Chapter 96 What Exactly is Filial Piety?

"Raise your head," the Emperor put away his smile. Sitting on the high platform, he was the ruthless Emperor of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Pan Yueqing followed his order and raised her head. As expected, she saw the Emperor's terrifyingly cold eyes. In his eyes, there was a sense of superiority over the common people prostrating on the ground. It wasn't disgusting, but it was intimidating.

"Your Majesty!" Su Jing stepped forward, knelt solemnly in front of the Emperor, and kowtowed, "This child was raised under my watch. She is not a person of bad character. Please, Your Majesty, make a fair judgment!"

The Emperor didn't respond to him. Instead, he leisurely looked at Pan Yueqing, who was looking at him with wide eyes. He unconsciously parted his lips and didn't maintain his coldness to the end. He said, "Am I that good-looking?"

"Your Majesty, you have given the order for this servant to raise her head. When I raised my head, the only thing I could see was Your Majesty," Pan Yueqing's face remained unchanged, and her words were also calm. She was afraid of Qi Tai, but she didn't want Qi Tai to know that she was afraid of him. She was taking a gamble, betting on a sentence that the Princess Anbei had said to her.

"If your mother hadn't insisted on marrying your father, you would be the apple of His Majesty's eye now."

At that time, she guessed that perhaps the Emperor didn't necessarily dislike her. Because she was looking more and more like her mother. These words seemed very bold. Indeed, she knew what the standard answer should be, and she was also sure that the Emperor wouldn't like to hear those words that he had already heard so many times. Although it was bold, she was just telling the truth.

Sure enough, the Emperor laughed heartily. Seeing the situation wasn't going in her favor, Old Madam Pan covered her face and wailed even more pitifully, "Please, Your Majesty, uphold justice for this old woman!"

When she came, she had already presented all of Pan Yueqing's so-called "wrongdoings" to the Emperor. Even if Pan Haiyun had rushed here in a hurry, it was of no use. Seeing her son being ignored, she felt bad in her heart. But before that, she wanted to punish Pan Yueqing even more. Because in this way, she could declare that Pan Yueqing was an unfaithful and unfilial person, and the words of such a person couldn't be trusted! She wanted to use this opportunity to plead for Miao'er, the granddaughter she had raised with her own hands and the granddaughter she had expected to become a phoenix.

"May I ask Grandmother, as a granddaughter, in what way am I unfilial?" Pan Yueqing took the initiative. Su Jing saw Pan Yueqing speak and was about to step forward to signal her not to say any more, but the Princess Anbei half-raised her fan and pressed his arm. When he turned back, the Princess Anbei shook her head slightly.

"Yue'er, don't be rude," Pan Haiyun finally spoke. When he learned from the official office that Old Madam Pan had accused his daughter, he felt as if all the blood in his body was draining backward, and he was as cold as if he had fallen into an ice cave. He had always known that his mother didn't like Su Lan and also didn't like Pan Yueqing left by Su Lan. But he didn't expect that she would dislike her so much that... she wanted to destroy his daughter.

But the one he wanted to protect was exactly this daughter, his only legitimate daughter. "Let her speak," the Emperor said in a deep voice. He was interested in watching Pan Yueqing calmly speaking to Old Madam Pan. She was just like the stubborn Su Lan when she was young. He even somewhat expected that this child might show some different brilliance.

Pan Yueqing thanked him. She knew that from this moment on, every word and action of hers was a fight for herself.

Old Madam Pan pointed at Pan Yueqing, took two deep breaths to calm the anger in her chest, and said, "Starting from the small things, since you came back from the countryside, you haven't come to pay your respects to me every morning and evening!"

"Grandmother really has a bad memory. When I came back from the countryside, I happened to catch my maid and servant having an affair. It also happened to involve the Third Sister stealing my mother's heirloom. I tried to keep the peace, but you didn't treat me kindly. After that, you told me that I didn't need to pay my respects anymore, and you were happy to have peace and quiet. Have you forgotten?" Pan Yueqing smiled lightly and didn't show any mercy as she revealed this scandal. She turned back to look at Pan Haiyun's expression. Her father's face was normal, but Old Madam Pan sitting beside him wasn't so relaxed.

Old Madam Pan slapped the table and pointed at Pan Yueqing, saying, "Family scandals should not be made public!"

"Grandmother, you don't deny that you promised this granddaughter that I didn't need to pay my respects every morning and evening, right?" Pan Yueqing seized the loophole in her words and smiled, "You also know that family scandals should not be made public. Then why did you come here and talk about these unfounded family matters?"

"The second accusation is that you didn't serve her when she was ill," the Emperor winked at the chief eunuch. The chief eunuch understood and announced in a steady voice on behalf of Old Madam Pan.

"Oh?" Pan Yueqing took a deep look at Old Madam Pan and then pretended to be confused, "When were you ill, Grandmother? I remember that you have always been in good health."

"Yesterday," Old Madam Pan was a bit restless and coughed softly.

"Do you have a prescription? What illness did you have?" Pan Yueqing pressed on. Seeing Old Madam Pan's face turning redder, she couldn't help but laugh again, with a hint of mockery in her laugh, "It's convenient now. Since we're in the imperial palace where everything is available, I humbly ask Your Majesty to show mercy and let the head of the Imperial Medical Office come and take a look. An old person's illness is no joke."

"Enough!" Old Madam Pan was even more furious when she saw Pan Yueqing's gaze. She unconsciously raised her voice, pointed at Pan Yueqing, and her tone was also full of the domineering manner she used at home, "Is this the way a granddaughter should talk to her grandmother? Do you still have the word 'filial piety' in your eyes?"

"Yes, I admit my mistake," Pan Yueqing admitted her mistake along with the words, but she didn't show any sign of giving in. She raised her eyes and looked at the Emperor, who was sitting upright, and said calmly, "This servant wants to ask Your Majesty, what is filial piety?"

The Emperor didn't want to face this question directly, "You have your statements. Why are you dragging me into this?"

"This morning, my grandmother was ill, and I served her. Does that count as being unfilial to my other grandmother?" Pan Yueqing said slowly. Her tone was calm, but there were tears in her eyes. The Emperor pondered for a moment and shook his head, "They are both elders. You can't show favoritism. But if necessary, as a descendant, you should also be diligent. After all, she is your grandmother, and you are a family. In terms of blood relationship, your grandmother is naturally closer."

Pan Yueqing shook her head, "I think Your Majesty is wrong. Filial piety is not like this. In order to make things difficult for me, Grandmother said she was ill, but my other grandmother was really ill. But because she is my grandmother, some people will say that she is my direct grandmother, a family member, and I should serve her more. Grandmother is wrong, but I can't serve my other grandmother because in terms of blood relationship, this grandmother is closer. Is this filial piety?"

"Filial piety is not because of these rigid rules. Filial piety should not be a shackle. If an elder is wrong, one should admonish them. This is true filial piety," Pan Yueqing lowered her head, wiped her tears with her hand, and said softly, "Your Majesty, please forgive me for my impoliteness."