When Chen Chu, dressed in a snow-white robe, walked into Taiji Hall, countless gazes fell upon him.
On the golden dragon throne, Chen Qing stared unblinkingly at the son he had once nearly ordered executed.
His expression was dark, his thoughts unreadable.
Yu Chenghua, standing behind the dragon throne, wore a rather interesting expression. From their conversation last night, he could guess that the Ninth Prince would move against the Imperial Grandson, but he never expected it to happen so quickly, or so bluntly.
The Imperial Grandson, too… what was the point of going to see Chen Chu alone? He really had nothing better to do.
Chen Chu walked to the center of the hall and, calm and composed, lifted his head to meet Emperor Wuzhao Chen Qing’s gaze. After a brief thought, he still offered a symbolic opening and said, “Chen Chu greets His Majesty.”
Yes, that was all.
He did not even bow.
Chen Qing said nothing, and in the next moment, the court officials surged forward as if in a frenzy.
“Your subject impeaches His Highness the Ninth Prince for failing to kneel before the sovereign and showing no regard for imperial dignity!”
“Your subject impeaches His Highness the Ninth Prince for assaulting the Imperial Grandson in the street for no reason, disregarding rank and showing no respect for his superior!”
“Your subject impeaches the Ninth Prince for privately recruiting three thousand Northern Plains Iron Cavalry… an unpardonable crime!”
“Your subject impeaches the Ninth Prince…”
In the space of a single turn, more than a dozen ministers stepped forward in succession, each listing Chen Chu’s crimes without repeating a single one.
If this had happened to an ordinary person, any one of those charges would have been enough to wipe out all nine clans.
That said, although many officials stepped forward to impeach Chen Chu, none of them held especially high rank.
The truly weighty figures, those dozen or so major ministers, all took a detached, watchful stance.
“Chen Chu, you may defend yourself.”
Only after all the officials had finished their accusations did Chen Qing speak, neither angry nor calm.
He was curious how this son of his would respond to the current situation.
But Chen Chu had no intention of responding at all.
With a bland expression, he said, “Why doesn’t His Majesty explain it for me instead?”
That one sentence left Emperor Wuzhao speechless. Truly crafty!
He would certainly not punish Chen Chu, even if Chen Chu had kicked Fengyi unconscious in the street.
Even so, the anger in Chen Qing’s heart was nearly impossible to suppress.
This grandson of his… he himself had never even brought himself to hit him.
But in the short time it took Chen Chu to walk from the city gates to Taiji Hall, Chen Qing had already settled his emotions.
“The Ninth Prince, Chen Chu, grew up by the Ancestor’s side and was cut off from the outside world. It is only natural that he occasionally oversteps. My beloved ministers, let this matter rest here.”
Chen Qing’s voice rang out clearly.
And then there was no more sound from the court below.
Chen Chu had beaten the Imperial Grandson unconscious in the street, yet His Majesty still did not punish him… not even a verbal reprimand. His Majesty’s attitude toward this ninth son was now plain for all to see. Who would dare go looking for trouble?
Especially with Eunuch Yu standing behind the dragon throne, calm and unruffled, as though he had long anticipated this outcome.
All the court ministers began weighing the Cursed Blood Ninth Prince’s position in His Majesty’s heart.
Some even had the strange thought that perhaps the Sacred Lord of the Longevity Sect, Luo Xue, had schemed against His Majesty so thoroughly that His Majesty still had lingering feelings for her, and therefore, loving her, loved her dog, and could not bear to punish Chen Chu?
Chen Qing glanced expressionlessly at Chen Chu again. The latter remained as composed and detached as ever. He had originally wanted to stage a touching father-son reunion before the full court, but after thinking it over, he gave up the idea. Chen Chu probably would not cooperate.
This morning court, specially arranged for Chen Chu, had thus lost all its appeal.
With a casual glance back, he signaled to Yu Chenghua, who immediately stepped to the front of the hall and raised his voice. “State your business. If there is none, the court is dismissed!”
Just then, the two dukes in crimson robes standing at the front rank of the officials both stepped forward and exchanged a glance.
“Duke of Cheng, you go first!”
“No, Duke of Wu, you go first!”
While the two were politely insisting, King Yong Chen Yu stepped out first, dropped to both knees, and said loudly, “Father Emperor, your son has something to report!”
Chen Qing frowned slightly, his expression impatient as he waved a sleeve. “Speak!”
What the Duke of Cheng and the Duke of Wu wanted, Yu Chenghua had already explained, and Chen Qing naturally knew.
But what business could Chen Yu, that waste obsessed with poetry and song, possibly have that needed to be discussed in court?
It couldn’t be that Princess Consort Yong had beaten him and he had come here to complain, could it?
If that were really the case, he might as well dash his head against Taiji Hall and be done with it.
“Your son wishes to ask Father Emperor to grant a marriage!”
Chen Yu said with a bow.
“Grant a marriage?”
Not only Chen Qing, but the entire court was puzzled.
King Yong Chen Yu was already married, and his wife was Bai Qianqian, the daughter of the Eastern Abyss Frontier Marshal.
Surely he was not thinking of divorcing her and marrying again?
If that were the case, not only would Chen Qing refuse, the entire court would refuse as well.
“Do you want to take a second wife?”
Chen Qing considered that possibility.
Chen Yu looked bitter. He would do more than take a second wife… even three wives and four concubines would not be too many.
But he also had to have the courage for it.
He quickly told the truth. “Reporting to Father Emperor, it is not that your son wants to marry. It is that Wenyu has a girl he admires. He has been crying and making a fuss, insisting that I come and beg you, Grandfather Emperor, to grant him a marriage!”
At these words, the whole court froze.
If they remembered correctly, King Yong’s heir was only eight years old this year.
Eight years old, and already thinking about marrying a wife?
Wasn’t that a little too early?
One by one, they strained to hold back their laughter.
It was not until Chen Qing burst into loud laughter that the entire court followed suit.
The previously tense atmosphere in the court instantly became much more relaxed.
“That boy Wenyu really is my blood… just like I was when I was young. Speak, which little girl has caught Wenyu’s eye? I will grant the marriage.”
Chen Yu might not amount to much, but the child Wenyu was still clever.
It was rare for him to ask his Grandfather Emperor for anything. There was no reason not to satisfy him.
Seeing his Father Emperor in such a good mood, Chen Yu relaxed as well and reported, “The girl Wenyu wants to marry is Duke Xu’s eldest legitimate granddaughter, Xu Zhaoyue. I beg Father Emperor to grant it!”
In that instant, Chen Qing’s face changed on the spot, turning dark to the extreme.
He suddenly stood up and growled, “Chen Yu, dare you say that again?!”
Chen Yu was instantly terrified out of his wits. Trembling, he pressed his forehead to the ground and stammered, “Your son would never dare! Your son knows his mistake!”
Swish!
The entire court of officials knelt at once and said in unison, “Your Majesty, calm your anger!!”
Chen Qing looked coldly at the trembling Chen Yu. “Go shut yourself in and reflect for a month, then come tell me where you went wrong.”
“Y-Your son obeys.”
Chen Qing took a deep breath. At first, he had truly thought Wenyu had taken a fancy to some minister’s daughter. It had all been a front.
It was his most useless son who wanted to tie himself to the Flying Flower Army through marriage and strengthen his own power.
Was he also coveting the position of crown prince?
Chen Yu, you’re not cut out for that.
Whatever good mood he had left was now completely gone.
Chen Qing’s expression was unfriendly as he looked toward the front rank of ministers. “Duke of Cheng, Duke of Wu, it seems the two of you had something to report to me?”
Having seen Chen Yu’s fate, neither of them dared to say another word. They hurriedly waved their hands to indicate that they had nothing to say.
“Then the court is dismissed. Chen Chu, come see me in the Imperial Garden!”