"Your Majesty, on my way home yesterday I came across General Liang's steward struggling with Vice Minister Ren's son over the Tong'an Hall physician."

"When I asked, I learned that General Liang's daughter-in-law was in a difficult labor and in mortal danger. A good many physicians had been brought in and none of them could do a thing, and one slip would have meant two lives lost together."

"In my alarm, your subject took the physician out of Young Master Ren's hands, and then, afraid the Tong'an Hall physician's skill might not be equal to it, took Miss Zisu out of the Ministry of Justice prison."

"General Liang's daughter-in-law came through in the end, mother and child both well, but Miss Zisu was a prisoner, and your subject took her out on his own authority in breach of the statutes of the Great Xuan. Your subject asks Your Majesty to punish him."

Ning Chen looked perfectly meek, the whole point being to seem honest.

The Xuan Emperor kept his face flat. "Since you knew this was against the law of the realm, why did you do it?"

"Your Majesty! General Liang holds Beilin Pass. He fights for the country and guards its lands, and his family is being trampled on at the very feet of the Son of Heaven. That would not only leave the soldiers cold in their hearts. It would give people something to say against Your Majesty."

"The moment your subject thought of anyone speaking against Your Majesty behind your back, he could not bear it. When the sovereign is shamed, his subject dies... Your subject can die. What he cannot do is let a single word be said against Your Majesty."

"But your subject did do a wrong thing. He knows his guilt. He asks Your Majesty to punish him!"

The Xuan Emperor could not keep the corners of his mouth down. So the boy had done it to defend his face after all.

The boy had grown up at last. He had learned to hold the imperial power in awe and to guard the honor…