"Please stand up!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng bowing to her, Mrs. Xie immediately stepped forward and helped Yun Qianmeng up with a smile on her face. Her smiling eyes carefully examined Yun Qianmeng in front of her, and she said with joy, "Feiyang is so lucky. Where else can you find a wife like him?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a clever maid who had walked into the side hall with Xie came forward and handed the item in her hand to Xie. Xie took the red satin brocade box, opened it in front of everyone, took out a jade bracelet from inside and put it on Yun Qianmeng herself. Then she took Yun Qianmeng's hand and looked at it carefully. Then she smiled and said, "Our Youzhou is rich in jade. Second Lady didn't have anything good to give her, so she specially ordered someone to make this Hetian mutton-fat jade. You can wear it and play with it!"
Yun Qianmeng smiled faintly and looked down at the mutton-fat jade on her hand. The surface was warm, firm, translucent, pure, and flawless, just like solidified fat. The jade surface reflecting the light was pure white and translucent, with a pink mist. It was obvious that it was a bracelet with pure texture, fine structure, rich water head, and inestimable price. However, Xie was extremely humble and did not get proud of giving such an extremely valuable gift!
Yun Qianmeng did not show any joy at receiving such a precious gift. She maintained a polite smile and said slowly, "I dare not refuse this gift from the elders! Thank you, Second Mother!"
Seeing Yun Qianmeng's reply to Xie, even Chu Nanshan, who was sitting in the seat of honor with a calm expression, had a hint of appreciation in his eyes!
"Qingyang, Jie'er, come and meet your sister-in-law!" Seeing that Yun Qianmeng accepted her gift, Mrs. Xie seemed very happy and immediately gave instructions to her two children standing behind her!
Chu Qingyang and Chu Jie quickly stepped forward upon hearing this. They both bowed to Yun Qianmeng, whom they were meeting for the first time, and said, "Greetings, sister-in-law!"
Yun Qianmeng looked as she was told, and saw that Chu Qingyang was still in his early twenties, and was very handsome. His facial features were about 50% similar to Xie's, but compared to Chu Feiyang's evil charm, he was a little less charming!
After all, Chu Feiyang has been immersed in the battlefield and the court for many years. Even if he is just standing quietly in the corner, the aura he exudes is something that people dare not ignore!
Chu Jie seemed younger, about fourteen or fifteen years old. Her facial features inherited Xie's sweetness, with delicate eyebrows and eyes, and a small mouth and nose. But compared to Yun Qianmeng's slender and tall figure, Chu Jie looked petite and weak, giving people an even more pitiful feeling!
However, although these two people did not grow up in Kyoto, there is no trace of timidity in their eyes, and their graceful manners make people know at a glance that they were born in wealthy families!
When facing Yun Qianmeng, there was neither excessive enthusiasm nor inexplicable rejection in their eyes. They just saluted Yun Qianmeng with the most basic respect!
"Greetings, second brother and little sister!" Yun Qianmeng said with a smile. She then took the two brocade boxes from Mu Chun's hands and handed them to Chu Qingyang and Chu Jie respectively. "They are not valuable things. I hope second brother and little sister don't dislike them!"
"You're so polite, sister-in-law!" The two took the brocade box, but did not open it immediately. They just thanked Yun Qianmeng with a smile on their faces!
"Wanwan, Yuanyuan, come quickly and meet your cousin-in-law!" Xie then called over the two young girls behind her. They slowly walked forward and bowed to Yun Qianmeng in unison. Their voices were clear and gentle, with a girl's unique crispness, "Greetings, cousin-in-law!"
Yun Qianmeng hadn't expected Chu Pei to return to Beijing to report on his work and bring Xie's family with him. Fortunately, to avoid any mistakes, she had Mu Chun and the others prepare some extra gifts yesterday, so she didn't lose face. Handing the gifts to Xie Wanwan and Xie Yuanyuan in front of her, Yun Qianmeng said gently, "Hello, cousins!"
Afterwards, Yun Qianmeng looked at the two girls in front of her. She saw that they were almost carved from the same mold and looked almost exactly the same. It was obvious at first glance that they were twins!
The two of them were both dressed in high-quality fabrics, and the pearl hairpins in their hair were also quite valuable. They must have come from wealthy families. But what Yun Qianmeng didn't understand was that these two people looked to be sixteen years old. Why didn't they stay in Youzhou, but instead followed Xie Shuyi all the way to Kyoto?
Look at the extreme beauty of these two people's lives. Different from Chu Jie's sweetness, they are both beautiful with an irresistible charm. The temperament of the girls is blended with the tenderness beyond their age, which is eye-catching. Yun Qianmeng also found the difference between the two people in an instant and kept it in mind to avoid embarrassment by recognizing the wrong person in the future!
While Yun Qianmeng was observing everyone, these people were also looking at Yun Qianmeng. They saw that she was wearing a rose purple winter coat today. The fox fur on the collar, sleeves and hem was pure white, which made Yun Qianmeng's petite face look even more crystal clear!
Yun Qianmeng's face was calm and steady at this moment. She faced the people she met for the first time with her unique confidence. She was extremely composed and did not give people the impression that she was fawning or deliberately trying to please them, nor did she give people the impression that she was cold, aloof, or deliberately showing off!
But today, Yun Qianmeng did not choose the jewelry left by the Princess of Chu, but wore the jade hairpin that Qu Ruoli used during her lifetime. Firstly, she did not understand Chu Pei's family situation at the moment, and secondly, she did not know Chu Nanshan's attitude towards this family!
To be on the safe side, Yun Qianmeng only chose the oath that Qu Ruoli wore when she got married, so that Xie wouldn't see it and feel upset, and wouldn't make enemies for herself, and wouldn't let Xie and others look down on her!
Everything she did was reasonable and fit her status as a lady from a noble family, without losing face as the current wife of Prime Minister Chu!
"Let's all sit down. It's not tiring to stand all the time! Meng'er, you should sit down too!" At this time, Chu Nanshan, who had been greeting them for a long time, spoke lightly!
As soon as he finished speaking, the maids from Prince Chu's Mansion came in with tea and snacks, and placed them quietly on the small tea table beside everyone. Then they left the side hall very carefully!
"How is your health, Your Highness? Although your husband is in Youzhou, he is always concerned about your health. I have specially ordered people to buy several thousand-year-old snow ginsengs at a high price and bring them to Your Highness. I hope Your Highness will accept them!" After seeing everyone seated, Chu Nanshan regained his deep and solemn look and sat in his seat to drink tea. However, Xie spoke very attentively. The personal maid next to her led several maids, each holding a box about half a meter long and one foot wide in their hands and walked to the center of the side hall. At Xie's nod, they slowly opened the brocade box, and saw a high-quality snow ginseng in human form placed inside. It was obvious that it was not easy to find, but Xie found several of them. It can be seen that Xie had put a lot of effort into this trip to Beijing!
"In my early years, I was often on the battlefield, and my food and accommodation were exactly the same as those of the soldiers. How could I be so particular and enjoy these priceless ginsengs at will? I appreciate your filial piety, but you should take them back to nourish Peier and don't let him work too hard!" Chu Nanshan had seen all kinds of treasures in his life. With just one glance, he knew that the snow ginseng in front of him was worth a fortune, and Xie gave him three complete and beautiful thousand-year-old snow ginsengs. If he accepted them now, it would be difficult for him to say some things in the future, so he made an excuse to push them back!
Besides, the Prince Chu's Mansion might seem simple and ancient, but had Chu Nanshan been a prince for so many years in vain? He might not have snow ginseng worth a million gold, but he certainly had plenty of ginseng worth a thousand gold! Why would he lose face for his own prince and father-in-law just to get those three pieces of snow ginseng?
Seeing Chu Nanshan's refusal, Xie was not angry, and still smiled gently and docilely. The maids standing in the side hall holding ginseng in their hands did not retreat back to Xie's side because of Chu Nanshan's words. They still stood there holding the snow ginseng in their hands, as if they would stand there forever if Chu Nanshan did not accept it!
"Your Highness, what are you talking about? How can a son and daughter-in-law get good things but not be filial to their parents-in-law, but instead keep them for themselves to enjoy? Please don't refuse it, Your Highness. This is just a little token of my love for you! You and I are not in Kyoto all year round and cannot serve you. We are already very uneasy. If you don't accept it, wouldn't you be blaming you?" Xie's words were tactful and pleasant, which not only saved her face from being embarrassed after being rejected, but also forced the King of Chu to accept it, otherwise he would be criticized!
But the King of Chu was also a stubborn person. If he said he would not accept it, then he would not accept it. How could he let others interfere? Moreover, there was a subtle threat in Xie's words just now, which made Chu Nanshan even more determined not to accept it!
"I have Feiyang and Meng'er by my side. Both of them are extremely filial. How could there be no one to take care of me? Such good snow ginseng should be kept for Pei'er! It's not easy for him to leave his hometown and live alone all these years. If he doesn't take care of himself, won't it make me, his father, worry? Since you are his wife, you should naturally focus more on your husband. I have guards and maids here, and I am also favored by the emperor. There is really nothing to worry about!" Chu Nanshan retorted Xie's words with a few words. Chu Nanshan did not embarrass this daughter-in-law whom he met for the first time. He just stated the facts. In addition, as a father, he loved his son, so Xie didn't dare to force the snow ginseng on Chu Nanshan!
"Grandpa, mother spent a lot of effort to find these three snow ginsengs outside, and brought them to you from Youzhou specially! You should accept them! It can be regarded as fulfilling the filial piety of father and mother!" At this time, Chu Jie, who was sitting quietly on the side, spoke slowly with her unique sweetness. She was smiling, and seemed to be very friendly. She smiled sweetly when facing King Chu!
Although Chu Jie is Chu Nanshan's granddaughter, this is the first time the two have met since she was born. Even though there is some blood connection, there is no sense of intimacy at all. It is not as close as the relationship between Chu Nanshan and Yun Qianmeng at this time!
Seeing Chu Nanshan's face darken slightly, Yun Qianmeng knew what he was thinking. He was simply worried that after accepting the priceless snow ginseng, it would be difficult to refuse if Xie family made any requests in the future. In fact, this matter was not difficult to solve at all. Unfortunately, the King of Chu already had some resistance and did not think of it!
Seeing that this family was about to provoke him as soon as they returned to Beijing, Chu Nanshan was about to speak when Yun Qianmeng's clear, soothing yet slightly playful voice rang in his ears, "Grandpa must be hiding some rarer treasure that he's reluctant to give out, so he won't accept Second Mother's snow ginseng!"
Hearing this, Chu Nanshan looked at Yun Qianmeng with confusion, but he quickly reacted to the girl's smile. The thin ice that had already gathered in his eyes melted quietly, and he smiled brightly and asked Yun Qianmeng, "Then Meng'er, what valuable treasures do you think are in Grandpa's palace?"
Seeing the King of Chu ask this, Yun Qianmeng frowned slightly in embarrassment. A sigh escaped her red lips, and she complained a little, "Grandpa's palace is so huge, and Meng'er has only just married into the Chu family. How could I know how many treasures Grandpa has hidden! However, Meng'er knows that Grandpa is very generous. Why not let Meng'er open her eyes and don't make Second Mother worry!"
These words made Chu Nanshan laugh. Seeing him laugh, the smiles on Xie and others' faces became even more intense. They looked at Yun Qianmeng with inquiring eyes and seemed to contain some unknown emotions!
However, Yun Qianmeng did not really want to help Xie out. However, if what happened today fell into the ears of Chu Pei and Chu Feiyang, it would inevitably cause a rift between the father and son, which would make the already weak father-son relationship even worse. Not wanting to see Chu Feiyang suffer such an injustice, Yun Qianmeng naturally had to speak up to ease the somewhat depressing atmosphere in the side hall!
"You girl, you are so sharp-tongued! In that case, I will exchange one of my treasures for these three snow ginsengs!" After saying that, the King of Chu called Jiao Da over and whispered a few words in his ear. Then he saw Jiao Da immediately turn around and leave the side hall!
"Qingyang, you are twenty this year. What books do you read on weekdays?" Feeling amused by Yun Qianmeng, Chu Nanshan started to ask about Chu Qingyang's homework!
After all, Chu Feiyang is extremely talented and has had a photographic memory since childhood. Under Chu Nanshan's training, he won the top spot in both civil and military examinations. Now he is the head of all officials. Naturally, he is Chu Nanshan's most proud grandson!
Although Chu Qingyang did not grow up with the King of Chu, and the relationship between them as grandparents and grandchildren could not compare to that with Chu Feiyang, but as a descendant of the Chu family, Chu Nanshan naturally could not bear to see a playboy who only knew how to play and enjoy himself appear in his family!
Upon hearing Chu Nanshan's question, Chu Qingyang immediately stood up and said respectfully, "Grandpa, my father hired a teacher specifically for me. Besides studying, I also learn swordsmanship from the guards of the Chu Mansion in Youzhou! I know that my elder brother is proficient in both civil and military tactics. I don't ask to be as good as him, I just want to be one-tenth of him!"
Hearing the admiration for Chu Feiyang in Chu Qingyang's words, Yun Qianmeng glanced slightly sideways at the man opposite. He saw that he had a slender figure, and his royal blue robe made him look handsome. His face showed an extremely sincere look, which made people believe his words without a doubt!
However, his straight back showed that he was not someone who would give up easily. Therefore, when his words reached Yun Qianmeng's ears, the truthfulness of them was greatly reduced. No matter what Chu Qingyang was thinking or planning, or whether he was really as he said, Yun Qianmeng would never let him hurt Chu Feiyang!
The faint smile on the corner of her mouth became more and more fascinating, but the light in her eyes dimmed a little. Listening to Chu Qingyang's reply, Yun Qianmeng picked up the teacup at hand, frowned and took a sip as if bored. Her cold gaze met the rising heat, and the look in her eyes was instantly misted, making it impossible to guess what she was thinking at the moment!
Chu Nanshan nodded after listening to Chu Qingyang's words, then motioned him to sit down. He then slowly spoke, "You are much luckier than your elder brother. You have grown up with your parents and have been loved by them. You must be more filial to them in the future and never forget their kindness in raising you!"
There are some things that can be said and some things that cannot be said. If you say too much, it will arouse the jealousy of others. Chu Feiyang was not present at this time, so the focus of Chu Nanshan's words was tightly centered on Chu Qingyang. He did not talk much about his eldest grandson. After all, Feiyang had been raised by his side since he was a child. If he said too much, it would only make Xie and others think that Chu Nanshan favored his eldest grandson!
Although this was true, on the first day his son returned to Beijing, Chu Nanshan did not want to have any conflicts or grudges with Chu Pei because of this matter, nor did he want Chu Feiyang to become the target of public criticism!
"Your Highness!" At this time, Jiao Da walked in with a blue brocade box in his hand, and then placed the box on the coffee table next to Chu Nanshan!
"This is an ancient painting given by my ancestor. I have kept it till now. If this snow ginseng was not so precious, I would not have taken it out today! You can keep it and consider it as a gift from me!" As he said that, Chu Nanshan signaled Jiao Da to hand the brocade box to Xie!
The smile on Mrs. Xie's face paused slightly. She had never expected that the three snow ginsengs would make the King of Chu take out the ancient painting in exchange. An indescribable emotion arose in her heart. She didn't know whether it was because the King of Chu refused to accept the gift she had prepared, or because the three snow ginsengs had lost their original meaning!
But Xie quickly calmed herself down. Seeing Jiao Da approaching with the brocade box, she immediately stood up, respectfully took it, and said with a smile, "Thank you, Your Highness. Your daughter-in-law will definitely keep this painting well!"
"Your Highness, the master and the prime minister are back!" At this time, the housekeeper of the palace hurried in and reported the matter to everyone!
"Please invite them in!" Chu Nanshan nodded slightly and asked the butler to bring them over!
After a while, everyone saw that the door curtain that was originally hanging was lifted, and the first person to come in was a middle-aged man in his forties, who must be Chu Feiyang's father, Chu Pei!
He was dressed in official uniform, and his expression was similar to that of the King of Chu, but his eyes lacked the King of Chu's calmness and were more solemn. He also exuded a hint of rigor and hostility, which must have been gradually developed from serving as an official for so many years!
However, now that he had met his father, Chu Pei still had a businesslike look on his face, which made Yun Qianmeng feel puzzled. She felt that there must be a grudge between the father and son, otherwise the King of Chu would not have looked so calm when he saw his son, and Chu Pei would not have walked in with such an official aura!
As Chu Pei entered, Chu Feiyang followed closely behind him. The official uniform of a first-rank prime minister made his face look like a jade. As soon as he stepped into the side hall, he was like a shining pearl, lighting up every corner of the side hall. Xie and others who had never seen him were stunned, as if they could not believe that Chu Feiyang had grown into such a tall and majestic man!
"Son greets father!" After all, the seniority and status of the King of Chu were before him. Even someone as indifferent as Chu Pei, upon seeing his father whom he had not seen for decades, knelt on the cushion that had been prepared long ago, kowtowed three times respectfully to the King of Chu, and then stood up!
"Sit down!" Even though his heart was surging with excitement at seeing his son, King Chu said very little at this moment. He just spoke calmly, asked his son to sit aside, and then reminded Chu Feiyang, "Feiyang, Meng'er, why don't you quickly pay your respects to your father!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Qianmeng and Chu Feiyang stepped forward at the same time. The maids swiftly placed two cushions on the ground, and they both knelt down, "Greetings, Father!"
"Get up!" But what he got was still Chu Pei's cold voice!
But Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng didn't care much. After they stood up, they walked back to sit on the chairs opposite!
"Feiyang, this is your brother Qingyang and sister Jie'er!" After all, they are Chu Feiyang's closest relatives, so Chu Nanshan still introduced them, "This is your stepmother!" But when he mentioned Xie, his voice was obviously lowered!
Yun Qianmeng turned her head slightly and found that Chu Feiyang looked normal today. The curve of his mouth was still perfect and impeccable, but his pair of black eyes that were always sparkling now had a cold light!
"Qingyang greets Big Brother!" "Jie'er greets Big Brother!"
The two people who were introduced by Chu Nanshan quickly stood up and bowed to Chu Feiyang!
"You're welcome, brother and sister. Please take a seat!" Chu Feiyang replied with a smile as his deep gaze swept across Chu Qingyang and Chu Jie's faces. He then picked up the teacup beside him to moisten his throat. However, seeing that Yun Qianmeng was looking at him intently at this moment, he responded with a warm smile and told her that he was fine!
Chu Nanshan glanced at his son calmly, then said, "You've had a hard time on the way, so go down with the girls and rest! I'll send someone to notify you when dinner is ready."
Xie and the others had indeed been sitting for half a day, and they were really tired from traveling for days, so they all stood up and followed the maids of Prince Chu's Mansion out of the side hall!
"Grandpa, I'll go to the kitchen to see if there's anything I can help with. I'll be back later!" Seeing that King Chu seemed to have something to say to Chu Feiyang, Yun Qianmeng stood up tactfully and walked out of the side hall with Mu Chun and others!
"What are you going to do next? I think this time, they will probably stay in Kyoto for a while!" Chu Nanshan sighed in his heart. The always carefree Chu Nanshan also has his troubles. Looking at the father-son relationship between himself and his son, and between his son and grandson, Chu Nanshan felt a headache!
Chu Feiyang, however, only smiled faintly, with a hint of alienation and indifference, and slowly said, "How long he can stay is up to the emperor! Besides, Youzhou is busy with official duties. How can he abandon state affairs and enjoy himself in Kyoto alone?"
When entering the palace today, Chu Feiyang also guessed that he would meet his father, but when he thought of seeing him face to face, he still did not have too much emotion in his heart. Perhaps it was because they had been separated for too long, so that he only regarded the word "father" as a name, without any blood ties!
"Grandpa, if you have nothing else to do, I will go and accompany Meng'er!" Feeling a little annoyed, Chu Feiyang stood up, ignoring the King of Chu's expression of wanting to keep him, and walked out of the side hall!
"Jiao Da, did I do something wrong back then?" Looking at the door curtain that was trembling slightly after being lowered, Chu Nanshan spoke softly!
However, Jiao Da just guarded him wholeheartedly and did not discuss his master's affairs much!
She said she was going to the kitchen, but Yun Qianmeng was actually craving the fresh air outside. She took a few maids for a walk in the garden of the palace. The heavy snow for some time had covered the capital with a thick layer of cotton wool, which was extremely pure and white, and breathtakingly beautiful. The garden of the Chu Palace has always been like spring all year round. Now, a little bit of green was emerging from under the white snow, which was truly a breathtaking sight!
"Miss, it's such a pity that you gave away such a good thing!" Mu Chun remembered that what Yun Qianmeng gave to Chu Jie and Chu Qingyang were the two golden unicorns that his wife had brought as a dowry, and he complained a little!
After all, golden unicorns are commonly seen worn by young ladies from wealthy families, but the two that Madam has were personally awarded by Emperor Xijing. The value of them is much greater than that of Xie’s jade bracelets and paper money!
Listening to Mu Chun's soft mumbling, Yun Qianmeng simply smiled faintly. She raised her bare hands and gently stroked the icicles hanging from the eaves, whispering, "Those are just external possessions! Using external possessions to silence others is a sure-win business. So, stop complaining! If you can't bear to part with it, I'll have my craftsmen build you a bigger and better one someday so you can wear it around your neck when you get married, okay?"
As soon as Yun Qianmeng finished speaking, she heard Yingxia Yuandong and the other two staring at Mu Chun with mischievous eyes, and then they covered their mouths and laughed!
"Miss, you are such a fool! I won't say anything anymore! I won't say anything!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng making fun of her, Mu Chun stomped her feet on the spot, pouting her lips high, looking so honest and cute!
'Snap!' Yun Qianmeng broke off an icicle and placed it near Mu Chun's mouth, gesturing with a smile in her eyes, but her expression was serious as she said, "Let me see, your little mouth is quite suitable for hanging icicles!"
As she said that, Yun Qianmeng mischievously touched Mu Chun's warm cheek with the ice spike. Mu Chun shivered suddenly from the cold, covered her face and hid behind Yuan Dong, no longer paying any attention to Yun Qianmeng!
Yun Qianmeng's mood suddenly brightened. He weighed the ice spike in his hand and suddenly used it as a dart. He fixed his eyes on an ice spike on the pavilion in the distance. With a slight force on his wrist, he instantly threw the ice spike in his hand...
"Bang!" The sound of two ice spikes colliding instantly echoed through the quiet garden. Several maids looked at each other, wondering when their young lady had mastered such a skill. Yuan Dong, already skilled in martial arts, was even more stunned by Yun Qianmeng's beautiful move.
"Pa pa pa" a burst of applause came from far away, and everyone looked back, only to find Chu Feiyang walking towards them with a smile on his face!
"I didn't expect Meng'er to have such a good skill!" Looking at her red fingertips, Chu Feiyang naturally clenched them, wrapped them tightly in his big hands, and used the temperature of his palms to warm her!
"Although it's not snowing yet, the temperature outside is so low, and you're neglecting your own health. You really deserve to be punished!" But the next words were harsh and helpless!
Yun Qianmeng carefully observed Chu Feiyang's expression. Seeing that he was no different from usual, she felt relieved. Then she spoke, "Didn't my husband sneak out without a cloak as well? Why did you punish only me? Humph!"
The tip of her small nose wrinkled slightly, and Yun Qianmeng turned her face away in dissatisfaction, refusing to look at Chu Feiyang!
"You really don't want to suffer any loss! Even if you have to be punished, you will drag your husband into it!" Looking at her childish appearance, Chu Feiyang's eyes showed doting. He gently turned Yun Qianmeng's little face with one hand and joked with a smile!
"Brother and sister-in-law are so in love!" At this time, Chu Jie and the sisters Xie Wanwan and Xie Yuanyuan, who were supposed to be resting in the room, came from the other end of the corridor!
"Wanwan and Yuanyuan greet our cousin!" Just now in the side hall, the two did not come forward to greet each other, but now that they saw Chu Feiyang, they naturally had to greet him!
Watching the two of them walk towards Chu Feiyang with graceful steps and salute with elegant postures, Yun Qianmeng noticed that the four girls behind her had hostility in their eyes at the same time!
This made Yun Qianmeng feel amused. In her opinion, the two sisters of the Xie family did not seem to have any intention of trying to curry favor with the rich and powerful at this moment. Looking at their expressions and eyes as calm as water, she knew that they did not have any other thoughts about Chu Feiyang at the moment. It was just that the girls behind her showed hostility towards them first. If someone didn't know, they would think it was her instigation!
He glanced at the four girls with a slightly cold look in his eyes, admonishing them to be more restrained. Only then did Yun Qianmeng turn his attention back to the three people in front of him!
"Get up!" Unlike the gentle and affectionate person he was in front of Yun Qianmeng, Chu Feiyang now regained his fierceness in the court. He glanced at the people in front of him indifferently, and his tone was also distant and cold!
Yun Qianmeng saw that Chu Jie had hung the golden Qilin she had given away around her neck, and she smiled and said, "This golden Qilin really suits me, little sister. I hope I like it!"
Hearing Yun Qianmeng talking to her, Chu Jie smiled ecstatically. Her delicate hands gently caressed the golden qilin on her chest and she spoke sweetly, "Mother said that my sister-in-law's gift was truly precious and asked me to keep it well! I also thought that this golden qilin was exquisitely crafted and was very happy, so I hurriedly put it on. I hope my sister-in-law won't laugh at me, Jie'er!"
As she spoke, Chu Jie's cheeks blushed with embarrassment, and she seemed to be very uncomfortable with being praised by others!
"How could I laugh at you? I'm relieved that you like it!" Seeing her like this, Yun Qianmeng spoke with a smile!
"Ah, ha..." Unexpectedly, Yun Qianmeng had just stayed in the warm side hall, and then went out without a cloak, causing her to sneeze accidentally. This immediately caused Chu Feiyang to glare at her, and his voice immediately rang in her ears, "You all should go back to your rooms and rest!"
After he finished speaking, he hurriedly pulled Yun Qianmeng towards his own courtyard...
"My cousin's wife is such a lucky person, marrying a husband who cares so much about her!" At this time, Xie Wanwan suddenly raised her head and looked at the two departing figures, and spoke lightly!
"Cousin, do you want to get married too? You are so eager to have a good husband!" Chu Jie moved closer to Xie Wanwan, staring at her expression with smiling eyes, and asked with a smile!
"Jie'er, stop making fun of us!" With a slight sigh in her heart, Xie Yuanyuan retracted her gaze and looked at Chu Jie who was laughing very happily, and said with a hint of sadness!
At this time in the prison of the Ministry of Justice, the Minister of Justice has now become Qu Changqing!
Although Qu Changqing is young and does not have Su Yuan's accumulated hostility over the years, the murderous aura from the long battles on the battlefield makes people dare not underestimate this young man who was suddenly appointed as the Minister of Justice!
Since Qu Changqing took over the Ministry of Justice, he did not immediately bring Su Yuan to trial. Instead, he patiently memorized the Ministry's procedures for handling prisoners before re-handling the cases that had accumulated in the Ministry over the years!
The first case he handled was Su Yuan's corruption, bribery, and prisoner abuse!
"Su Yuan, now that the evidence of his guilt is conclusive, do you have anything else to say?" Looking at Su Yuan lying on his knees, wearing prison clothes, with a haggard face and messy hair, but still full of murderous intent, Qu Changqing spoke with a cold face and a hard voice!
"You little brat, what qualifications do you have to interrogate me? Do you really think you are the Minister of Justice? Don't forget, I have His Royal Highness Prince Chen behind me! He won't let you touch me!" After so many days of not interrogating him, Su Yuan thought that all this was because Qu Changqing didn't dare to offend Prince Chen, so he became more and more arrogant, completely forgetting that it was him, Su Yuan, who was now a prisoner!
"Since you refuse to plead guilty, don't blame me! Come, torture him!" Su Yuan's crime had long been an ironclad fact, but this man was arrogant and domineering, and kept denying his crimes. Qu Changqing, who had been interrogating him for three days, gradually lost his patience, so today he directly asked the bailiffs to torture Su Yuan!
"Sir, please wait a little longer. After all, Lord Su is an official appointed by the court. You should cover up for him..." At this time, Minister Xing, who was sitting below, began to plead for mercy!
Unexpectedly, this drew a cold glance from Qu Changqing. "Su Yuan's official position has been dismissed by the Emperor himself at court! He is now just a commoner. Minister Xing must remember this! As for what has happened in the Ministry of Justice over the years, Minister Xing, as Su Yuan's right-hand man, must have been involved in a lot of it. Once Su Yuan is convicted, I will settle accounts with Minister Xing! Come, administer the caning!"
As he spoke, Qu Changqing's voice suddenly rose, and the shout that contained his internal strength made the entire hall of the Ministry of Justice tremble slightly. Threatened by Qu Changqing, Minister Xing no longer had the heart to plead for Su Yuan. He was seen slumped in his seat with a pale face, his heart was in turmoil, but he was terrified and guessed how Qu Changqing would deal with him!
"Qu Changqing, how dare you! I am Prince Chen's man, and you actually dare to torture me. Are you tired of living in the Fuguo Mansion?" Seeing that several yamen runners actually obeyed Qu Changqing's orders and came forward to force him to lie on the bench, Su Yuan's heart was suddenly filled with anger, and he began to curse Qu Changqing at the top of his voice!
But no matter how much he cursed, Qu Changqing remained calm. A cold "beat!" uttered from his mouth, and Su Yuan felt the bailiff take off his pants. Then, the heavy and wide wooden board from the Ministry of Justice began to hit his back and buttocks again and again!
After so many years of evolution, the series of punishments implemented by the Ministry of Justice can now cause people to suffer excruciating pain without causing them to die immediately!
Don’t be fooled by the fact that this wooden board looks just like the one used by wealthy families to punish their servants. There is a lot of knowledge hidden inside!
The wooden board looked normal from the front, but on the side that hit the human flesh, it was inlaid with countless tiny silver needles. Every time you hit it hard, it felt like being pricked by needles, especially since the tips of the silver needles were very sharp and could often pierce into the bones, making people's life worse than death!
Su Yuan has been in charge of the Ministry of Justice for many years, so how could he not understand the tricks here?
In addition, he had been pampered for many years, so he could hardly bear just a beating. But when he thought that it was Qu Changqing sitting in the hall, even though the pain went deep into his bones, Su Yuan gritted his teeth and refused to beg for mercy from Qu Changqing, just like Qu Changqing's reaction when he was insulted by Su Yuan!
The sound of wooden boards hitting flesh resounded throughout the entire hall of the Ministry of Justice. Minister Xing looked at Su Yuan's gradually flushed face and saw that Su Yuan had begun to roll his eyes. He shuddered all over and immediately climbed down from his chair and knelt in front of Qu Changqing. He kowtowed and begged for mercy, "My lord, please spare me! My lord, please spare me! I was only following Su Yuan's instructions! With my rank, I cannot go against Su Yuan no matter what! My lord, I know about Su Yuan's affairs and can testify against him. Please spare me!"
"Minister Xing, you beast, you coward, how dare you betray me..." Hearing that this useless Minister Xing was so scared that he begged for mercy from Qu Changqing, Su Yuan, who had been gritting his teeth, suddenly cursed "Ah..." But he only had time to curse this one sentence, and the sudden increase in the weight of the board on his body made him raise his head and scream, and he fainted in an instant!
"Sir, Su Yuan has fainted!" Seeing that the prisoner had fainted, it was meaningless to execute him at this time. The bailiff who was executing the prisoner stopped and asked Qu Changqing!
"Wake him up and continue to torture him!" Qu Changqing threw a piece of white paper in the direction of Minister Xing, indicating that he should write down everything he knew without missing a word, while he ordered to continue to torture Su Yuan!
The bailiff nodded immediately, picked up the steaming hot water next to him, and without hesitation, poured it on Su Yuan's bloody back...
"Ah..." Being awakened by the pain again, how could Su Yuan forget that this was just his
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com