Chapter 146
After getting a good scolding from Wei Zheng, Yuanying found out all about his scandal. Someone criticized him in Court and older brother add oil to the flame by sending the 2 palace maids towards his mother.
Yuanying isn't happy that a blame came flying towards his head out of the blue and he even got a scolding for it. He angrily asked for the name of the official who publicly criticize him and left.
How dare he! It's bad enough that he wants to find fault with me but to do it in front of Wei Zheng is unforgivable. Sister Shu is not yet my official wife, what if grandfather suddenly calls the engagement off!
Yuanying came and left so quickly that all that is left behind is a carriage full of gifts. Mrs Pei came out and didn't see the boy so she grumbled at her husband: "It's rare that he is visiting, why didn't you invite him in for a meal."
Wei Zheng took a look at his grand-daughter who looked extremely at peace and felt that his actions were in vain. His oldest daughter is marries to Prince Huo, Li YuanGui and the couple gets along well. However being a part of the Royal family would mean losing some freedom. At the minimum a prince is likely to have a few concubines naturally.
Yuanying being so young and already having such a bad reputation. What's going to happen if he gets older? Wei Zheng is worried that his precious granddaughter will be bullied in the future. With her strong personality, she will never share her grievances with others.
"His scandal has spread all over Court, how dare he be so outrageous!"
"His Highness is not outrageous. Those who thinks of and spread such rumors is the outrageous one. If not for their bad imagination, how can they make up such stories about His Highness?" Wei Shu explained and defended him. Yuanying is only 13 so how can he create so much scandal. How creative people must be to weave such stories!
Seeing Wei Shu being so confident about Li Yuanying, Wei Zheng got even more angry. This brat really is good with words, look at how he has brainwash my granddaughter?!
The sweet talking boy angrily left and arrived at the home of the Imperial Censor that complained about him and started banging on his front door shouting: "If you dare to make up stories, come open the door and face me!"
The guards following Yuanying are well experienced in scandals like these and were all quite shameless. They all started shouting and making a commotion. It is now 15 August, the mid-autumn festival, a public holiday and the streets were filled with people. Hearing 2 rows of buff men shouting, everyone surrounded them waiting for drama to unfold.
The Imperial Censor is coincidentally at home and hearing someone shouting , he got angry. It is his daily duty to report wrongdoings to the Emperor and he has been diligently doing it and no one had banged on his door like this before!
Servants then came reporting that a crowd had gathered around his home waiting for the drama to unfold!
After so many days, the official had actually forgotten what his criticism of Li Yuanying was. Now that there's commotion right outside his door, he suddenly remembered that this is the little devil king; the only one who dares to pull the Emperor's beard! This fella's biggest strength is not his intelligence or his endurance, but…… it's his shamelessness!
Alas the official felt a deep sense of regret.
If he doesn't meet Prince Teng today, no one from his family will be able to leave their home. The official gritted his teeth and decided to reason with him that criticizing others is his court duties! But as soon as he opened his doors, he was surrounded and carried away.
Li Yuanying isn't here for reason. He instead told his men to silence the official and kidnap him to a nearby shallow lake. Yuanying excitedly told the official: "I want to see how you look inside a pond, with you drenching wet, you should look quite handsome."
The men shook his head desperately.
Yuanying ordered the men to be thrown into the pond without blinking. He laughed at the desperate man trying to swim and ran away before his family can come and help him.
After having his revenge, Yuanying happily went back to Wei Zheng's place and told them about how he carried out his revenge. Hearing this, Wei Zheng got even more furious. "…… you get out of my house!"
Yuanying ran away and reflected on his way home. Sigh… I have miscalculated. Wei Zheng is also someone who often criticize others, hearing the actions he would feel for the man. Old man Wei must be thinking too much, I am someone who respects my elders. The official looked young and strong so he dealt him a physical revenge. For someone old like Wei Zheng, he wouldn't dare to be so reckless…….
Wei Zheng weren't aware about Yuanying's care for him and deeply regretted falling sick earlier in the year. If he didn't fall sick, maybe His Majesty will not promise a marriage for his granddaughter.
Such love from the Emperor, Wei Zheng family cannot endure!
Is it so easy to take revenge against an Imperial Censor? If it is, then everyone who had been criticized should beat him up! If the Emperor tolerates such action then the position of an Imperial Censor will become meaningless!
Wei Zheng guessed right. The Imperial censor went to the palace looking like a mess and requested that His Majesty severely punish Li Yuanying, a lawless guy.
The censor is not really that young and he went crying in front of His Majesty. He has never suffered such injustice before. Thrown into a pond in front of a crowd. A scholar can be killed but not humiliated. Throwing his pride as a scholar on the ground and trampling on it is more serious than killing him!
Hearing his younger brother kicking up a fuss as soon as he leave school made the Emperor furious. While comforting the censor, he asked for Li Yuanying to be arrested.
Yuanying had just returned home and before he could sit down, someone came to arrest him.
He informed mother and left for the hall without much urging. As soon as he saw the censor glaring at him, he knew that he visited the palace to complain and boy did he come real quick!
Yuanying saw Li Er looking angry and he greeted him obediently.
His Majesty glanced and asked: "What did you do today?"
Li Yuanying looked at the censor and confessed: "I asked someone to throw him into a pond."
Li Er slammed the table and scolded: "You still think you are in the right?!"
"Why am I not in the right?"
The censor became furious and pointed out Li Yuanying's evil behavior to His Majesty. He was just doing his official duty but Li Yuanying took action against him! If Li Yuanying is not severely punished this time, no one in the court will ever dare to speak in the future. If this continues, the court will be in danger!
Yuanying look innocently: "I didn't throw you into the pool because you impeached me."
The censor pointed at him and said: "Did you accidentally push me down?"
Li Yuanying said honestly: "Of course not, I specifically ordered someone to throw you in. But this has nothing to do with your impeachment against me."
The censor said angrily: "Then tell me, what reason do you have to treat me like this?"
"Of course it's because I like you. According to your words, I fell in love with 2 palace maids and made them jump into the pond to admire them wet. I heard about this today and found the statement refreshing so I asked someone to throw you into the water to appreciate your heroic wet figure. Why? Didn't you come up with such statement? Is the statement now wrong? Then why did you mention it in front of so many people? If it didn't make sense, why did you mention this to the Emperor? Do you know that my brother is a very busy man?"
The censor pointed at Li Yuanying angrily: "You-you-you–!" He said "you" for a long time and then rolled his eyes and fainted in anger.
After angering the censor out of his consciousness, Li Yuanying moved aside obediently so that he can be carried away.
Li Er asked an imperial physician to check on him. He turned and sees Li Yuanying sitting there obediently waiting for him to speak.
"You dare target the Imperial censor? You are going to turn the skies upside down!"
Yuanying answered in a soft voice: "I think he's not a very good censor. He is not as good as I am."
His Majesty said angrily: "I elected this Censor myself"
"There are so many civil and military officials in court, it's impossible for all of them to be chosen by you personally. Even if you really did, it doesn't matter. People make mistakes and you don't have to take things too seriously. Isn't there sayings like "It's great virtue to know one's mistakes and to correct them', 'It's never too late to mend the fold after the sheep have been lost', it doesn't matter if you chose the wrong person, just change him."
Li Er glared at him.
Li Yuanying looked at him with an expression saying "I'm innocent and very obedient". He whispered in a very persistent voice: "It's obviously him who is unreasonable."
His Majesty felt that this kid was born to be irritating. He has never been obedient for half a day since he was a child. He must be blind for thinking that this naughty child can be of use. If he really did serve in court, wouldn't he turn things upside down?
Yuanying sensing that the Emperor will not punish him and said boldly: "If I really did something wrong, you can punish me. Like sending me away to a place where no birds lay eggs and I will try my best to persuade the birds to lay eggs."
Li Er looked at him.
Li Yuanying didn't dare to say anything.
Li Er said lightly: "What is in Chang'an that makes you want to leave like this?"
Li Yuanying did not hide anything: "A good man has ambitions!"
"Go home and write a self-reflection letter. If it's not good enough you rewrite it. You can leave the palace if I am satisfied with it."
Yuanying was nervous: "What if I can't pass?"
"Then you cannot leave. The palace can feed you, you will stay here forever."
Li Yuanying walked away dejected.
Li Er calmed down and sat quietly for a long time. He then picked up a secret report and started reading it.