Ning Xing and Ning Mao were frightened out of their skins.

Chang Ruyue was frightened too, her face chalk white. But at the same time she understood how serious this was.

She shared his pillow. Nobody understood this man better than she did.

Ning Ziming had good control of his temper and rarely lost it. For him to come apart like this meant there was a great deal behind that cloak.

“Xing’er. Mao’er. Tell the truth.”

The cloak had been taken from Ning Chen. If something really came of it, the blame could be put on his head.

Ning Mao said, trembling, “Father, calm yourself. Ning Chen gave me this cloak.”

Ning Ziming’s head roared.

Ning Chen had gone out today and come back with this cloak, and then Ning Ziming had been called in and berated by the Xuan Emperor.

Which meant Ning Chen had seen the Xuan Emperor today, and the Xuan Emperor had given him the cloak.

Why in heaven’s name is His Majesty so good to Ning Chen?

But the important thing now was that these two idiots had robbed a man of an imperial gift and then worn it.

Ning Chen gave it to him? He took it, plainly.

Did he not know what his own sons were? He simply kept one eye shut most of the time.

The more he thought, the angrier he got. In the end he couldn’t hold it. He kicked Ning Mao over onto the floor, then kicked Ning Xing head over heels.

“I, Ning Ziming, have been a clever man my whole life. How did I father two idiots like you?”

Ning Xing and Ning Mao shook with fright. They had never seen their father this angry.

Chang Ruyue’s face was all distress. She put herself between the three of them. “Master, they’re your own sons. Won’t it hurt you to damage them?”

“Hurt me? Do you have any idea what you’re saying? These two idiots nearly got this whole family killed.”

Ning Ziming roared it.

Chang Ruyue was struck speechless. She couldn’t help asking, “Master, what on earth has happened?”

“Don’t ask what has happened. Just leave Ning Chen alone from now on.”

Ning Ziming had a mouthful of bitterness he couldn’t spit out. He didn’t dare say it.

But he didn’t realize that the more he talked this way, the more Chang Ruyue and her sons hated Ning Chen.

He rubbed at the space between his brows, agitated, his mind racing.

While His Majesty still doesn’t know about this, the cloak has to go back to Ning Chen at once.

And I have to find some way to keep Ning Chen from talking about it.

Just then Steward Wu’s voice came from outside. “Master. Someone has come from the palace. The master is to receive an edict.”

Ning Ziming’s vision went black. He swayed and nearly went down on his face.

His first thought was that the Xuan Emperor already knew.

Chang Ruyue caught him quickly, all concern. “Master, are you all right?”

Ning Ziming’s face was ghost white. He said nothing and walked shakily toward the door.

Chang Ruyue, Ning Xing, and Ning Mao hurried after him.

When an imperial edict arrives, every master of a household has to go out and receive it.

The whole family came to the main hall.

In the hall stood the pale, beardless summoning eunuch, four imperial guards ranged behind him.

“Lord Ning, receive the edict!”

The eunuch’s voice was thin and high.

Ning Ziming’s family went hurriedly to their knees.

The eunuch opened the edict and read: “Ning Ziming, Minister of Rites, has failed the grace of the throne. He is retained in his post for the present, pending observation of his future conduct. One year’s salary is forfeit. Thus decreed.”

Ning Ziming’s vision went black and he nearly passed out.

A year’s salary stung, but that wasn’t what mattered.

Retained for the present meant the Xuan Emperor was very angry. Sit in the Minister of Rites’ chair for now — and at the next mistake, get out.

“Lord Ning. Will you not receive the edict and give thanks?”

He took the edict in both shaking hands.

“Your subject receives the edict and knocks his head in thanks for heaven’s grace!”

That is imperial authority. Never mind a reprimand — if he had you killed, you would still have to say thank you.

The eunuch left.

But Ning Ziming stayed on his knees, his eyes vacant. It was a long while before he came back to himself.

He had thought that once the Xuan Emperor berated him it was finished, and had been quietly congratulating himself on escaping. He hadn’t expected an edict to follow right behind it.

“Master…”

Chang Ruyue said it carefully. The look on Ning Ziming’s face was frightening enough that even she had started to be afraid.

Then Ning Ziming suddenly stood, rushed at Ning Xing and Ning Mao like a madman, and started kicking.

“Idiots. You pair of idiots. You’ll be the death of me yet.”

Chang Ruyue hurried over to stop him.

The palace. The imperial study.

The Xuan Emperor set down his brush. What was written on the paper was Ning Chen’s three strategies.

The more he looked, the better he liked them.

“With these three, the people on this emperor’s border can pass this winter without fear.”

Eunuch Quan said quickly, “Your Majesty is wise and mighty. With Your Majesty to protect them, the people are fortunate indeed.”

“Less flattery. This is Ning Chen’s doing. A man should have a son like Ning Chen.”

“And has the man with the edict come back?”

Eunuch Quan said quickly, “Just returned!”

The Xuan Emperor grunted, then frowned. “This Ning Ziming is a fool. Ning Chen has the makings of a top scholar, and the man looks straight past him.”

“Without a lesson he’ll genuinely believe this emperor has no temper.”

After Ning Ziming had gone, the more the emperor thought about it the angrier he became, and in the end he simply issued an edict.

He was afraid a reprimand alone wouldn’t stay in Ning Ziming’s memory.

The Xuan Emperor thought a moment. “Nie Liang?”

Nie Liang came in quickly from outside and went down on one knee. “Presenting myself to Your Majesty!”

“Nie Liang. Send several men and investigate Ning Chen properly for this emperor. Find out why Ning Ziming dislikes him.”

“Your subject obeys!”

Just then a young eunuch came to the door and reported quietly, “Reporting to Your Majesty. The crown prince and the Ninth Princess request an audience.”

The Xuan Emperor waved a hand, signaling that Nie Liang could withdraw.

Then, to the young eunuch, “Send them in.”

Before long the crown prince and the Ninth Princess came in.

The crown prince was thin, twenty-four or twenty-five, mature and steady, and his brow was very like the Xuan Emperor’s.

The Ninth Princess was only fourteen, still a child in the face — a small pale chin, bright clear eyes beneath her brows, black hair piled up like cloud. She was just beginning to grow up, and she had the makings of a beauty. Her big eyes blinked and blinked, quick and charming.

In this era, in fact, fourteen was already old enough to marry.

“Your child greets Father Emperor!”

“Greetings, Father Emperor!”

The two of them bowed together.

The Xuan Emperor smiled. “Get up.”

“The crown prince comes at a good moment. This emperor was about to send for you. Come and look at this.”

The Xuan Emperor handed him the three written strategies.

The crown prince took them in both hands, read closely, and his eyes lit up. He couldn’t help exclaiming, “A fine plan. A fine plan. This is a blessing on every family along our border.”

Huai’an, the Ninth Princess, leaned in to look as well, but a few glances and she had lost interest.

The Xuan Emperor asked, smiling, “Then which of the three do you think should be used?”

The crown prince’s face went troubled at once. After a while he said, “Whatever Father Emperor decides.”

The Xuan Emperor frowned, and the smile went off his face.

There was nothing wrong with this son of his except that he was far too irresolute.

The crown prince didn’t notice the change in his father’s face. He couldn’t help asking, “Father Emperor, who offered a plan like this?”

The Xuan Emperor said, “Lan Xing.”

“Lan Xing?” The crown prince thought about it. “The Lan Xing who wrote that work for the ages?”

The Xuan Emperor nodded.

“Father Emperor, this man has a talent for governing. Your child would like to meet him. I ask Father Emperor’s permission.”

A smile came onto the Xuan Emperor’s face. His son might be irresolute, but he knew a man when he saw one and used him well. That much he had from his father.

“Good. In a few days you will come out of the palace with this emperor.”

“Yes!”

The Xuan Emperor looked at the Ninth Princess. “Huai’an. Did you come to your father for something?”

Princess Huai’an gave a little laugh — bright eyes, white teeth, a very sweet smile.

“Father, it’s nothing. I just missed you, that’s all.”

The dragon countenance was greatly pleased. He had a good many sons and daughters, but they looked at him the way a mouse looks at a cat.

Only Huai’an was open and bright and full of mischief. Every time he saw the girl he felt years younger.

So the Xuan Emperor doted on the Ninth Princess.

“Father, I want to go out of the palace too. I want to see this great talent as well.”

The Xuan Emperor laughed and allowed it.

And at that moment the great talent the Ninth Princess wanted to see — Ning Chen — was standing there like a fool, staring blankly at Ning Ziming and the rest.

When a crowd of people who have spent years bullying you suddenly turn up to apologize, anyone would be baffled.

(End of Chapter 18)