“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 of the imperial house.

The Xuan Emperor was much gratified.

Eunuch Quan’s face was full of contempt. Bootlicker. Even when he’s in the wrong he doesn’t forget to lay the flattery on… Hmph. Old Quan is ashamed to be in the same room as you.

“Since you know you were wrong, tell this emperor. How ought this emperor to punish you?”

Ning Chen kept his head down, the picture of honesty. “Everything your subject has, Your Majesty gave him. Your Majesty may punish him as he pleases.”

A gratified, satisfied smile came onto the Xuan Emperor’s face.

“Enough. Get up. And use your head a little more in future.”

“When you took Miss Zisu out of the Ministry of Justice prison, you should have sent this emperor a memorial at once explaining why. Then this emperor would not have been caught unprepared at court today.”

“Let’s do this. You are fined half a year’s salary, and it goes to Quan Sheng as compensation… To help you, Quan Sheng played a part for this emperor to protect you, and he has been fined a year’s salary.”

Ning Chen looked at Eunuch Quan with astonishment all over his face, then said hurriedly, “Your subject did not think it through. My thanks for Your Majesty’s boundless grace. Your subject accepts the fine.”

He had of course not failed to think it through. He had done it deliberately.

Send up a memorial, and there would have been no self-inflicted suffering to stage.

He had risked death to take Zisu out of the Ministry of Justice, he had brought Liang Jingwu’s daughter-in-law and her child through alive, and then he had been docked half a year’s pay for it… When Liang Jingwu heard of it, would he not be moved to tears of gratitude?

What was half a year’s salary?

What he wanted was Liang Jingwu and the hundred thousand men of Beilin Pass on his side. What he wanted was the army’s heart turned toward him.

Ning Chen thought for a moment and said, “Your Majesty, your subject has one more matter to lay before you.”

The Xuan Emperor made a sound of assent and asked, “What is it?”

“Your subject wishes to bring a charge against Commander Nie!”

“Mm?” The Xuan Emperor looked at him in surprise. “What about Commander Nie?”

Ning Chen’s whole face was aggrieved. “He cursed me and told me to get lost… and he threw silver in my face to humiliate me.”

The Xuan Emperor’s eyes brightened a little. His curiosity was up at once.

The corner of Ning Chen’s mouth twitched. It seemed the Xuan Emperor liked gossip as much as anyone.

The Xuan Emperor asked with real interest, “How did that come about? Tell it in full.”

“Reporting to Your Majesty! Commander Nie has a younger brother named Nie Feng, a scholar who has failed the examinations again and again… I met him in the street the other day. His clothes were worn out and his face was full of worry.”

“When I asked, I learned that Commander Nie’s parents are bedridden and need medicine year in and year out, and with his brother’s schooling on top of that, Commander Nie’s salary has long since stopped covering it. They live very poorly.”

“Commander Nie’s wife could not bear his poverty and they agreed to part some years ago. His brother is still unmarried… Your subject felt for them and thought to lend them some silver to get them through.”

“And who would have thought Commander Nie would not know a kindness when he saw one. He insisted your subject was bribing him. He not only cursed me, he threw the silver at me. It was a great humiliation!”

The Xuan Emperor was struck dumb.

Nie Liang was the commander of his own personal bodyguards, and his ancestors had been looked into, eighteen generations of them.

That Nie Liang’s parents had been bedridden for years, the emperor knew… But Nie Liang’s salary came to two or three thousand taels a year, and that they lived as poorly as this had never occurred to him.

The Xuan Emperor turned his head to look at Eunuch Quan.

Eunuch Quan bowed hurriedly. “Your Majesty’s pardon. This servant did not know of it either.”

The Xuan Emperor looked at Ning Chen. “This emperor understands. He will be sure to give Nie Liang a thorough dressing-down on your behalf.”

Ning Chen’s face filled with happiness, and his smile was very simple. “Thank you, Your Majesty!”

“Ning Chen, where is Zisu now?”

Ning Chen said hurriedly, “At an inn… Last night your subject meant to send Miss Zisu back to the Ministry of Justice prison, but it was very late… And the prison is cold and damp, and Miss Zisu is a frail girl. A long stay there does her health no good.”

“So your subject arranged for her to rest at an inn for the night… He meant to send her back to the prison after leaving the palace.”

The Xuan Emperor waved a hand. “There is no need to send her back. This emperor has already pardoned her.”

Ning Chen put on a show of shock.

In truth every step of it had gone according to his plan.

The Xuan Emperor sighed. “The house of Yan was destroyed by treacherous men, but in the end it was the imperial brush that approved it… This emperor has wronged the house of Yan.”

“Let’s do this. Go back and ask Miss Zisu whether she is willing to enter the Imperial Physicians’ Bureau.”

“If she is not willing, this emperor will not press her… If she wishes to stay in the capital, this emperor will make her a gift of a residence, and if she wants to open a practice, this emperor can help with that too.”

Ning Chen bowed. “Your Majesty is merciful!”

The Xuan Emperor inclined his head slightly, then waved a hand. “Enough. You may withdraw.”

“And go and see Huai’an. You are to be married shortly. Learn more of each other.”

Ning Chen said hurriedly, “Your subject obeys!”

Ning Chen made his bow and withdrew from the imperial study.

Then, for no reason at all, the Xuan Emperor laughed and shook his head. “That Nie Liang… This emperor did not misjudge the man!”

“If he were willing, the whole court would be falling over itself to send him silver… And instead he lives as poorly as this. His loyalty is plain to see!”

“Quan Sheng, summon Nie Liang in to this emperor!”

“Yes!” Eunuch Quan went out with his short, quick steps, and before long he brought Nie Liang in.

“Your subject greets Your Majesty!”

The Xuan Emperor looked at Nie Liang. “Get up.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

“Nie Liang, this emperor hears that Ning Chen offered you silver?”

Nie Liang had just stood up, and the fright dropped him to his knees again. He said in alarm, “Your Majesty’s pardon. Marquis Ning did offer to lend your subject silver, but your subject did not take it.”

The corner of the Xuan Emperor’s mouth lifted. He was well satisfied with what Nie Liang had done.

“Ning Chen meant well in offering it. If you did not want it, that is that… But throwing the silver at him is somewhat humiliating.”

Nie Liang’s forehead filled with question marks.

When had he ever thrown silver at Ning Chen?

Then Nie Liang remembered what Ning Chen had said before — that he would not have him take silver and would still solve his difficulty for him.

Was this Ning Chen’s way of doing it?

“Nie Liang, you know this emperor is fond of Ning Chen, and you still dared do such a thing? Weren’t you afraid he would find little ways to make you suffer for it?”

Nie Liang said in alarm, “Your subject has received Your Majesty’s grace and Your Majesty’s trust, and ought to serve Your Majesty to the death and keep Your Majesty safe… If your subject took Marquis Ning’s silver, others would surely follow his example, and there would be no stopping it once it began.”

“So your subject returned the silver to Marquis Ning in that manner… precisely to shut off any future attempt to bribe your subject.”

“Marquis Ning is a large-minded man. He is sure to understand your subject’s difficulty.”

Nie Liang’s loyalty gratified the Xuan Emperor greatly.

“Ning Chen has already been in here bringing a charge against you.”

Nie Liang said hurriedly, “Your subject knows his guilt. He asks Your Majesty to punish him!”

(End of Chapter 332)