Chapter 14: A Loss of Face

A smug smile appeared in Zhao Qianli's heart. Through his informants, he had learned that the Emperor of Great Zhou was gravely ill. Once the Emperor passed away, internal strife might erupt within Great Zhou, presenting a golden opportunity for the Jin Kingdom to strike. Therefore, he had immediately sent a letter back to Jin to report the situation, while doing his utmost to stall for time, raising difficult obstacles for Great Zhou at every turn.

Ling Xiaoyue’s exquisite smile was tinged with a chilling coldness. The envoys from Jin had repeatedly set them tricky challenges; clearly, they were already aware of her father’s illness. Yet she had to restrain her temper, for Great Zhou desperately needed this peace treaty.

“Since Lord Zhao claims this is the final challenge, then by all means, speak. Great Zhou is home to countless talented minds—surely we can solve a few riddles?” Ling Xiaoyue replied coolly.

Zhao Qianli grinned broadly, striding across the grand hall as he declared, “I have a wine jug. I take it with me to enjoy the spring. Each time I pass an inn, I double its contents; each time I meet a friend, we drink a dou together. After three stops at inns and three meetings with friends, the wine is all gone. I ask: how much wine was in the jug at the start?”

At his words, the hall erupted into murmurs and anxious looks. The officials conferred with each other, troubled.

“This is a mathematics problem—only a true expert in calculation could solve it,” one minister said with a wry smile.

“Master Chen of the Imperial Academy, you are renowned for your prowess in numbers. Do you think you can solve this?” someone asked.

A middle-aged man with fair skin and a neat mustache sighed, “I would need ten days to work it out.”

“Ten days? Does Great Zhou have no talent in mathematics? You need ten days just to calculate this?” Zhao Qianli said smugly, breaking out in laughter. Ten days was more than enough for his plans.

Seeing Zhao Qianli’s gloating, the entire court was seething with anger, though powerless to act. The military officers, mostly rough men, were at a loss with such arithmetic puzzles. The civil officials, though well-versed in the classics, were equally helpless.

“Ten days?” Ling Xiaoyue could not possibly wait that long. In ten days, who knew what might transpire?

As it became clear that no one in the court could answer, Ling Xiaoyue could only cast a pleading glance at Ye Cheng.

“Ye Cheng, do you know the answer to this riddle?” she asked.

Ye Cheng smiled and replied, “Your Highness, the question is far too simple. I can solve it in mere moments!”

“You eunuch! Boasting again? None of us can solve it, but you claim it’s easy?” a civil official jumped up, cursing.

“Who are you calling names?” Ye Cheng could not hold back any longer. These officials had repeatedly insulted him, overtly and covertly, for being a eunuch—how could he endure it?

He stepped out from behind Lin Yaoxue and strode straight up to the offending official.

“What are you trying to do, you eunuch? Do you mean to strike me?” The official shouted, emboldened by the crowd.

Smack!

Without another word, Ye Cheng slapped him hard, leaving a vivid red imprint across the official’s pale cheek.

The crisp sound of the slap stunned everyone in the court!

A eunuch had dared to strike a court official! This was open rebellion!

Not only were the officials frozen in shock, so too were Ling Xiaoyue and Lin Yaoxue, their faces full of disbelief. Never in Great Zhou’s history had a eunuch dared to strike someone in the court. Ye Cheng had set a precedent!

“This eunuch dares defy the laws of Great Zhou by assaulting a court official in the throne room. He should be executed on the spot! Your Highness, I beg you to pass sentence!” The previously cowering Grand Tutor Han Xiaoru was suddenly emboldened, immediately pressing the Crown Prince for action.

Seeing Han pressing the issue, the other civil officials quickly joined in, clamoring for Ye Cheng’s punishment. The military officers, however, remained unmoved. The civil and military sides never saw eye to eye, and the generals were all too happy to watch the scholars be humiliated.

With the officials all clamoring, Ling Xiaoyue clenched her teeth in anger. Useless—unable to solve the problem, they instead turned on Ye Cheng. Yet she could not openly side with him, and so she composed herself, rebuking Ye Cheng: “Ye Cheng! How dare you strike a court official!”

“Your Highness, I am utterly loyal to Great Zhou. I would lay down my life and exhaust my wits for our country, yet these officials repeatedly insult me for my status. Am I to sit and accept their humiliation? And as for this puzzle—none of you can solve it? Useless, the lot of you!” Ye Cheng bellowed.

His words set off a storm in the court—the officials were stunned, gaping at Ye Cheng, their eyes blazing with fury.

“Great Zhou is doomed! This eunuch is running wild!” Grand Tutor Han cried, pounding his chest in outrage.

“Doomed? If you’re incompetent, don’t blame me! The answer is seven-eighths of a jug of wine! Lord Zhao, am I right?” Ye Cheng turned to Zhao Qianli.

Zhao Qianli was dumbstruck. This riddle, so carefully crafted, had been solved by a mere eunuch. Was there anything more infuriating?

And he had given the answer on the spot.

Zhao Qianli’s complexion turned an ugly shade of purple. Seeing this, Ling Xiaoyue was delighted—it was obvious Ye Cheng had answered correctly.

“Lord Zhao, is Ye Gonggong’s answer correct?” Ling Xiaoyue asked, lips curling in a smile, her gaze admiring as she looked at Ye Cheng. She hadn’t expected such wit from him.

“Reporting to Your Highness, the answer is indeed correct,” Zhao Qianli replied bitterly.

What humiliation! These three riddles had taken the scholars of Jin Kingdom days to devise, but two had been solved effortlessly by a mere eunuch from Great Zhou. If Zhao Qianli knew that Ye Cheng had also solved the bronze Buddha puzzle, he wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“What? That damned eunuch guessed right again!” The officials could hardly believe it. None of them had managed to solve it, yet the eunuch had given the correct answer. If word of this spread, their reputations would be in tatters!

“Try insulting me again!” Ye Cheng clenched his fists, glaring fiercely at the official.

“You eunuch, how dare you be so arrogant!” The official was livid, his face flushing red.

“Enough! Look at yourselves! The entire court cannot match a single eunuch—what right have you to criticize Ye Gonggong?” Ling Xiaoyue could bear it no longer; she slammed her hand down in anger.

A mountain-like pressure radiated from Ling Xiaoyue, filling the Golden Hall with a suffocating aura.

Zhao Qianli was shaken to his core, drenched in sweat. He had heard the Crown Prince of Great Zhou was a martial prodigy; today, he saw it was no exaggeration.