Chapter 103: A Battle of Wits and Words

This matter was handled rather unscrupulously. Not only did Emperor Li Xian and the involved party, Zhang Qian, both furrow their brows, but the group of minor officials ranked eighth and ninth, who had previously harbored some envy toward Zhang Qian, also turned their heads one after another to glare angrily at the palace censor Sha Chongyi.

It wasn’t that Zhang Qian was particularly well-liked; rather, the bureaucratic world had its own unwritten codes. Today, Zong Chuke and Ji Chune were pitted against Xiao Zhizhong in a contest of wits. The "auspicious signs" they relied upon were fabricated, and losing this round was hardly unjust.

Since the Heavenly Sovereign, Emperor Yinglong, chose not to accuse the two of “deceiving the ruler,” and Xiao Zhizhong, under the emperor’s subtle prompting, decided to let the matter rest, Zong Chuke, Ji Chune, and their followers ought to have immediately ceased their provocations, preparing for a future confrontation. Instead, having clearly lost, they attempted to find a way to overturn their defeat by dragging a third party into the fray, clinging obstinately.

Moreover, the reason Zong Chuke and Ji Chune lost had little to do with Zhang Qian.

Even if Zhang Qian had not been singled out by the emperor to reveal the true nature of the giraffe, the moment the creature began to rampage, it had lost any claim to being a “sacred beast.”

Otherwise, how could the court be convinced to regard an animal that had trampled and killed more than a dozen eunuchs and guards, nearly stormed the Purple Palace Hall, and endangered ministers and the emperor himself as a “auspicious creature”?

To exalt such an animal while turning a blind eye to the loyal guards and eunuchs who risked their lives to protect the emperor—how could Li Xian’s reign be stable?

Yet, despite their anger, none of the minor officials summoned with Zhang Qian that evening dared to stand up and refute Sha Chongyi’s slander against him.

Emperor Li Xian, wishing to display his imperial magnanimity, could not simply silence a censor charged with overseeing officials just because he admired Zhang Qian. He suppressed his anger and smiled at Sha Chongyi, nodding politely: “Palace Censor, what do you mean by this? Do you think the windmills and mechanical wells are mere exaggerations of their effectiveness?”

“Bi Gou is known for his honesty, and Deputy Minister Xiao even sent people to verify the efficacy of the windmills and wells. I dare not doubt their words!” Sha Chongyi was no reckless accuser. He carefully avoided provoking Deputy Minister Xiao Zhizhong or the deposed Bi Gou, focusing his attack solely on Zhang Qian. “However, according to my investigation, the cost of these windmills and wells is exorbitant. Even in a prosperous village, the combined income of a hundred households over ten years would be insufficient to afford one. If we were to implement them nationwide, either the people would be left penniless overnight or the treasury of the Great Tang would be depleted. Though ostensibly to mitigate our water and drought disasters, in reality, this plan mirrors the infamous strategy of the Zheng Kingdom’s canal that exhausted the Qin state.”

“What did you say?” Li Xian recoiled in shock, his gaze toward Zhang Qian tinged with suspicion. (Note: The Zheng Kingdom’s canal, during the Warring States period, was built to drain Qin’s resources through espionage.)

It was no wonder he was so gullible. Having been deposed once by his own mother, placed under house arrest for fourteen years, and nearly losing his life multiple times, he was wary of trusting anyone. Even after being restored to the throne, his position remained precarious, constantly feeling pressure from the Wu clan.

In the hall, palace censor Sha Chongyi was exploiting Li Xian’s insecurity. Upon hearing the emperor’s question, he seized the opportunity to elaborate: “Your servant believes that Zhang Qian’s so-called contribution to the state is but a ruse to exhaust the Great Tang. Bi Gou’s vanity led him to collude without proper verification. Deputy Minister Xiao only saw that the windmills and wells worked together to combat water disasters but ignored Zhang’s true intentions. Therefore, I implore Your Majesty to order the guards to arrest Zhang the traitor, interrogate his masterminds, and wipe them out completely to prevent future harm!”

“You, Sha, are slandering without proof!” No sooner had the words left his mouth than Zhou Jianliang lost patience, stepping forward and pointing his finger at Sha Chongyi while shouting curses. Towering and scarred, Zhou’s fierce presence caused Sha to recoil in fear. Minister of War Zong Chuke frowned, preparing to reprimand the insolent military officer, but unexpectedly, Zhou’s anger quickly subsided after his outburst. He changed his demeanor and respectfully bowed to Emperor Li Xian: “Your servant is rash by nature and could not bear to hear the slander against the innocent. I acted impulsively and accept all punishments with gratitude, Your Majesty.”

“Hmph.” Li Xian’s face darkened with annoyance, but he could not afford to alienate a loyal and brave soldier. He frowned and waved his hand lightly. “Commander Zhou is a valiant warrior, and some temper is to be expected. But matters concerning the welfare of the nation should not be muddled by you. Go rest well and do not delay Governor Zhang’s mission.”

“Your Majesty, please do not send me away. I still have something to say!” Zhou Jianliang, though loyal, was no fool blindly defending his friend. When the emperor ordered him out of the Purple Palace Hall, he forced a smile and clasped his hands. “I have returned under Governor Zhang’s name to request gunpowder for testing at the front lines. If Your Majesty is misled by that slanderer and punishes Governor Zhang, then the gunpowder will have no destination and I will not be able to report back to Governor Zhang in Shuofang. Every word I speak is truth, I beseech Your Majesty’s wise judgment!”

This... Li Xian’s weakness for being easily swayed was again laid bare. He glanced at the silent Zhang Qian, and then at the righteous Sha Chongyi, finding himself in a quandary.

All knowledge of the production methods and apparatus for gunpowder came from Zhang Qian. Although the Armory Bureau reported that Zhang had been thorough in his instruction and shared everything openly, what if he had concealed something? If he were removed, the Great Tang’s army might lose a crucial weapon immediately.

Zhou Jianliang risked his position to defend Zhang because Zhang had once saved his life. Even as a mere soldier, Zhou was not one to forget a life debt. The newly restored Emperor Li Xian, having just received Zhang’s protection, would hardly turn his back on such a benefactor so soon.

“Your Majesty, I have a question and would like to ask Palace Censor Sha for clarification here and now!” Just as Li Xian’s head swam with worry, Zhang Jiuling stepped forward from the civil officials, smiling as he addressed the emperor.

“Minister Zhang, please ask freely!” Li Xian welcomed the chance to relieve some pressure and nodded with a smile. Then, turning to Zhou Jianliang, he spoke gravely, “Commander Zhou, step aside for now. I will send someone to handle the Shuofang army’s request.”

“As you command!” Zhou Jianliang cast a cautionary glance at Zhang Qian before respectfully withdrawing.

Zhang Qian, as if detached from the dispute, lightly bowed to Li Xian and slowly returned to his original kneeling position.

This gesture surprised everyone. Sha Chongyi, now somewhat cornered, turned sharply and demanded in a stern voice, “Traitor Zhang, where do you think you’re going? You plotted treason, and I saw through you. Do you think playing deaf and dumb will save you?”

“Accusers often cry ‘Stop thief!’ to cover their own guilt,” Zhang Qian said coldly, casting a glance at him as he continued walking. “As for whether I plotted treason, haha, that is for His Majesty to judge. How can you presume to decide based solely on your words?”

“You...” Sha Chongyi’s eyes blazed with fury as he raised his hand, ready to lash out verbally. But then, a soft cough interrupted him — Ji Chune clearing his throat gently.

In that instant, Sha realized he had nearly been led into a trap by this young man, Zhang Qian!

Zhang did not defend himself nor retaliate; he merely assumed a posture of trust in Emperor Li Xian. If Sha persisted, he would be questioning the emperor’s judgment and intelligence. Comparing the two, there was no doubt whose side the emperor would choose.

With this in mind, Sha Chongyi decisively ceased his pursuit of Zhang and turned to Li Xian, whose face had turned pale, bowing in apology: “Your Majesty, I was eager to root out traitors for the nation and breached etiquette in my haste. I accept Your Majesty’s punishment.”

Being a censor had its perks: no matter the mistake, one could claim loyalty to the country and people as justification. Emperor Li Xian, although furious with Sha’s conduct, was bound by ancestral laws and his own reputation, unable to press the matter further. After much restraint, he waved his hand gently. “Let it be. Your error was unintentional. Minister Zhang wishes to pose a question to you; please enlighten him.”

“Your servant obeys!” Sha Chongyi, chastened, lowered his arrogance by three degrees. He bowed respectfully to Li Xian, then fixed his gaze on Zhang Jiuling. “Minister Zhang, what doubts do you seek to clarify? Is it because of your close friendship with Zhang Qian that you intend to shield his crimes?”

Whether justified or not, biting first was one of the fundamental skills of a censor. Sha wielded it expertly, hoping to force Zhang Jiuling into a flustered defense. Unexpectedly, Zhang Jiuling smiled and shook his head gently. “I am indeed close with Governor Zhang Qian, without a doubt. But he is innocent; why would I cover for him? It is Palace Censor Sha who has much to conceal. From what I know, the diagrams and samples of the windmills and mechanical wells were presented to Your Majesty only this morning by Deputy Minister Xiao. Apart from the Works Bureau, neither Your Majesty nor Deputy Minister Xiao allowed anyone else to examine them. How then does Palace Censor Sha know the cost of these windmills and wells and insist they require the savings of a hundred households over ten years?”

The chamber fell into a charged silence.