Shen Xiabai's expression was calm, his body half-leaning in the chair, yet his tone was slightly heavy. "Hasn't Prime Minister Cui always despised dictatorial and arbitrary ministers the most? How is it that you have now become one yourself?"
Back then, when he ruthlessly drove his father and brother to their deaths, the high-sounding excuse he spouted was precisely to eliminate treacherous officials and protect the imperial power. Shen Xiabai's eyes were full of mockery.
Prime Minister Cui said, "I act according to the law. It is certainly permissible for the Emperor to promote an official, but there must be a basis for it. To be promoted three ranks in a row, one must either have great merit or have made contributions to the state. The son of the Liu family has neither. Since he lacks both, I naturally cannot break the rules of the royal court."
"Otherwise, if everyone in the court follows this example in the future, wouldn't our Great Liang empire turn into a puddle of mud?"
"Prime Minister Cui." Shen Xiabai's expression changed slightly, his tone deep. "Do you know what you are saying?"
Mud? He was insulting the Emperor.
Prime Minister Cui's expression remained calm. "I am aware. There is no need for Lord Shen to emphasize it. I have said all I have to say. Lord Shen may return to the palace to report."
"Steward Wang, see our guest out." Prime Minister Cui's attitude was utterly resolute.
Shen Xiabai watched him for a few breaths before suddenly letting out a soft laugh and slowly standing up. "As the Prime Minister of a nation, Prime Minister Cui should know what a ruler considers the greatest taboo?"
It was using power for personal gain, shaking the imperial authority, and controlling the emperor—this was an even greater taboo, enough to make an emperor harbor murderous intent.
Prime Minister Cui raised his eyes, looking at Shen Xiabai, and spoke in a flat tone. "Of course I know. It is those who harbor hidden dangers near the palace, who have honey on their lips but swords in their hearts, those who, for their own personal grudges, disregard the clarity of the court and fail to distinguish right from wrong."
One standing, one sitting, the two locked eyes, the atmosphere freezing.
After a long moment, Shen Xiabai finally let out a scoffing laugh. "Since ancient times, hasn't treachery always been defined by the losers? Who is treacherous and who is righteous is still unknown."
The royal court has never had a distinction between good and evil, only the weighing of pros and cons, and differing stances.
In the eyes of the officials, his good and evil, right and wrong, had a thousand different definitions. And what about Prime Minister Cui?
Defying the imperial will and using power to control the Emperor—did he not also have selfish motives?
The court was a giant dyeing vat. Who would dare claim to be perfectly clean, untainted by a single drop of color?
Prime Minister Cui gave a cold laugh. "What Lord Shen says is true. I shall wait and see."
Shen Xiabai turned to leave.
But Prime Minister Cui suddenly spoke again. "Lord Shen, the officialdom is established for the common people of the world, for the myriad citizens of Great Liang. Before plotting for selfish desires, do not forget your original intention."
Shen Xiabai slightly turned his head, the corners of his lips filled with a mocking sneer. "Prime Minister Cui still loves to put on such airs. Your mouth is full of benevolence, morality, and the common people of the world, but when you treat human lives like worthless grass, do you not feel hypocritical?"
With those words, he strode out of Prime Minister Cui's courtyard.
"Steward Wang, see the guest out," Prime Minister Cui instructed in a low voice.
Steward Wang immediately took the order and left.
Prime Minister Cui sat behind his desk, unmoving for a long time. After a while, he lowered his eyes to look at the document on the desk, slowly picked it up, crushed it into waste paper in his hand, and threw it onto the floor.
"The Cui family's loyalty is clear for all to see, yet we suffer the Emperor's suspicion and his vain attempts to eliminate us. To protect my family, my old mother, and my young daughters, if I must become a treacherous official, I have no regrets."
In the carriage, Shen Xiabai's face was dark.
He leaned against the carriage wall, his eyes half-closed, pondering something unknown.
Beside him, Yu Feng asked in a low voice, "Master, don't you also disapprove of the Emperor's radical approach? Why did you agree to the Emperor's request to go to the Prime Minister's residence to persuade Prime Minister Cui?"
Shen Xiabai replied, "Because Cui Qingyuan will not stamp his seal. He will not agree."
He gently closed his eyes.
Yu Feng frowned. "Since Master knew this, why bother making this trip?"
Shen Xiabai glanced at Yu Feng without saying a word.
He represented the Emperor. It was precisely because Cui Qingyuan would definitely refuse that he had to make this trip personally.
Yu Feng awkwardly touched his nose. His master's thoughts had always been difficult to grasp.
He changed the subject. "Master, the Emperor is now so desperate to elevate the Liu family and suppress the Cui family that he has already disregarded rules and etiquette. If you get involved, won't you invite infamy?"
Shen Xiabai remained silent. After a long while, he finally said, "Prime Minister Cui was not wrong about one thing. The son of the Liu family is not qualified for promotion."
But the Emperor insisted. Looking across the entire court, aside from the Cui family, no one dared to oppose the Emperor with such forceful methods.
And the Emperor's move was to deal with and balance the Cui family; the price, naturally, would be paid by the Cui family.
Setting aside personal grudges, Prime Minister Cui was not wrong.
Great Liang had millions of citizens. They could not allow the court to become a foul mess and destabilize the political situation just because of the Emperor's sleepless paranoia.
Who knows if the Liu family would just become the next Cui family, covering the sky with one hand?
"I wonder how Eldest Miss Cui is doing?" Yu Feng, with his arms crossed over his chest, suddenly uttered this sentence.
Shen Xiabai's cold gaze froze for a moment, then he frowned and shot a glance at Yu Feng.
Yu Feng hurriedly sat up straight. "This subordinate was just speaking casually. I just feel... Eldest Miss Cui is somewhat pitiful, that's all."
The weather was turning cold now. Kneeling in the ancestral hall for a whole night would not be easy to endure, especially for a delicate girl.
Shen Xiabai lowered his eyes and did not speak. After a long moment, he suddenly said, "She fell from a cliff, hung on a tree covered in wounds, and didn't die. Her willpower is quite resilient."
Especially since she could still manage to smile that day.
She was not like those young ladies raised in deep boudoirs who would weep over a scraped knee. That woman's vitality was incredibly tenacious.
Yu Feng nodded. "But when it comes down to it, she is still a weak young woman. That fellow Prime Minister Cui is truly biased. Why should the eldest daughter be punished for the second daughter's mistake?"
Shen Xiabai subconsciously recalled the words Cui Yunchu had used to patiently guide and teach Cui Yunfeng how to act, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly.
"Playing petty tricks naturally warrants punishment."
As his words fell, his expression paused slightly.
Having interacted with her several times, he had witnessed plenty of her tears. Thinking about it carefully now, it was actually hard to tell which ones were acting and which ones were real.
The only thing Shen Xiabai could be certain of was that today, it was not a disguise.
But one thing was for sure: her ability to shed tears on command and stop them just as quickly was truly astonishing.
"Master." Yu Feng's dark, thick hand was almost shoved right into Shen Xiabai's face.
It was a world of difference compared to that pale, jade-like arm. Shen Xiabai's face darkened, and he immediately dodged, his voice turning slightly cold. "What are you doing?"
"This subordinate called you several times, but you didn't say a word." Yu Feng clearly read the word disgust in his master's eyes.
Feeling a bit disgruntled, he asked, "Master, where are we going next?"
"To the palace, to report back."
When Cui Yunchu arrived at the ancestral hall, Cui Yunfeng was already kneeling there. Her back was straight, her face stubborn, looking completely unwilling to admit defeat.
Cui Yunchu merely glanced at her before withdrawing her gaze, very familiarly walking over to her own kneeling cushion.
Xing'er walked up slowly to report, "Miss, there is no one outside the door."
Cui Yunchu gave a sound of acknowledgment and, completely disregarding her image, plopped down onto the cushion on her bottom.
Beside her, Cui Yunfeng and Yun'er both looked over in unison.
Cui Yunchu waved her hand. "Don't mind me. I'm familiar with this place. You keep kneeling."
Cui Yunfeng withdrew her gaze and continued to kneel with a straight back.
Meanwhile, Cui Yunchu sat cross-legged on her cushion, her gaze occasionally drifting toward Cui Yunfeng beside her.
Time ticked by, and eventually, at the request of Steward Wang who came to pass on a message, Xing'er and Yun'er were also ordered to leave the ancestral hall.
Cui Yunfeng had been struggling to hold on for a while now. Without Yun'er there to support her, she swayed precariously, her face deathly pale.
Cui Yunchu rested her elbows on her knees and watched Cui Yunfeng. Suddenly, she reached out a single finger and gave her a light poke.
With a heavy thud, Cui Yunfeng pitched forward and collapsed onto the ground.
She froze for a moment, staring at Cui Yunchu, before large tears began to stream down her face.
Cui Yunchu raised an eyebrow and spat out a single word, Blockhead.
Sniffling, Cui Yunfeng scrambled back up and knelt properly on the cushion.
Cui Yunchu frowned, then simply raised her foot and kicked her right back to the floor.
Cui Yunfeng's sniffling turned into heavy sobbing, leaving her gasping for breath.
She knelt back down, Cui Yunchu kicked out her leg again, and with another thud, she fell once more...
After three or four rounds of this, she finally broke down completely, sprawling on the ground and wailing at the top of her lungs.
