Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 61 Part 2

“Junior Brother, won’t this cause trouble?”

In the east-side private room, Liu Bingyang paced back and forth, his heart pounding at the noises outside.

Xiao Rong rested his hand against his forehead, lazily toying with his wine cup. “What trouble?”

“That’s Cui Cheng. You don’t know what kind of man he is. He’s the nephew of Cui Daohuan himself and right now he’s General of the Imperial Guard. Whoever sees him has to flatter him and call him ‘General Cui.’ How could you dare order his arm cut off?”

“‘General Cui?’”

Xiao Rong’s lip curled in open disdain.

“The Imperial Guard is nothing but a pile of useless trash. As for their useless general, what military merit does he have to his name? And he’s worthy of being called ‘General’?”

“Well, no, he doesn’t have any… but he still has the Cui surname.”

Mockery deepened at the corner of Xiao Rong’s mouth. “And what of the Cui surname? Today, I’ll show him that here in the capital, a useless piece of trash with the surname Cui has no right to run around barking.”

Outside the private room, Cui Cheng was indeed surrounded.

From behind a bamboo screen, Song Yang and the others, who had been watching the whole thing unfold, were equally stunned when they heard Mo Dong’s order.

It was for no other reason than how brazen he was.

Cui Cheng’s notoriety in the capital was something everyone knew. Normally, people who saw Cui Cheng would avoid him like the plague. Who would dare openly declare they were going to cut off one of his arms?

However, the guards of Xiao Royal Residence clearly didn’t take this order as a joke. Mo Dong was the first to make a move, engaging Cui Cheng in combat.

Cui Cheng was born with immense strength, his arm power astonishing. In close combat, he had an overwhelming advantage. During military sparring, he often injured his subordinates severely. But Mo Dong’s movements were strange and unpredictable, his sword techniques unfathomable; each strike fierce and fast. It was obvious he fought in a completely different style. After a bout of exchanges, Cui Cheng hadn’t gained the slightest advantage and even had a corner of his robe sliced open.

Cui Cheng was fighting barehanded and the ferocity in his bones was stirred up. Just as he was about to attack again, Cui Xie walked over.

“Stop!”

Cui Xie halted Cui Cheng’s next move, then looked toward Mo Dong and said, “It’s just a misunderstanding. Must the Young Prince be so aggressive?”

Mo Dong sheathed his sword and looked back with an icy gaze. “He was the one who offended our Young Prince first. Our Young Prince is only asking for one of his arms.”

The way he spoke, ‘one arm’ sounded as if it were nothing more than a worthless cabbage in the street.

Cui Xie frowned and instinctively glanced toward the deeper part of the private room before speaking again. “Even if General Cui acted rashly and offended the Young Prince, isn’t the Young Prince being rather unreasonable? Besides, General Cui is an imperial officer. If he has committed a crime, the court’s laws will punish him. I fear the Young Prince has no authority to apply private punishment. As it happens, the gentlemen from the Censorate are present today. Why not let them judge this matter?”

From behind the curtain, Zhou Wenhe let out a cold laugh. “So the Cui clan does know how to speak of law. Now that’s the biggest joke under heaven.”

Still, by invoking imperial law, Cui Xie had gained the upper hand in principle. Some people were curious to see how things would unfold.

As expected, one of the officials following behind Cui Xie caught the hint and immediately stepped forward in support. “The Eldest Young Master speaks rightly. When an official commits a crime, the law handles it. In any case, for the Young Prince to directly apply private punishment to an imperial officer is unacceptable!”

Mo Dong stood with his hand on his sword and replied, “Our Young Prince has already made it clear. This matter is a personal grievance, best settled privately. But if the Eldest Young Master insists on citing imperial law, that can also be arranged.

“According to imperial law, galloping horses at high speed on the Vermilion Bird Avenue is prohibited. Yet today, on his way to the banquet at the Apricot Blossom Pavilion, Cui Cheng allowed his servants to recklessly charge through the busy market streets, whipping passersby, injuring and knocking down nearly ten civilians. If the law were followed, General Cui should already be standing trial at the Prefecture Office. Why is he instead sitting upstairs feasting? The gentlemen of the Censorate are well versed in the law. I trust they can also judge this matter.”

Those words made everyone’s expressions change.

The other officials who had been about to ‘stand up for justice’ wisely kept their mouths shut.

For the guards of Xiao Royal Residence to say this so confidently meant they clearly had hard evidence. Truth be told, given Cui Cheng’s usual temperament, it was hardly surprising he would do such a thing.

However, everyone knew the Cui clan was not to be provoked, so even the Prefecture’s own officials usually turned a blind eye. On a previous occasion, when Cui Cheng was caught for galloping through the streets causing trouble, the Prefect not only refused to punish him but even apologized in fear, personally sending him to the Cui residence in the official’s own sedan chair, while the citizens who reported him were flogged thirty strokes instead.

Now, however, things were entirely different.

The matter had been brought into the open and by the mouth of Prince Xiao’s guard, no less.

For the watching officials, pretending to be deaf was no longer possible. The only way to protect themselves was to keep silent.

Meanwhile, the commotion had clearly attracted many diners in the building, and more and more people gathered on both sides of the stairs to watch.

Cui Xie had not expected the matter to develop completely against his expectations and his brows furrowed even more tightly.

If things continued, it was clear it would do the Cui clan no good.

Cui Xie looked at Mo Dong, took a deep breath, and finally asked, “Then how does the Young Prince propose to settle this privately? Cutting off a man’s arm is perhaps too harsh.”

Mo Dong replied, “If the Eldest Young Master wishes to make peace, then have him kneel and kowtow to our Young Prince to apologize.”

It drew another wave of astonished murmurs from the crowd.

Cui Cheng had been domineering for as long as anyone could remember; when had he ever suffered such humiliation? He immediately gave a cold laugh. “What did you say?!”

His expression was full of menace as he swept his gaze across the crowd. The officials behind Cui Xie all lowered their heads in fear.

Mo Dong repeated coldly, “Kneel and kowtow to apologize to our Young Prince.”

Cui Cheng’s face twisted in rage. “If you think I’m going to kowtow and apologize, you’re dreaming. I want to see who dares arrest me today!”

No sooner had he spoken than a loud commotion arose downstairs.

A squad of soldiers clattered into the building and headed straight for the second floor.

The leading official, dressed in a dark green court robe, looked at Cui Cheng and said, “I am here on orders from the Court of Judicial Review. General Cui, you’ll have to come with us.”

Cui Cheng sneered in disdain. “A mere seventh-rank officer from the Court of Judicial Review dares arrest me?”

The official, neither servile nor arrogant, produced a signed confession document and said, “I am merely carrying out my duties according to the law. Please cooperate, General Cui.”

With a wave of his hand, the accompanying soldiers surged forward and restrained Cui Cheng.

Cui Cheng’s eyes went bloodshot, rage twisting his features. As he was about to break free, the official spoke first, “General Cui, to openly resist arrest will add another charge to your name. You should think carefully.”

Cui Cheng’s eyes darted toward Cui Xie. Receiving his signal, he finally swallowed his anger and stopped struggling.

As Cui Cheng was led away, many onlookers clapped and cheered.

Cui Xie remained standing where he was, his face dark as iron. At that moment, he no longer had the mind to continue the banquet and, with a flick of his sleeves, departed.

The other officials looked at each other for a moment and then also dispersed in haste.

Zhou Wenhe said, “It’s rare to see the Cui clan suffer such humiliation. It’s truly satisfying.”

Song Yang sneered. “That Young Master Cui has had his smarts backfire on him.”

Other than Xi Rong, the other two looked toward him.

Song Yang said, “How meticulous Young Master Cui is in conduct is how deep he is in scheming. Cui Cheng may be overbearing, but without his tacit approval, do you really think Cui Cheng could have smoothly gone into Prince Xiao’s heir’s private room to demand a person’s presence? He most likely wanted to use Cui Cheng to test the heir of Xiao Royal Residence, but instead, he tried to be smart and ended up smashing the rock on his own foot.”

“It seems that the little arrogant brat of Xiao Royal Residence is indeed someone of ability.” Zhou Wenhe glanced in the direction of the private room. “To have caused such a commotion, yet not even deem it worth showing his face.”

“The sole son of Prince Xiao; how exalted his status. He truly has the confidence to carry such airs. Cui Cheng running into the heir today can only be his own misfortune.”

Song Yang’s feelings were mixed with both joy and worry.

Joy, because the Cui clan, long steeped in wrongdoing, had finally met an opponent.

Worry, because with the heir present, His Highness would likely have one more formidable rival.

“Your Highness, shall we still wait for Liu Bingyang to come out?” Song Yang sought instructions from Xi Rong, who had remained silent while drinking.

Xi Rong said faintly, “No need.”

Song Yang nodded.

The Young Prince of Xiao Royal Residence was so domineering that even the Cui clan could not take advantage of him. There was no way His Highness could hope to win the man over. Secondly, now that Cui Cheng had gotten himself into such trouble, the Cui clan would hardly have the time to bother about Liu Bingyang for the moment.

***

Cui Xie returned to the manor with a face as dark as iron.

Cui Jiu hurried over at once and asked, “Young Master, shall I go to the Court of Judicial Review to smooth things over a bit?”

Cui Xie said, “Go and do two things: seize the servant who drove the carriage today and hand him over to the Court of Judicial Review for punishment. Also, tell Cui Cheng to voluntarily confess to the charge of failing to discipline his subordinates and accept the beating and the penalty. Under no circumstances must he cause further trouble.”

Cui Jiu acknowledged the order, then, gauging his master’s expression, said, “Young Master need not be too troubled. The Judge of the Court of Judicial Review is a well-known old fox. Just for the sake of the Minister of State Affairs, he won’t make things too difficult for Young Master Cheng.”

“You are wrong. Precisely because he is an old fox, we must not allow him to show partiality toward Cui Cheng in handling the case.” Cui Xie clenched his fists. “It is my fault for being careless for a moment and falling into someone else’s trap.”

Cui Jiu probed, “Young Master means that Young Prince of Xiao Royal Residence?”

Cui Xie gave a cold laugh. “From the very beginning, he never intended to settle things privately. He was deliberately provoking Cui Cheng. He calculated that I would bring up the laws of the court, which was why he declared he would take Cui Cheng’s arm. I underestimated him and was careless.”

Cui Jiu said, “This subordinate had long heard that the Young Prince of Xiao Royal Residence is arrogant in his talents, looks down on all, and is a dangerous figure not to be trifled with. I just didn’t expect that this youth would also have such means. Although it will wrong Young Master Cheng to suffer some hardship, Eldest Young Master is not entirely without gain today.

“In this subordinate’s view, the youth may be arrogant, but may not be on par with Young Master. Young Master gained fame early and is renowned far and wide. Prince Xiao’s heir claims to disdain so-called hollow fame and refuses to join social banquets. Who’s to say it’s not just because his appearance is mediocre and he uses such airs as a cover, relying solely on his noble status to press down on others?”

Cui Xie’s expression was unreadable. “It seems, then, that tomorrow at the Young Prince of Prince Xiao’s coming-of-age ceremony, I must go and see for myself, no matter what.”

***

Xi Rong returned to the Eastern Palace and Jiang Cheng also brought back news from the Court of Judicial Review.

“The Cui clan directly beat to death the servant who drove the carriage, delivering the corpse to the Court of Judicial Review. Cui Cheng voluntarily admitted the charge of failing to discipline his subordinates and was sentenced to a hundred strokes of beating and ten days’ imprisonment. The Judge of the Court of Judicial Review had the sentence carried out on the spot and Cui Cheng is now already in prison.”

Zhou Wenhe exclaimed with delight, only surprised about one thing. “The Judge of the Court of Judicial Review is a well-known old fox. Who would have thought he would act so swiftly and decisively this time?”

Song Yang smiled. “It’s not that the Court of Judicial Review is incorruptible, but that the Cui clan dared not allow it to show favoritism. Prince Xiao holds the Ministry of War and has always kept a tight watch over the Imperial Guards. Although merely failing to discipline his subordinates is not enough to strip Cui Cheng of his post as General of the Imperial Guards, other matters are another story. For those hundred strokes, Cui Cheng not only had to take them all, but he had to take them hard, in order to keep that command. Still, the Young Prince of Xiao Royal Residence not only intercepted Liu Bingyang today, but also made the Cui clan suffer a heavy loss without lifting a finger. His abilities are indeed formidable.”

Later that day, Xi Rong received an imperial decree from the palace.

The Emperor ordered all princes to be present the next day at Xiao Royal Residence to witness and offer congratulations at the coming-of-age ceremony of Prince Xiao’s heir.

Although it was well known that the Emperor treated the Xiao Royal Residence with great respect, such exceptional honor still came as a surprise to everyone in the Eastern Palace.

Xi Rong respectfully accepted the decree.

After the eunuch delivering the message had left, Zhou Wenhe couldn’t help making a remark to Song Yang, “How does that little madman from Xiao Royal Residence have such face and grandeur?!”

“Never mind the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Jin, but His Highness had his reputation in tatters and that little madman was responsible for half of it. For His Highness to set aside past grievances and send a congratulatory gift is already generous enough, but now he must personally go to Xiao Royal Residence to witness the ceremony? Isn’t that giving that little madman far too much honor?”

Song Yang said, “During the recent assassination attempt on His Majesty, had Prince Xiao not stepped in to block the blade, the consequences would have been unthinkable. His Majesty has always held the Xiao Royal Residence in high regard, so this is not without reason.

“Moreover, since Xiao Royal Residence has already sent an invitation, if His Highness does not attend, people will talk and it would look as though he still bears a grudge over past events. Given His Highness’s current difficulties, there is no benefit in making an enemy of the Xiao clan. It’s better to maintain appearances.”

“I know that well enough. I’m just feeling wronged on His Highness’s behalf. Ever since returning from Songzhou, His Highness hasn’t had a single day of peace.”

Song Yang sighed. “Don’t worry. His Highness’s will is like iron, unshakable. He endures far more than you or I, and sees much further ahead.”

As for attending the ceremony, Song Yang actually didn’t object. After what happened today, he was even more curious to see for himself what the so-called Prince Xiao’s heir was truly like.