Emperor Qian said nothing, and the hall below erupted into a clamor.
A dozen or so military officers who had once received favors from the Bai family knelt together and cried out, “Your Majesty, you must not! The Bai Heir is still so young. How could he possibly understand these things?
“The Bai family only has this one son. If his heir status is stripped away, won’t the Prince of Zhenbei’s estate lose its line of succession? We beg Your Majesty to think twice!”
The civil officials and military officers from other factions stood off to the side, watching coldly and whispering among themselves.
“Too young? Is youth an excuse?”
“As the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei, Bai Zhao is of noble standing. He should naturally serve as a model for the world’s young people.”
“First, over a mere verbal dispute, he broke Wang Li’s legs and knocked out all his teeth. Such cruelty, such bullying by power, such arrogance… this is a serious flaw in his personal conduct.”
“Then he went so far as to humiliate a general of the Imperial Guard, forcing him to kneel, kowtow, and slap himself. That is contempt for the imperial family, disrespect toward sovereign and father alike, and a violation of righteousness. How can such a man be the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei?”
“As for the excuse that Bai Zhao is the Bai family’s only son, the Prince of Zhenbei and the princess consort can simply have another child.”
A censor from the Censorate, under the signal of his superior, Grand Censor Shi Changkong, delivered the words that had been prepared in advance.
At the end, he even looked at Bai Zhao with a hint of triumph, his smile full of provocation.
Bai Zhao looked coldly at the chaos in the court, sneering inwardly.
“So they think they’ve got me? This dog even smiles at me on purpose and says things like that to make me lose my temper? You really think I’m stupid enough to fall for that, old fool?”
Bai Zhao just wanted to see how many more people would jump out, so he could tell how many lackeys the Wang family had planted in this court.
“This… I beg Your Majesty to reconsider!”
The group of military officers was left speechless. They were good at marching and fighting, but when it came to a war of words, they could not compare to these civil officials, especially the loudmouthed censors from the Censorate.
“Crack, crack, crack! Silence!”
With a glance from Emperor Qian, Grand Seal Eunuch Yu lashed the smooth white jade floor tiles three times with his long whip and shouted loudly.
The ministers below immediately fell silent.
Just then, another man stepped out from across Bai Muran, bowed to Emperor Qian, and said in a deep voice, “Your Majesty, I have something to say. Please grant me permission.”
A glint of light flashed in Emperor Qian’s eyes.
“Chen Wei, speak.”
Chen Wei paused, then said slowly, “Your Majesty, what Minister Wang and this Censor Yan just said seems to me to be somewhat exaggerated.”
“Besides, how can we only listen to Minister Wang and the others? The exact circumstances may be different. Perhaps Your Majesty should also hear what the Bai Heir has to say. What do you think, Your Majesty?”
A satisfied look appeared in Emperor Qian’s eyes. He gave a slight nod and said, “Heir of the Prince of Zhenbei, do you have anything to say?”
Bai Zhao was looking at Chen Wei, who was bowing before him.
“Chen Wei? That name sounds familiar! Why is he helping me speak? And the robe he’s wearing is clearly that of a second-rank civil official. Which ministry is he from?”
While Bai Zhao was trying to remember where he had heard the name, Emperor Qian called out to him. A cold smile appeared at the corner of Bai Zhao’s mouth.
He looked toward Wang Qianshan’s faction and the smug faces of Censor Yan, as well as the worried expressions of the kneeling military officers, and thought to himself.
“They look down on me? They really think I’m some ignorant and unlearned wastrel, don’t they? If you’re all looking for trouble, then don’t blame me!”
With that thought, Bai Zhao stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said firmly, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for giving me the chance to defend myself. I believe Censor Yan’s words are nothing but alarmist nonsense, laughable beyond measure!”
Hearing Bai Zhao’s words, Wang Qianshan and Censor Yan exchanged a glance, both with a smile curling at the corners of their mouths.
“Let’s see what you can say to whitewash yourself!”
Jiang Mingzhu was also watching Bai Zhao. By now, she had begun to realize something. These people did not seem like good people, and she felt a little worried about Bai Zhao.
Emperor Qian looked at Bai Zhao thoughtfully and asked in a calm, puzzled tone, “Oh? Why do you say that? What basis do you have?”
Bai Zhao replied, “I will refute Censor Yan’s words one by one.”
“First, Censor Yan says my conduct is brutal, that I bully others with power, and that I am arrogant and overbearing.
“Then may I ask, does Censor Yan know what reputation Wang Li has in Chang’an City?”
“What does Wang Li’s reputation have to do with you beating him? Don’t change the subject!”
Censor Yan obviously knew Wang Li’s reputation. His eyes flickered as he stubbornly said that.
“So Censor Yan doesn’t know? That’s fine. Although this Heir has only just returned to the capital, I’ve heard about Wang Li from my servants!
“Today, this Heir will explain it to Censor Yan. This is not changing the subject.”
Bai Zhao turned to look at the now-standing Censor Yan and spoke calmly, without a trace of anger.
Before Censor Yan and Wang Qianshan could answer, Bai Zhao continued, “That Wang Li, relying on his background from Duke Dingguo’s Estate, preys on the commoners and runs wild all over the place. He is infamous in Chang’an City! Bullying men and abusing women, doing every evil deed imaginable… that is the label the commoners have given him.
“At such a young age, he is already so vile. So may I ask, Minister Wang, who is in charge of Great Qian’s propriety, have you properly educated your own son?
“Have you set an example of propriety for the world’s commoners? As Minister of Rites, are you not yourself unworthy of the position you hold?
“After all, as the saying goes, ‘If a son is not taught, it is the father’s fault. If discipline is lax, it is the teacher’s negligence.’ Wouldn’t you agree, Censor Yan?”
“‘If a son is not taught, it is the father’s fault; if discipline is lax, it is the teacher’s negligence.’ What a profound saying!”
Both Emperor Qian and an elderly man standing in the front row showed surprise in their eyes.
None of them had expected Bai Zhao, who had been famous in Chang’an as ignorant and unlearned when he was a child, to suddenly produce such a wise saying!
Censor Yan was momentarily at a loss for words, and Wang Qianshan’s face flushed red. Damn it, this little brat really has a poisonous tongue!
“Bai Heir, we are talking about your matter now. Stop trying to change the subject!”
Censor Yan could only forcefully patch things up.
Bai Zhao snorted in disdain and went on, “Fine. Then let’s follow your words and not talk about Minister Wang. Let’s talk about me.
“Yesterday, outside Mingde Gate, Wang Li spoke rudely to my maidservant, teasing and harassing her. He even threatened to break my limbs and slash my face!
“May I ask, Censor Yan, as a man, when I repaid him in kind, how does that become bullying by power and arrogance?”
“That was only Young Master Wang talking. It was just a dispute between the two of you. How could you be so ruthless!”
Censor Yan stubbornly refused to back down.
“Heh, just talking? If I were not the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei, if I were just an ordinary commoner!
“I’m afraid it would not have been just talk, would it? My fate would have ended exactly as Wang Li said.
“My limbs would have been broken, and my maidservant would have been violated. Oh, and maybe Young Master Wang would have sent people to silence me afterward to leave no loose ends!
“After all, he is the descendant of Duke Dingguo, with a father who is a second-rank court official. What ordinary commoner would dare offend him?
“Now that would be true brutality, bullying by power, and arrogance, wouldn’t it?
“Wang Li ended up like that yesterday because he was used to being domineering and finally kicked against a steel plate.
“This is entirely his own fault! What this Heir did is not bullying by power or arrogance. This is ridding the people of a scourge!”
Bai Zhao delivered the whole speech in one breath, each sentence ringing out like a hammer blow!
“Well said! His Highness the Heir spoke brilliantly!”
“His Highness the Heir is right! Everyone in Chang’an City knows what kind of little brat Wang Li is!”
“Exactly! His Highness the Heir rid the people of a scourge, and you, Wang Qianshan, still have the nerve to complain to His Majesty!”
…
The military officers below the hall were boiling with excitement. Damn it, this is the mouthpiece for rough men like us!
His Highness the Heir has grown up. He’s no longer that ignorant and unlearned wastrel from childhood. He truly is the Prince’s son.
“Well said! Mm…”
Hiding behind the screen, Jiang Mingzhu unconsciously spoke in a sweet voice. Realizing her mistake, she quickly covered her mouth. Fortunately, the cheers of the military officers in the hall drowned out her voice.
“Wang Li is that bad? Looks like Bai Zhao really did the right thing. He rid the people of a scourge!”
Jiang Mingzhu thought silently to herself.
Hearing the noise, Emperor Qian instinctively glanced back at the screen, saw his daughter’s round eyes and sheepish smile, glared at her, then turned back to Bai Zhao below and stroked his chin as he sized him up.
“This kid has some real eloquence. Clear logic, solid reasoning.
“So the ignorant and unlearned act was fake after all. He dared hide it from me. He deserves a beating!”
As Emperor Qian thought this, he looked at the noisy hall and coughed lightly.
“Silence!” Grand Seal Eunuch Yu called out knowingly.
The reactions from all sides were varied, but in truth, it had all happened in a single instant.
By then, Wang Qianshan and the others, as well as Censor Yan, had finally come to their senses.
Wang Qianshan’s eyes were full of anger. Today was a huge humiliation! He signaled to Censor Yan with his eyes not to dawdle and not to give this sharp-tongued brat any chance to turn things around!
Censor Yan steadied himself, gave a reassuring glance back, and said to Bai Zhao, “Bai Heir is indeed sharp-tongued. Even if Wang Li was as you say, and you were only ridding the people of a scourge!
“Then how do you explain forcing the commandant of the Left Brave Guard, Gu Chuan, to kneel, kowtow, and slap himself? You say you are showing contempt for the imperial family, so what do you have to say about that?”
Bai Zhao slowly walked up to Censor Yan, a trace of mockery on his exquisite lips. He narrowed his peach blossom eyes, so different from Jiang Mingzhu’s, and his face was full of contempt.
He said softly, “I know you’re anxious, but don’t rush. This Heir will give you a reason that will leave you fully convinced.”
Hearing this, Jiang Mingzhu wrinkled her cute little nose and muttered softly, “This guy is so full of himself!”
Emperor Qian and the old man watched with great interest.
“Hah, anyone can make bold claims. Then please, Your Highness the Heir, give me a reasonable explanation. I’m waiting to be convinced!”
Censor Yan had regained some of his composure and looked at Bai Zhao with a hint of mockery.
He did not believe Bai Muran could come up with any reasonable explanation. After all, this issue could not be whitewashed.
“Fine. Since you asked so sincerely, this Heir will graciously tell you!”
Bai Zhao laughed, making a little joke, but in this different time and space, no one understood it.
“Gu Chuan, I did indeed make him kneel, kowtow, and slap himself! You’re right!”
“But!”
Bai Zhao suddenly raised his voice, cutting off the words Censor Yan was about to blurt out.
“But what this Heir did was not an insult to imperial dignity, nor an affront to the imperial family’s face!
“On the contrary, what this Heir did was save the imperial family’s face and restore His Majesty’s dignity!”
As soon as those words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
Even Emperor Qian’s face showed confusion. Clearly, he had not understood what Bai Zhao meant by that!
Chen Wei had been secretly pleased that his prospective son-in-law did not seem to be a fool, when Bai Zhao suddenly said this, and it left him stunned as well.
As for the old man standing in the front row, there was another elderly man beside him who had been squinting as though dozing from the beginning. Hearing Bai Zhao’s words, he slowly lifted his eyelids, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes.
“Haha, boy, have you started talking nonsense because you panicked? Such blatant lies are pure nonsense!”
Censor Yan was delighted, and in his excitement he even forgot the proper form of address.
Bai Zhao looked at the old man surnamed Yan, whose wrinkled face was smiling like a chrysanthemum, twitched the corner of his mouth, and said speechlessly, “Hey, old man. What are you so happy about? Have you even listened to me finish?”
At this point, Censor Yan no longer cared what Bai Zhao called him and immediately said, “Oh? Then please continue your sophistry, Young Master. I’m all ears!”
Bai Zhao looked at the smug old man in front of him, shook his head slightly, and said, “Gu Chuan, commandant of the Left Brave Guard, is responsible for guarding Mingde Gate.
“Mingde Gate is the main south gate of the capital, Chang’an. It is the face of Chang’an, and the face of the imperial family!”
Having said that, Bai Zhao paused and then continued, “Guarding such an important place is His Majesty’s recognition of him and His Majesty’s trust in him!
“But what did he do? What exactly did he do?
“That day, Wang Li first rode his horse into the city! If I had not rescued that little girl, she would have been trampled to death by Wang Li!
“After that, Wang Li harassed this Heir’s maidservant, ordered his family servants to try to use force against this Heir, and the city gate guards did nothing at all!
“Not only that, the city gate guards even joined in the harassment. In the end, this Heir had no choice but to subdue Wang Li, but when Gu Chuan arrived, he actually wanted to join forces with Wang Li to suppress the matter! He even threatened this Heir!
“As the general responsible for the city gate guards, he colluded with a noble family’s son. He oppressed the commoners like that! What? Is the Left Brave Guard the Wang family’s Left Brave Guard? Isn’t that kind of behavior a disgrace to His Majesty?”
Hearing these devastating words, Wang Qianshan quickly knelt and shouted, “Your Majesty, I have been wronged! My Wang family has always been loyal and devoted. We absolutely did not mean such a thing!”
As Emperor Qian listened to Bai Zhao’s words, his face grew darker and darker. He had no idea things had happened like that!
Looking at Wang Qianshan kneeling on the ground, a storm was brewing in Emperor Qian’s gloomy face!
By now, Censor Yan was also panicking. He was about to speak and stop Bai Zhao from continuing.
But Bai Zhao spoke first.
“Minister Wang, don’t be so anxious! And Censor Yan, this Heir still hasn’t finished speaking!”
“Why do I say this Heir is restoring His Majesty’s dignity? Gu Chuan bore His Majesty’s trust, yet he colluded with noble sons to oppress the commoners!”
“This Heir believes this is absolutely not the first time Gu Chuan has done something like this! And it was certainly not only with one Wang Li.”
“But you must understand: the commoners are like water, and Great Qian is like a boat; water can carry a boat, and it can also overturn it.
“With Gu Chuan oppressing the commoners like this, how are the commoners who come to the capital supposed to view His Majesty? Won’t they think His Majesty simply does not care about them? That is the real disgrace to the imperial family, isn’t it?”
“So I made him kneel, kowtow, and slap himself, to give him a profound lesson! That is why I say this was for His Majesty’s dignity. Your Majesty, do you think I am right?”
At the end, Bai Zhao turned to look at Emperor Qian and said without humility or fear.
“Good! Good! What a fine saying: the commoners are like water, Great Qian is like a boat! What a fine saying: water can carry a boat, and it can also overturn it! Well said! The little fellow spoke well! You truly are restoring my dignity!”
Emperor Qian looked at Bai Zhao with bright eyes and laughed out loud.
And the two people in the front row who heard those words both had a glint flash in their eyes.
Chen Wei, meanwhile, smiled broadly at Bai Zhao, growing more and more satisfied the longer he looked.
When the marriage contract was first set, Bai Zhao had acted like an ignorant and unlearned wastrel. Later, they heard his martial path talent was godlike, but then he was crippled.
A bunch of old fellows had not missed a chance to mock him, openly and covertly. But now it seemed the boy had grown up and changed his temperament.
Jiang Mingzhu’s peach blossom eyes shone brightly as she looked at Bai Zhao.
A faint smile unconsciously curved her rosy lips.
“This guy really speaks well! When he was saying those things just now, he looked so handsome! He looks much more pleasing to the eye now, not nearly as annoying as before!”
…
The expressions of the people in court varied widely. The military officers were cheering, the civil officials were murmuring, and Censor Yan’s face had gone slack. He stared at Bai Zhao with wide old eyes, shocked by his words!
Wang Qianshan wore a dark expression, and the Wang faction behind him also kept their heads down, grinding their teeth.
Damn it, wasn’t this kid supposed to be a wastrel? How did he suddenly become so eloquent? He even managed to smooth over a situation like this! Damn it! He got away with it!
Bai Zhao then continued, “Censor Yan, do you think what this Heir said makes sense?”
Censor Yan’s face turned red, and he was left completely speechless.