The Wife Is First

Chapter 18

Ch18 - The Small Assistant Minister

Third Year of Hong Zheng era, 21st day of the Third Month, Cheng Wang returned to court.　　

Jing Shao stood in the main hall of the dazzling royal palace, looking at the faces he was perhaps familiar or unfamiliar with in front of him. He only felt as if this were a lifetime ago. That year he had been  kneeling in the middle of the hall, listening to everyone counting each of his criminal charges. 

The Minister of Revenue charged him with participating in the reselling of salt certifications for profit, the Minister of Works criticized him for carrying out private large scale constructions without permission, and even the imperial censor charged him with the slaughtering of prisoners of war and deceiving the civilians. But even more people charged him with deceiving the sovereign, with the intention of plotting a rebellion. He looked at each of those people’s faces one by one. Duke Mao was the Fourth Prince’s future father-in-law, the Count of Yongchang followed his own elder brother, and both the Ministers of Revenue and Works were the Emperor’s people. As for the rest, they mostly just blindly followed the crowd.　　

Later on, those relatives over there naturally had to be suppressed. As for the two ministers, Jing Shao has set his sights on the Assistant Minister of Revenue. During that time, the only person willing to justly say a sentence on his behalf, besides his elder brother was that little Assistant Minister. He has always been a just man without corrupt desires, and while he served the people, he was not inflexible. Five years ago, he was the new top scorer in the imperial examination, and his career experienced a smooth road, all the way to getting promoted to Assistant Minister. Up until Jing Shao had run into trouble, he had not been promoted again. Perhaps he could rope in this person to his side and switch in a new minister.　　 

Jing Shao was thinking deeply, and his elder brother who stood next to him suddenly poked him with his elbow. He suddenly lifted his head up and found that his Imperial Father and many of the ministers were looking at him. The imperial censor Fan Jie was currently standing in the middle of the main hall. 　　

“The Fourth Prince’s rumors.” Jing Chen said between his teeth, his lips did not move, but reminded him in a quiet voice. 　

Jing Shao understood, went forward a step and said: “Er Chen believes that the talk of the ignorant masses are merely just idle chatter during leisure times. There is no cause for worry.” This answer could be said to conform with the norms of society, and Emperor Hong Zheng turned his gaze on to Jing Chen. 

　

Jing Chen walked forth and said: “People from ancient times say ‘A tree invites birds to nest, and an empty cave invites a gust of wind. The wind bends to the one who commands it.’ Since there are these kinds of rumors among the people, then there is definitely a cause too, and there should be clarification as soon as possible, so as not to taint the reputation of younger brother Fourth Prince.”

　　　

The two brothers’ answers were quite opposite. It was clear that they had not known about this beforehand. Even if they had known about it, they hadn’t discussed it. Emperor Hong Zheng nodded with satisfaction: “Jing Yu, what do you have to say about what on earth happened?”

　　　　 

The Fourth Prince Jing Yu stepped forth, kneeling down below the steps: “Er Chenfears, that the cause is because before the new year, vassals near the Eastern Coast offered up some fresh ocean fish cut into thin slices to be eaten raw as it was delicious enough, Er Chen found it very delicious, so took a bit more of it. Unexpectedly, the servants in the palace spread misinformation, which stirred up such a big uproar, Er Chen is guilty.”