Suffering
A thin layer of snow had accumulated under the eaves. Xiao Diting stood in the shadows, his gaze fixed on the straight figure in front of the jade steps.
Pei Wenjin took off his cloak, revealing a dark robe underneath. It didn't look very thick, and he often wore this outfit in Jiangnan, but it was clearly not enough for the capital city in the north.
A thin layer of snow had accumulated on his shoulders, and the snowflakes had soaked through his clothes, but he remained as still as a stone statue, not even moving his fingertips an inch.
Xiao Diting stood under the eaves, unwilling to leave for a moment. The old woman Sun, who was leading the way, clutched the hand warmer, her temples sweating with anxiety: "Oh, my Your Highness, His Majesty is still waiting for you!"
Now that she is famous, no matter what her father thinks, everyone knows that she is a meritorious official who will be rewarded upon her return. Even Granny Sun has changed her previous meanness and has become more flattering towards her.
Xiao Diting looked at her like this, and sneered inwardly, but he didn't show it.
She slowly withdrew her gaze, adopting a spoiled and arrogant demeanor: "Father just lost his temper, and if we go in now, he'll probably get a scolding first... Anyway, if he wants to wait, it won't hurt to wait a little longer."
Granny Sun wanted to persuade her again, but saw that the princess had already turned around and returned to the shadows under the corridor. She stood there, watching Pei Wenjin kneeling, separated by the wind and snow half a zhang away.
The snow fell thicker and thicker, blurring his entire outline. Xiao Diting's eyes were moist, probably because snow had gotten into them.
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Diting watched as the sky gradually darkened before raising her hand to adjust her cloak. She turned to the eunuch behind her and called out in a very low voice, "Go and fetch an umbrella for Lord Pei. Tell him it was my order."
The young eunuch obeyed and left, tiptoeing to Pei Wenjin's side while holding an oil-paper umbrella. Pei Wenjin, who had been kneeling with his head bowed, was startled by the movement of the person beside him and raised his head, pushing the young eunuch away.
The young eunuch bent over and whispered something in his ear, but Pei Wenjin didn't move.
As Xiao Diting watched the young eunuch wipe the snow off Lord Pei's shoulder, she followed Granny Sun around the snow-sheltered corridor toward the entrance of the Imperial Study. A burning gaze fell upon her.
Xiao Diting walked quickly, glancing briefly at Pei Wenjin out of the corner of her eye, then pretending not to see him. She walked around her to the door, but Pei Wenjin's gaze didn't leave her. She paused, her hand still on the curtain, then made a decision, steeled her heart, and went straight into the inner room.
The imperial study was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the snowstorm outside. The emperor, reclining on his throne, held a memorial in his hand. He didn't even lift his eyelids when she entered, merely glancing at her indifferently: "So you know how to come?"
Xiao Diting curtsied and said in a steady voice, "Your subject has just returned to the capital and was afraid of disturbing Your Majesty's peace, so I waited outside for a while longer."
"You handled the matter in Huaizhou quite well." The emperor put down the memorial and tapped his fingers on the table. "The grain draft is finished, and you've done a good job. Are you feeling alright?"
"I am at ease, Father Emperor, as you have been concerned."
The emperor nodded and pointed to the brocade box on the table: "This is a reward for you. Inside are pearls from the South China Sea, as well as some medicinal herbs to nourish your body." He then changed the subject, his gaze suddenly sharpening, "I've heard some unfounded rumors that Pei Wenjin, that scoundrel, went to Jiangnan without consulting me first, all for your sake?"
Xiao Diting's heart tightened, but his face remained calm: "Lord Pei cares about the people and is helping me with the case. Our interactions are just official business."
The emperor chuckled, picked up a bright yellow edict from the table, and tossed it in front of her: "Since this is official business, then you shall read this edict to Pei Wenjin. He left the capital without permission, acted first and reported later, and showed no respect for rank. Everyone in the court knows this, and I cannot pretend I did not see it."
"Considering his meritorious service in epidemic prevention in Danzhou, I will not hold it against him. However, if he commits another offense, he shall be stripped of his official post as a warning to others!"
Xiao Diting picked up the imperial edict, his fingertips touching the cold silk, before he could see the words on it: "Demoted one rank, penalized for one year's salary, and ordered to reflect on one's actions in seclusion for half a month."
"Thank goodness, it's not life-threatening." She felt inexplicably relieved. Pei Wenjin had broken the rules because of her, and she couldn't help but feel guilty.
That's what the princess thought in her heart, but on the surface she remained neither humble nor arrogant, saying, "Father is benevolent, your son kowtows to thank you for your grace!"
She walked out of the imperial study carrying the imperial edict, and saw the oil-paper umbrella still held at the foot of the jade steps in the distance. Pei Wenjin was still kneeling, but his body was more stiff than before, presumably because he had long since lost feeling in his knees.
Seeing her approach, the young eunuch tactfully stepped aside. Xiao Diting stood on the steps, unfolded the imperial edict, and spoke in a cold, emotionless voice: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Pei Wenjin, as a court official, has privately left the capital and shown no respect for the Emperor. Effective immediately, he is demoted by one rank, fined one year's salary, and ordered to reflect on his actions in seclusion for half a month. So be it."
Pei Wenjin slowly raised his head, his face so pale it was almost transparent. He looked at Xiao Diting on the steps, his eyes devoid of any emotion, as if he were merely listening to a decree that had nothing to do with him.
After she finished reading, he supported himself on the ground, kowtowed three times, and stood up shakily, his voice hoarse but still respectful: "Your subject... receives the decree and thanks you."
He tried to stand up straight, but as soon as he lifted his leg, a sharp pain shot through his knee, and he staggered. Xiao Diting stood still, his gaze fixed on the person who had knelt back down. His fingers clenched, hidden beneath his robes, and he pursed his lips, ultimately uttering not a word.
The two stood facing each other silently in the snow, one standing and the other kneeling.
After a short while, Pei Wenjin turned his head away first. When Xiao Di heard him like this, his heart ached, and he couldn't help but ask a few questions.
Just then, Suki arrived in a hurry, and she remained silent.
Seeing Pei Wenjin's state, Eunuch Shouxi quickly called over two eunuchs: "Quickly, what are you standing there for? Help Lord Pei down to rest!"
The young eunuch stepped forward to help Pei Wenjin, who walked with a limp, each step feeling like he was stepping on a knife's edge. As he passed Xiao Diting, he turned his head, his gaze briefly meeting hers before quickly looking away, as if they were just strangers passing by.
Xiao Diting watched his departing figure until it disappeared around the corner of the palace wall before slowly loosening his clenched, white fingers.
Her hands were frozen stiff, and the backs of her hands were starting to turn red. The itching and stinging sensation brought her back to her senses.
The snow was still falling under the eaves, landing on her cloak and quickly melting into water that slid down the fabric, chilling her to the bone.
The air in the capital city, fresh after the snowfall, still carried a lingering chill.
It is said that Pei Wenjin became seriously ill after being punished by kneeling that day. He had a persistent high fever and had an old knee injury. He has been unable to get out of bed since kneeling in the snow.
Xiao Diting knew all about these things, but she couldn't say anything. Only by being cold and indifferent could she avoid causing any extra trouble for each other.
Xiao Diting changed into a neat casual outfit today, with dark satin trimmed with silver thread patterns. It was rare for her to dress so formally and solemnly, not for any other reason than that she was supposed to go to the Dali Temple to clock in today.
Unmelted snow still clung to the cracks in the blue brick floor of Dali Temple. The wind swept through the corridors, swirling up withered branches and leaves, which scraped across the ground with a series of teeth-grinding cracking sounds.
As soon as she entered the Dali Temple and turned through the ceremonial gate, she saw a figure standing in the octagonal pavilion. He wore a black official robe with a jade belt loosely tied around his waist and a jade pendant with a double fish pattern hanging from his waist. He was leaning against a vermilion pillar, slowly smoking a water pipe.
The man held a pipe between his fingers, the silver mouthpiece emitting wisps of smoke in the winter air. Xiao Diting had never seen such a beautiful woman with such a cool and aloof demeanor, and out of curiosity, he couldn't help but take a few more glances.
While she was still in a daze, the people in the pavilion looked up at her first.
Xiao Diting paused, overturning his previous assessment of the person.
He was born with captivating phoenix eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, but with light brown pupils, making him look as beautiful as a venomous snake, giving him an eerie and bewitching quality.
It looks exactly like a meticulously crafted fox deity.
"Your Highness is punctual." Lin Huaiyu spoke first, tapping his pipe lightly on the stone table, ash falling on it. "I just returned from Huaizhou, and I must be exhausted from the journey. I should have let you rest a little longer, but official business waits for no one."
Xiao Diting curtsied, his gaze sweeping over the piles of documents outside the pavilion. He inwardly thought to himself, "Lord Lin, you are too kind. Now that I am on duty at the Dali Temple, I will naturally abide by my duties."
“I won’t beat around the bush with you.” Lin Huaiyu straightened up and pointed to the document room on the east side. “Your Highness has seventeen unresolved cases from last month piled up on your desk. We need to sort them out today. Also, the closing document for the Huaizhou grain case is missing two attachments. Make sure to copy them and send them to me for my signature and signature later. We can’t delay.”
He talked a lot, making Xiao Diting feel dizzy. The fear of being dominated by work was something that couldn't be escaped no matter where you were.
Xiao Diting endured the pinching on his philtrum and agreed to everything. Just as he was about to turn and walk towards the document room, Lin Huaiyu stopped him: "Wait. There is another matter I need to trouble Your Highness with... Song Chenjing went to the Ministry of Justice to hand over prisoners this morning and should have returned by 9:00 AM, but he has not yet shown up. I need you to go to the Ministry of Justice and see if something has gone wrong."
She had heard about this young master Song's deeds from Pei Wenjin, and couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. She sighed and simply agreed, "Alright, I'll go to the Ministry of Justice to bail him out first."
Lin Huaiyu nodded and flattered with a smile, "Indeed, there is no time to lose. He is young and impetuous, and I'm afraid he might cause some trouble. Only Your Highness can handle it for him."
Xiao Diting chuckled twice, and before even stopping at his workstation for a cup of tea, he received his assignment and left the Dali Temple.
Although Lin Huaiyu was theoretically his intended superior, she did not hold a specific official position in the Dali Temple and remained there as an "advisor."
Lin Huaiyu was on par with high-ranking officials in the court, but as a member of the royal family, she had to be more respectful in her words. However, judging from the way the person giving instructions was so skilled, Lin Huaiyu probably had a good relationship with the original owner of this body.
The alley outside the Ministry of Justice was covered with thick snow, and as soon as you turned the corner, you could hear the sound of arguing.
A tall, slender young man with bulging veins on his forehead, dressed in a dark official uniform, was shoved against the wall by two Ministry of Justice bailiffs in black uniforms. The files in his arms scattered all over the floor, and snowflakes landed on the pages and quickly seeped in.
That person must be Song Chenjing.
"He's just a minor official from the Court of Judicial Review, yet he dares to interfere in our Ministry of Justice's affairs?" The head constable, with his shifty eyes, kicked the case file on the ground. "Our superiors want to keep this prisoner for further interrogation, but you insist on taking him away today. Isn't that just deliberately causing trouble?"
Song Chenjing's face flushed red. Just as he was about to bend down to pick up the files, a bailiff stepped on the back of his hand. Standing at the door, Xiao Diting's eyes darkened. She strode forward, her boots crunching through the snow. She shouted, "Stop!"
The constable turned around and saw a woman in official robes. Accustomed to his arrogance, he spoke even more aggressively without even seeing her face clearly: "Where did this wild girl come from, daring to interfere..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Diting took out the Dali Temple's waist token from his sleeve. The two characters "Diting" on the silver token were particularly eye-catching.
"Your Highness, this humble official greets you." Song Chenjing disregarded the documents and files spread out on the ground and immediately got up, bowing respectfully.
Xiao Diting walked past him and stood in front of the two yamen runners: "When did it become your Ministry of Justice's place to handle cases handled by the Dali Temple?"
She raised her hand and pressed down on Song Chenjing's arm, shielding him behind her. Her voice grew even colder: "Lord Song is carrying an official document from the Court of Judicial Review to arrest someone. You are blocking him and refusing to let go, and you even dare to hurt him. Do you think the rules of the Ministry of Justice are more severe than the laws of the court?"
The two constables' expressions changed drastically. Their gazes towards Xiao Diting shifted from disdain to fear, and they froze in place, afraid to move.
Song Chenjing rubbed his reddened hand and whispered, "Your Highness..."
Xiao Diting didn't look at him, but only glanced at the two constables: "Aren't you going to pick up the files? If you dare to delay any longer, I'll go to your superior and ask him how he manages his subordinates!"
The constable hurriedly knelt down to pick up the case files and handed them to Song Chenjing in a flurry. Xiao Diting lowered his gaze to Song Chenjing's soiled sleeves and the scratches on his wrists from protecting the files, his eyes growing even colder: "I will tell Lord Lin the truth about what happened today. If anyone dares to cause trouble outside the Ministry of Justice again, don't blame the Court of Judicial Review for showing no mercy."
"Come back with me. Be more assertive next time and don't keep causing these kinds of troubles."
Song Chenjing clutched the dossier and quickly followed: "Yes, Your Highness."
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