Chapter 57: The private meeting was discovered, should he be severely punished or shown mercy?
"Yuchi Lianping."
"I will be here in the end."
Emperor Wu Su's eyes were cold as he asked, "How should we deal with a fight in the army?"
Yuchi Lianping immediately replied: "Treat him according to military law. Depending on the severity of the crime, the punishment will be between fifty and one hundred military sticks."
Compared with the punishment of beating in the palace and the beating in the army, the punishment is nothing.
Each blow of the military stick was more severe and powerful. Brutal injuries were considered minor. Those with poor physical fitness also died.
Princess Huachang stood aside with a pale face. She looked like she was frightened by something and only came to her senses when she heard the word "military stick".
She stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, isn't the military punishment too harsh? Lord Ji is not a military officer, and I'm afraid he can't stand the military stick."
When Yuchi Lianping heard Princess Huachang speak, he thought she was pleading for him.
But when she finished speaking, he clenched his fists, veins bulged on his forehead, and glared at Ji Changlin fiercely.
"I can bear it, please punish me, Your Majesty!"
Princess Huachang glared at him.
Why is this reckless man interrupting at this time? If Ji Changlin is punished less, he will also get fewer beatings.
He beat the man so badly that his face was bruised and he was holding his ribs and coughing. How could she plead for him?
Emperor Wu Su glanced at Yuchi Lianping, who was still angry, and said calmly, "Can you bear it? Then beat him until he can't bear it anymore."
His tone was indifferent, but his eyes were cold.
Ji Qingwu just stood there and watched, feeling as if he couldn't breathe.
Even though General Yuchi was the emperor's confidant who helped him pacify the world, he was ruthless when it came to punishing him when he made a mistake.
Just now, Yuchi Lianping was just being angry and stubborn, but now, after being glanced at by the emperor like a cold arrow, he completely calmed down.
He knew that the cold-hearted Emperor Wu Su was not joking and would really do so.
Yuchi Lianping kowtowed and said devoutly: "I admit my guilt, please have mercy on me, Your Majesty."
Princess Huachang was familiar with the emperor's expression. Seeing that he was about to get angry, she also knelt down between the two of them.
She pleaded, "Your Majesty, please forgive my humble husband."
Hearing these words, "clumsy husband" Yuchi Lianping finally felt relieved.
But when he saw Princess Huachang kneeling closer to Ji Changlin, his eyebrows were twisted again. What was she doing? So close to him, did she think he was dead?
But in front of Emperor Wu Su, Yuchi Lianping dared not make mistakes again.
"Ji Changlin, do you have anything to say?"
"Your Majesty, this is all my fault. General Yuchi will be sent to the northern border army soon. I beg Your Majesty to be lenient with him."
It would have been better if he didn't say it. As soon as Yuchi Lianping mentioned that he was about to leave for the northern border, he felt so angry that his teeth were itching. However, no matter how unwilling he was, he had to swallow it.
Everyone knelt down, leaving Ji Qingwu alone standing. She felt something was not right, so she quietly moved to her eldest brother's side and slowly knelt down.
She thought no one would notice, but just as her knees touched the bricks on the ground, she felt a sharp sound above her head.
"Why are you kneeling?"
Ji Qingwu, who was caught off guard by being named, raised his head and met the emperor's cold eyes. He said nervously, "Your Majesty, please calm down."
I didn't plead for anyone, I just asked him to calm down.
But it was unexpectedly useful.
Emperor Wu Su nodded slightly, looked at her flickering eyes, and his expression relaxed a lot. He didn't want to scare her anymore.
He said to Yuchi Lianping, "Since you have been in the army for many years and have made many military achievements, I will deduct half a year's salary and demote you by one rank. The deducted salary should be given to Ji Changlin in full as medical treatment fee."
Yuchi Lianping frowned, it was indeed Ji Changlin who was punched by him.
He reluctantly put his hands on the ground and said, "I will obey your orders."
It’s good that the military sticks are no longer needed, Princess Huachang breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the girl from the Ji family was present, and Emperor Wu Su's arrogance had been reduced a lot. Demoting him and fining his salary was already a mercy, and he did not really punish him.
The emperor also said, "Ji Changlin was promoted to the position of Grand Secretary. After recovering from his injury, he was sent as an envoy to Southern Chu with an imperial edict and lived in the Foreign Residence."
Princess Huachang turned her head to look at the person kneeling on her right and saw the corner of his robe embroidered with bamboo leaves. In her memory, he had always been a gentleman like the bamboo and the gentle breeze.
Ji Changlin said bitterly: "Your humble servant...thanks for your grace."
The promotion and demotion in official positions seemed to favor Ji Changlin, but in fact, his mission to the Nanchu Foreign Affairs Office this time meant that he was going to stay abroad permanently.
Princess Huachang turned her head and looked at Emperor Wu Su leaving.
The emperor was a thoughtful person and must have known the reason behind it, so he did not ask the two of them why they were arguing and gave her face in front of everyone.
Transferring Ji Changlin away from Lin'an City also put Yuchi Lianping at ease.
On the returning carriage.
Princess Huachang sat upright on a gorgeous brocade cushion, still looking cold and aloof as if no strangers were allowed to approach her.
Yuchi Lianping crossed his arms and waited for a long time with a stern face, but she didn't open her mouth to explain.
He couldn't help but ask, "Princess, you must be heartbroken."
"What do you want to say?"
Yuchi Lianping couldn't hide his thoughts and sneered, "Your Highness, can't you wait? Today is a palace banquet, and you went to meet your old lover in private. Why don't you wait until I move camp to the northern border army to meet you? Why do you have to be so sneaky?"
The reason they fought was because Yuchi Lianping caught Princess Huachang and Ji Changlin having a secret meeting in Handan Pavilion.
“We just happened to meet by chance.”
He said aggressively: "The doors and windows are closed, a man and a woman are alone in the same room, what else can this be but a secret meeting?!"
Princess Huachang rubbed her forehead and also had a headache.
She was led all the way to the attic of the Handan Pavilion. She heard that the emperor had recently found several authentic works of Yan Gong and hung them in this pavilion.
The banquet was boring, and she admired Mr. Yan's literary talent, so she wanted to come and take a look.
Unexpectedly, Ji Changlin was taking a rest here to avoid drinking.
When the two met, before they could say a few words, the door was kicked open by Yuchi Lianping.
Without waiting for her to explain, he rushed over and started fighting with Ji Changlin.
Seeing that she didn't say anything, Yuchi Lianping thought she agreed, and said with a dark face: "No matter what kind of friendship you had before, if you marry me, you can only be mine."
"If I find out that you are involved again, I will..." He glared and said fiercely: "I will break Ji Changlin's legs!"
Even though he said harsh words, he never thought of hurting her.
Princess Huachang didn't understand why he had to put the label of "having an affair" on her, making it seem like she and Ji Changlin were an adulterous couple.
She didn't want to argue with him, so she said with a clear conscience, "Whatever you think."
Yuchi Lianping was irritated by Princess Huachang's indifferent attitude. He grabbed her arm and pulled her in front of him roughly.
She scolded: "What are you doing, let go!"
He looked down at the angelic face.
"I won't let you go! I know you don't want to marry me. It was the Queen Mother who plotted against you and Ji Changlin, two lovers, and forced them to separate."
As he spoke in pain, his men couldn't help but increase their strength.
"But you are increasingly looking down upon me. Am I being too nice to the princess? The princess feels that she can trample me under her feet at will."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
