For a moment, none of the onlookers could tell who was actually causing trouble.
Why did it feel as though Li Chen was the one delivering the villain's lines?
The spoiled young master was furious, too. Under normal circumstances, he would already have cursed eighteen generations of Li Chen's ancestors, then ordered his men to break Li Chen's legs and throw him out.
But Li Chen wore a robe with dragon-patterned trim, plainly marking him as a member of the imperial clan. With so many officials present, the young master really did not dare curse him.
Still, in the young master's eyes, so what if he belonged to the imperial clan? Even imperial relatives came in different ranks and grades.
An ordinary member of the imperial clan had neither money nor power, just a title for show.
"If you've got the guts, stay right here. We'll see about this!"
That slap had made it perfectly clear to the young master that he was no match for Li Chen, so he had his men help him up and take him to fetch reinforcements.
Li Chen did not care when he saw him leave. He actually wanted to see just how rotten this place was.
But everyone around him was growing anxious. He had bloodied the son of an Imperial Court official in front of so many people. There was no settling this privately now.
Even if the young master let it go, the other officials would still have Li Chen punished.
Lin Yue'e hurriedly told Li Chen about the young master's background.
His name was Chen Jie, and he was the son of Chen Rong of the Ministry of Rites' Office of Ceremonial Protocol.
Chen Rong of the Ministry of Rites' Office of Ceremonial Protocol oversaw auspicious ceremonies, military ceremonies, educational administration, and imperial examination affairs. He wielded real power at court, held considerable authority, and had many former students.
That was what gave the spoiled young master Chen Jie the confidence to behave so arrogantly.
Lin Yue'e had only wanted Li Chen to fend him off. She had never expected Li Chen to strike without saying a single word.
Chen Jie was Chen Rong's only son, the sole heir to carry on his family line, and Chen Rong was notorious for fiercely protecting his own.
If Li Chen handled this badly today, he was looking at a minimum of ten years in prison.
But seeing how calm Li Chen remained after hearing her explanation, she figured he must have powerful backing, too.
One of Lin Yue'e's friends even quietly asked Li Chen what his background was.
To her surprise, Li Chen replied, "I have no backing."
Everyone was utterly stunned. He had no backing, yet he had still dared to hit Chen Jie?
They had thought his father was some prince. Now it seemed this fellow might just be a distant imperial relative.
Was this what they called the fearlessness of the ignorant?
Quite a few people present were already looking at Li Chen with pity.
Because just then, Chen Jie returned with reinforcements.
The moment Chen Rong of the Ministry of Rites' Office of Ceremonial Protocol appeared, he naturally became the center of attention.
Quite a few people immediately approached to greet him, hoping to make their faces familiar to this Imperial Court official.
Chen Rong's voice was low but resonant, carrying an unquestionable authority. He struck precisely the right tone of official gravitas.
After exchanging greetings with everyone, he strode over to Li Chen.
Chen Rong slowly raised a hand and gently stroked the carefully groomed beard on his chin.
Every movement was unhurried, as though he had long grown accustomed to living above others and had seen scenes like this countless times.
Beside Chen Rong, Chen Jie looked even more smug. He could almost picture Li Chen begging for mercy in a moment.
However you hit me just now, I'll pay you back in kind!
"Who was assaulting people here? Step forward!"
Chen Rong barked sternly, radiating official authority.
That single sentence revealed him to be a seasoned old fox of officialdom.
He had not asked who had hit his son. Saying that would have made it look as though he was shielding his own.
Chen Rong had seized on the key point: as a man in authority, he would severely punish the assailant.
In the past, his son had always been the one beating people and causing trouble. With no justification on his side, he could only brazenly protect his son and demand that the other party show him some respect.
Now his son was the one who had been beaten. With such a rare chance to have the wind at his back, how could he not make the most of it?
So what if the assailant belonged to the imperial clan? Right was on his side!
But the answer Chen Rong received was a massive slap across the face!
Bam!
Chen Rong went flying along the exact same path his son had taken earlier.
He was already over sixty, and that slap nearly cost him his old life.
Now everyone present was shocked beyond words.
It was one thing for that imperial clansman to hit a spoiled young master. At worst, that meant prison.
But now he had actually dared to strike an Imperial Court official, and in front of so many people?
If this reached the higher authorities, he would be exiled even if he escaped death!
Lin Yue'e rubbed her eyes. Unless she had seen wrong, Li Chen had landed that blow.
She had met ruthless people of few words before, but this man did not speak at all. He simply struck.
Chen Rong was furious after being hit.
His son Chen Jie looked at his father with innocent eyes, as though saying, I told you this was how he hit me, but you wouldn't believe me. Now you know. This man doesn't listen to reason at all.
Chen Rong spat out a mouthful of blood and glared fiercely at Li Chen. "You think being part of the imperial clan makes you so great? Does that mean you can hit anyone you please?"
The corner of Li Chen's mouth twitched slightly. "Could you try a different line? I've heard that one already."
Chen Rong gritted his teeth. "Fine, fine, fine. Just you wait. At tomorrow's morning court, I'll make sure the minister submits an impeachment against you!"
An uproar swept through the crowd. Chen Rong intended to take this all the way to His Majesty. It seemed this would not end easily.
But those words genuinely amused Li Chen.
What? Impeach me?
Who stands below the throne accusing me?
"What, now you realize you were wrong? Too late!"
Seeing Li Chen say nothing, Chen Rong assumed he was afraid.
The tension had reached a fever pitch, and several officials were trying to calm Chen Rong down.
The other spectators were also speculating whether Li Chen would spend the rest of his life in prison or be exiled to the frontier.
Lin Yue'e quietly tugged Li Chen's sleeve. "Why don't we run while we can?"
She had already planned an escape in her mind. After all, she was the one who had dragged Li Chen here. If trouble came, she could not abandon him.
They could find a sect, change their identities, and live in seclusion.
She just did not know whether there was still time to run.
Li Chen waved a hand and said calmly, "It's fine. I'm just trying to beat my way to someone who recognizes me."
Hardly anyone understood that. What did he mean by "beat your way to someone who recognizes you"?
Could two people somehow develop a bond by beating each other up?
No, something about those words sounded strange.
He seemed to mean someone who recognized him, not someone he recognized.
They could hardly be blamed for not understanding. Chen Rong's rank was too low for him to even attend morning court. Only some court officials had seen Li Chen.
As the saying went, beat the young and the old would come; beat the small fry and the big fish would come. Li Chen was trying to beat his way to a big fish.
While everyone in the hall was discussing it, the big fish finally arrived.
"The Minister of Rites has arrived!"
Following the guard's announcement, the Minister of Rites slowly entered the hall.
His face was stern and solemn, his gaze deep.
Everyone around him clasped their hands and bowed in unison, their movements perfectly coordinated.
Their faces were filled with reverence and awe. This was a genuine high official, someone certain people might never see even once in their lives.
Seeing his superior arrive, Chen Rong hurried over to Yan Hai, the Minister of Rites, to complain. His earlier overbearing manner had vanished completely; instead, he looked just like a child who had been wronged.
Yan Hai frowned slightly. Which member of the imperial clan was bold enough to beat his subordinate on his own turf?
If he did not punish this imperial clansman severely, how could he maintain his standing at court?
When Yan Hai reached this outrageously brazen imperial clansman, he instantly dropped to his knees.
"Your humble subject Yan Hai pays his respects to Your Majesty!"
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