273 Courtroom Debate (1/2)
Chapter 273: Courtroom Debate
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
All of the officers were in shock. No one had expected Fan Xian would sooner select death before a debate. The Minister of Appointments' face went dark, with a look as if he was prepared to say something. When he raised his head, he saw the higher-ranked officers in front of him, he was silenced. He then realized that these matters were not as simple as he believed them to be.
The Bureau of Military Affairs’ head diplomat, General Qin’s, long, white beard hovered above his face like a cloud in the breeze. His eyes were squinted so much that one might have assumed he was asleep. Yan Hangshu was looking down the aisle and spotted the General’s son, Qin Heng. He was silent as well. Where was the courage he had shown in early spring, suggesting that Fan Xian become the ambassador to the northern Qi Kingdom?
The military’s silence was understandable, for this was a battle of words and not one of swords. This is despite the fact that they shared a very good, long-standing relationship with the Overwatch Council. There was an officer, referred to as Shu the Scholar, who looked almost afraid; as if he had never seen the Emperor raise his voice before. Such was this scene and its palpable tension, that many of the ministers in court became petrified.
Yan Hangshu was of the mind to yell at Fan Xian, but he ultimately deemed it unnecessary for him to offend the troublesome dog while the eldest princess was away in Xinyang.
Seeing as there weren’t any chancellors barking at Fan Xian, the Emperor’s temperament was still spoiled. He gazed at Fan Xian and told him, ”If you continue to offer no counter-debate, we will listen to what Officer Lai has to say.”
Imperial Censor of the Left Lai Ming Cheng was keen to adhere to such an order. He immediately stepped forward and spoke aloud the crimes that were now held against Fan Xian. He over-enunciated almost every word, ensuring everyone present could hear each offence clearly. As he did so, Fan Xian thought to himself, ”This guy really is something. How can he willingly place the blame for all these things on me? Those little bastards I already evicted from the First Bureau accepted a few loose-change briberies last month and now I must take the fall?”
An undercurrent of discussion between the people present in the court could be heard. The way that they each looked at both Officer Lai and Fan Xian was almost unnerving. The first crime that the Imperial Censorate accused Fan Xian of was the acceptance of a bribe by Eunuch Dai, who had done so on behalf of his cousin Dai Zhen. Each and every officer there thought it insulting that Officer Lai was willing to bring this matter before everyone in the palace. They also thought that the repercussions of such a crime were wasted on Fan Xian, who had only accepted a measly 1,000 tael. None of the officers in the court would have been willing to accept such a tiny sum.
When the Emperor heard that these matters concerning Fan Xian were involved with the palace, his facial expression remained resolute. The Emperor did, however, call upon Imperial Consort Shu to bring Eunuch Dai to the court from the manor where he currently was.
Every officer believed that the method in which Officer Lai was going about the presentation of his case was a little strange. Everyone knew that the Emperor wasn’t one to forgive those involved with bribery, nor would he send them to prison. Therefore, they were each curious as to how today’s events were set to unfold. So they bit their lips in silence, perched at the edge of their seats.
Not long later, Eunuch Dai was brought before the court. Without being told, he knew what was occurring. As he stood there, he was both afraid and a little bewildered. In his thoughts, he recollected how he passed on the money to Yi Guipin. She was a cheerful woman, but not one to say much of anything. She was also a distant relative of Fan Xian. ”Could she have sold me out? I doubt it. But then, how could these revelations have come to light by the Imperial Censorate?”
While he was in the court, greeting the Emperor, he pleaded the ”injustice” that had been done upon him. He fell upon his knees, begging as tears rolled down his cheeks, proclaiming his innocence and how he had not been involved with anything unlawful. He then said, ”My lord has always forbidden the workers of the palace from communicating with the officers. Me? I have no courage. I could not even dream of breaking the law or any command issued by the Emperor! Speaking of Mister Fan, I have heard his name before, but…”
Eunuch Dai was a pitiable sight. He now looked up at the Emperor and spoke: ”Everyone knows about Fan Xian. He is famous. But speaking of myself, I am a nobody. I am Iittle more than a shadow in the Qing Kingdom. I had heard that Fan Xian visited the northern Qi Kingdom, to represent and bring further honor to our nation. It would be nigh impossible to not hear of this man. But I swear, hearing is all I have done. I never laid eyes upon this man in all my life!”
Imperial Censor of the Left Lai Mingcheng coldly asked, ”You really have not seen Fan Xian before?”
Eunuch Dai’s knees ached as he knelt upon the floor. He paid no heed to it, though, as he cursed the nosy wretch before him a million times within his heart. Hearing what he asked, the eunuch perked his head and feigned the image of someone who had just remembered something. ”Ah, I remember now. It was sometime last year. I think it was when I visited the Fan manor - but I only saw him once. And I was merely delivering a message. I entered and left shortly after. If that counts as seeing him, then yes, I have. But it was only that one time.”
Eunuch Dai then began to cry out loud, proclaiming the earnestness of his words from the top of his lungs and amongst the tear-rocked mumbling and sniffles, said, ”My lord, I only saw him once. Just once! If I was lying, may I be struck down by lightning and may I be once more reincarnated as a eunuch!”
The Emperor was taken aback. The eunuch’s words appeared honest, but he had no idea that the man despised his fate as a eunuch as much as he did. The Emperor was brought to anger and yelled, ”What nonsense are you spouting?!”
Officer Lai looked a little worried and to perhaps ease tensions, said, ”About the bribery, it’s not as if you’d both have to see each other to do it. Eunuch Dai, let me ask you something. Do you have a cousin called Dai Zhen? He is a small-time officer down at the markets, in charge of… the inspection of vegetables. Yes, he is a vegetable inspector.”
Eunuch Dai did not deny anything and simply nodded.
Officer Lai continued by saying, ”My lord, this Dai Zhen is the…” Officer Lai proceeded by speaking aloud the crime and its details once again. He turned his gaze back over to Fan Xian and with a chilling tone, said, ”Let me ask you, Commissioner Fan. Where is Dai Zhen right now?”
Fan Xian thought for a while before answering, ”That case is closed. That fellow Dai Zhen, after he was forced to relinquish the money, he was fired. Where he is now, I have no clue.”