HuayanCountry"s capital (Huayan. Hua: flower/magnificent; Yan: flame, the Imperial Clan"s family name.), inside the Imperial Palace.
Young Emperor Yan Feng flung wide his arm, sweeping the pile of reports on his desk to the ground with a dark face. Trembling before him currently were princes and officials kneeling all over the Imperial Court. Facing the Son of Heaven"s seething fury, no one dared to utter a sound.
Prime Minister Ning Zezhi was amongst those prostrated on the floor, the wings on his officer hat quivering nonstop due to its wearer"s fear. He spoke hesitantly in a small voice, "Your Majesty, please quell your anger so as to maintain your well-being. This old man implores Your Majesty, please let me handle Vice-Minister of Justice Zhuang Cheng"s corruption case!"
Yan Feng swung his sleeves out as he shouted, "It"s not just a day or two that Zhuang Cheng has been taking bribes and bending laws. Except for me, who in my Imperial Capital doesn"t know of this? Yet, you lot cover for each other. None of you, not one, once stepped out to expose him. If not for the single fact that a life was involved this time, I couldn"t even dare to imagine, just how much longer would such vermin like him stay hidden by my side?"
Yan Feng was so infuriated that his hands were trembling slightly. "Prime Minister, don"t try to say that you really didn"t know about his unlawful deeds. You lot receive the Imperial salary but don"t even properly do your job. You lot have truly disappointed this emperor! Forget it! This time, I will oversee this case in person. Tomorrow, come with me to seal the Zhuang Estate. I shall use this chance to put the court in its rightful place!"
Leaving his dead quiet and fearful subjects behind, Yan Feng flung his arms again and left for the Imperial Harem in a rage.
Imperial n.o.ble Consort ChiYun ping, elegant like a willow in the winds, was taking small steps as she hurried out to welcome the emperor. She wore a light pink, silk gown with wide sleeves. The half-transparent gown she wore was embroidered with a random yet aesthetic distribution of peonies, its brown broad brim being decorated with intricate gold-colored cloud patterns. The neckline slightly slanted outwards, half-exposing her beautiful pale shoulders. Under the innermost layer, her red body wrapper was faintly discernible.
A belt embroidered with flowers and encrusted with pearls emphasized ChiYun ping"s slim waist. An emerald jade pendant attached to one side of the belt jingled with her every movement. From the belt down, a long, rose-colored silk gown sprinkled with gold sparks swept on the smooth marble floor, swaying with her steps. As ChiYun ping walked, a pair of delicate pink shoes with a phoenix embroidered on the toecaps occasionally peeked out from under the dress.
ChiYun ping"s hair was tied up in the Scent of the Cloud, her hairbun was adorned with a gold hairpin that held a red gem on top. A branch of peony flowers hung off the hair behind her right ear, perfectly harmonizing with the peony gown she wore. A blooming peach flower hairpin was inserted on the left side of her hair, tourmaline jewels dangling on the hairpin"s long golden threads. A crescent-shaped gold comb tightly fixed the hair bun in place behind the head. Next to the comb, a row of bright red coral beads swayed ever so slightly. Her ears wore a pair of long earrings with gemstones drooping at the shoulders, which made her delicate face and small chin stand out even more. From every angle and distance, she was breathtakingly beautiful!
ChiYun ping was the emperor"s most favored imperial consort. Aside from a beautiful face, she was supported by a prominent clan. Her father, Chiyun Nan, had been bestowed with n.o.bility due to his numerous meritorious deeds when the previous emperor reigned. Currently t.i.tled Commandery Prince Yan, he was one of the few princes that weren"t related to the Imperial clan through blood.
ChiYun ping"s younger brother, Chiyun Yuexuan, relying solely on his skill and proficiency in the military, currently held the position of Bulwark General. As her clan protected the national border for the Imperial Clan, they also enjoyed abundant imperial favor to the point that their power could sway the court.
Yan Feng quickened his steps to help up ChiYun ping who was bending in a curtsy. Gently stroking her rosy cheek a little, he supported her by the arm into the Minghui Palace.
The Minghui Palace was ChiYun ping"s royal residence, and also Yan Feng"s most visited place in the Imperial Palace. Since ChiYun ping was very much favored, her palace had been luxuriously reconstructed. The halls and chambers were arranged in an inspired order, the corridors long and winding. Looking out from the pavilion, a clear stream flowed by underneath, the reflection on the fish"s shiny scales was weaving, and the birds were soaring freely. On the distant rockery, exotic flowers grew in brocade, and the flowerbed nearby was filled with all sorts of different flowers. Submerged in the middle of it all, one could hear the sound of music right by their ears and smell the scent of drifting fragrant. The entire palace was like a paradise on earth.
However, even the esteemed Imperial n.o.ble Consort had her own worries. It had already been three years since the Empress"s death, but Yan Feng had shown no intention to make her the next empress at all. ChiYun ping was somewhat impatient, but she dared not easily open her mouth to suggest it herself.
With the palace maids" a.s.sistance, ChiYun ping carefully took off the Tongtian Crown on Yan Feng"s head, as well as the crimson dragon robe on his body and replaced it with a comfortable satin royal garment.
With a pair of charming limpid eyes, ChiYun ping shyly gazed at the emperor in front of her. Yan Feng stood there with arms behind his back, his posture tall and imposing. His chiseled face deeply furrowed in contemplation, and a gleam flashed through his bottomless black eyes. Lost in thought, his handsome face looked even more chilling than usual. The naturally exuding presence of a monarch was so overwhelming that it rendered everyone around him unable to breathe!
Seeing Yan Feng being so absent-minded, ChiYun ping coquettishly nudged him with her shoulder and playfully protested, "Your Majesty… You can"t think of other women in my place!"
Yan Feng woke up from his trance and took ChiYun ping in his embrace. "I will never think of anyone else but Ping"er! I was only thinking about some troublesome matters of the court." The two leaned close to each other and whispered endless sweet nothings.
The next day, inside the sealed estate of the vice-minister of justice, Yan Feng personally oversaw the process as all the officials were going to and fro in a hurry, taking notes of the private properties and sorting them into trunks, before putting a paper seal strip on each trunk.
The sheer amount of sealed trunks could rival half of the national treasury. Yan Feng heavily smacked the table. "A mere vice-minister can actually be this wealthy?! Tell me, how many more officials are out there like him? A corrupt official can"t be forgiven even in death! The people"s wrath will not ease up until he is dead! Drag him out to be beheaded right now. Send the men in the estate to perform military service at the border, and the women to the military brothels. Treat all servants as accomplices. As for those who aren"t related in some manner, sell them as slaves to other officials. The confiscated silver and properties will go to the national treasury."
Soon, the soldier that had executed Zhuang Cheng returned to report on the completion of his a.s.signment. The soldiers taking part in the sealing of the properties pushed out a group of maids that"d been questioned. Upon seeing the emperor, everyone knelt to pay their respects.
The fates of these maids were much better than the women of the Zhuang family. They were originally servants, so it was only a change of households for them. Meanwhile, the wives and daughters would all be sent to the military brothels as prost.i.tutes, which was a considerably cruel punishment for women of any n.o.ble family.
Yan Feng swept an indifferent glance at the prostrating maids and waved his hand, ordering the soldiers to take them to the slave market. At this moment, a young maid in a green vest and white dress suddenly shouted shrilly between heavy sobs, "This servant has something to report. A female member of the family has dressed up as a maid and intends to escape her punishment! Seeing as I have reported an offense, I beg Your Majesty to lessen my punishment." She turned around and pointed at a roughly sixteen-year-old, kneeling young girl in a pink dress. "She is Zhuang Cheng"s daughter-in-law."
Enraged, Yan Feng strode over and drug out the young girl in question himself. Grabbing her small chin in one hand, he looked closely into her eyes and coldly said between gritted teeth, "Is what that maid said true?"
A trace of panic flashed through the girl"s eyes before they were instantly restored of calm. "I am not their daughter-in-law. I was sold here since I was little and have been a maid ever since, only in charge of the petty work in the kitchen."
Yan Feng doubtfully scanned the girl"s dirty face. Her delicate, palm-sized face vaguely revealed an anima of sort despite being stained by some black substance. Yan Feng suddenly felt an urge to wipe clean her face in order to have a clear look, but the idea only lasted briefly before he resumed his usual att.i.tude. The emperor"s icy voice was absolutely emotionless, "Drag her away. Send her to the military brothels like the other female family members.
The young girl refused to comply. She struggled and argued, "They all say the Heaven"s Son Yan Feng is a wise emperor. Yet, why are you deciding a person"s crime without knowing their rights and wrongs first?"
Expressionlessly, Yan Feng"s voice was chilly to the bone, "As the Son of Heaven, I have every right to decide anyone"s fate. And moreover, without any reasons!"
The young girl calmly stood up and cursed him loudly, "Fatuous ruler." Then, she let the soldiers push her out without any more words.
Infuriated, Yan Feng viciously smacked his hand on the stone table. "Audacious servant! Drag her out for execution!"
Another maid in pastel blue crawled to Yan Feng"s feet and said in a trembling voice, "Please wait. Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I can prove that she isn"t the family"s daughter-in-law to be. I did petty work together with her in the kitchen. We are both low-ranked servants."
Yan Feng"s anger could no longer be suppressed now. He was just called "fatuous ruler" by a lowly servant of a sinned subject, and there was actually a person who could prove the innocence of the person who cursed him. Just what has gone wrong with this world? Do they all want to sweep his kingly might with the dust? Yan Feng bellowed, "Making up false evidence, you shall be executed along with her!"
The first maid who reported shivered in fear. She pointed at the maid in pastel blue. "Cai Sang, did she bribe you or something? Everyone knows that she, Murong Zhining, had been raised as a future bride for that r.e.t.a.r.ded son of theirs. Moreover, she wasn"t willing to marry a r.e.t.a.r.d, so she secretly seduced her husband-to-be"s father, Zhuang Cheng. I saw it with my own two eyes!"
The maid called Cai Sang replied with a stern face, "I only know that you"ve always been jealous of Zhining. Cai Qin, you… You are making up malicious slander!"
A hint of schadenfreude humour flashed through Yan Feng"s eyes. He very much looked forward to seeing how this audacious young girl who dared to call him a fatuous ruler would prove her innocence.
Yan Feng scornfully turned to the prostrating Murong Zhining. "Lowly servant, you still dare to say you aren"t their daughter-in-law? The maids are all called Hua and Duo something, but why is your name so unique, ahh? Everyone knows you"re the family future female head from just that name. Not only did you offend and dare to deceive the emperor, but you also know no shame and had an affair with your husband-to-be"s father. Truly an indecency to the social morality you are! I don"t want to keep a filthy woman like you around for a second longer. Men, come. Drag her out and execute her. Don"t let her spoil this emperor"s eyes any longer!"