Chapter 57 A Memorial Delivered at the Risk of Life
Her name is Ah Sha. She is mentally challenged and lost her family at a young age. She lives alone in the mine, relying on her mining skills to make a living.
That day, she happened to be gathering firewood downstream in the mountain stream when she discovered the unconscious Jiang Yingxue, and with great effort dragged her back to the abandoned mine where she was hiding.
Ah Sha treated her like his own sister and stubbornly took care of her. Jiang Yingxue was too injured to move and could only rely on the little food and herbs that Ah Sha brought back to survive.
During her recovery, Jiang Yingxue pieced together the general situation of the Xishan Mine from Ah Sha's rambling words.
After Ah Sha's injury had slightly healed, she injured her leg in a rockfall and could no longer work at the mine. Seeing that the food supply was about to be cut off, Jiang Yingxue offered to go in her place.
She made herself look disheveled, covered her face in coal dust, and imitated Ah Sha's blank expression and behavior, which actually fooled the overseer.
The mine was dimly lit, and everyone was on edge; no one wanted to pay any more attention to a fool.
During her time in the mine, Jiang Yingxue, with her keen observation skills, discovered the horrifying truth about the luring and enslavement of disabled men.
She was already extremely disappointed with officialdom because of the seawall case, and seeing this made her even more disheartened.
Later, when Ah Sha's leg injury healed, they switched back.
Jiang Yingxue did not leave immediately. She secretly sought an opportunity to find out the operation mode of the illegal mine and witnessed the hellish situation of the disabled miners.
She decided that she would present the evidence from both the Haitang case and the Xishan case to the Emperor.
Just then, she heard rumors: an imperial envoy had arrived in the capital, the Fifth Princess Ling Wei, who was investigating bandits and mines in the Western Hills.
A glimmer of hope ignited in Jiang Yingxue's heart, but she was mostly wary.
What is the Fifth Princess's stance? Is she genuinely investigating the case, or does she have ulterior motives? She dared not gamble.
After much hesitation, she decided to take the risk and test the waters.
On the day Ling Wei inspected the mine, she deliberately leaned closer and sang the mouse song that contained hidden clues.
If Ling Wei can understand, there might be a glimmer of hope; if she can't, she can still take advantage of the chaos and escape with Ah Sha.
To her surprise, Ling Wei not only understood but also reacted quickly, resulting in Sun Man's arrest and the purge of the county government.
But Jiang Yingxue still didn't dare to completely trust them.
The struggle for the crown prince position is fraught with uncertainty. Who knows if this fifth princess is trying to use the Xishan case to attack her political enemies, or if she truly cares about the miners' lives?
She decided to stick to her original plan, avoid Ling Wei, and go to the capital alone.
She settled Zhen Asha in a more secluded cave, left her some dry food, and told her to wait for her to return.
Then, she changed into a set of worn-out men's clothing that she had prepared beforehand, hid the evidence close to her body, and sneaked out of Fuling County City under the cover of night.
However, she underestimated her opponent's determination and energy.
She was intercepted by a group of people less than thirty miles outside the city.
The opponents were clearly well-prepared, highly skilled in martial arts, and worked in perfect harmony. She fought back desperately, but was quickly subdued due to being outnumbered.
Instead of killing her immediately, they interrogated her about the whereabouts of the evidence. She refused to say anything and was then beaten and tortured, and was also given a drug that made her feel weak all over.
I don't know how much time has passed.
In the midst of chaos, she vaguely heard a sound, a dull yet persistent thud, mixed with hoarse and broken cries.
That voice belonged to Ah Sha.
Why did she follow me here?! Was she... banging on the door?!
Jiang Yingxue's heart clenched. She wanted to shout, to tell him to run, but only a hoarse sound came out of her throat.
Just then, all the noise seemed to be cut off by a clear, cold voice.
Immediately following was the sound of sharp blades cutting through the air and the clash of metal.
The carriage door was suddenly pulled open.
The stark white light of winter mixed with the icy air rushed in, so bright that she could barely open her eyes.
Through the blurry vision, a tall and familiar figure stood against the light—it was the Fifth Princess.
If I had known this would happen, I would have just gone to see her directly.
Before she fainted, Jiang Yingxue thought in a daze.
......
Bai Ji spent a full hour before emerging from the room, her forehead covered in sweat: "Your Highness, the person has been saved, but she lost too much blood, and... she seems to have been poisoned with a slow-acting paralyzing toxin. Although the dose was small, it left her weak and unable to resist."
Ling Wei asked in a deep voice, "Can you speak?"
"They just gave her acupuncture and medicine; she should wake up soon."
"Okay, go take care of the other one, show her the food too."
"yes."
Ling Wei entered the room.
The woman on the bed had been cleaned up and dressed in clean undergarments. After the bloodstains on her face were wiped away, she was revealed to have a delicate but pale face, about twenty-three or twenty-four years old. She had a scholarly air about her, and even in her unconscious state, her brows were tightly furrowed, as if she had an unresolved worry.
Seemingly sensing someone enter, her eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.
At first, her eyes were unfocused, but after a few breaths they gradually focused. When she saw Ling Wei standing by the bed, she struggled to sit up, but the movement aggravated her wounds, causing her to groan in pain.
"Don't move." Ling Wei pressed her down. "You're badly injured."
Jiang Yingxue swallowed the mouthful of blood and bitterness, and finally spoke, her voice hoarse: "Greetings, Your Highness."
Ling Wei looked at her and smiled, "You're not stupid now."
Jiang Yingxue forced a bitter smile, her lips chapped: "Your Highness is discerning. Now that Prefect Sun has been captured, you should know that I am not truly foolish."
"Now, you should know exactly what I'm going to ask next."
Jiang Yingxue did not answer immediately.
From the moment she opened her eyes and found herself in a private room instead of a cold prison, receiving proper medical treatment instead of being tortured, a heavy weight was lifted from her heart.
She slowly propped herself up with her arms, ignoring the excruciating pain and dizziness from her injuries, and moved little by little toward the edge of the bed.
Seeing this, Ling Wei stepped forward as if to help.
"Your Highness, there's no need." Jiang Yingxue raised her hand to stop her, her voice weak but firm.
The moment she stepped onto the ground, she swayed, then steadied herself, and under Ling Wei's calm gaze, took two steps forward and stood still.
She stood ramrod straight, and the marks of bandages could be seen under her thin undergarment.
She faced Ling Wei and slowly curtsied, but it was not the usual curtsy of a woman.
She knelt on both knees, standing upright.
Unable to use her injured left arm, she supported herself with her right hand, bent over, and slammed her forehead heavily onto the cold blue brick floor.
"Thump."
A muffled thud echoed clearly in the silent room.
She remained in the kowtow position, without raising her head: "Your subject—Jiang Yingxue, Magistrate of Haining County, Mingzhou Prefecture—"
"I will risk my life to submit this memorial!"
"Three years ago, in Haining, East China Sea, the seawall collapsed, and Her Highness the Crown Princess encountered danger during her inspection tour—"
She took a breath, a breath that carried the taste of blood, and the heavy feeling of countless days and nights stuck in her throat.
"This is definitely not a natural disaster! There are serious human-related hidden circumstances!"
"The loyal and upright official was unjustly executed, and innocent clerks were exiled thousands of miles away, while the real culprit remains at large, and may even still hold a high position in the government!"
"Your Highness, I implore you to investigate this matter thoroughly, dispel the clouds and reveal the truth, so as to comfort the spirit of the Crown Princess in heaven! To uphold the law and bring peace to the world!"
The room was deathly silent.
You could hear a pin drop.
Jiang Yingxue could hear her own heart pounding like a drum. She lay on the ground, waiting for thunder, or... the dawn.
After a long while, a sound came from above.
The voice was very soft, even somewhat ethereal, yet it carried a sense of impending doom, like the calm before a storm.
"What did you say?"
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