Chapter 11 Commitment
Li Jiying was the daughter of Li Xiaoci's concubine Liu Ruiyun.
Just two months ago, she committed the murder of her husband, Xiao Shen, the only son of Duke Cao. She is now imprisoned in the prison, awaiting execution in the autumn.
Li Xiaoci was extremely ashamed of having such a cruel and cold-blooded daughter.
Since the incident, he couldn't even raise his head in front of his aristocratic colleagues, let alone face Duke Cao.
Therefore, facing Li Mian's question, his voice was weak, "No, I haven't gone yet. The last time I saw her was before the trial."
Fortunately, Li Mian didn't scold him this time. Instead, he looked at him and said, "All death penalty cases must be approved by the Emperor. Now that the Emperor has passed away, I'm afraid Ji Ying's case will have to be postponed. However, we can't put it off until autumn. We have to give an explanation to Duke Cao. If you have time, please take the time to speak to the Ministry of Justice."
Li Mian's voice was extremely calm and flat, as if they were not discussing his granddaughter, but something insignificant.
In fact, with the ability of the Li family, it might not be impossible to rescue Li Jiying from the Ministry of Justice, but Li Xiaoci knew very well that it was impossible.
The Cao family and their Li family have been friends for generations, and the marriage between the two families was originally intended to strengthen their friendship and the kinship.
As a result, Li Jiying caused the situation to become like this. If she hadn't died, it would have been difficult to resolve.
In fact, the Xiao family still gave them face. Their only request was to parade Li Jiying through the streets and torture her to death as a death penalty for the deceased Xiao Zhen, the only son of Duke Cao.
Li Xiaoci sighed. What an injustice! He was afraid that Li Jiying came to collect debts from him in his previous life.
Just as he was about to respond, he heard a slight clicking sound outside the window.
Li Xiaoci turned his head and shouted, "Who's outside?"
Li Mian also immediately sat up straight, his face darkened, and he signaled him with his eyes to go and check.
Li Xiaoci walked over quickly and opened the window.
There was a hazy moonlight outside and the banana leaves were swaying slightly. He immediately tensed up and wanted to take a closer look, but suddenly a black kitten jumped out and scurried into the grass.
Li Xiaoci breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and said to Li Mian, "It's just a cat."
Then he agreed to the Ministry of Justice's matter and hurriedly took his leave.
However, what Li Xiaoci did not notice was that on the other side of the banana tree, Liu Ruiyun was squatting there, desperately curling up her hands and feet and holding her breath.
Even though she was in such a mess, she couldn't hide the joy on her face.
Originally, Liu Ruiyun came to the study tonight just to have a fight with Li Xiaoci, thinking that even if it meant death, she would force him to get the person out of the prison.
Who the hell is Xiao Shen? He's dead, so why should Ji Ying pay for his life?
However, the study, which was originally unattended, suddenly had several more guards, and she was stopped before she could get close.
Liu Ruiyun had no choice but to go around behind the window and try to climb in through it.
Who knew that she would overhear such great news.
Liu Ruiyun secretly cheered in her heart, "Great, the emperor is dead!"
I heard that as soon as the new king ascends the throne, there will be a general amnesty. Then, there will be no need to ask that unscrupulous Li Xiaoci for help, and Ji Ying can also be pardoned.
As for what Li Mian said later about saying hello to the Ministry of Justice, she didn't care at all.
Liu Ruiyun was ecstatic, but she suppressed her excitement and quietly left the window with her back bent.
After walking a long way, he stood up, walked quickly in the moonlight, and returned to his residence panting.
Pushing the door open, he said to the people in the room: "Mother Liu, hurry up, find someone to go to the prison and tell Ji Ying that she doesn't have to pay for Xiao's life--"
The sound stopped abruptly.
In the room, her confidante mother Liu Shanzhen stood awkwardly by the side, and sitting on the chair at the top was Li Xiaoci who had just left the study.
The candlelight illuminated half of his face, making it look eerie.
Liu Ruiyun's heart suddenly stopped beating for a moment.
————
The supreme throne, the power of life and death.
Who doesn’t want that?
But what was easily obtainable for Zhao Chun was absolutely impossible for Zhao Mingyue.
"This scar was left by Zhao Chun hitting me with an inkstone two years ago."
She lifted her hair, revealing a hideous scar that crawled into her hair like a centipede.
"He didn't study hard, and my father scolded him. I memorized the passage from 'Mencius: King Hui of Liang' after reading it once, but he couldn't even read it fluently. I asked him to copy it a few more times, but he got angry and hit me in the face with his inkstone. He also said... who am I to dare discipline him? When he becomes emperor, the first thing he will do is marry me to a groom."
As Zhao Mingyue spoke, her face became redder and redder, and tears glistened in her eyes.
She stared at Chi Lun closely and asked in a trembling voice, "Mother, am I too narrow-minded? They all said that my brother didn't mean it and was just joking. Even my father took it as a funny story, saying that my brother was just a little naughty and asked me, as his elder sister, to be more magnanimous."
"I cried and made a fuss, but my father comforted me, saying that a small scar was nothing and wouldn't hinder my marriage. He would definitely find me a perfect husband in the future. I don't want to get married, and I don't want a perfect husband. I just... just..."
Zhao Mingyue's chest heaved violently. At the end of her speech, her voice was choked with sobs and she could not continue.
She buried her head in the quilt, thinking with great sadness that Chi Lan would probably think she was being pretentious.
After all, what sister in this world would hold a grudge against her own brother for such a trivial matter?
Chi Qi looked at her silently, thought for a while, then walked to the bed and sat down, reaching out and gently patting the thin back.
"I know you just want fairness and want Zhao Chun to be punished."
This kid probably wants to hear this?
Feeling the warmth from the palm of her hand, Zhao Mingyue's body trembled, then she threw away the quilt and threw herself into Chi Lan's arms, tears rolling down her face like beads from a broken string.
“Mother——!”
"It doesn't matter if I don't punish him. Even if... even if I just tell Zhao Chun that it's wrong to treat my sister like this... I'll forgive him..."
But there was no punishment, no apology, not even a word of criticism, and she couldn't forgive him.
Zhao Mingyue burst into tears.
Chi Qi lowered her eyes and looked at her crying in grievance. She felt a little touched, but more of it was indifference.
I just thought that if I comforted this child at this time, I would definitely gain her full trust.
So he softened his expression and said, "Don't worry, I will make him get the punishment he deserves."
This is a promise.
She rarely makes promises to others. The feeling that she must fulfill her promises is like a shackle, which makes her feel tired.
However, when Zhao Mingyue heard this, she was deeply moved and felt that all her grievances had been vented.
Even if Chi Yan really killed the emperor, she didn't care now. This man didn't shed a single tear when her mother died.
If the emperor is ruthless, why should he expect his children to be affectionate?
She hugged Chi Lan tightly and said sincerely: "Thank you, mother. You are such a good person. Mingyue will definitely help you!"
Chi Qi smiled. A good person? This was the first time she had heard such an evaluation from someone else.
He raised his head and looked into the air. Where there should have been nothing, a virtual screen appeared.
Looking at the additional 100 points, Chi Yan couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth and said softly with a smile in her voice, "Mingyue is also a very good child."
Innocent, simple, and non-threatening.
Is it... a compliment? Zhao Mingyue lowered her head shyly.
Fortunately, she was really drunk, her face was already red, so she wasn't afraid of it being seen. Also, after crying so much, she was now groggy and had no energy left.
She rested her head on Chi Qi's knees, and soon she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
As for the fact that Zhao Chun was throwing a tantrum in her tent, Zhao Mingyue was naturally completely unaware of it.
————
"Where's Zhao Mingyue? Call her over!"
Zhao Chun roared and kicked over the table in front of him.
There was a loud bang, and the palace maid kneeling on the ground trembled with fear.
Chun Ying raised her head, looked at Zhao Chun's expression, and answered carefully, "Reply, reply to the Crown Prince, the princess is staying in the Queen's tent. She will not be back tonight."
"What did you say?" Zhao Chun's face darkened.
He glanced around and found that everything in the tent had been smashed. He walked straight to the palace maid, grabbed her hair and slapped her hard.
The crisp sound of the slap filled the room with silence.
"You vile creatures, you're treating me like a child, aren't you? Just wait, when I become emperor, I'll be the first to chop off your heads!"
Zhao Chun yelled like a madman and raised his hand to hit again. At this moment, an anxious voice came from outside the door:
"Your Highness, the Imperial Physician says that Lord Li seems to be dying. You should go and see him!"
Zhao Chun immediately let go, kicked Chun Ying away, and walked out quickly.
When he reached the door, he turned back and glared at them viciously, "If anything happens to Banban, I want all of you to be buried with him!"
The palace maids trembled with fear. Zhao Chun snorted coldly and walked out of the tent.
The palace maid Lingqiong was waiting outside. Seeing Zhao Chun looking furious, she was afraid that he would take his anger out on her, so she quickly moved aside.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Chun saw it, rushed over, and slapped her in the face, "You said Banban is no longer good enough? What a jinx! Slap me in the face, ten times!"
Ling Qiong lowered her head, immediately knelt on the ground, raised her hand and slapped herself hard on the mouth.
The crisp sound of the slap was so loud that it made people's teeth ache.
Zhao Chun still felt it was not enough, "Fan faster!"
Ling Qiong hurriedly slapped herself faster and pleaded guilty, "...I know I was wrong."
Zhao Chun watched her slap him ten times before turning around and leaving.
Ling Qiong covered her swollen face, slowly stood up, and looked at Zhao Chun's back gloomily.
But it was only for a moment, and soon her eyes became timid again, and she obediently raised her feet to follow.
In the tent, Chunying heard the noise outside completely disappear, and then she struggled to get up from the ground.
Qiushi immediately supported her and looked at her face worriedly, "Are you okay?"
Chun Ying shook her head, covering her red and swollen cheeks and forcing a smile, "I'm fine. Servants are bound to get beaten. Besides, that's just the prince's temper."
Qiu Shi curled his lips, "It wasn't us who dug out the person's eyes. If you really have the guts, go get angry at the Queen. The Princess is there too, why don't you go find her? You little brat, you're just a bully!"
Chun Ying covered her mouth with her hand and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Are you trying to kill yourself?"
Qiushi pulled her hand away and said, "Okay, I won't say anything more. I'll go find an egg to reduce the swelling on your face."
Chun Ying nodded. Seeing her turn to leave, she pulled her sleeve worriedly and warned her, "I think the princess has made up her mind to follow the queen and distance herself from the prince. When you are out there, don't say anything you shouldn't say."
Qiushi nodded randomly, "I know, I know what's going on." He turned and walked out of the tent.
Chun Ying looked at the mess in the room and couldn't help but sigh, "I don't know what kind of trouble we'll be in when we get back to the capital."
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