HNYWEF -Chapter 128 Improper According to Ritual

In the fourth year of Zhenguan, the twenty-sixth day of the ninth month.

Early court session.

In the Taihe Hall, all officials stood in solemn silence.

Li Shimin sat on the imperial throne, listening to reports from below. There were not many matters today—several concerning civilian affairs and a few border reports. All were discussed smoothly.

An official stepped out from the ranks.

“Your Majesty, this minister—Censor-in-Chief Zhang Huairen—has a memorial to present.”

Li Shimin nodded.

“Speak.”

Zhang Huairen straightened his body. His voice was not loud, but it carried clearly through the hall.

“This minister impeaches Marquis of Jiuyuan County, Zhou Xiong.”

The hall fell silent for an instant.

Li Shimin’s brows moved slightly.

Just a slight movement.

He said nothing, only looked down at the man.

Zhang Huairen continued:

“Since receiving his title, Marquis Zhou does not reside in the marquis manor, does not wear court attire, and does not attend court sessions. Every morning he leaves early and goes to the West Market blacksmith shop, personally wielding hammer and chisel, forging iron until sunset before returning. I believe that the dignity of nobility and the ritual order of the state must be upheld. Marquis Zhou, as a newly enfeoffed county marquis and father of an imperial consort, behaves in a manner that lacks propriety. Moreover, he competes with commoners for profit and disrupts the marketplace. This is not what a noble should do. I request Your Majesty to investigate and offer proper admonition.”

He finished and knelt there, waiting.

The hall was so quiet one could hear one’s own heartbeat.

Li Shimin sat on the throne, looking at him.

His brows were furrowed—not the kind of anger, but something else.

He spoke.

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear.

“Censor Zhang.”

Zhang Huairen bowed his head.

“This minister is here.”

Li Shimin said, “Marquis Zhou has only recently recovered from a serious illness. The imperial physicians say he still requires recuperation. His going to the blacksmith shop is because he cannot let go of his past. I am already aware of all this.”

He paused.

“I will personally advise him on this matter. It is not necessary for you to concern yourself.”

Zhang Huairen froze slightly.

He lifted his head and looked toward the throne.

The emperor’s face showed no expression.

But that gaze made a faint chill rise along Zhang Huairen’s back.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something.

Li Shimin did not give him the chance.

“As for the future—”

Li Shimin looked at him.

“Do not concern yourself with Marquis Zhou’s affairs anymore.”

Zhang Huairen knelt there, sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

He understood.

This was a warning.

Do not provoke that man again.

He bowed deeply.

“This minister… obeys the decree.”

Li Shimin nodded.

“Dismiss the court.”

The attendant called out, and the officials bowed and filed out.

Zhang Huairen rose from the ground and walked out with his head lowered. When he reached the doorway, he couldn’t help but glance back.

Among the ranks, there was no Zhou Xiong.

That man simply hadn’t come today.

He never should have come anyway—otherwise this impeachment would have been like slapping his own face.

Zhang withdrew his gaze and quickly left.

—

Side Hall.

After court, several high ministers remained.

Li Shimin sat on a couch, holding a teacup, but did not drink.

He looked up at Cheng Yaojin.

“Zhijie, stop pacing.”

Cheng Yaojin halted and looked at him.

“Your Majesty, that Zhang fellow—should I go give him a warning?”

Li Shimin shook his head.

“No need. He already understands the consequences.”

Cheng Yaojin scratched his head.

“Then why did Your Majesty keep us here?”

Li Shimin was silent for a moment.

Then he spoke.

“I am thinking about how to handle this.”

He looked at Cheng Yaojin.

“You all know Zhou Xiong’s temper better than I do. If I go to persuade him, will he listen?”

Cheng Yaojin opened his mouth.

But no words came out.

Li Shimin turned to Qin Qiong.

“Uncle Bao, what do you think?”

Qin Qiong straightened his posture.

He looked at Li Shimin and thought for a moment.

“Your Majesty, if you approach him as the emperor, he definitely won’t listen.”

Li Shimin nodded.

“I know.”

Qin Qiong continued, “And if you approach him as Uncle Li…”

He paused.

“He still might not listen.”

Li Shimin froze slightly.

Cheng Yaojin couldn’t help interjecting.

“Second Brother Qin, isn’t that just saying nothing?”

Qin Qiong ignored him.

He continued looking at Li Shimin.

“Your Majesty, you know Zhou Xiong. What he cares about has never been those rules.”

Li Shimin waited.

Qin Qiong said, “What he cares about is his blacksmith shop, his son, and the years of memories he cannot let go of. That shop is not a livelihood—it is…”

“It’s his root.”

Li Shimin said nothing.

Cheng Yaojin scratched his head from the side.

“What General Qin means, I get it. That bear of a man has been forging iron for more than ten years. If you suddenly tell him to stop and sit at home as a Marquis, he’d suffocate.”

He looked at Li Shimin.

“Your Majesty, persuasion won’t work on him. If you force him, he’ll just push back against you.”

Li Shimin’s brows furrowed.

“Then what? Let him run to the iron workshop every day? And let those censors keep reporting him every day?”

Cheng Yaojin scratched his head again.

“Let them report him. Didn’t Your Majesty scare off that Zhang fellow today? Just scare off the next one too. Easy.”

Li Shimin looked at him.

“Zhi Jie, I may scare off one person, or ten. But today it’s ‘competing with the people for profit,’ tomorrow it’ll be ‘lacking proper decorum,’ and the day after ‘disregarding the court.’ Must I protect him every single day? Can I protect him for a lifetime?”

Cheng Yaojin opened his mouth—but no words came out.

At that moment, Wei Zheng spoke.

“Your Majesty.”

Li Shimin turned to him.

Wei Zheng said, “The censors have their reasoning. Zhou Xiong is a marquis and the father of a royal son-in-law. Him standing in an iron shop forging metal does indeed look improper.”

Cheng Yaojin glared at him.

“What are you trying to say?”

Wei Zheng ignored him.

He continued looking at Li Shimin.

“But Zhou Xiong’s temperament makes him impossible to persuade by force. Your Majesty must find a way to make him willingly stop.”

Li Shimin stared at him.

“And what way is that?”

Wei Zheng thought for a moment.

“This minister does not know.”

Cheng Yaojin almost choked.

“You don’t know, so why are you talking?”

Wei Zheng glanced at him.

“When I say I don’t know, it means I don’t know. But I do know one thing—he cannot be forced.”

Cheng Yaojin was left speechless.

The room fell quiet.

Li Shimin leaned back against the couch and rubbed his temples.

Then suddenly he looked at Qin Qiong.

“Shu Bao, you said earlier that the iron shop is his root?”

Qin Qiong nodded.

Li Shimin was silent for a moment.

Then he spoke.

“Then what if I replace his root?”

Qin Qiong froze.

Cheng Yaojin also went still.

Fang Xuanling raised his head and looked at Li Shimin.

Wei Zheng’s eyes shifted slightly.

Li Shimin continued:

“He can’t let go of forging iron, right? Then I’ll let him forge. But not in a private iron shop—in the Imperial Workshops.”

He paused slightly.

“He can’t let go of those years, right? Then I’ll let him carry those years with him. Give him a title, let him teach craftsmen, let him train apprentices. He will still forge iron—but instead of hoes and sickles for civilians, he will make weapons and armor for the army.”

He looked at Qin Qiong.

“This way, he doesn’t compete with the people for profit. He doesn’t stand on the street for others to look at. And those censors will have nothing to say.”

“He is still doing what he wants—just in a different place.”

Qin Qiong stood there without speaking.

He was thinking.

Cheng Yaojin was also thinking.

Fang Xuanling lowered his tablet and looked up.

Wei Zheng turned and looked directly at Li Shimin.

After a long while, Qin Qiong finally spoke, somewhat reluctantly.

“Your Majesty… this matter…”

He paused.

“You should personally go and speak to him.”

Li Shimin nodded.

“I know.”

He stood up.

Walked to the window and looked outside.

He stared for a while.

Then spoke again.

“Zhi Jie, Shu Bao—you two come with me.”

Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong exchanged a glance.

Cheng Yaojin asked, “Now?”

Li Shimin shook his head.

“No rush. I need to think about how to say it.”

He turned back to the room.

“Let’s leave it at this for today. Go back and help me think as well.”

Everyone nodded.

Li Shimin waved his hand.

“You may all leave.”

They all saluted and withdrew.

The hall fell silent.

Li Shimin stood by the window, looking at the sky outside.

The sky was blue.

Not a single cloud.

“Not residing in the marquis’s residence, not wearing court robes, not attending court sessions.”

That man truly had not come today.

He stood there, thinking of him.

Then he let out a helpless laugh.

Very soft.

Then he turned back, walked to the desk, and sat down.

He looked out the window.

And remained seated there for a long time.