Qin Feimang observed silently: Here he comes again, bringing tears, kneeling once more.
……
It was no wonder Meng Xizhao kept using this method—it was effective.
In the Yue dynasty, martial prowess was valued; the Qi dynasty occasionally so, but mostly they favored civil virtues.
Regardless, Confucian ideals dominated: principle and etiquette ranked above all.
Ordinarily, there was no custom of kneeling lightly. Only in matters of life and death, dire emergencies, would one kneel. On regular occasions, even before the emperor, a simple bow sufficed.
As for such heartfelt displays, wailing as if one’s liver and intestines were torn apart—perhaps a woman could get away with it. But for a man of the Great Qi with a public image to maintain? No, they could never lose face like that.
Take Xie Yuan or Zang He, for example. They were perfectly human, not cold-blooded or unfeeling, but even if a knife were at their throats, they would never shed a single tear. That was their integrity, their principle—unbreakable by anyone.
If a man seldom cried in daily life, he certainly wouldn’t employ tears to win sympathy.
And so, it made things easier for certain shameless types. The emperor, usually seeing nothing but irritable scholars with tempers as foul as stones in a latrine, naturally found someone emotionally vulnerable a novelty—and even more susceptible to such tactics.
Yes… exactly. Nowadays, anyone who used such means to sway the emperor—one by one—were all considered schemers.
Yet even among the schemers, few dared to go as far as Meng Xizhao. Most would just have red-rimmed eyes, a slight sob, but him? He cried as if his tonsils were about to be seen.
……
Qiu Suming was dumbfounded by Meng Xizhao’s audacity, while the Tian Shou Emperor, whose head ached from the wailing, frowned and said in a mildly displeased tone, “Stand up first. One does not start by crying. Look at this vast hall—who behaves in such a manner? Stand, and explain what happened.”
Hearing this, Qiu Suming quickly turned, hoping to seize the initiative and regain the upper hand. But his case was complicated, and he was accustomed, when speaking before the emperor, to carefully organizing the facts first, then adding a few ornate phrases, and sprinkling in some flattery.
All that preparation meant that even with a quick mind, he lagged a beat or two. Meanwhile, Meng Xizhao abruptly stopped crying, lifted his tear-streaked face, and didn’t stand. He simply pointed to the side.
“Your Majesty, Lord Qiu intends to take my life!”
Qiu Suming: “…………”
The Tian Shou Emperor frowned. “Suming, is this true?”
A bitter, metallic taste surged up Qiu’s throat, which he forced down. Then, brimming with indignation, he fired back: “Meng Xizhao, do not slander! Your Majesty, do not listen to his lies! He brazenly relies on his father being Meng Canzheng to disrespect his superior. In front of all the officials at Yingtian Prefecture, he mockingly ridiculed me, causing me great shame. I sought to admonish him, yet he pointed at me and insulted me!”
Regaining his earlier composure, he continued trembling, presenting himself as a grievously wronged man: “Your Majesty, I— I—”
Naturally, the emperor’s sympathy leaned toward Qiu Suming, and his expression darkened. But suddenly, Meng Xizhao leapt to his feet.
“You are the one spewing lies! How dare you insult my father and mother! I am far more wronged than you!”
Meng Xizhao’s face contorted with fury, spittle nearly flying onto Qiu Suming. The emperor had never seen such a display and was momentarily shocked. Meng Xizhao then whirled toward him, seething, and clasped his hands:
“Your Majesty! Please do not heed his slander. Today is my first day presiding over the prefecture court. Yesterday, Lord Jian transferred duties to me. Last night, a group of thieves broke into someone’s residence; they fought with the household guards and terrified the family. It was only natural for the patrol officers to apprehend them.”
At “terrified,” the emperor stiffened.
Yet Meng Xizhao continued without pause: “Today, the thieves admitted they were Lord Qiu’s servants. Since Lord Qiu is influential and has a collegial relationship with my father and me, I intended to release them. But Lord Qiu, ignoring the circumstances, stormed into the prefecture, insulted me, and threatened me. Your Majesty, judge for yourself—how can I swallow such indignity?”
Qiu Suming: “…………”
Don’t think I didn’t notice you twisting words in my favor in front of the emperor!
And high rank, influential connections, collegial relationship… how dare you say such things!
Qiu Suming’s mind raced. Meng Xizhao was clearly out of his depth, and worse, saying this before the emperor could backfire spectacularly. Even if the emperor turned a blind eye, hearing Qiu Suming’s power and influence laid out so openly would surely displease him.
Moreover, Qiu knew that if Meng Xizhao got unlucky over this, he himself would be dragged down as well.
Desperation rising, Qiu blurted: “No, Your Majesty! I did not go to Meng Xizhao demanding the release of my servants. I merely sought to investigate what happened last night. My household personnel were involved, and it is only natural to inquire!”
He even stepped back as if Meng Xizhao were some contaminant, keeping a wary eye on him: “Lord Meng, as the prefect of Yingtian, leading such partiality and injustice—shame on you! Do not speak further, for I cannot bear officials who collude in such a manner!”
Meng Xizhao: “……”
Colluding in factionalism?
His literary skills were average. He remembered what the teacher taught, but anything beyond that, he had no clue. Hence his blank expression was genuine.
Qiu Suming saw this and felt a surge of superiority. Just as he prepared to continue lecturing, the emperor’s voice rang out, unusually curious:
“Your servants—did they assault anyone last night?”
Qiu Suming froze, turning to see the emperor looking at him with genuine puzzlement.
Something wasn’t right.
With the Tian Shou Emperor’s temperament, he should not have cared about such trivial matters. Servants fighting was a daily occurrence in Yingtian Prefecture; he generally had no interest in such petty quarrels, especially with two officials arguing right under his nose.
As long as it didn’t directly concern the Tian Shou Emperor, he actually had a particular fondness for watching people quarrel.
Qiu Suming, having spent over a decade flattering the emperor, knew his temperament well. The two of them exchanged glances, and Qiu felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The sense of impending disaster only grew stronger.
He remained silent, while the emperor tried to process the torrent of information. Meng Xizhao, standing nearby, naturally took the opportunity to lend a hand.
Stepping forward, he answered for Qiu Suming: “Indeed, Your Majesty. Because of this, Officer Cheng of the prefecture was terrified, fearing that Lord Qiu might bear a grudge. But, Your Excellency, this matter had nothing to do with Officer Cheng. It was your steward and servants—too weak. They were all knocked unconscious immediately, and the patrol officers, not knowing their identities, had no choice but to apprehend them all.”
Qiu Suming opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Then he saw the emperor’s face suddenly turn cold as he asked, “Whose household was assaulted last night?”
This time, not only Qiu Suming but even Meng Xizhao was taken aback, unsure why the emperor reacted this way.
After a moment of hesitation, Meng Xizhao replied, “Your Majesty, I do not know. I only received the handover yesterday and arrived today, just starting to take charge. A fight—though unfortunate—is minor, so I did not inquire too deeply.”
The emperor slammed his hand on the table. “Breaking into a private residence and calling it a fight? Clearly, they came with ill intent and meant to harm!”
Meng Xizhao flinched but quickly bent lower in agreement: “Yes, yes, Your Majesty is right. When I return, I will ensure these men are severely punished.”
The emperor snorted. Seeing his attitude was proper, he refrained from further reprimand and turned his gaze to Qiu Suming.
Feeling that piercing stare, Qiu Suming’s hair nearly stood on end.
“Tian Shou Emperor: Lord Qiu, care to explain why your men committed such a heinous act?”
Qiu Suming bowed hastily. “Your Majesty, I truly do not know. Last night, those men acted on their own; I was kept in the dark as well!”
Meng Xizhao chuckled.
Qiu Suming: “…………”
Before the emperor could ask why he was laughing, Meng Xizhao spoke again: “Had it been ordinary servants, I would have believed Lord Qiu’s explanation. But the one who led the assault was your steward. According to Officer Cheng, he is the most trusted, closest aide. Lord Qiu, this steward is to you what Minister Qin is to Your Majesty. You claim ignorance? Ask Minister Qin—does he ever act without informing the emperor?”
Qin Feimang: “……”
Wait, how does this involve me?
He looked up, dazed, only to see the emperor staring at him. Knowing he was in trouble, he quickly said, “Never, Your Majesty. Even for a private action, or if I had merely drunk one extra cup of tea, I would report to Your Majesty immediately.”
The emperor nodded approvingly. Yes, that is the mark of a proper servant.
Turning his gaze back to Qiu Suming, the emperor’s expression grew particularly menacing.
Qiu Suming: “…………”
This time, he dared not remain standing. With a thud, he knelt. “Your Majesty, I truly did not know!”
The emperor furrowed his brows. Qiu Suming did not seem to be feigning ignorance, yet Meng Xizhao’s words carried weight. A trusted steward would never act recklessly; even with some authority, he would still respect his master. If the steward had personally gone, it indicated the matter was severe enough to require his direct oversight.
But the household contained only an old housekeeper—how serious could it be?
Ah, outsiders did not know that Su Ruocun had already entered the palace; to them, she still lived in that residence.
The emperor’s expression shifted subtly, revealing nothing of his thoughts. He remained silent, and Qiu Suming dared not rise. The tension in the hall grew palpable. Meng Xizhao, too, kept his head lowered, waiting for the emperor to come to his own conclusions.
After a while, the emperor finally spoke: “Qiu Suming, do you know Su Ruocun?”
Qiu Suming looked up, initially failing to recall the name. It sounded familiar, and after a moment, he remembered the image of a delicate, jade-like little face. His expression changed instantly.
He was not foolish, nor particularly clever—average intelligence—but years in the bureaucracy had taught him to think quickly.
Yet today, that rapid thinking betrayed him.
Seeing Qiu Suming’s sudden change, the emperor understood that regardless of whether he had ordered it, the cause of last night’s incident lay with him. Otherwise, why would a mere six- or seven-year-old girl strike such fear into Qiu Suming?
After the question, the hall fell silent again. The emperor leaned back slightly, eyes drifting to the incense burner, avoiding further gaze at Qiu Suming. No answer was needed; the emperor had what he wanted.
Qiu Suming’s heart thumped chaotically. He had no idea why the emperor suddenly mentioned Su Wanjun’s daughter and felt extremely unlucky, obsessing over the situation while failing to notice Meng Xizhao casting him a knowing glance.
Sure enough, Meng Xizhao’s intuition proved correct.
Even if the emperor knew Qiu Suming felt guilty about Su Zhifu and that the night raid stemmed from old grudges between the families, he still did not intend to act. Ten years had passed, and the matter had long been settled. Back then, the emperor had turned a blind eye; now, he certainly would not stir up trouble over such trivial, long-settled matters. Qiu Suming was a valuable and capable officer—though displeased, it was not worth punishing him over a decade-old grudge.
Meng Xizhao did not expect that simply a single steward would topple Qiu Suming, but he also did not intend to let him off entirely.
Then, a cautious voice echoed through the hall: “Su… Ruocun? The one who was beaten… it was Su Ruocun?”
Meng Xizhao’s face was the picture of shock.
By the timeline, he really shouldn’t have known that last night’s incident occurred at the Su residence, nor that Su Ruocun was currently in the back hall of the Kunyu Palace. The sudden awareness gave the Tian Shou Emperor a twinge of guilt.
Su Ruocun was brought in by Meng Xizhao. Although he always claimed to have no improper intentions toward her, the emperor was certain that no man could be entirely innocent. Meng Xizhao surely had some thoughts about her as well, though he had the sense not to act on them.
The emperor, however, had acted. Legally, there was no problem, but morally, it was a bit unsightly.
Yet the Tian Shou Emperor—well, even if he felt guilty, it was fleeting. He straightened his back and confidently said, “The one beaten was not Su Ruocun, but her foster mother.”
At this, Qiu Suming and Meng Xizhao reacted in unison, their eyes widening. They did not speak, but their expressions clearly asked: how does Your Majesty know this?
Now the emperor not only felt no guilt, he was actually pleased with himself. “Yesterday, I went out in disguise and happened to see her holding an umbrella for someone returning. I spoke with her briefly and brought her back to the palace.”
Qiu Suming: “…………”
His mind went numb, and a ringing filled his ears.
Meng Xizhao, on the other hand, reacted differently. After a brief moment, he could no longer contain his elation. “Congratulations, Your Majesty! This means… Miss Su is now… a consort?”
His joy was so convincingly genuine that neither the emperor nor Qiu Suming suspected that he might have arranged this himself.
Meng Xizhao played up the image of a lucky recipient of a celestial gift, and the emperor understood why he was so excited. After all, Su Ruocun had been rescued by him; her entry into the harem meant an additional ally for the Meng family.
The emperor never minded the minor scheming of his subordinates. As long as it didn’t interfere with him, they could seek whatever advantage they wished.
Yet, seeing Meng Xizhao’s expectant expression, the emperor hesitated for a moment.
Could he admit that Su Ruocun in the palace was not yet a consort, and still technically had no rank?
He was considering whether to officially confer a title upon her. Though Su Ruocun might be displeased, his own prestige mattered more than her feelings.
At this moment, Qiu Suming finally recovered from the ringing in his ears. Hearing the excitement in Meng Xizhao’s voice, his heart sank. He immediately interjected, “Your Majesty, this cannot be! Su Ruocun comes from a disgraced family. Her father committed grave crimes—how can such a woman be granted the status of a consort?”
Upon hearing this, Meng Xizhao’s delight dimmed slightly. “When Su Wanjun committed his crime, Su Ruocun was merely a child. How could she bear any guilt? Moreover, she has suffered much in Jiangzhou and Nanzhao. Now that Your Majesty wishes to bestow a favor, why oppose it? Could it be that you bear a grudge against her?”
After a pause, Meng Xizhao smiled knowingly. “Ah, yes, a grudge indeed. When Su Wanjun was imprisoned, it was Lord Qiu who reported him. Setting aside that long-past matter, consider yesterday: your steward broke into Su Ruocun’s residence. Even this alone creates a major conflict. Lord Qiu, are you afraid that if Miss Su becomes a consort, she might take revenge on you?”
Qiu Suming: “…Meng Xizhao!”
As tensions in the hall rose like smoke from gunpowder, it seemed that the two were about to clash. The emperor, growing increasingly irritated, observed that Qiu Suming, in his attempt to block Su Ruocun’s elevation, escalated his objections step by step, until finally he uttered:
“Your Majesty, to confer a title upon a woman from a disgraced family would shake the foundation of the Great Qi!”
The emperor felt his patience snap.
In truth, such a phrase was common. Eight out of ten ministers would say this while persuading an emperor. Normally, the Tian Shou Emperor would not take offense. But today was different.
Qiu Suming’s attempt to block the consort’s appointment reminded him of the past, when the entire court tried to stop him from deposing the empress.
Back then, they had said the same thing: it would shake the foundation of the state.
As if the “foundation of the state” was tied not to the emperor himself, but to a woman named Xie Ningxun.
The Tian Shou Emperor didn’t understand.
He was the emperor, the true dragon by mandate of heaven. Could a dragon not even manage his own harem?
If they monitored their own backyards, he would monitor theirs. Though the half-consort system had its criticisms, in its early days, he had been delighted. To him, giving ministers half-consorts, or them blocking his deposing of the empress, was the same: meddling in others’ affairs, trying to control hearts that were not theirs.
Now, more than a decade later, the empress Xie Ningxun was dead, the imperial concubine Gan Jingyue was dead, and the few old ministers he had given half-consorts to were either dead or retired. In the court, not a single one remained.
He had been in his twenties when he ascended, inexperienced and cautious. Now, approaching forty, the Great Qi was firmly in his grasp. No one could take it from him.
So why should he fear anything?
“Whoosh—”
In the heat of their verbal clash, Meng Xizhao and Qiu Suming looked up to see a teacup flying toward them.
Both: “!!!”
They didn’t dare dodge, standing stiffly as the cup shattered in front of them.
The hall immediately fell silent. The emperor, expressionless, watched them. “I have already decreed: Su Ruocun is pardoned, and shall be conferred the rank of Jieyu. Do either of you dissent?”
The emperor was truly angry. Qiu Suming dared not oppose, too frightened to speak. Meng Xizhao was delighted, but he too held his tongue, offering only a deferential smile before lowering his head.
The Tian Shou Emperor’s anger hadn’t subsided; he glared at the two of them, and everyone in his view seemed displeasing.
Deciding to take action, he singled them out.
“You can’t even manage your own servants—how do you expect to oversee the empire’s finances? When you return, shut yourself away and reflect! Only when you truly understand your mistakes may you come out again! And one more thing—your salary will be docked for a full year as a warning!”
“And you! Just appointed as prefect, and already causing such a scandal. It seems you’ve grown complacent after your first achievements! I won’t punish you directly—your father will bear the penalty! One year’s salary docked as well. Let him reflect properly!”
Meng Xizhao: “…………”
This was a bit of collateral damage, really. Punishing him directly would have sufficed; after all, his own salary was still less than the pocket money his mother gave him.
Qiu Suming didn’t dare make a sound, and Meng Xizhao naturally kept quiet. They both accepted the punishment obediently and turned to leave. Just as he was about to exit, the emperor suddenly called out and said something more.
“Meng Xizhao, when you return, consult your father. See what result comes from contacting the palace consorts.”
Meng Xizhao froze for a moment. Realizing the meaning, his face paled, and he immediately kowtowed in apology: “Your servant dares not attempt such a thing! May Your Majesty judge me leniently!”
Seeing that he understood the gravity, the emperor waved his hand and let him leave.
…
They had come together, and now they left together. Walking down the long corridor of Kunyu Palace, their steps were heavy, neither speaking. Once they were far enough from the emperor, Qiu Suming suddenly spun around, his face dark, his gaze toward Meng Xizhao like that of a man staring down his father’s killer.
“Don’t get too pleased with yourself, Meng Xizhao. This isn’t over yet!”
Meng Xizhao, still smarting from the emperor’s scolding, froze at the threat.
But seeing him like that didn’t satisfy Qiu Suming. Turning away, he hurried off to summon Grand Tutor Gan, intending to petition the emperor to retract the decree.
No matter what, Su Ruocun could not remain in the palace!
After Qiu Suming left, Meng Xizhao’s stiffness slowly eased.
Mimicking the posture of high-ranking officials, hands behind his back, he looked up at the blazing sun overhead.
This summer was indeed remarkable—fiery and lively.
Well then, let Lord Qiu stay trapped in this summer a while longer~