Chapter 148 It's alright to rest for a while at dawn, since there's no one else around...

The sky was as dark as dusk, and the air was humid and stuffy.

Although the rain had stopped last night, puddles of water had accumulated in the cracks of the bluestone slabs, and the soles of the boots of the yamen runners coming and going had left a series of messy, wet footprints in front of the main hall of the Ministry of Justice.

He strode into the main hall of the Ministry of Justice wearing a pair of black leather boots.

Chen Luan showed no courtesy whatsoever, sitting directly in the main seat of the Ministry of Justice's main hall, his gaze sweeping across the hall with a cold and brooding expression.

The main hall of the Ministry of Justice was completely dark, and the stifling atmosphere inside was even more unbearable than the gloomy rain outside. The Minister of Justice, Tan Xialing, was not in the hall; only the Right Vice Minister and a few officials remained in the office.

The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice hurriedly rose from his seat, cupped his hands, and said, "My lord, what urgent matter brings you to the Ministry of Justice so early in the morning?"

Chen Luan said, "Although the case involving Han Sheren has not been clarified, the Emperor has only ordered his detention pending trial. When did he authorize you to use torture?"

The Right Vice Minister looked completely unaware: "Is that so?"

Chen Luan slammed his palm heavily on the desk. "The Ministry of Justice is in charge of all criminal cases in the country. It should be guided by the law and guided by the Emperor's will. Now that the Emperor's will is not yet decided, how dare the Ministry of Justice overstep the Emperor's will and use torture to extract confessions in the Imperial Prison?"

The Right Vice Minister hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, "Your Excellency, please calm down. Perhaps your subordinates are eager to investigate the case. I will go and find out immediately. If it is true, I will punish them severely."

Chen Luan coldly retorted, "Does being eager to investigate a case justify disregarding the law?"

Having said that, he roughly understood that everyone in the Ministry of Justice knew about the torture of Han Song. The severe punishment would simply mean taking responsibility for the two officials in charge of the interrogation. Chen Luan had no intention of wasting time dealing with them. His priority was to save his own life before worrying about anything else.

"Immediately stop all torture, move Han Sheren to a clean cell, and ask a doctor to treat him."

The Right Vice Minister replied, "Your humble servant obeys." After saying this, he dispatched two officials in blue robes, one to go to the imperial prison immediately and the other to fetch the prison doctor to treat Han Song's injuries in the prison.

Before long, the prison doctor arrived at the prison with his medicine box. Han Song's injuries were too severe to move, so Chen Luan did not ask the jailers to change his cell. He simply removed the shackles and helped him lie down.

The prison doctor rushed into the cell and saw Han Song leaning against the wall, his back limp as if without support, too weak to even sit up. He quickly opened his medicine box, took out a porcelain bottle and gauze, cut open the bloodstained prison clothes, and had someone bring a basin of warm water to carefully wipe away the blood and grime around the wounds before sprinkling on white medicinal powder. After applying the medicine, he poured half a bowl of medicinal liquid and slowly fed it to Han Song spoonful by spoonful until he had drunk it all, only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Chen Luan stood to the side, and seeing that Han Song, who had taken the medicine, had fallen into a coma, asked, "How is he?"

The prison doctor said, "Your Honor, his injuries are too severe. I can only keep him alive temporarily. To help him recover, we need to summon the imperial physicians from the palace. Otherwise, there's really nothing we can do." He shook his head and added, "He's completely broken. Even if we manage to save him..."

Chen Luan paused for a moment, then said, "I'll do my best to save him."

Then he turned and walked out of the prison towards the Imperial Medical Bureau. He didn't notice that just as he turned the corner, the prison doctor's expression suddenly darkened.

Han Song's injuries after being tortured were horrific. The jailers all considered the place unlucky, and they dispersed after Chen Luan left, leaving only the prison doctor to take care of Han Song's injuries in the cell.

Once the footsteps had faded into the distance, the sound of cards being played echoed from the prison cell. The prison doctor sat on the straw mat where Han Song was lying, lit a tinderbox, lit a short incense stick no more than an inch long, and leaned close to Han Song, inhaling the white smoke through his nostrils.

The incense stick had burned nearly halfway when Han Song slowly opened his one remaining eye, which still allowed him to see. The prison doctor did not immediately remove the incense; white smoke continued to swirl under Han Song's nose until only a third of the incense remained. Only then, when Han Song had the strength to lift his head, did the doctor press the incense to the ground and extinguish it.

Upon suddenly seeing someone beside him, and realizing it wasn't Chen Xingqian, Han Song's body, already weakened by severe torture, instinctively stiffened. But seeing that the person wasn't dressed as a torturer, he immediately guessed who it was.

He still asked one unnecessary question, "Who...are you?"

The prison doctor squatted down, pretending to examine the caning wounds on his legs, and said, "Her Majesty asks you, have you thought it through?"

Han Song closed his eyes and remained silent, but it didn't seem like he had fainted again.

The prison doctor waited for a long time without hearing a word from him, then urged, "Her Majesty appreciates Lord Han. If Lord Han nods, Her Majesty will have a way to save Lord Han from this suffering in prison. You only need to answer whether you are willing or not. If you are willing, I will bring Her Majesty's words tomorrow at this time."

Han Song said, "You are a doctor, so you should be able to see that even if I survive, I will be a cripple. Why did Her Majesty insist on asking you to come and ask? Does she expect a cripple to accomplish anything?"

The prison doctor said, "The Empress has very sharp eyes. What she truly values ​​is genuine talent—the ability to make judgments and devise strategies."

Han Song chuckled, "I wonder what scheme I've devised to earn such favor from Her Majesty. Let me be frank, you intend to use me as a tool to kill the people of the Marquis of Xuanping's residence."

"Lord Han is a smart man."

"Whom do you want to lure into this game? Chen Xingqian, or Chen Liangyu?"

The prison doctor said, "Yes, it is that one from the North."

That makes sense. If it weren't for the Xuanping Marquis's residence guarding the northern border, the Northern Yong army would probably have already breached Yongdu and seized the fertile lands of the Central Plains. First, Chen Yuanqing reclaimed all the lost territories, and then Chen Liangyu conquered Yunya and the Hudong grasslands to expand his territory. If Chen Liangyu is not eliminated, he will ultimately be a scourge to the Northern Yong.

The imperial concubine in the palace was none other than the princess sent to marry a foreign ruler from the Northern Yong.

"Have the Empress revise the peace treaty." A glint flashed in Han Song's eyes. "The Emperor has long been suspicious of the Marquis of Xuanping's residence. Only after the war in the north stopped was the Emperor able to free up his hands to kill Chen Liangyu."

The prison doctor seemed to be weighing his words, "Da Yong has just lost the Hudong grassland and the important military town of Yunya. If it withdraws its troops to negotiate peace at this time, does Lord Han want the Empress to be a sinner of Bei Yong, or a pawn of Zhong Lin?"

"Are you people of Beiyong..." Han Song paused before continuing, "...all short-sighted fools?"

"Your Majesty is the eldest princess of Beiyong and also the imperial consort of Dalin. In this world, no one is more suitable than Your Majesty to personally write a letter to your motherland, to explain the people's sentiments, and to reconcile with Dalin. If this matter is accomplished, it will be an achievement that all civil and military officials will respect. When history is written, it will only praise Your Majesty for 'securing the relations between the two countries with her own strength,' rather than simply recording her as the princess of Beiyong who was sent to marry a foreign ruler. Your Majesty's self-identification in Dalin is not only related to Your Majesty's favor, but also to whether the Second Prince can establish himself in the Dalin court and whether he will have the opportunity to rule the Dalin land in the future."

"Moreover, as long as the war in the northern border continues, the Emperor will not dare to kill Chen Liangyu. As long as Chen Liangyu lives, the defense line of the three prefectures and sixteen cities in the north will not be breached. Your Northern Yong sent 400,000 troops, with the Emperor personally leading the expedition, but what was the result? Losing cities and territories, and returning in defeat. What good is retreating and making peace? You can't even swallow the current losses. With such a narrow mind, how can you talk about besieging Yongdu and unifying the four regions?"

After hearing his words, the prison doctor said, "Your Majesty is indeed discerning; Lord Han is a capable man."

He seemed not to hear the prison doctor's compliments.

He knew very well that there had never been a precedent of a foreign bloodline inheriting the throne, nor would there ever be one in the future.

Han Song coughed twice, and a line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

He looked up at the narrow window high in the prison. Just then, two swifts flew one after the other across the small patch of sky that he could see.

The emperor wanted to reduce redundant officials and abolish hereditary privileges, while prominent families wanted to maintain their privileged status. Like two swallows flying past the window, they were bound to fight endlessly.

The Xun family's stance determined the success or failure of the new policies.

Xun Xian was driven by self-interest, and his primary ambition was to seize the position of Crown Prince, the son of the Empress. However, the Emperor, in order to maintain balance in the court, had temporarily postponed the appointment of an heir. Thus, Xun Xian would focus solely on the position of Crown Prince, while the problems of redundant officials and their nepotism became secondary. Coincidentally, the mourning period for the Retired Emperor was approaching, further stagnating the court. If not careful, the reforms would be abandoned, and all efforts would be in vain.

One option was to sacrifice his own life. Only by dying under the cruel torture of the aristocratic families' counterattack could the emperor see more clearly the true colors of the aristocratic families who would stop at nothing to seize power. The other option was to use the identity of the Consort's son to his advantage. Zhai Yu was a member of the Northern Yong royal family. Once the rumors of her son plotting to seize the throne spread, it would force those civil officials who adhered to etiquette and valued orthodoxy to urge the emperor to quickly establish the Empress's son as the Crown Prince in order to consolidate the foundation of the country and stabilize the court.

Even if Zhai Yu's people didn't come to see him, he would still pass these words on to the ears of the spies in Bei Yong.

Han Song said, "It is merely my duty as a subject."

The prison doctor packed up his medicine chest and asked Han Song before leaving, "Beyond one's duty, people always have things they want. Lord Han, please speak frankly. I will certainly not let you trouble yourself for the Empress and the Second Prince."

Han Song was still gazing up at the skylight. His left arm hung limply at his sides, and he could barely turn his neck a few times. Below his neck, his limbs and torso were completely immobile, and he could barely feel any pain. He was trapped in a state of limbo, unable to live or die.

He seemed to be looking through the iron bars of the prison window and could see the changes that would follow in Shangyong City.

"I only ask that Han be granted a quick death."

***

When Chen Liangyu opened her eyes, the sky was already bright, but it was still gloomy.

Her vision was still a little blurry when she opened her eyes. Her face was pressed against a warm, soft surface that undulated rhythmically. What came into view was Xie Wenjun's moon-white brocade undergarment. Looking up, she saw a pair of eyes that were lowered and looking at her, as if they had been awakened by her movements.

"Your Highness has woken up."

I didn't get to rest until after midnight last night, and judging from the sky, it's only around dawn now, so I slept for a little over two hours.

Xie Wenjun said, "I woke up a little earlier than you." Her lips were pale, and her face still showed signs of fatigue.

Chen Liangyu shifted her body, reached out and pulled her into his arms, wrapping her tightly. Xie Wenjun was about to say something when Chen Liangyu's hand on her shoulder moved, applying slight pressure to push her head back down as she tried to lift it. "Since you're tired, it's fine to lean back and rest for a while," he paused, then added, "...no one else will see."

As they were talking, they could faintly hear increasingly noisy footsteps and whispers coming from the direction of the Taiji Hall. It was the palace servants who were beginning to splash water and sweep the ground in front of the Taiji Hall, and they also needed to replace the candles that were about to burn out and refill the oil in the ever-burning lamps.

Xie Wenjun explained to her, "Today, noblewomen are entering the palace to mourn."

Fourteen days after Emperor Xuanyuan's death, the Ministry of Rites issued an edict ordering the wives of nobles and officials of the Yongdu royal family, as well as the wives of first and second-rank ministers, to enter the palace to pay their respects at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM). At this time, the wives should have already arrived outside the Meridian Gate. Once all the wives of the noble families had arrived, they would be led by officials from the Ministry of Rites to the Taiji Hall, where Emperor Xuanyuan's coffin was kept, to mourn.

At this moment, a female official in charge of affairs beside Xie Wenjun announced from outside the inner room of the side hall: "Your Highness, everything inside and outside the Taiji Hall is ready, and the ladies of the various households have arrived at the palace gate in order to await Your Highness's instructions."

Xie Wenjun said to the person outside the door, "Understood, proceed according to the rules."

"Yes, Your Highness," the head lady-in-waiting replied respectfully.

Chen Liangyu loosened her grip on Xie Wenjun's shoulder, then sat up and picked up the robe that had been placed on the wooden rack the night before.

While she was getting dressed, Xie Wenjun asked her, "Do you know this Han Song?"

Chen Liangyu fastened his collar and belt in order, replying to her, "Han Sheren's name is renowned and widely known; no one in the court does not recognize him."

The mere two events—the closure of the post stations and the petition to the emperor to abolish the hereditary privileges of Jiang Wende's lineage—were enough to make him infamous and a target of public criticism.

Chen Liangyu said, "That year, when the people of Cangnan suffered a great hardship, he and my second brother fled together. Before the case of cheating in the imperial examinations occurred, I had met him a few times and he was quite talented. Why does Your Highness ask about him?"

Xie Wenjun said, "Chen Xingqian vouched for him and recommended him to join my school."

Chen Liangyu said, "Although my second brother and Han Sheren have known each other since they were young, if he recommends this person to His Highness, it should not be out of personal favoritism. This person must have extraordinary qualities that others cannot match."

Xie Wenjun said, "He drafted the edict without avoiding the Empress Dowager's name, and has already been dismissed and imprisoned by his elder brother. Regardless of whether this mistake was actually made by him, it just so happens that he got into trouble on the very day Chen Xingqian was supposed to stay overnight in the palace. Yesterday, Zhai Yu also came to the Taiji Hall, under the guise of offering incense to the late Emperor, but revealed the news that Jiang Andong had been ordered to arrest people."

If we were to ask who in the court harbors the deepest grudge against Han Song, it would undoubtedly be the Jiang family.

Whether Zhai Yu intervened to save lives or to frame someone remains unknown.

Yesterday, when Chen Liangyu entered the palace, she did indeed bump into Zhai Yu on the palace road. "Your Highness suspects that she has connections with Bei Yong?"

It was hard to say, Xie Wenjun remained noncommittal. The eunuch she had placed in Zhaohua Palace to keep an eye on Zhai Yu reported that she often clashed with the Empress, seemed to be focused on vying for the Emperor's favor, and had inadvertently interfered in Han Song's affairs, making her unpredictable.

Chen Liangyu said, "I'll have my second brother investigate this matter. If Han Song really has an affair with Bei Yong, he will definitely not be lenient."

Xie Wenjun nodded and said, "You've had a long and tiring journey, so don't stay in the Taiji Hall and stand guard with the ladies. After reporting to your brother, go back to your residence and rest for a while."

After Chen Liangyu finished dressing, the palace servants filed in and helped Xie Wenjun with her dressing and washing.

With more palace servants in the Taiji Hall, it was indeed inappropriate for her to linger any longer in the side hall where Xie Wenjun was resting. With so many people around, it would be difficult to explain herself. Chen Liangyu cupped her hands in a gesture of farewell and said, "Your Highness, please take care of your health. I take my leave."

Several palace maids and eunuchs were carrying buckets in the corridor of Taiji Hall. Their handkerchiefs, soaked in water and wrung out half-dry, were carefully wiping along the cracks in the brickwork. When Chen Liangyu passed by, the palace maids had already finished their work and were carrying their buckets toward Jiazhi Gate.

Chen Liangyu learned from the palace servants in Taiji Hall that Chen Luan had left the palace, so she turned to leave. She accidentally bumped into something, looked down, and saw a young palace maid in palace attire walking in front of her. The maid nearly lost her balance when bumped into by Chen Liangyu.

Chen Liangyu quickly helped the little palace maid to her feet and continued walking forward. Unexpectedly, the maid caught up with her again and deliberately turned her back to block Chen Liangyu's path.

I looked up and saw a smiling face.

That face bore a six or seven-tenths resemblance to Chen Liangyu, and his light-colored pupils were strikingly similar to those of Chen Linjun.

Chen Huai'an: "Auntie."

Chen Liangyu was both surprised and delighted, "An'er."

Chen Huai'an was not yet ten years old and was still a young girl with a childish appearance. The Chen family had always been tall with long arms and legs, and she was always taller than her peers. She did not look short among the group of twelve or thirteen-year-old palace maids.

"When Her Majesty the Empress said you were coming back, I guessed you would definitely come to the Taiji Palace," Chen Huai'an asked, "Did you win the battle?"

Chen Liangyu nodded and said, "We won."

"It's good that we won."

"Are you leaving again, Auntie? When can I go home?"

Chen Huai'an asked a series of questions as if he were in a hurry.

Seeing that Chen Liangyu was having trouble answering, she continued, "There's nothing wrong with the palace. The Empress treats me well. It's just that sometimes I miss my mother, you, my second uncle, and my second sister-in-law."

Chen Liangyu's eyes reddened. "An'er, do you want to go home?"

Chen Huai'an nodded.

A high-pitched voice from the head eunuch came from outside Jiazhi Gate, urging her on. Chen Huai'an picked up the bucket and ran out. "I have to go. I came to see you secretly, but if the nanny finds out, I'll be punished by copying the palace rules." She took a few steps, then turned back. "Aunt, please come and pick me up soon."

Having said that, Chen Huai'an trailed at the very back of the group of palace servants, followed the head eunuch across a door, and her skirt disappeared around the corner.

The palace lanterns along the palace road were all covered with white silk, and the entire palace was a pure white. The ladies of the various households wore plain jackets and skirts, removed their hairpins and jewelry, and tied their hair with plain silver hairpins. They entered the palace through the East Corner Gate in order of their rank.

Heng Yang, dressed in mourning clothes, walked among them.

Chen Liangyu was on her way to the Chongzheng Hall to meet the Emperor when she bumped into the procession of noblewomen entering the palace to mourn. Both of them saw each other, and Heng Yang quickly pulled Chen Liangyu aside and said a few words in haste.

Chen Luan left the palace early in the morning and did not return to his residence or the Dali Temple; instead, he went to the imperial prison.

Chen Liangyu guessed that he was busy with Han Song's matter, so after leaving Chongzheng Hall, she rode back to her residence, intending to ask Chen Luan about everything when he returned. However, Chen Luan did not return until the noblewomen who had come to the palace to mourn had returned to their residences in sedan chairs, and Heng Yang had also returned home from the palace.

Author's note: I'll update quietly and then disappear quietly.

Thank you for reading this far!