Chapter 63: The First Spouter of Xuanzhe
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Chapter 63: The First Spouter of Xuanzhe
Does cursing help?
It may seem like mere venting, but it undeniably has its uses at certain times. Not to mention the more refined insults that occasionally surface during heated debates in the court—
But on the battlefield, before two armies engage, they often start with a barrage of insults. If one can deploy a skilled verbal warrior with a strong enough conviction, it can break the enemy’s composure and shake their morale.
Hence, cursing has always been an art. If mastered, it can yield great benefits.
The legendary title of the "First Spouter of Xuanzhe" once belonged to Chang Kuo, a man well-versed in this art. And now, his outburst wasn’t just a mindless tantrum.
Sure enough, the crowd’s attention was visibly diverted by his stream of insults, and the oppressive tension brought on by the term "ominous object" dissipated significantly.
For example, Cui Lang was utterly captivated, marveling, "Isn’t it said that martial men are not good with words? How is it that General Chang curses so... pleasantly?"
He then looked at his elder brother, who had helped earlier, and commented, "Why is it that you’ve only learned the sword and fists from General Chang? I say... this verbal skill should be studied well too!"
How could his elder brother not learn something so useful?
Cui Tang replied coolly, "What? You want to see me bring this skill home and argue with Father three hundred rounds every day?"
Cui Lang nodded slightly in anticipation, "Not a bad idea..."
Over on Chang Kuo’s side, just as he was ready to continue, Chang Suining tugged at his robe. He immediately understood.
You can't close off all avenues—after all, you have to leave some room for negotiation.
He raised his hand toward the Holy Emperor, speaking solemnly, "My daughter has already been through a terrifying ordeal and nearly lost her life today. This misfortune was a freak accident. Thanks to the protection of Buddha and the Saint, she narrowly escaped death! Having just survived such a calamity, she must not be unjustly maligned. I beseech Your Majesty to look into this matter clearly!"
the Holy Emperor’s gaze slowly fell on the girl beside him.
The girl stood with her head slightly bowed, her expression unreadable, though her demeanor was unmistakably fearless—she couldn’t even pretend to look frightened.
"Thanks to the protection of Buddha and the maiden, she narrowly escaped death?"
No—
the Holy Emperor’s mind replayed her actions earlier when faced with the attacking elephant. This girl was no ordinary daughter of a noble family. Her voice revealed no emotion: "The divine will never wrong the innocent."
Chang Suining did not lift her eyes but inwardly scoffed.
That statement was certainly worth pondering—was she innocent? When it comes to such mystical matters, what's real and what's fabricated? Who has the final say?
In the end, the inspector’s words from the Hontian Bureau were not just an attempt to deflect blame; they were also an effort to curry favor with the Holy Emperor.
After all, the calamity at the Spring Blessing Ceremony needed a scapegoat—otherwise, rumors would spread, and it could be seen as a sign of divine punishment. Such news could easily provide rival factions with opportunities to make a fuss.
Naturally, the Holy Emperor would not allow a situation contrary to his interests.
Thus, a "scapegoat" was necessary.
While the Holy Emperor had to maintain a veneer of mercy, not being too arbitrary, those sycophantic officials would ensure they cast enough doubt on her innocence.
As expected, someone echoed, "This matter is indeed suspicious, and there’s an old saying: unusual behavior indicates something supernatural..."
"Yes, it's unprecedented for the sacred elephants to harm people. This might be an omen."
"Throughout history, those who bring bad omens have disrupted the country’s fortune and brought disaster."
"Exactly. The Spring Blessing Ceremony concerns the nation's destiny. Your Majesty, this matter must not be handled lightly!"
Three voices are enough to create a rumor, especially when it involves matters of destiny. No substantial evidence is needed in such cases, and ominous portents have always been the greatest concern for those in power. With a mentality of "better safe than sorry," countless people have met their fates over mere words.
She would not be the first, nor would she be the last.
Some women, understanding the situation, quietly cast sympathetic glances at the girl.
A girl who could survive a confrontation with an elephant now faced her fate being sealed by a few careless words.
Chang Kuo held his tongue for now, though the veins on his forehead bulged with anger. He had already taken mental notes of all the offenses committed today.
Some mistook his silence for hesitation and hastened to urge, "General Chang, this concerns the nation’s fortune. You must consider the bigger picture."
"Indeed, General Chang..."
They were practically one step away from offering condolences. Chang Kuo bit back his curses with great difficulty.
Duan shi, the wife of the Marquis Zheng, could no longer contain her fury. "They speak of national fortune while ignoring morality and justice! Disgusting—what a bunch of hypocrites!"
"Madam..." Her maid trembled with fear, "Please, keep your voice down."
"And that brat—what's he waiting for? Has his sense of morality also gone to the dogs?" Duan shi knew her words carried little weight, so she placed her hopes in her son.
Wei Shuyi stood by the Holy Emperor, silent.
Even the flicker of worry that had briefly crossed her face had vanished, replaced by curiosity. She was curious why this girl, now the center of such hostility, remained so composed.
She stood there, seemingly small and frail, wrapped in a black cloak too large for her frame. In the face of imperial scrutiny, she appeared more like prey—yet something about her was different.
She didn't seem like prey at all.
In fact, quite the opposite.
And so, Wei Shuyi chose to remain silent, observing alongside her as they awaited the outcome.
As the Holy Emperor remained silent, the voices of those supporting the accusation grew louder.
Then the Holy Emperor turned slightly and asked, "Luo’er, what do you make of this?"
"Your Majesty, I believe the ministers’ words hold some truth." Ming Luo glanced at the girl below the altar. The oversized cloak she wore was particularly eye-catching.
She continued, "The sacred elephants have never harmed people. What happened today was indeed unprecedented."
"Given that there's no precedent, there must be something suspicious."
At that moment, a young voice spoke with firm authority. It was Cui Jing, stepping forward to stand before the Chang family.
Ming Luo froze in surprise.
Cui Jing raised his hand solemnly and said, "This unforeseen disaster at the ceremony was also my failure. I humbly request that Your Majesty grant me time to investigate thoroughly. Within half a day, I will uncover the truth."
After speaking, he glanced around at the crowd, saying, "When the time comes, it won't be too late for you, sirs, to convict anyone."
The officials had varied expressions.
Was this kid from the Cui family toying with them?
Did he truly understand the gravity of the situation?
When Cui Jing spoke, his words carried far more weight than others'. Wasn't he deliberately making things difficult for the Holy Emperor?
Yet, after Cui Jing spoke, another person immediately stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I request to investigate this matter together with Commander Cui."
The crowd was momentarily abuzz at the sight of this person stepping forward.
What was Yao Yi doing here, getting involved again? Didn't he have enough cases to investigate at the Court of Judicial Review?
"It's Uncle!" Yao Xia jumped up joyfully, her eyes filled with excitement and admiration. "Uncle is truly just and impartial!"
Yao Gui also felt touched—if he ever joined the civil service, he vowed to be a righteous official like his uncle!
Yao Yi, of course, couldn't hear this. If he had, he would surely respond, "There's no need for such praise. Don't get involved where you're not needed."
Yao Ran was relieved, but her attention shifted to her mother's emotional changes beside her.
From the moment Yao Yi stood up, Pei shi's gaze had grown ice-cold.
Though Yao Yi was considered an upright official, he wasn't a reckless, straightforward fool. He was cautious in his actions, which is how he'd made steady progress to his current position. More than anyone, he should understand that with the Holy Emperor's uncertain mood and no clear leads, this was not the time to stand out as a hero.
Yet, he still stood up.
For that little wench!
That girl had a tough life, surviving both Zhou Ding's failed assassination and the giant elephant's attack.
But today... no matter what, she wouldn't let that wretch leave alive!
She wanted Yao Yi to personally witness the girl's execution right before his eyes—
She wanted to see how far he would go for that little wretch!
As she fantasized about the upcoming scene, a gleam of vengeful delight appeared in Pei shi's eyes.
Looking at the two high-ranking officials who had stepped forward, Holy Emperor remained silent, as if weighing something in his mind.
"Your Majesty, I believe General Cui and Court official Yao's words are of great importance," Yu Zeng, standing beside the Holy Emperor, spoke up. "If we are to say that Miss Chang's misfortune
with the divine elephant is an ill omen, then just moments ago, I saw the elder female elephant being quite affectionate towards Miss Chang. It did not react as if it sensed something unholy."
Holy Emperor did not look at him, but responded with an indistinct tone, "It's rare to hear you speak up for anyone."
Yu Zeng shi lowered himself even further and said softly, "This young lady of the Chang family is the orphan entrusted to me and General Chang by the late Crown Prince... I confess, I harbor some personal feelings."
His frankness caused the Holy Emperor's eyes to shift slightly.
She looked at the young girl again and asked, "Miss Chang, do you have anything to say in your defense?"
The voice came from atop the altar, as distant and majestic as the voice of heaven.
Only then did Chang Suining slowly raise her head, meeting the Holy Emperor's scrutinizing gaze.
"Your Majesty—" Chang Suining spoke calmly, "I believe that if the fate of the Da Sheng dynasty can be ruined by a mere girl, then the fate of our empire would not be worth much."
The crowd suddenly fell silent, followed by a chorus of angry voices.
"What kind of statement is that...?"
"To speak so recklessly of the empire's fate... how audacious!"
"Does she even understand what fate means...?"
Ming Luo's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery.
Yet the young girl's expression remained unchanged as she continued, "I am confident that I am not an ill omen to destroy the empire's fate, nor are any of the people present here."
Such a crime should not be unfairly imposed upon any innocent person.
Cui Jing turned his head slightly, looking at the girl beside him.
Her face bore numerous scratches, which stood out sharply against her pale skin. Yet despite her bedraggled appearance, her eyes alone showed no sign of distress.
Unlike the ministers' anger, Emperor Shengce simply looked at her and asked, "I would like to hear how you are so certain you are not an ill omen."
"One thing the ministers have said is true: divine elephants do not harm without reason." Chang Suining responded, "The elephant is wounded, likely deliberately so, in an attempt to sabotage the Blessing Ceremony."
She was well-versed in how to turn false accusations back on their accusers.
"The elephant... is wounded?" the Holy Emperor's eyes narrowed as her gaze shifted from the girl's face to the elephant handlers.
The kneeling handlers exchanged glances, all equally terrified. The lead handler pressed his head to the ground. "Your Majesty, we did not find any injuries on the divine elephant!"
Chang Suining said, "The injury is on the neck, hidden beneath the folds of its skin. The wound is very small and difficult to detect, likely caused by a sharp object."
Her voice was firm, causing cold sweat to drip from the lead handler's forehead. "How... how could this be?"
But upon closer reflection, that bull elephant had indeed been more agitated since the previous night, yet they had noticed no wounds during their care.
The handlers had been guarding the elephants day and night as the ceremony approached, never letting their vigilance waver. How could anyone have gotten close enough to wound the divine elephant?
Because of this, they had assumed the bull elephant was merely throwing one of its occasional tantrums, never considering the possibility of an injury.
Cui Jing spoke up, "Whether Miss Chang's words are true or not, we can verify it."
the Holy Emperor nodded slightly.
As an emperor born outside the main lineage, she had made it this far not by clouding her judgment but by remaining shrewd and perceptive. While someone had to take responsibility for the disrupted ceremony, that didn't mean other possibilities should be ignored.
While the ministers debated the girl's supposed ill fate, the Holy Emperor had been observing and thinking all along.
Though no one could refute the notion of fate, it held less sway when compared to evidence and facts.
And she needed to know the truth.
One of the handlers, driven by a desire to atone for his negligence, said, "I am willing to go and inspect the divine elephant for injuries!"
An official looked toward the direction of the ceremonial pool and warned, "But with the elephant still so agitated, it may be difficult to approach."
No sooner had the words been spoken than a eunuch arrived with a physician in tow.
After bowing, the eunuch said, "Lord Wei, I have brought the anesthetic powder you requested. There's not much of it—will it suffice?"
Earlier, upon noticing the escalating situation, Wei Shuyi had refrained from stepping forward and instead thought of using the powder to sedate the elephant. He had then sent the eunuch to fetch it from the physician.
The handler immediately understood the meaning and nodded quickly. "It should be enough!"
Though it wouldn't completely knock the divine elephant out, it would calm it down sufficiently.
The handlers accepted the powder and, with the help of the imperial guards, descended into the ceremonial pool.
The women watching from a distance could hear the bull elephant's cries gradually quiet, knowing that the plan was working.
Soon, the handlers and physician returned.
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