The next day, at dawn, Shangguan Wanning arrived at the palace gate with the secret help of Zheng Binghong.
She rushed forward in the misty fog, and the guards guarding the drum of grievance spotted her at the first moment.
"Who?"
"Shangguan Wan Ning."
Shangguan Wanning strode forward and bowed to the two guards. "My Shangguan family has been wrongly accused. I want to see the emperor. Please give me some convenience."
The two guards looked at each other and put away their steel knives.
"So it's Princess An Ning. Since you're here, no matter who you are or what your status is, you have the right to beat the drum to protest. But... the princess should know the rules."
Shangguan Wan calmed down, paused and said, "I know."
"Then please get ready, my lord."
The two guards put down their steel knives, picked up the torture sticks next to the drum of grievance, and approached Shangguan Wanning step by step.
Shangguan Wanning was raised in the palm of her hand. Except for the time when she was caught by human traffickers, she had never suffered any hardship, especially physical pain.
She looked at the stick in the guard's hand and felt a little scared.
But thinking of her parents suffering in prison, Shangguan Wanning took a deep breath and stood firmly where she was.
"You guys go ahead and do it."
The two guards looked at each other, and one of them raised the stick high and hit Shangguan Wanning on the back.
However, when he raised his hand, he suddenly felt it was weak and he had no strength left after hitting Shangguan Wanning with the stick.
Seeing this, the other guard thought his partner was showing mercy and showed a look of dissatisfaction.
The task of guarding the drum of grievances is no trivial matter. If anyone is found to have committed favoritism or perverted the law during this process, the emperor will investigate and execute the entire family.
In order to make amends as much as possible, he also raised the stick and hit Shangguan Wanning.
But he couldn't do anything.
Shangguan Wanning closed her eyes in fear, but did not feel the expected pain.
Faintly, I could hear the sound of horse hooves, gradually approaching from afar...
There are probably not many people in the imperial court who can ride a horse to the palace gate.
Shangguan Wanning looked ahead and a figure gradually emerged.
He was riding on a brown horse, wearing exquisite armor, looking majestic, with a dark complexion, a burly figure, and a murderous look on his face.
"I pay my respects to Lord Ling."
The two guards knelt down hurriedly to pay homage.
Lord Ling?
Shangguan Wanning's heart skipped a beat, and an official position emerged in her mind.
Southeast Jiedushi?
Ling Ruiying's gaze was fixed on Shangguan Wanning. He looked at her carefully, and a wicked curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"It has been many, many years since anyone has beaten the drum of complaint outside the Golden Throne Hall, and it was a girl. I never thought that I would see such a grand event just after I came back."
An ominous premonition surged in Shangguan Wanning's heart.
"But just now I saw your two sticks hitting down, and it seemed like they didn't have much power."
Ling Ruiying changed the subject, looked at the two guards, and snorted coldly. "Could it be that there is another hidden story?"
The two guards were so frightened that they turned pale and knelt on the ground, not daring to get up.
"Lord Ling is very insightful. We two are just feeling unwell, so..."
"Never mind, it's not your fault. No one has complained to the emperor for decades. It's just your bad luck that you have to be executed when you are not feeling well."
Ling Ruiying turned over and got off the horse, throwing the reins to the accompanying servant.
"Girl, although you are a woman, you cannot violate the law of the country. Since the two of them are powerless, let me do it for you. What do you think?"
Shangguan Wanning's heart instantly fell to the bottom.
According to Mu Jingrui's original estimate, Ling Ruiying would not be able to return to the capital until tomorrow at the earliest, but he was already standing in front of her.
Obviously, he chose to travel light, even traveling day and night.
"Lord Ling is a high-ranking official. Why would you personally handle such a trivial matter?"
Ling Ruiying had already seen Shangguan Wanning's worry and laughed out loud.
Shangguan Wanning felt an unprecedented sense of oppression from this person, as if... she could smell the blood and murderous aura coming down from the battlefield.
"You're right. If I were to do it, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to withstand a single blow." Ling Ruixue clapped her hands after she finished speaking.
"Master Ling, what do you want me to do?"
Ling Ruiying's personal bodyguard immediately stepped forward and glanced at Shangguan Wanning out of the corner of his eye, as if to provoke her.
"Just work hard for a while and complete the task for these two guys." Ling Ruiying said lightly, "They are girls after all, don't be too harsh, it would be bad if they get maimed or killed."
"yes."
After receiving the order, the guard immediately picked up the stick on the ground and hit Shangguan Wanning on the back.
A gust of wind blew over, and the guard was blown away and fell heavily to the ground.
Everyone only felt a flash before their eyes, and a figure passed by above their heads and blocked Shangguan Wanning's way.
Mu Jingrui claimed to be ill and did not attend court today. He has been secretly following and protecting Shangguan Wanning.
"It's rare to have such inner strength at such a young age! Rare!"
Ling Ruiying didn't seem surprised at all. He looked at Mu Jingrui and smiled meaningfully.
“Jingrui…” Shangguan Wanning didn’t want Mu Jingrui to have a conflict with Ling Ruiying under such circumstances, so she whispered, “Don’t worry about it, let…”
"Do you want to die?" Mu Jingrui growled.
Ling Ruiying's men will definitely not show mercy to Shangguan Wanning's men.
After thirty beatings, Shangguan Wanning was either beaten to death or crippled.
"Princess An Ning, this imperial complaint...are you still going to file?"
Ling Ruiying had already recognized Shangguan Wanning and was obviously well prepared.
"Let's go." Mu Jingrui took Shangguan Wanning's hand and prepared to leave, and whispered to comfort her, "We'll find another way."
"Wait."
Ling Ruiying called the two of them and looked at them with a smile.
"If I remember correctly, Shangguan Wan Ning is now a wanted criminal by the imperial court. If she doesn't continue to file a complaint with the emperor, she will be taken to prison and await trial."
Ling Ruiying looked coldly at Mu Jingrui, and invisible smoke of gunpowder gradually spread.
"Master Mu, are you sending her to Jingzhao Prefecture or to the Ministry of Justice now?"
Shangguan Wanning frowned.
Ling Ruiying is away from home all year round, but he can recognize Mu Jingrui at a glance.
It seems that the Ling family has put a lot of effort into the court.
But in her memory of her previous life, the Ling family did not directly participate in the battle for the throne between Xiao Zhenting and Xiao Yujue.
"If Master Mu feels embarrassed, let me do it for you."
"You are not qualified." Mu Jingrui protected Shangguan Wanning and looked at Ling Ruiying with sharp eyes.
Ling Ruiying's face darkened and murderous intent slowly emerged.
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