Fu Liao cast an astonished glance at Xi Lingjian. The Emperor was already mere steps away from him.
There was no time for second thoughts; he had to deal with this furious, supreme-authority child right in front of him first.
With no idea where to begin, he could only take a few steps backward to widen the distance as much as possible.
Fortunately, though the boy was shouting about executing him on the spot, he actually seemed much more inclined to vent his frustration with his fists directly.
An idea flashed across Fu Liao’s mind.
Dealing with a child naturally called for a child’s approach.
“If Your Majesty will wait a moment.”
He spoke in a calm, soothing voice that wasn’t loud, yet it caused the Emperor to freeze in place for a fraction of a second.
Taking advantage of the opening, Fu Liao said, “Please look, Your Majesty.”
He pulled at his silver collar. The pale, distant, indifferent shade looked tinged with a hint of yellow beneath the Emperor’s brilliant imperial yellow attire.
The Emperor’s wide pupils contracted slightly, watching with mild curiosity as the silver hue he despised lost its original color, leaving only his own shade flowing across the fabric in a gorgeous display.
“This subject was not trying to provoke Your Majesty, but rather wished to offer this as a gift to Your Majesty.” A faint smile tugged at the corners of Fu Liao’s lips as he edged slightly closer to the Emperor. “How terrified silver must be of a supreme ruler like Your Majesty, rushing to flee the very moment it sees you.”
The Emperor blinked, catching the faint fragrance drifting from the side.
The frail young man had positioned himself slightly behind and to the side of him at some point, shifting his stance right under his nose, yet he surprisingly didn’t feel offended in the least.
He was the only one who didn’t fear him, nor did he possess Xi Lingjian’s arrogant conceit and secret ambitions for the throne.
He continued speaking.
“It is said that no matter how bright the moon is, it ultimately pales before the morning sun, daring only to haunt the night, incomparable to the dawn.”
The Emperor listened in a daze before finally grasping the subtle insinuation in the words.
The ministers, who had been in complete disarray just moments before, gradually grew quiet, casting astonished gazes toward Fu Liao.
Xu Jingyi smiled triumphantly, glancing sideways at Xi Lingjian.
Xi Lingjian wore a blank expression, merely rubbing his thumb ring.
Everyone else waited nervously once more for the Emperor’s reaction.
Reaching out his precious finger, the Emperor straightened his posture and stroked Fu Liao’s collar.
The silver appeared for a fleeting instant before being stained with imperial yellow, unable to break free no matter what.
A grin spread across his face. “Good!”
All the ministers exhaled in unison.
Fu Liao let out a breath of relief, massaging his temples to steady his somewhat dizzy head.
Humoring him really was the right move.
Noticing how much the boy loathed Xi Lingjian, he had drawn a deliberate parallel, disparaging Xi Lingjian to make the Emperor happy.
Fortunately, the silver-white was pure enough to absorb the arrogant color layered over it repeatedly.
“Your Majesty.” The eunuch stationed beside the dragon throne spoke up abruptly.
Before the smile faded from the Emperor’s face, the reminder brought back his sense of urgency, prompting him to clear his throat twice.
The ministers quickly rearranged themselves, resuming their proper stances as if nothing had happened.
Fu Liao looked at the eunuch, whose expression remained as unreadable as Meng Zhui’s.
Since he was stationed beside the Emperor, he had to be Grand Eunuch Mi Yin.
He was also the leader of the eunuch faction and the person who had pressured Ji Liandu to approach Xi Lingjian.
Trotting back to the dragon throne in a few steps, the Emperor resettled himself and gave a grand wave of his hand.
“Seeing how brave the Heir Apparent is fills Us with joy! Hearing that the Heir Apparent holds no official post, We intend to appoint him as a Rectifier of Texts. What does the Heir Apparent think?”
Fu Liao’s brow twitched slightly, and seeing Mi Yin’s eyes dart as well, he instantly tensed up.
Pawn-playing really wasn’t a simple game. He offered a bitter internal smile.
“Your Majesty, the Heir Apparent has already agreed to assist me in training the Feathered Forest Guards,” Xi Lingjian spoke up abruptly, turning to face the Emperor directly.
Swallowing hard, the Emperor glanced over at Mi Yin.
“The Heir Apparent has won Your Majesty’s favor, how could the Prince of Jing dampen Your Majesty’s spirits at a time like this!”
The voice stepping forward belonged to Xu Jingyi.
Xi Lingjian arched a brow. “These Feathered Forest Guards are being trained for the upcoming campaign, and since Your Majesty is deeply concerned, you should naturally be willing to make this sacrifice.”
Caught between the two opposing sides, the Emperor found himself in a difficult spot, yet his overwhelming desire was for Xi Lingjian to pack up his troops and get as far away as possible.
“Your Majesty, why not… let those capable shoulder more burdens?” Mi Yin murmured, offering a subtle prompt to the Emperor.
“Very well!” The Emperor’s eyes lit up. “That settled. We shall bestow upon the Heir Apparent the title of Rectifier of Texts in the Imperial Secretariat, which does not conflict with the training. You and the Prince of Jing can discuss how to manage both.”
“How can this be!” A minister stepped forward to object. “A Rectifier of Texts is a civil post, how can the Marquis of Mingliu’s heir hold it? It violates propriety!”
Fu Liao glanced at his attire—he was a civil official.
It seemed there were still members of the Old Party who hadn’t defected to Xu Jingyi, Fu Liao thought.
Judging by his appearance, he was considerably older than the others, with hair and a beard completely silver-white. Yet he possessed an extraordinary vigor, and a single glance from those eyes was enough to intimidate anyone with ulterior motives.
“Grandee Zu is too rigid. To draw such a clear line between civil and military officials—did not civil officials lead troops back in the day? Why didn’t Grandee Zu speak up then?” Xu Jingyi rebutted. “Besides, Grandee Zu is advanced in years, yet he shows no sign of stepping aside to make way for younger literary scholars.”
“Indeed!” the Emperor chimed in. “We merely wished to commend the Heir Apparent, why must there be so many twists and turns?”
With a wave of his hand, he added, “Enough, that is all for today. Court dismissed!”
Xu Jingyi reminded him hurriedly, “Your Majesty, there is still the Longevity Festival…”
“We are tired, discuss it tomorrow!” Throwing up his hands, the Emperor rose from his seat. “Court is dismissed!”
Leaving in a rush of impatience, the Emperor cast one final glance back toward Fu Liao before disappearing.
Cautiously waving back at him, Fu Liao watched the Emperor beam with delight as if receiving a reward.
Relieved of their tension, the surrounding ministers crowded around Fu Liao, showering him with praises for his quick wits until he had no idea how to respond.
Most of the men in the crowd belonged to Xu Jingyi’s faction, though a minority who despised them were simply intrigued by Fu Liao’s performance.
The New Party members mostly gathered around Xi Lingjian’s side; while few approached him to converse, all eyes remained fixed on him.
Most of the faces seen at the pleasure banquet were absent from this morning court session.
They had likely been dealt with by Xi Lingjian under the pretext of the Lü Chen affair.
Pondering this, Fu Liao’s gaze instinctively drifted toward the man in question, only to find him looking right back.
Startled for a second, Fu Liao recalled how the man had deceived him and couldn’t help sticking his tongue out at him in defiance.
Nobody noticed his petty gesture as the surrounding officials remained busy bickering amongst themselves.
Only after doing it did Fu Liao feel a lingering wave of panic.
He surely wouldn’t think of cutting my tongue out, would he?
While he hesitated, Xi Lingjian didn’t approach him at all, instead turning and walking away.
Leaving Fu Liao standing there bewildered and at a loss.
Abruptly, the circle of surrounding ministers parted.
Standing before him was the white-haired veteran official, who let out a huff, causing the mustache beneath his nose to twitch.
“Disperse, disperse! Clustering around someone here, what kind of decorum is this!” he snapped in displeasure.
Hearing someone grumble, “Old stubborn mule,”
Fu Liao paused before raising his voice. “I appreciate everyone’s kind intentions, but my health is truly poor, and being surrounded by so many people makes it hard to breathe. I must ask for your understanding.”
Hearing this, the crowd gave polite nods and dispersed, allowing Fu Liao to exit the grand hall alongside them.
As the ministers filed out and went their separate ways, only the white-haired veteran official lingered behind Fu Liao.
Turning around, Fu Liao addressed him. “Grandee Zu.”
Smoothing his mustache, Grandee Zu said, “I have words for you.”
Observing the man before him, Fu Liao formed a tentative guess.
Zu Zishan had once mentioned her father was a high-ranking court official bearing the surname Zu; this must be him.
Judging by his demeanor, Zu Zishan still hadn’t confided the whole truth to her father.
Considering her worries, that was entirely reasonable.
“Why must you embroil yourself in this muddy pit?” Grandee Zu let out an exhalation.
Only now did Fu Liao realize Grandee Zu’s earlier rebuttal had been motivated by a desire to keep him from getting dragged into the mess.
“Circumstances compel me,” Fu Liao replied simply.
Grandee Zu snorted. “I think not. You are playing with tigers; take care you do not lose your life.”
“Might I ask which tiger Grandee Zu refers to?” Fu Liao inquired.
Seeing that he seemed close to neither Xi Lingjian nor Xu Jingyi, Fu Liao couldn’t be certain.
“Xu Jingyi is hardly worthy of being called a tiger,” Grandee Zu sneered. “Yet the Prince of Jing is no benevolent soul either. He slaughters the innocent, acts ruthlessly, and disregards all ethical boundaries—how do you expect to contend with him?”
Fu Liao furrowed his brow slightly.
“Without witnessing it firsthand, how can one blindly trust idle gossip?” he countered.
Grandee Zu looked somewhat surprised by the unyielding resolve in Fu Liao’s eyes.
“You do not look like someone who has not witnessed it. But do not forget.”
He pointed toward Fu Liao’s collar, where the gorgeous silver fabric shimmered under the sunlight.
Falling silent for a moment, Fu Liao said, “I understand his reasons.”
The crisis moments ago had actually helped him puzzle out why Xi Lingjian had acted the way he did.
Sighing softly after a brief silence, Grandee Zu remarked, “So be it. Like my daughter, you are a person who cannot be persuaded.”
A jolt of shock went through Fu Liao, but Grandee Zu had already turned and strolled slowly away.
The Regent’s manor.
Meng Zhui poured a cup of hot tea for Xi Lingjian.
Glancing sideways at Yin Ruche, Xi Lingjian raised an outer brow. “You got your revenge, yet you look unhappy?”
“Ah?” Yin Ruche started, flustered. “No…”
Scratching his head in confusion, he asked, “Why did Your Lordship wish to push the Heir Apparent to his death?”
“Did he die?” Xi Lingjian watched the thin wisps of steam slowly dissipate from his cup.
He should have been frightened.
His demeanor was too humble, his speech too gentle, masking the razor-sharp edge of a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.
Warnings could not scare him, deaths could not scare him; after this, he should have kept his distance from him.
At the question, Yin Ruche’s mouth twitched.
If that person weren’t the Heir Apparent, he would likely be dead many times over.
“Did Your Lordship not say you have always lacked…”
“Enough,” Meng Zhui interrupted. “Why not go check on Qinglin? Be careful it doesn’t try to eat the sheep the Heir Apparent brought along.”
Setting down the empty teapot, he led Yin Ruche away with him.
Ensuring their master could no longer hear them, Yin Ruche asked, “What is His Lordship thinking? I cannot make heads or tails of it. Do you understand?”
“When has His Lordship ever required anyone else’s understanding?” Meng Zhui replied flatly, turning back to prepare fresh tea for Xi Lingjian.
Ever since returning to the manor, his master had been drinking tea continuously, showing no intention of stopping even now that night had fallen.
In the past, such behavior always preceded a late-night private conversation.
Yet today, his master seemingly had no one specific in mind to meet.
Just as Meng Zhui set down the fresh brew, a servant hurried in to announce, “Your Lordship, the Marquis of Mingliu’s heir requests an audience.”
Rising to his feet, Xi Lingjian suddenly lowered his brow as prominent green veins bulged across the back of his hand.
His fingertips touched accidentally against the porcelain teacup by the edge of the table; after a brief pause, he sat back down.
“Let him in,” he ordered.
Meng Zhui withdrew without a sound.
Fu Liao was dressed identically to that morning, his silver collar casting a pale, soft glow beneath the moonlight and candlelight.
Stepping forward with utmost caution, his pace remained light and airy, as though afraid of disturbing Xi Lingjian.
Xi Lingjian found no trace of disappointment or anger in his eyes.
“As soon as I returned to the estate, my family intercepted me,” Fu Liao even offered an explanation for why he had arrived so late. “I could only slip out at night through the gap in the wall.”
His sparkling eyes brimbed with anticipation and joy.
“Have I passed Your Lordship’s test now?”