On the Day of the Grand Wedding, My Wife Was Acting Strange - Chapter 32:

Chapter 32: Your Majesty, Be Careful! What If It Bursts?

“Lin Zhen, do you have nothing to say in your defense?” Murong Yan was equally curious. She had thought about it over and over but still couldn’t figure out Lin Zhen’s intentions.

Lin Zhen gave a helpless, bitter smile. This woman really did have a big chest but no brains.

“Heh, since Your Majesty already assumes I’m trying to defend myself, what else is there for me to say? Might as well lock me up and execute me later.”

“Lin Zhen, stop playing these petty tricks. Do you think I will fall for them?” Gu Yunting also looked down on Lin Zhen’s little games. “Ridiculous! A youngster like you, barely learning some tricks, dares to show off before the Emperor. Who do you think you are?”

Lin Zhen looked at Gu Yunting with a trace of pity, as if he were deeply disappointed in everyone present. “Gu Yunting, I truly didn’t expect you to be this kind of person. Sigh, the world is falling, and people have lost their morals…”

Murong Yan clenched her delicate fists, her legs trembling in anger.

“Lin Zhen, don’t test my patience. You’d better speak quickly.”

“Your Majesty is the Emperor, appointed by Heaven, destined for eternal prosperity. Who you wish to punish is but a word from you. Right and wrong are, in truth, not that important.”

“Insolence! Are you saying I disregard justice and blindly protect others?”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

Murong Yan pointed at Lin Zhen, her slender, fair hand trembling. “Lin Zhen, this is your last chance. Will you speak or not!”

People only make mistakes when they are angry. Remaining cold and rational would only leave him without options. Seeing Murong Yan’s emotions almost at the breaking point, Lin Zhen finally prepared to speak.

“Your Majesty, yesterday you decreed that Gu Yunting hand over Yuanda Casino to me, did you not?”

“I did.”

“Your Majesty…” Gu Yunting tried to interject, but Murong Yan silenced him with a glare.

Lin Zhen continued, “Today, Gu Yunting brought fully armed soldiers to the casino. Regardless of his purpose, the entire city saw this, and the Hundred Riders Division must have reported it to you as well, right?”

“Hiss… yes.” Murong Yan took a deep breath, sensing that something was off.

Lin Zhen went on, “Someone reported to the City Guards that there was trouble on Vermilion Bird Street. Commandant Pei Qian led his troops to respond, only to be ambushed first by Mao Mengji, forcing them to fight back. In the end, they captured all of Mao Mengji’s men. This is also a fact, isn’t it?”

Murong Yan gritted her teeth. “Yes.”

“Then, Gu Yunting just now accused me of leading troops to cause trouble, causing panic among the people. Isn’t that complete nonsense?”

“Yes…” Murong Yan was about to speak but immediately corrected herself, “No!”

Lin Zhen smiled and spread his hands. “Where’s the error?”

“……”

Murong Yan didn’t know what was wrong either. Based on Lin Zhen’s logic, he didn’t seem to have done anything wrong at all. Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Lin Zhen’s involvement in this couldn’t be as innocent as he made it sound. This case couldn’t be judged like this!

“Nonsense!” Gu Yunting argued anxiously. “I sent Mao Mengji to the casino to move things, not to fight! And the person who brought the City Guards wasn’t Pei Qian at all—it was Wang Peng!”

Trying to pin this on some nobody? Dream on! Gu Yunting looked to Murong Yan. “Your Majesty, you must not be fooled by this brat’s one-sided story!”

Murong Yan frowned. “Lin Zhen, are you daring to deceive your Emperor?”

“Your Majesty, I wouldn’t dare deceive you. Every word I’ve said is true. The one who brought the City Guards was indeed Commandant Pei Qian. Fatty, as a Chariot Cavalry Captain, was naturally among them.”

There was nothing wrong with what Lin Zhen said. But everyone knew that Pei Qian was just a minor officer, not even worthy of licking Wang Fatty’s shoes. In the entire City Guards, even the whole city’s defense force, Fatty called the shots. This authority, of course, was granted to him by Lin Zhenxian.

Murong Yan knew the inside story but couldn’t refute Lin Zhen’s words. She was furious. How could Lin Zhen be so glib!

Sitting on the dragon throne, Murong Yan’s chest heaved violently in anger. Huan Huan even worried her chest wrap might burst from the strain. If it popped like an overinflated pig’s bladder, wouldn’t the Emperor’s secret be exposed? Your Majesty, you really need to watch your diet. Otherwise, that area will keep growing until even the chest wrap can’t contain it!

Lin Zhen, like a champion debater, left them no room to argue.

“As for Gu Yunting claiming Mao Mengji was there to move things, then why did he end up fighting the City Guards? Besides, does your house have no servants? Is the city out of laborers? Do you really need soldiers to move furniture?”

Lin Zhen’s barrage of questions left Gu Yunting speechless. It was like swallowing a fly while yawning—disgusting yet impossible to spit out, his blood pressure surging.

Lin Zhen sneered, “Heh, I’d like to see how you explain this to the Emperor.”

Murong Yan, having already punished the Gu family once, had secretly resolved to stand by them this time. So, instead of blaming Gu Yunting, she calmly said, “Gu Yunting, let’s hear your explanation.”

“Your Majesty, my private army was sanctioned by the late Emperor and permitted by you. And the number is within the limit. Today, due to a shortage of manpower at home, I sent Mao Mengji with troops to the casino.”

Lin Zhen glared and asked sternly, “Then why did they clash with the City Guards? Are you planning a rebellion?”

“You slanderer! It was the City Guards who attacked first!”

“The City Guards represent the authority of the court and have the right to enforce the law. Anyone resisting them is committing treason! You killed and injured several City Guards. How will you deny such bloody facts?”

“I… Your Majesty! I am wronged!” Gu Yunting fell to his knees before Murong Yan. Only now did he understand that he couldn’t win against Lin Zhen’s words. This brat’s mouth could talk the dead out of their graves.

At this moment, he no longer underestimated Lin Zhen but regarded him as his number one enemy.

“No need for this, Gu Yunting. I understand your intentions.”

“Your Majesty is wise!” Gu Yunting kowtowed and stood up, still glaring at Lin Zhen.

“Lin Zhen, black is black, white is white! Even if you sweet talk all day, it’s useless! If you don’t agree, let’s hand the case to the Ministry of Justice and let Lord Song handle it!”

“Gu Yunting, fairness is in people’s hearts. The casino is mine, and everything inside is mine too. You didn’t consult me and directly brought soldiers to seize the place. That’s trampling the law and disrespecting imperial authority. And then you let your troops attack the City Guards, a crime tantamount to rebellion. Now you still dare bring up the Ministry of Justice? What? Is Song Yi your man?”

“Don’t slander me! All officials serve the Emperor, not me!”

“Then why has Gu Zhongman’s embezzlement of pensions still not been dealt with!”

This sentence was actually directed at Murong Yan, hinting at her favoritism toward corrupt officials.

“Enough!” Murong Yan slapped the dragon table and shouted, “I have made my decision!”

Huan Huan, worried Murong Yan might in a fit of rage punish the Gu family again, gently nudged her arm. Murong Yan didn’t look back, but she understood.

“Lin Zhen, Pei Qian and Wang Peng are both your people. The entire court knows this. You’ve already fought and gained your advantage. Don’t push it any further! Draft the decree: Commandant Pei Qian led troops to incite unrest and disregarded the law, his entire family shall be executed! Mao Mengji is stripped of his rank and demoted to commoner.”

A typical case of punishing both sides equally.

Lin Zhen wasn’t surprised by the Emperor’s usual tactic, though he thought executing Pei Qian’s entire family was a bit much. It should have been slow death by dismemberment to match his status.

Murong Yan added, “Lin Zhen, you must not press your advantage further! You’re young; you should learn to serve the country and benefit the people. What use is it to play these tricks all day? You are fined one year’s salary as a warning to others!”

What the hell? A year’s salary? Don’t you know my Lin family lives on this meager salary?

Lin Zhen was about to argue when Murong Yan continued, “Gu Yunting, don’t be so reckless in the future either. Who uses soldiers to move things? Go home, gather your household staff, and take whatever belongs to you from the casino.”

What?

What the hell?

Is this woman sick? She punishes me but not him, and even lets him take things from the casino.

Looks like she realized there’s a huge secret hidden in the casino.

Fine, since that’s the case, don’t blame me for using my trump card…