Chapter 11
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Chapter Eleven
The Jingzhao Prefect, Lord Liang, was the Kang Prince’s Consort’s elder brother. Over the past two years, Feng Zhongyan had never shown him any special consideration in court, but in private, their connection through the Princess Consort and Lady Feng had kept them from interfering with one another. Each had gone his own way in peace.
What happened today shattered that balance. Afraid of provoking him, Lord Liang hurried to offer an apology.
“Lord Provincial Governor, this is all a misunderstanding...”
Feng Zhongyan was in no hurry. He wanted to hear him out.
“What misunderstanding?”
Lord Liang recited every detail they had uncovered, even racking his brains for more things to add.
“This morning, the brothel madam came to report the case with a portrait in hand. We could only arrest the person. Had we known she was one of your people, even if Your Lordship had granted this subordinate a hundred more lives, I would never have dared confine her here...” He glanced at Feng Zhongyan’s expression. Flames still seemed to leap in the man’s eyes, yet no joy or anger could be discerned. It was as though he were patiently listening to the explanation, so Lord Liang continued, “She arrived at the Jingzhao Office in the morning. As Your Lordship knows, in cases like this, all it takes is a day in custody and payment to the madam for the matter to be settled. How could we possibly have interrogated her in the middle of the night?”
“Are you saying that someone used the lash on my person in your prison, and you knew nothing about it?”
Lord Liang wiped away a bead of sweat and nodded bitterly.
“That is indeed the situation.”
Feng Zhongyan suddenly laughed.
The sound was neither loud nor soft, yet it sent a chill down Lord Liang’s spine.
“Lord Provincial Governor, perhaps I should give Your Lordship an explanation.”
“Very well.” Feng Zhongyan agreed readily. “Then let me see the sincerity of Lord Liang’s explanation.”
Those words left Lord Liang with no room to retreat. From the force Feng Zhongyan had brought with him tonight, it was obvious that the prisoner below was no ordinary person. Without a proper explanation, there was no way he could bluff his way through this.
Hardening his heart, he ordered the deputy commissioner, “Everyone who was on duty tonight is to receive three strokes of the lash.”
Then he turned back with a smile.
“Lord Provincial Governor, is this punishment satisfactory?”
Feng Zhongyan neither said it was nor said it was not. He merely waited for what came next.
The words had already been spoken. Whether Feng Zhongyan was satisfied or not, Lord Liang could only demonstrate his attitude first. He waved a hand.
“Strike!”
Just as the flesh above was being torn open, Qiao Yang emerged from below with a bloodstained disciplinary whip in his hand. He stepped forward and reported, “Master, we found a torture chamber inside.”
Lord Liang’s expression changed.
“This...” He turned and stamped his foot, roaring, “Which reckless bastard dared to build a private torture chamber? Investigate! Once the culprit is found, I will flay him alive!”
The instant he finished speaking, Feng Zhongyan seized the front of his robe, lifted him up, and shoved him against the pillar behind him.
The deputy commissioner’s face changed. He was about to step forward when Wei Changfeng blocked him with his drawn saber.
Strangled and gasping for breath, Lord Liang realized that Feng Zhongyan no longer intended to show him any regard. At last, unable to contain his anger, he shouted, “Feng Zhongyan, do not push me too far!”
“Too far?” Feng Zhongyan smiled, his expression icy, and reached over to draw the curved saber from Qiao Yang’s hand.
“Feng Zhongyan, have you gone mad?” Lord Liang stared in horror at the blade’s cold, vicious edge. Fear and hatred filled his face, and not the slightest trace of respect remained in his voice. “You secretly mobilized the city patrol troops in the middle of the night and surrounded the Jingzhao Office. How will you explain that crime to His Majesty? And now you intend to murder an imperial official...”
Feng Zhongyan did not hear a word. He lifted one of Lord Liang’s hands and drove the blade down through his palm.
Lord Liang let out a howl of pain, shrieking like a demon.
The yamen runners behind him surged forward, only to be forced back once more by the patrol troops. The two sides faced each other in a tense standoff, with violence ready to erupt at any moment.
Feng Zhongyan leaned closer and looked at Lord Liang’s trembling face. There was not the slightest trace of a smile left in his eyes. He resembled a savage wolf.
“Investigate. And pray that I do not truly trace this back to you, Lord Liang.”
With that, he cleanly withdrew the curved saber, tossed it back to Qiao Yang, and strode away.
Only after the sound of hooves faded did Deputy General Jia of the patrol troops sheath his saber.
“Withdraw!”
Once they were gone, Lord Liang collapsed directly onto the ground. Clutching his bloody wrist, he rolled about in agony.
“Feng Zhongyan, you madman! You and I are enemies from this day forth!”
“Quickly, find a physician!” The deputy commissioner scrambled to help him up.
But where could they find a physician at this hour? They had no choice but to return to the Liang residence first.
Lord Liang staggered into the carriage and cursed Feng Zhongyan from beginning to end.
“I am going to see His Majesty. I will make him see what kind of man Feng Zhongyan truly is. If the Feng family managed to rise again back then, they can just as easily be driven out of the capital once more...” Suddenly, the image of Feng Zhongyan’s eyes flashed through his mind. His heart jolted, and he forgot even the pain. Turning to his servant, he demanded, “Where is Liang Er? Where is he tonight? Find him and bring him back at once.”
—
By the time the group returned to the provincial residence, dawn was almost breaking.
Seeing their expressions from a distance, Master Yan knew at once that things had gone badly. Most likely, Feng Zhongyan had not been persuaded. All he could do now was mend the situation after the damage had been done, so he sent Qiao Yang out once again.
“Go and inform Deputy General Jia that rebels appeared in the city today and abducted the Provincial Governor’s fiancée, Lady Shen. The patrol troops pursued them throughout the day, and they eventually fled into the Jingzhao Office.”
He leaned close and gave Qiao Yang several more detailed instructions before finally feeling at ease.
At this point, all that mattered was who could shift the blame fastest.
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After giving his orders, Master Yan turned back to find that Feng Zhongyan had already entered the room.
In the latter half of the night, the effects of the medicine gradually wore off, and Shen Mingsu’s fever began to rise. She lay on the bed, sleeping restlessly. At times her brows furrowed; at others she tried to turn over. Feng Zhongyan sat beside her the entire time, holding her hand. Whenever she moved too violently, he gathered her into his arms and gently rubbed his forehead against hers.
“Jin, do not be afraid...”
A weak moan slipped into his ears, each broken sound tightening around his heart. It was despairing and helpless, like a long torment with no end in sight.
After enduring until daybreak, Shen Mingsu finally settled after being given the second dose of medicine.
Fu An had already brought Lian Sheng over.
Feng Zhongyan had not slept all night. Rising, he instructed Lian Sheng, “Take good care of her.”
He went out and changed into his official robes, then mounted his horse once more and headed to the morning court.
Master Yan escorted him to the gate.
“Has Your Lordship decided how to deal with this?”
Feng Zhongyan nodded.
“Do not worry, Master.”
Master Yan had been a poor scholar whom Feng Zhongyan had picked up from the streets two years earlier. He had brought him back to the residence, treated him with courtesy, and honored him as a trusted adviser. Over the past two years, Master Yan had admired Feng Zhongyan’s composure and profound calculating ability immensely. Only this time had he lost his calm.
The storm was coming. His entanglement with the Shen family could no longer be concealed.
—
Any official who had no way of gathering information was unfit to be a proper minister. What was more, the commotion of the previous night had been so great that everyone already knew about it.
Early the next morning, the area before the palace hall was crowded with officials, all talking incessantly.
When Feng Zhongyan arrived, he happened to encounter the Imperial Preceptor, Ling Mozhen, at the entrance.
Ling Mozhen took the initiative to greet him, and the two crossed the threshold together. Then Ling Mozhen suddenly leaned closer and murmured, “I hear Lord Feng caused a great disturbance at the Jingzhao Office last night and crippled one of the Jingzhao Prefect’s hands. I never realized Your Lordship possessed such authority.”
Feng Zhongyan glanced sideways at him and smiled politely.
“I shall accept the Imperial Preceptor’s praise.”
“But Lord Feng is rather late. Lord Liang arrived long ago and is already before His Majesty, begging him to redress the injustice.”
Feng Zhongyan ignored him and descended the steps ahead of him.
The officials had been gossiping all morning. When the central figure of their discussion suddenly appeared, they all turned around, afraid he might realize they had been speaking about him. Each hastily assumed an expression of complete ignorance.
Then Feng Zhongyan suddenly removed his official cap and knelt upright before the great hall.
The palace hall was filled with people coming and going. From first-rank ministers to palace servants, everyone could see him clearly.
Ling Mozhen was stunned. Feng Zhongyan truly was willing to cast everything aside. He could not help admiring him.
“What a ruthless man.”
The Emperor had only just risen and had not yet finished dressing when he heard Liang Yu crying outside in a voice that shook the heavens.
“Your Majesty, save me! Feng Zhongyan is trying to kill me!”
Thinking he had misheard, the Emperor ordered Eunuch Gao to bring him inside. When he saw Liang Yu’s hand, wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, he was startled.
“Minister Liang, are you injured?”
Injured? Liang Yu had nearly lost his life. He embellished the previous night’s events with every detail, then pressed his forehead to the ground, pitiful as a child seeking shelter.
The Emperor still could not believe it.
“You are saying this was Feng’s doing?”
Did he not know what kind of person Feng Zhongyan was? The man was as steady as a cup of water that would never grow cold or hot. Could he really have drawn a blade and attacked someone?
“Your Majesty, Lord Feng is kneeling before the great hall, confessing his guilt and begging Your Majesty to punish him.”
The Emperor froze.
Could it really have been him?
There would be no need for the morning court after all. The Emperor ordered Gao An to summon everyone involved in the previous night’s affair.
What Liang Yu had said was, in fact, true.
The patrol troops had surrounded the Jingzhao Office in the middle of the night. The Emperor clearly had not expected Feng Zhongyan to act with such reckless disregard. He frowned.
“Do you have anything to say?”
“I have nothing to say. I willingly accept Your Majesty’s punishment.”
The way he said it made him seem as though he had endured some tremendous injustice. What kind of incident could force a rule-abiding, ever-composed prime minister into such a state?
The Emperor asked, “Who was the person being held at the Jingzhao Office?”
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Feng Zhongyan answered truthfully, “My betrothed, the eldest daughter of the Shen family.”
The Emperor was stunned. Liang Yu, who was still kneeling on the ground, was stunned as well. He had spent the entire night guessing who could have driven Feng Zhongyan into sudden madness. Never had he imagined it would be Lady Shen.
Although the Feng family had always looked down on this marriage alliance with the Shen family, so long as the betrothal remained, she was still a member of the Feng family. The Jingzhao Office had arrested her and even used the lash until her body was covered in injuries. Was that not tantamount to striking Feng Zhongyan in the face?
This time, Liang Yu folded his arms and fell silent.
Since he would not speak, the Emperor turned to him.
“Do you have anything to say?”
Liang Yu hurriedly defended himself. “Your Majesty, please see the truth clearly. I truly did not know she was the daughter of the Shen family...”
Feng Zhongyan remained silent, allowing Liang Yu to continue his defense.
Behind him, Deputy General Jia suddenly remembered the words Master Yan had sent Qiao Yang to deliver:
“Bite. The more people you drag in, the better. We need to turn this whole pot of porridge into chaos.”
“Lord Liang’s claim may not be entirely true.” Deputy General Jia stepped forward and knelt. “Your Majesty, this subordinate heard that the Commandery Princess encountered Lady Shen in the marketplace two days ago.”
Liang Yu was the Rongxiu Commandery Princess’s maternal uncle.
“Rongxiu?”
As it happened, Rongxiu had come to the palace that day to accompany the Empress Dowager.
When she was summoned, she had no idea what had happened. The Emperor immediately questioned her in a cold voice.
“Were you the one who beat Lady Shen?”
Her face went white.
“I was not.”
“Then where did the three lash marks on Lady Shen’s body come from?”
Rongxiu feared the Emperor even more than she feared the Kang Prince. Faced with his sudden question, her mind went blank.
“I... I only wanted to send her...”
Send her out of the capital.
Had she failed to send her away the previous night?
The more the matter was pursued, the wider the net spread, and the more chaotic everything became. Each person claimed that the affair had nothing to do with them, yet where had the three lash marks on the Shen family’s daughter come from?
The Emperor’s head began to ache from the uproar.
“Liang Yu is dismissed from office. The case is to be transferred to the Supreme Court for investigation. Everyone else may leave. Lord Feng will remain.”
Soon, only Feng Zhongyan was left in the hall.
The Emperor suddenly asked, “A single Lady Shen was enough to make you lose your composure so completely?”
“I was confused for a moment. I beg Your Majesty to punish me.”
Was he truly confused for a moment—or had he been protecting her so fiercely that he had lost all restraint?
Years ago, he had infiltrated the enemy camp alone and rescued the Emperor from encirclement. That had been loyalty. But what was his reckless fury the previous night, when he had acted without considering the consequences?
Repaying a debt of gratitude?
The Emperor studied him for a long while.
“Rise. Go and receive twenty strokes yourself. Let this be the last time.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
—
After everyone had left, Gao An stepped forward and bowed his head as he spoke in a low voice.
“Your Majesty, Lord Feng was somewhat out of character this time.”
To have emotions was to be human. If Feng Zhongyan had truly been a man without the slightest flaw, he would have been impossible to fathom. Yet he had allowed himself to falter for the sake of the Shen family. Exactly how much did the Shen family’s kindness mean to him? To what extent would he repay it? And that Lady Shen...
The Emperor looked toward Gao An.
“Find out exactly what happened last night.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
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