Chapter 24

The carriage creaked along the slightly bumpy official road, carrying a dazed Xi Xiao, slowly moving towards the city gate. The street scenes flashing past the carriage window blurred into a gray patch of color, and Ling Zhouling's vicious words still lingered in her ears, bringing waves of suffocating pain.

As she approached the tavern outside the city that displayed the old banner of "Apricot Blossom Wine," an indescribable sense of fear and exhaustion suddenly gripped her. She stopped the carriage, stuffed the full amount of loose silver into the coachman's rough hand, and then dragged her leaden legs, step by step, toward the familiar tavern.

"Why did it take so long?"

A deep, gentle voice, tinged with a hint of amusement, rang out from behind her without warning. The voice, like a stone thrown into an icy lake, instantly shattered Xi Xiao's carefully maintained composure. She abruptly stopped, a surge of bittersweet emotion welling up in her eyes, and the pent-up grievances in her chest erupted like a flood bursting its banks.

She turned around abruptly, and through her teary eyes, she saw Pei Yun's face. A sudden fear gripped her, but in that split second, those familiar, endlessly gentle eyes instantly dispelled her terror.

It's my senior brother!

“Master…” A sob choked her throat, and all her feigned strength crumbled at that moment. She threw herself into his warm embrace, burying her face in his clothes which had a faint herbal scent, and wept uncontrollably.

Her slender fingers gripped the back of his robe tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. Hot tears quickly soaked the fabric of his shirt. With a sob that had been suppressed for too long, she stammered, "I...I thought...you wouldn't come..."

Xi Yu's strong arms embraced her firmly, sheltering her trembling body completely. He gently patted her thin back, his deep voice sounding above her head, "How could this be? Didn't you tell me to wait for you here?"

These gentle words were like a soothing medicine, smoothing the cracks in her heart. Xi Xiao pulled away slightly from his embrace, lifting her tear-streaked face. Her eyes, washed by tears, were surprisingly bright, yet they held a hint of cautious probing. "Senior brother... will you come back to Medicine Valley with me? Let's go back together, okay?" Her voice trembled slightly.

Xi Yu did not answer immediately, but calmly took her slightly cool wrist and gently placed his slender fingers on her pulse. He felt a steady and strong pulse through his fingertips, confirming that she was alright except for her emotional distress. Only then did his heart, which had been hanging in suspense for so long, finally settle down, and he breathed a sigh of relief almost inaudibly.

However, his gaze involuntarily drifted past Xi Xiao's shoulder, landing in the direction of the majestic city walls of the capital. The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the distant city towers in a golden-red hue. He stared at them for a long time, his deep eyes churning with complex and unfathomable emotions. Finally, these complex thoughts transformed into a genuine smile on his lips, carrying a sense of relief and resolute acceptance after everything had settled.

“Okay, let’s go home.” He turned his gaze away and looked intently at Xi Xiao, his smile warm and firm.

Xi Xiao saw the smile in his eyes and understood, but she didn't say anything. She just squeezed his hand back tightly and a relieved and expectant smile bloomed on her face.

After drinking some tea at the tavern to soothe their throats, the two had no more lingering feelings. They called upon Yunwu and Qingfeng, and together they embarked on their journey back to Medicine Valley.

Behind them, from behind the half-worn wooden door of the tavern, a figure emerged silently like a ghost. The person wore an inconspicuous gray cloth robe, and his face was hidden under a low-hanging bamboo hat.

Only when the two figures completely disappeared into the twilight and could no longer be seen did he turn around silently, like water flowing into the shadows, and with swift and steady steps, head towards the imperial city, the symbol of the center of the vortex of power.

*

At the beginning of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), as the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, a thin layer of grayish-blue enveloped the majestic palace walls. Groups of court officials, dressed in various colored court robes, walked along the long imperial road towards the Zichen Hall, their feet treading on the damp palace bricks.

A few close friends unconsciously huddled together, lowered their voices, and whispered like insects chirping, exchanging secrets or speculations they had discovered about each other.

As soon as they stepped into the solemn and dignified court, the old ministers, who were keen-senseful and had experienced the rise and fall of several dynasties, all paused in their steps, their hearts suddenly tightening. The atmosphere today was quite different from usual. They quickly exchanged a tacit glance, and their previous whispers came to an abrupt halt. The entire hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

All eyes were involuntarily drawn to the high, lofty throne—

The nine-tasseled beaded curtain, a symbol of imperial majesty and meant to shield the emperor from view, had been removed. The young emperor sat unobstructed on his dragon throne, the morning light streaming softly through the grand palace gates. His deep eyes shone brightly, filled with a gentle smile, as his gaze slowly swept over the assembled officials below, revealing a compassion that seemed almost divine, a benevolence that seemed to see through everything.

This unusual occurrence gave many people a jolt of unease.

At this moment, beside the imperial steps, the powerful Regent Prince Ling Zhouli appeared somewhat absent-minded. His brows were furrowed, and his gaze frequently drifted anxiously towards the outside of the hall, as if he were waiting for some important news, or perhaps burdened by some heavy worries.

Last night, Cui, the old nanny who served Consort Li, rushed over to report: Consort Li suddenly felt abdominal pain. She should have immediately summoned the imperial physician, but Consort Li was adamant and refused in every way, saying that she "did not want to make the matter of the bastard in her womb known to everyone."

This excuse, seemingly meant to save face, was actually rather eerie. What troubled Ling Zhou even more was that recently, when he visited Rongxi Palace, Consort Li's attitude had become increasingly cold, subtly distancing herself from him. What was she up to at this critical juncture? He was filled with frustration and melancholy, completely oblivious to the undercurrents swirling in the court.

In the eerie silence, a young, clear voice suddenly broke the stillness: "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present!" The speaker was a young censor in a blue official robe, Wu Qing, the newly appointed supervising censor, and a favorite student of Grand Secretary Qin.

He stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and spoke with a resounding voice, brimming with the boldness of a newborn calf: "The floods in Jiangling are raging like wildfire. The imperial court allocated relief funds and supplies a month ago, but more than half a month has passed, and the local county magistrate has repeatedly reported that he has not received a single penny. This has caused the people of Jiangling to be displaced, their homes destroyed, and cries of despair to fill the land! What's worse, rumors of a plague are spreading in the streets, causing widespread panic and fearing a major disaster. In such a critical moment of life and death, how can the imperial court sit idly by? I beg Your Majesty to investigate!"

Before he finished speaking, his sharp eyes pierced straight into Jiang Chengen, the Vice Minister of Revenue, who was standing at the front of the line!

The sudden blow startled Vice Minister Jiang, who trembled with fear. Upon recognizing the young Wu Qing and feeling the undisguised, piercing gaze directed at him as if he were a corrupt official, a surge of rage rose within him! His goatee bristled, his face flushed crimson, and he pointed at Wu Qing, roaring furiously, "Wu brat, you…you're spouting nonsense! What kind of look is that? Do you suspect me of embezzling disaster relief funds?! Outrageous!"

Facing the old minister's anger, Wu Qing showed no fear. Instead, he straightened his back and spoke in a cold and rigid voice, with an unyielding stubbornness: "Lord Jiang, in the court, please address me by my official title. Do not try to confuse the issue by making personal connections with my father!"

Jiang Chengen's vision went black, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood. Forgetting about arguing with this hothead, he abruptly turned around and knelt heavily in the direction of the throne with a thud. Tears streamed down his face, and his voice was filled with sorrow and anguish, as if he had suffered a great injustice: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This old minister is wronged! A great injustice!"

He kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead instantly turning purple. "Every single penny of the disaster relief funds for Jiangling was personally supervised and distributed by this old minister with utmost care and diligence. I never dared to slacken my efforts. This old minister only cares for the common people and has never bothered to show off my achievements or seek favor in front of others. Now... now I have been falsely accused and framed in court by this brat. This old minister... this old minister's heart is being torn apart, and my bones are chilled to the bone!"

After wailing and accusing him, he suddenly turned his head, his bloodshot eyes staring intently at Wu Qing, his voice hoarse: "Lord Wu, you keep saying that I am corrupt, where is the evidence? Without any proof, you are falsely accusing a high-ranking official of the court in court, what is your punishment?"

Wu Qing had been waiting for this very sentence. His face remained expressionless, as if he had been prepared all along. He calmly took out a stack of papers covered with writing from his bosom. Wang Dequan, the chief eunuch standing beside the throne, immediately understood. He quickly walked down the steps with small, quick steps, respectfully accepted the stack of "petitions" with both hands, and then jogged back to the throne, bowed deeply, and presented them to the emperor.

Pei Yun's compassionate smile remained unchanged. He extended his slender fingers, took the stack of papers unhurriedly, and casually flipped through a few pages. Then, he slightly turned his head, his gaze falling on the unsettled Regent Prince Ling Zhouli beside him, and spoke in a gentle tone as if in casual conversation: "Uncle, this matter involves many things. Would you like to take a look?"

At this moment, Ling Zhouli's mind was filled with Consort Li's abdominal pain and her strange refusal to receive treatment. He had no mind to care about the flood in Jiangling or the Ministry of Revenue's embezzlement. He waved his hand absentmindedly, his tone extremely perfunctory: "It's just a small matter. Why bother? His Majesty is of the highest order and can handle it himself."

These words struck Jiang Chengen, who was kneeling on the ground, like a bolt from the blue. He raised his head sharply, his eyes, filled with tears and bloodshot veins, were filled with extreme shock and disbelief. He stared intently at the man he had once regarded as his support and who had served him faithfully, as if he were seeing his true face for the first time!

Just then, Lin Wuyong, standing at the front of the civil officials' line, let out a clear sneer. He slowly took a step forward, looking at Jiang Chengen, who was kneeling on the ground as if struck by lightning, and said with sarcasm and a hint of sarcasm: "Minister Jiang, now that things have come to this, I advise you to be a wise man and confess as soon as possible, lest... in the end, you won't even know who pushed you out to take the blame, or who you took the knife for and died for... you won't be confused at all!"