After that, everyone waited for Liu Dalei to bring the keys.
Xiao Yunying had many questions for Chen Yuancheng, but there were too many outsiders around, so she couldn't speak rashly.
Chen Yuancheng saw through her thoughts and said to the magistrate, "Since Yunying is alright, Lord Li, you can go ahead and attend to your business. Once the key is delivered, I will take Yunying back directly."
The magistrate was finally relieved to see that the two men had no intention of taking their anger out on him. He realized that they might be trying to get rid of him so they could talk about something. Instead of being overly polite, he wisely said, "Then I'll head back to the yamen first. Young Master Chen, please make yourself at home."
After everyone left the torture chamber, Xiao Yunying asked impatiently, "Can I leave now?"
Chen Yuancheng said, "The matter is settled. Luo Sheng has found evidence to clear your name and restore your status as county magistrate. You are still the glory of Xiaqu Village."
His deliberately teasing tone made Xiao Yunying a little embarrassed: "Stop teasing me, tell me what exactly happened?"
No one poisoned the Empress Dowager, so where would there be any so-called evidence?
Chen Yuancheng paused for a moment, then decided not to hide it from her anymore: "The Ninth Prince's crime of treason is true. His Majesty, out of consideration for our brotherhood, has only demoted him to a commoner and imprisoned him in his mansion for life."
Some of the evidence presented proved that the Empress Dowager was also involved. His Majesty, deeply respecting the Emperor's filial piety, only placed the Empress Dowager under house arrest in her own palace, cutting off all possible contact with the outside world. He would allow her to live out her days in peace, but nothing else was possible.
Xiao Yunying was skeptical: "Is it really that simple?"
Chen Yuancheng said, "His Majesty is not in good health and has been pretending not to care much about things. The Empress Dowager really thought he was terminally ill and became somewhat complacent. By the time she realized something was wrong, His Majesty had already secretly resolved everything."
Xiao Yunying recalled the emperor she had met once in the Empress Dowager's palace: "I don't think His Majesty's sickly appearance is an act."
Chen Yuancheng lowered his voice and said, "His Majesty's poor health is not an act. The Empress Dowager had someone secretly poison him when he was young, and by the time it was discovered, it was too late."
Xiao Yunying pursed her lips. This palace really is a place that devours people without spitting out their bones.
Chen Yuancheng continued to explain: "His Majesty summoned us back to the capital this time to instruct my father on matters concerning the next monarch. He also wanted to offer me an official position to stay in the capital, but I declined on the grounds of being physically weak."
Xiao Yunying understood. She knew from their previous casual conversations that although Chen Yuancheng's father was not very old, he was very knowledgeable. He had been teaching before becoming the Imperial Tutor and had many students, many of whom were now officials in the court. He was quite prestigious among civil officials.
If a new emperor is to be established, his support will make things much easier.
It's only because Master Chen was indifferent to fame and fortune that one can imagine how high his position and power were in the court.
"So His Majesty..."
Chen Yuancheng quickly interrupted her, "You know it, there's no need to say it."
Xiao Yunying quickly shut her mouth and changed the subject: "Why didn't you stay in the capital to be an official? Why did you come back?"
Chen Yuancheng's gaze softened: "Like you, I don't like getting involved in those things. Besides, I'm not in good health and don't have the energy to deal with them."
Xiao Yunying agreed, saying, "That's right. Spending all day in the court having to feign politeness with certain people will make you sick even if you're not. It's better not to go."
She thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you know anything about Luo Sheng?"
Chen Yuancheng's smile faded slightly: "He's fine, and he even made a great contribution. I heard that he used this achievement to petition the Emperor for an imperial decree for you, so the decree should arrive soon."
Unfortunately, Xiao Yunying didn't notice the change in his emotions, and only said in surprise, "Imperial consort? So my value has increased again?"
No wonder the magistrate was so polite to me; he must have already received the news.
Chen Yuancheng found her appearance amusing again: "Now that I have no official position or rank, will I have to bow to you when I see you in the future?"
Xiao Yunying waved her hand dismissively, "Then there's no need. We're like family."
As they were joking around, Liu Dalei came running over, panting: "Young Master Chen, I've brought the keys."
Chen Yuancheng took the key, unlocked the lock around Xiao Yunying's neck, and gently lowered the chain.
Xiao Yunying stretched her neck: "Finally, it's loose."
Liu Dalei looked at her anxiously and said, "Miss, you should go see a doctor right away. I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were allergic to fennel."
Xiao Yunying smiled and said, "Brother Liu, there's no need to blame yourself. I didn't even know I was allergic to fennel. I didn't like eating fennel before, but I thought it would be good to try it today. Who knew this would happen?"
Chen Yuancheng said, "Let's stop chatting for now. He's right. Let's see a doctor first."
Xiao Yunying felt that her condition was not serious, but she thought it would be good to see a doctor, so she did not refuse.
As they walked out, Liu Dalei approached Xiao Yunying and whispered, "Miss, I've already spent most of that fifty taels of silver. I can't come up with it right away. Could you consider it a loan and pay me back later?"
Xiao Yunying knew that the other party had probably misunderstood, thinking that if she wanted the silver notes that Hu Feng had extorted back, she would also want them back: "Brother Liu, you can use them with peace of mind. There is no need to think about returning the money. I have not suffered so much these past two days because of your care. This money was well spent."
Liu Dalei glanced at Chen Yuancheng walking ahead: "But..."
"Why are you looking at him, Brother Liu? I'm spending my own money, not his."
Liu Dalei agreed only after confirming that Chen Yuancheng had no objections: "Thank you very much, young lady."
As expected, when passing by the cell where Old Lady Liu was being held, I was once again attacked by noise.
Xiao Yunying didn't say much, only saying to her, "I'm going out, you can stay here," before leaving gracefully, which made Old Lady Liu tremble with anger.
As the group walked out of the prison, Xiao Yunying raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glaring sunlight: "It's already autumn, why is it still so hot?"
The prison was perpetually dark, damp, and cold, but when you came out, you could clearly feel the heat hitting you.
Chen Yuancheng said, "Even in early autumn, the midday sun can be very hot; otherwise, there wouldn't be the saying 'autumn tiger.'"
Xiao Yunying stretched out her arms, basking in the sunlight: "It's nice to be able to bask in the sun. It feels so good to be free again."
"Miss Xiao, Miss Xiao, please spare my life!"
The pleas for mercy from the side brought Xiao Yunying back to her senses. Turning around, she saw that Hu Feng had been tied by the neck and hung from the prison wall.
She strolled over leisurely and saw that the other person's clothes were disheveled and hair was messy, probably because Liu Dalei had woken him up and rushed over.
"Hey, isn't this Lord Hu Feng, the head of the jailers? What's he doing hanging here?"
Hu Feng looked at her in a panic and said, "Miss, I was blind to your greatness. Please let me go."
He was sleeping at home when Liu Dalei suddenly ran to his house and said that the county magistrate wanted him to come and get the keys.
As soon as he heard that the magistrate wanted the keys, he put on his coat and ran over.
Little did he know that he was caught by others as soon as he arrived at the prison gate, his neck was chained and he was hung there, supposedly because the magistrate ordered him to be hung for a few days to appease Miss Xiao.
No one told him exactly what had happened. Hu Feng thought Xiao Yunying was going to hang him there, which terrified him so much that he started trembling uncontrollably and kept begging for mercy.
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