister and falsely accused a top-ranking court official. I think you’ve had enough of your position as Censor.”
“Guards, take this man, who speaks baseless slander and is consumed by personal motives, and give him thirty lashes. Demote him to a mere Palace Censor. If he dares repeat this offense, he will not be spared lightly!"
Censor He’s demotion to Palace Censor was severe. Though it still bore the Censor title, it was a mere eighth-rank position, overseeing ceremonial matters in the palace and enforcing discipline only on those at the gates. It was worlds apart from the nearly achieved position of Vice Censor-in-Chief.
Censor He collapsed to the ground, his voice hoarse as he cried out, "Your Majesty, I did not frame Xiao Yan! Everything I said was true."
"He has been running rampant in the capital for far too long, and many have suffered because of him. He relies on Your Majesty’s favor to deceive and oppress. The Song family incident was entirely his doing. If he dares harm noblewomen today, who’s to say he won’t harm Your Majesty tomorrow? Please, don’t be deceived by this treacherous eunuch!"
Emperor An’s head throbbed painfully, only wanting to return to the palace to take his medicine.
As the guards stepped forward, Censor He panicked. He couldn’t afford to be punished and demoted. Summoning strength from who knows where, he broke free from the guards and rushed toward the imperial steps.
“Your Majesty, everything I say is the truth! Xiao Yan is a treacherous eunuch, removing dissent and wronging loyal ministers. I only wish to prevent Your Majesty from being deceived. Every word I said is true! Allowing a eunuch to hold power is a sign of a country’s downfall. Please reconsider, Your Majesty!”
"Silence!"
Emperor An erupted in fury at hearing the word "downfall." How dare he curse the Emperor to lose his kingdom? “Guards, take him away!”
“Your Majesty, I speak with nothing but loyalty, everything I said is true—"
Seeing that Emperor An was paying him no heed, Censor He, in desperation, rushed toward the Emperor’s platform.
Startled, Emperor An stumbled back into his chair. At that moment, Xiao Yan swiftly stepped in front of the Emperor, shielding him, and with a single kick, sent Censor He flying. The man crashed into a pillar near Lu Chongyuan.
With a loud thud, Censor He collapsed. Lu Chongyuan, his face pale, stepped back in shock, unable to move out of the way in time. Censor He coughed up a mouthful of blood, splattering it onto Lu Chongyuan’s official robe.
"Traitorous minister! traitorous minister! drag him down and beat him to death!"
Emperor An was furious, his face full of rage as he looked at He Zongran, lying on the ground like a dead fish, and cursed loudly.
Lu Chongyuan, stepping forward in blood-stained official boots, spoke up: "Your Majesty, you mustn't! Censor He only lost control in a moment of panic. Your Majesty, please spare him from death..."
Xiao Yan blocked Emperor An, sneering, "He cursed the emperor as a king of a doomed nation out of panic? He nearly harmed the emperor's sacred body due to a mere loss of control? Does Lu Zhongshu think we need to wait until he holds a blade to the emperor's throat before he can be called a traitorous minister?"
Emperor An was equally furious. He had been so startled by He Zongran's sudden lunge that he nearly fell from his dragon throne. This disgraceful scene made him even more furious: "This scoundrel spoke madness before the throne. Drag him out...!"
Lu Chongyuan raised his voice, "Your Majesty, no!"
Emperor An sharply turned his gaze to Lu Chongyuan, "What do you mean, no? He cursed me, saying I would bring about the nation's fall, a crime deserving death. Or do you, like him, think I am a king of a doomed nation?"
Lu Chongyuan did not want to confront the emperor head-on, but He Zongran couldn't die.
Today’s impeachment of Xiao Yan was initiated by the Lu family, and He Zongran had acted as their mouthpiece to step forward.
If he was merely demoted, Lu Chongyuan could still find ways to make amends. But if He Zongran were to die in front of the court, who would dare collaborate with their noble families in the future? Who would listen to him, the Grand Chancellor?
"I dare not, Your Majesty."
Although Lu Chongyuan claimed to "dare not," he stood tall, clutching his jade tablet firmly, his spine straight. His waist sash swayed gently as he spoke, his tone resolute.
"Censor He is guilty of misconduct before the throne and should indeed be punished, but the original cause was his duty as a censor, reporting on matters of concern. While the charges have not been proven, if he is put to death for investigating court ministers, who in the future will dare to speak out? The Censorate’s role is to impeach unlawful actions, and if His Majesty kills Censor He for impeaching Director Xiao, it will provoke public outcry and tarnish your reputation."
"Censor He deserves punishment but not death. I implore Your Majesty to reconsider!"
As soon as Lu Chongyuan finished speaking, other ministers from noble families echoed his sentiments.
"Lord Lu speaks reasonably. Censor He was only doing his duty. Although he made a mistake, it doesn't warrant death."
"We support Lord Lu. Censor He's misconduct was excusable under the circumstances. We beg Your Majesty to reconsider."
"If Your Majesty executes a censor in open court, it may lead to public criticism."
"Please reconsider, Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, reconsider!"
Looking at the crowd that had gathered behind Lu Chongyuan, half the court was kneeling in his support. Emperor An, seething with fury, breathed heavily, standing on the verge of a full rage.
The other ministers exchanged glances, many of them casting nervous looks toward Grand Minister of Censors, Cao Dejiang.
Cao Dejiang’s lips were tightly pressed, his expression equally grim. Though He Zongran had spoken on behalf of the Lu family, it was indeed improper for a censor to be killed for impeachment. If this precedent was set, the entire Censorate would be hamstrung in the future. However, he couldn't bring himself to plead for He Zongran's life, as the man’s impeachment of Xiao Yan had been driven by personal vendetta, and the Lu family was far from innocent.
He remained silent, as did several other senior ministers who frowned but said nothing. Seeing their silence, the court officials from humbler backgrounds also quieted down.
As Emperor An stood isolated, his face turning dark with fury, Xiao Yan suddenly spoke up: "Your Majesty, perhaps Lord Lu's words do hold some merit."
Emperor An looked at him sharply, "Xiao Yan, you—!"
"Please, Your Majesty, let me finish."
Xiao Yan gently soothed the furious emperor with calm words, "The Censorate’s role is to impeach officials, and though I have been wronged, I do not wish for Your Majesty to break court protocol on my account. However, the offense to Your Majesty cannot go unpunished. As Lord Lu said, Censor He must be penalized. Perhaps we could consider a different form of punishment?"
Emperor An was taken aback, "A different punishment?"
Xiao Yan smiled slightly, "As Your Majesty originally suggested, a flogging of thirty lashes, demotion from his post, and let Censor He receive ten lashes before the court every day, while reciting the Five Confucian Classics. This way, he can deeply reflect on his misdeeds, reform himself, and serve as a reminder to others of the consequences of disrespect before the throne."
"Your Majesty, what do you think of this punishment?"
Hearing this, Emperor An’s face twitched, his anger dissipating as he nearly chuckled.
"Your method is quite clever. I am indeed a merciful ruler, and it's not right to kill a censor. We’ll do as you say—a small punishment to teach him a big lesson, so he can remember this well."
Below, Lu Chongyuan’s face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
The ten lashes wouldn't break bones, and reciting the Confucian Classics was trivial for a man raised in education. But the public nature of the punishment was humiliating beyond measure—this was essentially ripping He Zongran's dignity to shreds and trampling it underfoot. For He Zongran, death might have been more merciful.
As He Zongran, barely conscious from pain, coughed up blood and fainted again, Lu Chongyuan urgently pleaded, "Your Majesty, this punishment is unacceptable."
"Lord Lu, this is unacceptable, that is unacceptable—so what do you suggest?"
On the throne, Xiao Yan’s strikingly beautiful face turned cold, his eyes sharp with disdain.
"His Majesty has already shown mercy by sparing Censor He’s life, and I will not pursue the matter further. What more do you want? Or are you implying that His Majesty should endure curses and accusations of being a doomed king? Do you, Lord Lu, share the same thoughts as Censor He, thinking that our great Wei is doomed?"
Lu Chongyuan: "..."
Damn eunuch! Scoundrel!
=====
T/N:
* The Three Departments were three top-level administrative structures in imperial China. They were the Central Secretariat, responsible for drafting policy, the Chancellery, responsible for reviewing policy and advising the emperor, and the Department of State Affairs, responsible for implementing policy.
* Zhongshuling Lu Chongyuan means Chancellor Lu Chongyuan
You can read ahead to chapterr 100 here
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