The Xuan Emperor was shaking with cold rage. He turned to go.
To everyone’s surprise Fan Taihe struggled up into a sitting position and shouted, “Your Majesty, your subject begs you to put Ning Chen to death, to set the code of law straight.”
Ning Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly. The man was persistent, no question… He had begun to admire this Censor-in-Chief a little.
The Xuan Emperor gave a cold snort, paid him no attention at all, and walked out.
“Your Majesty. Your Majesty…”
Fan Taihe was still bawling with no tears in it.
But the Xuan Emperor was long gone.
Ning Chen got up and walked at an even pace toward Fan Taihe.
Every eye in the court followed Ning Chen.
The censors gathered around Fan Taihe went tense.
“Ning Chen. What do you think you are doing? You hold no office and no post now. You are a base commoner… In the hall of court, do you dare?”
One of the censors bawled it out, his voice trying to be fierce with nothing at all behind it.
Ning Chen gave a cold laugh, and his eyes came to rest on Fan Taihe. “Nobody is holding you back now. Lord Fan may prove his sincerity with his death.”
Fan Taihe: “???”
He was not a fool. With His Majesty gone, what use was there in dashing his brains out?
Fan Taihe gave a cold snort. “You are nothing but a base commoner now. You are not fit to speak to this minister.”
Ning Chen smiled evenly. “Then we will not speak.”
The words were not out of his mouth before he was across the floor in one stride, sending the censors around Fan Taihe staggering in all directions.
He put a boot straight into Fan Taihe’s face.
Then he sat astride him and went to work with his fists until Fan Taihe was screaming like a pig on the block.
The whole court, civil and military, was struck dumb.
This was the Golden Hall. Striking a minister of the court was a capital crime.
“Someone come, someone come. There’s murder being done, someone come…”
“Guards. Guards… Pull this madman off him…”
The censors were hopping up and down in their panic.
But the guards did not stir. They might have seen nothing at all.
“Commander Nie. Have your men pull this madman off.”
Nie Liang looked coldly at the censor who had spoken. “This official’s duty is to protect His Majesty. It is not to protect certain creatures with a man’s head and a dog’s face.”
“You— you… This official will impeach you before His Majesty.”
Nie Liang said coldly, “Suit yourself.”
In the end it was Geng Jing who came forward and pulled Ning Chen off.
If Fan Taihe were actually beaten to death in the Golden Hall, the trouble would be serious.
Ning Chen shook out his wrists, let his gaze travel over the assembled officials, and smiled evenly.
Their faces were not all the same.
Some were sick with worry, some were pleased at another man’s misfortune.
Ning Chen cupped his fists. “My lords will forgive the spectacle. Ning here beat him not because he impeached me… but because he is too ugly to look at, and Ning here found him an offense to the eye.”
With that Ning Chen unbuckled his blade, took off the silver fish-scale coat he wore, folded it, and handed it to Geng Jing along with the blade.
Geng Jing frowned. “Ning Chen, there is no need—”
Ning Chen shook his head and cut him off. “Geng the Purple Coat, I have been reduced to commoner. These things naturally go back.”
“My lords. Until we meet again.”
With nothing left on him but a white undershirt and drawers, hands behind his back and his spine straight, Ning Chen walked out of the hall in long strides.
At the door Ning Chen’s foot stopped in mid-step. He looked back once, with mockery on his face.
A pack of fools. Sooner or later you will beg me to come back.
Without Ning Chen, the Tuoluo Kingdom will tear up its treaty of submission.
The Wu Kingdom will break off the peace talks.
Nanyue will take the chance to attack the southern frontier and swallow the Thirty-Mile Corridor.
And those pellets of countries around the edges will be eyeing it like tigers, trying to carve a slice off the Great Xuan.
Old General Chen cannot take the field now.
The Grand Tutor is dead.
In all the Great Xuan the great commanders have withered away.
Apart from Ning Chen, there is no man alive who is a match for Kang Luo, the Fourth Prince of Nanyue.
Without Ning Chen, sooner or later you will all be lambs waiting for the knife.
Geng Jing, Nie Liang, Li Hanru and the others came out after him.
“My lord marquis—”
Li Hanru called it out.
Ning Chen stopped, turned, and smiled evenly at them. “I am an ordinary man of the people now, not a marquis of the Great Xuan. None of you should call me that anymore.”
“I am at leisure these days. If any of you have the time, come and drink with me.”
Ning Chen waved a hand, turned, and walked away in long strides.
“We send off the marquis!”
Li Hanru, Shen Min and the rest cried it out together.
The corner of Ning Chen’s mouth lifted. His step did not slow, and he was soon out of sight of all of them.
In the imperial study, the color of iron was in the Xuan Emperor’s face.
Eunuch Quan stood to one side holding his fly-whisk carefully and hardly daring to breathe.
The Xuan Emperor turned his head suddenly to Eunuch Quan. “You say he took off the fish-scale coat in the hall and left in his undershirt and drawers?”
“Yes.”
The muscle at the corner of the Xuan Emperor’s eye jumped, and the muscles of his face were tight with the clench of his back teeth.
“He is blaming this emperor for failing to protect him.”
Eunuch Quan said quickly, “The marquis is so clever. He is sure to understand Your Majesty’s difficulty. He would never think such a thing.”
“Yes. He is so clever… He took off the fish-scale coat, which is to say he has given back everything this emperor gave him. He is cutting the tie between us.”
Eunuch Quan did not dare say another word.
“And Fan Taihe?”
“In answer to Your Majesty, after the marquis had gone he was carried to the Imperial Physicians’ Bureau. But everyone at the Bureau was busy and had no time to treat him, so he was carried back out of the palace.”
“All the imperial physicians were busy?” The Xuan Emperor gave a start, and then understood. “Lin Wen was caught up in Zisu’s business, and he came out of the cells because Ning Chen established the truth of it. He is remembering what he owes Ning Chen.”
Fan Taihe had taken a thorough beating from Ning Chen.
Afterward several censors had carried him to the Imperial Physicians’ Bureau.
When Lin Wen had heard how it came about, he narrowed his eyes, tasted his tea, and said mildly, “This old man is very busy. He has no time.”
With the Master Director saying that, naturally none of the other imperial physicians would treat Fan Taihe either.
The Xuan Emperor sighed and asked, “Where is Ning Chen now?”
Eunuch Quan bowed his head. “The marquis has gone home. Now that he is reduced to commoner, the python robe, the tally of command and the residence all have to be handed back… He will be packing his things about now.”
The Xuan Emperor’s brows, which had eased a little, drew back into three deep furrows.
“Go to the marquis’s residence. Tell Ning Chen he may go on living in the house. He does not have to move out.”
“Yes. This servant will go at once.”
Ning Chen went back to the marquis’s residence and sent for Uncle Chai and Gu Yichun.
Then he told them that he had been reduced to commoner.
Uncle Chai and Gu Yichun were struck dumb and staring.
Everything had been well yesterday. How had he suddenly been reduced to commoner?
Ning Chen said flatly, “Uncle Chai, this house was granted by His Majesty, so of course it has to go back… Go find a broker in the next day or two and see whether there is a suitable house to be had.”
Uncle Chai nodded. “This old servant will see to it at once.”
Ning Chen looked at Gu Yichun. “I have no power and no post now. I am a commoner and nothing else… If any of you want to leave, I will give you enough silver to marry, raise children, and live out your lives in comfort.”
Gu Yichun was appalled. “The young master is driving us away?”
Ning Chen smiled. “I do not mean to drive you away… only that I have no power and no post now, and whether you stay or go is for you to decide.”
Gu Yichun dropped to his knees with a thud. “We followed the marquis not because the marquis stood high in rank and heavy in power, but because we respect the kind of man the marquis is.”
“So long as the marquis does not drive us away, this small man will follow him through life and death.”
Ning Chen smiled and nodded. “Good. I have lost the power, but I will not shortchange my brothers either.”
(End of Chapter 374)