Chapter 136#
The Frail and Sickly Powerful Minister#
The moon hung high in the sky.
A bone-chilling wind blew through the banquet. Hearing the low coughing of the youth beside him, Jing Ji felt truly restless.
He didn’t understand why, in the middle of winter, his Empress Mother insisted on dining outdoors.
As if sensing the little Emperor’s agitation, Empress Dowager Changfeng shot her son a subtle glance, her eyes carrying a hint of warning.
After Jing Ji tightly pursed his lips and lowered his head, she satisfiedly withdrew her gaze and turned to the youth who had remained silent since the start of the meal. “Master Lin has worked hard. His Majesty is still young, and this year has been a tumultuous one. This pair of orphans and widow have troubled you for your care.”
Lin Xiaodong spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly: “Your Majesty the Empress Dowager overstates it. This official has merely fulfilled his duty as a subject; it is my responsibility.”
Empress Dowager Changfeng curled her lips into a smile and waved her hand, ordering a maid to bring a bowl of bird’s nest to bestow upon him. Lin Xiaodong thanked her in a low voice and took the white porcelain bowl, which could only be described as lukewarm, with both hands. His posture was extremely respectful, leaving no room for fault.
“By the way, Master Lin,” just as he picked up his spoon, the Empress Dowager mentioned another matter as if by chance, “I heard that you took His Majesty to the Heavenly Prison earlier?”
Lin Xiaodong had to put down his spoon and said solemnly: “Indeed. The assassin claimed to be a retainer of Prince An. This is a grave matter; although I have already made a decision in my heart, after all, it was not appropriate for me to handle it alone.”
Empress Dowager Changfeng frowned deeply, her words carrying a chill of interrogation: “But His Majesty is only thirteen this year! You know what kind of place the Heavenly Prison is. How could you let the Sovereign of the Nation go to such a foul and filthy place?”
“When the Late Emperor was alive, he once told me that the Crown Prince is the future of the Jing Dynasty and must shoulder the livelihoods of the people under heaven.” Lin Xiaodong pulled out the deceased previous emperor as a banner without changing his expression. “I believe that since the Heavenly Prison is where serious criminals are held, it is not a bad thing to let His Majesty understand the severity of heavy punishment early on, so that as a ruler, he knows to be lenient with his people.”
Empress Dowager Changfeng was choked by his words and could only say resentfully: “Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times; Master Lin’s eloquence is indeed remarkable.”
Lin Xiaodong smiled slightly: “Your Majesty’s praise is undeserved.”
The banquet fell silent for a moment.
Seeing that the woman opposite was no longer speaking, Lin Xiaodong lowered his head on his own and scooped a spoonful of bird’s nest into his mouth.
So cold.
He frowned slightly. Because of the freezing weather, in just the short time they had been talking, the originally lukewarm bird’s nest had completely turned into a bowl of ice-jelly-like substance. Lin Xiaodong only tasted a bit before his tongue felt numb, and an itch came from deep in his throat.
The youth put down his spoon, made a fist to cover his lips, and coughed lowly a few times.
Perhaps seeing his frail appearance, Empress Dowager Changfeng, who had been quiet, spoke up again: “Why has Master Lin stopped eating? Is it not to your taste?”
Lin Xiaodong lowered his eyes and said: “No, it’s just that I am somewhat full.”
“But I see Master Lin hasn’t eaten much,” Empress Dowager Changfeng said, receiving a slightly puzzled look from the youth. She immediately composed herself and began to shift the topic subtly.
“However, since we mentioned the Heavenly Prison, Master Lin, do you have any clues regarding the background of that assassin?”
Lin Xiaodong nodded.
“Oh?” The smile on Empress Dowager Changfeng’s face deepened. “Why don’t you tell us?”
But when she met the youth’s dark eyes, which seemed to have already seen through everything, her heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.
No, impossible, she thought. Lin Dongqing couldn’t have guessed!
And even if he did suspect, no one would believe it, and it would be impossible to find evidence!
“I believe Her Majesty the Empress Dowager should already be very clear about who the mastermind is.” Lin Xiaodong coughed twice and smiled slightly, staring at the woman’s forcedly calm expression.
“Lin Dongqing! What do you mean by that?!”
Empress Dowager Changfeng opened her eyes wide and slammed her hand on the table.
The bowls and chopsticks on the table were jolted violently. The maids and eunuchs around, shivering from the cold, held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
Under the tablecloth, Jing Ji clenched his fists, hanging his head as he thought about something.
Lin Xiaodong noticed his appearance. The youth sighed softly, picked up the chopsticks that had rolled off the table, put them back in place, and retracted the words on the tip of his tongue.
“I misspoke,” he said flatly. “I beg Your Majesty the Empress Dowager’s pardon.”
The little Emperor looked up at him sharply, his eyes somewhat red.
But Empress Dowager Changfeng didn’t notice the undercurrent between the two at all. Seeing Lin Xiaodong back down, she thought he was feeling guilty, and her arrogance immediately overrode her unease. She sneered: “Master Lin, one can eat as they please, but one cannot speak as they please. I am His Majesty’s biological mother, the current Empress Dowager of the Jing Dynasty. Such a serious accusation—do you plan to pass it over with just one light sentence?”
Jing Ji couldn’t help but say: “Mother!”
“Your Majesty, this matter has nothing to do with you.” But Empress Dowager Changfeng didn’t give her son any face at all. In her view, what did a thirteen-year-old child understand? Even if he was the Emperor, it was the same. She was destined to be the most noble woman in the entire Jing Dynasty; even the Emperor had to be respectful to her!
Lin Xiaodong said calmly: “Then what does Your Majesty wish to do?”
“Kneel,” Empress Dowager Changfeng said.
Jing Ji stood up from his seat with a “shing”: “Mother! Teacher has already apologized; don’t—”
Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly widened his eyes, watching in disbelief as Lin Xiaodong stood up, walked to the open space, and knelt on both knees with an indifferent expression.
The youth shook his long sleeves and bowed deeply to the ground.
He didn’t say a word throughout.
“Te-Teacher, you…”
Jing Ji stammered, his mind turning into a blur.
Lin Dongqing actually knelt!?
Even Empress Dowager Changfeng was quite surprised, her red lips slightly open. Her intention was only to make things difficult for him; she didn’t expect the youth to be so obedient, kneeling just because she told him to.
“Ding, Good Person Card +1.”
A crisp sound rang in Lin Xiaodong’s ear. This was an autonomous reminder program left by the system. At the same time, Empress Dowager Changfeng’s slightly softened voice also rang out: “Since you know your mistake, then Master Lin may rise.”
This Lin Dongqing is indeed a young talent who knows when to yield and when to stand tall, she thought with regret. What a pity; someone who cannot be used by her son can only be a stumbling block on their path that must be removed.
But the youth did not move.
He remained in that posture, kneeling motionlessly on the bone-chilling stone bricks. The light snow of New Year’s Eve fell on his shoulders and thin back, making his figure look like a sculpture.
“Master Lin, I have already said you may rise. Why do you not get up?”
Empress Dowager Changfeng finally sensed something was wrong. Her eyes flickered, and she involuntarily raised her voice.
“Because this kneel wasn’t for you.” Lin Xiaodong rose slightly, not meeting her gaze, but looking flatly at a stone brick ahead. “I am kneeling to His Majesty.”
Jing Ji said in surprise: “Why does Teacher want to kneel to me?”
Empress Dowager Changfeng sneered: “Playing mystery! I…”
Before she could finish, her face suddenly changed.
The sound of footsteps, dense as raindrops, came from outside the walls, interspersed with the clashing of weapons.
Amidst the screams and cries of the palace maids and eunuchs, a squad of Imperial Guards in fine iron armor surrounded them.
Empress Dowager Changfeng stood up abruptly, pointing at Lin Xiaodong, who was still kneeling on the ground, and cursed: “Lin Dongqing! What a treacherous and rebellious subject! What do you want to do?”
Lin Xiaodong slowly climbed up from the ground. There was no other way; the ground was too cold, and his knees had already lost sensation after just that short while of kneeling. He ignored Empress Dowager Changfeng’s shouting and just turned to look at the little Emperor, who was staring fixedly at him. The two exchanged a look, and then the youth proactively withdrew his gaze.
“Someone,” he said, “the Empress Dowager has suffered a mental break and sent assassins with the intent to harm His Majesty. Take her to Fengning Palace to recuperate properly. Without my permission, no unauthorized person may enter even a step.”
“Yes!”
Seeing that she was about to be forcibly dragged away by the soldiers, Empress Dowager Changfeng struggled desperately. Before being dragged away, her hair was disheveled as she shouted toward the youth: “You won’t have a good end! Lin Dongqing, I’ll wait for you to go to hell!”
Jing Ji stood blankly on the spot. He looked at his mother being pulled away and imprisoned without any decorum. He wanted to plead for mercy to the youth before him, but when he saw Lin Dongqing’s eyes, as cold as knives, his face turned pale instantly.
The warm scene on the palace path earlier had almost made him forget that the youth before him was a power broker who was above tens of thousands and beneath only one in the Jing Dynasty.
And in his eyes, is there really such a person as himself, the Emperor?
Jing Ji gritted his teeth, not saying a word.
Lin Xiaodong only needed to glance at him to know this brat was overthinking again, but he didn’t have the mind to explain now. The youth flicked his sleeve, dropped the sentence “send His Majesty back to his palace,” and left the messy scene without looking back.
Jing Ji stared fixedly at his heartless, departing back.
In the night sky outside the Imperial City, fireworks bloomed. It was supposed to be New Year’s Eve, a night for family reunions, yet he was forced to be separated from his mother… Although Lin Dongqing didn’t kill him tonight, what about in the future? Was he destined to spend his life as a puppet sitting on the dragon throne, manipulated by the other party?
His nails dug deep into his palms. The little Emperor took a deep breath, wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and at the cautious inquiry of the surrounding eunuchs, he turned away without looking back, striding toward the opposite direction of the youth’s departure, locking himself alone in his empty palace.
Outside the palace walls.
Lin Xiaodong, who was striding out, stopped abruptly.
The captain of the Imperial Guards behind him looked at him in confusion: “Master Lin, why—Master Lin!?”
He looked in panic as the youth ahead bent over, covering his lips and coughing heart-wrenchingly, even spitting blood!
“Master Lin, what happened to you? I’ll go call the imperial physician for you!”
“No, go back… back to the Lin manor,” Lin Xiaodong grabbed his arm. “It’s poison… but don’t let His Majesty know.”
Fortunately.
Before completely losing consciousness, Lin Xiaodong thought with a sigh of relief: Fortunately, that bowl of bird’s nest was cold and tasteless, and I only ate one spoonful.
—If that had been a bowl of spicy hot pot, he could be buried in peace by now.