Chapter 39: Questioning

The official who put forward the opinion was Zhen Ruicai, the Privy Councilor and the person in charge of the Imperial Guards.

This man came from a family of military generals. He once led an army to attack the Western Qi army and had the merit of recovering the important frontier city of Tangzhou. After that, he was promoted all the way and became the Privy Councilor. He has been in charge of military power for five or six years.

He had always been at odds with Prime Minister Li and was very discriminatory against these civil officials. Therefore, even when he heard that Chi Kuai wanted to depose Li Mian and suppress Prime Minister Li's party, he just watched coldly.

He even laughed in his heart. Even he, who held military power, had never thought of rebelling. Li Mian actually had the crazy idea of becoming the emperor. He was really asking for humiliation and seeking his own death!

However, although he allowed Queen Mother Chi to deal with Li Mian, it did not mean that he also allowed Queen Mother Chi to let the robbers go and pardon all female prisoners in the world.

After all, a woman cannot be the master of this court.

Now that Li Xiang has been dismissed from office and thrown into prison, and his remaining followers dare not make any moves, isn't this a good time for him to fight for the right to speak and intimidate people?

So he walked to the center of the hall and looked up at Chi Lu. "Your Majesty, you are a woman after all. It's inevitable that you may be soft-hearted towards these female prisoners. But you don't understand the gravity of this case. We must not let them off lightly! Your Majesty, please allow me to interrogate this woman. I will make her reveal the whereabouts of these female prisoners, identify the culprit, and execute them all according to the law!"

His tone of voice was extremely cold, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

When the ministers in the hall heard this, they gasped.

You, Zhen Ruicai, are too bold. You actually dare to say that Empress Dowager Chi is just a woman. It is really disrespectful.

You know, the last Prime Minister Li who looked down on Queen Mother Chi was dragged out, and you jumped out. Do you think your life is too long?

The ministers were thinking that Queen Mother Chi would be furious and lowered their heads, but they heard a light laugh from the top.

"The new emperor has just ascended the throne, and it's time to grant amnesty to appease the people. Li Jiying and the others didn't commit any serious crimes like rebellion or treason, so why can't they be pardoned?"

This is giving Zhen Ruicai a way out. If he is sensible, he should accept it.

Zhen Ruicai, however, remained unyielding, saying solemnly, "Your Majesty, your words are far too soft-hearted! Killing a husband, robbing a prison, which of these isn't a serious crime? If you let them off lightly just because they're women, then the law-abiding people and the soldiers defending our country on the frontier will all feel that Your Majesty is unfair, and they'll be heartbroken!"

When the ministers heard him speak so aggressively, even involving the common people of the world and the soldiers on the border, they were frightened. Was he definitely threatening Empress Dowager Chi?

Is it because he holds military power that he thinks he won't be as cowardly as Li Mian, who was easily manipulated by Empress Dowager Chi, that's why he is so arrogant?

Could it be that he really thinks he has the ability to rebel?

Zhao Mingyue, who was kneeling beside the throne, was also very surprised. What kind of ability did this man have to dare to go against his mother like this?

Originally, she was very happy to see the old man Li Mian being thrown into prison, and she was even happier when she heard her mother say that she would pardon those female prisoners.

I was already thinking that I must ask my mother for a big reward and then celebrate with the people from the Golden Crow Guards, but Zhen Rui poured a bucket of cold water on me the moment I turned around, and all my interest was gone.

Why do these people target them again and again?

Do you have to see them dead before you are satisfied?

They say that the people are disheartened and the soldiers are uneasy. Aren’t women also people and soldiers?

Zhao Mingyue couldn't help but clench her fists, and a nameless anger rose from the depths of her heart. She was about to stand up and scold Zhen Ruicai, but as soon as she moved, her shoulder was held down.

She tilted her head and asked in surprise, "Xue Siji?"

Xue Qi smiled gently and whispered something in her ear. Zhao Mingyue's eyes widened immediately and she hesitated, "...Is it really okay to do this?"

However, in the moment they were talking, Li Jiying had already walked in front of Zhen Ruicai.

She looked into Zhen Ruicai's eyes without a trace of fear on her face, and sneered, "Even if I die, I won't say a word. You don't have to waste your time trying to interrogate me!"

Zhen Rui's face flushed red, and he looked angry and provoked, "You——!"

Li Jiying stopped looking at him and knelt facing the throne. He raised his head and looked at Chi Lu with admiration and gratitude, and said loudly:

"If this vast world cannot accommodate a Li Jiying who killed her husband for her own sake and sued her father for her mother, then please, Your Majesty, grant me death!"

At least in this way, she could protect her sisters who suffered the same pain as her, and leave her name to be passed down to future generations instead of dying in silence.

As for how future generations will evaluate her, that is not something she can control.

She had completed her revenge and died without regrets.

Li Jiying closed his eyes with relief, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, waiting for the impending execution.

But a bright and firm voice sounded at this moment, "I led the men to rob the prison at night. If Lord Zhen wants to punish me, then execute me as well!"

There was silence in the hall for a moment.

Li Jiying looked up suddenly and saw Zhao Mingyue standing up resolutely, his eyes full of disbelief.

————

Princess Zhaoqing's Mansion.

Wang Zhen put her ear to the closed door and heard soldiers running outside. Her heart suddenly started beating wildly and the piles of bones buried under the yellow sand on the battlefield involuntarily emerged from her mind.

Was a war about to break out? Having experienced the battlefield herself, she felt an inexplicable fear.

After a moment, she smiled awkwardly and shook her head. This was the capital, not Tangzhou facing Xiqi. The enemy could not reach here.

She felt relieved, opened the corner door, showed the token to the male guard outside the door, and walked out with the two stronger women.

Half an hour later, Wang Zhen and three others returned with the purchased rice, grain, and cloth, and still entered the mansion through the corner gate.

After they had walked a long way, Wang Zhen said to the two women, "Did you hear that outside? The Ministry of Justice prison was burned down last night! I was wondering why there were so many soldiers outside."

The woman continued, "They say they burned the women's prison, and all the prisoners ran away! How strange! I don't know why they only robbed the women's prison."

"I think those bandits have bad intentions. They might be planning to do something to those female prisoners. I hope they can be caught quickly."

Wang Zhen didn't respond, and he felt that this matter was indescribably strange.

The three of them talked all the way to the kitchen, and Wang Zhen asked them to put the purchased items in order.

He took a maid with him to prepare the morning meal.

Although Wang Zhen was in his early fifties, he was still nimble and quick. He quickly prepared several snacks and cooked some porridge. He put them all in a food box, carried it in his hand, and walked towards Princess Zhaoqing's residence.

She walked into the room but didn't see anyone. She touched the bed and found the quilt was cold.

Suddenly, I had a bad feeling in my heart, so I immediately walked out of the house, walked into the yard, and looked up at the roof.

Sure enough, Princess Zhaoqing was sitting on the roof with her hair disheveled, and no one knew how long she had been sitting there.

The early morning fog was heavy, and her clothes were very thin. The cool breeze blew her long hair and clothes into chaos.

Wang Zhen felt cold just watching this, but Zhao Yuzhang didn't care at all. He held a jar of wine in his hand, squinted his eyes, and his cheeks were slightly red. It was obvious that he was drunk.

"Princess, drinking is harmful to your health. Come down quickly and have some breakfast to warm your stomach."

Zhao Yuzhang looked down at her and put down the wine pot in his hand. Who would have thought that he didn't put it down firmly, and the wine pot rolled down along the green tiles and broke into pieces with a snap, and the aroma of wine filled the air instantly.

She didn't care and pointed outside the house, "What's the noise outside?"

Wang Zhen told them the news she heard outside this morning, and added a few words to their previous discussions and speculations.

After hearing this, Zhao Yuzhang immediately stood up from the roof, but he stumbled and almost fell, which scared Wang Zhen.

Fortunately, she stood firm the next moment and jumped down from the roof, but she still staggered when she landed and knelt on one knee on the ground.

Wang Zhen immediately stepped forward to support her, "Princess, you are drunk."

"I'm not drunk. I want to see my royal brother. I want to ask him to let me out. How can he not let me go and see such a lively nighttime prison robbery?" Zhao Yuzhang muttered, pushed away her hand, stood up, and staggered out.

Wang Zhen looked at her back, his heart aching instantly. He shouted at her, "Princess, the late emperor has passed away. You will never see him again."

Zhao Yuzhang paused, then slowly turned his head, his eyes dark. "What did you say? He's dead? How could he be dead?"

Wang Zhen sighed, his eyes full of heartache.

Ever since the late emperor imprisoned the princesses in this princess mansion, people outside have gradually forgotten them. No one even came to tell them about the late emperor's funeral.

They were imprisoned in this mansion and knew little about the news outside.

She explained, "A few days ago, Lord Zhen sent over the obituary of the late emperor, but Princess, you refused to see him and drank all day long. I told you, but you didn't listen."

Zhao Yuzhang seemed unable to accept it. He covered his head and groaned uncomfortably. After a while, his expression calmed down. "So, who is the emperor now? It can't be that idiot Zhao Chun, right?"

A hint of disapproval flashed across Wang Zhen's face. After all, he was the princess's nephew. Besides, he was the emperor now. It would be fine if he cursed him in his heart, but how could he really curse him out loud?

"However, I heard that the one in power now is Queen Mother Chi."

"Empress Dowager Chi?" Zhao Yuzhang sneered, "It seems that things have changed a lot outside during this period. I should go out and meet her."

After saying that, she turned around and walked quickly towards the mansion gate.

Wang Zhen had no choice but to follow.

When they arrived at the gate of the mansion, Zhao Yuzhang opened the door. The male guards outside heard the noise and immediately came over with guns and stopped her.

Zhao Yuzhang looked at them coldly, "I want to go out."

The captain of the guards said, "Lord Zhen has ordered that the princess not leave the palace."

Zhao Yuzhang sneered, "Whose orders did Zhen Ruicai follow? My royal brother is already dead, so this order is of no use!"

As she said this, she was about to force her way out of the house, but the guards immediately raised their spears and pointed them at her chest.

Zhao Yuzhang dodged and then grabbed a spear with one hand and pulled it towards the middle. The two men immediately collided head-on and screamed twice.

Seeing this, the captain of the guards was afraid that he could not stop her, so he hurriedly summoned all the guards nearby and blocked Zhao Yuzhang inside the mansion gate.

Zhao Yuzhang was drunk and a little weak. In addition, there were more people on the opposite side, so he was outnumbered and surrounded by guards with spears.

The captain of the guards said, "Princess, please return home."

Zhao Yuzhang looked around at the cold spears surrounding him and couldn't help but sneer from his throat, "You guys are really good!"

He grabbed the gun and pushed it away, then turned and walked back.

The captain of the guards immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to raise his hand to wipe the cold sweat off his face, he heard Zhao Yuzhang's gloomy and cold voice again, and his heart suddenly stopped for a moment.

"Remember to tell Zhen Ruicai to be careful. When I get out, I'll be the first one to kill him!"