Chapter 564
Knowing one's mistakes, but not changing them
first day.
As the rooster crowed, Chen Ji slowly rose to his feet.
He looked at the unfamiliar surroundings and paused for two seconds before remembering that after leaving the Chen family on Fuyou Street last night, he led Xiaoman and the little monk to Shaojiu Hutong near Donghuamen.
This is the new house that Emperor Ning bestowed upon him yesterday. Even the bed, bedding, tables, chairs, and other items were all new items transferred from the imperial treasury.
The quilt cover was made of plain silk, the color of sky blue after rain, without any embroidery. This color was produced using the most discerning dyeing method among the tribute items from the Imperial Treasury, and ordinary people could not replicate such a precious gray-blue.
The table is made of old purple elm wood, with a deep purple-black color. It has no waist, no carvings, and even the apron is omitted, relying solely on mortise and tenon joints to hold it together.
Elegant and refined.
But this nobility is not ostentatious; it is a restrained elegance, seemingly unremarkable at first glance, yet revealing its unique character upon closer inspection. One wonders who once lived in this house, only to have it bestowed upon them.
Chen Ji was about to get dressed when he realized that his official robes, which he had draped over the back of the chair, had disappeared, and there were whispers outside.
He pushed open the door in his undergarments and saw Xiaoman ironing his official clothes with a long-handled copper kettle in the small courtyard, while the little monk was sleepily picking vegetables beside him.
While ironing clothes, Xiaoman complained, "Why did we break off so many green beans? We'll have to be more careful with our money when we start living on our own."
The young monk said helplessly, "You have so many businesses under your control, why bother with these trivial matters?"
Xiaoman's eyes widened: "That silver is very useful, how can it be wasted on such a lavish lifestyle... Young master, you're awake."
Chen Ji leaned against the door frame and asked curiously, "Why are you up so early today?"
Xiaoman said with a smile, "Iron your clothes, young master. My aunt taught me that before doing something important, you should first tidy yourself up. If you are dressed smartly and presentably, others will think that you are confident and methodical, and they will trust you more in everything you do."
Chen Ji asked with a smile, "What else did your aunt say?"
Xiaoman's copper iron traced the shoulder line of her bright red official robe with practiced ease: "My aunt also said that clothes are armor, and also banners. Wearing them properly gives you courage and tells your opponents that you are serious and not playing around. If you are going to do something extraordinary, dressing properly also tells the world that you act with discipline and are not an arrogant person."
Chen Ji chuckled: "So particular?"
The young monk tossed aside the selected green beans: "Benefactor, although Buddhism emphasizes the robe covering the body, it is also divided into three robes, seven robes, nine robes, and ancestral robes, each with a dignified appearance. When the World-Honored One wore his robe and carried his alms bowl, he entered the great city of Shravasti to beg for food, displaying perfect dignity and inspiring faith in all beings. A straight form casts a straight shadow, and a righteous appearance brings inner peace; this is the very principle."
Xiaoman held the ironed official uniform in both hands, walked up to Chenji and shook it. The bright red uniform unfolded in the morning light, and the kylin embroidered with gold thread seemed to come alive.
“Xiaoman,” Chen Ji said as he took the uniform. The fabric was crisp and still warm from the iron.
"Ok?"
“Auntie is right,” he said slowly as he put on his official robes, carefully fastening each button. “I must be more solemn these days.”
Xiaoman discreetly observed his expression: "Young Master, I went to Chengtian Gate last night and saw those censors still kneeling there, refusing to leave. My aunt said that these censors are used to threatening suicide. These past few days have been autumnal, and if there is an autumn rain, someone might catch a cold and die in front of the Meridian Gate. At that time, His Majesty will have no choice but to punish you."
Chen Ji put on his official uniform and donned his official hat: "I know."
Xiaoman handed over two slips of paper: "Young master, one was sent by Erdao from the Paoge Brotherhood, and the other was sent by Sister Axia."
“Okay,” Chen Ji took the note, led his horse out the door.
Xiaoman called out from behind, "Young master, please eat before you leave."
Chen Ji mounted his horse: "I'm not eating, I need to get things done."
……
……
As dawn broke, the gates of various government offices became bustling with activity as officials arrived to report for duty.
The palace lanterns that had been burning all night in front of the Meridian Gate were extinguished one by one, and the bluish-gray morning light made the more than twenty censors kneeling on the ground even clearer.
The censors looked like a row of eggplants wilted by the cold dew; many of them were pale and swaying, yet they still gritted their teeth and persevered.
Chen Ji rode his horse at a leisurely pace to the edge of the square in front of the palace gate, then reined in his horse. He didn't dismount, but remained seated on the horse, watching quietly from a distance.
His brand-new, perfectly pressed robe with the unicorn emblem was so bright red it was almost blinding. The kneeling censors turned around at the sound of hooves and saw him.
His fatigue vanished instantly, replaced by a barrage of venomous and furious gazes that shot towards him like arrows. If looks could kill, Chen Ji would likely be riddled with holes by now.
Chen Ji, however, seemed not to see him. He shook the reins again and dismounted in front of the Meridian Gate, kneeling at the very front of the group of censors.
In this way, it would appear as if he had led the imperial censors to kneel here together.
A young imperial censor behind him angrily rebuked, "Chen Ji, what are you kneeling here for? We are kneeling in respect for the laws and regulations of the country, how can we allow an arrogant scoundrel like you to defile us?"
In an instant, the censors' curses came one after another, and some even wanted to spit at Chen Ji, but unfortunately, they had been kneeling all night and were too dry to spit.
Chen Ji ignored them and instead addressed the Meridian Gate loudly: "Your subject, Chen Ji, yesterday, in investigating the Yang family's corruption, Yang Zhong was killed. Although Yang Zhong deserved to die, my actions were reckless..."
The curses behind him had subsided at some point. The censors stared in astonishment at his back, not understanding why this madman who had dragged Yang Zhong to his death like a rabid dog yesterday was suddenly so submissive today.
Chen Ji continued, “I know I am guilty. My guilt lies in disregarding the law and substituting private punishment for national law; my guilt lies in my cruel actions and disregard for public opinion. The public massacre not only harmed Yang Zhong but also damaged the reputation of the Censorate’s officials. Therefore, I have come to plead guilty and beg Your Majesty to punish me.”
The censors looked at each other, speechless for a moment.
The guards on duty at the palace gates hurriedly descended from the Yan Chi Tower. A moment later, a young eunuch emerged from the palace gates: "By imperial decree, Viscount Chen Ji of Wuxiang has acted recklessly and has damaged the dignity of the court. He shall be punished with forty strokes of the cane!" The censors were shocked. Forty strokes of the cane?
According to palace rules, to prevent corruption and malpractice, one cane must be broken for every ten strokes of the cane. If it cannot be broken, it means that someone has turned a blind eye and acted favoritism, and the person who carried out the punishment must be punished.
Forty strokes of the cane, breaking four of the canes in the court; any one of them would have died on the spot outside the Meridian Gate.
At this moment, Chen Ji looked up and was surprised to find that the little eunuch was someone he had seen before, someone who had previously led him to Jie Fan Lou.
The young eunuch looked at him with a smile: "Lord Chen, His Majesty instructed that it is of utmost importance to admit one's mistakes and correct them. Although you have made contributions, you should still be punished if necessary."
Chen Ji prostrated himself on the ground: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."
Two guards carrying six-foot-long court rods approached, about to swing them at Chen Ji's back, when Chen Ji said, "Wait a moment, Xiaoman just ironed them for me today. This is the only official robe I have, so don't tear it."
After saying this, he took off his official robes and lay down on the ground again.
Two guards swung their court rods and struck the censors with muffled thuds, making their hearts pound. Blood seeped through their white undergarments as the two rods snapped in two.
The Imperial Guard replaced the cane with a new one, and with each dull thud, the censors' teeth trembled.
With two sharp cracks, the two guards, both skilled in execution, broke the cane after forty strokes, not one more, not one less.
Just as one of the imperial censors was about to ask Chen Ji if he was alive or dead, Chen Ji straightened up, put his robe with the unicorn emblem back on, and buttoned it up one by one. Without changing his expression, he bowed to the imperial censors and said, "Gentlemen, you have been frightened."
The leading elderly censor looked on in disbelief: "Viscount Chen, please don't act so arrogantly in the future..."
Chen Ji hummed in agreement: "I know."
He remounted his horse, acting as if nothing had happened, and with a flick of the reins, went off somewhere unknown.
……
……
At the gate of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, a minor official rushed into the government office like a whirlwind, shouting, "Something has happened at the Meridian Gate! Chen Ji went to the Meridian Gate to plead guilty, and His Majesty has issued an oral decree that he be flogged forty times."
At this moment, Yuan Wang stepped forward a few steps: "Is it really forty strokes of the cane in court?"
The clerk nodded: "It's true, I had already broken two canes when I came back."
Yuan Wang's brows relaxed: "It seems His Majesty also reprimanded him for his actions yesterday, otherwise he wouldn't have dealt with him so severely."
A middle-aged man reminded him, "Lord Shaoqing, Viscount Wuxiang is an official; even if he's over forty, it won't kill him."
Yuan Wang shook his head: "That's not right. Forty strokes of the cane in court are something even an official at the Innate Realm cannot withstand. Moreover, this is the Emperor's will, which means His Majesty will not allow him to continue his reckless behavior."
Yuan Wang and Yang Zhong always traveled together. Yesterday, after hearing that Yang Zhong had been dragged to death by Chen Ji, he didn't sleep well all night. He only managed to take a short nap around dawn. In his dream, Chen Ji tied a hemp rope around his neck and dragged him to the execution ground. The hemp rope was still stained with Yang Zhong's blood.
It was because he had once told others that the Yuan family of Runan was not short of money, and anyone who wanted to compete with him for the title of Princess Baili would have to prepare at least 100,000 taels of silver.
Now that His Majesty has punished Chen Ji, it is likely that Chen Ji will no longer dare to act recklessly.
Just then, the sound of horses' hooves rang out in front of the Taichang Temple, and a red figure sped towards them. Once Yuan Wang saw the qilin-embroidered robe on the newcomer, he turned and ran deeper into the Taichang Temple.
Before he could run two steps, a tremendous force pulled him backward by the collar, and Yuan Wang, unable to resist the force, fell backward to the ground.
Chen Ji punched Yuan Wang in the stomach, causing Yuan Wang to curl up like a shrimp.
Someone shouted angrily, "What are you doing? This is the Court of Imperial Sacrifices!"
Chen Ji slowly tied the hemp rope around Yuan Wang's ankle, saying as he did so, "Yuan Wang gathered a crowd to drink and entertain guests at home during the national mourning period. According to the laws of my Great Ning, he shall be exiled three thousand li to Lingnan."
Yuan Wang, curled up on the ground, still suffering from severe abdominal pain, struggled and hissed upon hearing this, "You're spouting nonsense!"
Chen Ji had already quickly tied the hemp rope tightly. Upon hearing this, he sneered, "Lord Yuan, was the Shaoxing twenty-year-old Daughter's Red wine you drank the night before last? And was the courtesan Green Sleeve, who was secretly brought from Chunxiao Pavilion by carriage, accompanying you?"
Yuan Wang's face drained of all color.
Chen Ji stood up, gripped the hemp rope, and walked through the crowd of Taichang Temple officials as if no one else was there. He dragged Yuan Wang away on horseback, and for a moment no one dared to stop him.
In front of the Meridian Gate, the censors helped each other to their feet and slowly walked toward the Duan Gate.
The old censor said tremblingly, "His Majesty's severe punishment of Chen Ji can be considered a way to preserve the reputation of our Censorate, so that the people of the world know that the dignity of the court cannot be trampled upon..."
Before he could finish speaking, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came again from the direction of Chengtian Gate.
Everyone looked on in astonishment, only to see a rider in crimson robes, as red as blood, speeding into view once more—it was Chen Ji returning. Dragging behind the horse was clearly Yuan Wang, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
Yuan Wang was dragged along, his hair disheveled, his official robes torn, and tears streaming down his face. He was no longer the dignified young nobleman he once was.
"This..." The old censor trembled all over, pointing at the approaching man and horse, his throat gurgling, but he couldn't utter a complete sentence.
The other censors also froze in place. Chen Ji almost brushed past the group of censors, and once again dismounted in front of the Meridian Gate, kneeling down in front of the gate: "Your Majesty, I have acted recklessly and beg you to punish me."
A moment later, the young eunuch Changxiu walked out of the Meridian Gate again. He looked at Chen Ji, who had already consciously taken off his Qilin robe, and said loudly, "By order of His Majesty, fifty strokes of the cane."
Chen Ji prostrated himself on the ground: "Your subject, Chen Ji, humbly thanks Your Majesty for your divine grace." (End of this chapter)