Chapter 65 A Letter in Blood to Lord Feng: May you clear Mr. Feng's name! ...
The capital city is experiencing continuous rain. Last night, it rained heavily all night, and today the sky is still overcast, looking like there will be another downpour.
There is a distance between the official road leading out of the Censorate and the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. Last night, Wei Shengxian, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, received an imperial edict from Emperor Chongming, ordering him to escort Feng Tan to the front court for trial today.
A squad of Imperial Guards, dressed in blue brocade robes with gold floral patterns and flying fish designs, stood in formation, ready to receive the message. Seeing Feng Tan being escorted out by the Censorate officials, Wei Shengxian turned his head, glanced at Feng Tan with a smile, his eyes still filled with undisguised malice, and clicked his tongue, saying, "Last time we met, you were a spirited new official, attracting the attention of young ladies from the capital. How quickly have you fallen so low?"
That's utter nonsense. Feng Tan is being tried, not tortured. Today, she's still wearing the blue robe of a fifth-rank official. Although she didn't rest well last night, her complexion is as usual. She knows that Wei Shengxian isn't mocking her for her disheveled appearance, but rather referring to her impending predicament of becoming the target of the entire court. "An ant in a prison cell has its own way out; there's no need for Lord Wei Sheng to worry about it."
Wei Shengxian clicked his tongue again, signaling two guards to go up and relieve the two guards from the Censorate, saying, "Still so sharp-tongued. I really look forward to Lord Feng's performance later."
They were not on the same wavelength, so Feng Tan had no intention of talking to him any further. Wei Shengxian's expression also turned cold. He looked down at her from his tall horse and said, "There's still some time before court. Let's walk."
After the Imperial Guards escorting Feng Tan walked onto Lingdong Street, they turned a corner and headed towards the bustling morning market. Feng Tan knew that Wei Shengxian had no good intentions; he wanted the people of the capital to see her disheveled appearance as she was being escorted by the Imperial Guards.
The people in the morning market all gave way when they saw the people from the Northern Garrison. Wei Shengxian's voice came from ahead, tinged with mockery, "Lord Feng, how does it feel to be watched by everyone?"
Feng Tan walked calmly among the Imperial Guards and replied, "What answer does Lord Wei Sheng wish to hear?"
Upon hearing this, Wei Shengxian, sitting on his tall, magnificent horse, curled his lips into a wicked smile and said, "Ah, I want to know if you want to find a hole to crawl into."
“I don’t want to,” Feng Tan answered decisively, her cold face expressionless. “I haven’t done anything wrong, so why should I feel ashamed?”
Upon hearing this, Wei Shengxian reined in his horse, turned it around, and slowly walked towards Feng Tan. He looked down at her and said, "It is wrong to overturn the verdict for Feng Youming and to support women in the court."
"No, that's not true!"
A chorus of rebuttals came from behind Wei Shengxian. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw hundreds of women, ranging from young girls to elderly women, standing at the entrance of the street, looking at Feng Tan with worried expressions.
Leading the group was a woman who looked to be in her forties, dressed in a brown horse-face skirt and wearing a white beaded flower in her hair. She stood outside the Imperial Guard ranks and said to Feng Tan, "Lord Feng, ten years ago, Japanese pirates repeatedly invaded the southeastern border. Our own people were short of food and drink, so they wanted to sell us for a bite to eat. It was Mr. Feng who rescued us from the traffickers. He also provided us with food and lodging. Later, Mr. Feng taught us the basics of making a living and brought us back to the capital to run a shop... We have never been able to repay such a great kindness. We do not have the courage and wisdom to overturn Mr. Feng's case. We can only write a petition written in the blood of ten thousand people to help you!"
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was a petition written in the blood of tens of thousands of people. Hundreds of them slowly spread a roll of white cloth all over the street, with one person standing every five steps. The names and bloody handprints of tens of thousands of women were displayed on it. The beginning of the cloth scroll read, "This woman voluntarily vouches for Mr. Feng. He has no intention of plotting against the country. If he is wrong, I am willing to pay with my life."
This was a blood letter sent from a woman in Linzhou, secretly transported all the way to the capital. Along the way, each woman's handprint was imprinted with exceptional clarity and solemnity. Tens of thousands of blood handprints were laid out on the streets, imprinted at different times, indicating that this was not the work of a single day. Everyone's eyes were stunned.
The Daegu Code states that if a petition is made with the sound of the drum and a petition written in the blood of ten thousand people, the person must have suffered a great injustice. The case must be jointly tried by the three judicial authorities and then presented to the people to investigate the situation and prevent any errors in judgment.
Emperor Chongming canceled the joint trial by the three judicial departments because of the sandalwood incident, and instead turned it into a joint trial by the entire court. This petition written in blood by the people was no longer very effective, but because of the requirement to investigate the people's sentiments, they could not simply ignore it.
Feng Tan's eyes were a little moist. She presented the heavy blood-written letter with both hands, bowed, and said, "I am deeply grateful for everyone's kindness on behalf of the master."
They filled the street in a dense, dark mass, watching Feng Tan's departing figure, then knelt down, saying, "Lord Feng, we beg you to clear Mr. Feng's name!"
Dark clouds began to gather in the leaden sky, piling up heavily over the capital. The sky was so gloomy it seemed as if water could be wrung out of it, and a sense of oppression and suffocation permeated the air.
A large number of sedan chairs were parked on both sides of the paved official road leading to the Meridian Gate. For the first time in nine years, the officials of the capital, dressed in various official robes, were attending court. Everyone was a little unfamiliar with the ceremony. The flags on the poles fluttered in the wind. Feng Tan stood in front of the giant lion statue in front of the Meridian Gate, looking at the crowd of people in front of him, and his heart became heavier.
Yu Ruxi spotted Feng Tan being escorted by the Imperial Guards in the bustling crowd at a glance. She walked over, gently took Feng Tan's hand in hers, and then let go. "Lord Feng, don't be afraid. I'm here to protect you."
She wasn't qualified to attend the court assembly, so she took a round-necked robe with twelve buttons from the Eastern Depot and dressed herself up as a servant. She smiled at Feng Tan and said, "I, Yu Ruxi, may not have any other skills, but my martial arts are top-notch. If those old men go too far today, I'll be the first to come and smash their heads!"
Feng Tan's heavy and tense mood was largely relieved by Yu Ruxi's few words. Looking at Yu Ruxi's round face, she smiled and said, "The Yu family's daughter is so cute, it's not elegant to keep saying 'beat up the old man'."
Yu Ruxi waved her hand and said, "I'm not Zheng Qingru, who always carries that air of the most gentlemanly man in the capital. Doesn't he get tired of that?"
Feng Tan smiled as he looked at Zheng Qingru, who appeared behind Yu Ruxi, and said, "Speak of the devil, and he appears."
Yu Ruxi turned around as if sensing something, saw Zheng Qingru, pouted, and said, "Zheng Qingru, if you dare to say a single word against Lord Feng today, I will break off all ties with you!"
Zheng Qingru, dressed in a blue official robe with mandarin duck embroidered on it, had a complex expression on his handsome face. He replied to Yu Ruxi, "Yu Ruxi, why are you also so special to Feng Tan?"
From Grand Tutor Feng to Emperor Yongle, and now to Yu Ruxi, why are they all protecting Feng Tan?
Yu Ruxi and Feng Tan exchanged a glance, then tacitly moved away. She said to Zheng Qingru, "Because Lord Feng is worth it."
Worth it... Zheng Qingru pondered these two words. Just then, a loud shout pierced the air and reached the ears of every official waiting to enter the court, "The time has come, all officials, proceed to court!"
The crowd stirred immediately. The officials' lively conversation subsided, their expressions turned serious, they straightened their clothes and, holding their tablets, followed the eunuchs sent by the Directorate of Ceremonial to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The officials' entourage was imposing and solemn. Zheng Qingru stood in the middle of the procession, and when he looked back at the lone boy in blue amidst the bright red clothes, the strange feeling in his heart deepened.
The once bustling square quieted down. Wei Shengxian saw that the officials had already stepped out of the Meridian Gate, turned to Feng Tan, and said, "Lord Feng, let's go."
The Hall of Supreme Harmony, located at the heart of the Imperial Palace, is majestic and imposing. The Hall of Supreme Harmony employs a traditional wooden frame structure, its roof covered with golden glazed tiles, showcasing the imperial dignity and majesty. The interior is vast and meticulously laid out, with the emperor's throne at the highest point in the center, below which civil and military officials stand according to their rank, demonstrating a strict hierarchical system.
Feng Tan walked up the white marble steps one by one, looked up at the main hall that had not been opened for nine years, and childhood memories came flooding back.
When she was six years old, Empress Xiaoxian went to the countryside to preside over the silkworm ceremony. Yu Ruxi was confined to the house by her father for making a mistake and was not allowed to come out. Princess Yongle had no playmates and was so bored that she thought of going to play with her husband, Sheng Honghai.
Shang Chunxiang stopped Princess Yongle, saying that His Majesty had not yet finished court and that Eunuch Sheng was on duty in the Golden Palace and should not be disturbed. Princess Yongle was a stubborn person; once she made up her mind to do something, she would definitely do it. Taking advantage of Shang Chunxiang's lack of light-footed skills, she flew over the palace wall and headed straight for the Golden Palace.
Fortunately, the inner palace and the outer court were far apart. When Princess Yongle arrived, Emperor Chongming had just finished the morning court session and was riding in a bright yellow sedan chair carried by thirty-two men to the Taiji Hall. When Sheng Honghai saw Princess Yongle blocking the middle of the palace road, he signaled the six eunuchs holding large golden fans to cover the sedan chair to move the fans aside.
When Emperor Chongming saw Princess Yongle, he got out of his sedan chair, walked up to her, picked her up, and said, "Why has Yongle come to the imperial court?"
Princess Yongle looked at the magnificent Golden Palace behind him and asked, "Father, what is that place?"
Emperor Chongming looked into his daughter's clear eyes and smiled, "That's where your father works. Where's your mother? Why didn't she come with you today?"
Shang Chunxiang rushed over and knelt on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty is to attend the silkworm ceremony today. It was this servant who failed to keep a close eye on the princess and caused her to disturb His Majesty."
Emperor Chongming waved his hand and said, "It's none of your business. She's very naughty. Who can keep an eye on her?"
His words were full of affection, with no hint of blame. Princess Yongle pointed to the grand hall and said in a clear voice, "Father, I want to go in and take a look."
Emperor Chongming pondered for a moment, then said, "Alright... you should not follow."
The Golden Palace truly lived up to its reputation as the highest-standard palace in the Great Khan Empire. Its steps were wide and its inner halls were magnificent. Princess Yongle stepped down from Emperor Chongming's arms, walked around and looked around, and finally her gaze fell on the dragon-headed throne at the head of the palace. She asked, "Father, do you usually sit there to hold court?"
Emperor Chongming nodded and said, "Yes, that is the emperor's throne; no one else may sit on it."
Princess Yongle frowned and asked, "Why can't other people sit on it? Does it recognize its owner?"
Emperor Chongming said, “Recognizing a master, the previous master was your grandfather, and this one is your father.”
Princess Yongle asked, "And who will be the next one?"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongming's expression turned sour. Feng Youming had acted recklessly and had cut off his lineage. Apart from Yongle, he had no successor in his life.
Princess Yongle noticed his emotions and asked, "Grandpa passed the seat to Father. Father is his child, and I am Father's child. Shouldn't I sit here?"
Emperor Chongming chuckled upon hearing this and said, "You are a woman, and only a man can sit in this position... In the future, for the continuation of the Feng family bloodline... you can only choose one between Prince Jing and Prince Chu."
Princess Yongle leaped to her feet, standing on the throne and looking down at Emperor Chongming. "Father, I also have the surname Feng. Why can't I continue the bloodline?"
The professor said that childbirth should only be done when one desires a child. If it is done to conceive a man's child or to carry on the husband's family line, it is considered to demean oneself. No matter who the father of the child is, the child born by oneself is first and foremost one's own bloodline. How can it not be one's own bloodline in one's father's eyes?
Golden light shone on the tender body of the six-year-old child. She stood on the emperor's throne, her eyes filled with no ambition, only simple doubt, which seemed out of place with the golden dragon and painted seal behind her.
Emperor Chongming looked at Princess Yongle and said after a long while, "It seems we need to find you a new teacher. If you continue to be so unconventional, it will not be good for Yongle's reputation."
Unorthodox and heretical... In Emperor Chongming's mind, Feng Youming's actions were unorthodox and heretical, and could not be tolerated by the world.
Feng Tan withdrew her gaze, stepped onto the white marble steps, entered the hall, and stepped into her battlefield.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
