Chapter 54 He died during the trial.

The case of reselling military rations caused a sensation in the government and the country.

Zhang Jin was a man of good character. His teacher Mei Ziqian, colleagues, and fellow Jinshi candidates all petitioned the Yongchang Emperor for mercy, asking him to investigate. With the good character of the cabinet ministers and other upright officials as a guarantee, the Yongchang Emperor simply refrained from imposing a severe sentence and showed no intention of releasing him.

Three days after the incident, at Mei Mansion.

Mei Ziqian looked at the person in front of him, feeling a surge of emotion. He sighed heavily and said, "Your Highness, you've suffered a lot these past few days."

"No, Lord, you work harder than I do. You've been constantly campaigning at court for the safety of our son-in-law. I, on the other hand, have little influence and can barely say a word before our father. I'm afraid I'd be a burden to you." Zhou Xian shook his head. He looked pale and haggard, but in good spirits, his expression calm yet tinged with subtle anxiety.

This was also Mei Ziqian's first face-to-face conversation with the princess. When he first met her at Jingchun Pavilion a few years ago, he'd thought she was a pampered royal daughter, delicate and fragile, likely meant to be pampered and protected from the elements. But now, it seemed, she was a gentle presence with a strong heart. Even facing such a major event, she was quite assertive and composed.

Thinking of this, Mei Ziqian also began to feel sincere. He pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness seems to be doing well. I believe Huaiyu can rest assured in prison. This incident happened too suddenly. Even the account books presented do not seem to be fake. I am afraid it will be difficult."

"If we can find King Rui's whereabouts, it won't be difficult."

"Why do you say that, Your Highness?" Mei Ziqian narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Lord Mei, you've been in the officialdom for decades. How could you not see that this was Prince Jing's scheme? Where my brother went to provide disaster relief, several high-ranking officials had received favors from Prince Jing. If he disappeared, Prince Jing would definitely be responsible. Moreover, the Emperor has been ill these past few days and unable to review memorials, so he had no choice but to hand this matter over to Prince Jing... How could such a coincidence happen? How could it all be Prince Jing's fault?"

Zhou Xian said word by word.

He had a pair of eyes as bright as stars, clear and bright, reflecting Mei Ziqian's old figure, without blinking, extremely determined.

Mei Ziqian suddenly felt a little ashamed.

"My husband told me before that you favor Prince Jing. I understand. After all, my Second Brother has worked diligently and devoted his life to the court. He truly possesses the spirit of a wise ruler. But you, my Lord, are a pillar of integrity." Zhou Xian's gaze was piercing, but his tone gradually slowed, becoming earnest and gentle. "In this corrupt world, how many people uphold their conscience like you? You are a role model for the world's scholars, upright and impartial. Do you intend to watch your brothers slaughter each other?"

Mei Ziqian remained silent.

"I came here this time, first, to express my gratitude. Thank you for considering the friendship between teacher and student and saving my husband from danger. Second, I want to ask you... to bear witness impartially." Zhou Shan stood up and was about to perform a great salute.

Mei Ziqian was startled and hurried forward, helping Zhou Shan up with a wry smile, "No, no! Your Highness, you are embarrassing me!"

"A word from the Lord is worth a thousand gold. If you can just say 'this matter is in doubt' in the court, I can buy some time. When my sixth brother returns, I will definitely get to the bottom of this matter." Zhou Xian was about to cry, like a helpless child, and his calmness just now disappeared.

Seeing Zhou Shan like this, Mei Ziqian finally let down his guard. People are always biased. When he first saw Zhou Shan, he thought she was a weak princess, perhaps only because her mother's origins were unknown, making her special. But seeing her today, she was so calm and self-possessed that it inevitably aroused his vigilance.

Now it seems that she is still just an innocent little girl.

"Your Highness, you have lived in the harem for a long time, and you may not know that the cabinet is divided into several factions, and the old ministers are suppressing the Prime Minister. I'm afraid that..." Mei Ziqian gathered his sleeves, looking embarrassed. He rarely showed some helplessness, and looked at Zhou Shan as if coaxing a child.

"Master Prime Minister? Are you talking about Chen Yi, the Minister?" Zhou Xian pressed her handkerchief against the corner of her eyes, a trace of worry between her brows and a slight redness in her eyes. "I don't know what the feud between the Minister and Master Prime Minister is, but this is a serious matter, and Master Prime Minister has never shown any affinity for any of the princes. I think he probably won't interfere."

Mei Ziqian smiled bitterly and said, "That's why I don't dare to gamble." He pondered for a moment and added, "But your highness, please rest assured. Although I admire Prince Jing, I know that I can't interfere in the fight for the throne. If Prince Jing really makes a move on Prince Rui, I will be impartial and fair, and will not be troubled by personal feelings. As for Huaiyu... I will do my best."

After all, he was his favorite student, and Mei Ziqian was unwilling to lose such a reliable junior. After thinking it over, he finally gave in.

Zhou Xian also breathed a sigh of relief. He sensed Mei Ziqian's reluctance and bowed again, tears in his eyes as he said, "Thank you, Lord. I really don't know what to do..."

"Your Highness, there is no need to be so polite. Wait for Huaiyu to return safely. You must live a good life in the future. Then I will be relieved."

…

After leaving the Mei Mansion, Zhou Xian wiped away his tears and sat in the sedan chair with an expressionless face. He was exhausted. He hadn't eaten or slept well in the past few days. His mind was alternately on Zhang Jinwei and Zhou Heng. It was as if a hand was pinching his neck, tightening little by little.

He was so scared that he couldn't breathe.

What if...what if they died?

Zhou Xian's pupils shrank slightly, and he was almost scared to death by his own thoughts. He fell back on the soft pillow and curled up. If someone lifted the curtain at this moment, they would find that he was trembling.

He couldn't even find the Jade Monk.

Master Huiming of Daxinglong Temple, the secret guards of Prince Rui's Palace... He found everything he could. Just a few days ago, he saw a bald monk disguised as a young monk at Daxinglong Temple...

etc.

Could the disappearance of Monk Yu be related to Sixth Brother?

Zhou Shan sat up suddenly, the pearl flowers in his hair swaying, he was breathing lightly, his face was pale, and cold sweat was on his forehead.

"What if he received news from Sixth Brother and went to find him? He's such a powerful martial artist... He'll be fine, nothing will happen..."

Up to now, he has done everything he can...

It's okay.

After being carried all the way back to the No. 1 Scholar's Mansion, he was helped down from the sedan chair by Yu Xi, looking exhausted.

"Princess, today... they came to search the mansion again." Yu Xi said worriedly, "They couldn't find anything. I don't know what they were thinking. Why did a good prince consort end up in the imperial prison?"

Her eyes were red, and when she looked up, she saw Zhou Shan standing in front of the sedan chair, motionless. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on his shoulders, feeling heavy.

"Yes." Zhou Xian nodded, "Let's go back."

When Yu Xi heard this, she suddenly looked around cautiously and whispered something into Zhou Xian's ear.

Zhou Xian was slightly surprised. He quickly walked back to the backyard, pushed open the door of the study, and walked behind the screen. He saw Mu Guang sitting by the window, staring intently at the sunset glow outside the window.

"Master Mu!" Zhou Xian whispered in surprise, "You have news about Sixth Brother, right?"

"...I'm sorry, but I haven't done my job well. I still haven't achieved anything," Mu Guang sighed. He obviously hadn't rested much. His stubble had sprouted, his brows were furrowed, and he looked dusty. His usually straight back was a little hunched.

"That bald donkey is gone too," Zhou Xian said. "He worked for Sixth Brother, and his sudden disappearance might be related to this incident. However, he's a skilled martial artist, so if he can successfully meet Sixth Brother, it shouldn't be a problem..."

Mu Guang rubbed his brows and said, "Your Highness is a man of good fortune, so I'm sure you have your own considerations."

"By the way, Lord Mu, is he okay?" Zhou Xian asked cautiously.

"Don't worry, Princess. The three-court trial is imminent, and he is the son-in-law of the emperor. I asked him to be careful when lighting the lamps in the imperial prison. He only suffered minor injuries."

Once you enter the imperial prison, you are destined to be punished. If you don't receive punishment, you will arouse suspicion.

Zhou Xian clutched her handkerchief tightly and asked again, "So you're still injured, right?"

"Yes." Mu Guang had no intention of hiding anything and could only answer truthfully.

Zhou Xian was silent, but he didn't have time to dwell on his worries. He took a deep breath and got down to business: "When is the three-court trial?"

"tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" Zhou Xian's expression sternly changed. "Sixth Brother's whereabouts are unknown, and the evidence is hard to verify. Are they so impatient that they want to sentence him to death?"

"I don't know why Prince Jing is in such a hurry to convict. Something must be wrong when things are out of the ordinary. I'm afraid they can't wait any longer," Mu Guang said seriously. "Their haste to convict means that His Highness is out of their control."

"I hope so." Zhou Xian smiled wryly. Suddenly remembering something, he turned and asked, "Master Mu, I'd like to attend tomorrow's joint trial. Is that possible?"

Mu Guang was surprised: "It is possible to let the princess disguise herself as a servant and sneak in, but..."

"I want to meet him. I can only confirm whether he's a good person or not if I see him with my own eyes." Zhou Xian said stubbornly, "Besides, I also want to hear their lies and see how they spread rumors!"

"I understand." Mu Guang clasped his fists and said, "I will come to pick you up at 1:00 AM tomorrow. Please have a good rest and don't hurt yourself."

…

"Master Mu, this is..."

The bailiff glanced at the Jinyiwei beside Mu Guang with some confusion.

Mu Guang smiled and said, "I have a new kid here, let me bring him over to get familiar with him."

But he doesn't look like a Jinyiwei at all!

The yamen runner was puzzled. The Jinyiwei in front of him was not only thin but also had a pale face. He didn't look like a Jinyiwei who had been exposed to wind and rain. He looked more like a young lady from an official family disguised as a man, delicate and frivolous.

But the person in front of him was the Northern Pacification Envoy of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, an official so high-ranking that he could crush him to death. He didn't dare say anything more and let the man into the lobby of the Ministry of Justice.

Zhou Xian successfully infiltrated the venue for the three-court trial. He let out a quiet breath and looked around. He saw the three chief officials of the three courts seated in the hall: the Minister of Justice, the Deputy Chief Censor of the Metropolitan Censorate, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Behind them stood a row of clerks, recording the proceedings. Yamen runners stood opposite each other on either side of the hall. A long line of witnesses knelt below.

The most important thing is that next to the chief officer of the three divisions sat Prince Jing Zhou Huang.

Prince Jing had a calm expression, and it was hard to tell what he was feeling, as if everything was under his control.

Zhou Xian hid behind Mu Guang and couldn't help but pull Mu Guang's sleeve.

His heart sank.

It was also difficult for Prince Jing to collect "witnesses" and "physical evidence" everywhere, causing a large crowd of people in the hall to almost beat Zhou Heng and Zhang Jin to death for the crime of reselling military rations, with no possibility of a turnaround.

He also saw Mei Ziqian. The old man stood in the hall with a serious face, his brows lowered and his eyes downcast, his skinny hands tucked into his sleeves.

After a flurry of "courtroom" and "majestic performances," the Minister of Justice, dressed in a scarlet robe, shouted an order: "Bring the prisoners to Zhang Jinwei!"

Zhou Shan shuddered when he heard the word "criminal". He suddenly didn't want to look anymore. He couldn't face the embarrassed man, nor did he want that man to see him.

The sound of iron chains rang out, and Zhou Xian suddenly closed his eyes and hid completely behind Mu Guang.

Just a few days ago, he was sitting in front of a bronze mirror, chatting and laughing with a man in official uniform. He asked that man to choose a hairpin and then asked him to put it in his hair...

Once we part, it becomes like heaven on earth.

"Zhang Jinwei! The grain merchant Guan Liang confessed that you demanded bribes and divided the spoils, and the military warehouse documents also have your seal. What else do you have to argue about?" The Minister of Justice slammed the gavel.

"Huaiyu believes that he is worthy of the court's promotion and has never done such a despicable thing. As for Guan Liang... who is he? I don't know him." His voice was still gentle and calm, and one could even say that he was full of energy.

Zhou Xian opened his eyes.

He leaned his head out a little and looked at the man kneeling on the ground.

His official uniform had been stripped off, leaving only his blood-stained undergarment. The bloodstains were not on the vital parts, and apart from that, it was hard to tell that this was a prisoner in the imperial prison.

The Minister of Justice said, "Bring Guan Liang up here!"

The bailiffs brought in an obese middle-aged man. The man looked timid and stole a glance at Prince Jing, only to be glared back at by him. He had no choice but to kneel on the ground with a thud and said, "I... I met Lord Zhang two years ago. It was just a one-time encounter. It's not surprising that Lord Zhang doesn't remember me."

Zhang Jinwei glanced at him indifferently and said, "If Huaiyu really wanted to embezzle money, why would he use his official seal to transfer grain? Someone must have stolen the seal and framed him! Besides, Prince Rui's whereabouts are unknown. Why not wait until he is found before holding a joint trial? Forgive Huaiyu's dullness and my lack of understanding of your Excellencies' thoughts."

"Zhang Jinwei, shut up!" The Minister of Justice slammed the gavel again, puffing his beard and glaring, "You are now a serious criminal in the imperial prison. How dare you question the emperor's order?"

The Grand Secretary of the Dali Temple and the Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate looked at each other, obviously confused about the sudden joint trial of the three courts.

The Minister of Justice said coldly, "The prisoner Zhang Jin has offended the emperor and refused to plead guilty. Come, give him thirty lashes!"

Thirty lashes!

Zhou Xian's heart tightened. He subconsciously wanted to rush forward, but was blocked by Mu Guang. Mu Guang whispered, "Don't worry!"

And from below came the old and majestic voice's cold shout: "Wait a minute!"

"Lord Mei, you should have avoided suspicion today. Aren't you afraid of being stripped of your official hat again by coming here?" The Minister of Justice sneered.

Mei Ziqian said, "Huaiyu is right. This trial is completely illegal. Moreover, His Majesty has been bedridden for a long time. Where does he find the energy to handle state affairs? Your Highness Prince Jing, what do you think?"

Prince Jing smiled and said, "My father personally ordered me to temporarily manage state affairs. Selling military rations is a serious matter, so we must resolve it quickly. Does Elder Mei have any questions?"

"Yes." Mei Ziqian pulled a memorial from his sleeve. "This case is fraught with doubts. I believe the evidence is insufficient, so I request that the three courts' joint trial be postponed and a new investigation be conducted! The memorial in my hand is a petition signed by thirty officials of the seventh rank and above. Since His Royal Highness Prince Jing is now temporarily in charge of government affairs, I ask Your Highness to accept the memorial and reconsider your actions."

The old man's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

"Mei Ziqian, you!" Anger appeared on Prince Jing's face, and he stood up from the armchair.

"Your Highness, the bond between brothers must not be forgotten!" Mei Ziqian said meaningfully, "Prince Rui has disappeared without a trace. You are his elder brother. Regardless of whether he is guilty or not, you should always be concerned about your brother's safety! In my opinion, the trial should wait until Prince Rui is found!"

"Hmph, Prince Rui." Prince Jing suddenly sneered, "How can you be so sure that I don't know where he is?"

Where is Sixth Brother?!

Zhou Xian quickly stared at Prince Jing, his heart in his throat.

Everyone stared at Prince Jing.

"Zhou Heng fled for fear of punishment and drowned in the rapids of the Yellow River."

There was a moment of silence.

"How is that possible?" The Dali Temple Minister slammed the table and said in shock, "Your Highness, you need to produce evidence!"

"Yeah...where's the evidence?"

Everyone was talking, and the hall was extremely noisy. The Minister of Justice could no longer tolerate it. He slammed the gavel several times and shouted at the top of his voice: "Silence! Silence!"

Prince Jing had a strange smile on his face. He took out a jade seal from his arms. The appearance was plain and simple, with only a dot of pigeon blood in the center and a tassel tied to the jade seal.

Zhou Xian recognized the tassel.

It was a unique peace knot that he had tied when he was young and had nothing to do. He spent a long time trying to figure it out.

He won't admit his mistake.

Cold hands and feet.

"Zhou Huang, say it again."

Mu Guang was also in shock. Everything had gone off track. Even though he knew a lot of inside information, he was momentarily shaken - if Zhou Heng was really dead... In the moment he was distracted, Zhou Shan slipped away like a nimble kitten.

"Tell me again, what happened to my sixth brother..."

Seeing Zhou Xian dressed in men's clothing was truly rare. Upon her sudden appearance, Prince Jing was stunned for a moment before realizing who she was. He snorted coldly, "Sister Jiayi, this isn't the place for you. Your husband is kneeling beside you! What? Are you so eager to visit the Imperial Prison as well?"

"Xian..." Zhang Jinwei's pupils shrank slightly. He stared at Zhou Xian who was not far away. The Jinyiwei's sash was a little too wide, making Zhou Xian look particularly thin.

When he saw the dark circles under Zhou Xian's eyes, he knew that she had suffered a lot these days. She probably had trouble eating or sleeping, and lived in fear every day.

"Zhou Heng is dead, and his relics are with me. Jiayi, do you have any questions?" Prince Jing looked indifferent, and he leisurely turned the tassel on the jade seal.

"Give it back to me!" Zhou Shan gritted his teeth, strode forward, and was about to snatch the jade seal from Prince Jing's hand.

The yamen runners were in a dilemma as to whether to stop her or not. After all, she was a royal concubine, and no one dared to approach her, for fear that the situation would turn around and hurt her, and they would lose their own heads.

At this time, Mu Guang took three steps at a time and rushed forward, trying to carry Zhou Shan away.

"Princess, you are not allowed to disrupt the order in the court! What are you standing there for?! Please ask Princess to leave!" The Minister of Justice was so angry that his face turned red.

"I'll see who dares to touch him!" Zhang Jinwei shouted coldly. He shook his shoulders and pushed away the Jinyiwei who were escorting him. He took a step forward while dragging the iron chain and used his body to block the yamen runners who were approaching him.

Prince Jing Zhou Huang had lived for so many years, but this was the first time he had seen such a stubborn person. He refused to let go, so Zhou Shan bit his tiger's mouth with tears in his big eyes, but he refused to let go and insisted on getting the jade seal back.

"Rebellion...Everyone has rebelled!" The Minister of Justice slumped down in his chair dejectedly.

"He's dead!" Prince Jing was grimacing at Zhou Xian's bite. "Jiayi, look at yourself. Do you still look like a daughter of the royal family?! How is you any different from those unreasonable shrews out there?"

“…Give it back to me…” Zhou Xian bit the other person’s hand and spoke incoherently.

Give it back to me.

Give me back my brother.

Give me back my husband.

Zhou Xian felt so wronged. Why was it him? Why was it always him? Why did he always have to tease him before his good days? Didn't God have a heart?

"He's dead." Prince Jing lost his patience.

"Who said I was dead?"

A voice that seemed to be laughing came from outside the court.

Zhou Xian relaxed in a daze and looked towards the white light at the door.