To their surprise, when they actually looked into it, they really did find a problem.
Ye Qiongxin — daughter of Ye Shuangtian, the Chief Minister of the previous dynasty, who had been implicated in her father’s fall from grace and banished from the capital, permanently barred from official appointment.
“If such a person is admitted to the loyal ministers’ burial ground, would that not be an act of defiance against the late Emperor?”
“I say this Chen Baoxiang harbors treasonous intentions, deliberately choosing a figure like this to found a burial ground around.”
“Your Majesty, Chen Baoxiang is trying to place you in a position of unfilial and unrighteous conduct!”
Li Bingsheng’s head ached.
Such a small reward — how could it possibly stir up this much trouble?
“Chen, my beloved subject — do you know your offense?” she asked in a grave tone.
“Your Majesty.” Zhang Zhixu stepped forward first, his expression serious. “The late Emperor, in his benevolence, never issued a decree of banishment against the Ye family. I have reviewed the original case files, and it was the former Chief Minister Gu Changyu who rendered the verdict.”
“Oh?” Li Bingsheng suddenly grew interested. “What sort of case was it?”
“Your Majesty!” Someone hurried forward to interrupt. “This is an old case from the previous court. Dredging it up now would only stir up a face full of dust — why bring it up again?”
“Exactly. It’s all ancient history — bringing it up only invites ill omens.”
Chen Baoxiang unhurriedly stepped forward and knelt, extending both hands cupped before her. “Your Majesty, my grandmother was loyal and righteous all her life. She served for five years in the Military Magistrate’s Office without a single error or dereliction of duty. In my view, if even she cannot rest at Qingshan, then a great many of the mounds already there ought to be dug up and moved out.”
“Insolence!”
“You are truly arrogant and rude — utterly contemptuous of all order and propriety!”
The officials in court erupted in outrage, cursing and hurling their boots at her.
Li Bingsheng had no choice but to adjourn court early yet again.
She called Chen Baoxiang alone to the Imperial Study, and with a dark expression demanded: “You’re scheming against me?”
Chen Baoxiang shook her head. “Your subject would not dare.”
“The way I see it, there is nothing you would not dare.” Her expression remained unfriendly. “Backing me into a corner like this — you want me to overturn the verdict on that grandmother Ye of yours?”
“No.”
“You dare say no?!”
Chen Baoxiang lifted her head calmly and spoke with sincerity: “In reply to Your Majesty — truly, it is not.”
Because it was never Grandmother Ye’s case to begin with.
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