Chapter 79 Why is Pei Yuan's gaze so strange?
"Please, esteemed sirs, grant justice for Liufeng," Liufeng pleaded softly, prostrating himself on the ground.
The censors looked at each other, and in unison took a step back.
No one was willing to take Liu Feng's lawsuit.
It felt as if an invisible needle had pierced Shen Chu's heart.
How similar the situation is!
Those memories that she had buried deep in her heart were eager to resurface.
Ten years ago, her mother also knelt in the rain outside the Inspectorate, begging them to write a petition on behalf of her father and request a retrial of his case.
Ignoring his mother's pleas, an imperial censor dressed in a lake-blue official robe kicked her to the ground.
Her mother instinctively tried to hug her, but was kicked and vomited blood.
The girl, not yet seven years old, was so frightened that she didn't even dare to cry. Instead, she rushed over and hugged the adult's leg.
"Please, sir, help my father. I, Chuchu, will kowtow to you."
The adult looked disgusted. "Your father is a traitor who has betrayed his country. He deserves to be torn to pieces. Who dares to save him? Get out of my way."
She fell hard to the ground, and it hurt terribly.
But Mother said Father was about to be beheaded.
She scrambled to her feet and rushed over, only to find the vermilion gate of the Inspectorate slammed shut, refusing to open no matter how much she and her mother pounded on it.
The look in her mother's eyes as she collapsed in despair in the heavy rain gradually overlapped with the look in Liu Feng's eyes before her.
She couldn't help but step forward, take the petition from Liu Feng's hand, and loudly proclaim:
"I have accepted your complaint."
Liu Feng was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting anyone to dare to accept his lawsuit.
"What? You don't believe me?"
Liu Feng quickly released the petition and kowtowed heavily, saying, "No, Liu Feng is grateful to you, sir."
Shen Chu nodded, "Don't worry, I will definitely get justice for you and your family."
"Liufeng thanks Lord Shen."
Shen Chu instructed the gatekeeper, "Take him in first, I want to question him."
Liu Feng was taken inside.
Everyone crowded around, offering their own advice to Shen Chu.
"Young Master Shen, you can't just accept any lawsuit. Maybe he's deliberately framing the Third Prince?"
"That's right. The Third Prince is Prince Heng's right-hand man. Offending the Third Prince is tantamount to offending Prince Heng."
Shen Chu frowned. "As censors, we can report on matters based on hearsay. Such disregard for human life is appalling. How can we sit idly by?"
Besides, whether or not the Third Prince was framed, wouldn't an investigation reveal the answer?
Would any of you be willing to join me in investigating this matter? And accompany me to the palace to meet the Emperor?
The crowd's expressions changed slightly, and their eyes flickered.
Someone whispered, "Ah, my mother-in-law's sister's father-in-law has passed away. I need to ask for leave to attend the funeral. Ugh, I mean, to attend the funeral."
"My mother has fallen ill, so I am taking a day off today."
"My old hen died at home, and my mother wants me to go back and make chicken soup."
Shen Chu laughed in exasperation and turned to look at the remaining people.
"And you? Is there anything that needs your attention at home? Is there a sow giving birth? Or a hen laying eggs?"
"Your subordinate... Ouch, I feel dizzy. Please help me away."
In the blink of an eye, only Chen Chu remained at the door.
She felt a mixture of anger and sorrow.
Her colleagues had families to support and relatives to take care of; they were afraid of Prince Heng and afraid of retaliation, which she could understand.
She couldn't expect everyone to be as angry as she was, but as an imperial censor, how could one not feel saddened by being indifferent to cases that might be miscarriages of justice, turning a blind eye, or even numbly treating them as a joke?
In addition to overseeing officials, the Inspectorate's more important responsibility is to investigate criminal cases and prevent wrongful convictions.
If the censors are all so indifferent, who can truly speak up for the people?
No wonder even the usually upright and strong-willed He Zhengxiang has become lifeless.
When you see things like this too often, people's hearts grow cold.
"I heard... someone is seeking justice." A panting voice came from behind.
She turned around and saw He Zhengxiang running towards her, clutching walnuts and panting like a broken bellows.
"Why is Lord He late today?"
"Don't even mention it. This morning, our old sow gave birth. And to make matters worse, she gave birth to twelve piglets in one litter. It took me a long time to deliver them."
Shen Chu... there really are sows that give birth.
"Hey, where's the person who came to file a complaint?" He Zhengxiang looked around and sighed with a look of habit. "Did no one dare to take the complaint again and they drove the person away?"
What did I tell you? Even if you pick out a whole pot of rotten apples, it doesn't mean you can make a good soup from scratch.
"I accept the lawsuit."
He Zhengxiang was still sighing, "The person who came to seek justice didn't know... What? You accepted the petition?"
She nodded. "Lord He doesn't approve of my actions?"
He Zhengxiang lifted his eyelids slightly, a hint of inquiry in his eyes, "Aren't you afraid of Prince Heng retaliating against you?"
Shen Chu smiled and said, "A gentleman has things he will do and things he will not do. If he were to be timid and hesitant because of fear of the powerful and wealthy, he would not have chosen to join the Inspectorate in the first place."
If someone had stood up for my father ten years ago and spoken up for him, and reopened the investigation, perhaps my father wouldn't have been beheaded for the heinous crime of treason.
The entire Shen family of 763 people would not be implicated. Her doting grandparents, her tolerant and loving uncles and aunts, her mischievous but loving brother and cousins, all became victims of the knife.
Some died under the swords of the Northern Rong people, while others, like their fathers, were taken to the execution ground and beheaded.
The once prestigious and scholarly Shen family of the Marquis of Ning'an was reduced to a single woman overnight.
She can no longer be that spoiled and lively little girl who is loved by her parents.
With tears welling up in her eyes, she stared intently at He Zhengxiang.
He Zhengxiang was silent for a moment, then reached out and patted her shoulder. "Give me the documents, I'll write the memorial. I'm more experienced than you, and besides, I'm old, so I'm not afraid of retaliation."
Shen Chu refused, saying, "I received the petition, so I will take responsibility for it. You are a good censor, and I cannot implicate you."
He Zhengxiang paused for a moment, then extended his hand again, "You're still too young, let me do it."
“No, I will do it.” Shen Chu shook his head and refused.
She knew the whole story, but He Zhengxiang didn't, so he might not be as adept at handling it as she was.
If she can't even help Liu Feng seek justice, how can she seek justice for the Shen family and her father in the future?
Shen Chu bowed and left, unaware of the complex expression on He Zhengxiang's face.
Back at the Imperial Academy, she channeled her pent-up anger into her writing, and soon, a scathing and powerful impeachment memorial was completed.
The document, containing thousands of words, enumerated the crimes committed by the Third Prince and requested His Majesty to order a thorough investigation into the matter.
After finishing the memorial, her initial anger subsided, and she summoned Liufeng in for questioning.
"Tell me, what other plans does His Highness have in store?"
Liu Feng is Pei Yuan's man, so Liu Feng's appearance at the entrance of the Inspectorate was naturally Pei Yuan's arrangement.
Pei Yuan probably wanted the censor to step in and use the Liu Feng family case as a starting point to expose the Third Prince's crimes.
Liu Feng was somewhat surprised, but still whispered, "The steward of the Third Prince's residence was silenced last year, but Your Highness saved him."
The steward has a lot of evidence of the Third Prince's crimes. With him as a witness, the Third Prince's crimes are beyond doubt.
"Young Master Shen only needs to lead me to the palace and, in the name of the censor, request a retrial of this case."
Shen Chu nodded. It seemed that Pei Yuan had arranged everything, but someone was needed to take the lead.
She was willing to be a vanguard if it could bring justice to those teenagers.
After tidying up, Shen Chu, carrying the memorials she and He Zhengxiang had drafted separately, led Liu Feng into the palace.
As soon as the grand court assembly began, Shen Chu stepped forward first, handed over a memorial, and recounted the tragic incident involving the Liu Feng family.
"...Your Majesty, the case was hastily closed back then, with many doubts, and it also involved the Third Prince. I request Your Majesty to personally review and re-examine the Liu Feng family's case."
Emperor Longqing opened the memorial with a stern face.
The officials looked at Shen Chu with mixed feelings; some were full of admiration, some were full of anger, and some were waiting to see a good show.
Among these gazes, two were the most intense.
One of them was Zhao Dewen, the Left Censor-in-Chief. At this moment, his face was gloomy, and he wished he could cut off Shen Chu's neck with his gaze.
He controlled the Censorate, so it was impossible for anyone to impeach the Third Prince, let alone anyone from Prince Heng's faction.
Shen Chu was the only one who repeatedly stirred up trouble and was a troublemaker.
Shen Chu ignored Zhao Dewen's gaze and turned to look at the other side, where she saw Pei Yuan staring at her with a very strange look.
There was surprise, there was confusion, but more than anything, there was a sense of inquiry.
What's the meaning?
Did she misjudge Pei Yuan's plan?
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