Chapter 194: Imperial Fury - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

Chapter 194: Imperial Fury

When the dragon’s face was filled with anger, everyone below naturally felt frightened.

The entire court was filled with kneeling servants, each one anxious. However, Consort Shu, standing to the side, saw an opportunity to curry favor with the Bai family.

Having recently arrived at court and having offended the Wei faction due to her conflict with Concubine Wei, gaining even a bit of goodwill from the esteemed Bai family would make her path in the palace smoother.

“Your Majesty, such scoundrels must be severely punished; otherwise, where would the laws of our Great Jin stand, and where would our face be? I have heard of the contributions of Minister Bai while I was at Qinglei. He worked tirelessly for Your Majesty, and now, he has fallen in front of the palace gates, while someone takes the opportunity to annihilate his family. Such behavior is utterly inhumane.”

“My beloved consort is right. Wang Yu, go and invite the Bai family to the palace. I will address their concerns personally.”

“Yes.”

Wang Yu quickly brought the individuals kneeling at the palace gates inside. Upon seeing the severed hand of Lu Yuanfeng, he frowned.

“This person is the one who abducted the Bai family members?”

“Lord Wang, that is indeed the person.”

“His Majesty is concerned with state affairs and cannot be bothered with such vile individuals. Lord Bai and Lord Lin, please follow me to meet His Majesty. As for this person, let the Imperial Guards deal with him.”

“All will follow Lord Wang’s instructions.”

Bai Chaohai exchanged glances with his younger brother and uncle, fully aware that this would sever all ties with the Wei family and leave no room for retreat. There could be no hesitation; they must not only drag the Wei family into the mud but also skin them alive.

“Let’s go to the palace.”

His resolute gaze was more convincing than words.

In Zichen Palace, Emperor Qi met with the two Bai family members and Lin Wang.

He understood why the Bai family was presenting a petition, but why was Lin Wang here too?

“Why is Lin Aiqing here as well? Are you here to support your brother-in-law?”

While this might sound like a joke to outsiders, Lin Wang, having been around Emperor Qi for years, understood the underlying meaning.

It was a hint that he hoped Lin Wang’s office, the Yingtian Prefecture, had no connection to this matter.

A warning that only Lin Wang understood.

“Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have come to apologize. The Bai family’s daughter was suddenly lost, and with the whereabouts of the abductors unknown, I used the Yingtian Prefecture’s troops to block the four city gates and conduct thorough investigations. I did not report this to Your Majesty, and even if it was for a reason, it was still an abuse of power on my part. Therefore, I request that Your Majesty remove me from my position and banish me from the capital.”

Although Lin Wang was two years older than Bai Chaohai
, his vitality as a military officer was evident, and his loud voice made Emperor Qi’s head ache.

“Humph, I appointed you as the Commander of the Yingtian Prefecture to ensure the security of the imperial city, not to block the city gates without reason. Lin Wang, do you have such audacity because I have been too lenient with you over the years? Have you forgotten what is appropriate and what is not?”

Although he was somewhat displeased by the loss of Bai Siruo, Lin Wang’s actions were provoking a fierce response!

Such a crime could not go unpunished; otherwise, it would not quell his anger. Just as he was about to speak of a punishment, Bai Chaohai seized the opportunity to present the petition.

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. The reason why Lin Aiqing used the Yingtian Prefecture’s troops was because my Bai family sought help. It was my Bai family’s urgent request that left him unable to balance loyalty and duty. If Your Majesty wishes to punish someone, please do so to the Bai family alone; no one in the Bai family will complain. However, before any punishment is decided, I ask Your Majesty to review this: it is the confession of the abductor, which directly implicates Duke Wei. My father has had no enmity with Duke Wei, so why would Duke Wei want to exterminate my Bai family?”

The Bai family had no sons, which could be seen as having lost its roots, but as long as Bai Siruo was alive, the family’s line could continue. However, if Bai Siruo were lost as well, the Bai family would truly be without hope, and it would be akin to extermination.

Emperor Qi was taken aback. How did this matter involve Duke Wei? Wasn’t it about the abductor’s kidnapping? Could it be related to the Wei family?

He took the confession and petition and scrutinized them carefully, which seemed to suppress Lin Wang’s negligence for now.

The documents clearly detailed how Lu Yuanfeng met Bai Siruo and deceived her, and how Duke Wei’s steward had contacted him, promising benefits in exchange for persuading Lu Yuanfeng to abduct Bai Siruo from the capital. Every detail was accounted for.

Emperor Qi’s expression grew darker. What was Duke Wei’s intention with this action?

Was it really to suppress the Bai family’s power?

Since his ascension, Bai Xiang had indeed served diligently as a mentor and loyal minister. For Emperor Qi, Bai Xiang was both a good advisor and a loyal official. However, the political landscape was complex, and sometimes several officials could unite to suppress him, which was humiliating for imperial power.

Thus, Emperor Qi had secretly supported the Wei family to counterbalance the old ministers like Bai Xiang and Xu Ge. He turned a blind eye to some of Duke Wei’s tactics.

Including the incident where the Liang family broke off the engagement with the Xu family, the bad reputation fell on the Wei and Liang families, which reduced Xu Ge’s arrogance.

However, this incident was too extreme. If Duke Wei was indeed behind it, he needed to be reprimanded.

“Dear officials, do not be too agitated. This is merely the outcry of a rogue. If it damages the harmony between the Bai and Wei families, it is not good for Great Jin. I understand this matter and will give the Bai family a response, but it will take time to investigate thoroughly.”

This response clearly sought to smooth things over. Bai Silang wanted to speak up for his daughter but was stopped by Bai Chaohai, who spoke clearly to Emperor Qi, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for addressing the Bai family’s concerns. We will await your reply at home.”

Seeing Bai Chaohai’s understanding demeanor, Emperor Qi felt a change in his perception. He had previously underestimated Bai Chaohai, thinking him weak and timid. Now, he realized Bai Chaohai was capable of adapting to circumstances.

Lin Wang managed to keep his life and even retain his official position, only facing a salary cut, which was a relatively favorable outcome.

However, to silence public opinion and show concern for the emperor, Lin Wang volunteered, “Your Majesty, I have made a grave mistake and do not dare to defend myself. I fear the officials of the Imperial Censorate will make things difficult for Your Majesty tomorrow. If possible, please order a beating for me to show the officials Your Majesty’s virtue and impartiality.”

Eager for the imperial decree, Lin Wang was the first to seek punishment.

Wang Yu timely added, “Lord Lin truly considers the Emperor’s concerns.” and then fell silent.