Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Prison
After Xiao Ye left the bedroom, Eunuch Fu came before Emperor Wucheng, bowed, and whispered, "Your Majesty, that man has been in the capital for several days, looking for an opportunity."
Emperor Wucheng said, "Let's do it, don't delay."
"Well, I'll arrange it right away."
Eunuch Fu left the bedroom with his whisk in hand and delivered the emperor's instructions to his men outside the palace.
The next day, before Emperor Wucheng issued the imperial decree granting the marriage, the drum outside the palace sounded.
Zhao Mucheng came to the capital to file a complaint with the emperor.
A screen separated the interior and exterior of the chamber. Emperor Wucheng had been bedridden for a long time, but once the drum for reporting was sounded, he was determined to inquire about the injustice. He asked, "Who is in the chamber? Who are you suing?"
Zhao Mucheng knelt on the ground, gazing at the screen. He could not see the emperor, yet reaching this point had been difficult. "Your Majesty, I, Zhao Mucheng, have resigned my position as the County Lieutenant of Jinyang County. I have come to the capital to sue the Marquis of Anlu for taking my fiancée, Shuyun. Xiao Ye abused his power and bullied me. On the eve of my wedding, he forced Shuyun to take my fiancée. The people of Jinyang County can testify on my behalf that this is true."
"Shuyun has been engaged to me, so she is my wife! According to our dynasty's laws, anyone who abducts or sells people into slavery shall be hanged; anyone who abducts or sells people into slavery shall be exiled 3,000 miles; anyone who abducts or sells people into slavery shall be sentenced to three years' imprisonment." Zhao Mucheng said in a serious tone, "Xiao Ye abducted my fiancée to be his wife or concubine. According to the law, he shall be sentenced to three years' imprisonment."
With a loud thud, Zhao Mucheng kowtowed on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, please help me."
The bedroom is so solemn that you can hear a pin drop.
Emperor Wucheng said, "Pass on my oral order. Immediately take Xiao Ye to the prison to await interrogation. This case will be handed over to the Crown Prince."
During Emperor Wucheng's serious illness, all the major and minor affairs of the court were handled by the crown prince. He was always worried about handing over the stable world to his son. The Prince of Huainan was able to endure for twenty years, but the other princes and kings might not be so obedient.
Xiao Ye was taken from the Marquis' Mansion to the Dali Temple for interrogation. The last Xiao family member who was taken to the Dali Temple was the powerful Xiao Song.
Both father and son had returned from a victorious battle, and the emperor's rewards were carried into the marquis' mansion box after box, and they were gone in the blink of an eye.
In the courtroom, Zhao Mucheng spoke with confidence, looking towards the crown prince who sat high up in the hall. He said in a serious tone, "Xiao Ye assaulted me and stole my fiancée, Shuyun, forcing her to leave with him. Your Highness, please ask the Crown Prince and the Supreme Court Minister to help me."
Xiao Ye knelt straight, looking at Zhao Mucheng beside him with contempt and disdain in his eyes. He made this sworn brother only because he saw that Zhao Mucheng was pitiful in the camp, without a father or mother, and trained fiercely every day, which was somewhat similar to him.
Xiao Ye's straight lips curled slightly, "Fiancée? I want to ask you, how could the adopted daughter my family has been searching for so hard end up by your side? Have her parents agreed to this marriage? An elder brother is like a father, why can't I cancel this marriage? I took my adopted sister away, so how could you accuse me of stealing her? Everyone in the capital knows that I am pure and unselfish. I don't even have a maidservant by my side. When did I take her away?"
Xiao Ye's eyes were sharp and filled with murderous intent as he demanded, "Zhao Mucheng, what is your intention in bringing this up and ruining her reputation?"
Faced with Xiao Ye's continuous questioning, Zhao Mucheng was a little overwhelmed and pointed at him with a trembling hand, "You...you, you are making excuses!"
The Crown Prince frowned slightly, and the Supreme Court Judge slammed the gavel with a loud bang, shaking the earth, and shouted sternly, "Silence!"
The prince asked, "Xiao Ye, where is your adopted sister Shuyun now?"
Xiao Ye said, "My father passed away. Although Shuyun is not my Xiao family's biological daughter, we still raised her. After Shuyun paid her respects, I let her go. Her surname is Tian, and she is from Tianjiatun. Everyone in the capital knows her."
"You're talking nonsense..." Zhao Mucheng just opened his mouth when Xiao Ye looked away with a cold look.
Xiao Ye: "The eldest and second uncles of the Tian family can both testify, as can everyone in the Marquis' Mansion. We have evidence. What nonsense am I talking about? Or are you just making random accusations?"
Zhao Mucheng frowned and was speechless for a moment.
The hall suddenly fell into silence.
The prince pondered for a moment and said, "Let's end the trial here today. For now, take Anlu Marquis Xiao Ye to the prison."
…
The news that Xiao Ye was imprisoned quickly spread throughout the capital. Shuyun did not expect that Zhao Mucheng would come to the capital to file a complaint. It was all her fault. If she had not proposed marriage to Zhao Mucheng, things would not have turned out like this.
Zhao Mucheng is now in the Dali Temple Prison and will only be released after the case is over. Shuyun is extremely anxious as there has been no news from Xiao Ye for two consecutive days.
On this day, Shu Yun paid a large sum of money to bribe the jailer and met with Zhao Mucheng at the Dali Temple. Chen Zhao was worried about his sister, so he went to the prison with her.
In the narrow passage, Shu Yun said to Shen Zhao: "Brother, I want to talk to him alone. Please wait for me here."
She walked forward alone and saw Zhao Mucheng in prison.
Shu Yun stood outside the iron prison, looking at the people in the prison, and pleaded, "Brother Zhao, all this is because of me. Can you please show mercy and let him go?"
"You came to me today to plead for him and speak for him?!" Zhao Mucheng was almost mad with anger. The woman he loved came to see him, and the first thing she said was about other men, and the man who ruined their marriage.
Shu Yun said: "I am the one who wronged you. If you want to blame someone, blame me. It has nothing to do with him."
Zhao Mucheng gradually realized that Shuyun didn't care about him at all and didn't like him. Looking back on what he had done to Shuyun, it was simply a huge joke.
He lost his parents at a young age and had never experienced the feeling of being cared for. After arriving at the military camp, he recognized the marquis's son as his sworn brother, which gave him a taste of care. Shu Yun was different. She was beautiful and had a pair of skillful hands. She made sachets and wristbands for him and cared for him. However, Xiao Ye's arrival took Shu Yun away, and took away that care.
Shuyun still has Xiao Ye in her heart.
Zhao Mucheng was so furious that he had lost all reason. He stretched out his hands from the iron cage and fiercely grabbed Shu Yun's neck. His eyes widened and he said in disgust, "You are still speaking for him, speaking for him! I have been running around for you in Nanzhou, and in the end all I get is a word of mercy from you!"
"Someone come here! Someone come here!" Shen Zhao ran towards this side in two steps, and the jailer was also alarmed.
Chen Zhao pushed Zhao Mucheng away and rescued Shuyun from his grasp. Shuyun's neck was covered with red fingerprints. After she caught her breath, she covered her neck and coughed uncontrollably. Her crimson complexion slowly returned to normal.
"You are not a good person if you take your anger out on a woman. Sister, let's go." Chen Zhao would never allow his sister to be hurt again. He glared at Zhao Mucheng and left with Shuyun.
Xiao Ye and Zhao Mucheng were imprisoned in two opposite directions. The corridor was narrow and damp. A few rats ran across the wall, scaring Shuyun.
Xiao Ye stood in the middle of the iron cage, looking up at a small window, dust floating in the beams of light. He suddenly heard a familiar startled sound, and immediately turned around, vaguely seeing Shu Yun's figure appear in the narrow corridor.
"Yun'er?"
The footsteps were getting closer, and Xiao Ye came to the iron railing. It was indeed the woman he had been thinking about day and night.
"Brother." Shu Yun wanted to talk to Xiao Ye alone and begged Chen Zhao to leave first.
"No, I have to look after my sister." Chen Zhao was worried about Shu Yun's safety. What happened just now was too dangerous. He still felt scared when he thought about it now.
Seeing her brother's firm attitude, Shuyun had to give up. Her mind was full of Xiao Ye, and she walked over quickly holding her skirt.
Xiao Ye was dressed in prison uniform, looking dignified and calm, but he hadn't taken care of his appearance for two days, and blue stubble had grown around his lips.
"How are you? Are you injured?" Shu Yun lowered her eyes to look at his chest and put the medicine bottle in her sleeve into his hand. "Take this medicine and change the dressing on your wound."
Xiao Ye clenched the medicine bottle in his hand, and when he saw the finger marks on her neck, his voice was as cold as frost. "What happened to your neck? Who pinched it?"
Shu Yun hurriedly covered it up and denied it, "No, you saw it wrong."
Xiao Ye looked at Shen Zhao beside him. Shen Zhao naturally did not give him a good look. He turned his head to the side and said, "Zhao Mucheng pinched me."
Xiao Ye's eyes darkened, his face showed anger, and he clenched his fists.
Chen Zhao gritted his teeth and said, "Three years of apprenticeship, Xiao Ye."
"Brother." Shu Yun was extremely anxious. She was already worried about Xiao Ye. His chest injury was serious and he was thrown into jail before he recovered. Things were becoming more and more difficult. Many people in Jinyang County knew that she and Zhao Mucheng were married in November last year, and there was solid evidence.
"I was the one who broke off the engagement. I followed him back to the capital after the breakup. It has nothing to do with him. I will go to the court now to make things clear."
Chen Zhao stopped Shu Yun as she was about to leave. "Any girl who has been promised marriage, has already received the marriage certificate and has a private agreement, but then regrets it, will be caned with sixty sticks. Since the matter of regretting marriage has not been brought to court, we can turn a blind eye and let it go. You are weak and can't bear these sixty sticks. I won't allow it!"
"Shuyun." Xiao Ye called her, and Shuyun looked at him with red eyes.
Xiao Ye's eyes darkened, his face filled with indifference. He stuffed the medicine back into her hand and said coldly, "Take your medicine and leave. Don't show up in front of me."
Shu Yun was stunned and said, "I know you are worried about me. Compared to three years in prison, these sixty beatings are nothing."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she held his warm hand. "I do, Xiao Ye."
Xiao Ye reluctantly shook off her hand and pushed her away. Shu Yun staggered, but fortunately Chen Zhao was quick and supported Shu Yun.
"Shuyun, I've been toying with you the whole time. Can't you see?" Xiao Ye put his hands behind his back, his nails digging deep into his palms. He said coldly, "You said yourself that you're just a tool for your sexual gratification, a plaything. I don't want to toy with you anymore."
The tears in Shuyun's eyes slowly fell, and her soft voice was filled with suppressed tears, "Don't say such things, I will be sad, Xiao Ye!"
Xiao Ye turned his head away, indifferent, and said: "Didn't you hear me? I don't want to play with you anymore. Go back to your Shen family. My life or death has nothing to do with you."
"Bastard!" Shu Yun bit her lower lip, threw the bottle of medicine into the cell, covered her face and trotted out.
Shen Zhao spat, stepped forward, grabbed Xiao Ye's collar, and slapped him hard in the face, "Asshole! What else can you do besides making Yun'er sad?"
Xiao Ye's lips were filled with the taste of blood. He swallowed and warned Shen Zhao, "She is stubborn. Once she has an idea, she will do whatever it takes to realize it. It's better to let her hate it first. You should keep an eye on her and don't let her do anything stupid."
Chen Zhao: "Bah! You said all the sad things."
Xiao Ye said: "The key to this matter is the Crown Prince. Wait for me for a few days and he will come out. During this period, you must keep a close eye on Yun'er and don't let her show up."
Shen Zhao was puzzled, "Prince?"
Xiao Ye nodded and patted his shoulder, "Help me comfort Yun'er, brother-in-law."
Chen Zhao kicked him hard through the iron cage, but worried about Shu Yun, he let go and hurriedly chased after him.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his fingertips, Xiao Ye picked up the bottle of medicine from a pile of straw and held it in his palm with care.
Xiao Ye only recently figured out the emperor's intentions.
He had obtained the imperial edict granting the marriage from Emperor Wucheng, but an accident happened the next day before the edict was sent to the Shen family for reading.
Xiao Ye had seen the fate of those who were more powerful than their master, just like his father. Over the years, Emperor Wucheng had been secretly sowing discord between them, and he had finally delivered his father's death into the hands of the emperor.
If the emperor was afraid of the Xiao family, he would have taken this opportunity to convict him long ago. However, the case dragged on for three days and there was no progress.
Obviously, this is not the case.
Emperor Wucheng was seriously ill and bedridden, and the throne would eventually be passed to the crown prince. When the Prince of Huainan rebelled, Xiao Ye was ordered to lead an expedition to suppress the rebels. When the rebels were at the end of their strength, the crown prince, as ordered, rushed far away and beheaded the Prince of Huainan.
At present, his case could be handed over to the three courts for trial, but Emperor Wucheng handed it over to the prince. The emperor's heart is unpredictable, and Xiao Ye still guessed it to some extent. He could not escape the word "loyalty to the emperor".
…
Imperial Palace.
The prince served Emperor Wucheng medicine beside the dragon bed.
Emperor Wu Cheng asked about court affairs as usual, but today he asked about another matter, "How is Xiao Ye's case going?"
The Crown Prince stood up and replied, "Father, this case can be sentenced or released."
Emperor Wucheng said calmly, "Tell me."
The Crown Prince said, "According to what Zhao Mucheng said, Xiao Ye did indeed ruin his marriage and snatched his bride away. I heard that Xiao Ye asked my father for an imperial decree to grant marriage, asking to marry the daughter of the Minister of Works, Shen Yun. Whether Shen Yun and Shu Yun are the same person will be revealed after careful investigation. However, this has cost us a great general. And according to what Xiao Ye said, he brought his adopted sister back to the mansion for worship before the wedding date, which is also unacceptable. This marriage was a private arrangement made by the woman, and can be annulled without her parents' permission."
The prince said, "If you pursue him carefully, he will be sentenced; if you don't pursue him, you can let him go."
Emperor Wucheng said earnestly, "The Xiao family has practiced martial arts for generations, and has seen four generations of emperors. Once their name is known, the enemy will be terrified. The Xiao family is like a sharp sword. If wielded well, it is indestructible and unstoppable. However, this sword is too sharp and can easily injure the wielder."
He spoke while coughing. Xiao Song's sword was too sharp and difficult to control, so he broke it and replaced it with a new one.
The prince handed over warm water and served it to Emperor Wucheng.
"After I pass away, this kingdom will still need you to protect it. As for the type of sword you use, you must be judicious." Emperor Wu Cheng patted his son's shoulder and asked, "Now, what are your plans?"
The Crown Prince paused and said, "I, your son, have faithfully followed your father's instructions. In this case, Xiao Ye is not guilty."
Emperor Wucheng nodded with satisfaction.
…
Four days later, Xiao Ye was acquitted.
The ending was as Xiao Ye expected, he would accept the prince's favor.
Xiao Shuyi was extremely worried and asked around for information about the case. When she learned that Xiao Ye was innocent, she had been waiting outside the prison. As soon as Xiao Ye came out, she took a bunch of pomelo leaves, dipped them in water, and used them to wipe away the bad luck on Xiao Ye.
Xiao Shuyi: "I'm glad you're okay, I'm glad you're okay. I didn't dare let my grandmother know that my brother was in prison. Luckily it was a false alarm."
The Shen family's carriage was parked in the distance. She gently lifted the curtain with her hands, and when Xiao Ye looked over, she immediately lowered the curtain.
Xiao Ye asked Xiao Shuyi to go back to the carriage first, and he went straight to the parked Shen family carriage.
Xiao Ye stood beside the carriage, bent his knuckles, and gently knocked on the wall. "Yun'er, it's my fault for hurting your heart this time."
There was no movement inside.
After a while, Shuyun lifted the curtain, came out of the carriage, and got off by stepping on the horse stool.
Her eyes were red, and her eyelashes were wet with tears. Shu Yun walked over and stood still. With tears in her eyes, she slapped Xiao Ye hard, "Asshole!"
Her palms were numb from the shock, and tears fell from her eyes. The corners of Shuyun's lips trembled slightly. Xiao Ye suddenly hugged her tightly in his arms, his chin resting on her hair. He held her palm and rubbed it gently, "Yun'er, I'm sorry, I can't let you take that punishment for me."
Tears welled up in her eyes, and Shu Yun choked up and said, "I told you, I'm very sad."
Xiao Ye wiped the tears from her cheeks. The slap mark was clearly visible on his handsome face. He lowered his head and coaxed her softly, "From now on, if you want to be beaten or punished, leave it to Yun'er to deal with it. I will give my life to Sister Yun to make amends."
Shu Yun moved, but couldn't break free from his arms. The man's stubble pricked her ears, and she tilted her head to avoid it. "It hurts."
Xiao Ye moved his chin away, rested his head on her head, and rubbed her hand that was slapping her.
Shuyun slowly wiped away her tears and wrapped her arms around the man's thin waist.
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The author has something to say: Those who capture and sell people as slaves shall be strangled; those who capture and sell people as slaves shall be exiled for three thousand miles; those who capture wives, concubines and children shall be sentenced to three years in prison - this comes from "Tang Law Commentary", "略" means to plunder.
Anyone who has promised a daughter in marriage, has submitted a marriage certificate or has a private agreement, but then regrets it shall be punished with sixty strokes of the cane. —From "Tang Law Commentary: Household Marriage"
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