Chapter 12: The Son of Heaven Makes Sacrifices and Offers Prayers, The Case of Chen Prefecture is Made Clear

  Only the sound of footsteps outside the main hall, heavy and neat, not long after, people's heads were crowded outside the door, but extremely quiet, only to see the yellow canopy embroidered with dragons, golden jade palace fans adorned with phoenix feathers, eunuchs in brocade robes, palace maids in colorful skirts, imperial guards standing like a forest of knives and guns, each one majestic, standing outside the main hall, at least nearly a hundred people.

  Everyone else stayed outside, and only two people entered the hall. One of them wore a bright yellow dragon robe with golden thread, a pearl-inlaid gold crown on his head, and boots with double dragons playing with pearls. From head to toe, he exuded an aura that was overwhelming, and it was none other than Emperor Renzong himself!

  Another person, wearing a loose-fitting brown robe with wide sleeves, had a jade belt around his waist and black boots on his feet. His cheeks were flushed red, the hair at his temples was white, shiny and smooth, and his eyebrows were silver-white and disorderly, tucked behind his ears. He had a pair of triangular eyes that slanted upwards at the outer corners, and two feet of silver whiskers hanging down from his chin, scattered across his chest. It was actually Pang Taishi, Bao Zheng's arch-nemesis!

  "We request an audience with Your Majesty! May our Emperor live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, and ten thousand more!" Bao Zheng and the others all knelt down.

  "Get up!" Renzong waved his hand, and two eunuchs brought over two stools from somewhere, asking the emperor to sit down. Bao Da-ren stood respectfully beside him, while the people of Kaifeng Prefecture retreated in a flurry!

  Ren Zong's eyes converged and looked towards the Eighth Wise King. He hastily stood up, smiled and said, "So Father is also here, I pay my respects to Father."

  ！”

  The Eighth Wise King waved his hand and said, "Your Majesty, what brings you to this place?"

  The Emperor looked at Grand Preceptor Pong beside him and said, "Your Majesty, Bao Zheng has not yet attended the court today. I am still in doubt. Grand Preceptor Pong informed me that Zhao, the fourth-rank imperial guard with a sword from Kaifeng Prefecture, had passed away. Moreover, Grand Preceptor Pong also reported to me that Bao Zheng changed the public hall into a mourning hall...

  The Eighth Sage King snorted coldly, "What's it to you!"

  "This matter was originally the intention of this king!" The eyes of the Eighth Wise King flashed with a hint of cold light, and he looked at Peng Taishi with a chilly gaze. "Unless, Master, you have some dissenting opinion about this?"

  Pang Taishi's face twitched, and he said, "So this matter was the idea of the Eighth Prince, but the public hall is a place of official business, representing the identity symbol of the current high-ranking officials, and even more so, it represents the dignity of the Emperor. How can we turn this public hall into a mourning hall? Isn't that sweeping away the dignity of His Majesty?"

  The Eighth Sage King coldly stared at Peng Taishi, then turned to look at Emperor Renzong and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty, if the public hall is changed into a mourning hall, what then?"

  "How many achievements has Xian Hu Wei made since entering Kaifeng?" The Eighth Highness's eyes were piercing as he said, "Moreover, the reason why Xian Hu Wei died was entirely because of a case. Setting up the public hall as a mourning hall is only to commemorate Xian Zhao and to show a certain meaning. That is, although Xian Hu Wei has already died, he will still be in the public hall, following Lord Bao's handling of the case!"

  "And this move, for the Emperor, can even more demonstrate the Emperor's benevolent heart of caring for his subordinates. What joy is there in not doing it?!" The Eighth Wise King became somewhat agitated, his voice rising slightly!

  Emperor Ren saw this and hastily waved his hand, "Father king, don't be annoyed, I came here not to blame Bao Zheng, but to pay respects to Zhan Huaiwei. Zhan Huaiwei indeed has great merits, even if I give him a special case, what's wrong with that?"

  The eight wise kings' expression calmed down, and he coldly stared at Pang Taishi, who stiffened and his face twitched!

  "Pack Zhen, take me to pay respects and offer sacrifices at the tomb of Xing Wu!" Renzong said to Bao Zheng.

  Bao Da Ren hastily nodded and brought Ren Zong to the front of the case, Xian Zhao's coffin was placed on the left side of the case, just like his previous standing position!

  Ren Zong lit two incense sticks and sighed quietly, " Escorting you on your journey, may it be smooth!"

  After finishing the worship, Emperor Renzong said to Bao Zheng, "My dear minister, continue with the trial. I will just sit here and listen!"

  Bao Zheng nodded and hastily asked Renzong to sit down, then once again ascended the platform for trial!

  "Zhang Qing-song!" Bao Zheng said, "Now, the emperor of the present dynasty, the Eight Wise Kings, and Peng Taishi are all here. If you have any grievances, speak out!"

  That Qing Song looked dazed, took a few more glances at Taishi Pang, then gritted his teeth and shouted, "Lord Bao, I have a daughter named Zhang Qiuniang who married Huang Sheng as his wife. However, however, that Duke Anle Pang Yun coveted my daughter's beauty and forcibly took her away. My son-in-law went to demand her back but was beaten up by Duke Anle instead. Huang Sheng went to the Chenzhou Prefecture government office to file a complaint, but was also beaten up by Magistrate Li Qingping of Chenzhou and thrown into prison. I, I have come all the way from afar to report this to Lord Bao!"

  Bao Da Ren's face turned pitch black, and the people of Kaifeng Prefecture were also furious! Emperor Renzong furrowed his brow, Eighth Virtuous King had an angry expression, and he turned to look at Peng Taishi.

  Only then did he hear Master Pong shout loudly, "Bastard! In the presence of His Majesty, you dare to utter such arrogant words and insult the royal family. This is really bold!"

  Then, Pang Taishi nodded at Bao Quan and said, "Bao sir, what's the point of keeping such a stubborn commoner? Why not drive him out with a stick?"

  ！”

  Bao Zheng slapped the wooden sign, "This is a public court, please calm down, Taishi. Otherwise, don't blame this official for charging you with disturbing the court!"

  Pang Taishi let out a cold snort and hastily knelt down before the Emperor, crying out, "I beg Your Majesty to do justice for this old minister!"

  The emperor's eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and he said faintly, "Taishi, hurry up and get up. I believe that Bao Qing will naturally investigate this matter to the end!"

  "But Your Majesty..." Pang Taishi wanted to speak again!

  The Son of Heaven snorted, "Are you also disobeying My words, Taishi?"

  "The old minister dare not!" Seeing the emperor's face, Taishi Pong hastily stood up and stood aside!

  "Zhang Qing Song!" Bao Gong said, "Can you be certain of this matter?"

  Zhang Qing looked at Pang Taishi with a slightly cold gaze, knowing that Pang Yu's father was indeed Pang Taishi. Since he had already offended him earlier, he might as well offend him even more thoroughly. As long as he could rescue his daughter and son-in-law, it didn't matter if it cost him his own life.

  "Lord Bao!" Zhang Qing-song's eyes suddenly shone with tears, his body trembling slightly as he cried out in a loud voice, "In the borders of Chen Prefecture, this year there has been a great drought, not a single grain was harvested, and countless common people have starved to death. Although Anle Hou Pong Yu said that he was acting on imperial orders to provide disaster relief, but every day the food he distributed to us is mixed with small stones and sand, already moldy rice! Anle Hou's governance of Chen Prefecture has brought harm to our hometown, devouring the flesh of the common people, causing a desolate landscape, it's really unbearable. Please, Lord Bao, for my sake, no, for the sake of the common people of Chen Prefecture, take charge!"

  Bao Zheng's face turned even darker, and he roared, "Guards, take Zhang Qing-song away!" Then, he left the front of the court and walked to the front of Ren Zong, directly kneeling down on the ground!

  "Please Your Majesty appoint Bao Zheng as the Imperial Commissioner to investigate the disaster relief, and allow Bao Zheng to go to Chenzhou to investigate!" Bao Zheng's eyes shone brightly, looking at Renzong!

  Ren Zong hesitated for a moment, turned his head to glance at Peng Taishi, whose face trembled as if he was about to speak. But before he could say anything, Ren Zong directly said, "Let's do it according to Bao Qingtian's idea!"

  "Chen Lin, pass on the imperial edict!" Renzong looked around the government office and said, "I hereby appoint Bao Zheng as the Imperial Commissioner to investigate in Chen Prefecture. If the matter is true, everything will be handled according to the law!"

  "Your Majesty!" Pang Taishi was getting anxious and hastily wanted to speak up!

  Ren Zong waved his hand coldly and said, "Taishi doesn't need to say more. Bao Qing has always been a fair and just person. Everything will be done according to the law. If Pang Yu is innocent, nothing will happen to him. But if he's really like what Zhang Qingsong said, I'll take his head!"

  Pang Taishi's expression changed and he shrank back!

  Suddenly a commotion came from the entrance, "The official residence is a serious place, how can you rush in recklessly?"

  Everyone in the hall was stunned and looked up at the door!

  Only one figure was seen, stepping on the shoulders of many people, rushing in, and a commotion broke out in the hall, "There's an assassin, protect the Emperor!"

  Inside the back hall of Kaifeng Prefecture, four figures suddenly rushed out. They were the Four Rats of Trap Island. Their bodies leapt up and collided with that figure in mid-air. However, only the sounds of palms striking each other could be heard - "pa pa pa pa". The Four Rats were suddenly sent flying out, falling to the ground. Everyone looked up to see a person spinning down from mid-air, his sleeves fluttering, his body as light as a swallow. When he landed, it was without any sound or disturbance. What incredible lightness and agility!