Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Everyone was stunned.

The air fell eerily silent for two breaths. Even Zhao Dehai hadn't anticipated such words from the Emperor.

Lin Ting’s heart skipped a beat. He watched as the scholars below instantly flushed crimson, some seemingly about to rise and argue, but they were restrained by the Tianxuan Guard.

A few scholars furtively raised their eyes, only to meet the Emperor’s narrow, chilling gaze, as if he were looking at a dead man. They shivered instantly.

A low murmur began to ripple through the crowd.

Zhao Dehai snapped, "Silence."

The noise died down at once.

Pei Xingjian observed the crowd, speaking unhurriedly, "You pride yourselves as pillars of the state, yet you possess nothing but empty ambition. You fail to distinguish right from wrong, readily believe others' words, and charge in recklessly. My Great Yong has no need for such 'talent.'"

The scholars below looked up in disbelief.

Lin Ting’s heart pounded. *Good heavens, those words are too harsh.*

"Who was it that wanted to cause trouble just now?" The Emperor’s cold, ominous voice pierced the ears of everyone present.

The scholars below knelt, trembling. Those who had been eager to retort now cowered like quails, burying themselves in the crowd.

"You stir up trouble before the Capital Prefecture, before the Chongwen Academy—who told you that merely causing a disturbance would get you what you want?" The Emperor’s voice was unhurried, yet it pierced like a sharp blade into every heart.

"You claim to demand justice for the Grand Tutor. Do you truly believe the Grand Tutor would approve of your methods?"

The Emperor’s cold, merciless voice from above seemed to carry the chill of frost, whipping across everyone’s faces.

Of course, they knew causing trouble wasn’t the best solution.

"Your Majesty," Wang Ya’s voice boomed from afar, "we merely seek an explanation. Grand Tutor Zhang’s fate in the Zhaoyu is unknown, and his three adopted sons were seized by the City Patrol, their lives hanging in the balance. The Grand Tutor has served the people his entire life. Why the need for such ruthless extermination?"

A profound silence fell.

Pei Xingjian slowly replied, "Did I ever say I would kill the Grand Tutor, or his three adopted sons?"

Wang Ya froze, a flash of realization striking him, followed by a sudden cold sweat: the Grand Tutor’s imprisonment was still undecided, yet they had prematurely assumed the Emperor intended to kill his entire family.

At this point, another scholar interjected, "No, but the City Patrol—"

"You don’t even understand why the Grand Tutor was imprisoned, yet you rush to fight for him. I am curious: I never stated the Grand Tutor was in the Zhaoyu. From where did you learn of his situation?"

At this, the more astute scholars had already caught on. A cold sweat broke out instantly.

They had been used.

But the rumors had spread so widely, they could no longer recall how they had been swept into this protest.

Realizing this, the scholars didn’t even dare to look up at the Emperor, wishing they could bury their heads in the dust.

Pei Xingjian continued, "It’s a disgrace that after decades of studying the classics, you cannot even discern the most basic right from wrong. How can you serve as capable officials of my Great Yong?"

Lin Ting watched the scholars, each one red-faced from the scolding, and couldn’t help but inch closer to the Emperor.

Catching the Emperor’s sidelong glance, he gave a sheepish grin and said, "Your Majesty, they didn’t mean any harm. A balance of firmness and mercy will earn their loyalty more effectively."

Pei Xingjian’s gaze flickered, his stern expression softening slightly.

"Considering you are all imperial examination candidates, I will not punish you today. But if this happens again, you will be stripped of your qualifications and exiled to the borderlands." His quiet voice carried unmistakable weight, sending a collective shiver through everyone present.

With that, he turned and re-entered the carriage.

Lin Ting stood by the carriage door, looking at the young, naive scholars. Memories of his own *gaokao* days surfaced, softening his heart. He couldn’t resist adding a few words:

"Everyone, the imperial examination is less than a month away. Instead of wasting time protesting, focus on your studies," he narrowed his eyes. "While you’ve been causing trouble these past few days, others have already memorized their texts twice. If you don’t review now, you’ll fall behind forever. Then, let alone becoming officials, you won’t even qualify for the palace exams, and you’ll never meet your idol, Grand Tutor Zhang. You’ve made all this fuss for him, only for him not to even know who you are. How much would you regret that?" Satisfied with the dawning realization on the scholars' faces below, he too stepped into the carriage.

Faint angry mutters followed them: "Damn it—" "I need to go study right away." "No, I’m reviewing three times tonight!"

Inside the carriage, Lin Ting met Pei Xingjian’s amused gaze and froze mid-bow.

Chancellor Yan smiled. "I hadn’t realized Minister Lin was so quick-witted. A few words, and those scholars dispersed."

Lin Ting winced at the smile—it was just like Zhao Dehai’s.

"Minister Lin seems to understand those scholars well."

Lin Ting paused, thinking, *If you’d endured the gaokao, you’d understand too.* Aloud, he said, "I merely put myself in their shoes."

Pei Xingjian raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing.

They dropped Chancellor Yan at his residence, where Yan Ji happened to be waiting. Spotting Lin Ting, he waved from afar.

Lin Ting waved back. *Work wears a man down.* Since starting this job, he’d had no time to hang out with Yan Ji and the others.

Pei Xingjian watched the exchange and gave a displeased huff.

Lin Ting withdrew, ears sharp. "Your Majesty, is your throat bothering you?"

Pei Xingjian took a deep breath. "Where to next?"

Lin Ting: *What an obvious change of subject.*

"Your Majesty, could we visit the Zhaoyu?" Seeing Pei Xingjian’s questioning look, he explained, "The Dowager Consort is a palace insider, and Grand Tutor Zhang is a frequent visitor too. They couldn’t have been unaware of the Fangfei Garden. How did they end up there at the same time?"

Pei Xingjian’s gaze remained indifferent as he ordered the guards, "To the Zhaoyu."

The carriage wheeled around at the palace gates, heading for the prison.

Returning to the Zhaoyu, Lin Ting couldn’t shake his fear.

Noticing Lin Ting hadn't followed, Pei Xingjian turned to find him staring at the steps with a conflicted expression, wanting to step forward but hesitating.

"Afraid?" he asked.

Lin Ting’s face twisted. "I think I might have PTSD. My last time in prison was short, but the impact was quite profound."

Pei Xingjian frowned slightly. "What is PTSD?"

Lin Ting rummaged through his limited knowledge: "It’s a post-traumatic stress disorder."

*Trauma. Stress.* Pei Xingjian keenly grasped these two words, concluding it must be a type of psychological injury.

Lin Ting was still debating whether he should just give up and let the Tianxuan Guard handle it when the Emperor, who had been walking ahead, suddenly turned and walked back towards him. Lin Ting jumped, stuttering, "Y-Your Majesty?"

A strong arm encircled his waist and lifted him up. "Don't be afraid, I'm here." He was carried past the seven steps and set down steadily on the ground.

Lin Ting's mind went completely blank for a moment.

Had Pei Xingjian—lost his mind? And what did he mean by "I'm here"?

If he weren't here, Lin Ting would have long handed the task over to the Tianxuan Guard and gone off to relax. It was precisely because he was here that Lin Ting was afraid—who wouldn’t be nervous with their boss breathing down their neck?

In the blink of an eye, he saw Zhao Dehai smiling like a sly fox.

Every alarm bell in Lin Ting's head started ringing—had Pei Xingjian—had he—

Devised some scheme to pull a prank on him?

Seeing Pei Xingjian about to lead him by the hand again, Lin Ting quickly pulled his hand from the crook of his arm. "No, no, Your Majesty, I can walk on my own."

Pei Xingjian’s previously softened expression turned cold again.

He uttered a stiff "Hmm" and walked off without another word.

Lin Ting watched his retreating figure—why did it seem like he was angry?

……

Returning to the prison, Lin Ting found himself in a completely different state of mind.

The jailers on duty were the same ones as before. Seeing the Emperor arrive in person, they came forward bowing and scraping obsequiously, groveling in obeisance. When they spotted Lord Lin behind him, their eyes lit up, and they greeted him respectfully, "Lord Lin!"

Lin Ting smiled and waved at them.

The men were beside themselves with joy.

Lin Ting couldn’t help but feel a pang of melancholy—last time he was here, he had been a prisoner in shackles, and now he had transformed overnight into a high-ranking official.

The shift in status had hinged on nothing more than the Emperor’s word.

They proceeded to the cell where Dowager Consort Xu was held. Though imprisoned, she showed no signs of distress. Clean straw bedding and a proper bed had been provided, though her expression was somewhat forlorn.

She was likely worried about Grand Tutor Zhang.

"Dowager Consort," Zhao Dehai called softly.

Dowager Consort Xu turned and, seeing them, shuffled forward. "Your Majesty, Lord Lin."

Lin Ting stepped forward. "Dowager Consort, rest assured—Grand Tutor Zhang is safely detained in another cell. We’ve come to ask you about that night."

Hearing that Grand Tutor Zhang was unharmed, the Dowager Consort relaxed slightly and replied gently, "Ask away, Lord Lin."

"Why did you go to the Fangfei Garden during the palace banquet?" Lin Ting had been puzzling over this since yesterday. The Dowager Consort couldn’t have been unaware of the banquet—the Fangfei Garden was off-limits at that time. Why had she gone there?

It couldn’t have been Grand Tutor Zhang, unable to restrain his improper desires, sending someone to summon her during the banquet, could it?

But how could an outsider male so easily bypass the palace’s many layers of security to contact a Dowager Consort deep within the inner court? The imperial guards weren't just decorative—if it were that easy, the palace would be in complete chaos.

Dowager Consort Xu recalled, "That evening, I was feeding a cat—a Persian cat bestowed by the late Emperor. But for some reason, it suddenly went berserk and ran off. I followed the noise and somehow ended up in the Fangfei Garden. I intended to retrieve the cat and leave immediately, but I no longer heard its cries. Then, unexpectedly, I saw Grand Tutor Zhang—who had also arrived in the garden without my realizing."

No wonder they hadn’t heard any cat sounds when they arrived at the Fangfei Garden.

She had clearly been lured there.

Dowager Consort Xu now realized she had been tricked and pleaded, "Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Zhang had no idea I would be there. He didn’t come looking for me deliberately."

Lin Ting could only respond formally, "Dowager Consort, His Majesty will decide the matter."

After gathering her account, they went to question the Grand Tutor.

"Now that I think about it, the wine that night was indeed stronger than usual. After a few cups, I felt woozy. At the time, I thought it was just my age catching up to me—that my alcohol tolerance had worsened."

"Then a young eunuch approached and mentioned that the flowers in the Fangfei Garden behind Yongkang Hall were in full bloom, suggesting I go there to sober up. So I went."

Comparing their accounts, the truth became clear.

On the way back, Lin Ting still found it hard to believe. "So, in other words, they were set up."

Pei Xingjian tilted his head slightly. "Set up?" Another new term?

Lin Ting explained, "They were deliberately framed."

Pei Xingjian said, "The Dowager Consort and the Grand Tutor were childhood sweethearts. It’s a pity the late Emperor was cruel, tearing apart a pair of lovers."

Lin Ting blinked. Wait, what? Was it proper for the Emperor to speak of his predecessor that way?

Before boarding the carriage, Pei Xingjian summoned an attendant and ordered, "Have some quilts delivered to the Dowager Consort and the Grand Tutor. The nights are cold—they shouldn’t freeze."

Gauging Pei Xingjian’s attitude, Lin Ting wondered—was he not planning to punish them harshly?