Green Mountain-Chapter 566 - 427: Bestowed with a Title

In the 24th year of Jianing, the old monk "Chan Zhao" from the Kujue Temple in the North traveled to the Imperial Capital of the Ning Dynasty and was granted an audience with Emperor Ning at the Imperial Extreme Hall.

During this time, for reasons unknown, the palace summoned Hu Junyan, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, Xu Shu, the Deputy Director, and Zhang Li, the chief disciple of the Huangshan Dao Court, to the palace overnight.

Zhang Li had long lived in seclusion at the Chongnan City God Temple, and Hu Junyan, usually in quiet cultivation at the Observatory, had already entered the palace early.

But as for Xu Shu, he was nowhere to be found despite extensive searching.

In the end, the Spy Department found the heavily intoxicated Xu Shu in Baishun Alley, carried him into the Forbidden City, and only carried him out again at midnight...

So, Chen Ji was not the first to enter the palace drunk to face the Emperor.

But to enter the palace drunk and dare to snore outside the Renshou Palace, Chen Ji was the first.

The cabinet ministers and officials within Renshou Palace silently observed this scene, with no one speaking for a moment.

The Chen family on Fuyou Street is known for its heritage of poetry and scholarship, with a family shrine inscribed with virtues of "Study, Reason, Practice" and tenets for maintaining the family legacy: "Preserve Books, Cultivate Fields, Maintain Repute" and moral caution "Fear Heaven’s Mandate, Fear National Laws, Fear Public Opinion," and ethical governance "Avoid Authority and Eunuchs, Avoid Factionalism, Avoid Exploiting the People."

How could the strictly disciplined Chen family produce such a rebellious individual?

Someone turned to look at the imperial seat, but the veils before it obscured the view of Emperor Ning’s reaction.

Wu Xiu waved his hand to the little eunuch beside him: "Go and wake him up."

Emperor Ning calmly said, "No need."

The ministers were momentarily stunned, and Wu Xiu’s expression was inscrutable.

Emperor Ning looked toward the mountain bull: "Where has Meng Ji reached?"

The mountain bull, standing beyond the threshold, replied: "Your Majesty, a message from the carrier pigeon at the post station has arrived, Meng Ji departed from Kaifeng Prefecture and will reach the capital in seven days. As for the issue of Liao Zhong, we’ll have to wait a bit longer."

"No more waiting," Emperor Ning looked at Liao Zhong: "Liao Zhong, I recall you were the runner-up in the third year of the former Emperor’s Zhengde reign and were later implicated because of your father’s reckless discussions about the court and then pardoned during the great amnesty of the 16th year of Jianing?"

The mountain bull placed the limp Liao Zhong on the ground, leaning him against the high threshold of Renshou Palace. Liao Zhong, unable to move, didn’t rush to answer Emperor Ning’s question.

He faintly lifted his head, absentmindedly surveying the interior of Renshou Palace: atop the beams were the Five Thunder Talismans sanctified by the Dao Court, further up were the splendidly painted ceilings depicting the twenty-eight constellations, and on the ground were green gold bricks from the Suzhou imperial kiln, with the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper subtly etched upon them.

Liao Zhong croaked with emotion: "It’s truly beautiful. I’ve always dreamt of coming to this Renshou Palace, to see where the officials and ministers stood, to see how the courtiers conducted their affairs with the Emperor, to see how monumental decisions of state were made here... But alas, my guilt-ridden self, stripped of my scholarly titles, could only yearn in dreams, and it has been thirty-seven years of such dreams."

A minister within the hall gravely said: "Impertinent, when His Majesty asks you something, answer what he asks."

But Liao Zhong paid him no heed, continuing his reflections: "I thought that when I helped the Crown Prince ascend the throne, I could stand here openly, wearing the crimson official robe like these people before me, offering grand strategies for governing the nation, bringing glory to the Liao family. Yet unexpectedly, my first time here in Renshou Palace, I was dragged in, in such disgrace, such shame."

Official Chen leisurely said: "The year you passed the imperial examination as a scholar, I was the Academic Administrator. I knew you had genuine talent and learning, but regrettably involved by familial ties, harboring resentment in your heart."

Liao Zhong chuckled softly: "Resentment indeed. At dawn, I was a rustic, by dusk, I stood in the Imperial Hall, seeing my deep devotion to the state dashed in a blink as I was exiled to Lingnan, with no place to pledge loyalty, hopeless in all endeavors, how could I not resent? Yet seeing today, this Renshou Palace isn’t much. Five Thunder Talismans, Twenty-eight Constellations... even the terrestrial emperor must seek protection from reclusive immortals, so who will shield the people of the Ning Dynasty? Who will safeguard our realm of Daning?"

Wu Xiu angrily erupted: "Audacious! Someone, take him..."

"I am an old man already facing death, no need to threaten me with it," Liao Zhong gave Wu Xiu a sideways glance: "What do you wish to ask of me? Indeed, it was I who fled with the Crown Prince from Mei Valley leading him astray, and it was I who intended to silence by seeking Chen Ji, having nothing to do with the Crown Prince. I served the Crown Prince diligently for twelve years, this Renshou Palace ought to drop its curtain and place the Crown Prince on that imperial seat!"

The cabinet ministers within the hall hung their eyes silently.

The officials observed respectfully, staying as quiet as cicadas in winter. They hadn’t anticipated, without Meng Ji’s arrival, that Liao Zhong would shoulder all charges himself. Nor did they expect that in his final moments, Liao Zhong would make such brazen declarations within Renshou Palace.

His words were treasonous, foreordaining a fate of dismemberment.

Yet, Emperor Ning on the throne did not show anger, slowly speaking: "Detain Liao Zhong in the Imperial Prison to await further handling. The Crown Prince, for inadequate discipline among his subordinates, will be confined in the Ten Princes Residence for six months, copying Taoist Scriptures daily for reflection."

The officials could not help but glance at each other, pondering how Liao Zhong’s rebellious words led only to imprisonment? Yet fortunately, the Crown Prince was ultimately preserved.

The mountain bull lifted Liao Zhong, turned, and exited the palace gate.

As he passed the Crown Prince, Liao Zhong met his gaze, and in the Crown Prince’s eyes was profound darkness as if one could squeeze out black poison. Liao Zhong laughed heartily, his laughter growing ever distant.

Yet Emperor Ning spoke once more: "Jiefan Guard’s premature issuance of a marine arrest warrant without clarification, Wu Xiu will be fined his salary for three years, Wu Xuange dismissed and barred from future employment."

Wu Xiu bowed respectfully and said: "Yes, as a court minister, I will also copy the Taoist Scriptures daily for reflection."

Just as everyone thought the day’s matters were concluded, Emperor Ning suddenly looked outside the hall: "For Chen Ji’s misconduct before the court, he is to be flogged twenty strikes, stripped of his position, and dismissed."

Having said this, Emperor Ning rose and walked behind the imperial screen: "Those who know me say I am anxious at heart; those who do not, wonder what I seek. The Daning Dynasty’s reign has extended for nine hundred sixty years, with forty-eight illustrious emperors, but upon reaching my reign, there should be changes. You may all retreat now and rest."