Drunk Bamboo

"If there is something going on, go ahead and leave if there is nothing going on!"

In the majestic and solemn hall, the emperor sat high on the golden dragon throne, looking down upon the officials who were submitting to him at his feet.

Han Jian, the Minister of Works, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."

Emperor: "What do you want to report, Lord Han?"

Han Jian said righteously, "Your Majesty, I want to sue Prince Feng for violating palace rules and breaking into the palace with a sharp weapon."

The emperor's sword-like eyebrows twitched slightly, and his eyes swept towards Hua Qinfeng: "Prince Feng brought a sharp weapon to the court?"

Hua Qinfeng was stunned. It was the first day after the caning when he went to court, and he was reported again. He felt helpless.

He walked out from among the officials and said: "Your Majesty, I don't have any sharp weapons on me. Lord Han is just slandering me."

Han Jian continued, "I am not talking about today, but three days ago when Prince Feng forced all the imperial doctors out of the palace."

It was Han Jian again. Hua Qinfeng got angry when he saw him. Now he was being wrongly accused and he couldn't suppress his anger.

"You are talking nonsense. I didn't bring any weapons that day! Lord Han, what grudge do we have against each other? Why do you keep staring at me? I drank a few more glasses on the wedding day, and you complained to my father, saying that I lost my temper after drinking and brought disgrace to the royal family. Now you have no evidence and you casually say that I violated the palace rules in front of all the officials and my father. You are the one who committed the above crime!"

"Don't be angry, King Feng. I have witnesses." Han Jian was calm and composed. The more Hua Qinfeng lost control, the more proud he was. Only when King Feng lost control could he make mistakes.

Han Jian said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I am speaking on behalf of the palace guards Zhang Hu and Zhao Long. Before the morning court session today, Zhang Hu and Zhao Long stopped me and said in all sincerity that the King of Feng broke into the palace without being checked, holding a peony jade token and wearing a dagger on his waist. Afterwards, I felt guilty for not fulfilling my responsibilities, and my conscience was uneasy. I couldn't sleep at night, so I apologized to you and reported the facts."

The emperor remained calm and asked, "Prince Feng, is what Lord Han said true?"

Hua Qinfeng said in a high voice: "No, I didn't. Han Jian is lying with his eyes open! Father..."

The emperor frowned slightly: "Feng Wang, watch your words, this is in the court. There are only monarchs and subjects, not fathers and sons!"

Hua Qinfeng raised his head and stood straight: "Your Majesty, I don't recognize you."

Han Jian suggested: "Your Majesty, since King Feng refuses to plead guilty, please ask Zhang Hu and Zhao Long to come to the palace and speak in person to clear my name."

Eunuch Dong looked at the emperor's expression and said loudly: "Announce——"

After a while, two guards were brought into the palace. They were the two guards who guarded the palace gate that day.

"Your servants Zhang Hu and Zhao Long pay their respects to Your Majesty." The two men knelt down one after another, not daring to look up.

Emperor: "Tell the truth. If you tell even one lie, you will be sentenced to death."

"Slave dare not!"

Han Jian reminded them, "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and he is impartial and selfless. With Your Majesty here, he will definitely make the decision for you. If you are guilty, you will be punished, and if you are meritorious, you will be rewarded. Tell us the truth about what happened that day, and your merits and demerits will be offset."

Zhang Hu: "Your Majesty, that day, Prince Feng held the Peony Jade Plate and walked straight into the main gate without undergoing routine inspection. I was unable to stop him."

Emperor: "Did you see that King Feng has weapons?"

Zhao Long: "Your Majesty, the King of Wind is very skilled in Qinggong and is very agile. I noticed a metal object on the King of Wind's waist."

This is absolute nonsense. How could Hua Qinfeng, with his violent temper, tolerate such slander!

"you……"

Just as he was about to start cursing, Zhang Xinghe came out from the group of officials, stood next to Hua Qinfeng, and stopped him in time, exiting before him.

Zhang Xinghe: "You mean you are not sure whether King Feng is armed? Is this just your guess?"

Zhang Hu and Zhao Long looked at each other with fear on their faces: "..."

Zhang Xinghe stopped asking questions and explained the incident to the emperor: "Your Majesty, on the way to teach the Crown Prince, my grandfather suddenly had a heart attack and fainted. Fortunately, he met Prince Feng, who went to the palace in time to ask for the imperial decree and bring out the imperial physicians. If he had been a moment later, my grandfather would have passed away. Prince Feng was anxious to save people, so he did not conduct a routine check before entering the palace. This is understandable, but the guards Zhang Hu and Zhao Long neglected their duties. Not only did they not catch up to confirm the incident, they also did not make a record and only reported it three days later."

He glanced at the person beside him and said with a cold tone: "Now in the hall, you can't tell whether it is true or false. It's just a sophistry, shirking responsibility, and slandering King Feng."

Zhang Hu and Zhao Long trembled all over and begged for mercy in fear: "I dare not! I dare not!"

The plan went smoothly. When the Wind King was about to lose control in front of the palace, Zhang Xinghe suddenly appeared. How could I forget about Zhang Xinghe? He was an extremely difficult target.

The calmness on Han Jian's face disappeared instantly: "The Wind King is of noble status, holds the Peony Jade Token, and is very skilled. The guards dare not offend the Wind King!"

"Your Majesty, Zhang Hu and Zhao Long dared to lie, so what else are they afraid of? Minister Han, don't be blinded." Zhang Xinghe was clear-headed and spoke in an orderly manner. Although his official position was not as high as Han Jian's, he did not retreat at all.

Han Jian was also a veteran of many battles. He calmed down, regained his sanity, and turned his target back to Hua Qinfeng.

"If it's a lie, why didn't Wind King say a word?"

Hua Qinfeng frowned and was filled with anger.

Zhang Xinghe calmly took a step forward and stood in front of Hua Qinfeng, saying in a neither humble nor arrogant tone: "The innocent will be innocent."

Han Jian continued, "Your Majesty, I am accusing Prince Feng not only of trespassing, but also of being disrespectful and disrespectful to His Majesty. Prince Feng forcibly took the imperial physician out of the palace without the Queen's order."

All the officials present gasped and fell silent.

The emperor's eyes flashed, revealing a gleam of brilliance: "What do you mean, Lord Han?"

"Your Majesty, the Empress did issue an imperial decree, but it did not arrive until Prince Feng left the palace. The guards and palace maids on duty outside Baoping Palace that day can testify to this. The Imperial Physician Qi, who was taken out of the palace by Prince Feng, understands the whole story best."

Soon after Han Jian finished speaking, Imperial Physician Qi appeared in the hall.

Han Jian asked, "Doctor Qi, do you still remember what happened three days ago when the King of Feng took you out of the palace to treat the Grand Tutor?"

"Your humble servant remembers." It was the first time that Imperial Physician Qi entered the Golden Stairs Hall and stood with all the officials. He felt nervous and scared.

"When Prince Feng took you out of the palace, did the Queen's decree arrive?"

“…Not yet.” His mind was blank and he just answered whatever was asked.

"Did you follow King Feng out of the palace voluntarily, or were you forcibly taken out of the palace by King Feng?"

"Yes... King Feng..." He suddenly stopped talking. Cold sweat was already dripping down his back. If he admitted that he had voluntarily followed King Feng out of the palace, it would be a serious crime of leaving the palace without permission. If he did not admit it, it would be slandering King Feng.

"Leaving the palace without the emperor's order is a serious crime, as Imperial Physician Qi knows." Seeing that he was hesitant, Han Jian threatened.

Although Qi's imperial physician was an excellent doctor, he was not good at socializing. He also had a big flaw: he was weak and timid.

After being frightened by Han Jian, Imperial Physician Qi immediately became afraid.

Anyway, King Feng said that he would take all the responsibility. He lowered his head, closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth: "It was... King Feng who grabbed the collar of this humble official and dragged him out of the palace."

Han Jian raised his lips slightly. "Your Majesty, this is the truth. If Your Majesty still doesn't believe it, the princess who accompanied Prince Feng into the palace was also present, and the empress who issued the imperial decree should also know clearly. Why not ask them to speak?"

When Xie Yuzhu was mentioned, Hua Qinfeng's angry eyes immediately flashed with cold murderous intent.

The emperor just glanced coldly at Eunuch Dong with the corner of his eyes. Eunuch Dong lowered his eyebrows and eyes, not daring to move a step.

"Okay, you are all deceiving me!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down--" the ministers shouted.

Hua Qinfeng was shivering as he slowly walked out from behind Zhang Xinghe.

"Your Majesty, don't be angry, and don't involve the Queen and Princess, let alone anyone else. I didn't bring any weapons with me when I entered the palace, but the situation was urgent that day, and I was wearing soft armor and didn't have time to take it off. I was only trying to save people, but I never thought of disrespecting Your Majesty. I am responsible for my own actions, and it's all my fault. Your Majesty, you can punish me in any way you want, and I will accept it!"

"If your majesty wants to punish the prince, then punish me as well."

Xie Yuzhu walked towards them in the backlight, holding a peony jade pendant in her hand.