Edward Harris: Minister Geng is old, it’s better to let him go; Assistant Minister Geng already has new career plans, just let him be.

Geng Yan: ?

Chapter 7 You Came, That’s Enough

He knew it!

Edward Harris took a breath: What good intentions could William Thompson possibly have? He just wants to dig a pit for him, that’s all.

“Your subject…” He pressed down his chaotic thoughts.

If he answered this question wrong, he’d go down with the Geng family.

Hesitating, a rumor he’d heard at the palace banquet suddenly surfaced in his mind. Edward Harris steadied himself and decided to take a gamble—

He put down the memorial and bowed deeply.

Beneath his court robe, his back was straight as a pine. “In my opinion, those who embezzle and pervert the law harm the people. Such traitors should have their families confiscated and be exiled, with their entire clans punished!”

Silence hung above his head for a few moments.

William Thompson seemed a bit surprised, tapping his fingertips, then added a hint of cold mockery, “Lord Ning, you cut ties for the sake of justice, separating public and private, your integrity is commendable…”

“Then let it be as Lord Ning says—convict the Geng family and exile them.”

The meaning in his words was hard to discern.

Edward Harris nearly clawed a hole in the carpet: You never valued me this much before.

He took a deep breath. “I meant, those who ‘embezzle and pervert the law’ should be punished.”

As soon as he finished, the imperial study fell silent.

Suddenly, William Thompson spoke, “Everyone out.”

The palace attendants in the imperial study instantly scattered.

Only Brian Clark, drenched in cold sweat, remained, trembling like a sieve, his whole body screaming: It’s over!

Everyone else was dismissed.

William Thompson got up and walked over to Edward Harris, his pitch-black eyes like storm clouds gathering, brewing with emotion. “Who gave you the courage to guess my thoughts?”

He spoke softly, “What rumors have you been listening to?”

Edward Harris’s heart sped up, secretly thinking he’d guessed right.

William Thompson really did know the mastermind behind this was the late Crown Prince’s faction. The only question left was, how did he plan to deal with the Cui family?

The new emperor had just ascended the throne, his foundation still unstable.

Anyone could see now was not the best time to topple the Cui family.

But if Consort Xian really was killed by Empress Cui…

Edward Harris thought: If he were William Thompson, he’d be dying to kill her right away, day and night.

“Answer me.” The voice from above came down again.

Edward Harris took two seconds to compose himself, then straightened up and replied, “Actually, I heard Assistant Minister Geng raving nonsense…”

William Thompson, “…”

Edward Harris, “He said all the Ministry of Revenue’s money was taken by the Cui family. When he said this, he was acting half-crazed, disheveled, his fists clenched red, grinding his teeth to bits, his expression didn’t seem fake—so I dared to report it to Your Majesty, hoping the truth can be found and the main culprit severely punished!”

He finished in one breath, even tallying it up in his mind.

Seventy-four words in total—he’d turned the tables.

As he was silently counting, he suddenly heard William Thompson speak, “It seems I misunderstood you, Lord Ning.”

Edward Harris looked up hopefully: He’s not going to pursue it?

William Thompson, “Lord Ning and Assistant Minister Geng don’t seem to get along very well.”

“…” Edward Harris’s lips twitched: Does that matter!

While his mind was in turmoil, the emperor in front of him withdrew his gaze.

A light, floating voice fell, “Do you know how much more troublesome it is to deal with the Cui family than with a Minister Geng?”

Edward Harris’s breath caught.

William Thompson finished speaking and strode out of the imperial study. “As for what you said today, I’ll pretend you never said it. Go back, you’re not needed here anymore.”

Brian Clark, sweat streaming down his forehead, hurried to follow: Finally, it’s over—scared him to death…

The hem of a dark robe brushed past a scarlet court robe.

Suddenly, Edward Harris reached out and grabbed the emperor’s robe—

William Thompson stopped in his tracks and looked down.

Brian Clark nearly knelt: Oh no, what’s he doing now!!!

Edward Harris’s heart pounded, but he still gripped William Thompson’s robe tightly. Since he’d decided to take this step, he’d see it through to the end.

He exhaled and met that dangerous gaze. “Perhaps it is troublesome… but I am willing to be Your Majesty’s blade.”

His slender, pale hand contrasted with the dark robe, fragile as if it could break at any moment. William Thompson’s gaze followed his arm up to that upturned face.

After two moments of silence, “Let go.”

……

Crash! The sound of a cup shattering came from the imperial study.

Immediately after, the palace attendants outside heard the emperor’s wrath, thunderous as a storm:

“Ning Chen’s conduct is out of line—drag him out and give him thirty strokes!”

The attendants were so frightened they didn’t dare breathe.

No one knew how Lord Ning, always favored by the emperor, had managed to anger the dragon.

Two squads of imperial guards arrived on command. Soon, the courtyard echoed with dull, chilling thuds:

Thud, thud, thud…

·

In the bright courtyard.

A large slab of pork was tightly bound to a straight wooden bench, with two imperial guards on either side raising their rods and dutifully striking the pork’s rear: thud, thud, thud!

Edward Harris sat not far away, wrapped in his cloak, sipping hot tea in small sips, looking quite delicate.

Though it was a ruse of self-sacrifice…

Wasn’t finding him such a stand-in a bit of a backhanded jab?

He glanced sideways at William Thompson.

William Thompson’s face was expressionless. “This is the first time I’ve used such a fragile blade.”