"Tell me, does it hurt to get a spanking with a sword still in its scabbard?"
Fang Ru can tell you: it hurts!
Inside Qinzheng Hall, the rhythmic *thud, thud, thud* of the beating echoed incessantly. As a scholar, Fang Ru had always been concerned with his reputation. Having his trousers pulled down to be spanked in public by Jia Lingyun had already left him feeling utterly hollow inside; he bit his teeth together, determined not to let out a single groan.
His skin was soon split open, and blood flowed freely.
The Empress Dowager, Murong Qingqing, could no longer bear to watch and spoke out in a stern reprimand.
"Stop this at once!"
"How can you beat a court official in the middle of the audience chamber... and in such a disgraceful manner!"
Jia Lingyun picked up the Imperial Sword he had been using to beat the man. A nearby member of the Imperial Guard, catching on, hurriedly produced a handkerchief.
"My lord, please, wipe away the bloodstains!"
As the blood was wiped from the scabbard, four shimmering golden characters caught everyone's eyes:
*Imperial Sword!*
"Thanks to the high regard of the Late Emperor, my father was bestowed with this Imperial Sword. It grants the authority to act without petitioning the throne in urgent matters. Therefore, disciplining a lowly censor falls well within the scope of my authority!"
Murong Qingqing had entered the palace late and had never heard of this; she specifically lifted the pearl curtain to look at Zhu Si, wanting to confirm if this was true.
Zhu Si nodded helplessly.
"Back then, in recognition of Jia Tu’s meritorious service, the Late Emperor did indeed bestow upon him the Imperial Sword, though Jia Tu rarely brought it out."
Murong Qingqing’s forehead furrowed into the shape of the character for "river." She had been planning to use the opportunity of Jia Tu’s death to bring down the Jia family, but if they had this life-saving relic in their hands, what could she do?
*This damn Late Emperor... he really knew how to leave me a mess!*
Murong Qingqing attempted to hold Jia Lingyun accountable.
"The Imperial Sword bestowed by the Late Emperor was meant for punishing the treacherous and the wicked, not for you to use in bullying the upright and the loyal!"
Jia Lingyun patted the prone Fang Ru.
"Is he upright and loyal? Ah Ru, are you a loyal official?"
Fang Ru was an old man, and having suffered such unprovoked disaster, he had no strength left to answer Jia Lingyun. He struggled to lift his head, but his strength failed him, and he fainted on the spot.
"Your Majesty, he isn't a loyal official. Look... he doesn't even dare to answer!"
Jia Lingyun began to talk nonsense with a straight face.
"All loyal officials possess an aura of integrity. Like me—I am overflowing with integrity, and I can pat my chest and say I am a loyal official. Big Brother, are you a loyal official?"
Jia Ruoxiang gave a silly grin.
"I am!"
Jia Yi chimed in from the side.
"Me too!"
The officials in the hall wore dark expressions. If three great treacherous ministers like them dared to call themselves loyal, then there truly were no loyal ministers left in the world.
Murong Qingqing said coldly, "Jia Lingyun, I ask you, what crime did Fang Ru commit? If you cannot give me a satisfactory answer, I shall revoke your right to hold the Imperial Sword!"
The gathered officials were secretly delighted. As long as the Empress Dowager took the sword, they would be able to speak their minds without fear of ending up like Fang Ru, with their trousers pulled down and their backsides beaten.
"With all due respect to the Empress Dowager, may this humble citizen ask: was my father, Jia Tu, a loyal minister or a traitor?"
A stir rippled through the crowd at these words! He was a massive traitor, of course! But one could not say that openly; retribution would only come later, if at all.
Murong Qingqing understood this logic, too. After a brief moment of thought, she replied reluctantly, "A loyal minister."
A flash of ferocity crossed Jia Lingyun’s face. Still unsatisfied, he gave Fang Ru another kick, acting with extreme arrogance and domineering flair.
"Since he was a loyal minister, what crime did this old dog commit by cursing my father as a traitor and an old thief, insulting a high-ranking official who served the court? What should his punishment be?"
The officials were left speechless. Jia Lingyun’s logic was sound; if they had anyone to blame, it was Fang Ru for his loose tongue!
A loyal official nearby wanted to interject, "But the Imperial Sword was bestowed upon your father by the Late Emperor... for you to use it... is that not somewhat improper?"
Jia Lingyun glared at the man. The official shuddered, the image of Fang Ru being beaten flashing through his mind. He wiped the fine sweat from his forehead in terror.
"Then again... a son inheriting his father’s sword... that is also acceptable!"
Even loyal ministers were afraid of a beating!
Seeing that the officials were intimidated, Jia Lingyun saw no need to delay and got straight to the point.
"Empress Dowager, my father left a final will before he died: The Late Emperor's great cause remains only half-finished, and the State of Wei is exhausted and in the midst of a crisis. His third son, Jia Lingyun, is of noble character and deep foresight, surely capable of turning the tide and propping up the falling house. I request the Emperor’s permission for Jia Lingyun to assume the position of Prime Minister!"
Jia Ruoxiang frowned slightly and nudged Jia Yi. "Father didn't... die on a concubine's belly, did he? If there was a final will, why don't I know about it?"
Jia Yi rolled his eyes at him. Their eldest brother was good at everything, except for his lack of wits.
"There was! I was there. Father called Third Brother over to give him instructions while he was in bed with his concubine!"
Jia Ruoxiang: "..."
Murong Qingqing had already made up her mind to purge the Jia family; how could she possibly allow Jia Lingyun to take over as Prime Minister?
"It is deeply moving that Minister Jia was still thinking of the foundation of Dawei on his deathbed. However, state affairs are no child's play and cannot be decided on a whim. Allow me some time to consider this further!"
*What a clever stalling tactic!* By the time she finished considering, the Jia family would likely already be wiped out.
Jia Lingyun snorted coldly and climbed the jade steps, sword in hand.
"Empress Dowager! My father was still working for the country on his deathbed—does the Empress Dowager think his words were child’s play?"
"I implore the Empress Dowager to grant this request!"
Jia Lingyun knelt down, and Jia Yi, Jia Ruoxiang, and the armed Imperial Guards all followed suit.
"We implore the Empress Dowager to grant this request!"
The roar of their voices sounded like a mountain collapsing or a tidal wave, clearly intended to force the throne!
The Little Emperor wanted to run for it, but Zhu Si held him firmly in place, preventing his escape.
Murong Qingqing looked helplessly toward the officials, but all the high dignitaries kept their heads bowed in silence. With Fang Ru’s example before them and no one willing to lead the opposition, who would dare to be the first to stick their neck out?
"Hmph!"
"Since ancient times, I have only heard of a sovereign granting a post to a subject, never of a subject forcing a sovereign to grant one!"
"Today, I shall rid the State of Wei of a scourge like you!"
Among the ranks of the officials, a burly, broad-shouldered military commander pushed past the hundred officials and lunged directly at Jia Lingyun!
Since one had to remove their swords and boots to attend court, the general had no weapons. With his bare hands, he snatched a blade from an Imperial Guard and swung it at Jia Lingyun!
No one expected such a sudden turn of events!
Jia Ruoxiang’s face changed. He wanted to save Jia Lingyun, but he was too far away—it was too late!
The officials were secretly delighted: if Jia Lingyun died, one of the three pests of the Jia family would be gone. How wonderful!
At the critical moment, someone dove down from the hall rafters. She had three thousand strands of ink-black hair cascading down, wore soft armor, and held a silver spear.
A cold glimmer struck first, and then the spear shot out like a dragon!
Before the general could even get close to Jia Lingyun, the woman had pierced his throat with her spear!
Blood from the general dripped down the red tassel onto the floor. When the silver spear was pulled out, the dignified fifth-rank commander had already become a cold corpse.
The woman was incredibly beautiful, with arched eyebrows and the grace of a startled swan. She cupped her hands and asked, "Are you unharmed, Young Master?"
"I am fine!"
Jia Lingyun introduced her to the officials with a cynical smile.
"An intangible cultural heritage left to me by my father—Qingniao, my personal maid. She has a penchant for slaughter and is steady, accurate, and ruthless when she kills!"
"Get lost!"
"I am a very quiet person, you know!"
Qingniao retorted without the slightest bit of politeness. The act stunned everyone present.
Where on earth did such an arrogant maid come from?