Right now was the moment when His Majesty was reuniting with an old friend from years past, hearing about those past events. Among these officials standing in the court and realm, who wouldn’t feel moved?

Yet suddenly Zhang Zhe spoke such words—

Really too tactless.

What a mood killer.

When everyone turned to look at him in unison, they all thought the same.

Xiao Dingfei had performed this act until even he almost believed it was real, as though he truly were that Young Master Dingfei who survived great calamity twenty years ago. Just when he was about to give one more push and wrap things up, who could have expected Zhang Zhe to suddenly ambush him from the side?

Ha.

This dead-fish-faced fellow with his thick eyebrows and big eyes—turns out he wasn’t any good guy either. So he’d been lying in wait for him here all along!

That’s right.

Back then at the Shangqing Temple in Tongzhou, he had indeed betrayed them at the critical moment and stabbed Zhang Zhe in the back, nearly costing the man his life. As for the reason behind it though…

He unobtrusively glanced sideways at Xie Wei.

Zhang Zhe was someone recommended by Gu Chunfang, always an upright minister who couldn’t tolerate even a grain of sand in his eye, with thoroughly trustworthy character.

Though Shen Lang sometimes found this person troublesome, at this moment he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

He directed his gaze toward Xiao Dingfei: “Dingfei, what’s this about?”

Xiao Dingfei had always rolled around in the marketplace—lies came readily to his lips, his mind agile. In just the blink of an eye, he put on an embarrassed expression, touched his nose, and said sheepishly: “A misunderstanding, this was all a misunderstanding…”

Gu Chunfang stood to the side with an air of composure, glancing at him: “A misunderstanding?”

In his heart, Xiao Dingfei directly cursed this strange old man who interjected right into a coffin, but he said aloud: “At the time, this Lord Zhang claimed to be a retainer of the Dujun Mountain Man. I’m sure you lords have some understanding of the Heavenly Teach—this Dujun Mountain Man is as notorious in the sect as that dog thief Gongyi Cheng, always committing every evil, rotten to the core, and compared to Gongyi Cheng, even more elusive like a dragon showing its head but not its tail. Naturally I was afraid. To be honest, from the ruined temple in the capital all the way to Tongzhou, watching that child called Xiaobao, I always felt he was peculiar and strange. I tested him slightly a few times along the way, and moreover, he seemed quite concerned about my name being ‘Dingfei.’ So when the Heavenly Teach chieftains said there were spies sent by the court within the sect, I assumed this person was Xiaobao, not Lord Zhang who claimed to be a retainer of the Dujun Mountain Man. In that situation, I was trying to make the Heavenly Teach fight among themselves, to have the snipe and clam grapple. Who could have thought, who could have thought…”

The more he spoke, the more ashamed his expression became.

Right then, he bowed properly toward Zhang Zhe with apparent sincerity: “Who could have thought I would mistakenly injure Lord Zhang and nearly cost you your life? This one is terrified and begs Lord Zhang’s forgiveness!”

Zhang Zhe stood neither near nor far, his posture straight, a pair of cold, somewhat impersonal eyes watching Xiao Dingfei bow deeply toward him. He seemed not to have dispelled the doubts in his heart and did not speak.

In the Golden Throne Hall, the atmosphere became somewhat quiet.

At this moment, Xie Wei stepped forward and said to Shen Lang: “That one called Xiaobao is a fellow villager of one of this minister’s subordinates. By chance learning he was in the Heavenly Teach, we made him into a spy. Because Lord Zhang disguised his identity to infiltrate the Heavenly Teach—a dangerous undertaking—this was originally meant as secret support. Never did we expect to encounter Young Master Dingfei, which led to such a misunderstanding, a case of being too clever by half that nearly harmed Lord Zhang. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”

Zhang Zhe looked toward him but in the end said nothing.

Everyone already knew the stratagem was Xie Wei’s idea. That he had made secret preparations was really nothing surprising, so they didn’t suspect anything.

Shen Lang also had his own calculations.

He laughed and actually played the peacemaker: “Fortunately, Lord Zhang entered the tiger’s den with courage and strategy, returning safely. This time he even rescued Young Master Dingfei back—he should be promoted and richly rewarded!”

Right then he turned to ask Gu Chunfang: “For a promotion, does Lord Gu have a suitable position?”

Gu Chunfang said: “Lord Zhang excels at deciding cases. The position of Bureau Director in the Ministry of Justice happens to be vacant.”

Shen Lang then said: “Then from today, promote Zhang Zhe to Director of the Ministry of Justice, in charge of the Bureau, specifically handling detailed reviews and vindications.”

When his words fell, immediately there was a chorus of praise and merit.

Just like that, Zhang Zhe was promoted.

Next came the distribution of merit rewards. Xie Wei received top honors. The position of Vice Minister of Works happened to be vacant, so he filled it. Generally, vice ministers were third rank, but Xie Wei held the title of “Imperial Tutor to the Crown Prince,” so with that designation, he counted as upper second rank. It seemed that if Consort Wen in the palace successfully bore a son and gave birth to a dragon heir, the position of “Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince” would surely be his.

As for Duke Dingguo Xiao Yuan, he was rather unlucky.

Originally, he had been the first to receive news and went to suppress the Heavenly Teach, but who could have expected he’d fall for their scheme? Not only did he fail to eliminate the rebels, he also led many soldiers and nearly had his entire army wiped out in their ambush!

This was reckless advancement seeking glory—not only no merit but actually at fault.

Shen Lang was quite displeased and directly fined him half a year’s salary.

This bit of money was naturally a drop in the ocean for the vast Xiao clan, but what mattered was the loss of face—it made him unable to hold his head up.

The most glorious one was none other than Xiao Dingfei.

Rewarded with a thousand taels of gold, ten thousand taels of silver, silk and cloth, rare treasures and antiques, fine carriages and precious horses, and even directly granted the title of “Captain of the Military Academy.” This was one of the Eight Captains of the Western Garden, an official rank above fourth grade, with some soldiers under his command.

Others worked themselves to the bone and still couldn’t climb to this position.

But he got it as soon as he returned.

It truly made others green with envy.

Only after the merit distribution was complete and Shen Lang had chatted with Xiao Dingfei for a while about old times in the palace from their youth, he suddenly asked: “Just now when Dingfei mentioned the past, you invariably addressed him as ‘the Duke’ or ‘Duke Dingguo,’ but didn’t call him ‘father.’ I wonder what the reason is?”

Everyone in the court had minds as meticulous as hair strands.

Quite a few had noticed this point from the moment Xiao Dingfei mentioned Xiao Yuan leading relief troops to protect the emperor in the capital, only they hadn’t dared bring it up. Hearing the Emperor ask, their gazes couldn’t help but wander back and forth between this “father and son” pair.

Xiao Dingfei had done this deliberately. Heaven knows if he dared to call this bullshit Xiao Yuan “father” even once, would Xie Wei chop off his head when he got back?

Having just gotten his hands on gold and silver, he was loath to die.

Right then, three parts mockery and seven parts cold laughter appeared on his handsome face as he said coolly: “After twenty years of exile, this minister has no regrets about remaining loyal to Your Majesty, but there is one matter of regret, engraved in my heart, tormenting me day and night, yet it cannot be remedied. Lady Yan is this unfilial son’s birth mother. Due to worry and longing, in less than a year after she left, the Duke had already remarried. Even though it was by imperial command, this minister harbors resentment.”

Shocking!

Openly and clearly reproaching Duke Dingguo Xiao Yuan for being unfaithful to his first wife!

Suddenly there were sounds of gasps in the hall.

Even Shen Lang hadn’t expected this and froze for a moment.

Xie Wei lowered his eyes, quietly watching his own shadow cast on the ground.

Xiao Yuan’s face instantly turned the color of liver, and he flew into a rage: “You unfilial wretch, what nonsense are you spouting!”

Xiao Dingfei smiled without mirth and retorted sarcastically: “If you can produce an unfilial wretch, you’re no good guy either!”

Xiao Yuan choked with anger: “You!”

Xiao Dingfei had grown up rolling around in the marketplace—his sharp tongue was no easy opponent. He’d long found this old bastard displeasing to the eye, so cursing him came especially smoothly: “A family of dukes and marquises, a prestigious household—marrying a second wife who enters the door seven months pregnant and gives birth to a daughter without any signs of premature birth complications, lively and kicking! The Duke truly did right by my mother!”

The entire civil and military court stood slack-jawed!

Wonderful!

Thrilling!

Duke Dingguo Xiao Yuan’s hasty marriage to his current wife Lady Lu back then had already been criticized. Only such a vast Duke’s manor truly did need a mistress to manage it, so remarrying after mourning his first wife for just a month or so was also understandable. But marrying her in and having her give birth to an eldest daughter who just happened to be premature—that was somewhat meaningful.

Everyone had originally thought that when this Young Master Dingfei returned to the capital, returned to the Xiao clan, and met his father from the past, there would be deep father-son sentiment that moved people to tears. Who could have expected this was someone not to be trifled with!

Right before the Emperor!

A few sentences were like slap after slap, viciously thrown at his own father’s face!

Serving together in court, who wanted to see anyone else doing well?

Much less the overwhelming Xiao clan.

At this very moment, everyone’s faces looked proper, but in their hearts they’d already pulled up stools, clenched their fists, just short of shouting and cheering: Fight, fight!

Xiao Yuan even more couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He nearly couldn’t catch his breath, raised his hand to point at Xiao Dingfei, his whole body trembling: “You dare show disrespect to your legitimate mother—this is truly outrageous…”

Xiao Dingfei said impatiently: “I don’t even want to acknowledge a thing like you as my father, and that stinking hag counts for nothing!”

The Golden Throne Hall immediately erupted in uproar!