Chapter 10: Death Sentence!
"Yao'er, I'm going with your father to the Ministry of Justice prison to visit Mother and the clansmen. Do you want to come along?"
When Cui Yunzhou saw Tian Yao, his eyes lit up, and he took the initiative to strike up a conversation and asked.
Tianyao was taken aback for a moment, then gave a tired smile, shook her head, and replied, "I won't go, I'm a little tired."
"Okay, then you should go back to your room and rest. I'll come back to you after I've seen Mother and my people."
Yunzhou, being pulled along by his father, had already put a considerable distance between himself and Tianyao, yet he still twisted his body and called out to Tianyao with a concerned voice.
There was no sign of unhappiness or anger on his face. He did not hold a grudge against His Majesty for sending his mother and clansmen to the Ministry of Justice prison.
Tianyao stood there, watching Yunzhou being pulled along by Master Cui, who was all smiles and waving at her. Subconsciously, she also raised her hand and waved back at Yunzhou.
Only after Yunzhou's figure completely disappeared did Tianyao turn her gaze away and, supported by her maid, walk towards her bedchamber.
...
In the Ministry of Justice prison, in a stinking cell, Madam Cui lay on a pile of straw, groaning in pain.
"What sins did I commit in my past life that I have to suffer this in prison in this life?"
"That jailer was extremely ruthless; ten strokes of the cane almost killed me."
"Oh dear, when is Yunzhou finally coming to rescue his mother?"
"I've had enough of this lousy place."
...
Madam Cui kept rambling on and on until finally someone couldn't help but reply to her.
"Madam, please say less and save your energy."
"Judging from this, His Majesty doesn't want our lives; he probably just wants to give us a warning."
"Let's calm down once we're out of here."
"Judging from His Majesty's attitude towards the princess, offending the princess is tantamount to offending His Majesty. If we continue to make trouble like this, we'll suffer the consequences."
Upon hearing this, Madam Cui immediately became anxious, and her voice became several decibels louder.
"Who's making a fuss? Am I making a fuss? I just don't want our Cui family line to die out!"
“If she weren’t infertile, I wouldn’t care about their business.”
"I haven't been to her residence even once since Yunzhou and she got married!"
“I don’t covet her power, nor her money. I just want our Cui family line to continue. What have I done wrong?”
"She's the one in the wrong!"
"Not only is she unable to lay eggs, but she also bewitches Yunzhou, preventing him from taking a concubine and refusing to divorce him!"
Madam Cui's voice was extremely loud; her roar could be heard throughout most of the prison.
Ming Shendu, the Minister of Justice, was walking down the middle of the prison corridor when he heard Madam Cui's words. He turned to look at his colleague beside him, Cui Yunzhou, the Minister of Personnel.
Cui Yunzhou's face looked very grim.
His mother often spoke to him without restraint, but he was used to it and usually just listened patiently.
But now, in front of his colleagues, he heard his mother repeatedly say that his wife, his lover, Princess Qionghua of the Great Wei Kingdom, was unable to lay eggs.
He was so embarrassed he wanted to disappear into the ground.
Master Cui followed behind the two men, barely daring to breathe, his heart pounding with fear.
The person in front is the Minister of Justice, in charge of criminal justice. If the Minister of Justice were to take it personally, it would be perfectly reasonable and legal for him to beat or kill the old woman.
If things got even more serious, the Minister of Justice could have directly reported the old woman's words to His Majesty, and the Cui family would most likely have been executed along with their entire clan.
That foolish old woman, even if she thought that way, she shouldn't have said it out loud!
To say it out loud is wrong, a huge mistake!
Oh dear, how could he have married such a stupid and foolish old woman?
Master Cui was filled with remorse and wished he could just give his wife a mute pill so she could never speak again.
"Minister Cui, you heard everything, didn't you?"
Ming Shendu shifted his gaze from Cui Yunzhou's face to Cui Da Madam's prison cell not far away, his eyes dark and unreadable, and asked in a clear voice.
"...I heard you."
Cui Yunzhou returned with a heavy heart.
"Then, I will enforce the law impartially."
After speaking, Ming Shendu turned around and looked at the group of jailers following behind him. He gave a deep command, each word as heavy and majestic as a death knell.
"Madam Cui, you have committed the crime of disrespect by publicly defaming Princess Qionghua. You are sentenced to death!"
After Ming Shendu finished announcing the verdict, he whispered instructions to the jailer.
"You, move Madam Cui to the death row cell now."
A tremendous roar resounded in Cui Yunzhou's brain, making him completely disoriented.
A moment later, he came to his senses, turned around abruptly, stared intently at Ming Shendu, his eyes filled with disbelief, and asked angrily.
"Why the death penalty? Article 75 of the Great Wei Code states: 'Discussing and defaming members of the royal family shall be punished with caning for minor offenses, and execution of nine generations of one's family for serious offenses!'"
"My mother, she committed a grave offense of disrespect, but it doesn't warrant the death penalty, does it?"
Ming Shendu remained expressionless and replied, his voice clear and crisp, like beads falling to the ground.
"The crime for which Madam Cui was sent to the Ministry of Justice prison by His Majesty was disrespect, and she was sentenced to 10 strokes of the cane."
"Now, before even being released from prison, he has committed another crime, which naturally adds to his crimes, and he should be sentenced to death!"
"!!!"
"I know that repeat offenders should be punished more severely, but is it not possible to increase the punishment by caning?"
"If that doesn't work, then... exile. It's not like it's a death sentence."
Cui Yunzhou argued his case forcefully, refusing to give an inch.
Master Cui's legs were trembling, and he was filled with regret. He dragged his son to the Ministry of Justice prison.
All he hopes now is that his wife will shut her mouth and stop causing trouble for the Cui family.
Upon hearing this, Ming Shendu was not angry; instead, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Minister Cui is right, but I will sentence her to death. If Minister Cui is not satisfied with the verdict, he can appeal to the Censorate or request His Majesty to conduct a joint trial by the three judicial departments."
"I know it!"
Cui Yunzhou gritted his teeth and returned.
"In that case, I will not accompany you any longer. Minister Cui, you must make sure to tell Madam Cui not to repeat this mistake, otherwise the entire Cui family and Minister Cui will also be held accountable."
Ming Shendu stared at Cui Yunzhou with sharp eyes and spoke a warning.
After saying that, he gave Master Cui a cold, sidelong glance, then turned and left.
After Ming Shendu left, Master Cui cautiously spoke up and asked.
"Yunzhou, do you have a grudge against him?"
Cui Yunzhou frowned slightly, shook his head gently, and replied.
"There has been no conflict between us."
“If we had a previous conflict, I wouldn’t have asked him to take me to the Ministry of Justice prison.”
"Then why did he insist on sentencing your mother to death?"
Master Cui was very puzzled.
Cui Yunzhou lowered his eyes and pondered for a while, then murmured softly.
"Perhaps it's not because he had a grudge against me, but because Yao'er was kind to him."
"Huh? What? What did you just say? I didn't hear you."
Master Cui walked up to Cui Yunzhou, opened his eyes wide, his gaze clear, and asked.
"It's alright, I didn't say anything. Dad, let's go see Mom."
Cui Yunzhou shook his head, said nothing more, and simply quickened his pace forward.
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