Chapter 131 is like an insult.
This was the first time Lu Jinlan had ever been imprisoned. In the past, she was always the one outside the prison, the one seeing others off on their way.
When I was a subject, I had thought that a single misstep could land me in jail, but I had never actually been imprisoned. I never imagined that becoming emperor would give me the experience of being imprisoned.
The cell smelled damp and musty. Lu Jinlan rubbed his nose, looked around, then leaned over the cell door and called the cell boss over.
"Hey, I need to ask you something. Do you know where this prisoner named Xu Lin is kept?"
The jailer strode over, saying, "I know, what do you want?"
Lu Jinlan smiled and said, "I've heard she writes very well, and I greatly admire talented people. I'd like to be locked in the same cell as her; could you do me that?"
The jailer frowned and said, "Hey Lu Er, how come you've caused so much trouble so soon after you've been locked up? There are so many heroic figures in this world, you don't admire them, but Xu Lin is a traitor, why do you admire her?"
Lu Jinlan hurriedly said, "I also admire heroic figures, such as... Jiang Tianjiao who sacrificed her life for righteousness."
Lu Jinlan quickly tried to establish a connection, saying, "She's also a prison guard, so she's in the same line of work as you. If it weren't for those eleven heroines in the prison, how could our Lord Xiang be alive? It's clear that helping others is helping yourself; you might even become famous overnight and known throughout the world."
As Lu Jinlan spoke, she took out a silver ingot and stuffed it into the jailer's hand, "Why don't you emulate the heroine? I'll pass on your name later."
The jailer hesitated, holding the silver. "I heard you're also a rebel. You're not trying to get Xu Lin to give a false testimony, are you?"
Lu Jinlan said, "I am a rebel from the capital, and she is a local. We are not in the same group and cannot be linked."
"Alright then." The jailer finally relented, took out a large key to unlock the door for her. "I don't care if you make me famous, you're not some big shot. But I've always admired chivalrous heroines since I was a child, but I'm just unlucky to be born in this godforsaken place. I wish I could be like Jiang Tianjiao, but I can't meet Lu Jinlan."
She sighed as she spoke, "I'll help you out this time, Lu Er. Consider it a favor. If others ask, you'll have to say a few words about it for me."
Lu Jinlan replied, "Definitely, please tell me your name first."
The jailer said, "My name is Zhang Tiezhu."
Lu Jinlan said, "Alright, I'll tell you later that Zhang Tiezhu, the jailer of Xinping Prefecture, is a heroic figure, chivalrous and helpful, with the demeanor of a great knight."
Zhang Tiezhu was pleased to hear this and cheerfully escorted her to Xu Lin's cell, also offering a few words of comfort to Lu Jinlan.
"Go inside. They'll serve your food in a bit, and I'll have someone give you a couple extra spoonfuls. So what if you're going to jail? Don't do anything rash. Eat and drink as usual. A death sentence is just a quick snip, it's not a big deal."
Lu Jinlan thanked him and turned to look at the people in the prison.
Xu Lin sat facing the wall with her back to Lu Jinlan. Lu Jinlan walked around to her side and observed her from a distance. He estimated that Xu Lin was probably in her forties, with a slender frame and a thin face, and had a scholarly air about her.
Feeling her scrutinizing gaze, Xu Lin lifted her eyelids and glanced at her. "What is it?"
Lu Jinlan smiled slightly, "It's nothing. I heard that you are the one who wrote the proclamation against the current emperor. I admire your literary talent and came here to see it."
"Oh," Xu Lin said, "you're a scholar too, you've read my manifesto."
Lu Jinlan nodded, then recited the insulting passage from memory, shaking his head and reading aloud: "The false ruler, Lu Jinlan, is actually an evil star descended to earth. He comes from a cunning merchant family and has presumptuously seized the throne."
"He falsely claimed to be of imperial lineage, corrupted the palace, indulged in lust and debauchery, and favored seductive concubines. He discarded the skill of writing that could turn rivers and seas upside down, and used the ability of strategizing that could shift the stars to rebel against the emperor."
"Even with extraordinary talent, a rebellious nature can lead to the downfall of those with divine wisdom, who squander their intelligence on scheming. They deserve to be hated by both gods and men, and condemned by heaven and earth!"
Lu Jinlan couldn't help but smile when she got to this part of the recitation, "Senior, did I make a single mistake?"
Xu Lin praised, "Not a single word is wrong. You seem like a quick-witted and educated person to me; how did you end up here?"
Lu Jinlan sat down and said, "They say I'm a traitor."
"Traitor, tsk." Xu Lin said regretfully, "Why did you have to rebel?"
Lu Jinlan retorted, "Weren't you imprisoned here for rebelling? If you can rebel, why can't I?"
Xu Lin said, "How can these be the same? I am forty-two years old and all alone, with no elderly parents or young children. I make a living by weaving mats and selling shoes, and I have never had a chance to rise in society. Rebellion is nothing more than death, nothing at all. But you are different. You are so young. Do you have parents, a husband, or children at home?"
Lu Jinlan said, "Yes, my mother is alive, and I have a lot of husband and children."
Xu Lin felt even more sorry upon hearing this, "Then why are you blindly joining in the fun? You look like a smart person, can't you see that although this group of rebels is making a lot of noise, they are no match for the Emperor. In the end, they will definitely lose their heads and their bodies will be thrown into the mass grave to feed the dogs."
Lu Jinlan frowned slightly. "It sounds like you already knew the rebellion wouldn't succeed."
Xu Lin said with certainty, "Of course it won't succeed. Lu Jinlan is a man who rose to the throne by killing on the battlefield and spilling blood in the palace. This group in Yaozhou is no different from bandits. In terms of literature, martial arts, strategy and strength, let alone reaching the capital, if they can hold out for three months without being wiped out, it would be considered that Lu Jinlan was being lenient and that the rebels were lucky."
Lu Jinlan smiled. "I think you don't really want to rebel, nor do you really want to die."
Xu Lin was taken aback. "How so?"
Lu Jinlan said, "Even with extraordinary talent, one is prone to rebellion, and one's wisdom is used for scheming. You use such sentences to describe the Emperor, and I don't think you hate her. You say she has the skill to make rivers and seas turn upside down with a stroke of her pen, and the ability to move stars with her strategies. This is more like an insult than hatred."
Xu Lin hurriedly asked, "What does 'humiliating pursuit' mean?"
Lu Jinlan said, "It means that you acknowledge the other person's talent in your heart, but you criticize their behavior with strong words. It's like being disappointed in someone who is not living up to their potential. So you insult them while keeping an eye on their movements."
Xu Lin's eyes lit up, and she grabbed Lu Jinlan's hand. "Young friend, you're truly a kindred spirit! You're right, I really didn't intend to rebel. The Emperor sits firmly on the throne; rebellion would be like an ant trying to shake a tree. I'm not that stupid."
"Of course, I didn't really want to die. I'm very confident in my talents, but I regret that I've never had a chance to shine. That's why..."
Lu Jinlan said, "That's why you used the pretext of rebellion to write this manifesto, hoping to gain an opportunity to stand out."
Xu Lin nodded and said, "What do you think of this plan?"
Lu Jinlan said, "Isn't that too risky? Rebellion is a capital offense. Aren't you afraid the Emperor won't even look at you and will just behead you?"
Xu Lin said helplessly, "This is a last resort. When I was young, the late emperor was very strict in selecting officials. I had neither the support of my clan nor the recommendation of any high-ranking officials."
"Although the current emperor is recruiting talents widely, there are also many restrictions. To obtain official rank, one must be under forty years old, and I no longer meet the requirements. Without this method, I really don't know how to showcase my talents to the emperor."
Lu Jinlan said, "So, what you wrote in your manifesto is not the truth?"
Xu Lin hurriedly said, "It's the truth! If it weren't the truth, how could a traitor gain my trust? But even if it were the truth, so what? If I were the emperor, I wouldn't be angry at all."
"The Emperor is an unconventional person. Would she care what others say about her background? As for being lustful, that's even less of a concern. Looking at history, which emperor didn't have a harem of three thousand? The current Emperor Zhaowu is a paragon of civil and military achievements. What's wrong with such a peerless heroine playing around with men?"
"As for the talk of rebellion, that has existed since ancient times. No matter how one obtains the throne, being a good emperor is all that matters. What does it matter whether the emperor is of Zhao blood or not? Does the throne reside in the Zhao family ancestral hall, reserved only for those with the surname Zhao?"
Lu Jinlan pursed her lips. "Well said! But now that things have come to this, what are your plans?"
Xu Lin sighed, "To be honest, I've been worried about this for days. Tell me, am I wrong? According to my calculations, the Emperor should be able to see the admiration in my writing. Not only will she not kill me, but she should also order someone to bring me to the capital to meet the Emperor."
Lu Jinlan curled the corners of her lips. "Enter the palace to meet the Emperor, and then what?"
Xu Lin said, "Then I expressed my feelings to the Emperor. She shouldn't be a petty person, and she might be willing to take me under her command. I've considered all the people around the Emperor. Although there are many talented people, she lacks someone like me."
"A person who can amaze the world with his writings and write books to set the record straight."
As Xu Lin finished speaking, she straightened her coarse linen clothes, as if she were ready to go to the capital to meet the emperor at any time.
But a hint of worry immediately gathered between her brows. "But why haven't the officials taken me to the capital yet? Have I misjudged the Emperor, or has she not seen my proclamation?"
"Could it be that Zhang Siyuan didn't send the proclamation to the capital? Surely she could tell it's a good article. If she didn't, that would be terrible. What an incompetent fool who ruined my life!"
Lu Jinlan chuckled, her keen ears picking up the sound of hurried footsteps outside the wall, which, judging from the direction, were heading towards the prison.
Lu Jinlan couldn't help but laugh and said, "Is there another possibility? The Emperor cherishes talent so much that he personally came out of the capital to see you?"
Xu Lin was stunned for a moment. "It's impossible for him to come and see me. I've lived for over forty years, and I wouldn't dare to dream of such a thing."
Lu Jinlan raised an eyebrow. "Why not? What if she not only comes to see you, but also makes a special trip to this prison to have a long talk with you?"
Xu Lin shook her head repeatedly, "That's a joke. The Emperor has never been to jail in her life. How could she possibly go to prison for a simple mat weaver and sandal seller like me?"
"Besides, I've even insulted her. If she can forgive me, she'll be a wise ruler. If she can send someone to summon me to the capital, she'll be a great emperor for all time. If she personally goes to the prison, she'll be a god! No way!"
Before the words were finished, a commotion erupted at the door, followed by a loud announcement: "His Excellency the Prime Minister has arrived! His Excellency the Grand Commandant has arrived!"
Xu Lin suddenly stood up, excitedly saying, "They've come to pick me up! The Emperor has sent people to pick me up! He personally dispatched two ministers; the Emperor truly values talent. Don't panic, young friend. After I have an audience with the Emperor, I will plead for you and surely spare your life. Come quickly with me to pay our respects to the two ministers and make a good impression on them."
Lu Jinlan sat there, shaking her head with a smile.
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Author's Note: The proclamation section referenced both the "Proclamation Against Wu Zetian" and the "Proclamation Against Cao Cao." Back then, Empress Wu Zetian greatly praised the literary style of the "Proclamation Against Wu Zetian," and Cao Cao also highly praised the "Proclamation Against Cao Cao." I, Emperor Lu, have surpassed Cao Cao in achievements, and taking Empress Wu Zetian as my role model, I also possess a magnanimous spirit! (I feel like I've been possessed by Xu Lin!)
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