Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 51: The Holy Emperor's Grace Must Be Acknowledged

The emperor asked a question casually, but Zhang Luo felt that it was more difficult to answer than all the previous questions combined, because the question involved Concubine Wu Huifei, who was too sensitive.

Zhang Luo didn't know exactly how Xuanzong and Wu Huifei interacted on a daily basis, but he imagined they weren't particularly close. Even if they weren't sleeping together but had different dreams, they must have had their own agendas. Otherwise, if Wu Huifei had the ambition to become empress, she could have simply communicated with Xuanzong and wouldn't have needed to seek help from anyone else.

Zhang Luo said it out loud, maybe it wasn't a big deal that his nephew had some contact with his aunt, after all, he wasn't a court official in a key department, but it would definitely create a knot in Concubine Wu Hui's heart.

But if he didn't tell anyone, and someone outside of the palace secretly entered the inner palace, the problem would be a bit serious. And even if he refused to confess, how could Concubine Wu Hui be sure that she would keep it secret?
"Why can't you speak frankly?"

The saint waited for a while and saw that the young man still kept his head down and remained silent. Although there was still a slight smile on his face, there was a hint of coldness beneath the smile.

"It's not that I can't express it, but I'm a humble person and I'm afraid my words won't convey my meaning."

Zhang Luo quickly weighed the pros and cons in his heart and decided not to say it. Screw your "no privacy", I have to kiss my aunt!

After making this decision, he continued, "A sudden family crisis struck a few days ago. I was wandering around the streets, unaware of the situation, and ended up stranded. Unaware of my fate, I was filled with anxiety and didn't know what would happen to me. I remembered that I had a relative in the city who I could seek advice from. I hurried over to ask him, and he comforted me. He told me not to be afraid of the hustle and bustle and to wait for the morning sun to clear. However, I wasn't seeking help just for myself; I had other concerns that worried me, and after repeated requests, he finally told me this plan..."

Behind the pearl curtain, Concubine Wu Huifei's face was gloomy and uncertain, and she felt as if she was sitting on pins and needles. Her eyes sometimes became nervous and sometimes became sharp.

"But this relative is a person who is not involved in this matter, so I have no evil intentions in giving this plan to you. Now the family turmoil is not over yet, and the turmoil is still unresolved. I dare not rashly make a suggestion and cause this relative to worry."

Having said this, Zhang Luo bowed deeply to the ground again, not daring to look up.

"Even I can't know?"

When the saint heard this, his eyes turned cold and his tone returned to its previous indifferent tone.

"Tonight, I beg to hear the hearing of Heaven. Things are not perfect. This is because I, a humble man, was too impatient and careless in my handling of matters. It has nothing else to do with me. Although I am but a speck of dust, I dare not take all the grace nor deny my sins. I respectfully await the judgment of the Holy Spirit, as thunder and rain will do. Apart from this, I have nothing else to report."

Zhang Luo's forehead was covered with cold sweat when he spoke of this. He had previously been able to speak freely because he had a basis for his general judgment. But now, the quality of his response depended entirely on the emperor's whim.

Moreover, after answering the questions, he could clearly feel the emperor's stubborn and self-respecting mentality. He felt a little uneasy when he just refused to answer.

But he also knew in his heart that he had already played a trick on Concubine Wu Hui in the content of the memorial. If he left Concubine Wu Hui here without any consultation, there would be countless pillow talk from then on, and he was afraid that his thin arms and legs would not be able to withstand the gusts of wind.

The sage had just praised this boy for his "fearlessness of authority and courage and determination," but now he had experienced it again. His good impression of the young man was instantly gone. Only after seeing the memorial on the table did he snort coldly and say, "Since you don't want to answer, then leave. Leave it somewhere quiet and bring it out tomorrow!"

Zhang Luo was stunned when he heard this. Is this the end? I fought so hard to get here, and now I'm thrown away like a piece of trash after a little setback?

Although he felt deeply disappointed, he could only bow and leave obediently, secretly lamenting that his aunt was not easy to serve. He only hoped that Concubine Wu Hui would appreciate his cautiousness in keeping his mouth shut and find an opportunity to help him at a critical moment.

After the young man left, Concubine Wu Huifei did not come out immediately. The emperor grabbed the memorial on the table and read it again. Gao Lishi, who was standing by, came forward and whispered, "Prince Yuan and others are still in the Southern Province waiting for the emperor's instructions."

"The position of Chief Censor is the deputy to the Censorate, responsible for enforcing laws and upholding the government's principles. Li Linfu has just taken on this position and has made no achievements, yet he's already been accused. Even in this position, even with the constant attention of the public, he fears any flaws could lead to accusations. This person's secret teachings, whether true or false, are irresponsible and unfit for this important position!"

The sage paused for a moment before continuing, "The copper box in the outer court is intended to allow the people to communicate with heaven. Protecting this channel of communication is the primary responsibility of the supervisory officials. How could it be set up by a group of people to secretly abuse their power? The Censorate should closely monitor this and not allow this trend to go unchecked!"

Gao Lishi nodded in agreement after hearing this. What the saint meant was that Li Linfu needed to bear primary responsibility for the unrest in the Southern Province, but the Censorate as a whole should not be severely punished. Instead, the Censorate should be turned around and conduct another inspection of the personnel in the Menxia Province.

After hearing what the saint said, Gao Lishi couldn't help but glance at the memorial again. He couldn't help but feel curious about what was written in it that could have caused such a big change in the saint's mind and attitude.

It should be noted that the current primary task of the Censorate is to strike against Zhang Shuo and his cronies. However, the sage not only wants to severely punish Chief Censor Li Linfu, but also wants the Censorate to supervise his subordinates. This will undoubtedly greatly reduce the pressure on Zhang Shuo. Does this mean that the sanctions against Zhang Shuo will end here?
As for the young man from the Zhang family, his final memorial was clearly deeply flawed, but the sage simply dismissed him without blaming him, demonstrating a great deal of tolerance, which surprised Gao Lishi. And it was clearly this memorial that had facilitated all of this. Gao Lishi left the hall with these thoughts in mind, and then headed south to convey the emperor's wishes. Meanwhile, Concubine Wu Hui, who was sitting behind the pearl curtain in the side hall, bowed her head for a long moment before emerging from the side, approaching the hall and bowing, saying, "I am guilty..."

"Why do you say that, ma'am?"

When the saint saw Concubine Hui like this, he couldn't help but be stunned. He was really confused about what was going on.

"The reason why this Zhang family son sent the letter to the bronze box was because of my advice. The parent he sought advice from was referring to me."

Concubine Wu Hui lowered her head and spoke in a low voice.

"How... how does the lady know Zhang Shizi, and what is her relationship with him?"

When the sage heard this, his expression suddenly changed, and he subconsciously thought that Concubine Hui had some collusion with Zhang Shuo's family.

"This young man is the grandson of Duke Xi. My husband still remembers that I went to the south of the city a few days ago..."

Wu Huifei immediately recounted the story of their acquaintance. When she mentioned that Zhang Luo contacted her through Niu Guier, she sighed and said, "This child lost his mother at a young age and was treated coldly in the Zhang family. After encountering such a misfortune, he had no choice but to come to me for help.

I told him to wait in the neighborhood until the situation calmed down, but this child values ​​gratitude and loyalty, and because his benefactor's family was deeply upset, I was afraid that after he returned home to report the matter, Zhang's relatives might force him to use it to attack others and harm him, so I told him to write directly to the copper box..."

This woman may not have had much political wisdom, but she also saw the importance the saint attached to this memorial. By slightly changing the facts, she put herself in a very advantageous position.

"So there's such a hidden secret!"

After listening to Concubine Hui's story, the sage's frown relaxed. Thinking of how the boy had previously refused to reveal Concubine Hui's situation despite his pressure, he couldn't help but smile and said, "This boy truly values ​​gratitude and righteousness. Madam, by showing him kindness, you are doing him a trustworthy favor."

"What's the point of talking about gratitude? I actually hope this child doesn't place so much importance on friendship. For example, even though I told you my name just now, my husband and I are deeply in love, so there's nothing we can't talk about. On the contrary, because he concealed it, I felt uneasy, and he also resented it. My cousin passed away early, and she is only breathing now. I was sincerely helping him, so there was no need for any calculation of personal gain!"

When Wu Huifei said this, she couldn't help but raise her hand to wipe the corners of her eyes, looking deeply touched.

In front of this favored concubine, the sage lost his dignity. He stood up, walked down the stairs, bent down and helped Concubine Hui to her feet. "My lady is kind, but I am cunning and scheming, and I have offended this kindness. If it weren't for your guidance, this good plan would probably not have been presented to me.

"This son of the Zhang family is exceptionally talented, but it seems he's been neglected by his family. Otherwise, given Zhang Shuo's flamboyant ways, how could he have remained so obscure? He hasn't failed my wife's teachings, and I shouldn't despise his stubbornness. I'll summon him tomorrow and reward him."

"Then I will first express my gratitude to the Emperor on behalf of this child!"

When Concubine Wu Hui heard the saint's words, a smile appeared on her beautiful face again. She pressed her cheek against the saint's broad chest, and her tone was nasal and charming.

"Don't bother me, ma'am. Let this kid figure out for himself where the favor comes from and how to repay it!"

The saint had already felt the temperament and style of the Zhang family man, and learned about his life experience from Concubine Hui, so he also developed some interest in this kid.

In particular, how to deal with the relationship with Zhang Shuo, an old minister of Yuan Cong, has been on the saint's mind in recent days. The appearance of Zhang Shuo in his sight at this time has given him some unique ideas.

It was already late at night, and with a soft, warm and fragrant woman nestled in his arms, the Saint's heart was moved. He stretched out his arms to wrap around Concubine Hui's delicate waist, and buried his nose between her shoulders and collarbone. He said with a smile, "My lady, there is no need to thank you on behalf of others. This night, I will accept your grace!"

(End of this chapter)