Chapter 18 Blood Letter (1) Shake it, and the dried blood residue falls like snowflakes...
Su Xiaotang was still dazed when she was pushed and thrown into the cell by several soldiers.
He barely managed to steady himself on the straw-covered bed when he heard a clanging sound of metal behind him. Turning around, he saw a man carrying an iron chain as thick as his thigh, binding the cell door tightly with multiple layers of chains, and then hanging a large padlock on top. The man then walked away, a drooping blade of grass dangling from his mouth.
"Wait...!"
Su Xiaotang was both flustered and scared. She called out to the person, but hesitated and didn't know what to ask.
When the Imperial Guards stormed into the mansion, he was in the kitchen washing the tender lotus leaves he had picked that morning, despite his sleepiness, intending to make lotus leaf soup to bring to his wife during her afternoon breaks from official duties, to help her relax. Unexpectedly, he was suddenly barged in and forcibly dragged into the imperial prison without explanation, even Zhang Mama couldn't stop them.
Isn't he Wang Fu? How can these people just tie him up like that? How dare they be so presumptuous! Do they even know who his wife is? Su Xiaotang thought angrily.
Those barbarian thugs had no concept of chivalry; they twisted his shoulders until they hurt, as if he were some heinous criminal.
"Speak quickly if you have something to say." The jailer, who had been stopped by him, was very impatient.
"How dare you! Do you know who I am?"
The thought of her wife made Su Xiaotang straighten her back instantly. She raised her chin and declared imperiously, "I want to see my wife! My wife is—"
"Even if your wife were the Heavenly King himself, it wouldn't matter!"
The jailer spat disdainfully, and the foxtail grass soaked in saliva landed at Su Xiaotang's feet, startling him so much that he took two steps back. The corner of his light blue robe, embroidered with a double fish pattern, was already covered with dust. "You have committed the crime of deceiving the emperor. His Majesty has personally ordered you to be imprisoned in the imperial prison. Once you're in, you're a dead man. You will be executed soon!"
"If you have any last words, leave them for the King of Hell in the underworld!"
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review had long been under Yuan Mingqiong's command, so naturally, the prison officials and guards under her command would not treat Su Xiaotang kindly.
Sure enough... Although Su Xiaotang had a vague feeling, the moment the words "crime of deceiving the emperor" came out of the jailer's mouth, she was struck dumb, her heart went blank, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.
After a moment of stunned silence, he asked again, "Then, the crime of deceiving the emperor... could it implicate other people?"
His face was deathly pale, and he didn't even realize that cold tears were already falling to the ground. His pitiful state was heart-wrenching. Seeing him cry so movingly, the jailer, unusually, felt a pang of pity and said, "This is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family! Do you think it won't implicate others?"
She paused slightly, then continued, "You're illiterate, aren't you? Do you know what the nine clans are? Four clans of the mother, three clans of the father, two clans of the wife—if His Majesty is enraged, killing all nine of your clans wouldn't be enough to quell his anger, and even those who are on good terms with you wouldn't escape death!"
"What? No—"
Upon hearing this, Su Xiaotang panicked and lunged forward, grabbing the railing tightly. She cried out, "It has nothing to do with my wife! She knew nothing! I want to see His Majesty! To see His Majesty… Yes, I haven't even offered His Majesty tea yet, and I'm not even His Majesty's son-in-law! Kill me if you must, don't kill my wife—"
As he cried out, the unhealed wound on his face was aggravated again, causing him to immediately fall silent in pain. He clutched the dressing, hissing and gasping for breath, tears streaming down his face even more profusely. Seeing his pitiful state, the jailer had no intention of making things difficult for him any further, shook his head, and turned to leave.
It hurts so much... Being beheaded must hurt even more than this.
After finally recovering from the shock, Su Xiaotang felt as if all her strength had been drained. She sat listlessly on the bed, bent her legs, and buried her face between her knees. Although she didn't make a sound, the fabric of her front hem gradually became damp.
If he really can't escape death, then... then he... at least shouldn't let his wife... yes, don't panic, his wife is a prince, maybe she can escape death?
—But will the wife lose her mother's favor because of this?
Thinking of this, Su Xiaotang's heart skipped a beat.
Although she didn't say it, he knew she definitely wanted to sit in that position; otherwise, she wouldn't always stay in the study until late at night, only taking a bath and going to bed at 9 PM.
He always wanted to wait for her, but he could never resist the drowsiness and would fall into a deep sleep. If she wasn't careful and made a little noise when going to bed, waking him up, Su Xiaotang would cling to him and pull him tightly into her arms. Once she was completely wrapped up, she would lightly peck him on the face a few times, and only then would he relax his grip, holding her as he drifted back to sleep.
When I touched the side of her in the morning, it was still warm, but I heard the sound of a sword slicing through the air and making a whooshing sound outside. It turned out that she had gotten up early and was practicing her swordsmanship.
Even though she had already accumulated a lot of military merits, she was still so diligent... When they went to Wushan together, touching the hideous scars on her arms always made his heart ache.
The thought of his wife made Su Xiaotang's heart melt.
She gave him a new home, a life free from want, unparalleled wealth and honor, and above all, dignity, and avenged those who had bullied him.
But upon closer reflection, he realized there was nothing to offer in return.
He was self-aware enough to know that he had always been afraid of pain and couldn't tolerate it, but...
After hesitating for a long time, Su Xiaotang finally pulled the hairpin off her head with trembling hands, blinked, and squeezed out the tears from her eyes.
The gleaming, sharp tip of the hairpin gradually became clearer in the field of vision.
He even felt that it wouldn't matter if he died. As long as he didn't become a stain on her reputation, then he...
I'd do anything for it.
Su Xiaotang slowly gripped the hairpin, held her breath, closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and with a determined heart, thrust the hairpin tip towards the trembling, soft flesh—!
...
Although the emperor ordered Yuan Mingjin to stay at home, he did not forbid others from visiting her. Therefore, the carriage bearing the Shen family crest drove smoothly into the back gate of Prince Rui's mansion without any hindrance.
The carriage was brightly decorated, with bronze bells inserted into the yoke, turquoise components inlaid on the carriage body, and jeweled pendants hanging extravagantly on both sides of the carriage door. The curtains were embroidered with persimmon calyx patterns, symbolizing good fortune. Anyone would think it was the kind of carriage a young lady would ride on for a spring outing.
As soon as the wheels stopped, Shen Huaqing bent down and crawled out of the carriage. She didn't need a stool, nimbly jumped down, then turned and steadily helped another person off the vehicle—
It turned out to be Shen Jia dressed in casual clothes.
“Jinniang is usually in the study at this time. Mother, let me lead you there,” Shen Huaqing said.
After the assassination attempt on the lake that day, she learned her lesson and diligently practiced martial arts. Now, her upper arms are strong enough that she can lift her mother off the carriage with ease. Shen Jia could more or less guess why her daughter had suddenly changed her ways and returned to the right path. She was naturally happy to see this and her support for Yuan Mingjin deepened even further.
To rise to such a position as an official, the ability to discern subtle signs is fundamental. Since even her dissolute son, who spent his days indulging in pleasure, has been influenced by Yuan Mingjin and become diligent in his studies, it's not hard to imagine what a peaceful and prosperous era the entire Tianyuan would become under her leadership if Yuan Mingjin were to assume that position.
Led by Yuan Mingjin's confidant, the two walked from the backyard to the study. Along the way, they saw that all the servants had solemn expressions and that not a single word of conversation could be heard. Shen Jia couldn't help but sigh, "His Highness Prince Rui's rule is indeed strict and disciplined. This mansion is as solemn as the military."
Upon hearing this, the confidant forced a smile and offered a few words of agreement. Shen Huaqing, however, understood why the atmosphere in the Prince's mansion was so gloomy, and quickly tugged at her mother's sleeve, telling her not to say anything more.
Shen Jia was confused.
Upon entering the study, the two women saw Yuan Mingjin dressed in a dark blue robe with wide sleeves, sitting at his desk writing and drawing. They greeted him politely. Yuan Mingjin looked up at their voices, told them to rise, and ordered tea to be served. After everyone had left, he asked, "Prime Minister Shen, do you have a solution that satisfies both sides?"
Only then did Shen Huaqing notice the dark circles under her eyes, and felt a pang of heartache. He interjected, "Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Yuan Mingjin didn't say anything, but simply lowered her eyelashes and shook her head.
"A win-win solution? His Majesty has always been soft-hearted. His Highness is her beloved daughter, and Lord Su is her beloved minister. She can't bear to harm either of them, so she has no choice but to target the Prince Consort." Shen Jia pondered for a moment and then pointed out the crux of the matter.
"But what about Lord Su's daughter... how did she suddenly appear in court? And as the Left Assistant of Prince Su..."
Yuan Mingjin then recounted the whole story truthfully, saying, "I had anticipated this might happen, and I specifically reminded Su Aoshuang: if Su Yutang behaves herself, then considering that she is willing to serve me, the previous grudges with the Prince Consort can be wiped clean."
“But if Su Yutang dares to reveal the matter of the substitute marriage, I will not protect her, and Su Aoshuang will have no choice but to let her fend for herself.”
Therefore, when Su Aoshuang saw Su Yutang in the court, she was already distraught and utterly hopeless. She was like a wooden or clay sculpture, listless and unresponsive, because she knew she was about to lose this daughter.
Yuan Mingqiong is a cruel person by nature. If Su Yutang falls into her hands, his fate is predictable. Even if he manages to escape unscathed, he will never be able to return to the Su family mansion.
Thinking of this, Shen Jia couldn't help but glance at her obviously dizzy daughter beside her. Although Shen Huaqing only half understood what she was hearing, she reacted quickly upon receiving this glance, immediately jumping up and angrily saying, "Why are you looking at me! I won't be like that idiot Su Yutang!"
The usually stern and serious Prime Minister Shen rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, "That sounds nice, but don't let yourself be blinded by beauty one day and forget your own name, doing something stupid that doesn't care about anything else."
"Mother!" Shen Huaqing glared at her fiercely, "Don't you even know how to give me any face in front of Jinniang!"
“We don’t have thin noodles, but I can buy you two thin noodle pancakes.” Shen Jia’s silver tongue made Shen Huaqing grit her teeth in anger, but she was helpless. “Look, those flatbreads that were sold on the way here. They smelled really good. They made your mother’s mouth water. You’re always so attentive to your young master, why didn’t you buy your mother two just now?”
Upon seeing this, Yuan Mingjin couldn't help but raise the corners of his lips slightly, but quickly lowered his head to conceal it.
Just then, a man came running up in a panic, shouting, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened!"
Yuan Mingjin recognized this as the person she had placed next to Su Aoshuang, and immediately stood up from behind the desk, her anxious expression evident.
The man presented two items. One was a letter, which we'll leave aside for now; the other was particularly jarring: a piece of tattered cloth with jagged edges, emitting a pungent stench of blood. The double fish pattern on it was stained with blood, and when shaken, dried blood flakes fell off like snowflakes.
Yuan Mingjin's heart tightened, and he hurriedly opened it to read. It turned out to be a very brief letter severing ties with his family, written to Su Aoshuang. The letter was signed "Su Xiaotang" and dated yesterday.
"Written yesterday, why did it only arrive today?" Shen Huaqing was stunned by the bloodthirsty letter severing ties with his family for a long time before finally muttering, "Why would he write a letter severing ties at this critical juncture? It's truly rare to see a man write such a letter..."
Shen Jia remained silent for a long time before saying, "Perhaps it's 'impossible' rather than 'unwilling'... The prison is full of Prince Su's men, and I don't know how to send this letter out. I'm sorry to trouble you, Your Highness."
Unexpectedly, this seemingly weak man possessed such courage. Even in prison, he still cared for his mother and did not want to implicate her, so he devised a plan to sever ties with her and had it delivered to him by someone.
Yuan Mingjin suddenly looked up and urgently ordered his men to keep a close watch on all the entrances and exits of the Prince's Mansion. Then he quickly opened another letter.
This letter was written properly on fine silk paper, with neat and clear handwriting. It was also very short, with only six characters: "Red smartweed has vanished without a trace," and was stamped with Su Aoshuang's private seal.
"Is this red smartweed an important test result?" Shen Jia asked.
“Exactly. But I’m sure my elder sister won’t play this card lightly unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Yuan Mingjin replied.
Shen Huaqing asked, "Why?"
Shen Jia gave her a look of disappointment—"Hong Liao is a person close to Madam Su. The fact that the Prince has contact with servants in the inner quarters of officials and officials seems suspicious, doesn't it? If you were the Emperor, wouldn't you be suspicious?"
“That’s one point,” Yuan Mingjin added. “The second point is… Hong Liao is a member of the Nine Luminaries.”
As soon as the words "Nine Luminaries" were uttered, the Shen mother and daughter turned to her in unison, their expressions as if they had seen a ghost. Behind one of their shocked faces was another face that was extremely similar in both expression and features.
Everyone in the world knows that the Tianyuan and Jiuyue kingdoms are sworn enemies, their feud irreconcilable. Shen Jia subconsciously said, "That Su Aoshuang..."
"Lord Su has always been reluctant to get involved in matters of the inner quarters, leaving all affairs to his wife, Lady Xin. He probably doesn't know anything about this matter."
Before she could finish speaking, Yuan Mingjin knew what she wanted to ask: whether Su Aoshuang was still trustworthy—if a spy from an enemy country could rise to the rank of a third-grade official, then Tianyuan would have been in grave danger long ago.
Shen Huaqing was completely bewildered and couldn't get a word in edgewise. He was sweating profusely with anxiety, and finally managed to ask the question that had been bothering him: "Jinniang, how did you figure out that he was the Nine Luminaries traitor?"
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Author's Note: Please unfollow me! I'm still writing! I just want to write more and release it all at once! [Crying]
Just a friendly reminder that you can suggest what kind of side stories you'd like to see in the comments! [Cat emoji]
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