When two factions clashed, how could the fish escape unscathed?
Emperor Jing of Zhou decided to take neither side and tossed the matter straight back to the man concerned.
"Minister Wei, you may answer Grand Secretary Fang's charge."
As the emperor's words fell, every civil and military official turned in unison toward the Hanlin Academy's ranks.
Seeing that Wei Nisheng did not immediately refute him, Fang Qi felt even more confident. He cupped his hands toward the Imperial Throne again and said,
"Your Majesty, I am not questioning the Hanlin Academy's right to speak on affairs of state.
But as the old saying goes, 'If names are not correct, words cannot ring true.'
'Things have roots and branches; affairs have beginnings and ends.'
Wei Nisheng is Grand Tutor Feng's disciple.
Wang Kan is Song Jing's student.
Song Jing now presides over the investigation, while Feng Yan is the greatest beneficiary behind this case.
I dare to ask: is this memorial an upright minister speaking on state affairs, or a disciple taking the field for his master?"
"If he speaks for the country, why choose precisely this moment, when Lords Feng and Shen are at odds?
If he acts on his master's orders, then this memorial is not counsel on state affairs, but a blade of factional strife!"
Having finished, he turned and stared straight at Wei Nisheng, his tone aggressive.
"Wei Nisheng, do you dare stand here in this hall,
before His Majesty and every civil and military official, and declare that this memorial has absolutely nothing to do with Grand Tutor Feng?!"
[A blade of factional strife]
At those words, the entire hall erupted.
The Shen Faction clearly wanted to get rid of the man who had raised the problem!
Meanwhile, having launched the attack, Shen Duan lowered his