Phoenix Reigns Over The Nine Heavens - Chapter 11

The atmosphere in the imperial study was oppressive and gloomy, filled with a dangerous tension of an impending storm.

Aside from the emperor, the crown prince Yun Chen and several other princes were also present, along with the current Prime Minister Wei, Grand Tutor Wu, Chief Assistant Feng, and several other cabinet ministers… Naturally this also included Xiao Yunheng, the eldest son of the Xiao family.

When Si Cang arrived at the imperial study, he immediately met the prince’s pair of cold eyes. He expressionlessly moved his gaze away and, unfortunately, saw Xiao Yunheng kneeling on the ground.

…what terrible luck.

A cold glint flashed across his handsome yet indifferent eyebrows. Si Cang looked at the emperor sitting behind the desk and said in a low and indifferent tone. “Her Highness the Princess was greatly frightened. She is currently suffering from nightmares and weeping incessantly. This humble servant was unable to bring her here.”

“Nightmares?” Yun Chen smiled coldly. “Commander Si, that’s a rather convenient excuse you have found for her? I saw her leave with my own eyes a few moments ago. She looked perfectly normal, not the slightest bit frightened.”

Si Cang’s tone was cold and stern: “Xiao Yunheng should know better than anyone else whether the princess was frightened.”

“What do you mean by this, Commander Si?” Xiao Yunheng raised his head, his eyes veiled with hostility. “Today’s matter was originally a misunderstanding. My mother and I have repeatedly apologized to the princess. However, Commander Si has been fanning the flames, instigating the princess to divorce me. I don’t know what the reason behind this is.”

Si Cang’s gaze turned icy, as if sharp swords of frost shot from his eyes. The piercing coldness made Xiao Yunheng’s face pale. He involuntarily moved his gaze away and dared not look at him.

“Zishu is simply too outrageous.” The emperor was obviously furious, though he struggled to suppress it. “What are you making a fuss about for no reason? Is there anything that can’t be resolved behind closed doors?”

Several ministers nodded in agreement. “Yes, the princess has really gone too far this time. She used to be so sensible…”

“Her Highness’s behavior today was exceedingly willful,” Grand Tutor Wu said, his voice full of authority. “At home, a woman obeys her father; after marriage, she obeys her husband; after her husband dies, she obeys her son. After a woman marries, she represents not only herself but also the face of her family. Your Highness’s family is the royal family. Once the royal family’s face is damaged, how will the Emperor govern the world in the future?”

“I don’t agree with what the Grand Tutor said.” Prime Minister Wei turned to look at him, his tone mild yet firm. “The Emperor governs the world with benevolence and virtue, balancing kindness and power. Her Highness is but a mere woman—I doubt she bears the weight of the world’s affairs.”

Grand Tutor Wu frowned, not expecting that Prime Minister Wei would publicly contradict him.

“Moreover, as His Majesty’s former teacher, the Grand Tutor is well-learned and should understand the hierarchy of Heaven, earth, sovereign, parents, and teachers. He should know the relationship between a sovereign and subject takes precedence over marital hierarchy,” Prime Minister Wei said coldly. “The concubine of the Xiao family conspired to frame the princess first, and then Madam Xiao and Xiao Yunheng wronged the princess without distinguishing right from wrong, and even wanted to question the princess. This is already an act of insubordination and disrespect towards the emperor! To disregard the princess is to disregard His Majesty. Should the princess not divorce such a treacherous subject who shows no respect for the sovereign? Or should she instead elevate him to the heavens?”

Grand Tutor Wu choked, instantly rendered speechless by the retort.

“What are you saying, Prime Minister?” the crown prince said angrily. “There has never been a precedent for a woman to divorce her husband!”

“Your Majesty, please see clearly!” Xiao Yunheng quickly kowtowed to show his loyalty. “The Xiao family has always been loyal and has never had any other intentions. We would never dare to have no respect for the emperor and commit insubordination. It’s just that the situation was special, and I was so anxious that I scolded the princess a few times. I am willing to be punished and ask Your Majesty to punish me.”

“Indeed, he should be punished.” Si Cang opened his mouth, his voice carrying a chill. “The general course of events is as the prime minister described. However, as the head of Dark Shadow Pavilion responsible for monitoring the officials, it is my duty to present the details of this matter to Your Majesty and the ministers.”

His tone paused slightly, and Si Cang’s gaze swept across Xiao Yunheng’s face. “The Xiao family’s favoritism towards the concubine at the expense of the wife is an indisputable fact. Before the princess entered the door, Madam Xiao arranged for her niece to enter first—this in itself was disrespectful. After the princess entered the door, the Xiao family’s concubine monopolized the bridegroom for two consecutive months, preventing Xiao Yunheng from setting foot in the princess’s chambers even once.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the ministers present were shocked, their faces alternating between pale and flushed.

Of course, their shock was not due to the Xiao family’s favoritism of concubine, which was well-known, but because they could not believe that Si Cang would say such things in front of everyone—it was simply indecent!

“Commander Si!” Yun Chen’s face was ashen. “Do you have to interfere with other people’s private affairs?”

“I have no interest in your bedroom affairs,” Si Cang said coldly. “I am merely ensuring that all ministers know the princess’s situation in the Xiao family.”

Yun Chen gritted his teeth.

“The concubine of the Xiao family first bribed the doctors outside to pretend to be pregnant and then arranged for the maid to push her into the lake, framing the princess. This is no longer mere jealousy between wife and concubine but a malicious scheme deserving of death, being beaten by sticks.” Si Cang’s tone was cold and ruthless, and people dared not refute it. “The princess merely sentenced her to a few days in the Dark Shadow Pavilion to await further decisions once her anger subsides—this can hardly be considered excessive.”

Prime Minister Wei nodded repeatedly, “Your Highness is indeed generous and tolerant.”

Yun Chen wanted to kick this old man out!

“The Xiao family’s concubine should indeed be punished,” the emperor said solemnly. “But these things could have been resolved behind closed doors. Moreover, Xiao Yunheng was also deceived and was careless for a moment. It’s not enough to cause him to be divorced.”

“Xiao Yunheng wanted to take the princess to the ancestral hall to be punished without distinguishing between right and wrong. Madam Xiao repeatedly insisted on teaching the princess the ‘rules’. The princess endured again and again, only to find them becoming increasingly presumptuous.” Si Cang said word by word in a cold tone. “Therefore, I think the princess’s decision to divorce her husband is the most appropriate.”

Yun Chen said angrily, “Commander Si, you only have the responsibility to report this matter; you are not qualified to interfere!”

Grand Tutor Wu bowed to the Emperor and said, “Your subject thinks that the Princess’ decision is too hasty.”

Si Cang said, “Anyone who believes that the princess should not act this way, please tell His Majesty: which carries more weight, the sovereign commanding the subject, or the husband commanding the wife?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of all those present changed, and they immediately knelt down in panic. “Your Majesty is wise! We would never dare to have any other intentions!”

“His Majesty did not say that you have ulterior motives.” Si Cang coldly looked down at the ministers. “He just needs you to answer this question.”

Is there any need to ask?

Even if they were not in front of the emperor, they would not dare to say that the marital hierarchy held more weight. The sovereign commanding the subject was paramount—who would dare to refute?

Heaven, earth, the sovereign, parents, and teachers.

Apart from the heavens and the earth, the monarch is the person in the world who cannot be disobeyed—the most revered and an unshakable figure in the world.

The princess is the daughter of the emperor. Although she married into the Xiao family, no one present dared to deny that since ancient times, the relationship between the consort and the princess has been both marital and hierarchical.

In some dynasties, the rules were so strict that even the husband had to get the princess’s permission to sleep with her, and the husband’s parents had to pay their respects to the princess every morning and evening.

No parents-in-law would dare to question the princess.

So what Si Cang said was indeed true; the fault lay with the Xiao family.