In the dry winter, Emperor Cheng An’s cough had not yet healed, so no incense was burned in the Document Room. Instead, a basket of citron was placed on each incense stand.
After the meeting concluded and it was time to dismiss, Anxin Hou stepped forward, kowtowing and crying out for justice. He claimed that his wife had encountered bandits on the mountain road to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. If not for the timely intervention of their guards, she and the carriage might have tumbled down the cliff, leaving no remains.
Emperor Cheng An took a sip of throat-soothing soup and said, “Is there such a thing? How is the Hou’s wife?”
“Thanks to the heavenly grace, though my wife was severely frightened and has not yet risen, her life is not in danger. With good care, she should recover in two months,” Anxin Hou said with a sigh of regret. “Though my wife is not talented, she was still honored with the title of a first-rank lady by the heavenly grace. Now, under the emperor’s feet, she was attacked. Those bandits are truly arrogant and vile!”
Everyone knew that Anxin Hou was linking his family matter with the security of the capital to move the emperor’s heart and seek justice.
Emperor Cheng An’s gaze fell on the left row. Yan Song, in his purple robe and jade belt, stood out among the officials, who all had proper appearances.
Emperor Cheng An called Yan Song by his courtesy name, “Xuming,” and smiled gently, “Such bandits appearing in Yongjing, has the Judicial Office received any news?”
Yan Song stepped forward, “Your Majesty, we have not. This incident occurred suddenly on the outskirts of the capital. It seems those bandits had long been plotting with a clear target. Although the Judicial Office serves as Your Majesty’s eyes and ears, striving for clarity, we cannot oversee every private matter of the entire court.”
“My wife is just a housewife and has no enmity with anyone, let alone a deep-seated hatred that would endanger her life. I know I shouldn’t trouble Your Majesty with family matters, but this incident has left my family worried and fearful. I don’t know what to do. I beg Your Majesty for compassion!” Anxin Hou kowtowed.
The Deputy Minister of War lowered his eyes slightly and said sarcastically, “If you were attacked in Yongjing, you should go to the Prefect of the Capital. Why come to the Document Room to kowtow and shed tears? His Majesty is busy with state affairs, and the Marquis really doesn’t show any consideration.”
“Hey, Li Hou is just anxious. Could it be that someone hates the house and its crow, implicating the Hou’s wife—” The speaker’s tone was obvious, and his gaze fell on Anxin Hou. “Li Hou, is that what you mean?”
The person stirring the pot was so blatant that Anxin Hou quickly said, “Your Highness, I only have suspicions.”
As for who he suspected or who Anxin Hou was accusing today, everyone knew in their hearts. But since it involved two families, it was better to stay out of it to avoid making enemies.
The Fifth Prince glanced openly at Yan Song in the front of the left row. The latter’s profile was calm, like a flawless jade, with no gaps to exploit.
The Deputy Minister of War chuckled and directly addressed Yan Song in front of him, “Lord Yan, I heard you previously investigated the Wenhua Hou’s estate on Taoxi Mountain without reason and then arrested a stewardess from the He Courtyard. The current mistress of the He Courtyard is a lady from Anxin Hou’s residence. She was first frightened in a nightmare, and then her mother encountered bandits on the road. I wonder if there’s any connection?”
Hey, this guy! Wenhua Hou trembled all over and secretly glared at the Deputy Minister of War for bringing up the unmentionable.
Yan Song said, “Private matters between two families should not trouble the emperor’s ears, but since Minister Lin brought it up, for the sake of transparency, please allow me to explain to Your Majesty.”
Emperor Cheng An nodded, “Go ahead.”
Yan Song spoke slowly, “The stewardess Li from the He Courtyard sent her family servant to infiltrate the Cheng estate on Taoxi Mountain, intending to poison my younger brother. There is both witness and material evidence, undeniable. For the sake of the reputation of the Yan State Duke’s Mansion and the Wenhua Hou’s residence, I initially intended to settle this matter privately. But since Li Hou has made insinuations, it might be better to trouble the Prefect of the Capital to investigate both cases thoroughly.”
“Wait.” Wenhua Hou could no longer remain a bystander and quickly said, “The servants in my residence almost committed a heinous crime. It’s my fault for not managing them well. Fortunately, the young master of the Yan family is blessed, and all the evil servants have been punished. I ask Lord Yan to forgive us this time and not to doubt the friendship between our two families because of the selfishness of a few evil servants.”
He looked at the Deputy Minister of War, “Minister Lin, stop stirring things up!”
“I didn’t!” Lin Su spread his hands, “I was just voicing Li Hou’s unspoken words. If we wait for him to hint back and forth, it’ll be dark, and I have a pile of work to do at the Ministry of War!”
Minister Lin has never known the meaning of “subtlety.” Anxin Hou blushed and was about to speak when Emperor Cheng An said, “Enough.”
Everyone immediately composed themselves and stood respectfully.
“The Hou’s wife was frightened. Later, I’ll have the imperial physician bring some supplements to visit her and ensure she recovers. The mountain road attack concerns the security of the capital and cannot be taken lightly. Yiqing,” Emperor Cheng An coughed into his sleeve and looked at the young official stepping out from the left row, “this matter falls under your jurisdiction in Yongjing Prefecture. You will investigate it.”
The Prefect of the Capital and the heir of the Yan family are not on the same path. The two have clashed several times in court, and their relationship is quite ordinary. Yet, the emperor entrusted him with the investigation alone. What does this mean? Everyone pondered silently.
Wang Zhi stepped forward, his expression respectful, “I will obey the decree.”
“If there’s nothing else, you may all leave.” With Emperor Cheng An’s words, everyone saluted in unison and left in an orderly manner according to their ranks.
Chang Qingqing waited at Shuntianmen for Yan Song. As soon as he came out, he immediately approached and said, “Heir, you need to go to the National Academy.”
Yan Song cupped his hands to the Minister of Personnel passing by, who teased, “Did the little one cause trouble again?”
The Minister of Personnel is a veteran of two dynasties and often guided Yan Song in his policy essays. In private, Yan Song would respectfully call him “teacher.”
“Poor family discipline, Master Wu, you jest.” Yan Song said warmly, “But the situation is not yet clear.”
He looked at Chang Qingqing.
Cough, Chang Qingqing said awkwardly, “The young master and Little Marquis He got into a fight at the academy, and a small knife was involved, accidentally injuring Professor Xu’s beard. Supervisor Li of the Discipline Hall requests your presence.”
Yan Song: “…”
Minister Wu had a knowing expression, laughed heartily, and patted Yan Song’s shoulder, “They say children are debts, but for you, it’s a brother’s debt! It’s cold, go bring the little one home.”
“The road is slippery in the cold, take care.” Yan Song cupped his hands in salute and turned to leave. His tall figure and flowing robe quickly disappeared from sight.
Minister Wu stroked his beard, his gaze following, “If Xuming were my grandson…”
“Old man, don’t be greedy. Your grandson is still waiting for you at the flower house.” The Fifth Prince passed by, smiling as he reminded.
Minister Wu sighed and laughed, “Fifth Prince, your mouth is really—”
The Second Prince passed by and chimed in, “A dog’s mouth can’t spit out ivory.”
Minister Wu nodded politely and slipped away amidst the verbal sparring of the two princes.
*
When Yan Song arrived, he immediately saw Yan Dong standing by the window. The latter’s blue robe was neat, but there was a blood mark on his fair chin, a scratch from a sharp object. Fortunately, the wound was very shallow and had already stopped bleeding.
“Heir, you’re here.”
Supervisor Li’s voice interrupted Yan Dong’s thoughts, which had drifted to the Milky Way. He hurriedly returned to his senses, turned his head, and saw Yan Song. He couldn’t help but look away guiltily, quickly touching his wound.
Hou Yi and Yu Zhaoying simultaneously buried their heads in the ground, afraid to meet Yan Song’s gaze—although He Shen was no match for them in a group fight, they were just there to accompany Yan Dong. But in this situation, avoiding Yan Song’s gaze was already ingrained in their bones!
Yan Song gestured for everyone to dispense with formalities and turned his head to look at the old professor, who had only half of his beautiful beard left and was silently shedding tears in his seat. He said warmly, “I apologize to Professor Xu.”
“Heir… Heir!” Professor Xu seemed to see his own father, and immediately burst into tears, like a surging river, “You’re finally here, please stand up for this old man!”
Supervisor Li invited Yan Song to take a seat, “Heir, you’re busy with official duties, and I shouldn’t have disturbed you, but fighting in the academy and accidentally injuring a teacher is really… sigh.”
“Fighting in the academy is indeed wrong, but since it was a fight, why don’t I see the other party?” Yan Song’s gaze fell on the window, and he said calmly, “Come forward.”
Yan Dong’s legs trembled, and he quickly shuffled to stand in front of Yan Song, his head bowed, ears drooping, not daring to look up.
Professor Xu, who was deeply saddened, couldn’t help but sigh at the sight. This obedient little rabbit-like demeanor was a far cry from the fierce one who had kicked He Shen’s leg bone.
“Reporting to the heir, He Shen was kicked by Yan Dong, breaking his left leg, and fainted from the pain. He was taken home for treatment.” Supervisor Li explained, fearing Yan Song might think he was biased towards He Shen.
“Oh.” Yan Song looked at Yan Dong, “Speak.”
Before Yan Dong could speak, Wang Jiaxi stepped forward and said, “Fengchun acted because of me. I will take all the blame. Please don’t punish him.”
The yellow jade bead bracelet on her wrist slipped into her palm. Yan Song held it, his fingers slowly rolling it, the beads pressing against his skin, causing a bit of pain. He didn’t speak, his gaze falling on the young girl’s face.
That gaze was like a snake. Wang Jiaxi took a step back, her peach-like cheeks turning pale, but she quickly straightened her back, meeting Yan Song’s gaze with determination.
“I was the one who started it,” Yan Dong said, fearing Yan Song might blame Wang Jiaxi. “I saw He Shen harassing her, so I threw a tile at him. Later, when Professor Xu came, we sat down for the exam. After class, we gathered outside the courtyard, planning to have hot pot. He Shen came up again, pulling and saying slanderous things about the girl. I called him a ‘deaf and blind fool who doesn’t understand human language, a toad wanting to eat swan meat.’ He got angry, and we started fighting. When Professor Xu came to break it up, I really didn’t see him, which is why I accidentally injured him.”
Because he felt guilty, Yan Dong spoke quickly, not leaving any room for breath, his words clattering on the floor. After speaking, he buried his head again.
When Yan Dong began speaking, Yan Song shifted his gaze to him and asked, “Where were you wrong?”
“Fighting in the academy and accidentally injuring Professor Xu’s cherished beard,” Yan Dong replied.
“Do you admit to anything else?” Yan Song asked.
Yan Dong thought for a moment, looked up at Yan Song, and shook his head, “No.”
“Good. Supervisor Li,” Yan Song looked at the responding person, “fighting in the academy is indeed wrong. The Discipline Hall should handle the involved students according to the rules. However, I have one question.”
Supervisor Li felt a strange jump in his heart and quickly said, “Please, heir.”
“The National Academy is a place for studying. When did it become a place for students to act inappropriately and harass classmates?” Yan Song said, “The Discipline Hall is responsible for supervising teachers and students. Has He Shen been dealt with for repeatedly harassing classmates? How was it handled?”
Supervisor Li’s back tightened, “This…”
Yan Song said, “The National Academy is a crucial place for cultivating talent for the country. If such shameless and disrespectful incidents occur repeatedly and the Discipline Hall does nothing, as the Judicial Office’s envoy and the student’s elder brother, should I not seek an explanation from the Ministry of Rites?”
Supervisor Li’s knees went weak, and he knelt, kowtowing, “Please forgive me, heir! This is my negligence in supervision. Please forgive me this time. I will reflect deeply, strengthen supervision, and never let such things happen again!”
Yan Song rolled the beads in his hand, saying nothing.
Supervisor Li, sweating at the tip of his nose, continued, “Today’s incident, although Yan Dong was impulsive, he was also protecting his classmate, which is understandable. Since the academy is closing for the year, let him and He Shen help the professors organize the exam papers during the winter break as punishment. What does the heir think?”
“Supervisor Li is in charge of the Discipline Hall. You can make the decision.” Yan Song glanced at Supervisor Li and said calmly, “The ground is cold. Why are you still kneeling? Get up.”
“Thank you, heir.” Supervisor Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and stepped aside.
Yan Song looked at Yan Dong again, seeing him smiling secretly with his head down. He said nothing, only, “Aren’t you going to apologize to Professor Xu?”
Yan Dong quickly restrained his smile and said sincerely, “Professor Xu, I’m sorry for accidentally injuring your beautiful beard. I really didn’t mean it. A broken beard is hard to regrow, and no amount of words can bring it back. But rest assured, I’ll ask my sister to help make a hair growth formula for you when I get home, to help you grow a second beard quickly, ensuring it’s shinier, softer, smoother, and more immortal-like!”
“Exactly!” Hou Yi chimed in, “If you don’t trust us, don’t you trust the Yan Imperial Physician?”
Yu Zhaoying flicked a strand of hair from her cheek, saying seriously, “Look at my thick black hair. It’s because of the ointment from the Yan Imperial Physician.”
“You! Do you take this old man for a three-year-old child?” Professor Xu’s chest heaved as he looked at the students shaking their heads, saying, “How dare we?” “We don’t dare,” and took a deep breath.
In truth, more than anger, he was saddened. Growing a beautiful beard takes a lot of effort, something only those in the know can understand.
Yan Dong didn’t intentionally break his beard to insult him, Professor Xu believed. After all, these three students, though occasionally mischievous and troublesome, were diligent in their studies, except for Hou Yi, who excelled in every subject.
The students at the National Academy come from various backgrounds. Those like Yan Dong, from prestigious families, often have a bit of a young master’s temper. But these three, despite their wealthy backgrounds, were the most honest and unpretentious. Except for He Shen’s group, Professor Xu, upon reflection, hadn’t noticed any discord between the trio and other teachers or students.
Professor Xu sighed and said, “I understand the situation now. Let’s handle it as Supervisor Li suggested. Heir, don’t blame this old man for speaking too much. As a teacher, if I don’t speak, I won’t feel at ease. Yan Dong is always attended to by you, the heir, who takes time out of your busy schedule. As an elder brother, you are very responsible and must be concerned about his future.”
Yan Song politely said, “Professor Xu, please speak freely.”
“Yan Dong is smart and diligent, always ranking among the top in his class. So, I’m not worried about his studies. But this child is about to graduate. If he is punished again for similar incidents of fighting with classmates, it may affect his graduation assessment. Certainly, the Yan State Duke’s Mansion will plan for the child, but cultivating virtue and character is a lifelong study. The heir knows the officialdom better than this old man. Recklessness and impulsiveness can easily give others leverage and invite trouble.”
Professor Xu spoke sincerely, and Yan Song smiled warmly, nodding, “Professor Xu is right. Although my younger brother occasionally acts impulsively, he will listen to those who genuinely care for him.”
He glanced at Yan Dong, who quickly cupped his hands and said, “I will remember the teachings and think thrice before acting in the future.”
Hearing this, Professor Xu instinctively stroked his beard, only to find it missing. He paused, his fingers stubbornly reaching forward two inches to stroke the remaining half of his beard, saying, “That’s good.”
With the matter resolved, Yan Song stood up, gesturing to Supervisor Li and Professor Xu, who had followed him, that there was no need to see him off. He led the students out of the National Academy.
Yu Zhaoying and Hou Yi pushed and pulled each other, finally having to jointly bid farewell to Yan Song, dragging the worried Wang Jiaxi away first.
Yan Song glanced at the girl’s reluctant figure and turned to board the carriage.
Yan Dong hurriedly followed, and as the carriage door closed, he heard Yan Song say, “Kneel.”