Chapter 142: “You Go Impeach the Duke of Chengen, for Conspiring…”

Chapter 142: "You Go Impeach the Duke of Chengen, and..."

Huo Shiming’s petition for war was like a bolt of thunder splitting a clear blue sky, sowing unrest among the court officials.

The murmurs below interrupted Huo Ling’s contemplation. Today’s imperial court assembly was destined to yield no results. Suppressing the ministers’ discussions, Huo Ling ordered the session adjourned.

In the Palace of Longevity and Peace, attendants moved as lightly as possible, careful not to disturb its mistress.

Wu Mo carried a bowl of chilled lotus seed congee prepared at dawn and carefully knelt beside Huo Ling. "Your Majesty, please eat something. Don’t starve yourself."

In a lifetime, one encounters countless troubles—must one lose their appetite every time?

Long ago, Huo Ling had realized a truth: the more troubled she was, the more she must eat well, ensuring she faced the coming storms with her best spirit.

"Give it to me."

Huo Ling took the congee and stirred it slowly. "Wu Mo, how many years has it been since you followed me into the palace?"

Wu Mo replied, "In the blink of an eye, fifteen years."

"So long already," Huo Ling murmured. "No wonder this Empress Dowager no longer recognizes the Duke of Chengen."

Wu Mo's nose stung with emotion. "Your Majesty, shall we summon the Duke of Chengen for questioning?"

Huo Ling swallowed a spoonful, her lips curving in a smile that didn't reach her cold eyes. "No rush. If the Duke dared do this, he's prepared for my wrath. We'll get no truth from him. First, send Cui Hongyi to the Kirin Guard to fetch Huo Ze."

The Imperial Guards comprised four divisions: the Kirin Guard, Vermilion Guard, Black Tortoise Guard, and White Tiger Guard.

Huo Ze had served in the Kirin Guard all these years.

Though not exceptional, he reliably completed every task his superiors assigned. With his family standing, he never missed promotions. By his late twenties, he commanded a thousand guardsmen as a commander.

The Kirin Guard protected the palace and royals. Huo Ze's primary duty was patrolling, so news of the morning's events reached him quickly after court.

Huo Ze could no longer sit still. Removing his armor, he changed clothes to request leave from his superior.

But upon exiting the barracks, eunuchs intercepted him.

Cui Hongyi wore a humble smile but stood firm. "Lord Imperial Uncle*, Her Majesty requests your presence. Please accompany this humble servant."

*[The Empress Dowager's brother]

...

The palace doors thudded shut behind him. Taking a deep breath, Huo Ze bowed to Huo Ling seated imperiously on the dais. "Commander Huo Ze of the Kirin Guard pays homage to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."

His head remained lowered, hiding her expression. Only her flat, emotionless voice echoed through the solemn hall.

"Why aren't you on duty? Where were you going?"

"Your Majesty, Guan Shi hasn't been feeling well these past days. I promised to return early to accompany her."

"Indeed?" Huo Ling's previously cold tone softened. "Little Ze, when we met privately as siblings, you always called me 'Elder Sister.' When did you start addressing me as 'Your Majesty'?"

A full-body shudder ran through Huo Ze, cold sweat breaking out on his neck. "E-Elder... Your Majesty... I didn't know my place before, often acting improperly. I beg forgiveness."

"Improper?" Huo Ling said. "We're blood siblings. After calling me 'Elder Sister' for years, how could it suddenly be improper?"

Huo Ling pressed her right hand against the desk and slowly rose to her feet.

She still wore the austere black court robes from the morning audience, the lavish, weighty garment embroidered with the coiled dragons and phoenixes of imperial authority. As she moved, the heavy train of her robes whispered over the mirror-smooth floor until she halted before Huo Ze.

"What are you afraid of? What are you so guilty about?"

Her icy fingertips pressed against Huo Ze's cheek.

With a slight exertion, she tilted his head to force his gaze to meet hers.

"Father's crimes—others may not know, but you should. You're his only son. He wouldn't have kept even you in the dark."

Huo Ze trembled violently, his mind in turmoil.

He'd imagined this long ago—if Father's crimes ever came to light and the Empress Dowager held him accountable, how would he respond?

Yet all his rehearsed excuses, the mental preparation—it all fell apart the moment he met those eyes like ice.

For his words to matter, she'd have to still see him as family.

As kin, she might have turned a blind eye, might have softened the blow.

But this gaze—so cold, like he was a stranger—

Huo Ze knew: nothing he said would reach her now.

They'd lost all her trust. Whatever he said would just be a pathetic clown's antics, begging for humiliation.

"Cat got your tongue?"

Huo Ling watched him, lips curved in that faint smile, waiting.

Their eyes had always been the most alike.

Now, with Huo Ze's filled with terror, any likeness between them vanished.

"A... A-Jie..." His lips quivered. It took several tries to force out the once-familiar term, now foreign on his lips. "I swear... I don't know what you're talking about."

He couldn't admit it.

Believed or not, he couldn't.

Huo Ling's smile turned razor-sharp as she shoved him hard.

His legs like jelly, Huo Ze staggered back two steps before catching himself.

"A Ze, after all these years—a father now—you're still just as spineless. Is this the future patriarch of the Huo clan?"

"When you helped Father deceive me, did it never cross your mind—who lifted the Huo family to its gilded heights? Whose grace does 'Duke of Chengen' truly honor?"

Father really was her perfect father.

And her brother, her perfect brother.

The Huos—just a family of upstart in-laws, risen by her hand—dared to defy her.

Huo Ling turned around, snatched up a memorial from the desk, and hurled it at Huo Ze: "Since you claim to know nothing, then take a good look. See what Father wrote in this memorial, see what schemes he’s been brewing behind my back."

The memorial was thick and sharp, whipping through the air with its edge grazing his cheek, leaving a burning sting.

Before the long wound could bleed, the memorial hit the ground with a dull thud.

Huo Ze didn’t dare make a sound or cover the wound. He silently crouched down, picked up the memorial, and unfolded it.

Naturally, Huo Ze had neither co-signed this memorial nor witnessed it firsthand, but the contents listed within were nothing new to him—he had heard them directly or indirectly from Huo Shiming before.

He read slowly, the wet sting from the cut on his cheek breaking his focus.

"Finished reading?"

Huo Ze didn’t dare hesitate: "Yes, I have."

Huo Ling tapped the desk lightly with her fingertips. It took Huo Ze a moment to understand, then he knelt and shuffled forward to her side and silently placed the memorial back beside her hand.

As he was about to retreat again, Huo Ling rested a hand on his shoulder.

"What do you think of the Northern Expedition?"

"Invading Great Mu and retaking Yan’s lost territories would benefit our generation and secure our legacy for generations. I know, Your Majesty, that the Northern Expedition has always been your lifelong ambition. Father’s methods might’ve been reckless, but please believe his intentions were good."

Huo Ze answered cautiously. He avoided directly stating his stance on the Northern Expedition, instead carefully shielding Huo Shiming.

"So, you believe Father did nothing wrong."

Huo Ling gave a thin smile: "You think I don’t see right through Father’s game? Ambition—you’re right, the Northern Expedition has indeed been my lifelong ambition. If the Duke of Chengen knew this, why didn’t he come directly to me, petition me directly, and urge me to launch the campaign?"

"With his status and position, is it so difficult for the Duke of Chengen to enter the palace and see me?"

"Why don’t you guess Father’s thoughts for me?" Huo Ling tilted her head, looking at Huo Ze. "Was he unable to do so, or unwilling?"

Huo Ze remained silent.

Huo Ling said, "Are you unable to answer, or afraid to?"

"To be honest, I’m also surprised. What kind of backing could have emboldened Father to act so recklessly?"

Huo Ling studied Huo Ze’s expression leisurely, a dozen theories racing through her head.

When someone acts out of character, they’re after something.

Her father was already the First Rank Chengen Duke, the Minister of War of Great Yan. At his level of power and prestige, what more could he even want—something he was certain she would never willingly give?

Because he knew she would never give it, he’d go behind her back to achieve his ends.

The Northern Expedition…

The Ministry of War… the Yuanrong Crossbow…

"A Ze, Father has already made his choice. What about you? Have you made yours? Will you follow Father’s obstinacy, or will you turn your back on him and stand with me?"

Huo Ze gaped at her: "...What does A-Jie want me to do?"

Huo Ling’s fingers traced the memorial: "Whether you kept quiet or were truly in the dark, I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself. Take up your brush and draft an indictment impeaching the Duke of Chengen, Huo Shiming, for forming factions, abusing power, and being unworthy of his position. Do this, and you’ll be named the Duke of Chengen of Great Yan."

Huo Ze jerked his head up, staring at Huo Ling in disbelief.

In June of the eighth year of Celestial Reign, Duke of Chengen Huo Shiming denounced Minister of Personnel Wen Shengan before the entire court for forming factions, manipulating power, and being morally unworthy of his position.

Just a year later... a mere year...

And now the one accused of forming factions, manipulating power, and being morally unworthy was Duke of Chengen Huo Shiming.

*Madness!*

Huo Ze thought—they’d all gone mad.

Father had gone mad, and so had A-jie.