Hong Baiqi was truly in a bind. If he said nothing, he risked offending Hu Buwei, but speaking in his favor would mean helping a tyrant do evil, openly conspiring against the Tang family. While he was wrestling with his dilemma, Tang Wenzheng spoke.
Tang Wenzheng had no choice. If he stayed silent any longer, who knew what other trouble his son might blunder into? He said quietly, "Lord Hu, Lord Hong, I think we should sit down and get to the bottom of this first." He was plainly the injured party, yet he had taken the initiative to back down. It was not Hu Buwei's official authority that had frightened him; that careless remark from his son had put him on the defensive. Overthrow the thatched pavilion-how could the boy be so stupid as to fall into their trap?
Hong Baiqi still gave no opinion, turning his gaze toward Hu Buwei.
Hu Buwei nodded. "We all serve the same court. There is nothing we cannot resolve. Let us set our tempers aside and sit down to talk things through." His meaning was perfectly clear: today's incident need not go before a court. Whatever the rights and wrongs, you were the first to yield and ask for negotiations, Tang Wenzheng. If you dare keep hounding my son, I will pursue charges against yours for leading men to burn down the thatched pavilion. Then I will repeat your son's words before His Majesty exactly as he spoke them. Heh, even if it does not kill you, it will strip a layer of skin off your Tang family.
When it came to judging horses, ten Hu Buweis could not match one Tang Wenzheng, but when it came to sinister cunning, a hundred Tang Wenzhengs were no match for one Hu Buwei. Dragons begot dragons, phoenixes begot phoenixes, and a mouse's son knew how to dig holes; a tiger father did not sire a dog son. Hu Xiaotian's performance had just proven those sayings beyond doubt.
Hu Buwei invited everyone into the front hall. Most of those uninvolved had already left. He sent Hu Xiaotian to change clothes, then instructed the maids and older serving women to find a suitable outfit for Tang Qingxuan. Naturally, Murong Feiyan accompanied her throughout.
Once everything had been arranged, everyone gathered in the front hall. Since this was not a formal hearing, there was no need for so many rules. Hu Buwei sat in a grand armchair on the left, with Hu Xiaotian standing obediently behind him. Hong Baiqi, the capital prefect, sat on equal footing with Hu Buwei, while Murong Feiyan and another constable stood behind him.
As for Tang Wenzheng, his official rank would ordinarily have disqualified him from sitting as an equal with those two. Given today's special circumstances, however, Hu Buwei treated him with exceptional courtesy and seated him beside Hong Baiqi. All four of Tang Wenzheng's children stood behind him. Tang Qingxuan had changed into fresh clothes, and her disheveled hair had been combed again. Her emotions had settled considerably, but her lovely eyes were red and swollen from crying, something that would not fade anytime soon.
After the servants brought tea, Hu Buwei lifted his blue-and-white porcelain cup, skimmed the lid gently across its rim twice, and took a sip of the fragrant tea. "We should establish exactly what happened today," he said softly. "If my son truly was at fault, I will certainly not shield him! I will give you a satisfactory accounting, Brother Wenzheng!" As he spoke, he shot Hu Xiaotian a cold glance and set his cup down heavily on the rosewood table. "You wretch, what have you to say?"
Hu Buwei had just witnessed his son's lotus-blossoming eloquence and ability to turn black into white, which was why he asked him first. First impressions mattered; he wanted to give his son every possible opportunity to seize the advantage.
On the surface, Hu Buwei was fair and impartial, but in his heart he fully intended to shield his son. Unfortunately, Hu Xiaotian seemed unappreciative. His eyes remained fixed on Tang Qingxuan. This Tang girl really is beautiful in a fresh outfit. Apart from that awful temper, her face and figure are something else. Tsk, she is who knows how many times better than that cripple from the Li family. She radiates youthful, healthy beauty from head to toe-a feast for the eyes, good enough to eat!
Everyone noticed that the fellow was still staring lustfully at Tang Qingxuan. Anger showed openly on the Tang family's faces, while Hu Buwei felt rather helpless himself. When did my son become so ****? He gave an embarrassed dry cough.
Hong Baiqi, the capital prefect, said, "My worthy nephew, what have you to say?" That form of address was thoroughly inappropriate, and he regretted it as soon as it left his mouth. Was he not telling everyone that he intended to favor Hu Xiaotian? At present, the fellow was still a suspect, after all. As the capital prefecture's highest official, he had to hold the scales level, at least on the surface.
Hu Buwei silently appreciated Hong Baiqi's gesture and said to Hu Xiaotian, "Did you hear Lord Hong's question?"
Watching from the side, Tang Wenzheng sighed inwardly. Officials really do protect one another. I fear our family will come off worse today. Their ranks are higher, after all; one rung above you is enough to crush you to death. He had already asked Murong Feiyan to question his daughter and had confirmed that her chastity remained intact, so his anger had diminished somewhat. As long as that wicked young man had not defiled his daughter, he did not want to press the matter too far.
Hu Xiaotian said, "Miss Tang should know exactly what happened. Why don't you speak first?"
Hu Buwei could not help sighing inwardly. Perhaps his son's earlier performance had been no more than a sudden flash of inspiration. Presented with such an excellent chance to clear himself, he had voluntarily abandoned it and handed the floor to Tang Qingxuan. It was truly unwise.
Tang Qingxuan bit her cherry lips. "Fine, I will! Today I was peacefully riding and sightseeing at Emerald Cloud Lake. Didn't you suddenly rush up with four vicious servants and block my path, frightening my horse and causing it to throw me?"
Hu Xiaotian watched the girl with a broad smile. Tang Qingxuan was plainly lying. She had been galloping wildly along the lakeshore, startling passersby. He had failed to get out of her way in time and had even taken a vicious lash from her whip. Now she was turning black into white and spouting outright lies. Hu Xiaotian did not contradict her, merely listening quietly to what she would say next.
Tang Qingxuan said, "I fell into the lake, and after that... I... I don't remember..." Her cherry lips puckered, her eyes reddened, and two strings of crystal tears slid down her lovely face. She was truly a sight to melt anyone's heart. Tears were a woman's most effective weapon, and when a beauty shed them, their power was extraordinary. Even Hong Baiqi inwardly cursed Hu Xiaotian. Utterly lawless and shameless! To dare **** a respectable young woman in broad daylight!
With a cheeky grin, Hu Xiaotian asked, "What did you see?"
Tang Tiehan pointed at Hu Xiaotian. "This shameless scoundrel had his four vicious servants surround him, laid my sister across his lap, and then..."
"And then what?" Hu Xiaotian pressed.
Remembering the scene, Tang Tiehan found it too shameful to describe. His broad, dark face turned purplish red with the effort. Tang Qingxuan had been unconscious throughout and did not remember exactly what had happened. Hearing her eldest brother speak, she was overwhelmed with shame and lowered her head, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. She jabbed her brother with her hand, signaling him to stop. It was simply too humiliating.
Tang Tiehan said, "I am ashamed even to say it!"
Hu Xiaotian said, "Then you saw nothing at all. You are simply slandering me out of malice!"
Tang Tiehan snapped, "I saw everything! You shoved my sister's head into your ****..." The words stunned everyone in the hall.
Tang Wenzheng's old face turned the color of a purple eggplant. Though his daughter was the victim, hearing this left him unable to hold his head up. His sons were each more foolish than the last. How could anyone say such a thing in public? Tang Qingxuan let out a heartbroken wail and toppled backward, rigid as a board. Quick-eyed and quick-handed, Murong Feiyan rushed forward and caught her. Tang Qingxuan had actually fainted from shame and anger, her eyes tightly shut and her body motionless.
Yet Murong Feiyan detected a clue in Tang Qingxuan's breathing. She probably had not fainted at all. Tang Tiehan's words had likely embarrassed her so badly that she could only pretend to faint to escape the awkward situation.
Tang Wenzheng slapped the table hard. If I do not show my might now, you will take me for a sickly cat! "You have gone too far!" he roared. Cupping his hands, he said, "My lords, you must uphold justice for my daughter!"
Hu Buwei cursed inwardly. Uphold justice for you? Wouldn't that mean punishing my son? Yet the way things were unfolding really did give him a headache. They had already held the advantage, but his son had handed the initiative to the Tang family on a platter. He truly had no idea what medicine the foolish boy was hiding in his gourd.
Hu Xiaotian said, "Why would I shove her head into my crotch?"
Tang Tiehan said, "You're asking me? I ought to be asking you!"
Hu Xiaotian said, "Then let me ask you this. When Tang Qingxuan fell into the lake, she could not swim. Who exactly rescued her?"
Tang Tiehan was stumped. "Uh... I didn't see that!"
Hu Xiaotian said, "At least you are honest. You did not see it, but plenty of people there did, and my four attendants saw everything clearly too." He walked over to Hong Baiqi and bowed deeply. "Lord Hong, I would like to summon my four attendants to testify!"
Tang Tiexin, the third Tang son, said, "Of course your attendants will speak in your favor. Their testimony is bound to be false!" Tang Tiehan and Tang Tiecheng said together, "Exactly!"
Hu Xiaotian turned toward the three Tang brothers. "When you testified for Tang Qingxuan just now, did I utter a single word of protest? By your reasoning, my attendants will speak in my favor, so naturally, as her brothers, you will speak in your sister's favor. That means everything you just said must be utterly false-nothing but slander!"
"Uh..."
Sweat broke out all over Tang Tiehan's forehead in his agitation. "My lord, everything I said was true!"
Hong Baiqi gently stroked the three strands of long beard beneath his chin and said softly, "Young Master Hu's argument is indeed sound. Since you may testify for Miss Tang, why may his attendants not testify for him? I am quite capable of distinguishing right from wrong and truth from falsehood."
Seeing his son begin a counterattack from the brink of defeat, Hu Buwei was pleasantly surprised by the clarity of his thinking and the sharpness of his words. The three Tang sons, meanwhile, had been left tongue-tied and red-faced. Even their combined wits were no match for his son. Secretly delighted, Hu Buwei simply remained silent and watched events unfold. He wanted to see just how capable this son of his really was.
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