I'm Cursing You

If this were the old Ren Jie, suddenly being called by name by the Emperor in a fit of Dragon Countenance rage would have left him utterly flustered. But the current Ren Jie saw things more and more clearly. The Emperor had known about these matters from the start, yet pretended not to know, allowing Gao Zhanyuan to cry and complain again.

Could it be that this Gao Zhanyuan and Gao Peng don't know that this won't really incriminate me? They must know. Damn, these guys are really cunning, each one more slippery than the last.

Fortunately, he didn't need to scheme with them now. He didn't have to play by their rules, and they had no idea about his situation. Deep down, they still didn't truly care about him, and that was his biggest advantage.

"Hmm... wait..." Ren Jie had eaten a lot and deliberately acted like he was choking, swallowing hard several times before taking the tea Fatty handed him and gulping it down to catch his breath.

"Phew, Your Majesty, you scared me to death. Your Dragon Countenance rage almost choked me." Ren Jie mumbled, then looked at the miserable-looking Gao Peng and the crying Gao Zhanyuan kneeling there. "Gao Zhanyuan, for a Family Head of the Gao Family, you still have the nerve to talk about such a shameful matter. I feel embarrassed for you."

Although Gao Zhanyuan was partly acting, his dissatisfaction and anger towards Ren Jie were real. Hearing Ren Jie say this, he glared at him fiercely. You beat my son, and I shouldn't have the nerve to talk about it? You feel embarrassed for me?

Wen Yong and Fang Tianen on the side were also stunned, not expecting Ren Jie to say something like that.

The Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne, slightly tilting his head to look at Ren Jie. He appeared extremely displeased, but his heart was calm as he watched everything. In fact, what happened today surprised him as well. It was precisely because he couldn't quite figure it out that he said a few extra words when he saw Ren Jie just now.

But he didn't see anything special about Ren Jie. His courage had grown, though. Not only did he dare to look him in the eye, but he also dared to spout nonsense in front of him. It was indeed nonsense, and he seemed a bit crazy, full of the Hedonistic Young Master attitude.

Before Gao Zhanyuan could retort, Ren Jie suddenly jumped up, pointing at the father and son, Gao Zhanyuan and Gao Peng.

"How dare you two come to His Majesty to complain? If it were me, I would have peed myself to death long ago. You're truly shameless." Ren Jie seemed genuinely enraged, pointing at Gao Peng. "Gao Peng, you're a junior from the family who came with the Family Head to attend the studies. It's one thing that you didn't bow and greet me when you saw me, the Family Head, but you even spoke in a sarcastic tone. I, the Family Head, asked you for the five hundred thousand taels of gold your brother owes me, and you refused and even tried to renege on the debt. In the Bright Jade Dynasty, failing to repay a debt, especially a huge sum of five hundred thousand taels of gold, is enough to warrant a severe punishment."

Then Ren Jie turned to the Emperor, still fuming. "Your Majesty, if I wanted to kill him, I would have done so long ago. He owes a debt and still thinks he's in the right. Since he brought it up, I also ask Your Majesty to uphold justice for me. Gao Fei owes me five hundred thousand taels of gold and won't repay it, and his brother Gao Peng is being unreasonable and also refuses to repay it. A dignified Minister of Revenue can easily embezzle a little and it wouldn't be less than my five hundred thousand taels of gold. Please, Your Majesty, uphold justice for me."

"Cough... cough..." This time, it was Fatty Gao Ren who was eating and listening. Hearing Ren Jie's words, he accidentally choked and coughed for a long time before swallowing.

Meanwhile, Wen Yong and Fang Tianen were speechless. They had been Family Heads for so many years and attended countless Imperial Banquets, but this was the first time they had encountered such a situation.

Gao Peng's mouth twitched slightly when he heard Ren Jie's words. He opened his mouth to retort but a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He held back and remained silent, lowering his head.

Gao Zhanyuan also stood up in anger, pointing at Ren Jie. "You're talking nonsense! Gao Fei was tricked by you... I haven't even settled the score with you, and you actually..."

"Tricked? What did I trick him into? He almost beat me to death before, why didn't you say anything about that? Damn it, is your Gao Family so great? If we're settling scores, I'll settle with you first. Old bastard, none of the sons you raised are any good. The Minister of Revenue embezzles countless money and grain every day, yet he won't even pay back five hundred thousand taels of gold. It's good enough that I didn't settle the score with you after your son beat me, the Family Head. How dare you complain about me in front of His Majesty..." Ren Jie's reaction was even more intense than Gao Zhanyuan's. He directly jumped onto the table, pointing at Gao Zhanyuan and cursing.

"You... you dare to curse me!" Although Gao Zhanyuan's strength wasn't particularly strong, he was already at the True Qi Realm Great Perfection. He really wanted to rush up and strangle this little bastard with the power he could unleash.

"Curse you? I'm cursing you! What do you think you are? You're the Gao Family Head, and I'm the Ren Family Head. Why wouldn't I dare to curse you? Not only you, but I'll curse your ancestors for eighteen generations. None of your family are good-for-nothings, they're all damn scoundrels! You owe money and don't repay it, yet you still have the nerve to file an imperial complaint? Bah!" So what if he was at the True Qi Realm Great Perfection? He didn't believe he would dare to make a move here. This wasn't outside the Imperial Palace.

"Enough! Boom!" The Emperor roared, truly in a Rage. He slammed his hand down again, completely shattering the huge jade stone table in front of him. The powerful force enveloped the entire hall. Heavenly Might and Dragon Countenance in anger were not to be trifled with.

"Look at yourselves, what a sight! The Five Clans Great Hall, during the Imperial Banquet, has become a place for common street ruffians to quarrel."

"Your Majesty, please quell your anger. Your subjects admit their guilt." Not only Gao Zhanyuan, but even Wen Yong and Fang Tianen, who had been sitting there steadily and maturely, stood up and confessed their guilt, but this was just a formality.

"Ren Jie, although you are young, you are still a Family Head. Think about your father back then. At your age, he was already leading troops to battle, expanding the country's territory. You must always remember that you are the Ren Family Head. How can you act like other young people your age? Minister Gao, you should discipline your children more. It is only right and proper to repay debts. I do not want to hear about my Minister of Revenue being chased for five hundred thousand taels of gold again. Gao Peng is the Second Place in the Imperial Exam. Since he had not yet completed his studies at the time, he was not given a title. Now that he has completed his studies this year, he will first enter the Military Department as an Adjutant Vice General to study properly. Don't just mess around all day."

Adjutant Vice General, although not a true Vice General, with the power of the Gao Family, it wouldn't be difficult to get Gao Peng a real Vice General position within a year or two. One should know that generally, a Martial Arts Champion with no background would at most be a Captain. If they had a family background, they might become a Vice Commander.

As for the future path, that was something he had to walk himself. The First Place, Second Place, and Third Place in the major exams were generally civil officials, and it was rare for them to be directly transferred to the Military Department. The Military Department was currently controlled by the Ren Family (40%), the Emperor's people (20%), the Gao Family (20%), the Fang Family (10%), and another 10% were those who had risen through seniority and didn't favor any side. Ren Jie had seen these things in some documents in the Ren Family's Library Pavilion. Now, the Emperor clearly intended to strengthen the Gao Family's influence in the Military Department.

Although it was just an Adjutant Vice General position, it contained a lot of information. However, he didn't need to worry about that much now. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't, and it would only cause trouble.

"Your Majesty is wise. I will try not to bother with these people in the future, as long as they don't provoke me. Gao Zhanyuan, did you hear His Majesty's words? Repay the money immediately." Ren Jie completely disregarded the matter of Gao Peng's Vice General position, speaking triumphantly to Gao Zhanyuan.

"Thank... Your Majesty..." Gao Peng's voice was not loud, but he still thanked the Emperor indistinctly at this time. He didn't care about being a Vice General. Others might strive for a rank with all their might, but given his situation, he didn't care much about whether it was a day earlier or later. What he wanted was information.

After Gao Zhanyuan and the others entered, Fang Yan, who had entered with the Second Prince and was guarding the door, felt his hand on his sword tremble slightly when he heard the Emperor's order. He was also the second place in the Martial Arts Champion Competition, having lost to the thousand-year-rare monster Lan Tian, just like Gao Peng. Moreover, he had military achievements and was involved with the Seventh Princess...

Up until now, he was only an Imperial Guard Commander. Although an Imperial Guard Commander was more powerful than a regular General, he was still not a General. And this Gao Peng, who was a few years younger than him, was actually a step ahead of him. Was it because he got beaten up, or was it because of the Gao Family Head's efforts?

Thinking of this, Fang Yan couldn't help but look at Fang Tianen. If the Fang Family truly supported him with all their might...

"Here are fifty thousand taels of jade notes." Seeing Ren Jie's smug look, Gao Zhanyuan was very angry. After all, what happened today was hard to forget. He directly took out fifty thousand taels of jade notes and threw them to Ren Jie.

"Slap!" Ren Jie used the jade notes, lightly shook them, and said happily, "Wouldn't it have been better to be this straightforward earlier? Honestly."

"Sigh!" Wen Yong looked at this scene and suddenly felt a little sad. An Adjutant Vice General in the Military Department was nothing special, but this position was originally left vacant by a promotion of someone from the Ren Family. Now someone else occupied it, and Ren Jie was still smug about it. Fifty thousand taels of gold, even five hundred thousand taels of gold, or ten million taels of gold, couldn't compare to giving up the position of an Adjutant Vice General in the Military Department.

How pathetic, how lamentable! "Today was originally mainly about discussing the Empress Dowager's birthday. Now..." The Emperor frowned, looking at Gao Peng who had vomited blood all over the floor, and the fragments of teeth. He frowned slightly, then looked at Fang Tianen and said, "Listening to the Imperial Physician's report, the poison Fang Qi was afflicted with is very strange, even he is helpless. Have you found a good remedy yet?"

"Thank you for Your Majesty's concern. This subject has already offered a reward of a million jade coins and a Middle-Grade Spirit Tool, just to find an expert to save my daughter's life." Fang Tianen stood up and bowed in thanks for the Emperor's concern, speaking in a deep voice at the same time.

"We have also ordered the Imperial Physicians to research it together, hoping to find a solution." After the Emperor finished speaking, he added, "With such a matter happening to the Fang Family, and Gao Peng injured, it is not suitable to discuss the Empress Dowager's birthday further today. Let's stop here for now. If any of you think of any good ideas after returning, please submit them immediately. Other matters will be temporarily postponed and discussed after the Empress Dowager's birthday."

After the Emperor finished speaking, he turned and left directly. Everyone bowed until the Emperor's figure disappeared, then they stood up straight.

However, everyone's expressions were different. Today's events were too bizarre. The rule of discussing some matters in the Five Clans Great Hall in advance was actually changed so lightly by the Emperor. His intentions were profound! "Fang Qi was poisoned? Why didn't you say anything? A beauty is poisoned, I have to go and see. Do you need my help to detoxify her? I remember that detoxification often requires Yin-Yang Harmonization. If needed, I don't mind helping with the detoxification." The Emperor had left. Ren Jie looked at Fang Tianen immediately. Finally, you couldn't help but offer a reward, right? This Family Head is really going to get rich this time. As soon as he thought of poisoning, Ren Jie couldn't help but recall the vulgar plot points in martial arts novels he read on Earth, where Yin-Yang Harmonization was often needed for detoxification. He couldn't help but say this to Fang Tianen.

"A million jade coins, a Middle-Grade Spirit Tool!" Gao Ren's eyes also lit up when he heard this. He couldn't help but pull Ren Jie's clothes behind him, reminding him that it was enough. The main reason was that when he heard Ren Jie mention Yin-Yang Harmonization, he suddenly felt a faint worry in his heart. He was afraid this guy was still thinking about Fang Qi's beauty and might make a losing deal, which would be bad.

"Hmph, no need for the Ren Family Head to trouble himself." Today's events were too strange, and Fang Tianen also wanted to go back and think about it carefully as soon as possible. Moreover, Fang Qi's life and death were uncertain at home. He stood up and prepared to leave. He had no time to get entangled with this Hedonistic Young Master. He really thought that just because of him, he was truly qualified to sit as equals with them. He was simply ignorant. Especially when he heard Ren Jie's words about Yin-Yang Harmonization, Fang Tianen's chest heaved a few times, and he cursed this hateful bastard in his heart.