sbdcsierra Chapter 118 Yang Cheng is Punished
Chapter 118 Yang Cheng is Punished
Seeing Qin Zejun's appearance, Fan Junyu raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in his eyes. He chuckled and continued teasingly, "Judging from how hurriedly you came here so early in the morning, I don't need to think to know that it must have been your aunt who sent you! Who else but your aunt could have the power to make you run to me like this? I'm afraid no one else in this world could do that!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Zejun's face flushed crimson, an undisguised embarrassment quickly creeping onto his cheeks. However, this embarrassment didn't last long; he quickly composed himself and returned to his usual carefree demeanor. But this time, he chose to remain silent, simply watching Fan Junyu intently, seemingly awaiting further instructions or a response.
Seeing this scene before him, Fan Junyu understood everything deep down. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "Very well, since you are so eager to find out the details, then I will tell you a little bit." With that, Fan Junyu took a deep breath and began to recount the ins and outs of yesterday's chance encounter.
At this moment, Qin Zejun, who had been listening quietly to the side, beamed with joy and shouted excitedly, "Excellent! Such a wicked and arrogant person should have been punished long ago!" However, in stark contrast, Fan Junyu frowned deeply, his expression grave and serious as he pressed, "So, do you know what kind of background and origin this Yang Tian has?" Faced with this sudden question, Qin Zejun scratched his head somewhat awkwardly, smiled apologetically, and replied, "I don't know. I've only just returned to the capital, and my knowledge of the many things that have happened here is indeed limited. I'm not sure what kind of power is behind Yang Tian."
Fan Junyu stared intently at Qin Zejun before him and explained slowly, "This Yang Tian is no ordinary person. You must know that his father is Yang Cheng, the Marquis of Yongyi, bestowed by the current Emperor. Moreover, this Marquis Yang currently holds an important position as the Vice Minister of War! His power is self-evident. What's even more remarkable is that Yang Cheng has a younger sister, who is none other than Consort Ning, who is currently deeply favored by the Emperor."
Upon hearing this, Qin Zejun's face first showed a look of sudden realization, as if the clouds had parted and the sun had shone through. He then nodded repeatedly, indicating that he understood the connection. But soon, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a nonchalant smile, and he said casually, "Oh, so that's how it is! Cousin, you mean that Yang Tian is actually the Third Prince's cousin?"
Fan Junyu nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Qin Zejun, a thoughtful look in his eyes. Qin Zejun smiled and said, "Cousin, even so, what can be done? With your wisdom, intelligence, and shrewdness, since you dared to teach him a lesson, you must have already devised a plan. Not only will you be able to resolve this thorny issue properly, but you might even gain many benefits from this opportunity!"
Upon hearing this, Fan Junyu was taken aback at first, but then he was amused by Qin Zejun's words and couldn't help but chuckle. However, his laughter didn't last long before he quickly stopped, turned around, and stared at Qin Zejun with a serious and earnest expression. He said in a deep voice, "Alright, stop with the banter. Let's hurry on our way. If we continue to dawdle like this, we might miss our time and be late."
Qin Zejun quickly replied, "Alright!" Then, the two of them quickened their pace simultaneously, and in no time, they arrived at the palace gate. There, they saw numerous civil and military officials slowly making their way into the palace. Soon, everyone sprang into action, finding their designated positions according to their respective ranks and standing quietly there. The entire scene was solemn and dignified; everyone awaited the Emperor's arrival in silence. The atmosphere was so tense that even breathing could be clearly heard.
However, during this long wait, a soft murmur broke the silence. Several officials were whispering among themselves, discussing a recent major event—the beating of Yang Tian. The Vice Minister of Revenue, Cheng Nan, lowered his voice and whispered to those around him, "Have you all heard? Yesterday, Vice Minister Yang's son, Yang Tian, was beaten!" These words caused a stir, and astonishment immediately appeared on the faces of those around him.
Standing on Cheng Nan's other side, An Yang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, was even more astonished and couldn't help but ask in a hushed voice, "Is this true? That Yang Tian is no ordinary person; he is the Third Prince's cousin! Who on earth is so audacious as to dare to lay a hand on him?" As An Yang spoke, he subconsciously looked around, as if trying to find the person who dared to commit the crime in the crowd.
At this moment, Zhang Feng, the Vice Minister of Rites who had been silent all along, chimed in, "This is absolutely true; I've heard about it too. I heard it happened yesterday evening. And, it's said that Yang Tian brought at least seven or eight guards with him, but even so, he couldn't protect himself and ended up being beaten horribly." As he said this, Zhang Feng couldn't help but shake his head, seemingly finding the matter unbelievable.
Cheng Nan chimed in, "Yes, as far as I know, Yang Tian was beaten so badly he was covered in bruises and unrecognizable. Even his own mother probably wouldn't recognize him!" She then let out a soft sigh, seemingly quite sympathetic to Yang Tian's plight. An Yang, his face beaming with excitement, exclaimed, "Haha, this is truly gratifying! That brat always relies on having a cousin who's a prince to act arrogantly and domineeringly. He deserves to be taught a lesson!"
At this moment, Vice Minister Yang Cheng, who was not far from them, naturally overheard these words. Yang Cheng immediately turned red with anger and roared furiously, "You're talking nonsense! Stop spouting lies here! How could my son do such a thing?" However, the others ignored his rage and remained silent, not bothering to pay any attention to him.
Meanwhile, Fan Junyu and Qin Zejun on the other side also clearly heard the argument. Qin Zejun's lips curled slightly upward, and after a soft chuckle, he didn't say anything. In contrast, Fan Junyu appeared much calmer and more composed, his face showing not even a change in expression.
Just then, a series of majestic and solemn footsteps sounded, and everyone looked in the direction of the sound to see that it was the Emperor himself. Because Qin Zejun had only recently returned and had been dispatched again to carry out an important mission, he had been unable to attend the last ceremony to reward those who had rendered meritorious service. Therefore, the Emperor had specially chosen today to personally conduct the investiture ceremony for Qin Zejun.
The Emperor's chief eunuch, Liu, carrying a bright yellow imperial edict, strode forward to the assembled crowd. He cleared his throat and read aloud, "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Qin Zejun, the eldest son of the Marquis of Cheng'an, is brave, fearless, and resourceful. He has repeatedly rendered outstanding service on the battlefield, making illustrious contributions to our Great Ling Kingdom. Therefore, he is hereby appointed General Zeyong, a third-rank official, and granted command of the Capital Garrison and its commander. So be it!" As Liu's words fell, a chorus of congratulations erupted. Qin Zejun clasped his hands, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Your subject accepts the decree and thanks Your Majesty for your divine grace." His voice was loud and firm, clearly audible throughout the court. A satisfied smile appeared on the Emperor's face. He nodded gently and said, "Get up!" Qin Zejun quickly replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty." He then straightened up, carefully took a few steps back, returned to his original standing position, stood upright, and looked straight ahead.
A brief silence fell over the court. After a moment, officials stepped forward one by one to report their matters. Some officials were solemn and earnest, while others spoke in a relaxed tone with smiles. The atmosphere in the court was serious yet orderly, with everyone listening attentively to each speaker.
Time ticked by, and all the officials had finished reporting their matters. At this moment, the Emperor spoke again, asking, "My esteemed ministers, is there anything else to report? If not, then let the court adjourn for today!" His gaze slowly swept over the assembled officials, his eyes revealing both authority and expectation. The ministers exchanged glances before replying in unison, "Your Majesty, we have nothing more to report." Thus, with the Emperor's command, the morning court session came to an end.
Just as the atmosphere was heavy and everyone was silent, Yang Cheng, the Vice Minister of War, suddenly stepped forward. He walked hurriedly to the front of the hall, clasped his hands in a bow, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I have something to report." His voice was loud and urgent.
The emperor, seated on the dragon throne, slightly raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Yang Cheng, and said slowly, "What is it?" His words were filled with majesty.
Yang Cheng knelt down with a thud, his forehead pressed against the ground, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please understand! I want to accuse the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review of beating my son yesterday without any reason, causing him to be seriously injured and bedridden, unable to even get up. Please, Your Majesty, do justice for me!" After saying this, his eyes reddened, as if he was filled with grief and indignation.
The Emperor was naturally aware of yesterday's events, but inwardly he sneered, thinking to himself: "Hmph, how dare they bully my precious daughter! I was already showing mercy by not killing them on the spot, and they still have the nerve to come and ask me to stand up for them." However, the Emperor's face remained expressionless, his expression still ashen. He turned to Fan Junyu, who stood to the side, and asked, "Minister Fan, is this true?"
Upon hearing this, Fan Junyu calmly walked steadily from his seat to the center of the hall, bowed deeply to the Emperor, then straightened up and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, this is indeed true. Yesterday, on my way back from an official business, I passed through a bustling market and happened to witness Young Master Yang bullying others in the street. Seeing this, I felt compassion and stepped forward to kindly advise him. Unexpectedly, Young Master Yang not only ignored my advice but also verbally abused me and launched the first attack. To ensure my own safety, I had no choice but to fight back in self-defense. However, I did not expect that Young Master Yang would be so easily defeated; I only struck him lightly, and he collapsed to the ground." At this point, Fan Junyu shook his head helplessly, seemingly quite surprised by Yang Tian's fragility.
The Emperor thought to himself, "Hmm, not bad, truly my ideal son-in-law! He has managed to protect Ning'er's reputation so well." However, on the surface, he remained calm and said, "Oh? Is that so..."
At this moment, Yang Cheng, who was standing to the side, was already red with anger and retorted loudly, "Stop talking nonsense! My son would never do such a despicable thing!"
Fan Junyu then spoke again, "Your Majesty, think about it. Yang Tian is just a son of an official with no official rank, yet he dares to act so recklessly and arrogantly. I'm afraid..." At this point, Fan Junyu paused slightly, raised his head to cautiously peek at the Emperor's expression, and then fell silent.
Everyone present was quick-witted. Not only did the Emperor instantly understand the unspoken meaning in Fan Junyu's words, but the other officials also understood the implied message.
The Emperor thought to himself, "Hmph, the reason Yang Tian dares to be so fearless and domineering is simply because he relies on Consort Ning and He Mingwen. After all, Consort Ning is a concubine in the harem, and He Mingwen is a prince. If he didn't have such powerful backers, he would never dare to be so presumptuous!" Thinking of this, the Emperor frowned slightly, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
The Emperor, his face slightly furious, swept his cold gaze across the crowd before finally settling on Yang Cheng. He spoke slowly and deliberately, "Yang Cheng, you are an official of the court, yet you cannot even manage your own household affairs. How can you be fit for such an important position? From this day forward, you shall temporarily set aside your duties and properly discipline your family. The position of Vice Minister of War will be temporarily filled by Zhang Peng. As for you… you shall be fined one year's salary and, along with your son Yang Tian, be sent home to reflect on your actions and learn proper etiquette. You are not to step out of your home for a year!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the court fell silent. Everyone was trembling with fear, not daring to make a sound. Yang Cheng, on the other hand, was deathly pale, large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
Immediately afterwards, the Emperor turned to look at Fan Junyu beside him, a barely perceptible smile flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "Minister Fan has been quite frightened this time, so Minister Yang should naturally do something to show his appreciation. How about this, Minister Yang should compensate Minister Fan with ten million taels of silver to comfort him for his fright."
Upon hearing this, Fan Junyu's lips curled into a subtle smile, barely perceptible to others. However, this delicate change in expression did not escape the Emperor's notice. The Emperor thought to himself, "This lad, who usually appears so refined and harmless, I never imagined he could be so cunning. But it makes sense, he must be waiting here to vent his anger for Ning'er."