A thousand times I sought him in the crowd; suddenly, turning back, I found him there, where the lantern lights grew dim.
"Grand Secretary Fang, please stay."
The moment Wang Kan spoke, every robed official in court jolted, and all eyes turned toward him.
They saw Wang Kan holding his Court Tablet upright in both hands as he slowly stepped out from an obscure place in the ranks.
Fang Qi turned at his words, his gaze abruptly sharpening.
Wang Cheng's expression shifted slightly, and he hurriedly signaled with his eyes for the Little Eunuch outside the hall to summon an imperial physician to stand by.
All the Purple-and-Scarlet Robes in court fixed their attention on this one man-the habitual offender.
Just as everyone thought Wang Kan would fall back into his old ways-
fired with righteous passion, blood rushing to his head, even charging forward as though wind sprang beneath his feet...
Wang Kan showed neither agitation nor bristling rage, and his steps never quickened in the slightest.
Seeing Wang Kan's calm expression, Fang Qi unwittingly breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
"What instruction do you have for me, Registrar Wang?"
Wang Kan walked to the center of the hall and stood facing Fang Qi.
First, he bowed toward the Imperial Throne. Only after straightening did he turn to Fang Qi.
"Grand Secretary Fang, you just said the Censorate was championing Wei Zi'an alone.
May I ask what prompted those words?"
"Have you not seen it, Censor Wang?" Fang Qi's expression did not change. "Whom do your words and your defense concern?"
"Whom do they concern?" Wang Kan gave a cold laugh.
"Censor Yao spoke of the connection between temple estates and outstanding arrears.
Censor Chen spoke of the Ministry of Revenue's unreconciled records.
These are all