Chapter 96 Congratulations on Your Majesty's grace and harmony! Respectfully receiving Your Majesty's decree. I bow in gratitude to Your Majesty…
The pleasant sounds of flutes, pipes, and bamboo instruments that had just filled the air gradually faded away as Yu Nie stepped into the Jiu Shao Hall.
Once she stood in the center of the hall, all sounds fell silent, except for the howling wind and rumbling thunder outside.
Her hair was disheveled, her face was stained with blood, and the mottled bloodstains on her gorgeous clothes were particularly glaring under the palace lanterns. There was no trace of the majesty of a royal princess left.
Zhao Yunfu, seated on the throne, did not put down the golden cup in his hand, his gaze fixed intently on the people descending the steps.
Just as Xiao Chengyan was about to pull her to pay her respects, Yu Nie looked at the person on the throne and knelt down first.
Holding the blade, she bowed her head and said, "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, and Empress, I humbly pray for your good health."
Xiao Chengyan followed suit and knelt beside her.
"This is my first time meeting you, Shunhe." Zhao Yunfu's voice was not loud, but it was enough to convey his authority: "Tonight I am hosting a banquet for my ministers, so it is understandable that you are late."
His gaze was condescending, his expression inscrutable: "Do you know what the crime is for bringing a sword to the emperor?"
When the emperor is enraged, millions will die.
Yu Nie was well aware of the danger involved, and all she heard was her clear reply: "It is my fault."
Then, she suddenly raised her head, her eyes showing no fear: "But I bring my sword today only to seek justice for my people!"
"justice?"
“That’s right, it’s about fairness!” she said firmly.
Before anyone could interrupt, she proceeded to recount, word by word, how Zhao Yuanze and the others had plotted to harm Ahui. With each word she spoke, her grip on the knife tightened, as if she wanted nothing more than to kill those three beasts on the spot.
"...The Third Prince Zhao Yuanze, along with Li Yunsheng, Wang Fengshu, and others, disregarded human life. There is solid evidence to prove this!" Her words were resounding, and the last syllable echoed in the empty hall.
Before she could finish speaking, she clasped her hands in a respectful bow and said, "I humbly beg Your Majesty to sentence the Third Prince Zhao Yuanze, as well as the Wang and Li families, to pay with their lives!"
As she uttered the last four words, she kowtowed heavily, her forehead hitting the ground.
The hall was deathly silent for a moment, then erupted into a cacophony of discussion, with civil and military officials in an uproar.
Yu Nie remained kneeling in the center of the hall, determined to seek justice for A Hui.
Huan Xun stood a few steps away from her, his eyes fixed on her.
He gazed at her resilient profile, as tough as wild grass, and saw her bloodstained hands. The warmth in his eyes vanished instantly, and his dark pupils darkened, becoming terrifyingly intense.
The Empress, who was Wang Fenghu's aunt, was shocked and asked Xiao Chengyan, "Chengyan, is everything Shunhe said just now true?"
In their eyes, Wang Fengqi was not a spoiled and vicious playboy; on the contrary, he was more obedient and sensible than ever before.
Xiao Chengyan solemnly replied:
"Your Majesty, everything Princess Shunhe said is true. I, along with Hua Ruo, Yun Tuan, Hua Shu, and others, were all present and witnessed it firsthand. There is not a single falsehood in her words."
"They're talking nonsense!" Zhao Yuanze's voice suddenly rang out, filled with the urgency of being wronged.
Sitting in the second row, he could no longer contain himself. He suddenly stood up, walked quickly out from behind his seat, and knelt down in front of the emperor with a thud, his upturned face full of innocence and grievance.
"Father, you are wise."
His voice tightened as he hurriedly explained, "Your subject was merely indulging in playfulness and asked Li Yunsheng and Wang Fengqi to find two young eunuchs to play wrestling for amusement. Unexpectedly, one of the strongmen misjudged the situation and used too much force, accidentally pushing the eunuch off the stage."
"Later, when the Empress summoned Feng Ji, my mother sent someone to call me. I knew that my mother had returned from the temple that day and was anxious to see her, so I gave the two eunuchs some silver and told them to take good care of their injuries. Then Yun Sheng and I rushed to Jiu Shao Palace."
As he spoke, he pointed behind the table: "Yun Sheng and Feng Hu were both there at the time, and they know everything that happened. If Father doesn't believe me, you can ask Yun Sheng and the others."
Zhao Yunfu glanced at the seats on the right: "Feng Qu, where is the Imperial Son-in-Law? You two come out and tell me, is what the Third Prince said true or false?"
Upon hearing their names mentioned, Li and Wang immediately rose from their seats, their movements so swift they created a gust of wind, and rushed to kneel before the emperor.
Wang Fenghu's face was filled with exaggerated urgency:
“Your Majesty, everything the Third Prince said is true. I saw the little eunuch fall clearly; he may have broken his ribs and twisted his ankle. As for Princess Shunhe's claim that his throat was broken, none of us were hurt when we left…”
Wang Fengshu spoke quickly and urgently, as if afraid that if he slowed down even a fraction of a second, no one would believe him.
Li Yunsheng continued, picking up where he left off:
"Your Majesty is wise, and I can testify as well. The Third Prince was just playing around on a whim. Not only did Your Highness give those two eunuchs money, but if the Third Prince hadn't been in such a hurry to see Consort Xian, he would have even thought of having them sent to the Imperial Medical Bureau."
"Yes, yes, yes... Your Highness is absolutely right, the Third Prince handled the situation quite well. As for the eunuch's throat bone... in my opinion, perhaps he was careless on the way back and something else went wrong, but he blamed it on us without even knowing the facts..."
To prove his innocence, Zhao Yuanze continued, "If Your Majesty still doesn't believe me, feel free to send people to my palace to investigate! You can find out where the silver went and the eunuchs and maids who served me at the time. I have acted uprightly and honestly, and I have not uttered a single lie."
The three of them spoke one after another, every word of which was a cry for justice.
The person was not discovered at Lingyuntai, and Changxin Palace is quite far from Lingyuntai. What exactly happened along the way? If they wanted to make excuses, they would have plenty of reasons.
Moreover, Zhao Yun added, "If what Princess Shunhe said is true, and the throat of one of her men was broken, it must have been due to a slip of the strongman, and it was definitely not an intention to take his life."
“Princess Shunhe said that I, the consort, and Feng Ji deliberately caused someone’s death. If that’s true, why did I let another person go back? Wouldn’t it be cleaner to kill him to silence him? Wouldn’t it be better if there were no witnesses?”
Seeing them trying to evade responsibility and even try to frame Ah Hui and the others.
Yu Nie felt a surge of anger, his eyes filled with resentment.
She stood up abruptly, pointed at them, and shouted angrily:
"Release them back; it's just a pastime for you to have on a whim."
Xiao Chengyan was startled by her appearance and hurriedly got up, wanting to step forward and stop her.
She pushed him away abruptly, her gaze sharp as she stared directly at Zhao Yuanze:
"The Third Prince said that my man's throat was shattered because of a mistake in the matter of the strongman. But what about the fact that his limbs were deliberately broken? That was also an accident!"
"What kind of accident could cause a person's limbs to be twisted in different directions! Let Jian'an's coroners examine it. I want to see which coroner will say it was an accident!"
Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly raised her knife and pointed it at the other person's throat, her eyes blazing with overwhelming rage:
"If my knife hadn't been careful today and had killed three people with one blow, could I have said that I didn't know how to use a knife and lost my temper, which led to this 'regrettable' accident?"
"lush……"
Xiao Chengyan glanced furtively at the person on the throne, hurriedly grabbed her sleeve, and whispered, "Don't be impulsive, put the knife down quickly."
Zhao Yuan put on an extremely timid appearance, his shoulders hunched, as if he had shrunk into a ball in fear of her imposing presence.
“I know that Aunt doesn’t believe me.”
His voice trembled, filled with utter grievance: "But I truly had no intention of hurting you. If you are truly filled with resentment, Aunt, I will accept whatever punishment you may give me. Please, Aunt, kill me to vent your anger."
Having said that, he closed his eyes tightly, stiffened his neck, as if he were truly about to be executed.
Seeing this, Li and Wang quickly stepped forward, adopting the same earnest posture, and eagerly begged her to kill them to appease her anger.
Upon seeing this, a high-ranking official of the first rank, dressed in a purple robe, stepped forward to stop her.
Advice:
"Princess, you must not act rashly. Even if the Third Prince and the others are at fault, the court will deal with it according to the law. Why resort to violence? Please do not ruin the harmony of the royal family for the sake of a mere servant."
"Yes, Princess, let's talk this out."
"His Majesty and the Empress Dowager are still seated at the head of the table. How can you openly resort to force like this? Isn't that setting a bad example?"
"..."
In an instant, the voices of advice from the civil and military officials and relatives of the emperor surged from all directions, but only a few remained silent.
This included Yang Du, the Grand Secretary of the Secretariat, and Gu Xiangzhi, who stood beside the emperor.
And Huan Xun, who outwardly continued to drink alone, but secretly rubbed the dagger at his waist.
The Wang and Li families are also involved in the matter.
No matter how despicable Zhao Yuanze's character was, in some people's eyes, he was still a nobleman with royal blood flowing through his veins.
Moreover, the one who died was merely a eunuch. In the eyes of most people in this palace, a lowly life was far from deserving the death of a prince.
She listened as everyone offered their advice and suggestions to reconcile the situation.
Amidst the commotion inside the hall, the Empress Dowager, standing beside the Emperor, suddenly spoke slowly: "That's enough."
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority, instantly suppressing the surrounding disturbances.
"After listening for so long, I have a general idea of what happened."
The Empress Dowager turned her gaze to Yu Nie and said in a calm tone, "Shunhe, Yuanze has been a mischievous child since childhood, and he doesn't know the consequences of his actions. In the end, he caused a death. They are indeed at fault."
"That's settled then."
She hesitated for a moment:
"Tell Consort Xian to compensate you with three hundred taels of gold, and have Minister Wang and Eunuch Li each contribute three hundred taels. Also, have them each prepare one hundred taels of gold and send them to the eunuch's home. If any of his relatives are willing to enter the palace, arrange a position in one of the Six Bureaus. If they are not willing, they can find a place to settle down in various government offices."
“Yuan Ze failed to discipline his subordinates and was punished by being confined to his quarters for two months to reflect on his mistakes. Instead of advising the emperor, the son-in-law and the prince consort were punished with fifty lashes and confined to their quarters for one month.”
At this point, her tone turned slightly somber: "As for that reckless strongman, just kill him."
After saying this, the Empress Dowager turned to the Emperor beside her and asked, "Does Your Majesty think this is an appropriate course of action?"
Zhao Yunfu nodded slightly, without saying a word.
The dignified and elegant Empress Dowager then turned her gaze back to Yu Nie, who stood with his sword drawn: "Is this arrangement satisfactory, Shunhe?"
The Empress Dowager said, "We are all one family, and you are Yuanze's aunt. In my opinion, let's just end this matter here."
Yu Nie's fingers, gripping the hilt of the knife, tightened, and all the blood drained from his fingers.
She remained silent for a moment, her gaze falling on the Empress Dowager's dignified yet undeniably distant face.
"Since the Empress Dowager has spoken, I will obey her decree."
Just when everyone thought the matter was about to end, she suddenly changed the subject.
"Although I appreciate Your Majesty's kindness, I absolutely cannot accept this explanation of 'mistake' or 'accident.' Three hundred taels of gold, a job in the government office, and a paltry punishment cannot buy a life, nor can beheading a strongman clear the name of the innocent."
"The strongman is just a knife; the one who wields the knife is the real culprit."
She lowered her head:
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty grant permission to thoroughly investigate this matter! Who instructed the strongman to commit such a heinous act against my people? Who was behind this treachery? All of them must be brought to justice and executed!"
Seeing her relentless determination to achieve her goal, Huan Xun turned his gaze to the person on the throne.
Consort Gao suddenly spoke up, letting out a cold laugh: "Judging from what the princess is saying, does she really want Yuanze, the consort, and Feng Hu to die?"
Seeing that Zhao Yuanze was unwilling to let the matter rest, Consort Xian, Zhao Yuanze's mother, came out from behind the table and said, "Princess, there must be a misunderstanding in this matter. Yuanze is a bit unruly, but he would never kill someone intentionally."
After listening for a while, Wang Situ and Li Huangmen remained silent, but their henchmen stepped forward and spoke:
"He's just a eunuch, why must the princess be so ruthless in killing him?"
"Besides, even according to the law, even if they really did kill the person, it doesn't warrant the death penalty. Since your people have already taken the money, it means they agree to settle this matter. Doesn't the princess know this law?"
Yu Nie was taken aback upon hearing this.
Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants; members of the imperial family, princes and ministers, peddlers and laborers, and ordinary people...
In this era, human life has always been divided into different classes.
How can the life of a lowly slave be compared to that of a member of the imperial family?
Although people know that "nobles and generals are born with a special destiny," once the pattern of interests becomes solidified, everyone will become a follower of their own class and work hard for the circle they belong to.
As Yu Nie listened to these people's words, his gaze swept coldly over the group of people in the hall, and a strange smile suddenly welled up in his heart.
So this is the group of people whom the common people worship and support with their hard-earned taxes every year?
Zhao Yunfu, seated on the throne, seemed annoyed by the farce. His brows furrowed, and he said unhappily, "Shunhe, things have come to this point, let's know when to stop."
"The Empress Dowager's verbal decree is my will, equivalent to an imperial edict. Do you still intend to defy my will and disobey my decree?"
"His Majesty……"
"His Majesty."
Before Xiao Chengyan could finish speaking, a clear voice rang out amidst the shocked expressions of the crowd, and everyone turned to look in the direction of the voice.
Gu Xiangzhi was about to move when he was pulled back by a pair of aged hands.
He turned around and saw the Grand Eunuch in charge of the seal.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Huan Xun, dressed in official robes, stepped over the table and walked towards the center of the hall.
Yu Nie looked at him, a hint of surprise appearing in her already reddened eyes.
He walked up to her, his gaze lingering on her eyes for a moment, then turned to face the steps above and bowed.
“Your Majesty.” His voice was steady, carrying an undeniable earnestness:
"In my opinion, Princess Shunhe is not disobeying the imperial decree. All she is doing now is trying to seek justice for those around her who have been wronged."
No one expected that Huan Xun would stand up for this powerless and arrogant princess.
By taking this step, he was essentially making his stance clear to the public.
This incident will only deepen the hatred of the aristocratic families who already harbored resentment towards him.
Zhao Yunfu was pleased to see this scene.
He looked at the people below the stage with a half-smile.
He said, “What Minister Huan said is true. I understand that Shunhe harbors resentment and wants to seek justice for his subordinates. Now that the Empress Dowager’s arrangements have been made, the strongman will be brought to justice, which can be considered as giving that eunuch an explanation.”
Then, he put on the appearance of a kind and benevolent elder brother and said, "Shunhe, you must be tired after going to such lengths for this matter. So stop dwelling on it and take your seat."
Upon hearing the emperor's words, Yu Nie felt as if his heart had been doused with cold water, leaving him feeling utterly chilled.
The so-called understanding is nothing but a high-sounding pretense. These people don't care about the truth at all; they only want to keep the peace.
Gu Xiangzhi's gaze fell on the emperor's back, his lips tightened, and he clenched his fist.
Fearing that Yu Nie might say something disrespectful, Feng Changshi hurriedly urged loudly, "Princess Shunhe, why don't you quickly kowtow and express your gratitude?"
As she listened to these words, she suddenly broke into a smile.
The smile was faint, fleeting across her pale lips but not reaching her eyes.
Looking at her expression, Huan Xun frowned, his eyes flickered, and his heart felt as if it were being pierced by something, a dull ache.
Yu Nie took a deep breath, forcing back the sob in her throat and suppressing the despair surging in her heart.
Her hand, which had been holding the knife, slowly lowered. With a loud clang, the blade slammed heavily onto the ground, producing a piercing, resonant sound. The echo of the knife striking the ground reverberated throughout the hall for a long time.
No one spoke in the main hall; it was so quiet that one could hear the fine rain in the strong wind.
Then, she looked directly at the person on the gold-inlaid jade throne, knelt down, her straight back bent down, and performed a kowtow, clasping her hands together and pressing her forehead against the cold, hard floor tiles.
Her voice, as calm as a stagnant pool, rang out without the slightest ripple:
"Shunhe respectfully accepts Your Majesty's decree. I kowtow in gratitude for Your Majesty's grace."
"Since Your Majesty has made your decision, I dare not say anything more. However, I would like to personally handle the funeral arrangements for the eunuchs in my residence."
Zhao Yunfu did not want to discuss this matter further.
He waved his hand: "Granted."
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The author notes: The "予" in the Empress Dowager's name is equivalent to "I," and it was frequently used in the Han Dynasty.
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