“Worthless. That good-for-nothing… Look at what he has gone and done, the two of you!”

“Parading about in public with a girl out of a pleasure house, and making a great scene at the Heavenly Blessing Tower. It is outrageous!”

The Xuan Emperor’s face went livid.

Eunuch Quan and Nie Liang kept their heads down and did not dare breathe.

“It seems this emperor has spoiled him too much. That worthless thing — parading about in public with a girl out of a pleasure house. Has he no shame in him at all?”

But when he looked down at the few lines of writing on the sheet of fine paper, his face eased a great deal.

On the paper were the four lines Ning Chen had spoken at the Heavenly Blessing Tower.

“This boy — his gift truly has no equal in this age. He opens his mouth and out comes a fine work for the ages… These few lines ought to be sent to the court. Let the beloved ministers hold one another to them.”

“But look at him, will you. That worthless thing actually used a work for the ages to abuse people. There is no reason in it… For the sake of a woman of that trade, he called men of letters birds and beasts. It is enough to make this emperor die of anger!”

Eunuch Quan and Nie Liang stole a look at each other.

There were no two men who understood His Majesty better. Never mind that His Majesty was in a fury now — it was only that he wanted better of the boy than he was getting… In fact nothing much was going to happen to Ning Chen.

If His Majesty were truly angry, he would never carry on like this, flying off the handle and cursing away… One word from him, and heads would roll and the blood would run like a river.

Just then a young eunuch came in on tiptoe.

“What is it?”

The Xuan Emperor was at the height of his temper and barked it out in a rage, which frightened the young eunuch into dropping to his knees on the floor with a thump, in fear and trembling, his voice shaking. “Reporting to Your Majesty. Lord Luo, the Vice Minister of War, and Lord Zhang, the Vice Minister of Revenue, beg an audience.”

“Let them in!”

“Yes!”

The young eunuch went out, and Nie Liang said quickly, “Your Majesty. Your subject has one more thing to report.”

The Xuan Emperor waved a hand to tell him to wait, because the Vice Minister of War and the Vice Minister of Revenue were already coming in.

“Presenting ourselves to Your Majesty!”

The two of them knelt down in front of the dragon desk.

“Beloved ministers, get up and speak!”

“We thank Your Majesty!”

The two of them gave thanks and got to their feet.

The Xuan Emperor said, “What business brings the beloved ministers to this emperor?”

“Your Majesty. Your subject wishes to lay a charge against Ning Chen, silver coat of the Inspectorate. He beat your subject’s son for no reason at all, and knocked the teeth clean out of his head. I beg Your Majesty to see justice done for your subject.”

The Vice Minister of War finished, and the Vice Minister of Revenue came straight in after him. “Your Majesty. Your subject wishes to lay a charge against Ning Chen, silver coat of the Inspectorate, as well. He turned violent for no cause whatever and kicked your subject’s son down a staircase. His head was split and bleeding and he has not been able to get out of bed since!”

The Xuan Emperor was taken aback first, and then went into a towering rage.

“When was this?”

“Answering Your Majesty. Around noon today, at the Heavenly Blessing Tower… Your subject’s son happened on Ning the Silver Coat taking a meal there with a girl out of a pleasure house. He did no more than look a moment too long, and Ning Chen beat him like a man out of his senses. I beg Your Majesty to see justice done for your subject.”

The Xuan Emperor’s face went livid.

He turned his head and looked at Nie Liang.

Nie Liang gave a slight shudder and went white in the face, and said quickly, “Your Majesty. What your subject was about to say just now was this very thing!”

Ning Chen, don’t hold it against me for not helping you… The fact is their own fathers have brought the complaint before the throne itself. Much as I would like to, there is nothing I can do. You had better pray for yourself… Nie Liang said inwardly.

The Xuan Emperor made a cold sound in his nose!

The cold sweat came straight out on Nie Liang’s forehead, but he screwed up his courage and said, “Your Majesty. Your subject’s men have reported it, and the thing does not altogether agree with what the two lords have said.”

“It was the two lords’ sons who first made free with Miss Yudie… and that was when Ning the Silver Coat struck them in anger. A small punishment to serve as a large warning.”

The Vice Minister of War and the Vice Minister of Revenue looked at Nie Liang at the same moment, glaring at him.

“What Commander Nie says there is one-sided. My son has studied the books of the sages since he was a child. He could never do such a thing as make free with a woman.”

“Just so. My son is gentle and well-mannered, he knows his courtesies and he keeps to the proprieties… There is no possibility whatever of his making free with a woman.”

“Your Majesty. Even supposing what Lord Nie says is true… Ning Chen is a silver coat of the Inspectorate, and he goes wandering around with a woman of that trade. What sort of behavior is this? It is nothing but an insult to decency. My son said a word or two to him about it. Where is the wrong in that?”

“Ning Chen is savage and coarse, and he turned violent for no cause. It is past all pardon. I beg Your Majesty to punish him severely.”

Nie Liang smiled bitterly inside. When it came to a war of tongues, he was no match for these two at all.

He had nothing but contempt for what the two of them were saying, but how was he to argue against it?

The point was that Ning Chen really had beaten them.

“Your Majesty. Ning Chen not only beat your subject’s son, he called men of letters birds and beasts. It is arrogance past all bounds. I beg Your Majesty to hand down an edict and punish him severely.”

The Xuan Emperor’s face was dark.

“The beloved ministers may set their minds at rest. This emperor will certainly give you satisfaction.”

“Nie Liang?”

“Your subject is here.”

The Xuan Emperor said with his face set hard, “Take men and go this moment, and bring Ning Chen here to this emperor… This time he will be punished heavily.”

A chill went through Nie Liang. Ning Chen was in for it this time.

Fond as His Majesty was of Ning Chen, he could not take the boy’s side too far. The faces of the ministers of the court still had to be considered.

Ning Chen’s life was not in danger, but there was no getting out of a beating with the rod.

“Yes. Your subject receives the edict!”

Nie Liang made his bow and withdrew from the imperial study.

But on the way he met a guard hurrying toward him, and the two of them exchanged a few words.

Nie Liang’s face went anxious, and he hurried back to the imperial study.

“Your Majesty. Your subject has just had word. Somebody tried to murder Ning Chen in the open street.”

“What?”

The Xuan Emperor forgot himself so far as to stand straight up out of the dragon throne, and his voice was urgent. “How is Ning Chen?”

“Answering Your Majesty. Ning the Silver Coat is bold and a fine fighter. He fought them off for his life and drove the killers back… but he took a wound himself.”

The Xuan Emperor’s face changed on the instant. “Ning Chen is wounded? Is it bad?”

“Your subject does not know. They say the men who came at Ning the Silver Coat were all skilled fighters. Your subject makes bold to guess that Ning the Silver Coat is not lightly hurt.”

Instead, the Xuan Emperor’s face went calm, and he sat slowly back down.

But every man there felt a terrible killing air spreading out from the Xuan Emperor.

Eunuch Quan quickly lowered his head, his brows down and his eyes down… This is when His Majesty is truly angry. This is the most terrible time of all.

Anybody bold enough to walk into His Majesty’s bad luck at a moment like this will die for certain.

“Nie Liang. Where is Ning Chen?”

“At the Inspectorate!”

“Take an imperial physician from the palace and go to the Inspectorate this moment… Whatever the state of him, report it to this emperor at once.”

“Yes!”

Nie Liang did not dare delay. He took the order and went off in haste.

The Xuan Emperor’s eyes moved and came to rest on the Vice Minister of War and the Vice Minister of Revenue, and he asked mildly, “This attempt on Ning Chen. Has it anything to do with the two of you?”

The two of them were frightened out of their souls on the spot, and dropped to their knees on the floor with a thump.

“Your Majesty. This has nothing to do with your subject. I beg Your Majesty to see it clearly!”

“Calm your anger, Your Majesty. Your subject most certainly did not do this. I beg Your Majesty to look into it properly!”

The Xuan Emperor looked at the two of them, and his face showed nothing.

The two of them shook from head to foot, and the cold sweat came pouring down their foreheads.

“This emperor will certainly look into it properly… Under the Son of Heaven’s own feet, somebody makes attempt after attempt on his own ministers. That is a challenge to him.”

“Whoever it is — once it is proved, this emperor will have him punished to the ninth degree of kin.”

“This emperor hopes this has nothing to do with the two beloved ministers… You may withdraw for now!”

The backs of both men were soaked through with cold sweat. They gave thanks in a hurry and withdrew in a sorry state.

Outside the imperial study the two of them had fright all over their faces… Rotten luck! Had they known they were walking into a thing like this, they could have been beaten to death and still never have come to lay a complaint before the throne itself.

Still — Ning Chen had come to blows with their sons at midday, and by afternoon there had been an attempt on his life… Was it any wonder His Majesty’s suspicion fell on them?

Neither of them dared so much as think now about getting His Majesty to punish Ning Chen severely… All they wanted was the truth found out quickly and their names cleared.

Because to be suspected by His Majesty was a thing that could cost a man his life.

(End of Chapter 121)