Chapter 245: Redressing Father's Injustice
"Miss, beating the drum for reporting will result in punishment by caning!"
Qing Shuang stood in front of her master, her face pale. "Maybe things will turn around. Why are you so anxious, young lady?"
"It's not that simple." Su Cheng held the drumstick in his hand, his expression firm. "Father is in charge of the Ministry of War and has military merit. It's impossible for him not to know how important the military token is. Besides, father is not a careless person. If he casually threw such an important thing in the study, it would obviously attract attention."
Qing Shuang was stunned and murmured, "Then what the lady meant was..."
"The palace won't release them. It's most likely Lord Zhang's order. He wants this matter resolved secretly and doesn't want to provoke a quarrel with the Sheng family, led by the Empress Dowager." Su Cheng raised his eyes to the high crescent moon, his lips curled up slightly. "Of course, I can't let them have their way. Now that the fire has been lit, I might as well let it burn brighter."
"But..." Qing Shuang turned around and looked at the drum that was as tall as two people, her heart trembling. "If this servant can take the punishment for the young lady, it will be fine, but there is a rule. Only those who beat the drum can seek redress after being beaten with a stick."
Su Cheng shook his head and lowered his voice. "The Zhao family is sealed off, and the people inside can't get out. You are the only person available to me. Don't worry about me. Go to the Qinwang Mansion and wait. If you see Liu Shoucheng and his wife——"
The evening breeze blew through the street, blowing away her words, leaving only the rustling of leaves.
But Qingshuang still saw the lady's lip movements.
"kill."
"As you command."
Qing Shuang's thin figure disappeared around the corner of the street, her skirt fluttering in the wind. Just by looking at her back, one could sense the murderous intent in her.
Cai Lian was only good at close combat, and her swordsmanship was mastered to perfection. She also learned a lesson in light skills, which allowed her to walk silently.
Su Cheng shifted his gaze indifferently, raised the drumstick high, and slammed it hard on the drum.
The sound of drums echoed throughout the streets, attracting even the people around.
The Lantern Festival is three days away. The original curfew has been shortened, and the workers are busy making preparations. A dozen vendors have seized the opportunity and come out to sell lanterns in advance, so the streets are not deserted.
Dengwen drum is different from ordinary drums. The sound of the drum is heavy and muffled, which can be recognized at the first listen.
"Someone is beating the drum to report the news!"
"No way, it's already this late, how could there be any officials in the Censorate?"
"I heard it too. It was indeed the sound of the Dengwen drum."
"Go and have a look! Beating the drum in the middle of the night! What a great injustice!"
In front of the Censorate, Su Cheng kept waving his arms and the drumsticks pounded down again and again, making people feel uneasy.
The Dengwen drum was too big and the drumstick was heavy, so it took a lot of effort to swing it every time. But Su Cheng didn't dare to stop and had to attract everyone on the street.
As more and more people gathered on both sides of the street, the door to the Censorate slowly opened, and a man strode out. He was shorter than an ordinary man, his clothes were a little disheveled, and he had even forgotten to wear his black gauze hat. "How dare you! Who is beating the drum so late at night?"
As he finished speaking, he glanced aside and saw the woman standing in front of the Dengwen drum. His brows immediately furrowed, "Are you the one beating the drum?"
Su Cheng nodded slightly, neither humble nor arrogant, "It's me."
The man took a deep breath, his face clearly showing impatience. "Who are you and why are you beating the drum?"
Su Cheng knelt down, raised the drumstick in her hand above her head, and said loudly, "My lord, I am the daughter of Zhao Hu, the Minister of War. Today, the Zhao family suffered a great disaster. My father has been imprisoned in the palace and accused of treason. I am here to redress my father's injustice and am willing to receive thirty strokes of the cane!"
Hearing this, the man's face changed drastically, "Zhao...are you a daughter of the Zhao family?"
He had naturally heard about the Zhao family and understood the interests involved. Now that he saw Su Cheng, he couldn't help but feel hesitant and uneasy.
The Zhao family's rebellion was a matter of great importance, and that was what tripped up Lord Zhang. Otherwise, how could it be his turn to be on duty at the Censorate?
"You get up first." The man looked a little embarrassed. He waved at Su Cheng, signaling her to get up quickly. "Hurry up and talk!"
Although he didn't know who Su Cheng was, he knew who the Zhao girl was engaged to.
Xie Suzhou, the doctor of the Ministry of Revenue, is the grandson of Grand Tutor Gu!
If he punished harshly in front of so many people, and if Grand Tutor Gu found out, he would probably be skinned alive.
Su Cheng slowly stood up, looking at him with a soft but firm gaze. "Your Excellency is also an important official in the court, otherwise you would not be here to serve in the Censorate. I don't need to explain much. Your Excellency is also aware of the fate of an official once he is charged with treason. I beg you to consider your relationship with my father as a colleague and clear the Zhao family's name."
"This..." The man's face turned grim. He looked around and saw the people nearby looking over their shoulders. He was at a loss for words. "Young lady, you should go back first. This matter is serious and cannot be resolved by the Court of Censors. I have no personal relationship with your father, but your beating the drum late at night to save him is a filial act that can move heaven and earth. I will spare you the caning this time."
After saying that, he turned around and went back home.
"Sir!" Su Cheng's heart sank, and he stretched out his drumstick to block his way.
The man frowned, his face uneasy. He looked at Su Cheng coldly and whispered, "Girl, I've already given you a chance. Don't refuse my offer. You know how serious a crime treason is. Now it's a mess, but the family hasn't been affected yet. If you insist on getting involved, I won't be able to show you mercy anymore."
"Your Excellency is so decisive. Are you certain that the Zhao family is plotting a rebellion?" Su Cheng forced a smile, a glint of sarcasm in his eyes. "I thought that since you could be admitted to the Censorate, you would be a fair and just official like Lord Zhang. I didn't expect you to be such a coward."
Hearing this, the man instantly became furious and sneered, "You are quite sharp when you speak, girl. You rang the drum in the middle of the night to report the incident, and I didn't punish you. I just told you to hide back home and wait for your punishment. Not only are you not grateful, you even insulted me with your words."
"Let me ask you, you say this is a wrongful case, do you have any evidence?"
The man pursed his lips, his eyes gleaming, "If there is no evidence, you will definitely be beaten with a stick!"
"What can a mere military token tell you?" Su Cheng stared at him intently, his eyes filled with undisguised sarcasm. "Even my father was only temporarily imprisoned in the palace. Elder Zhang hasn't been convicted yet, yet you, sir, have cleared yourself of all charges."
"The charges haven't been determined yet, so what's wrong with me redressing my father's grievances? Your Excellency is guarding the Court of Censors, but you refuse to listen to the truth from the wronged man. You are truly unworthy of your position."
"How insolent!" Su Cheng's words touched the man's bottom line, and he instantly became furious.
"I see you're Zhao Hu's daughter, and I've been so tolerant of you. Why do you insist on going against the grain and being so stubborn?" The man said sarcastically, "If there was no evidence, why would Lord Zhang have Zhao Hu imprisoned? If I were you, I'd be staying home right now and not causing any more trouble!"
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