Along the edge of the area (IV)
The twinkling stars and flickering candlelight illuminated the entire room.
The bedroom was not decorated in an elaborate way, but every item was made of the finest materials, and a girl in a white nightgown lay on the soft bed.
The clothes were made just a few days ago, but they were actually a bit too big for her at the moment.
Her outstretched wrist, reflected in the candlelight, appeared even more delicate and fragile.
Alas, it seems even medicine isn't working anymore. Now, Chen Zhuangmu has lost all interest in reading; instead, she's lost in the thought of having only two years left to live.
In the months since returning to Huijing, she has witnessed the events that have occurred, the friends she has met, the seemingly special people she has met, and the changes she has undergone.
The results will be here soon; she will soon be able to overturn her mother's case, and then all the regrets will naturally disappear.
However, sadness and heartache are inevitable.
Time is the most tender yet the most steadfast thing; it can dilute everything, and it will not stop for anything in the world.
The sky was high and the clouds were light, the air was clear and the sky was cold; today was destined to be the most special day in the history of Qunchao.
As usual, everyone walked with a dazed gait, their eyes filled with an eerie determination, standing still in their positions, ready to begin today's "battle" that seemed to stretch endlessly before them.
Today, those families will finally find a place to live.
This time, Chen Zhuangmu took the lead. After the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial finished their announcement, she stood up and said, "Your Majesty, their crimes may be pardoned, but they cannot escape punishment. Your Majesty has raised an empire, and we hope you can forgive them."
The water would flow for a while before stopping, and she could only save one or two people, but she had to save everyone in her mouth.
The emperor, seated on his throne, narrowed his eyes.
However, the emperor could never be the first to speak. As soon as Chen Zhuangmu finished speaking, someone took a board and knelt down on the ground with a thud. The sound was so clear and crisp in the hall, which meant that they had gone to great lengths to make it happen.
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable! Releasing a tiger back to the mountain is tantamount to destroying the mountain range itself. Your humble servant has already investigated and found that these people are corrupt, with some engaging in embezzlement and others monopolizing the market. If we let such people go back, the people will surely suffer greatly!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Chen Zhuangmu retorted, raising her head. "What good would it do you if they died?"
"Your Majesty, I am only thinking of the country and its people. You mustn't do this!"
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely forbidden!"
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely forbidden!"
At that moment, a clear voice pierced through the chaos and reached Chen Zhuangmu's ears.
"Your Majesty, this is what I found during my overnight search. Please take a look."
The eunuch took the scroll with both hands and handed it to the emperor. The emperor unfolded the scroll and looked at the words on it.
"You lot, defying my decree! Guards, take you out!"
The man who had just stood up was now unsteady on his feet, trembling as he cried out, "Your Majesty, you must let me know how I died! I was wronged!"
"Hmph!" The emperor snorted. "You really won't give up until you're completely convinced. Just look at you!"
The first person handed the scroll to the subordinate saw the writing on it and his eyes widened in shock. He stiffly clutched the scroll in his hand and was about to rush to Zhao Yi's side when he shouted, "You, Zhao Yi, what are you doing, being a deputy envoy? If you keep acting like this, you'll be in big trouble sooner or later!"
The man was about to jump up, and he was about to shout and curse when someone covered his mouth and dragged him out with several others.
The departure of these people seemed to teach everyone a lesson. They listened with trepidation to the muffled "thump!" sounds outside the door, and had to reconsider the words they were about to say.
At this moment, many people are focusing their attention on the same person, as if they are placing their future hopes on him.
He lived up to expectations and stepped forward amidst the surprised gazes of the crowd. "Your Majesty," he said, "I believe that releasing a tiger back into the mountains is no different from cutting off its own path."
"In your opinion, Minister Xiao, how should this case be judged?" the emperor asked, sitting on his high seat.
"I believe that we should cut off their most important wing, so that the others will not be able to play a significant role."
"In your opinion, Minister Xiao, who should die and who should live?" Chen Zhuangmu looked at him sharply, but her heart was filled with panic.
“Princess, there’s no need to be so harsh.” Xiao Zhong glanced at her coldly, as if he didn’t take her seriously at all. He then said, “Your Majesty, this was done by me overnight.”
The young eunuch took the memorial from him with both hands and handed it to the emperor, who read it but said nothing.
Those familiar with the situation understand that this means the emperor is seriously considering his opinion.
As for Chen Zhuangmu, all she could do was silently pray that she could leave them someone who could take care of everything.
Amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, the emperor spoke.
"Let me make the decision."
“The death penalty may be waived, but punishment is inevitable. The two eldest brothers in this family will be executed soon, and the rest will be expelled from the capital and never allowed to enter again.”
"Your Majesty!" Shen Zhuangmu and the others called out at the same time, but the emperor waved his hand and said, "My mind is made up."
This case, which dragged on for half a year and involved heated arguments, has finally come to a conclusion, bringing joy to some and sorrow to others.
"Is there anything else?"
"Your Majesty," Zhang Jiao said gracefully, kneeling upright, and bowing to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, while on official business, I discovered a large number of people at the city gate who, for unknown reasons, were forcibly locked inside the iron gates, and were also relieving themselves inside. I suspect that someone is plotting against us, and I implore Your Majesty to send people to rescue them and thoroughly investigate this matter!"
"Such a thing has happened? I've entrusted this matter to you, and you must give me a clear and transparent explanation."
Is that all? Chen Zhuangmu was sweating profusely with anxiety, but seeing that Zhang Jiao seemed to have more to say, she gradually felt relieved.
"Your Majesty, many of these people are ordinary folks who have been robbed of their homes and have ended up here. Please, Your Majesty, provide them with a place to settle down and make a living."
"That's natural." The emperor then said to one of them. "I'm leaving this matter to you. Any dereliction of duty can be dealt with later!"
"Is there anything else?" the emperor asked.
A series of stammering sounds suddenly rang out in the Daqing Hall, and a figure walked straight to the center and knelt down.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report!" Amidst the complex gazes of the crowd, Chen Zhuangmu knelt down, her head bowed to the ground.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request permission for this humble subject to investigate the case of 'General Nebula'!"
Chen Zhuangmu spoke clearly and deeply. Those present even had to listen to it twice to understand what Chen Zhuangmu meant.
It's not that I don't understand, it's that I can't believe it.
A series of piercing gazes were fixed on her, and Chen Zhuangmu said again, "Your Majesty, please grant me permission to thoroughly investigate the case of General Xingyun!"
This matter can be considered a taboo in everyone's heart, because they know that it cannot be spoken of.
I thought it would just pass like this, but when General Nebula's daughter appeared, I should have known this day would come.
At the same time, the emperor was also under immense pressure.
Chen Zhuangmu didn't dare to look up at all.
"Do you have any evidence?" The emperor's voice was surprisingly calm.
"Your Majesty, I have investigated the case logs. Our ancestors said that every case must have a process, and it must be recorded in its entirety to ensure that no innocent person is wronged and no guilty person is let off the hook. However, I have investigated and found no process whatsoever for the case of General Xingyun!"
After saying that, she looked at the Minister of Justice who was deep in thought at the table next to her and asked, "Minister, how can you still stand here steadily?"
The Minister of Justice glared and raised his eyebrows, but Chen Zhuangmu didn't play any games with him and said directly, "You don't need to investigate who broke into the archives a few days ago. It was me."
She turned her head to face forward, not looking at anyone, and said, "This humble subject is guilty. I will clear General Xingyun's name and accept double the punishment. However, Your Majesty, there are many suspicious points in this matter. Your Majesty must not let those who have protected the Qun Dynasty for many years lose heart!"
“Didn’t Princess Rongshu lose her memory?” Xiao Zhong asked.
"A few days ago, when I was looking for a book, I fell off a ladder and hit my head, but I did regain some of my memories." She was no longer afraid at all; things that used to make her shudder were now insignificant.
Silence fell over the hall. At this moment, who dared to speak except for the one who could make the judgment? Chen Zhuangmu kept her head pressed to the ground, determined not to back down until she agreed. Most people in the hall looked at Chen Zhuangmu with barely concealed disgust; this matter would only implicate many others, and it was hard to guarantee they wouldn't be dragged into it.
In reality, most people simply want to climb the social ladder within a stable and happy life, which is why they try to associate with the upper class. However, the appearance of a "beauty queen" (or "a woman with a veil of secrecy") is likely to disrupt this ambiguous existence, and undoubtedly, they will look at such a woman with disgust.
"Say it again?" the emperor asked, looking at the veiled woman.
"I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to investigate the case of General Xingyun!"
"Name a deadline."
"Two months! If I fail to do it within two months, I'd rather lose my head!"
Upon hearing this, the hall was filled with laughter. They had thought he was some kind of expert, but it turned out he was just a child. Did he really think that solving a case was an easy task? Especially one that was already closed and unsolved.
The emperor's gaze never wavered, but her heart grew colder and colder.
It seems that a rift is forming between her and her uncle.
"Very well." The emperor took a deep breath. "I will give you two months, not a day more, not a day less!"
"Is there anything else?"
No one uttered a sound, and so, in the silence that followed the uproar, the court session ended.
She slowly stood up and walked down the steps of the hall in her slightly swaying official robes, but was bumped hard on the shoulder by someone behind her, almost falling down the steps.
Zhao Yi gripped her arm tightly, but she steadied herself and shook off his hand. She strode over to the Minister of Justice and said, "Stop!"
"What brings you here, Minister of Justice?" The Minister of Justice stood up and glanced at her.
"Since the Minister's legs are not in good condition, he should come to court less often in the future," Chen Zhuangmu sneered.
The Minister of Justice smirked and said, "I just twisted my ankle by accident; it must be because I was too close to something unclean."
“Then you must be careful, sir. If you really sprain your ankle one day, it will be too late to regret it. And…” Chen Zhuangmu was about to say something, but then stopped abruptly, thinking of something.
Without saying anything, he turned and left, but after only a few steps, his sleeve was grabbed by someone.
Looking back, it was still Zhao Yi.
The dozens of eyes around them seemed to multiply into countless pairs, all staring at Zhao Yi's hand. Chen Zhuangmu had felt uneasy before, but she had never felt this goosebump-like sensation before.
"We..." Zhao Yi was interrupted before he could finish speaking.
"Wait a minute, come with me somewhere."
The two walked together out of the palace and, led by Shen Zhuangmu, arrived at a secluded street.
Opposite, there is an inconspicuous little door.
"Come, look at the people we are fighting for."
They stood quietly beside the small door, waiting. After a short while, the door creaked open, and four disheveled but clean-dressed people emerged.
Their hair was disheveled, but everyone wore forced smiles, except for the baby being held. The lack of sunlight for over six months had made it difficult for them to open their eyes; it took them a while to barely see anything.
When the woman saw the heavy makeup curtain not far away, her breath caught in her throat.
"You are... a princess, right?" the woman asked, looking at the heavy makeup curtain.
She walked over and said, "Madam is very intelligent; I knew you could guess it."
"Not at all, it's just that when you get to this point, you have to be a little more careful," she sighed.
Unsure how to begin, Chen Zhuangmu simply said, "I..."
The woman grasped her hand. “Princess, there’s no need to feel guilty. I know this is the result that many people fought for.”
She sighed softly, withdrew her hand, and said, "Leave now. The carriage I prepared for you is just around the corner. Once you get in, someone will tell you where to go."
"Could you please ask the princess for help?" The woman tugged at Chen Zhuangmu's sleeve and knelt down. "His Majesty has ordered us to leave the city immediately, and I will not be able to see my husband and brother-in-law again. On their deathbed, I hope the princess can send us some food and drink, okay?"
Following the lady's head bowed lower and lower, tears streamed down her chin. Chen Zhuangmu quickly helped her up, but she wouldn't get up no matter what. "Okay, I promise you. I will definitely go."
The lady then straightened up, wiped the tears from her face, and said, "In that case, Susu thanks the princess."
"Go quickly." Chen Zhuangmu patted her hand reassuringly.
And so, the group gradually disappeared down the path.
"This is a good thing for them, a relief," Zhao Yi said, gazing at the blurry figure disappearing into the distance.
"Do you know? They've been locked up in a dark dungeon for over half a year; the people of Tong City live in such a gloomy environment; and there's a group of souls at the city gate who are practically otherworldly. Humans are truly resilient. If I were in that situation, I might just want to end it all," Chen Zhuangmu said with a light laugh.
"Then is the princess doing better?" Zhao Yi looked into her eyes, where there was always something indescribable surging within them. "They haven't experienced what the princess has experienced."
"Come to my place. It's time we talked about what happened between us."
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