Chapter 12
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In the evening, when he returned home and stepped into the hall, he saw his father sitting in the main chair with a stern look in his eyes.
His mother, who had been playing with his younger brother on the side, turned serious as soon as she saw him. She picked up A’Mo and headed to the inner hall.
Han Jiao was taken aback. This scene was reminiscent of when he had gotten into some serious trouble and his father was preparing to discipline him.
“Father?” he hesitantly called out, not daring to sit down. He stood obediently in front of Master Han, ready to listen and be scolded.
“Why didn’t you tell the family about the Ninth Prince’s matter?” Father asked sternly, getting straight to the point.
Han Jiao looked surprised.
This matter had already reached the Grand Court of Judicial Review!
The officials’ level of gossip was beyond his imagination.
“Oh, that was already the day before yesterday.” Han Jiao tried to appear indifferent. “I didn’t want you and Mother to worry. I’ve already explained everything to His Majesty. I don’t bear any responsibility.”
“You mean to just keep such a significant matter hidden?” Master Han looked incredulous.
He always felt that his son had changed quite a bit since passing the Imperial Examination. He observed him carefully for a long time but couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was different. It seemed like he had just matured and become more composed than before.
Such a significant matter was actually vividly narrated to Master Han by his colleagues.
In the past, his son would never have been so composed.
Despite this child’s usual showy and boastful behavior, as a father, he knew his son still had a childish side and couldn’t handle such a huge shock. Normally, after such an incident, he would have wanted his parents to accompany him for a whole night of conversation to calm his nerves.
But surprisingly, his son acted as if nothing happened.
Master Han and his wife carefully recalled their son’s reactions over the past two days. Fortunately, his wife was attentive and remembered that on the evening of the incident, Han Jiao looked extremely upset.
She thought he might have been upset about something outside and didn’t want to complain to his mother, so she let him be. She never expected it to be such a big matter.
“A’Jiao, have you grown distant from this family?” Master Han’s eyes were filled with disappointment. “Did I do something to let you down?”
“Father!” Han Jiao hurriedly approached and knelt on one knee before his father. “Please don’t overthink. It’s precisely because the matter is significant that I didn’t want to scare you and Mother.”
Master Han was taken aback, feeling a mix of sourness and warmth in his heart. He lowered his head and looked at his son’s youthful face. His voice choked in his throat, unable to speak for a long time. After a while, he spoke with a hoarse and low tone, “A’Jiao, father is still strong. This family, Father can handle it. You don’t have to burden yourself so quickly.”
Han Jiao’s eyes turned slightly red. Since the transmigration, that lingering barrier in his heart suddenly began to crumble.
It had been a long time since he had opened up to his father like this.
Intentionally or unintentionally, he placed the blame for the entire family’s tragedy in the previous life on his father. Unfortunately, the parents in this world resembled those from his past life so much that, apart from their appearance, he had almost forgotten the differences between them. As a result, he unconsciously projected the complaints he had towards his father from the previous life onto the man standing before him.
Since coming to this world, he had maintained a certain emotional distance from his father. It seemed as though he feared that if he got too close, he would gradually be assimilated into someone just like his father.
The painful experiences from his previous life had caused him to completely deny his father’s character.
However, denying his father had only happened in the past two years, whereas idolizing his father had been going on for almost two decades.
At this moment, with just a single sentence from his father, Han Jiao, who had kept his distance, was once again pulled back to his father’s side, becoming a child in need of support.
“Father, sometimes you shoulder too much. You carry the weight of this family, the suffering of the people, and the principles of justice. Sometimes, when you focus on one aspect, you can’t attend to the other.”
Master Han was momentarily stunned, seemingly sensing the reproach in his son’s words. He furrowed his brows and said, “You blame Father for not taking good care of you and your mother? For not accepting those gifts of respect and appreciation?”
“No,” Han Jiao denied, looking at his father’s aging face that appeared older than others his age. After hesitating for a while, he carefully spoke, “Our family’s life is not bad. I’m worried that you carry too heavy a burden of official duties and can’t let go of some things that you could delegate.”
Master Han’s gaze became astonished. There was a moment of silence before he asked in a low voice, “You know about the case involving Prince Yan? Did your mother tell you?”
Han Jiao was taken aback. He hadn’t expected to inadvertently bring up his father’s concerns.
The case involving Prince Yan?
Wasn’t that the matter of wrongful execution for personal gain?
Why would father worry about it?
Han Jiao’s expression changed instantly. He stood up slowly, looking down at his father. “Father, you don’t mean to directly expose this case, do you?”
The wrongful execution for personal gain was a significant matter that involved the Three Law Departments, and his father was one of the investigators.
In the novel, the case had already been suppressed by Senior Minister Xu, but Prince Yan was still in his youthful and upright phase, determined to thoroughly investigate it.
Several upright officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Grand Court of Judicial Review stepped forward, but before the evidence was found, they were all impeached and thrown into prison by the powerful backing behind that criminal general. Because of this case, even Prince Yan came under suspicion by the Emperor.
Han Jiao originally didn’t intend to get involved in this tricky case, but now, seeing his father’s reaction, he strongly suspected that his father was one of those sacrificial officials.
Seeing that his son knew about the case, Master Han stood up slowly and paced a few steps. He spoke in a deep voice, “The defense in Liaodong Region is already in a sorry state. Senior Minister Xu tried everything to place a few capable generals to replace important garrisons, but that Zhao Liang, in order to protect his military position, committed massacre and claimed false merits! Can you guess whose power he’s relying on? Those few commanding officers in Liaodong, even the overall commanders, all have the same despicable personality! The Emperor above is kept in the dark, and the people below don’t dare to touch their backers. The border defense troops are on the verge of collapsing to the core.”
Master Han turned his head and saw his son’s pale face. He quickly suppressed his worried expression and forced a bitter smile. “You don’t understand these matters. Let’s not talk about it. Are you hungry?”
“Father!” Han Jiao quickly walked up and urged, “You absolutely must not get involved in this case! Whatever Senior Minister Xu decides, just let it be. If a mere low-ranking official can overturn Senior Minister Li’s decision, then Senior Minister Xu would not go against Prince Yan’s wishes and insist on suppressing the case!”
Master Han was startled. “A’Jiao, how do you know so much?”
Han Jiao nervously thought for a moment. “There are no airtight walls in the court. Just think about it, if even I’ve heard rumors, then Senior Minister Li must have heard more. To put it bluntly, among your colleagues, how many will rush to pass on information to Senior Minister Li? We can’t become the birds that stand out.”
Master Han frowned, turned away, and calmly said, “This time, I won’t stand out, but I don’t know if there will be another chance.”
“There won’t be any chance this time either!” Han Jiao quickly moved in front of his father. “Prince Yan is determined to investigate thoroughly. Can we consider it a chance to overturn Senior Minister Li? It depends on whether the ruler of this country is willing to support the investigation! The news of the great victory at Qining Pass has already reached the capital and the thirteen provinces. The whole court is praising the Emperor. Who can possibly reverse this case?”
“It’s precisely because the Emperor is kept in the dark!” Master Han said sternly, “We officials receive the Emperor’s salary…”
“We should also consider the Emperor’s worries!” Han Jiao interrupted his father, “A few months ago, Senior Minister Li defied public opinion and had the Emperor rebuild a palace in the south. At that time, even if someone in his faction committed a crime, or even if he himself committed a capital offense, the Emperor would still suppress it for him. Father, you must not mistake a cliff for an opportunity and blindly jump off with your eyes closed.”
The words from his son left Master Han stunned for a while. He examined Han Jiao closely and murmured, “A’Jiao, you have only just stepped into the officialdom, how did you…”
“My heart hasn’t changed.” Han Jiao looked at his father with determination. “It’s just that after experiencing the life and death crisis the other day, I suddenly gained some insights. As the saying goes, true wisdom is not hindered by momentary mistakes. If you truly want to cleanse the court, you should see the overall situation clearly, bide your time, and not make fearless sacrifices.”
“A’Jiao is right!” Suddenly, Mrs. Han’s voice came from behind the door.
The father and son turned their heads and saw Mrs. Han entering the hall, looking annoyed as she lifted the curtain. She scolded her husband with a glare, “Even our son understands these principles, but you, like a stubborn block of wood, don’t get it! If you want to crash into a south wall, no one will stop you, but don’t drag down my A’Jiao and A’Mo with you!”
The matter ultimately affected the safety of his wife and children, so Master Han didn’t dare to argue with his wife and silently returned to his room.
Han Jiao wanted to follow and explain, but his mother stopped him.
“I’ll talk to him tonight. Don’t worry about it. Are you hungry? Today, I made your favorite braised pork.”
•••
“It’s been three days, why is the swelling still so severe?” The Sixth Princess frowned as she watched the imperial physician apply medicine to her ninth brother’s wound.
The gauze clung to the wound, and as it was gently peeled, the Sixth Princess shut her eyes, unable to bear the sight. A sudden tingle in her nose brought forth tears once more.
“Don’t cry, Big Sister,” Xie Duo stared at the gauze with an expressionless face and consoled, “The physician said the swelling will go down after seven days.”
When a girl feels wronged, she tends to cry even more when comforted. Upon hearing this, the Sixth Princess cried even louder, “Buhuhuhu…”
Xie Duo helplessly turned his head to look at his sister and said seriously, “If you really must cry, can you do it more softly? What girl cries with such a rough voice like a man? If someone outside hears, they’ll think it’s me crying. I’ve already lost enough face.”
The princess, naturally having a deep voice, immediately stopped crying, exploded in anger, and started complaining again, “Which one of us sisters hasn’t shed tears for you these past few days? Now you care about your face? You, little brat, usually seem clever. You even copied a policy essay from a child prodigy. If you really didn’t want to write, you could have asked us sisters…”
“I appreciate your reminder for the past three days, Big Sister,” Xie Duo’s sharp eyes stared at the Sixth Princess, “I already learned my own limits and won’t make the same mistake again.”
The Sixth Princess couldn’t help but continue complaining, “If you care about your face, then don’t be soft-hearted. Just for an apprentice like him, you let yourself get beaten up like this?”
Xie Duo closed his eyes in despair and leaned back in the chair.
These past few days, officials from the Hanlin Academy have been coming to Nansan Hall to seek an audience and pay their respects, crying and expressing gratitude for the Ninth Prince’s benevolence as if mourning their parents’ death.
Due to a junior scholar-official stepping forward to take responsibility, the Ninth Prince’s reputation as a lover of talent has spread throughout the court and the common people. However, in reality…
“I really didn’t… act heroically,” Xie Duo said with closed eyes in anguish, “When Father Emperor asked, I firmly insisted that several Expositors-in-waiting had given me guidance and helped me write that policy essay. I didn’t expect that little guy, as soon as he saw Father Emperor, immediately kneeled and confessed that he wrote the essay. How could I still shirk the responsibility? I can’t possibly say that he held a knife to my neck and forced me to copy it, right?”
“You could have said he voluntarily wrote it and sent it to you as a hint.”
“I’ve already copied it, and dragging a junior scholar-official into trouble won’t change anything.”
“You have already dragged that person into suffering,” suddenly came Xie Jing’s voice from outside the door.
The Sixth Princess turned her head and saw Xie Jing and Xie An walking quickly into the room.
“Master Han was waiting for you outside the study room yesterday, and Third Brother almost gave him a beating!” Xie An hurriedly delivered the news as soon as he entered the room.
Xie Duo glanced at his younger brother and asked, “What was he waiting for me for?”
“He seemed to want to give you medicine.” Xie An sat down in a nearby chair and recalled the situation from yesterday, “Master Han looked so pitiful. He pretended to have lost his purse while waiting for you outside the study. He searched all around, but Third Brother found it in his pocket with just a touch…”
Imagining the scene at that time, Xie Duo was caught off guard and couldn’t help but laugh. His arm shook, and the hand applying the medicine accidentally hit the spoon, causing him to instinctively pull back his hand, wincing in pain and lowering his head.
“Hey, don’t move around!” The Sixth Princess stood up in alarm.
“Why are you laughing, Ninth Brother!” Xie An grumbled, “Master Han looked so pitiful. Third Brother scolded him and even threw away his bag of medicine. Master went to pick it up like a treasure and put it back in his sleeves, looking very angry…”
Xie Duo raised his head and asked Xie An, “What did Third Brother scold him for?”
“He accused Master Han of fawning and seeking fame.”
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