The Emperor of the Qing Kingdom was actually waiting for Fan Xian's self-defense memorial. He had planned on casually fooling around a bit and getting this matter over with. Any Emperor in a golden age was actually very good at this kind of "smoothing over the mud."
Unexpectedly, Fan Xian continued to ignore it and put on an appearance of a clear conscience as he wandered around and threw this question back at him. He thought sinisterly to himself, "Don't you want me to bite someone? As the Emperor, you have to protect me. If I have to be disgraced over such a small matter, then in the future, when I really do move against Xinyang and take care of the Eldest Princess, won't you throw me to the empress dowager to eat? "
If he had been a normal favored official or civil official, he would not have been as harsh and angry as Fan Xian. It was said that the Emperor's heart was hard to fathom, and the might of heaven was unpredictable. As an official, if he became arrogant because he was favored, who knew when the Emperor would remember that he had sat in his carriage and cut him down with a knife.
But Fan Xian knew that he was not a normal official, and the Emperor did not know that he knew. So, this matter was a bit interesting. He was testing the extent to which the Emperor could go for him.
…
…
On the seventh day after the Imperial Censors collectively submitted their memorial, Fan Xian sat in a carriage outside the palace gates. When he got off the carriage, the officials of the Qinian Unit surrounded him and guarded him in the center. His black and gray clothing, cold expression, and tall and straight figure all made clear his identity.
The officials gathered at the palace gates saw this scene and knew that this was the person that the officials often discussed after meals. Not to mention anything else, but when it came to placing spies out in the open to protect him, Fan Xian was the best in the Overwatch Council.
Today was the day of the court conference, and the Emperor had specially summoned Fan Xian to the palace to listen. All of the officials knew what was going to be discussed today, and they couldn't help but feel excited. A few civil officials who were on good terms with the Fan family came over and exchanged a few words with Fan Xian. Using the cold weather as an excuse, they went back to the side of the palace gates.
At this moment, on both sides of the square, there were only five or six officials wearing crimson robes and Fan Xian's black-robed Overwatch Council officials. The two sides stood facing each other, but their gazes seemed to pierce through each other's ranks and shoot toward the city in the distance.
The officials dressed in crimson robes were the censors from the Imperial Censorate who had written to impeach Fan Xian. Fan Xian looked at them coldly. Lowering his voice, he said, "All of you look like pigs, yet you're still upright officials?"
Deng Zi Yue said in a low voice, "The First Bureau has been investigating for a few days, but they really didn't find anything. Sir, most of the Imperial Censorate's Imperial Censorate come from humble backgrounds and value their reputation the most. This is the only thing they can rely on. Even the gatekeeper has to be careful when receiving gifts. It is indeed difficult to find anything. "
Fan Xian furrowed his brows and sighed. "If the officials are not greedy, the world is in trouble."
Deng Zi Yue smiled bitterly, thinking that the commissioner's "clever words" were a bit absurd.
The Imperial Censorate looked at Fan Xian coldly. There was not a trace of fear in their eyes. Fan Xian knew that the other party was not afraid of him. He smiled bitterly. If the officials were not greedy, what use would he be as the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council? The other party was an Imperial Censor. He could not send a few subordinates to assassinate him. If that happened, no matter what the Emperor did, he could only chase him back to Danzhou.
Fan Xian understood that the rarest thing in this world was upright officials. Furthermore, he believed in the investigative abilities of the First Bureau. The people in front of him must be truly upright officials. But, he also understood that the most terrifying thing in this world was upright officials swarming up and becoming your enemy. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but admire his young and beautiful mother-in-law. To be able to use these upright officials who were not greedy or corrupt, she really did have some skill.
While Fan Xian was sighing to himself, he did not know that the Imperial Censorate's Imperial Censorate were looking at the commissioner and sighing to themselves.
Clearly, Fan Xian's actions over the past month all showed the true nature of the immortal poet he hid behind. He was a corrupt official, and he was also a sprouting of a powerful official with money and power. They had enough evidence, but why did the Emperor still not say anything? They were not worried that the Emperor would heavily punish them for shielding Fan Xian. On one hand, they deeply believed that the Emperor was a wise ruler. On the other hand, what did the Imperial Censor do? He shouldered justice with iron shoulders and admonished with iron bones. Even if he died, so what? They only hoped that the white bones would leave a lingering fragrance!
But the Imperial Censorate's Imperial Censorate did not fare well these past few days. First of all, their connections with the court had no effect. No matter which department the official came from, once they heard the purpose of their visit, they remained courteous on the surface, but refused to join them in writing. Second, the public opinion of the common people had not been mobilized. The scholars who had been wantonly criticizing the court in the past, upon hearing that the person they wanted to impeach was Fan Xian, shook their heads in disbelief.
And what angered the Imperial Censorate the most was the attitude of the young people in the Imperial College. The Imperial Censor who had gone to the Imperial College to mobilize the students was kicked out in the end. No one believed that the immortal poet, Zhuang Mohan's designated successor, the son of the Minister of Revenue, the idol of a generation of young scholars, and the dream lover of countless girls, would be so immoral as to covet such a small amount of silver.
"13,400 liang, just a small amount of silver?"
Perhaps the Imperial Censorate's Imperial Censorate were used to being poor, so this was the thing they could not understand.
At this time, a sudden gust of morning wind blew past, making the officials guarding outside the palace feel refreshed. Immediately after, their expressions changed. They looked at the cloud of rain floating in the morning light and hid inside the palace gate. The imperial guards and eunuchs did not dare let these high-ranking officials get drenched in the rain, so they did not stop them.
In autumn, the capital often changed its face, and after the wind came the rain. An autumn rain floated down solemnly. It went from light to dripping, and in the time it took to take a few breaths, the green stone floor in the palace was immediately soaked, revealing a thick black color.
At this time, outside the palace gate, only Fan Xian and the Imperial Censorate's Imperial Censorate stood there. The rain poured on them, but they did not react at all. Fan Xian narrowed his eyes and looked at them. Suddenly, he said, "Imperial Censor Lai, go hide from the rain."
He called out to the Imperial Censor of the Left, a third-rank official, Lai Mingcheng. Censor Lai looked at him coldly and said, "Master Fan, do you think being drenched in the rain will be enough to wash away your sins?"
Imperial Censor Lai cupped his hands. "Today, when I see the Emperor, I will definitely impeach Master Fan!"
Fan Xian's eyebrows twitched. This Imperial Censor was very cunning, he thought. He smiled and cupped his hands. "Is that so? But I don't know if a member of the royal family really broke the law, would Master Lai have the same heroic spirit you have today? "
The Imperial Censor of the Left was so angry that he did not want to speak. He waved his sleeves and walked toward the palace gate. Behind him, the Imperial Censorates knelt in the rain!
"Playing the game of kneeling at the palace gate?" Fan Xian felt that these people were both pitiful and funny. He sighed. "Life is only for fame. I really don't know why the court keeps you people."
The kneeling Imperial Censorates stared back at him angrily.
Fan Xian turned a blind eye to them. He lifted the rain hat behind him to cover his head. He smiled. "I am black. No matter how I wash, I will always be black. Although you are all red, after being washed by the rain, you have turned black."
The rain slid down his Overwatch Council robe. The robe was smooth and did not leak water. The black was still that gloomy black.
After the Imperial Censorates' robes were soaked by the rain, the color gradually darkened, and gradually became closer to black.
The Imperial Censorates looked down at their own clothes. They allowed the rain to hit their faces, but they stubbornly remained silent.
— — —
After all the important matters of the court had been discussed, the Emperor seemed to see Imperial Censor of the Left, Lai Mingcheng, and Commissioner of the Overwatch Council Fan Xian. His brows furrowed in annoyance. He had the eunuchs summon the two of them, and coldly said, "Speak in front of the court officials."
The Imperial Censor of the Left adjusted his robes and said in a clear voice, "Everything I have said is in the memorial. Please, Your Majesty, quickly investigate this case to cleanse the court and appease the grievances of the common people!"
The Emperor turned his head to look at Fan Xian. "Why have you never submitted your memorial to the Hall of Governmental Affairs?"
Fan Xian bowed respectfully. "I did not write a memorial."
The Emperor angrily rebuked him. "How arrogant! The Imperial Censor of the Imperial Censorate is the first to impeach a hundred officials like you. Don't think your family has been loyal for generations. Just because you have done a great service to the country and are famous in the world, I can't bear to punish you! "
Fan Xian knew that the Emperor was angry because he had been silent all this time. He was angry because he had thrown the topic to him. He apologized. "I really did not know I had to write a memorial to defend myself … I am guilty."
The Emperor's expression softened. "Considering that you have just entered officialdom, and Fan Jian is busy with work, and that old thing Chen Pingping will not teach you these things, I will forgive you this time. Today, I summon you to the palace. I want to hear how you will defend yourself and explain yourself to the court officials. "
Fan Xian's expression showed that he was in a difficult position. A moment later, he hesitantly opened his mouth. "I … really do not know how to defend myself."
The Emperor's expression immediately darkened. "Then you admit to your crimes?" he asked.
Fan Xian suddenly raised his head. His expression showed bitterness. "Long live, I do not admit to my crimes! The reason why I do not defend myself is because the Imperial Censorate's accusations are absurd and without reason. I do not know the truth, and I do not know who is involved in this so-called bribery and perverting the law. I do not know how to defend myself. "
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