The most romantic little emperor

Chapter 504: Pleading for Xue Ling

Qin Hao's eyebrows flashed with a barely perceptible displeasure, and he asked in a low voice: "Who didn't respond to the call?"

Obviously, any emperor would be furious about this kind of thing, and Qin Hao was no exception. He only suppressed his angry temper in order to restore his reputation.

He thought to himself that in the court, such behavior could be regarded as disobedience at the very least, or contempt of imperial power at the worst. If punished, the punishment could be imprisonment at the least, or even death at the worst, all in a matter of seconds.

At this time, Zuo Wenxuan felt the pressure from Qin Hao, and suddenly he could no longer sit still. He gritted his teeth, then bowed and asked anxiously, "Your Majesty, may I ask if Xue Ling's name is on the list?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall seemed to freeze for a moment, and everyone's eyes were involuntarily focused on the list in Qin Hao's hand, waiting for the emperor's decision.

Qin Hao heard this and lightly brushed his fingertips across the heavy list. His eyes paused at a certain point, then he raised a faint smile and nodded slightly, saying, "Oh? It's this person who didn't come. It's really intriguing. Zuo Wenxuan, do you know where this person came from?"

Zuo Wenxuan's expression froze when he heard this. He sat up straight and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, Xue Ling is a talented person from Jiangnan. He and I are known as 'twins'. He is knowledgeable and is on par with me. He once studied at Jingsi Academy. Although we didn't have a close relationship, we understood each other tacitly and appreciated each other."

"I have read his poems and articles. Between the lines, what is revealed is not only the graceful sentiment of a scholar, but also the kindness hidden deep in his heart and his ambition to care for the world. In short, it can be summed up in eight words: graceful and kind, and concerned about the country and the people."

Hearing this, a strange look flashed in Qin Hao's eyes, and he murmured Zuo Wenxuan's evaluation, as if he was savoring the deep meaning behind the eight characters "graceful and kind, concerned about the country and the people".

In the entire hall, for a moment, the only sound left was his soft whispering, and it seemed extremely quiet.

The graceful style?

This emperor, who valued talents but also felt that talents were hard to find, suddenly felt a strange surge in his heart.

The name before him - Xue Ling, could actually be mentioned on par with Zuo Wenxuan. His talent was self-evident, which made him want to explore it.

However, a trace of doubt quietly crept into Qin Hao's heart. The gentleness and softness revealed in the name seemed to have a delicacy that did not belong to a man. Could it be that this person was a talented woman?

However, this thought flashed through his mind and was suppressed by him. If this person was a woman, Zuo Wenxuan would not have been unaware of it and would have probably told her the truth long ago.

"Why wouldn't such a talented person respond to my call? There may be some hidden story, which makes me quite curious. I wonder if anyone among you knows it?" Qin Hao said slowly.

Seeing Qin Hao's strong interest in Xue Ling, Zuo Wenxuan suddenly became bolder and reported in a clear and loud voice, "Your Majesty, I dare to advise you that this Xue Ling seems to be the granddaughter of Master Chu Zekai, the editor of the Hanlin Academy. Unfortunately, he was involved in a case of treason and is being investigated by the Ministry of Justice in the past two days in the hope of clearing his suspicion."

Qin Hao narrowed his eyes slightly when he heard this. He had already made some calculations in his mind, and his intention to hire Xue Ling faded a little.

The law of the country is as heavy as a mountain and does not tolerate any personal feelings. However, if he can really clear his suspicion through the investigation of the Ministry of Justice, he will not hesitate to give this person a chance to start over.

Zuo Wenxuan observed Qin Hao's expression and saw that his face was slightly gloomy. He knew that he had touched a sensitive spot, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue, "Your Majesty, Master Xue Ling is honest and kind by nature. He is definitely not a traitor. I am willing to guarantee it with my own head. I hope Your Majesty will find out the truth and make a decision."

Qin Hao's gaze swept across the silent people in the room and finally stopped at Zuo Wenxuan. Seeing that he was willing to risk his life to plead for Xue Ling, a hint of imperceptible admiration flashed in his eyes.

The corners of his mouth curled up into a faint smile, and although his voice was light, it revealed a majesty that could not be ignored: "Zuo Wenxuan, there are many talented people here, but only you dare to stand up and plead for Xue Ling. Aren't you afraid that I will be furious and chop off your head?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room was shocked. The air seemed to freeze, and only the faint sound of breathing could be heard.

Zuo Wenxuan stood in the hall, graceful and elegant like a pine or cypress. Facing the imperial power, there was no fear on his face, but rather a sense of determination and composure.

He bowed slightly, his voice clear and powerful: "Your Majesty, what I want in my heart is what I have seen with my own eyes. I have nothing to fear in my heart."

Qin Hao's eyes flickered when he heard this. He was obviously very interested in the courage and belief of this young man. He asked leisurely, "Oh? What did you see that could make your mind so firm and unshakable?"

Zuo Wenxuan looked at Qin Hao calmly, and spoke every word with great force: "What I see is not the brilliance of external things, but the kindness hidden in people's hearts and reflected in the fairness of the world."

"The matter of Chu Zekai has implicated Xue Ling, but I believe that a person who cares about the people and the country will never commit treason. I believe the truth will eventually come to light."

"Moreover, I have the honor to witness that Your Majesty is gentle and courteous, and respectful to others. He is definitely not unreasonable and would not kill innocent people indiscriminately."

"I am even more convinced that Your Majesty is a wise and enlightened monarch. He will be able to see through the subtleties of the world, distinguish right from wrong, and restore justice to the world, clearing the name of Xue Ling and the innocent."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone around was moved by Zuo Wenxuan's courage and integrity, and there was a little more admiration in their eyes.

Qin Hao stared at Zuo Wenxuan, his eyes were like a mountain spring, clear and deep, revealing an extraordinary spirit. This natural charm was definitely not the result of deliberate flattery.

The corners of his mouth curled up into an elegant smile, and his tone was gentle but with a force that could not be ignored: "Zuo Wenxuan, you are indeed eloquent and righteous. What's more rare is that you can portray me as a wise and enlightened monarch. This talent is very gratifying to me."

"But if I fail to redress Xue Ling's injustice, I am afraid that in your eyes, I will become a tyrant who does not know right from wrong, right?"

Zuo Wenxuan's mouth corners lifted involuntarily, his smile was both humble and witty: "Your Majesty is serious, I dare not do that. What I said just now is all from the bottom of my heart, there is absolutely no falsehood."

"Haha, you don't dare? I see that you are very brave. Is there anything you dare not do? From now on, you might as well change your name to Zuo Dadan."

After Qin Hao finished speaking, a playful smile appeared on his lips, and then he turned his gaze to Luo Yang. His tone was calm but with unquestionable majesty, "Luo Yang, quickly go and find out where Xue Ling is now. Bring my badge and invite him here immediately. Tell him that I have something to see him about."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Luo Yang responded, stretched out his body, and left quickly.

Zuo Wenxuan was grateful when he heard this. He bent his knees slightly, bowed, and said sincerely: "Thank you, Your Majesty."