Finest Servant

Chapter 500 The Disposal

"Indeed, there is no other way." The Emperor nodded solemnly. "We shall select ten young men of good moral character within our great Hua Empire and present them to the Goryeo princess. She may choose among them, and I shall grant titles and rewards accordingly. What does Master Gu think of this?"

The plan was sensible, and Gu Shunzhang had no objections. He nodded with a smile, and thus the matter of the marriage alliance was settled. Many in the palace felt regret for Lin San, especially those who knew of his relationship with the princess. However, they also admired his wisdom. When it came to weighing the significance of the Goryeo princess against the Great Hua princess, Lin San had clearly made the right choice.

Though he had refused a woman for seemingly no reason, Lin Wanrong's feelings of regret were lessened when he thought of the sincere affection he shared with Qingxuan and Xian'er.

Once everyone had composed themselves, the old Emperor scanned the room with piercing eyes, his voice suddenly grave. "The reason I have convened all of you for this royal council meeting is that something of great importance has occurred within our court—"

The room fell silent at his words, like a clap of thunder reverberating in their ears. In this sensitive and uneasy moment, the expressions of the officials were solemn, and no one dared even to cough.

The Emperor sighed, his eyes sharp as he locked onto Chen Biqing. "Minister Chen, you are the imperial censor, and you have been investigating this case with Lin San. What exactly has happened? Speak quickly."

Chen Biqing's face turned pale, and he had an inkling of why the Emperor had chosen him and Lin San to conduct the investigation.

"Your Majesty, honored officials, under the Emperor's orders, Lin San and I have been investigating the arson at the royal mansion and the disappearance of Prince Cheng," he reported, his voice quivering, his forehead slick with sweat. "Lin San, with his keen intellect, discovered a secret underground chamber in the lake behind the royal mansion during our investigation—"

Though it was early spring, sweat soaked Chen Biqing's back. The matter was extremely sensitive, and one false move could cost many their lives. He chose his words carefully, not daring to misspeak.

"A secret chamber? What kind of chamber?" The Emperor's eyes flashed dangerously, his face turning ashen. "Minister Chen, what's inside? Speak!"

Under the intense gaze of everyone present, the pressure on Chen Biqing was palpable. He hurriedly knelt and exclaimed in terror, "I dare not say, Your Majesty."

The Emperor sneered. "You are the imperial censor, what could you possibly be afraid to say? Speak the truth, and you shall be pardoned."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" With cold sweat trickling down his forehead, Chen Biqing remained kneeling. "This secret chamber, buried deep under the lake, has an inscription at its entrance that reads 'Dragon Palace.' It closely resembles the layout of our own imperial palace, even sharing many of the same names for its halls. It is decorated with gold bricks, colored glaze, jade, and emeralds. Within the palace is a counterfeit Golden Hall, a throne made entirely of gold, a jade screen, a sham imperial study, and several side halls. Additionally, according to an incomplete tally conducted before today's council meeting, we found more than 1,200 eastern pearls, over 2,000 pounds of gold leaf, 500,000 taels of silver, and more than 200 crates of jade, pottery, calligraphy, and paintings—"

"How dare you!" The old Emperor's face darkened. In his rage, he swept aside the inkstone and brushes on the table in front of him. With a crash, the jade stand that had been on the table fell to the floor and shattered into pieces, scattering in all directions.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!" Chen Biqing kowtowed as if crushing garlic, his face devoid of color.

The ministers quickly fell to their knees, shouting in unison, "Your Majesty, please quell your anger! Consider the well-being of the nation and protect your royal health!"

Lin Wanrong, being disabled, naturally didn't need to kneel. The old man's face was as dark as the clouds on the horizon. Even Lin Wanrong couldn't tell if he was truly angry or just putting on an act.

The Emperor snorted and didn't instruct everyone to rise. He spoke solemnly, "Minister Chen, are you speaking the truth? Were these things truly discovered in my brother's residence?"

Chen Biqing hastily kowtowed again, "How dare your humble servant deceive you? The unearthed Dragon Palace still lies in the backyard of the prince's mansion, and Lord Lin can bear witness."

"So it's all true then?" The Emperor shook his head in anguish and slumped back into his throne.

If this information had come from Lin San, everyone would have had some reservations. But this time, it was personally witnessed by Chen Biqing, the Imperial Censor. Lin San hadn't said a word. Given these circumstances, the matter was irrefutably true. As they watched the Emperor's face fluctuate between flushed and pale, no one dared to speak out of turn.

"You may all rise," said the Emperor after a long silence, waving his hand wearily.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The ministers cautiously got to their feet, moving so gently that not a whisper of wind stirred their robes, lest they disturb the furious Emperor.

The old Emperor looked utterly dejected, as if he had aged a decade in an instant. A tear gleamed in the corner of his eye. "Since my father passed the throne to me, over two decades have gone by. I have governed the nation well, waged wars in the north, pacified barbarians in the south. I've exhausted myself physically and mentally, and never had a peaceful night. Even if I am not the wisest of rulers, I certainly am not a tyrant. Why then do some, even my own brothers, make life difficult for me?" He wiped away the tear and sighed, "My esteemed ministers, tell me, why is this happening?"

The Emperor's tear-filled eyes scanned the assembly. The ministers quickly recoiled their necks; none dared to pick up his line of thought.

Imperial Tutor Gu Shunzhang slowly rose and said, "For the sake of the nation, Your Majesty must take care of your health and not be overly distressed. Prince Cheng has rebelled; what's done is done. Further discussion is fruitless. We must act quickly to reassure the court and allow our soldiers on the frontlines to fight without worry against the Turks, thereby demonstrating the might of our great empire."

"Thank you, Master Gu, for the reminder. I shall keep it in mind," said the old Emperor, hurriedly wiping away his tears. His expression slowly settled into calmness. He sighed and turned to Lin Wanrong, "Lin San, where is Prince Cheng now?"

Lin Wanrong began, "Your Majesty, I received intelligence tonight about a disturbance planned in the southern part of the city. At first, I thought it was just a handful of petty criminals and didn't pay it much attention. However, as time passed, the number of these criminals began to swell, reaching a force of nearly five thousand, all well-armed and trained. They attacked our soldiers in large groups and were extremely aggressive." Lin Wanrong spoke as if every word was true, "In such a situation, to maintain the peace in the capital, our brothers in the city defense department counterattacked. Not only did they defeat the attackers, but they also stumbled upon something unexpected—"

"What unexpected discovery?" interjected the Emperor.

"It was truly unexpected—I actually saw Prince Cheng among those people. Suspecting that His Highness might have been kidnapped by bandits, I ordered the city's defensive forces to rescue him at all costs. We sacrificed five hundred of our brothers, and just as we were about to succeed, something unexpected happened—"

This young man was naturally a smooth talker. What should have been a matter treated with gravity and caution, he made it sound like a story full of ups and downs. And at the most crucial moment, he swallowed half his words, leaving the gathered officials perplexed and annoyed. Gu Shunzhang frowned and said, "Lin San, His Majesty has a multitude of affairs to deal with. Focus on what is important and stop speaking in riddles."

"Yes, yes, I understand my mistake." Lin Wanrong knew better than to underestimate the enigmatic old man, Gu Shunzhang. He hastily continued, "Just when we were about to rescue Prince Cheng, a man suddenly appeared from behind him. He was five feet tall, with a waist of one yard, bushy black beard and thick eyebrows—quite a menacing figure. Later, we learned that this man was a warrior serving Prince Cheng, surnamed Zhao, first name Wu. He was strapped with explosives and was holding Prince Cheng hostage. He was saying things we couldn't understand—" At this point, Lin Wanrong paused and looked at the Emperor.

The Emperor, with his eyelids lowered, coldly said, "What couldn't you understand? If you continue to speak in riddles, you might end up not even being able to sit in a wheelchair!"

Lin Wanrong chuckled nervously, "Zhao Wu said—'Your Highness, you cannot surrender. A soldier may be killed, but not humiliated. With your noble lineage, how can you kneel and submit? I, Zhao Wu, am willing to face great danger with you! Qi Yue, you scoundrel, why are you leading His Highness to infamy? Your Highness, everyone else can surrender, but you cannot!'—Ah, I really can't understand what these words mean!"

The assembly exchanged glances. Clearly, Zhao Wu was urging Prince Cheng not to surrender to the official army. How could Lin Wanrong possibly not understand? Everyone knew what he meant and knew he was lying, but who would dare to expose him at this moment?

"And what happened next?" Gu Shunzhang asked. In this golden hall, beside the Emperor, he was the only one who had the right to speak.

"Because His Highness was taken hostage, we dared not act rashly. But then, Zhao Wu, as if possessed, lit the explosives strapped to him. At the crucial moment, a strategist named Qi Yue under Prince Cheng saved him. However, both of His Highness's legs—"

"What happened to my brother's legs?!" The Emperor stood up abruptly, anxiety etched clearly on his face.

Lin Wanrong sighed and shook his head, "Water and fire are merciless. When the explosives went off, both of His Highness's legs were blown off below the knees—"

"Brother!" The Emperor let out a sorrowful cry, his body quivering as if about to fall. Fortunately, Gao Ping, standing beside him, steadied him in time. "Your Majesty, you must restrain your grief. Your health is of utmost importance!"

Despite Prince Cheng's great crimes, the Emperor still cared for him so deeply, a kindness that moved many of the officials in the hall. Lin Wanrong, keen-eyed, noticed a fleeting glint of cruelty and satisfaction in the Emperor's tear-brimmed eyes. It was momentary but didn't escape his vigilant gaze.

"Brother! My dear brother!" The Emperor's old eyes filled with tears as he struggled to his feet, gripping Gao Ping's hand. "Lin San, where is my brother now? I must go see him! Summon the imperial physician, we must heal his leg—"

The Emperor had been extraordinarily kind and just toward Prince Cheng. Everyone was moved by his affection, but none understood it as clearly as Lin Wanrong. "Your Majesty," Lin Wanrong said, his tone neutral, "the imperial physician is already treating the Prince."

"Good. I shall go to him at once—" Not caring that they were in the middle of a discussion, the Emperor started to leave, not even bothering to adjourn the court. However, he was stopped by the imperial tutor, Gu Shunzhang, who stepped forward with a bow. "Your Majesty," Gu Shunzhang said, his expression calm, "according to what was just described, it would not be appropriate for you to see Prince Cheng right now."

"Master Gu, why is that? Can't I even see my own brother?" Although the Emperor had lost his composure, he dared not be disrespectful to his advisor.

Gu Shunzhang nodded slightly. "Your Majesty is a wise and enlightened ruler. You must surely understand the principle of 'ruler before brother.'"

"'Ruler before brother?'" The Emperor murmured. "Master Gu, are you suggesting that I must first punish my brother for his wrongdoings before expressing fraternal love?"

With a solemn expression, Gu Shunzhang replied: "Your Majesty, this is not my opinion, but the law of our great empire. As the saying goes, if a prince commits a crime, he is subject to the same laws as a commoner. If Prince Cheng is truly guilty of treason, and if he goes unpunished, what becomes of the law? What becomes of justice? How will you face your subjects?"

Lin Wanrong found this strange. Gu Shunzhang was an ally of Prince Cheng; why was he urging the Emperor to punish the Prince? Was he not afraid that his own son would be implicated?

Heeding his tutor's caution, the Emperor finally regained his composure. Closing his eyes and folding his hands behind his back, he stood in silence for a long while. Who would dare continue this topic? The other officials nervously withdrew, afraid they might be singled out by the Emperor.

"Xu Wei, you speak!" Frustrated that no one dared offer advice, the Emperor pointed to Xu Wei, who was in the first row to his right.

Xu Wei had been silent for most of the night, particularly since Gu Shunzhang was present. Stepping forward with a bow, he said: "Your Majesty, if a prince commits a crime, he is no different from a commoner. What Master Gu said just now forms the basis of good governance. I concur."

The crime of treason could only be punished by death. Xu Wei's words were succinct, but their weight was immense. Given his long-standing enmity with Prince Cheng, nobody was surprised by his stance.

The Emperor snorted angrily. "My brother is like my own hands and feet. How can one willingly sever one's own limbs? Yu Wenzheng, what do you have to say?"

The man called Yu Wenzheng was the scholar who had earlier recommended Lin San for a marital alliance. His ability to flatter was so great that even Lin Wanrong had to admire him. Standing behind Chen Biqing, it was clear his rank was not low.

"In my humble opinion, Your Majesty's wisdom is beyond our comprehension," Yu Wenzheng said, his voice ringing out so loudly it made Lin Wanrong's eardrums buzz. "Whatever Your Majesty decides will undoubtedly be brilliant. All we must do is understand deeply, observe carefully; even if we studied it for a lifetime, we would hardly grasp even a fraction of it."

The Emperor nodded and smiled, "Minister Yu, please feel free to express your opinions. I will not take offense."

"Certainly. In my humble opinion, if Your Majesty imposes severe punishment on the prince, it would demonstrate the sacrifice of personal relations for the greater good. It would serve as an example to the common people, further increasing their respect for you. On the other hand, if leniency is granted, it would show Your Majesty's benevolence and kindness, and would serve as an ideal for the people, earning their gratitude. Either way, it is a win-win situation."

Minister Yu spoke at length, heaping praises, yet effectively saying nothing. Lin Wanrong, listening to this, felt he had much to learn.

The Emperor then called upon Chen Biqing. The imperial censor carefully considered his response. "Considering the crimes committed by Prince Cheng, even execution would not be excessive. However, I recognize Your Majesty's compassion and reluctance for fratricide. I suggest we strip him of his title and send him to live in exile under military surveillance, banning him from ever returning to the capital. This would both punish his transgressions and highlight Your Majesty's kindness."

"I object!" Xu Wei interjected immediately. "Minister Chen, this is too lenient! If Prince Cheng is not severely punished, how can we answer to the people?"

"Minister Xu, punishment doesn't always have to be death. Exile and stripping of titles are also severe penalties. Being lenient toward a disabled man would display the Emperor's wisdom and kindness," Chen argued.

The two ministers clashed verbally, on the brink of a heated argument. The Emperor, growing frustrated, slammed his palm onto the armrest of his throne. "Enough! Both of you, be silent."

Xu Wei and Chen Biqing hastily quieted down, daring not to speak further. The Emperor hummed and continued, "I understand your concerns for the Empire. Prince Cheng is my blood brother, and there are only the two of us left. How can I be ruthless toward him? I vowed to my father that I would never harm my brother in my lifetime. You may forget, but I cannot. I will never commit fratricide! Let’s follow Minister Chen’s advice: strip him of his title and send him to exile in the far north, under military surveillance, never to return to the capital."

Before Xu Wei could object further, a furious glare from the Emperor silenced him.

'Sending him to exile? Is this not the same as setting a tiger free?' thought Lin Wanrong, barely containing his urge to jump up.

"Master Gu, what do you think of my decision?" The Emperor looked earnestly toward Gu Shunzhang, clearly seeking his approval.

"Excellent, excellent," Gu Shunzhang nodded approvingly, a mysterious smile on his face. "Your Majesty's skillful management and appropriate measures truly exhibit the demeanor of a great Emperor!"

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