Chapter 44

Now that he had finally caught someone, how could he possibly let you off so easily?

Ni Tiezui launched into another impassioned, righteous performance, piling one accusation after another onto Yun Liang’s head.

He continued until his mouth was parched, then wrapped his arms around the dragon pillar and prepared to smash his white-haired head against it.

“Your Majesty, Yun Liang is the Minister of Rites, yet he allowed the woman of his own household to commit such heinous, immoral acts that defy all propriety. The consequences are far-reaching! If other women follow her example, it could lead to the collapse of ritual and order, throwing the entire realm into chaos!”

“I humbly beg Your Majesty, at the cost of my own life, to strip Yun Liang of his position as Minister of Rites!”

What utter bullshit!

I’m the victim here!

The way he was talking, you’d think I was the murderer!

Yun Liang slammed his head against the floor. “Your Majesty, Imperial Censor Ni is wantonly slandering me, twisting right and wrong, and chilling the hearts of Your Majesty’s loyal subjects! I believe the old man’s mind has grown muddled with age and his eyesight has failed him. I request that Your Majesty allow him to retire and return to his hometown ahead of schedule!”

Ni Tiezui rolled up his sleeves. Oh, you little bastard! I merely impeached you a couple of times, and now you want me to retire?

Gritting his teeth, Ni Tiezui smashed his head against the dragon pillar with a resounding bang.

“Your Majesty, Yun Liang is unworthy of the office of Minister!”

Yun Liang: “Your Majesty, send Ni Tiezui home to retire!”

The two of them went back and forth, putting on quite the spectacular show.

Zhou Siren saw this as the perfect opportunity to kick Yun Liang while he was down. He was just about to step out and join the fray when someone from the Ministry of Revenue’s ranks leaped out first—a particularly shameless attention-seeker who had only recently returned to court after recuperating at home for quite some time.

It was Gao Chongguang!

Gao Chongguang respectfully saluted Yun Yaoyao, then charged straight up to Yun Liang and unleashed a barrage of insults right to his face.

He called him things like “a plucked rooster incapable of breeding,” “the man who will bring the Yun family’s bloodline to an end,” “a man who can’t produce a son is no better than a eunuch with a bird,” and “a castrated man has no business serving in court.”

Whatever was nastiest, he said. Whatever hit the sorest spot, he hurled.

Yun Liang was so furious that he nearly keeled over on the spot.

All the ministers—including Yun Yaoyao up on the throne—watched with great enjoyment. Wasn’t this far more entertaining than watching beautiful women dance?

What a pity that Yun Yaoyao was the one presiding over court today. Otherwise, she could have let Consort Tu see this marvelous spectacle too.

The three men traded insults for quite a while before Yun Yaoyao finally spoke in a languid voice.

“That’s enough. This is the imperial court. Stop making a commotion.”

Yun Liang was so humiliated that he wanted to die. He wished he could draw his sword and hack Gao Chongguang to pieces right then and there. Pointing at him furiously, he said, “Your Majesty, Lord Gao has insulted me so thoroughly! You must see justice done!”

Yun Yaoyao replied nonchalantly, “Lord Gao was discourteous before the throne. Dock his salary for half a year.”

Only then did Gao Chongguang fall silent. He gave Yun Liang a disdainful snort.

His family was wealthy anyway. What did half a year’s salary matter?

He knew it! His Majesty merely disliked him on the surface. In truth, the court couldn’t function without Gao Chongguang, its voice of righteous mockery!

Yun Liang flung his sleeve and glared viciously at Gao Chongguang.

He thought darkly to himself that once he returned home, he would get some sterilization powder from that bitch and make Gao Chongguang impotent too!

From her high seat, Yun Yaoyao continued, “Minister Yun, some of Imperial Censor Ni’s words do have a point.”

Yun Liang answered solemnly, full of righteous sorrow, “Your Majesty, please be clear-sighted! This humble servant has devoted himself entirely to the affairs of the Ministry of Rites, which is why such an oversight occurred in my household!”

Yun ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‍Yaoyao naturally knew that stripping Yun Liang of his position as Minister of Rites based solely on Imperial Censor Ni’s flimsy accusations would never be that simple.

“Minister Yun, I naturally understand. But if one cannot even keep order in one’s own household, how can one govern state affairs?”

“I will send people to assist you, my loyal subject, and thoroughly investigate the matter concerning Madam Yun Li!”

Her ultimate purpose today, aside from enjoying the spectacle, was to uncover the truth.

Madam Yun Li had been determined enough to sterilize Yun Liang. Could she also have had something to do with the original “Yun Yaoyao’s” mother dying of sorrow and despair?

After court ended, Yun Yaoyao made her way to the Palace of Heavenly Purity in high spirits.

Consort Tu ought to be waiting for her outside the hall with all her adorable little delicacies!

She was starving.

When she arrived at the Palace of Heavenly Purity, she saw a graceful figure accompanied by a hulking mountain of a man. The palace attendants beside them were carrying all kinds of delicious dishes.

“Consort, the autumn chill has arrived. Don’t let yourself catch cold. Come inside with Me!”

Yun Yaoyao warmly took Tu Shanjin’s hand and led him into the hall.

Tu Shanjin’s palm stiffened, and a quick flush of red swept across his ears.

She had noticed that the autumn chill had arrived and had forgotten to put on more clothes herself, yet she had thought to worry about him first…

His touching feelings lasted less than ten seconds.

His hand was suddenly empty. Yun Yaoyao had already rushed toward the food laid out on the table and was wolfing it down with enthusiastic cries of “Om nom nom.”

Tu Shanjin: “…”

So she had only been interested in the food.

Accepting his fate, Tu Shanjin sat down at the desk and picked up the memorials one by one, beginning to review them.

Yet some of the memorials he had received recently were rather difficult to comment on.

In the past, the ministers had simply summarized political matters. Now, however, a few of them had begun slipping personal flattery into their memorials and praising him to the skies.

For example: “His Majesty is wise and mighty, restoring order to the world with his bare hands!” and “May His Majesty live for ten thousand years, enjoy perfect health, and bring eternal prosperity to the realm!”

There were also phrases such as “broad-minded and imposing,” “benevolent and respectful toward the worthy,” “compassionate toward the people,” “diligent in government and devoted to the common folk,” “loyal, honest, humane, and forgiving,” “strategically brilliant and skilled in warfare,” and “wise in internal administration.”

Words like these had never appeared in descriptions of him before, yet now they were being heaped upon him without restraint.

Tu Shanjin’s expression darkened. He set one memorial down and picked up another.

This one went even further in its sycophancy. It was so nauseatingly affectionate that it had even started expressing concern for his well-being.

Tu Shanjin was disgusted. He immediately picked up his brush and wrote a single line:

“If you stopped filling memorials with useless drivel, I would be better off.”

Yun Yaoyao noticed his expression and curiously came over.

“What is it? Is someone insulting you in their memorial?”

After reading it, Yun Yaoyao burst into delighted laughter.

“So they’re all praising me! Ha ha! Clearly, I’m gradually becoming the universally adored sage ruler I was destined to be!”

“Which farsighted minister wrote this?”