(A room of dim lamps could not light through me. I really liked that title, but it didn't suit today's chapter. I'll find another with the same flavor tomorrow.)
How could one bring down a great figure like Grand Academician Zhang, someone qualified to represent history? History itself had already given a clear answer many times: wait until after his death, then let an emperor who had harbored resentment for years settle accounts. At the very least, one had to invoke the emperor's name.
Thus, the charges Grand Academician Chen, Minister Jin Cheng, and the others had prepared against Grand Academician Zhang mostly concerned grave disrespect toward the throne. But such a maneuver required His Majesty's approval, so naturally they had to show His Majesty sufficient respect and yield sufficient benefits, unless they intended to rebel.
Unfortunately, they had neither that strength nor that ambition. At most, they dreamed of holding the emperor hostage to control Chu. So when Jing Jiu refused to see them, they could do nothing, much less force their way into the hall to search for the Imperial Seal-how would that differ from the crimes they had laid out for Grand Academician Zhang?
Fortunately, the Imperial Court now controlled the Imperial Palace so tightly that there was no such thing as an inner court. Those eunuchs and palace maids had scarcely even seen the emperor, so arranging a few accidents was easy.
Tonight, the autumn air was crisp and dry, just the time to set a fire.
Minister Jin did not leave the Grand Secretariat. Across the narrow square, he watched the Imperial Palace, waiting for flames to appear.
But he waited until dawn, his eyes dry and aching, and the Imperial Palace remained quiet. Nothing happened.
Even by evening, there was still no