Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

Chapter 39: His Majesty Ning fighting alone

"Esteemed Empress Dowager!" Grand Preceptor Xie shouted.

Empress Dowager Xie softly beat her chest as she sobbed. "This Dowager would rather pass away like the late emperor right now. Your Majesty, This Dowager is but a woman. Now that my husband's dead, I defer to the son. Whatever Your Majesty wants This Dowager to do, This Dowager will do it. In the past, it was This Dowagerwho did a disservice to Your Majesty and made you stay at the Grand Preceptor's estate for over a decade without a chance to even see the late emperor. This is This Dowager's fault. Your Majesty, ah~" Empress Dowager Xie's sobs were soft, but were still enough to tug at the heartstrings.

Ning Xiaoyao viciously pinched herself on the leg. She wanted to cry too, because she could tell that the empress dowager was pretending to be pitiful in front of the ministers. Still, Ning Xiaoyao still couldn't cry even after pinching herself multiple times. Pretending to be weak and weepy was one of her weak points!

Grand Preceptor Xie shot a glance at the place where the rest of the imperial clan was standing. These imperial sons and noblemen were currently just looking on, unconcerned.

"Your Majesty." Within the Hall of Golden Chimes, an old but steady voice spoke up. Grand Preceptor Xie gave a start at the voice. Ning Xiaoyao looked over, and saw a white-haired, bearded old man around 70 years old. He was thin, and his bowed head made it impossible for Ning Xiaoyao to see his face. Instead, she felt guilty of committing a sin by accepting a kowtow from someone so old.

"You have business?" Ning Xiaoyao asked.

The old man opened his mouth and said, "Your Majesty, acting this way is inappropriate."

Ning Xiaoyao dug her fingers into her palms. Here was another one of those opposed against her. Meanwhile, doubts plagued Grand Preceptor Xie's heart. This Elder Li was one of the few remaining in the palace who could still oppose him. He had always praised himself for being the leader of the qingliu, or clear stream--those groups of scholars who were concerned with politics but held themselves aloof from those in power. Was he standing on the Grand Preceptor's side today?

Elder Li bent forwards as he spoke out sternly with the force of justice. "Esteemed Empress Dowager is Your Majesty's own mother. How could Your Majesty treat Esteemed Empress Dowager like so?"

Elder Li's words suddenly cleared up Grand Preceptor Xie's mind. What was the strongest weapon in their hands? Wasn't it filial piety? Even if Ning Yu was the most noble Son of Heaven, she had no excuse pushing her mother to the point of pained tears in the great hall.

"Aye," Grand Preceptor Xie sighed in a low voice. "His Majesty is still young. Elder Li, you cannot excoriate His Majesty."

Elder Li said, "A son should conduct himself with filial piety towards his mother. Does one need to look at age for this? Which sage taught it this way?" His first criticism against Ning Xiaoyao began to attract followers from the officials who took him as their teacher. Women of the imperial harem shouldn't meddle in politics, but mistakes in filial piety weren't permitted either. His Majesty had to conform to conventions in this case.

Ning Xiaoyao felt like stamping her feet. By that logic, wouldn't she have to kneel and beg the empress dowager to hold curtain from behind the curtains? And then have Grand Preceptor Xie squander the country for a dozen more years until more good people, more citizens died? All for the sake of a lying woman who didn't cherish human life? Ning Xiaoyao wanted to speak sense to these people, but Elder Li's faction were all qingliu who were learned scholars well-versed in literary Chinese, pedantic terms, and Confucius says quotes. They could crush Ning Xiaoyao until she was left speechless without an argument. How was she supposed to argue with them when she wouldn't understand their words? （TOT）