Chapter 87: The Reader-in-Waiting of the Imperial Academy

Chapter 87: The Reader-in-Waiting of the Imperial Academy

As soon as the phrase "making an example of someone" was uttered, the entire court fell silent.

Her real target wasn’t the court officials, but Empress Dowager Wei, the one truly in control!

Even Xie Yuwei, who always maintained a calm demeanor, now looked grave.

Shi Yuanxi's meticulously planned scheme had finally triggered a massive upheaval.

Those she named, such as Yuan Chenghai and Wei Gao, who had initially been dismissive, gradually grew panicked, especially after seeing the mountain of evidence Shi Yuanxi presented.

They couldn’t keep their cool anymore. Yuan Chenghai hurriedly stepped out from the ranks of the Imperial Academy and spoke up:

"Previously, the Imperial Academy was entirely under Chai Ping's control. We just did what he told us, and before the imperial exam scandal, we had no idea Chai Ping was so audacious!"

"As an official of the Imperial Academy, I’m guilty of oversight for failing to uncover Chai Ping's actions in time, and I am willing to accept punishment. But accusing me of colluding with Chai Ping and committing such terrible crimes—I can’t accept that."

Wei Gao also spoke: "Your Majesty, I failed to keep my household in check, which led to the ridiculous claims made by that woman surnamed Xun."

"The imperial exam scandal was entirely orchestrated by Chai Ping. I urge Your Majesty to look into this thoroughly!"

A whole crowd of Imperial Academy officials knelt together.

Shi Yuanxi gave them a cold, icy stare.

Not every official was involved in Chai Ping’s schemes, but as members of the Imperial Academy, they could not have been completely unaware.

Yet, these officials stayed silent, either to save their own skins or avoid trouble.

That alone was enough to condemn them.

These guys were smart and smooth talkers, and for a moment, the court echoed with their self-defense.

Shi Yuanxi did not argue with them. Instead, she turned her gaze to Jiang Yuan beside her.

She said calmly, "Lord Jiang, is it really as they say? Were all the crimes committed solely by Chai Ping, and are they merely innocent bystanders caught up in this?"

Jiang Yuan was taken aback when his name was suddenly called.

He quickly focused and locked eyes with Shi Yuanxi.

At that moment, all eyes in the court were on him.

Jiang Yuan's face was tense and grim.

Their plan was to set the Wei family against Zhou Ying, weakening both.

He’d only given Shi Yuanxi limited information.

But to share that info, he’d already sided with Shi Yuanxi and laid bare his weaknesses to win her trust.

In this situation, if he were to betray her now, given the evidence Shi Yuanxi had, it might not change the big picture, but it would place himself and his pregnant wife in grave danger.

Jiang Yuan closed his eyes. At this point, he had only one choice.

In the noisy court, Jiang Yuan stepped forward slowly, looking serious, and spoke with absolute certainty: "Your Majesty, as Lord Shi has said, Wei Gao, Yuan Chenghai, and Zhang Xuehong, who is currently under house arrest with his salary suspended, colluded with Chai Ping, protecting each other as officials."

"They used their power to line their pockets!"

Wei Gao's face darkened, and he immediately snapped, "Jiang Yuan, don't forget, you are also from the Hanlin Academy!"

Jiang Yuan replied solemnly, "As a Hanlin official myself, I have come forward today to testify for Lord Shi."

"Before the Emperor, not only does Minister Wei remain unrepentant, but he also tries to wield his power to force me to recant!" Jiang Yuan's voice grew increasingly impassioned. "Does he want me to expose his ignorance?"

"Then what about the bribes of gold, silver, and concubines that Chai Ping sent to your residence before last New Year?!"

"You..." Wei Gao exploded in rage.

He never expected that the things he had frantically hidden would be so brazenly revealed by Jiang Yuan.

At this point in the farce, Yuan Chenghai and Wei Gao were already in a tight spot.

Wei Changhong's eyes were dark, seething with suppressed fury as he looked at Shi Yuanxi.

The three individuals she had impeached today were the most powerful figures in the Hanlin Academy.

If these three were convicted, not only would the Wei family lose the opportunity to appoint a new Minister of Justice, but the entire political landscape would spin entirely out of their grasp.

After Zhao Jue was imprisoned, Xu Jinghe took control of most of the Ministry of Justice. The Minister of Personnel was already from the Xie family, and Vice Minister Jiang was someone Wei Changhong had secured his position after the late emperor's passing.

Out of the six ministries, two were already out of the Wei family's reach.

Upon closer scrutiny, the only ministry the Wei family still fully controlled was the Ministry of Revenue.

Gu Anzhong of the Ministry of War had kept Minister Qian and others in check, hampering their actions.

If these three were removed today, the Wei family would also lose their voice in the Hanlin Academy.

They were losing ground rapidly.

Wei Changhong's expression grew increasingly grim, and he finally said in a deep voice, "The matter of Chai Ping was concluded before the spring examinations."

The courtroom went quiet, and all officials, including Shi Yuanxi, turned their attention to him.

"The officials of the Hanlin Academy are responsible for oversight, but the culprit has already been put to death," Wei Changhong said coldly, staring at Shi Yuanxi. "In the court, there is no principle of holding the living accountable for the dead's crimes."

"These three should be punished, but their crimes aren't capital offenses."

All non-Wei family officials felt their hearts sink upon hearing his words.

Wang Ruiping's face showed a hint of mockery.

The Wei family was trying to protect these individuals even in the face of overwhelming evidence.

No, they wanted to protect more than just these Hanlin officials.

Everyone in the court knew that if Wei Gao and the others were convicted today, the imperial edict that the Wei family had not yet had the chance to announce would also become void.

It was normal for the Wei family to be unwilling to relinquish power, but to twist the facts under these circumstances... How could any upright official in the court feel at ease?

Shi Yuanxi looked up and directly met Wei Changhong's gaze. She said, "According to Minister Wei, it seems that no case in this world needs to be tried."

"Every major case inevitably involves the dead. We, as mere mortals, cannot make the dead speak. Since the dead cannot speak, even with overwhelming evidence, we cannot convict them, is that it?"

Shi Yuanxi's eyes were deep, as if weighed down by a heavy storm.

Wei Changhong's eyes were dark and cold as he said, "Chai Ping has been dead for so long. Who can verify the authenticity of the evidence in your hands?"

"The guilt of court officials is for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to decide. What gives a seventh-rank official like you the right to comment?"

This was an attempt to dismiss the evidence and witnesses in Shi Yuanxi's hands as unverified and false.

Wang Ruiping had stood silently for a long time, but now, unable to contain his anger, he shouted, "The Hanlin Academy is the most revered institution for scholars, yet these people are tarnishing its reputation!"

"Negligence? Minister Wei, do you think a mere claim of negligence can absolve all responsibility?"

Vice Minister Li also spoke, "When Chai Ping swapped the candidates' household registries, they claimed ignorance. When Chai Ping offered hefty bribes, they claimed they never saw them."

He looked up and said with a blank expression, "When Chai Ping framed Hanlin, Wu Hanlin, and Zhang Xueshi, did none of you catch on?"

"Not noticing anything—are you all pretending, or are you just plain foolish?"

The hall fell into complete silence.

Xu Jinghe scanned the officials' faces and said coldly, "Framing three senior officials, forcing them to strip off their robes and plead for justice outside Shuntian Prefecture."

"Since when did you take control of the Hanlin Academy?"

His words brought back memories of the three old Hanlin scholars who were driven to desperation.

At that moment, indignation swept through the crowd.

"Such dereliction of duty—even if you didn't collude with Chai Ping, you deserve death."

"If you had been framed for leaking the exam questions, you'd probably be on the execution ground by now, right?"

Amid the accusations, Gu Anzhong and Xie Yuwei exchanged glances, and Xie Yuwei gave a slight nod.

The situation had unfolded differently than he expected, but if he could fan the flames and deal a heavy blow to the Wei family, it would work in his favor.

The Wei family's long control of the Hanlin Academy had pushed his Zhongshu Sheng into obscurity.

Only with the fall of the Hanlin Academy could they dominate the court.

After a brief pause, Xie Yuwei looked up and said, "The 'Wei' in Wei Gao is the same 'Wei' as in Minister Wei."

As soon as he spoke, Wei Changhong fixed him with a dark glare.

But Xie Yuwei stood his ground. He walked calmly to the center of the hall and took his place beside Shi Yuanxi.

He said firmly, "Wei Gao's swift ascent in the Hanlin Academy was entirely due to Minister Wei's backing."

"Now Minister Wei is outright rejecting Lord Shi's evidence. Is it because he, too, is implicated in the Hanlin Academy's affairs?"

"This matter is of great importance. I implore Her Majesty the Empress Dowager to investigate thoroughly."

After a long time, Xie Yuwei once again spoke in court, directly linking Wei Gao and the Wei family.

The entire court fell into dead silence.

The implication of his words was that if the Wei family did not resolve this matter today, it would mean that the person behind Chai Ping was the Wei family.

The Wei family is protecting their own, even at the cost of plunging the entire Liang dynasty and the court into chaos.

Not killing the treacherous, but aiding and abetting them.

The Wei family is the root of all corruption.

Seated at the head, Empress Dowager Wei cast a malevolent gaze at the agitated officials below.

Since the young emperor’s ascension, such a scene had been rare in the court.

Shi Yuanxi had long been plotting this move, aiming not only to sever the overwhelming power of the Wei family but also to weaken their influence from within.

In this matter, even some officials aligned with the Wei faction had uncharacteristically remained silent.

It was noteworthy that today the Wei family was shielding these Hanlin Academy officials for the sake of power. Would they, in the future, push them out to take the blame for the sake of power?

Empress Dowager Wei knew full well that these individuals were beyond saving.

Lately, however, the Wei family had faced relentless targeting from various factions in the court.

During the spring examinations, they had failed to advance their own candidates. Now, if they executed these few, there would not be many usable people left in the Hanlin Academy.

Echoing Wei Changhong’s stance, Empress Dowager Wei was unwilling to yield at this juncture.

She paused briefly, her gaze sweeping over the kneeling Hanlin Academy officials before settling on one individual.

Of the three officials Shi Yuanxi impeached today, Yuan Chenghai and Wei Gao faced irrefutable evidence and were indefensible.

The third, Wang Xiuqi, was relatively unscathed, having had little involvement in Chai Ping’s misdeeds.

Empress Dowager Wei resolved to sacrifice Yuan Chenghai and Wei Gao in order to shield Wang Xiuqi.

But before she could speak, a youthful voice echoed through the hall.

Under the scrutiny of the entire court, the young emperor steadied himself.

Today, as Shi Yuanxi stepped forward, she positioned herself near the front of the grand hall, where their eyes met.

Bolstered by confidence, the young emperor declared, "By imperial decree, Yuan Chenghai, Wei Gao, and Zhang Xuehong, in collusion with Chai Ping, formed factions for personal profit, accepted bribes, and were complicit in multiple deaths. Their crimes are unforgivable!"

"Take these three to the Ministry of Justice’s prison at once and execute them on a designated day."

"Wang Xiuqi, for failing to report what he knew and for dereliction of duty, is also guilty of a serious offense. Expel him from the Hanlin Academy and take him to the Ministry of Justice’s prison."

The young emperor’s clear voice resonated through the grand hall. The court fell silent momentarily before erupting into chaos.

This marked the first time the young emperor had taken action against officials in court.

Naturally, everyone present knew this had been orchestrated from behind the scenes.

Yet even if guided, this was the first time the seemingly invisible young emperor had wielded imperial power since his ascension.

And he had done so in defiance of the Wei family’s intent to protect the accused.

The Wei family’s gradual rise to power was due to Empress Dowager Wei’s uniquely privileged position, which lent her every command the weight of imperial authority.

However powerful the Wei family might be, they could not openly oppose the emperor in court.

If Empress Dowager Wei were to rebuke the emperor in court today, it would confirm that Chai Ping was driven by the Wei family, and that the Wei family was manipulating the emperor with their overwhelming power.

Once this matter was confirmed, tomorrow Shi Yuanxi could rally the hundred thousand Zhenbei army to enter the capital.

Shi Yuanxi stood in the court, a slight smile curling her lips.

Earlier, in the matter of the Pei family, the Wei family had used similar tactics against her. Since her power was entirely derived from weaponry, they aimed to control her through it.

Now, she is turning the tables, repaying the Wei family in the same coin for their actions.

Everything the Wei family depends on is cloaked under the guise of imperial authority.

Today, she wields this supreme, unassailable imperial power to crush the Wei family right in this grand hall!

They had been banking on the young emperor's inability to govern independently, controlling every facet of his life.

With the imperial guards taking charge, the first step is to free this uncontrollable imperial power.

The moment the emperor speaks in court, there is no room for Empress Dowager Wei to intervene!

In the silence, Shi Yuanxi coldly demanded, "Where are the palace guards? Did you not hear the emperor's command?"

The palace guards in the council hall were still under the Wei family's control.

So after the young emperor spoke, they were initially shocked, then exchanged glances, unsure whether to act.

Shi Yuanxi's words served as a reminder.

Today, the young emperor is the one in charge in this court. If he could execute these Hanlin scholars, he could just as easily execute them too.

The three hundred imperial guards in the palace answer only to the young emperor.

Behind the curtain in the hall, Empress Dowager Wei's face turned pale.

She suddenly looked up, her gaze piercing through the curtain, and fixed it on the young emperor.

Empress Dowager Wei felt her blood rush to her head, wanting to explode in anger but unable to vent it directly.

She clenched her fists tightly and said in a low voice, "The emperor has grown up, and now he doesn't even regard me with respect."

Unable to refute the young emperor's words, she could only pressure him with filial piety.

The young emperor felt a chill run down his spine. He mustered all his courage to keep himself from trembling like last time when Empress Dowager Wei intimidated him.

Shi Yuanxi had told him that if he was truly afraid, he could simply pretend Empress Dowager Wei didn't exist.

She would back him up.

In the hall, Shi Yuanxi noticed the young emperor's bright, expectant eyes fixed on her.

Shi Yuanxi hesitated slightly. The young emperor had been living cautiously under Empress Dowager Wei's intimidation for some time, developing a deep-seated fear of her.

Zhou Ying had made some progress over time, with initial success, but whenever Empress Dowager Wei exerted her authority, he would still tremble with fear.

Shi Yuanxi promptly said, "What are you saying, Empress Dowager? The emperor's achievements today are all thanks to your careful guidance."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

What Empress Dowager Wei thought remained unknown, but all the officials in the court couldn't help but pause.

She had just executed three of the Wei family's key ministers and could still say such things without batting an eye.

Truly...

What others thought was unknown, but the young emperor on the throne was certainly satisfied.

Shi Yuanxi is really something; she doesn’t fear Empress Dowager Wei and even dares to annoy her!

From afar, Shi Yuanxi saw the young emperor’s gaze become even more intense.

She couldn’t suppress a laugh.

In the palace’s world of deceit and deep schemes, it’s amazing how Zhou Ying raised the young emperor to be so innocent and kind.

Unlike his father, Huai Kang Di, or the cunning late emperor.

Under such circumstances, Empress Dowager Wei was powerless, and the guards had no choice but to drag off the three ringleaders.

With these three gone, the Hanlin Academy was left with lower-ranking officials.

Looking around, there was a clear leadership vacuum, and officials aligned with the Wei family were now on edge.

They feared being implicated.

The Hanlin Academy’s power lay with a few top officials; the rest were insignificant.

With three gone, the Wei family was temporarily out of options.

Thus, power would likely revert to the Secretariat.

Shi Yuanxi’s gaze lingered briefly; the matter had reached a temporary conclusion.

She wouldn’t fill the vacancies, and the Xie family wouldn’t let her rise.

Under pressure, she might end up like the Wei family, retreating step by step.

But Shi Yuanxi wasn’t about to give power to the Xie family.

She’d fought hard to take this from the Wei family; she wasn’t about to let Xie Yuwei snatch it.

As the court quieted, Shi Yuanxi stayed put and spoke up again:

"The young emperor relies on the Hanlin Academy’s heavy responsibilities. With only Lord Zheng as Grand Secretary, he can’t manage both court affairs and the emperor’s studies."

"We must quickly promote officials, clean up the Hanlin Academy, uphold justice, and serve the emperor."

Empress Dowager Wei sneered; was she trying to push Zheng Qiming forward?

"Lord Zheng is getting on in years," Empress Dowager Wei said. "I can’t let an old minister strain himself."

"If we are to cleanse the atmosphere, let’s promote from this year’s new scholars."

New scholars.

Empress Dowager Wei directly bypassed Shi Yuanxi, who currently had the highest academic standing in the Hanlin Academy.

Officials from the Wei faction also said, "Lord Shi is still young and hasn’t been in the Hanlin Academy for long; she shouldn’t act so hastily."

The underlying message was to caution Shi Yuanxi, preventing her from rising.

Unexpectedly, Shi Yuanxi, in such a situation, calmly said, "I believe that while adding new scholars is important, for the Hanlin Academy, the more pressing matter is the selection of the Grand Secretary."

Those who can serve as Grand Secretaries are ministers with deep experience.

Shi Yuanxi has just entered the court; this position certainly wouldn’t be hers.

She had no intention of taking such a drastic step all at once. Even if she agreed, the rest of the court would not go along with it.

What she wanted was to take over the position of Grand Academician before the Wei family could make a decision.

The problem was, even the Wei family currently had no one to fill the position, so where would she find someone?

Before the court officials could respond, Shi Yuanxi spoke again: "The Chai Ping affair has been settled, and the officials who conspired with him will soon face execution. I believe the priority now is to reinstate the three Grand Academicians of the Hanlin Academy who were unjustly accused by Chai Ping and forced to resign!"

This was her ultimate goal.

Evil may thrive, but it cannot control everyone.

Loyal officials who have endured hardship and dedicated themselves to their duties should not be forced into retirement under false pretenses!

Moreover, to truly harness the Hanlin Academy for their purposes, there must be someone capable of presiding over it. Zheng Qiming is qualified, but the Wei family would never entrust him with such authority.

And as before, if only Zheng Qiming were in charge, the Wei family would fill in the other positions and still render him powerless.

To hold power, Zheng Qiming cannot be the only one.

Surveying the court, the only ones with the seniority, knowledge, and reputation to legitimately take charge of the Hanlin Academy are the three Hanlin elders.

Veterans of three dynasties, victims of the Chai Ping incident, and held in high esteem.

Shi Yuanxi was confident that once this proposal was put forward, neither the Wei family nor the Xie family could find any reason to block the return of the three elders.

This is not a promotion but a restoration to the court!

Xie Yuwei's expression shifted slightly.

When the three suddenly received the news and removed their official robes outside Shuntian Prefecture, causing the situation to escalate out of control, he found it very strange.

But since Shi Yuanxi had not yet revealed Zheng Qiming's involvement at that time, both he and the Wei family likely blamed the incident on Xu Jinghe.

Because, in the end, it was indeed Xu Jinghe who came out on top.

So much so that they failed to realize that Shi Yuanxi had been causing trouble so early on.

To ensure the return of three loyal officials to the court, she had even been secretly planning for so long!

Until today, the spies sent by various factions to monitor Shi Yuanxi dared not approach her too closely.

The reason was simple: she was armed.

The emperor's personal guards were exceptional, and any spy who revealed themselves would surely be killed.

Thus, she was able to orchestrate a grand scheme in front of everyone under such circumstances.

Purging the Hanlin Academy, upholding justice, and personally reinstating the innocent old officials to the court.

Shi Yuanxi, what a masterful strategy!

Shi Yuanxi's move was so smooth and reasonable, like a giant hand pressing down on the Wei and Xie families, that the court fell silent, and both sides were utterly suffocated, unable to react for a long time.

In this situation, the young emperor in the court directly said, "Approved."

Shi Yuanxi slightly curled her lips. Nothing could be more stirring than the return of loyal officials who had suffered unjustly.

But the young emperor on the throne did not stop there. Instead, he turned the topic and proclaimed loudly:

"Shi Yuanxi of the Hanlin Academy, intelligent and astute, has repeatedly made great contributions in the matters of Chai Ping, Vice Minister Li, and the Pei family father and son."

"This time, she has also cleansed the court, seeking justice for the unjustly accused Yu Hanlin and others, and restoring fairness. I am deeply pleased."

"From this day forward, Shi Yuanxi is promoted to the rank of Associate Fifth Rank Reader-in-Waiting, to accompany me and share my burdens!"