Chapter 48: Two sides, one whispering hate in his left ear, the other whispering love in his right. ...
When the imperial tomb collapsed, Emperor Xiaokang was furious and immediately ordered Sheng Yan to be imprisoned until the cause was found out and he would be dealt with accordingly.
Although they were awaiting punishment, many officials were well aware of the situation and had already prepared their stalls to watch from the sidelines.
Lou Yanxu knew that Sheng Ling had long anticipated Sheng Yan's greed, so the collapse of the imperial tomb was to be expected. She wasn't too upset and went about her business as usual. Three days later, the gossipy people whispered again, saying that Sheng Yan's case had been basically clarified and that the punishment would be decided in court the next day.
The sound faded as she buried herself in her writing, listening intently to get a general idea of what was going on. As she finished writing the last word of the page, she picked up a piece of white paper, dipped it in ink again, and then heard the commotion from the corner; one of them exclaimed in surprise.
"Why has Minister Xu come?"
"Such a large commotion, could it be that someone has committed a crime again?"
Lou Yanxu looked up at the sound and saw a squad of Imperial Guards standing on either side of the entrance. A voice rang in her ears, "Look, look, they're going to Commander Lou's place!"
The sunlight at 9 AM dazzled my eyes, leaving a patch of white. Through the blur, a purple figure appeared clearly, walking step by step.
"Lou Shuling." Hearing him call her that for the first time, she was a little stunned. She gripped the pen tightly, and the pine soot ink dripped down the pen tip, staining the white paper with a black blot.
Xu Congjing glanced at him and gave him a proper greeting. "The Dali Temple is preparing to interrogate foreign spies and will need you to translate for them. I'll trouble you to make the trip."
But as a mere seventh-rank official, she feared it might be inappropriate for her to overstep her bounds, so she stood up and said, "They should..."
“Only you are familiar with this phrase,” he interrupted, his eyes sweeping over the crowd without making a sound, his voice becoming much louder.
Lou Yan understood that this action was less a sign of disrespect than a chance to vindicate her. Those people were already dissatisfied, so why not take this opportunity to prove that she was not without talent and had entered the court with her own merits? Therefore, they stopped refusing and followed him to the Dali Temple, leaving behind the gossip behind them.
The journey was solemn and silent. Upon arriving at the Dali Temple, the bricks and stones were black and gray, and two guards with swords stood guard with cold faces. Just seeing the three characters "Dali Temple" was enough to give off a solemn and oppressive atmosphere.
When they arrived at the prison, there was not a ray of light inside, and the faint smell of blood filled the air. The jailer opened the door, and Xu Congjing lifted his foot but stopped and looked back. He said to Lou Yanxu in a serious tone, "You are an official appointed by the court, and you are upright. There is nothing to fear."
"I'm not afraid." Lou Yanxu smiled back. She had seen ruins and corpses everywhere in Annam before, so how could she care about such a small prison?
He gave her a deep look, and could guess most of what had happened to her. He clenched his fists, veins bulging, his chest trembling. Suppressing his pity, he turned and stepped into the prison.
The room was dimly lit, with various instruments of torture laid out on a long table. Thick iron chains hung high, and the spy was bound to a cross. Sunlight streamed through the window and shone directly on his scarred face. Looking down, his white clothes were stained crimson.
Xu Congjing secretly informed him that it was a Nepalese spy.
Lou Yanxu nodded. The Great Jin Dynasty had recently been at war with Nepal and intended to reclaim it. The capture of a spy was extremely valuable. Originally, Liang Jin, the registrar of the Court of State Ceremonial, also knew Nepali, but he had been imprisoned since the death of the Privy Councilor. Only she knew a little bit of it, so Xu Congjing was not wrong.
The judge in charge was Ling Jian, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He was ruthless and had a reputation as the "King of Hell in the Prison." He was clearly running out of patience. He first bowed to Xu Congjing, then waved his hand and ordered Lou Yanxu, "Tell him that if he doesn't confess, he will be castrated."
This matter involved the nation and its people, so she dared not delay. As soon as the spy was awakened by the splashing, she immediately translated two sentences. The spy lifted his heavy eyelids, chuckled, and remained silent.
Ling Jian gave a signal, and the jailer immediately brought red-hot tongs close to the groin, sparks flying onto the outer trousers—this alone was enough to intimidate. Lou Yanxu seized the opportunity to press closer, emphasizing that no one was there to save her and she had become an abandoned pawn.
He braved fire and water only to be discarded like trash. Under the dual impact of physical and mental strain, he finally let go when the hot tongs touched his flesh.
"How is it?" Ling Jian strode forward, his eyes brimming with wild excitement.
Lou Yanxu said, "He said that the army would attack the border in ten days. His mission was to unite with other spies in Chang'an to create chaos and cut off communication between the front line and the rear."
Where are those spies hiding?
She asked this question, but the spy demanded that Xu Congjing put his ear close to his ear before answering. Lou Yan was afraid of being tricked and hesitated for a moment, but then she saw him walk over and put his right ear close to his ear. She immediately became suspicious. When did he learn Nepali? If he could understand it, why did he send her here?
Just as he was slightly distracted, he suddenly saw the spy open his mouth wide, looking extremely fierce and about to bite off his entire ear!
However, Xu Congjing had anticipated this. He dodged to the side, drew his sharp blade from his waist, and with a swift motion, severed the first index finger joint of the man in front of him. A sharp scream of pain instantly echoed throughout the prison, lingering for a long time.
The knuckles rolled to Lou Yanxu's feet. She swallowed hard a few times, turned her head away, and blinked repeatedly to suppress her reluctance.
Xu Congjing looked at her and knew that she was not such a heartless person. This was too cruel to her, so he wanted to stop her. But she stepped in front of that knuckle and said such cold words without expression.
Just as the third knuckle was about to hit the ground, the scout finally couldn't bear it any longer and spat out the location. He saw that her eyes were empty and breathed a sigh of relief, then led her out.
Those who enter officialdom truly have no right to be soft-hearted, otherwise they will cause great disaster in the future and lose their own lives. Lou Yanxu should have thought this through very clearly. Moreover, when it comes to family and country, there is no right or wrong when positions are different, and no one can do anything about it.
However, this incident was still a significant shock to her. After leaving the Dali Temple, she remained silent and left him far behind.
After leaving the yamen, she returned home, changed her clothes, and invited him to go boating on the river.
The river was calm and still, the painted boats were brightly lit, and the terraces were decorated with displays of fine wine, meat and vegetables.
Xu Congjing was dressed up in a fine manner, looking radiant and dashing. His white robes fluttered as he brandished his sword, while Lou Yanxu sat opposite him, playing music for him.
He was surrounded by silver light, soared into the air, spun around, and leaped, drawing a sharp arc that made his clothes flutter. Then, he raised his longsword and the wine jar, which circled in the air before landing steadily on the sword, spilling a few drops of fragrant wine.
He leaped high into the sky, his dazzling sword light slicing through the darkness like a silver dragon. Lou Yanxu plucked the strings of her zither, the music growing more intense and powerful, like a victorious army returning home. Her sword followed the music, cleaving through the sky. Suddenly, she landed in her white robes, returning to calm, still feeling a sense of unfinished business.
Xu Congjing slung his sword behind his back. Seeing Lou Yanxu's eyes sparkling like spring flowers in bloom, he felt his heart surge. A smile played on his lips. "Are you mesmerized?"
She smoothed the strings and smiled frankly, "Yes, Xu Situ is seven feet tall and as handsome as Pan An, which makes this young lady yearn for him."
"Wanwan." He sheathed his sword, walked up to her, and pressed the strings of his zither.
"I am yours." A pair of slightly calloused hands caressed the smooth face, and a voice as mellow and intoxicating as aged wine was incredibly alluring. "I belong to you."
However, Lou Yanxu remained rational, her eyes clear, "But I don't belong to you, I belong to myself."
"Yes, you don't need to rely on anyone, but I promise, my shoulder will always be there, whenever you want." She wanted to be a free bird, so he became a cage without doors. She could fly wherever she wanted, as long as she was tired and could come home.
"Is that so?" The man before her was completely different from the man who had imprisoned her before. She had gone to great lengths to gain her freedom, and now he was offering himself to her, but she didn't want it anymore. She didn't want to spend her life with him again.
Perhaps sensing something, Xu Congjing hugged her tightly, "Wanwan, we will be happy in the future."
His chin rested on the top of her head, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, his burning body heat pressed against her skin. Lou Yanxu relaxed and nestled in his arms, closing her eyes to inhale his familiar scent, and a tear quietly fell.
The emotions of youth have faded with the wind, and even the love that once existed has changed. She must resolutely and ruthlessly do what she has to do.
A rumble of thunder cut through the sky, and the low, suffocating clouds pressed down. She wiped away her tears, broke free from the embrace, turned around, and regained her composure. "It's going to rain. Let's go home."
The dense rain came suddenly, rippling across the river. Heavy raindrops dripped from the eaves, making the green tiles shine.
The cobblestone path was uneven, and rainwater had accumulated. Lou Yanxu hid under an oil-paper umbrella and hopped across the puddles. Xu Congjing chuckled and tried to help her, saying, "Be careful not to get your shoes and socks wet."
“It’s wet now.” She pushed his hand away and laughed. “Brother used to play with me like this too.”
He was taken aback, and after a long while, he replied, his hoarse voice filled with guilt and shame, "I will accompany you in his place from now on."
After experiencing so much, Lou Yanxu no longer wanted to make any promises. People change, and there's no harm in not keeping a promise. How could she dare to believe anything anymore?
He then remained silent and returned home.
The two stopped at the screen wall, their eyes meeting, their feelings unspoken. Xu Congjing took out a wooden box and opened it, revealing a pair of fish pendants that had been broken and pieced back together.
“I know that a broken jade can never be put back together, so I bought a new one just like it.” He took out another one that was exactly the same and put it in her hand, staring at her intently. “I am deeply ashamed of my many sins and hope that you will forgive me.”
Those mistakes, even if I were to bear the thorns a thousand times over, would not be too much. Now, I am only begging for forgiveness and trying to please her, so naturally I must do my best.
Lou Yanxu hadn't expected him to piece together all the fragments. Seeing the token of their love again, she was overwhelmed with emotions, yet her joy couldn't mask her bitterness. Even identical things are different when they're not.
She strode closer, a thin layer of frost covering her eyes, a cold smile twitching at the corner of her lips, and whispered in his left ear, "I hate you."
But his left ear had been deafened in the explosion, so he couldn't hear anything at all. Only a brief buzzing sound reached his ears. Looking confused, he brought his right ear closer and asked, "What did you say?"
I said I love you.
She smiled gently, her warm breath brushing against his ear, and she tiptoed to plant a light kiss on his chin, making his ears turn red.
Then she watched that tall figure disappear into the distance, and stood by the pond for a long time. The double fish pendant hurt her palm. She came back to her senses, gave a cold look, and sank to the bottom of the pond with a "plop" under the silver moonlight.
Love or hate, she will show no mercy tomorrow.
The next day at court, Emperor Xiaokang indeed investigated the collapse of the imperial mausoleum, and the ministers offered their opinions.
The collapse of the imperial mausoleum was considered an ominous sign, and it was necessary to choose a new site. As a result, an official advised, "Your Majesty, the crime of embezzling funds from the imperial mausoleum is unforgivable. In my opinion, Minister Sheng should be imprisoned and buried with the original mausoleum."
However, the reburial of the mausoleum also requires the selection of an auspicious day. Delaying it might lead to unforeseen changes, which naturally displeased some adversaries. "How can a criminal be buried with the imperial mausoleum? He should be beheaded immediately!"
This matter has angered the Emperor, and Sheng Yan is certain to die. However, Emperor Xiaokang's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he glanced around and said, "Let me think about this matter some more."
The officials wore varying expressions, each secretly trying to fathom the Emperor's thoughts.
After a moment's thought, Lou Yan stepped forward with her scepter. Emperor Xiaokang, with his sharp eyes, probably thought of her previous relationship with Sheng Yan, and asked, "Does Minister Lou wish to offer a rebuttal?"
Upon hearing this, all the officials scoffed at her womanly compassion. Those who embezzled the imperial tomb's funds were guilty of unforgivable crimes, and no one dared to plead for her in the slightest. They only thought that Lou Yan was probably about to run into a knife.
But she remained calm and uttered a startling statement: "Your Majesty, what I mean is that while Minister Weng is certainly guilty, shouldn't Minister Xu, who was in charge of the Ministry of Works, have also been held accountable for failing to detect the anomaly? Shouldn't he also be punished?"
"?"
"!"
This woman is audacious! She actually dared to accuse Minister Xu of dereliction of duty! At this moment, they all looked at each other in bewilderment, each harboring their own secrets.
Xu Congjing suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on the scene, his eyes filled with disbelief.
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