Lin Ming, without even blinking, said, “Eunuch Li, when did I ever say I wasn’t a traitorous rebel?”
Everyone was instantly terrified. The entire court froze, as if the air itself had turned to ice.
What did that mean? Was the Duke Commander about to start a rebellion?
Even the nearby imperial guards shifted, casting sharp, wary gazes at Lin Ming.
But then he continued, “But I never said I was a traitorous rebel either.”
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.
A moment ago, they were saying the Duke Commander lacked political tact, but with that classic nonsense-laced official rhetoric, even seasoned ministers felt outmatched.
Li Qiushui, however, was still fuming, “You are! You absolutely are!”
Lin Ming smiled, “Eunuch Li, don’t get so worked up. Especially for a woman your age—menopause is right around the corner. Anger causes liver spots and speeds up aging.”
“You… I’ll kill you!”
Li Qiushui was so enraged she almost passed out on the spot.
She wasn’t even thirty yet! Aaaah! This treacherous bastard!
“Enough, Li Qiushui. Do not be so rude,” said Ye Qinghuan from the dragon throne, her timely intervention restoring order.
Ashamed, Li Qiushui knelt and said, “Your Majesty, I let my emotions get the better of me. Please forgive me!”
“Don’t let it happen again.”
Ye Qinghuan calmly toyed with her jade fingers, eyes fixed on the dragon-shaped ring, and said evenly, “The former Duke was a founding hero who served through five reigns. He was granted special honors because of his contributions.”
“But Duke Commander, you’re merely his successor. According to proper court etiquette and ritual…”
“Such privileges are… not in line with the laws of the court.”
The Nine Bestowments and unrestricted palace access… she, Ye Qinghuan, wasn’t so foolish as to create another treacherous minister capable of suppressing her!
“Is that right, Ministry of Rites?” she asked coldly, eyes shifting sharply toward their side.
An official stepped forward and cleared his throat, “Erm… there is indeed no such precedent in our current court.”
“You sure about that?”
Lin Ming stepped out, arms crossed, and stared the man down.
“This esteemed official must have a poor memory. Think again…”
The man was stunned. “Huh?”
Lin Ming even patted him on the shoulder, “Tsk tsk. You’re not young anymore, and still just a 7th-rank official? That’s a real injustice. I think you deserve at least a 5th-rank silver-belted uniform.”
Whoa!
He dared play dirty right in front of the Empress?
All the ministers looked at each other. While it was true the Empress hadn’t fully consolidated power, she was still the Son of Heaven. And Lin Ming… just pulled this?
Hearing Lin Ming offer the olive branch, the official’s eyes lit up with hope. In the Great Duan Empire, promotions and raises could happen with a single word from the six major aristocratic families.
“I suddenly recall… there does seem to be such a precedent…” he began.
Ye Qinghuan’s expression instantly darkened, and she coughed softly, “I don’t execute civil officials—but exile and military punishment are still on the table.”
That official froze. He immediately swallowed his words, breaking out in a cold sweat.
“N-No! I was mistaken!”
“Mistaken about what?” Lin Ming’s smile didn’t reach his eyes as he pressed down on the man’s shoulder.
“I may not be very capable, but sending someone off to a remote hellhole like Yazhou or Lingnan is well within my means.”
Yazhou and Lingnan—plagued lands. Most exiled officials didn’t survive ten years there!
The man was already drenched in sweat. “I remember now! Yes—it’s… it’s—”
Cough! Ye Qinghuan cleared her throat again.
Damn it. One side was the number one treacherous minister, the other was the Emperor.
Offend either one, and he’d be dead!
He regretted everything. He was just a 7th-rank minor official in the Ministry of Rites—why did he try to play hero?
“Aaaahhhh!”
He grabbed his head and collapsed on the spot.
“He fainted? What a pathetic tolerance for stress,” Lin Ming curled his lip in disdain.
Hearing that, Ye Qinghuan’s face turned gloomy once again.
[Ding! Empress’s anger level +30. Lifespan extended by 1,000 minutes! Reward: Strength +1!]
Lin Ming frowned. Only this much?
She must’ve been triggered too many times by now. Her anger threshold had gone up. She wasn’t as easy to provoke anymore.
That wasn’t good. He needed to pull off something big…
Just as Lin Ming was racking his brain for a way out, a voice filled with righteous indignation echoed through the court.
“Our Great Duan Empire’s two capitals and thirteen provinces rest upon Her Majesty’s shoulders! If any traitor tries to cause chaos, I shall defend Her Majesty and the empire with my life!”
At last, someone from the Ministry of Rites stepped forward—a pretentious old man adjusting his hat, his face full of righteous fury.
Pointing at Lin Ming’s nose, he roared, “Lin Ming! Your father Lin Ba was already infamous as a traitor in the previous reign. The past emperors turned a blind eye to his crimes out of grace!”
“But now, you not only show up late to court, but also defy royal authority, deceive Your Majesty—such heinous behavior… if Her Majesty doesn’t punish you, the heavens will!”
Lin Ming was dumbfounded. Who the hell was this old scholar? And what was with the dramatic monologue?
What—was the Empress a weightlifting champion carrying the whole empire on her shoulders?
This veiled scolding stirred a tidal wave. Find the original chapter at g.com.
Many loyal and righteous officials couldn’t help but applaud:
“Well said! That’s exactly how we feel!”
“A breath of fresh air in this corrupted court!”
Lin Ming raised an eyebrow and asked, “And you are?”
“I am Assistant Director of the Ministry of Rites, Cao Wenxiu. I was a top scholar during Emperor Wenzong’s reign, later served in the Hanlin Academy, and was promoted under Her Majesty’s grace to the Ministry of Rites.”
Cao Wenxiu stood straight, bowed respectfully to Ye Qinghuan, and solemnly said, “The Nine Bestowments are things only traitors pursue. I implore Your Majesty not to grant the Duke’s request! In fact, the Duke should be severely punished—strip his title and exile him beyond the borders!”
Li Qiushui quickly chimed in, “Your Majesty, Cao Wenxiu has studied the laws and rituals of the Great Duan Empire for years. His words carry significant weight!”
Ye Qinghuan finally showed a smile of satisfaction.
Cao Wenxiu had been long buried in the Hanlin Academy, a rigid scholar spouting nothing but empty moral theories. He was useless to the state but now… finally useful.
At the very least, his fearless personality made him a sharp blade against treacherous ministers!
So after she ascended the throne, she had promoted him into the Ministry of Rites, assigning him to specifically counter the six great families.
Now, this blade was about to pierce Lin Ming’s heart!
And indeed, Cao Wenxiu’s words had triggered a wave of fury among the younger officials. The effect was excellent.
Seeing the mood was ripe, Ye Qinghuan seized the momentum and raised her chin slightly, commanding from on high, “What Minister Cao said is not without reason. Duke Commander, do you have anything to say?”
Lin Ming stayed silent for a moment before bowing and saying, “I do, but not to Your Majesty—only to Minister Cao.”
Cao Wenxiu fearlessly said, “Hmph! A man with a clear conscience fears no shadows. I stand upright. This is the court of the empire, filled with honorable officials. I, a gentleman, fear nothing—ask whatever you like!”
Lin Ming didn’t speak. He simply walked with his hands behind his back. As he passed by the Vice Minister of Justice, he asked casually, “My lord, may I borrow the Great Duan Code you’re holding?”
The entire court turned to watch.
Ye Qinghuan clenched her jade fingers, staring at Lin Ming in disbelief.
Was he planning to use the law to counter-argue?
So he’s not just some mindless playboy after all… this move had caught her completely off guard. But…
The Vice Minister quickly handed it over, “Of course. If the Duke Commander asks, who could refuse? But this code contains hundreds of thousands of words. Are you sure you want to use it in court?”
It was said this dissolute noble had read fewer books in his life than others used for toilet paper. He probably couldn’t even recognize all the characters—and now he wanted to quote the law against a senior Hanlin scholar and Ministry of Rites official?
Cao Wenxiu remained composed. He even chuckled softly, unimpressed.
He had worked in the Hanlin Academy for over a decade. The Great Duan Code was as familiar to him as his own name. What Lin Ming was doing now was just making a fool of himself.
But Lin Ming smiled faintly, “It doesn’t matter how many words it has. As long as it’s heavy enough.”
His words left everyone confused.
He took the code—brick-sized—and swung it hard into Cao Wenxiu’s face!
With a loud whack, the sheer force of it flung Cao Wenxiu three or four meters across the floor!
“Motherf***er, you talk too much. Needed a beating!”