Ning Ziming discovered that Ning Chen had slipped out, and it made him furious.

He was afraid the boy would tell somebody what had been happening lately. If it reached the Xuan Emperor’s ears, that would be a disaster.

Ning Ziming waited and waited. Ning Chen didn’t come back — but a summoning eunuch from the palace did.

Hearing that the Xuan Emperor was calling him in, Ning Ziming’s heart went like a drum. He was badly unsettled.

He quietly slipped the summoning eunuch some silver, hoping to learn why the emperor wanted him.

The eunuch took the silver, but ask him anything and he knew nothing. In fact he genuinely didn’t know.

Ning Ziming followed him to the imperial study in the palace.

Eunuch Quan was standing at the door, watching him with a smile that went no deeper than the skin.

Ning Ziming felt his stomach drop. He went hurriedly to his knees and called out, “Your subject Ning Ziming, begging audience with Your Majesty!”

“Shh. Lord Ning, His Majesty is attending to state business. Don’t make noise. Just wait.”

So he knelt outside the door and waited.

He badly wanted to get something out of Eunuch Quan, but the man turned and went inside.

That kneeling lasted more than four hours.

He was a civil official, soft-bodied and unused to it. His knees screamed, he was seeing stars, and his back felt ready to break.

But until the Xuan Emperor called for him, he had to stay on his knees.

He was almost at the end of what he could hold when Eunuch Quan came out.

“Lord Ning. Come in with me and present yourself to the sage.”

Ning Ziming struggled up. Both legs shook under him. After that long on his knees, standing all at once cut off the blood, and his vision went black. He nearly went over.

He steadied himself with everything he had.

Losing composure in front of the throne was gross disrespect.

He went into the imperial study shaking and knelt again, calling out, “Your subject Ning Ziming, presenting himself to Your Majesty!”

The Xuan Emperor’s eyes came up off the memorial in his hand. He gave Ning Ziming one cold look.

Cold sweat came out on his forehead.

The emperor hadn’t told him to rise. That was a dangerous sign.

“Beloved Minister Ning. Do you think this emperor is too merciful?”

Ning Ziming was startled and bewildered at once. He said, his voice shaking, “Your Majesty is a sovereign of benevolence and righteousness. In governance and in war there is no one to equal Your Majesty. The people—”

He never finished. The Xuan Emperor snorted.

“A sovereign of benevolence? You mean this emperor is too merciful, and that is why you all dare defy an imperial order?”

Ning Ziming’s head was roaring. He had no idea how to answer.

CRACK.

The Xuan Emperor slammed the memorial down on the dragon desk.

“Beloved Minister Ning. This emperor told you to treat Ning Chen well. Is this how you have done it?”

“Why is he gravely injured and flat on his back for a month?”

Ning Ziming was nearly frightened to death.

He had sealed off every word of this. How does His Majesty know? Is there a spy in my house, planted by a rival?

The Xuan Emperor said furiously, “In your Ning estate, Ning Chen is gravely injured, his silver goes missing, his new clothes are stolen. Beloved Minister Ning — is the Ning estate your residence, or a bandits’ den?”

“That hundred-tael note was given to Ning Chen by this emperor.”

Ning Ziming’s vision went black. He nearly passed out.

Ning Chen’s hundred-tael note came from His Majesty?

That made it a thing bestowed by the emperor.

To dare rob a man of an imperial gift, to offend against heaven’s own authority — that was a capital crime.

Sweat stood out on his forehead in drops the size of beans. His back was soaked through with it. He shook all over and knocked his head against the floor without stopping. “Mercy, Your Majesty. Mercy, Your Majesty…”

The Xuan Emperor watched him coldly.

Ning Ziming was frightened out of his soul. All he could do was knock his head and beg.

“Enough. Do you intend to knock yourself to death here and leave this emperor with a name for cruelty?”

“Your subject wouldn’t dare. Your subject wouldn’t dare. Mercy, Your Majesty, mercy…”

By then Ning Chen had eaten and drunk his fill and was back at the outer wall of the Ning estate.

He stepped up on the stones at the base of the wall and climbed over.

This time there was no Ning Mao waiting for him with a pack of wretched servants.

“Uncle Chai. Uncle Chai.”

Ning Chen called as he walked toward Uncle Chai’s room.

The door opened with a creak.

“Fourth Young Master. You’re finally back. This old servant has been worried sick.”

Ning Chen went in smiling and pulled an oiled-paper package out from under the heavy cloak. “Uncle Chai. Look what I brought you.”

Uncle Chai looked at him with worry all over his face.

“Fourth Young Master, this old servant is only a servant, but I have to be bold and say one thing. We absolutely mustn’t do anything against the law.”

Every time Ning Chen went out, he came back in new clothes with food in his hands.

And the heavy cloak on him now was obviously expensive.

Ning Chen laughed. “Set your mind at ease, Uncle Chai. I’m not doing anything bad. Every copper I’ve earned is clean.”

As he said it, he caught sight of the bundle on the bed.

“Uncle Chai. What are you packing for?”

A difficult look crossed Uncle Chai’s face. He sighed. “Fourth Young Master, this old servant is leaving. I won’t be able to look after you anymore.”

“After I’m gone, the Fourth Young Master must hold his temper. Don’t make the master angry. And keep out of the lady’s way as much as you can.”

Ning Chen frowned. “What’s going on? Is someone driving you out?”

Uncle Chai smiled and shook his head. “Nobody is driving this old servant out. I’m old. I can’t do the work anymore. It’s time to go home and rest.”

“With this old servant gone, the Fourth Young Master must take care of himself.”

Ning Chen didn’t believe it. If nobody were driving him out, Uncle Chai wouldn’t go.

Uncle Chai had a bad leg, but he was strong and quick at his work. Another few years would be no trouble.

And how could Ning Chen miss what was in the old man’s eyes? Uncle Chai didn’t want to go. He couldn’t stop worrying about Ning Chen.

Damn it. This is Chang Ruyue and her sons.

Something had changed Ning Ziming’s attitude toward him, and he still didn’t know what. Chang Ruyue and her sons didn’t dare touch him for the moment, so they had gone after Uncle Chai instead.

Ning Mao had said it himself: he’d have Madam Chang throw Uncle Chai out.

Underhanded as hell.

“Uncle Chai. Was it Chang Ruyue who told you to go?”

Uncle Chai shook his head. “Fourth Young Master, this old servant really is going of his own accord. I’m old. I’m going home to enjoy myself.”

“There’s nothing in this house worth staying for. The only thing I can’t stop worrying about is you, Fourth Young Master. You have to protect yourself.”

Ning Chen’s brows knotted together. The one person in this estate who was good to him was leaving, and it sat very badly with him.

“You mangy dog. Are you packed yet? Get packed and get out.”

Ning Xing’s voice came from outside.

A month had gone by. The wound on Ning Xing’s head had long since healed.

In an instant Ning Chen’s face went dark as iron. So it was Madam Chang and her sons driving Uncle Chai out.

And Uncle Chai was being thrown out of the Ning estate entirely because of him.

“Son of a bitch. This is too far.”

Ning Chen was enraged. He turned and walked for the door, grabbing the bar propped behind it on his way out.

“Fourth Young Master—”

Uncle Chai tried anxiously to stop him, but with his bad leg he couldn’t catch up.

Ning Xing and Ning Mao stood in the yard with several household men.

Ning Gan wasn’t there. He had done outstandingly in the examination, and tomorrow was the palace examination. He had to prepare properly.

In the palace examination the emperor personally assessed their ability. Do well, and an office was granted on the spot.

Ning Xing and Ning Mao saw Ning Chen come out with the door bar in his hand, and their first reaction was alarm — they hadn’t expected him back. Then the two of them backed away fast.

Both of them had come off badly against Ning Chen before. It had left a shadow on them.

(End of Chapter 15)