Yang Daniu listened to the Zhang brothers’ cries, their voices growing faint, almost unbearable to watch.
"Village Chief’s wife," he bowed to Feng Yun, "the village punishnt has been completed."
Feng Yun humd in acknowledgnt and stood up from the wooden stump.
"The state has its laws, and the village has its rules. Since the chastisent has been dealt, let this matter rest. I summoned everyone here today in hopes that the people of Huaxi Village will take this as a warning... In short, challenging Feng Yun is one thing, but challenging the village rules will result in the sa fate as that of the Zhang brothers."
The villagers agreed in unison.
"We will listen to the Village Chief’s wife."
"We will abide by the village rules, we definitely will abide by the village rules."
Feng Yun saw fear in everyone’s eyes, knowing her objective of establishing authority was achieved. She smiled faintly, bowed to the crowd with full propriety, and left with her entourage.
Leaving behind nothing but the cries and murmurs at the old ancestral hall.
-
The news from Huaxi Village had been delivered to the Central Capital by fast horse last night.
Yet by the next day, it had already reached Jiafu Hall.
Li Sangruo sat in the main hall, frosty as ice, looking at the bowed Song Shou’an standing before her like a defeated cockfighter, her face visibly filled with anger.
"Incompetent!"
People like the Zhang brothers naturally wouldn’t catch the Empress Dowager’s eye.
She was unaware that the people sent by Song Shou’an were so useless.
"Each mber of the Imperial Cavalry is handpicked from the elite of the Imperial Guards. In your hands, how did they beco at on soone else’s chopping block..."
Li Sangruo’s voice was cool, indifferent, devoid of overt ferocity, yet it sent shivers down one’s spine.
"Song Shou’an, is it you who is foolish, or is it I?"
Song Shou’an was shocked.
How could the Empress Dowager be foolish?
"It is my ignorance!"
Song Shou’an’s forehead was beaded with sweat as he admitted his guilt.
Yet inwardly, he felt wronged. He had been re a potter, not in the palace for long, and all his actions had been in accordance with the Empress Dowager’s commands, yet all the bla seed to fall on him...
"Your Highness, I will issue an order right away for them to burn down the Feng Family’s estate to vent Your Highness’s anger."
This was the most severe form of retribution he could think of.
When Li Sangruo heard this, she actually laughed.
The scorn and chill in her eyes were undisguised as she looked toward Song Shou’an.
"Do you think I want her life?"
"Is the life of a lowly person worth dirtying my hands?"
What she wanted was for the Feng Family’s reputation to be ruined, to endure ridicule as she had, to fall from Pei Jue’s graces and have him see her true nature, discarding her like a tainted shoe, trampled underfoot by others, at the rcy of their scorn and abuse...
Otherwise, how could she appease the resentnt in her heart?
How could she soothe the gnawing pain she endured day and night?
Death? No, she would never let Feng Yun die.
She only wanted Feng Yun to wish for death.
"Song Shou’an," Li Sangruo said in that detached tone, "by today, you will present a thorough plan to for the aftermath. Otherwise, you need not serve as the head of the Imperial Cavalry Division any longer."
Song Shou’an jumped in fright.
He had just begun to relish the taste of wielding power.
It was addictive, and he was loath to let go...
"Your Highness!" Song Shou’an crawled on his knees across the floor, approached Li Sangruo, wrapped his arms around her knees, looked up pleadingly, and spoke sweetly and softly.
"I will serve Your Highness well... You are my heaven, Your Highness. Whatever you command, I shall obey. To be the ox or horse for the Empress Dowager is my lifelong wish. Please do not cast aside..."
Li Sangruo narrowed her eyes at him.
She tried to see the shadow of that person in his handso face...
But no matter how I look at it, I feel more alienated and irritated...
"Get lost!"
She kicked out her foot.
The force wasn’t strong, but Song Shou’an sat down with the montum, cradling her foot in his arms and gently stroking it, then kneeling down to devoutly kiss it.
"It’s only right for Your Highness to punish a lowly one like ..."
"However Your Highness wishes to punish, this lowly one accepts."
"But you cannot... you cannot dismiss ."
Li Sangruo’s heart hardened with resentnt, yet she found tily comfort in Song Shou’an’s warm and gentle words...
That person can’t speak sweet words.
But Song Shou’an can.
Such a silver-tongued mouth on such a face, how precious is it?
There won’t be a second Pei Jue in this world.
And probably no second Song Shou’an that looks like Pei Jue, right?
She looked down at the man groveling to please her, a cold smile on her lips.
"Truly, any punishnt will do?"
Song Shou’an looked at her foolishly, "At Your Highness’s disposal..."
Li Sangruo raised an eyebrow and forcefully pulled her foot back, just as she was about to speak when a cough ca from outside the door.
"Your Highness, the Vice Head of the Imperial Cavalry Division, Wei Zheng, requests an audience."
Li Sangruo glanced at Song Shou’an, signaling him to kneel properly to the side.
Only then did she coldly command, "Announce him."
Wei Zheng entered the hall, spotting Song Shou’an kneeling to the side and wearing a hint of a cold smile, while Song Shou’an also returned him a complex cold look.
Song Shou’an considered Wei Zheng to be jealous of him.
After all, he could sleep with the Empress Dowager, while Wei Zheng couldn’t.
Wei Zheng thought him a fool. A perfectly good job turned into a joke, losing face for the entire Imperial Cavalry Division.
Both n couldn’t stand each other, fighting openly and in the shadows, all under Li Sangruo’s watchful eyes.
She enjoyed it imnsely, quite pleased with herself.
"Lord Wei, what do you wish to report?"
Wei Zheng swept a cold glance at Song Shou’an, bowed his head, and presented a morandum.
"I accuse Song Shou’an of the Imperial Cavalry Division of favoritism, corruption, and abuse of law, unfit for his position. Since assuming the role of Division Head, he has shown no capacity to manage his subordinates, no skill in administering his duties, and lacks both courage and strategy. He only uses the Imperial Cavalry for private affairs, transferring a bunch of immoral and incompetent relatives to the Division is the least, for every official task, he receives gifts from the Cavalry as bribes, turning the Division into their village market, with complaints abounding..."
Having said this, he looked up at Li Sangruo.
"I have witnesses and evidence, ready to be presented to the Empress Dowager imdiately."
Li Sangruo said, "I am aware of everything."
This indifferent tone struck a blow to Wei Zheng.
He said, "Empress Dowager, if such an incapable person continues to hold power in the Imperial Cavalry Division, it will be a disaster for Dajin. I implore you to strip him of his position and imprison Song Shou’an for his cris!"
Li Sangruo’s eyebrows furrowed montarily, then she suddenly stretched out her hand toward Eunuch Fang.
Eunuch Fang presented her with clear tea, which she used to rinse her mouth before smiling faintly.
"Lord Wei, when you returned from Andu having botched your duty, I did not punish you. I still comforted you with kind words and even granted you the position of Deputy Head..."
Wei Zheng’s heart sank.
Li Sangruo continued, "No one is perfect. Division Head Song is new to his position, and it’s normal to lack experience. Lord Wei, you should be assisting more, in the spirit of camaraderie, rather than setting traps behind his back, making a colleague look bad, and botching my tasks again!"
"Your servant..." Wei Zheng gasped, "understands."
Song Shou’an glanced his way, bowing dutifully to apologize.
"This foolish brother has been incompetent, provoking laughter from Brother Wei. In the future, I hope you won’t hesitate to offer guidance..."
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