Meng Shuping reluctantly sat up from the bed, a mournful expression on his face. After tidying himself, he followed the messenger to the imperial palace, his mind clearly elsewhere.
Perhaps due to the urgency and the deserted streets at that hour, their carriage sped along swiftly, arriving at the grand hall for the morning court in no time. However, Meng Shuping couldn't enter immediately. Emperor Qianyou was still deep in discussion with his high-ranking ministers, and Meng Shuping would likely have to wait until their deliberations concluded before being summoned.
Reduced to idle waiting, Meng Shuping stood outside, but to his dismay, he wasn't alone. Numerous other officials were also present. At that moment, they were scrutinizing Meng Shuping with keen interest, curious about his identity. *Who was this young man they'd never seen before? And why had he been summoned to the palace at such an hour?*
Meng Shuping felt his scalp prickle with unease. He was so flustered he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet. Panicking, he lowered his head and hastily moved behind a pillar.
*Ugh, why did I have to injure my face yesterday? If only I could wear a mask, I wouldn't have to face such a mortifying situation.*
Once he had escaped most of the staring eyes, Meng Shuping finally had a moment to ponder the identities of those around him. After some thought, he concluded that these people were likely officials as well. Perhaps there were too many attendees for the morning court, and lower-ranking officials had to wait outside.
Meng Shuping couldn't help but complain inwardly, "*Ugh, why does the emperor summon so many people? What's the point of these court sessions for officials as insignificant as sesame seeds or mung beans like us? Is he jealous that we lower-ranked officials get to sleep in?*"
"*No offense to him, but how much do those high officials earn? And how little do we minor officials make each month? Should we really be treated the same?*"
"*Whew, good thing I don't have to attend the morning court regularly. Otherwise, having to get up early and stand outside miserably would be awful! Summer is bearable, but in winter, with the cold wind blowing—ugh, it's downright miserable!*"
Meng Houliang nearly choked. This child—was he bold or timid? On one hand, he hid from people; on the other, he dared to criticize anyone in his thoughts. He stole a glance at Emperor Qianyou. *Well, I can only hope the emperor doesn't hear. And even if he does, I hope he won't take offense.*
Emperor Qianyou's eyebrow twitched. *So Meng Shuping has arrived? And he still has the energy to complain—does that mean the impeachment hasn't affected him at all?*
Meng Shuping hadn't gotten enough sleep that morning, and after listening to the court discussions for a while, he grew even drowsier. "*I mean, why do these ministers drone on and on? They take forever to get to the point—it's putting me to sleep. I'm genuinely curious—doesn't the emperor find their rambling annoying?*"
The minister speaking inside stiffened. *Who dared to speak so boldly here? And what nonsense was he spouting? Rambling? He was just being thorough with the details!* But since Emperor Qianyou didn't say anything, the minister could only continue as if nothing had happened.
Meng Shuping's head nodded drowsily. "*The emperor, really—dragging me out of bed so early and making me wait forever. Does he have nothing better to do? So what if someone impeached me? Why call me here? Does he expect me to beat up the person who impeached me? I'm not that kind of violent person.*"
"*Whatever, who knows how long it'll take before it's my turn? I might as well get some sleep first!*"
Thus, the officials secretly observing Meng Shuping were stunned to see the newly arrived young man close his eyes and fall asleep. Those standing nearby could even hear his steady breathing.
The officials: "..."
Emperor Qianyou on the dragon throne: "..."
*I just asked you to wait for a bit, and you actually dared to fall asleep?*
A while later, after Emperor Qianyou finished discussing official matters, he ordered, "Summon Meng Shuping inside."
Eunuch Yang beside him immediately called out loudly, "Summon Vice Director of the Board of Punishments Meng Shuping to enter the hall—"
A moment passed, but there was no response from outside.
Eunuch Yang paused, thinking Meng Shuping might not have heard, and called out again, louder, "Summon—Vice Director of the Board of Punishments Meng Shuping—to enter the hall!"
"..."
Still, silence.
The ministers, hearing no one enter, turned to look toward the hall's entrance. "Why hasn't he come in yet?"
"Could it be that he hasn't arrived?"
"Impossible. If he hadn't arrived, why would the emperor summon him?"
"Maybe he didn't hear?"
"Who is this Vice Director of the Board of Punishments Meng Shuping? I've never heard of him. Was he recently transferred from elsewhere?"
Meng Houliang couldn't help but cover his face. *Maybe I should pretend not to know Meng Shuping? If my colleagues found out I had a grandson who fell asleep during the morning court, they'd never let me live it down.*
Jiang Cihe struggled to suppress a smile. If this weren't the morning court, he would have burst out laughing long ago. *Truly, Little Bold—to sleep so soundly at a time like this.*
Jiang Ciyi, on the other hand, was gleeful. *You dare fall asleep here? Just wait—you'll regret it soon!*
Emperor Qianyou sighed helplessly and instructed Eunuch Yang again, "Go outside and bring him in."
The official nearest to Meng Shuping guessed that he was likely the Vice Director of the Board of Punishments Meng Shuping the emperor had summoned. He kindly nudged Meng Shuping and said, "Hey, wake up, wake up!"
Meng Shuping's head jerked, and he suddenly woke up. He looked around in confusion before remembering he had been summoned to the palace. "*Huh? Is the morning court over? Why can't I hear anyone talking? Does that mean I can go back? Ugh, making me come all the way here for nothing—what a hassle!*"
Emperor Qianyou was almost amused to anger. *You still want to go back? Get in here!*
Seeing that Meng Shuping was awake, the official whispered a reminder, "Vice Director Meng, His Majesty is summoning you inside!"
Meng Shuping froze. *Summoning him inside? So it wasn't over yet.* He gratefully smiled at the official and hurried into the hall. But as he stepped out from behind the pillar, he was horrified to realize that everyone was staring at him again.
Meng Shuping stiffened, moving forward mechanically. "*Aah! Help! Help me!*"
Emperor Qianyou and the others were taken aback. They hadn't even done anything to him yet—was Meng Shuping already scared? *Was he really like this?*
Only Jiang Ciyi sneered. *Hmph, finally realizing you should be afraid? What were you doing earlier?*
Just then, Eunuch Yang also spotted Meng Shuping and hurriedly said, "Oh dear, Lord Meng, please walk faster! His Majesty and all the ministers are waiting for you!" Initially, he had been annoyed—*what was wrong with Meng Shuping? Didn't he hear the summons?* But upon seeing Meng Shuping's awkward gait, he nearly laughed out loud. *Could it be that this young Vice Director Meng was so nervous he forgot how to walk? Look at him—marching with same-sided arms and legs.*
Meng Shuping entered the hall with his scalp tingling. "*Who had so much time on their hands as to impeach me during the morning court? If they have nothing better to do, they should focus on real work—or even go plow two li of land to contribute to the nation's revenue. What's the point of targeting an insignificant minor official like me?*"
"*Not to criticize, but always nitpicking over trivial matters—how petty can they be?*"
Cai Feng paused. *Was that Meng Shuping speaking? But I haven't seen Meng Shuping's mouth move.* He glanced at the others, but they all looked unfazed. *Could it be that I was hearing things?*
Meng Shuping nervously and awkwardly moved a little farther forward, then bowed to Emperor Qianyou. "G-greetings, Your M-majesty."
"Pfft!" Someone chuckled. *So this Vice Director Meng was so young! But he was indeed still a kid—look how nervous he was, stuttering even during an audience with the emperor.*
Seeing Meng Shuping's foolish appearance, Emperor Qianyou found it highly amusing. The corners of his lips lifted. "Rise."
Although Meng Shuping didn't look at anyone else, he could feel numerous eyes on him. His back stiffened, and he stared fixedly at the ground, afraid to meet anyone's gaze. Just then, he heard Emperor Qianyou ask him, "Beloved Minister Meng, do you know why We summoned you to the palace?"
Meng Shuping quickly shook his head. "No, I don't."
"*Does it even need to be said? Obviously, if it were good news, he wouldn't have summoned me. Whenever he summons me, it's never good. This old emperor—he's a habitual offender when it comes to causing trouble!*"
Emperor Qianyou choked, realizing Meng Shuping was actually right. Still, he felt no remorse—after all, Meng Shuping had cursed him in his mind, and he hadn't even held it against him. He cleared his throat and said, "Imperial Censor Cai, didn't you intend to impeach him? You may proceed now."
Indeed, he had summoned Meng Shuping just for the show, genuinely curious about what kind of amusing reaction the young man would have.
Meng Shuping was utterly shocked. "*Seriously? He's going to impeach me, and he even had me specially summoned? What's wrong with him?*"
Hearing the emperor's words, Cai Feng promptly stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I impeach Vice Director of the Board of Punishments Meng Shuping for his unworthy character, incompetence, and lack of qualifications. How can such a person hold such an important official post? I implore Your Majesty to dismiss him from his role as Vice Director of the Board of Punishments to prevent him from causing screw-ups and delays in his duties. Not only could this hinder important state affairs, but it may also lead to unjust cases and tarnish the court's reputation!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the officials present shot Meng Shuping sympathetic looks. They wondered what had drawn Imperial Censor Cai's attention to this young man—he had barely settled into the position, and already he was being impeached.
It was widely known that while the Censorate's duty was to oversee officials and uphold discipline, some censors particularly enjoyed picking fights. Whether the matter was significant or trivial, if they deemed it improper, they would not hesitate to impeach. Moreover, they especially relished targeting high-ranking officials, as it highlighted their fearlessness in the face of authority. Once, an official was impeached simply for eating a bun while walking—deemed unbecoming behavior for an official. The accused could only smile wryly in defense, powerless to stop them, since impeachment was, after all, their job.
Emperor Qianyou looked at Meng Shuping with keen interest. "Beloved Minister Meng, what do you have to say?"
Meng Shuping was speechless. "*What am I supposed to say? Well, I'm standing here, aren't I? Seriously? Is this nonsense really worth summoning me all the way here?*"
He lifted his head slightly, his voice trembling, and replied, "Your Majesty, I believe he... he has accused the wrong person."