Some things, once exposed, have no turning back. Yunmeng had already prepared for the worst and resolutely stated her purpose, "This concubine begs Fifth Master to save my father and brothers!"
"Your father and brothers?" Hongzhou stared at her suspiciously upon hearing this. "Aren't you an orphan?"
From the day he met her, she said she was an orphan. How come she suddenly has a father and brother?
After much hesitation, Yunmeng finally told the truth, "That was made up by Aunt Cai. Actually, I have a father and an older brother. My father's name is Cha Shenxing."
His surname was Cha, and he spoke with a Zhejiang accent from Yunmeng. Thinking of this, Hongzhou couldn't help but think of someone. "Who is Cha Siting to you?"
Looking up to meet his gaze, Yunmeng no longer hid anything and truthfully said, "That is my uncle."
Upon hearing her admit it with his own ears, Hong Zhou gasped, his eyes filled with shock. "You're a member of Cha Siting's clan?"
Nodding, Yunmeng lowered her eyes and recounted her experiences.
After her uncle Cha Siting was arrested by the imperial court for his literary inquisition, the entire clan was implicated, including her father and brothers, who were also taken away and imprisoned.
She happened to be visiting her grandmother in the countryside at that time and was not at home, which is why she was spared from the disaster. When she learned that her family had encountered trouble, she went to ask her father's good friend, Lord Qin, for help. However, the world is cold and indifferent, and once the Cha family was in trouble, no one dared to get involved with them.
Everyone should mind their own business; it's only natural. Yunmeng had no right to complain. As she left in disappointment, she met the second young master of Lord Qin's family.
The second young master was a close friend of her brother, whom she had met before, so she curtsied to him according to etiquette.
Young Master Qin said he had a way to help her. She was so eager to save her that she didn't think too much and went with him. Little did she know that this man was a beast in human form. After taking her into the house, he changed his attitude and tried to take liberties with her.
Yunmeng struggled fiercely, smashing a teacup at Qin Ershao to injure him, and only then was she able to escape. In her panic, she fled to a courtyard, thinking she had found a refuge. Little did she know that she had just escaped one danger only to fall into another – the Liuxiang Pavilion!
One wrong step and she would have no way to retreat. As soon as Aunt Cai of Liuxiang Pavilion saw her, she said that she had found a treasure. At this moment, Yunmeng was confused and helpless. If she went out, she would be retaliated against by the Second Young Master Qin. If she stayed here, she would lose her reputation. She really didn't know what to do.
Currently, she is the only female member of the Cha family still outside; the rest are all under the control of the imperial court. After much agonizing reflection, she has decided to stay here, wait for an opportunity, and then plead for leniency for her clansmen once she has the chance to be favored by a powerful figure.
Upon hearing this, Hongzhou suddenly realized what was happening, and his gaze towards her gradually turned cold.
"So I'm the benefactor in your eyes? You approached me and specifically asked me to attend your concert, not because you like me, but because you value my status and want to use me, right!"
At this moment, Hongzhou's eyes no longer burned with passion when he looked at her; only disappointment remained.
Having been hit where it hurt, Yunmeng had no way to refute it and replied in a low voice, "I am not using you, I just want to ask you for help to save my father and brothers."
If it were an ordinary matter, he would help if he could, but this was no small matter. "Do you know what crime your uncle committed?"
When this matter was mentioned, Yunmeng found it hard to understand. "The court said that there were problems with the exam questions set by my uncle, and that his writings and poems were full of rebellious and satirical remarks, showing that he harbored resentment. It is a real injustice to convict him on this basis!"
"Injustice?" Hongzhou frowned and snorted coldly, "The matter of Wang Jingqi is known to all the people. As a second-rank official of the court, he should be careful to avoid such matters. Why would he ask such a question in such an important occasion as the imperial examination?"
Yunmeng couldn't help but defend herself, saying, "That's because my uncle is upright and didn't think too much about it. It's the Emperor who has misunderstood."
"Insolence!" Hongzhou slammed his fist on the table in anger, scoffing, "Your Majesty is wise and mighty, how dare you slander him!"
Knowing she shouldn't speak ill of the Emperor in front of him, Yunmeng had no choice but to change her tune.
“I know I was wrong, but my uncle really had no rebellious intentions. Now he couldn’t bear the pressure and has died in prison. Even if he was wrong and has been punished, the Cha family members are innocent! My father and brothers knew nothing about this matter and they should not be implicated.”
Whether something is right or wrong is not up to the people to decide, but rather to those in power. "To satirize the monarch and despise the court is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family! If only one person is punished, people will think that they have nothing to lose and will not care about anything. Only when their families are implicated will they have any sense of restraint."
The royal family only cares about the law and completely disregards the difficulties of ordinary people. Yunmeng really doesn't understand why they are so cruel. "What did my father and brothers do wrong? Did they deserve to die?"
Hongzhou had no answer to her question. With a muffled sigh, he said coldly, "There's no such thing as logic in this world. The law is merciless; it's just that they're surnamed Cha."
"This is fate, something my father and brothers cannot control. Fifth Master, please, for the sake of our past acquaintance, do me a favor and help me save my father and brothers!"
Yunmeng clung to his sleeve, pleading repeatedly, her voice choked with sobs. Seeing her tearful, helpless state, Hongzhou felt pity, yet he couldn't agree, for he knew all too well what this case meant. Hongzhou was self-aware; he didn't want to get involved, so he resolutely shook off her hand and coldly refused.
"This case was decided by Father Emperor, and it is beyond my control."
"You are the Emperor's son. If you plead for him, he might be lenient with you."
If even the Emperor wouldn't listen to what Fourth Brother said, how could he possibly listen to him?
"You're oversimplifying things. Even if I were a prince, I couldn't sway Father's will. This matter is of great importance. Father has decided to make an example of them and won't let the Cha family off lightly. I can only guarantee they'll be spared the death penalty, but they'll face punishment. They'll never be free again. Don't waste your breath."
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