The imperial court is a harsh and pragmatic place. Emperor Deming only stayed his hand because Vice Minister Wang was advanced in years; otherwise, the Vice Minister would surely have suffered physical punishment. The death of the late Emperor had been inseparable from the use of alchemical pills, and now Vice Minister Wang had the audacity to push a Taoist priest onto him. He was not the late Emperor, and he would not be so foolish as to repeat that mistake.
The court was full of officials; he could not be too heavy-handed with his punishments, lest he chill the hearts of his subjects.
Minister Sun of the Ministry of Rites felt deeply humiliated by the farce. He left the court immediately after the session ended. As for the imploring look Vice Minister Wang cast his way, he pretended not to see it—if one is foolish enough to court disaster, one should not expect to drag others down with them.
Chapter 623