Chapter 36: Humiliation Beyond Measure Part 1

Nie Jin’s knuckles turned white beneath the sleeves of his official robes.

Gu Huaiyu’s words—“begging to be the Chancellor’s man”—echoed in his ears. Yet, what surged within his chest was not mere humiliation, but a much colder, sharper fury. It wasn’t the anger of an insulted man, but the intolerable agony of seeing order trampled underfoot.

In his eyes, a nation could not survive a single day without law, just as a household could not survive without rules.

The retinue of an official above the third rank must not exceed eighteen people; the records of a death penalty case must be reviewed by the Three Judicial Sovereignties; even the specifications of the ritual vessels used by the Emperor during the sacrifices to Heaven had to be strictly enforced according to the statutes.

Nie Jin didn’t care if others thought he belonged to Gu Huaiyu, nor did he fear being called a “loyal hound” of the Chancellor’s faction. Those were merely empty names.

“The Lord Chancellor is abusing his power.”

His gaze shifted from Gu Huaiyu’s belt upward, fixing onto that face—fair and cold as frost and snow. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly before he spoke in a freezing tone. “The Laws of Great Chen clearly state that an official who neglects his duty shall be dismissed and prosecuted. Yet, the Chancellor uses this to blackmail a subordinate. Is the law of the land a mere plaything to you?”

Gu Huaiyu arched an eyebrow. How many years had it been since he’d seen such a stubborn fool who wasn’t afraid of death?

“You say I am abusing my power?” he asked, his voice rising. There was no shame in his tone; instead, it carried a hint of eager anticipation.

Nie Jin did not yield an inch. “The Lord Chancellor abuses his power, and according to the law—”

“Master Nie.”

Gu Huaiyu cut off his tedious lecture. He scanned the man’s frost-covered robes and suddenly softened his voice. “You’ve been waiting for me for so long; you must be freezing, aren’t you?”

“Someone, bring Master Nie a bowl of ginger soup to warm his body.”

“Understood!”

The attendant bowed and retreated.

Nie Jin’s expression remained unchanged, his posture as straight as a spear as he continued to kneel. He had no intention of trying to guess the Chancellor’s thoughts. From the moment he entered the Chancellor’s Estate, he had not touched a drop of water or sought any warmth. This wasn’t a display of feigned purity; it was a desperate attempt to maintain a boundary.

Once certain boundaries were broken, they could never be restored.

Shortly after, a steaming bowl of ginger soup was brought out from the estate’s kitchen. The liquid was a clear amber, the spiciness of old ginger mingling with the sweet aroma of red dates, sending plumes of white steam into the freezing air.

An attendant carried the gold-painted bowl, walking slowly along the winding corridor. Every time they passed through a moon gate, they cried out at the top of their lungs: “The Lord Chancellor bestows a bowl of ginger soup upon the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review to reward his hard work!”

The voice pierced through the heavy curtain of snow, crashing clearly into the ears of the Court of Judicial Review bailiffs waiting outside the courtyard. A few younger officers couldn’t help but peek inside, only to be glared back into submission by their senior colleagues.

When the bowl was brought into the warm pavilion, Nie Jin didn’t even blink. The ostentatious shouting outside meant nothing more than a breeze passing his ear. He knelt upright. Regardless of what others thought or said, he only sought to have a clear conscience.

Gu Huaiyu tapped his finger lightly on the desk, gesturing toward the soup. “Master Nie, please.”

Nie Jin remained stoic. “I thank the Lord Chancellor for his kindness, but this subordinate will not accept.”

Gu Huaiyu let out a low laugh, seemingly amused. “Master Nie, it seems you don’t understand. This ginger soup isn’t something you can refuse just because you want to.”

“When I bestow something, even if it is poison, you must swallow it with a smile.”

Nie Jin’s brow twitched imperceptibly.

Before he could voice another refusal, Gu Huaiyu glanced upward. Two Iron Eagle Guards stepped forward soundlessly, efficiently pinning Nie Jin’s arms. One used a silver pincer to gently but firmly pry his jaw open.

“Hold on.”

Gu Huaiyu stood up and took the bowl himself. “Don’t be so rough. Master Nie is a rare talent. If he gets bruised or injured, my heart would ache for him.”

Nie Jin caught the overwhelming scent of agarwood. He instinctively tried to pull back, but the Iron Eagle Guards holding him didn’t budge. He was forced to face that omnipresent, ghostly fragrance head-on.

Unaware of the turmoil in the man’s mind, Gu Huaiyu leaned down slowly. Holding the spoon, he scooped up some ginger soup. “Master Nie is fortunate. This is the first time I have ever personally fed someone soup.”

The first spoonful was so hot it made Nie Jin’s throat constrict, his brow furrowing. Seeing this, Gu Huaiyu actually showed a rare moment of “consideration” by blowing on the second spoonful. He even took a small sip himself to test the temperature.