The court was thrown into utter silence. Ministers stared in shock, holding their breath.
Realizing they had been a step behind, they all turned their gazes toward Qi Wang.
Xie Caiqing, at the perfect moment, wore a blank expression.
Seeing his reaction, the emperor couldn’t help but smirk, as though immensely satisfied by this unexpected turn of events.
Yin Xian glanced back and, noticing the emperor’s silent approval, immediately continued, “This servant is responsible for His Majesty’s daily affairs! I personally fastened this jade to His Majesty’s waist only a few days ago! At the time, His Majesty even complained that it was too plain and unappealing. It took much persuasion before he reluctantly agreed to wear it. I remember it very clearly!”
Xiao Yun: “…” He hadn’t instructed this man to provide so much detail.
“…” Xie Caiqing remained impassive.
So that was it. Given Xiao Yun’s taste, there was no way he would have chosen such a jade. It must have been casually discarded and ended up with him.
Qi Wang finally realized something was wrong, and his face turned paler by the second. “How could this be?! No! This is impossible!”
Hadn’t Xie Caiqing told him…
“No! You must have mistaken it!” He suddenly turned to Xie Caiqing, pointing at him in a frenzy. “He personally admitted to having illicit relations with the owner of the jade—”
“Enough!” Yin Xian stared coldly at the flustered, rambling Qi Wang, thinking that he had grown far too arrogant and reckless, forgetting his place entirely. “If Qi Wang has any doubts, he is welcome to have it investigated. All imperial possessions are registered with the Internal Affairs Bureau!”
The court ministers widened their eyes in shock, their expressions shifting unpredictably.
The jade belonged to His Majesty, and Xie Caiqing had admitted to having illicit relations with its owner…
His Majesty… Could it be…
Then that meant the top scholar was…
His Majesty actually…
This… this this…
From the moment Qi Wang mentioned the illicit relationship, the top scholar’s face had gradually turned from deathly pale to a deep red.
Xiao Yun stared at him for a long moment, the corners of his lips curling upward. He reached out his hand toward Yin Xian.
Yin Xian immediately and respectfully presented the jade with both hands. Xiao Yun picked it up by its string, idly rubbing its smooth surface.
The jade, just like the top scholar, was pure white and flawless, silky and beautiful.
Seeing this action, the top scholar lowered his head even further, stiffly adjusting his collar. When his fingers brushed the skin on his neck where the jade used to rest, his expression darkened, as if suddenly disgusted with himself, sinking into self-loathing.
Xiao Yun couldn’t help but glance at him twice more, holding back his laughter. He mused to himself—how could someone be this amusing and adorable? Yet his tone remained as lazy and composed as ever: “That day, I went out in disguise to observe the people’s livelihood. While having tea at Yixian Tower, I happened to overhear the top scholar making a passionate speech, which I found rather admirable. So, I casually gifted him this jade as a blessing for his success in the imperial examination.”
“I never expected it would bring him so much trouble. That is indeed my fault.”
“Wasn’t Qi Wang looking for the adulterer?” Xiao Yun spoke to Qi Wang, but his eyes were fixed intently on Xie Caiqing. He chuckled. “No need to search anymore—the adulterer is me.”
At this, Qi Wang’s face turned ashen, and with a loud thud, he dropped to his knees.
The entire court was seized by a mixture of terror and suppressed laughter, struggling to keep a straight face.
Xie Caiqing’s head snapped up in shock, as if he couldn’t understand why the emperor would say such a thing. Then, in the next moment, he quickly lowered his head again, his face flushing completely red in utter humiliation.
Xiao Yun drawled, “I, an old man, have failed to conduct myself with dignity. The top scholar, a young man, has also failed to maintain propriety. As the emperor, I have engaged in academic fraud, opening the backdoor for him in the imperial examination.”
Some of the standing court officials finally lost their composure and began to chuckle. A few military officers, unable to contain themselves, roared with laughter.
A mere top scholar? If the emperor wanted to appoint someone, he could do so at will—there was no need for fraud!
But after laughing, their expressions became peculiar again. Could it be that His Majesty truly had an interest in the top scholar? His Majesty had always been playful, and the top scholar was indeed exceptionally attractive…
Qi Wang’s esteemed knees trembled violently.
Xie Caiqing… was his uncle’s bedmate? Then… that day when Xie Caiqing had been drugged, why had his uncle sent him to… Mingyan Pagoda? And he had even… in front of his uncle…
Qi Wang’s face turned ashen, sweat pouring down his forehead.
“‘What kind of relationship must one have to cherish another’s belonging so dearly, wearing it around their neck, hiding it from prying eyes, treasuring it with love?'” Xiao Yun lazily repeated. “Well then, I must ask the top scholar—what is our relationship?”
Xie Caiqing buried his head deep, as if he would rather die than answer. “…This humble servant was unaware the jade belonged to His Majesty.”
The ministers took a long moment to process this sentence before sighing in relief.
So His Majesty was just joking.
They had actually thought His Majesty had taken a male lover!
Thank goodness!
They knew His Majesty could be reckless, but surely not to the extent of toying with his officials!
Xiao Yun said, “Then why did the top scholar tell Qi Wang that I had relations with you?”
A few military officers burst into laughter again.
Xie Caiqing’s eyes turned red with humiliation amidst the thunderous laughter. Real shame finally crept onto his face, but he forcibly suppressed it. After a long pause, he ground out through clenched teeth, “That day… Qi Wang was making things difficult for me. I had no choice but to speak nonsense to escape. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”
The court ministers suddenly understood. Xie Caiqing had put it delicately, but everyone present knew exactly what “making things difficult” meant.
That explained it. Xie Caiqing had no idea the jade was the emperor’s, which had led to this massive misunderstanding.
But Xiao Yun wasn’t about to let him off the hook so easily. In a languid voice, he asked, “Then why did you wear it around your neck? According to Qi Wang’s logic, could it be that you have feelings for me?”
The ministers immediately realized laughing at this moment would be entirely inappropriate and struggled to contain themselves.
Xie Caiqing bit his lip and replied, “…This humble servant is still young and found the jade… aesthetically pleasing. I liked it and feared it might get damaged, so I kept it close. I also worried that if others saw it, it might cause trouble for Your Majesty… but I never expected…”
“Oh, so you liked the way it looked,” Xiao Yun said teasingly. “So you like the jade, but not me?”
The military officers couldn’t hold back anymore, their laughter rumbling through the hall.
Xie Caiqing’s entire face turned red, a faint heat rising from his skin. “…His Majesty is wise and mighty, admired and loved by all his subjects.”
Xiao Yun chuckled. “I was asking the top scholar, not the entire court.”
Xie Caiqing twisted his hands anxiously, hesitated for a long moment under countless gazes, and finally murmured in an almost inaudible voice, “…This humble servant naturally… naturally likes His Majesty.”
Xiao Yun’s heart stirred, blooming with delight, a smile spreading across his lips.
Xie Caiqing quickly added, “As does everyone in the empire—”
Before he could finish his carefully crafted words, Xiao Yun lazily cut him off, looking at the assembled ministers. “You all heard him, didn’t you? I like the top scholar, so I casually gifted him a jade. And the top scholar said he likes me, which is why he wore my gift close to his heart. That means we are, indeed, adulterers. We have already had illicit relations.”
The ministers were now completely unsure whether to laugh or cry.
Xiao Yun turned to the utterly devastated Qi Wang. “Would Qi Wang like to check the imperial records on my private quarters? Perhaps to see whether I have truly taken the top scholar into my bed?”
Xie Zhe was momentarily stunned, his lips pressed tightly together in discomfort.
If not for an unexpected turn of events, there truly would have been a record of imperial favor in the internal palace registers.
He glanced at Xie Caiqing and thought that if they weren’t in the imperial court, Xie Caiqing would probably have dug a hole and buried himself in it by now.
With a heavy thud, Qi Wang dropped to his knees. “Your Majesty, please grant me mercy! I deserve a thousand deaths!”
Zhang Ninghan also knelt, trembling like a sieve.
Xiao Yun sighed. “If the real ‘adulterer’ weren’t me, Lord Zhang, would you not be utterly defenseless? Would the top scholar not be completely powerless to refute the accusations? With both witness and evidence seemingly aligned against you, spoken with such confidence, it would appear entirely true. Even I almost believed it and started wondering when exactly I had favored the top scholar.”
“…Your Majesty is wise!”
Many court officials also felt a lingering sense of fear.
All of this, simply because of a jade pendant.
Because of talent that incited jealousy.
Because of a face that attracted covetous thoughts.
Because of a humble background with no one to rely on.
Because of a letter written with good intentions to mediate a dispute.
And yet, these small things almost turned black into white, nearly destroyed the hard-earned reputation of the venerable Lord Zhang Gong, nearly brought shame to his entire family, nearly ruined the future of a young top scholar, leaving him to bear lifelong ridicule.
They all knew deep down—if the emperor had not been implicated in this matter, there would have been only one outcome for Zhang Gong and Xie Caiqing: complete ruin. Even if no one had actually witnessed the two engaging in indecent acts, the sheer force of slander alone would have been enough to ruin them both.
The realization sent shivers down their spines. Such a disaster, so arbitrary and unavoidable, made them all break out in a cold sweat. Regaining their senses, they turned their resentment toward Qi Wang, fearing that they, too, might one day fall victim to the same fate.
Xiao Yun turned his gaze toward Zhang Gong, his previous teasing completely gone, replaced by an imposing severity. “Lord Zhang, you and Xie Caiqing had never met before. Why did you write a letter for him?”
Zhang Gong cast a cold glance at Qi Wang. “Though I had never met Xie Caiqing before, I admired his talent and character. I could not stand by and watch him be defiled by villains! That is why I disregarded my own reputation and the safety of my family to write that letter—to resolve the conflict!”
“‘Defiled by villains’? Why use such harsh words?” Xiao Yun feigned confusion.
Zhang Gong swept his gaze over the assembled officials, then roared, “Are you all still pretending to be ignorant?! You all know perfectly well what happened at Mingyan Pagoda that day! And last night—how many of you were visited by Qi Wang’s men? Do you need me to name you one by one?!”
“For over forty years, I, Zhang Gong, have served as an official with a clear conscience, owing nothing to anyone! Many of you here have benefited from my kindness, yet today, you join hands with Qi Wang to frame me and the top scholar. What exactly are your intentions?!”
“If not for His Majesty today, my Zhang family would have been falsely accused, our honor trampled! His Majesty is magnanimous, always willing to be lenient and set things right—this is an opportunity to atone for your mistakes and counterbalance your transgressions! If not, and a thorough investigation is launched, none of you will escape unscathed! I am an old man unafraid of death! If I must die, I will drag all of you down with me to demand justice!”
“My Zhang family has many descendants! If I, Zhang Gong, cannot finish what I started, my descendants will see it through!”
“Yes!” Zhang Gong’s two sons stepped forward with righteous indignation. “If our Zhang family is not given justice today, if we are not granted an explanation, then as long as we live, we will never let this matter rest!”
The officials who had previously knelt to support Qi Wang were now filled with terror.
Zhang Gong’s two sons were both officials in the Imperial Censorate. If they bore a grudge, they could drown them in memorials of impeachment alone. If they scrutinized every move they made, just waiting for them to slip up before submitting a report…
The kneeling officials broke out in a cold sweat.
Zhang Gong’s voice was cold as he declared, “I do not need Qi Wang to bow before me. I only ask—what crime does Qi Wang deserve for persecuting the top scholar?!”
“For fabricating charges against me, what crime does Qi Wang deserve?!”
“For conspiring and colluding with officials in secret, what crime does Qi Wang deserve?!”
“For repeatedly defaming the Emperor, for spewing outrageous slander, what crime does Qi Wang deserve?!”
Each question rang louder than the last, resounding through the imperial court.
Xiao Yun clicked his tongue—Zhang Gong is still Zhang Gong, sharp and indispensable. It would be a shame to let him go.
Many officials began to understand the bigger picture.
Zhang Gong was no fool. There was no way he would have written that letter simply because he “admired talent and virtue.”
If someone as hot-blooded and fiercely just as Liu Yun had done it, perhaps it would be believable. But Zhang Gong? In another lifetime, maybe.
Unless… he had deliberately placed a false piece of evidence in Qi Wang’s hands.
And why would he do that?
Because Zhang Gong and Xie Caiqing were on the same side.
And Xie Caiqing and the emperor were on the same side.
Which meant that this time… the emperor and Zhang Gong were on the same side.
Even young and inexperienced Xie Caiqing knew to be subtle, yet the seasoned official Zhang Gong had openly exposed Qi Wang’s wrongdoings without sparing him any dignity. Of course, it wasn’t because he was unafraid of power—it was because His Majesty had decided… it was time to deal with the Eldest Princess’s household.
“Righting wrongs,”
“Making amends,”
“Balancing crime with merit,”
“…Or else, a thorough investigation shall begin.”
The officials cast wary glances at the sovereign seated high upon the dragon throne, watching the chaos unfold with a detached amusement. They felt an overwhelming sense of fear and reverence, their minds unified in an instant.
In unison, they proclaimed, “Qi Wang has openly defied the Emperor—his crime is punishable by death! We beseech Your Majesty to investigate and punish him accordingly! The Eldest Princess has failed to properly discipline her son—we beseech Your Majesty to investigate and punish her accordingly!”
Qi Wang, kneeling and limp as mud, rolled his eyes back and fainted on the spot.
