Chapter 91: Kill Without Mercy
"That day, I got up at dawn and went to the backyard. I saw the young lady standing hurriedly by the well. When she saw me, she handed me the clothes she was holding and asked me to wash them immediately so that no one would see them..."
In the courtroom, Chun Yuan, dressed in a brocade robe with cranes and green feathers, knelt on the ground, trembling as she recounted how Song Jin had given her the robe that day, and how she had hidden it in fear until it was discovered.
He appeared to be loyal, guilty and regretful, yet also caught up in a complex mix of emotions, including a sense of justice.
"Afterwards, I noticed Chun Yuan's expression was off, and recalling the recent rumors, I became anxious and didn't know what to do until Master noticed something was wrong." After she finished speaking, Xia Hua chimed in. Then, she turned and kowtowed repeatedly in the direction of the Song family, her face filled with fear and lingering dread. She cried out...
"This servant really didn't mean it, young master, please don't sell me out, I beg you!"
As she cried out, the sleeves on her hands were rolled up, revealing numerous scars of varying sizes, with bloodstains running down them with each movement.
A gasp rippled through the crowd.
Song Xingzhi stood there quietly watching them talk, his expression gradually fading, and his heart growing colder.
If it were anyone else in the hospital, he would also feel disappointed and disheartened, but not as much as he felt now.
Everyone else in his courtyard was someone he brought back from outside, driven by lust for beauty and tenderness, except for Chun Yuan and Xia Hua.
Chun Yuan was someone he rescued after losing an arm during the chaos in Lingnan, while Xia Hua was someone he redeemed from a brothel when she was ten years old. Both of them were on the verge of death at the time, and it took them a lot of effort to recover after they were brought back.
The food, clothing, and daily necessities the two of them had received over the years in the Song family had surpassed the treatment of most young ladies from wealthy families.
Proficient in all arts and sciences, including music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and etiquette.
Song Xingzhi wasted a great deal of effort.
The shock of being betrayed by two people can be imagined.
Song Jin stood aside, watching Chun Yuan and Xia Hua sob uncontrollably, looking as if they would be beaten to death if they went outside. She clicked her tongue twice: "No, you're so scared now, but why weren't you scared when you were talking? What, you've already contacted outsiders, and you're no longer Song family maids once you leave this government office?"
In those days, although maids were considered servants and it was said that they couldn't be beaten or killed at will, the master of the house had plenty of ways to deal with them if he really wanted to.
These two individuals could be said to have had the power of life and death in the Song family.
They betrayed and framed him; do they really think Song Xingzhi will still protect them when they go back? How love-struck must they be to act like that?
Chun Yuan wiped away her tears, her face stubborn: "Chun Yuan's life belongs to the young master. Although this was not my intention, I deserve to die. When I return, I will let the young master beat or kill me; it is my fate."
Xia Hua sobbed, "Xia Hua wants to live, please spare my life, Princess."
...
Both women were stunningly beautiful, the most beautiful of all. Even when they knelt and wept, their tears were like pear blossoms in the rain, making them all the more pitiful to behold.
In contrast, Song Jin, tall and imposing, stood to the side with his arms crossed, clearly a wicked master.
The crowd immediately erupted into chaos.
"What are we going to do now?"
"Wouldn't we be dead if we went back?"
"Who will dare to testify after this?"
...
The place was in complete chaos. Li Xian tapped the wooden clapper again to quell the noise, his face serious: "Rest assured, testify. As long as what you say is true, I will naturally take care of you. After this matter is over, I will remove your slave status and let you live in a different place."
Chun Yuan and Xia Hua quickly kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Excellency! Thank you so much!"
Song Jin pouted: "Don't thank me. You said I'd give you the clothes at Yin time, right?"
Chun Yuan bit her lip: "It's only around dawn, still dark. I was about to wash up when I suddenly saw the bloodstains and got scared. Miss, please confess. As a princess, even if you kill someone, you'll only be exiled. Once you get there, a few young masters will pull some strings for you, and you can be your young lady again. Why make us lowly maids take your lives?"
It must be said, as expected of someone trained by Song Xingzhi, they really know how to manipulate emotions.
The people in the audience began to whisper amongst themselves again, their gazes towards Li Xian and the other officials filled with distrust.
Song Jin raised an eyebrow: "A little maid? Do you even know what a little maid is? The jade pendant around your neck must be worth two or three hundred taels, right? And that outfit? An ordinary family couldn't afford it even if they saved for a year. And you call yourself a little maid?"
Xia Hua kowtowed: "Young Miss is right. We eat and live in the Song family's house, and now we've exposed our secrets to Young Miss. We deserve to die."
...
Watching the two maids talking back and forth
The four Song brothers were furious.
Song Shunzhi's face turned cold for once: "Boss, take a look at what you've raised."
Song Shenzhi sneered, "Those traitorous dogs! I'll skin them alive when I get there!"
Song Anzhi's peach-blossom face also turned cold: "My instruments of torture just happen to need someone to test them."
Song Qingzhi gritted his teeth: "I'll make them spit out everything they've eaten and spent over the years."
Song Xingzhi was speechless, his fists clenched tightly, and his peach blossom eyes reddened.
Niu Tielan sat to the side, glancing at it a few times, but he wasn't surprised at all.
It is said that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent.
To be more precise, women who lack talent and worldly experience are easy to control, and they're safe to keep in the backyard.
You taught her skills, exposed her to the outside world, and taught her to discern and control herself, yet you confined her to the backyard and threw her into a group of equally powerless women.
It's not surprising that there was a backlash.
People are strange sometimes; they can tolerate the same thing for a lifetime, but they'll explode over a trivial matter.
Niu Tielan shifted her gaze to Qu Maoze standing beside her, her eyes questioning whether he wasn't going to say something.
Qu Maoze smiled, his lips barely moving, the words "serves him right" particularly clear.
Niu Tielan: ...
This man really doesn't act like a father.
But that had nothing to do with her. She was more worried about Song Jin in the hall. Seeing the two maids kowtowing and saying nonsense again, her brows furrowed little by little.
Qu Maoze reached out and smoothed it down, whispering, "Don't worry, it's alright."
Instead of being appeased, Niu Tielan became even angrier, slapping his hand away and sneering, "Of course you won't worry, go away and don't bother me."
Qu Maoze slightly bent his knuckles and gently stroked her brow with a hint of helplessness, making her look like someone in the hall before her eyes widened in surprise.
After Chun Yuan and Xia Hua repeatedly confirmed the matter, Li Xian struck the wood and said, "Now the evidence is conclusive, with both witnesses and physical evidence. Does the princess have anything else to say?"
Song Jin stood in the hall, looking at the two beautiful and quick-witted maids, and sighed softly.
To be honest, if she hadn't had an alibi that day, things would have been quite complicated once these two came forward. But it's precisely because they stepped forward that she will definitely be cleared of all charges this time.
Song Jin looked at the two with pity: "I'll ask you one last time, reveal who's behind this now, and you might have a chance to live."
Chun Yuan kowtowed, pleading, "Please, Your Highness, spare me! Please, Your Highness, spare me! Everything Chun Yuan has said is true!"
Xia Hua wiped away her tears and was about to smash her head against a pillar: "Princess, there's no need for this. This servant will atone with my death."
Her sudden collision immediately stirred the grief of Dai Yuanhua, who had lost his mother. He cried out, "Mother, I am powerless to avenge you. I will go down and join you."
Of course, they won't be able to collide.
The murmurs of the people outside grew louder and louder, filled with protests and curses.
Rumors, they're not necessarily serious, but they're not insignificant either. It's in this way that trust between the people and the government gradually crumbles, eventually forming a deep chasm that allows others to slip through unnoticed.
The nonchalant look on Song Jin's face faded, and she became serious, saying in a deep voice, "Stop acting like you're going to die. If you don't cherish this opportunity, I won't give you any face. And you idiot over there, use your brain. I went out in the middle of the night to kill your mother, and I brought my clothes home to wash? Couldn't I just throw them outside and burn them?"
Dai Yuanhua wailed, "Don't you need to wear clothes when you go back?"
Song Jin hesitated for a moment: "...Then let me put it another way, I'll burn it when I get back."
Dai Yuanhua added, "Are you worried about being caught if you're missing clothes? All of this is recorded."
This touched on Song Jin's blind spot. She used to just leave her clothes lying around, and after coming to the Song residence, she never bothered with them. She herself didn't even know how many clothes she had.
But judging from the expressions of the other people, her reasoning didn't seem to hold water.
Song Jin coughed lightly: "I see."
Dai Yuanhua, his eyes swollen, looked at her indifferent expression, his hatred deepening: "What else do you have to say? You murderer, you're the one who killed my mother!"
Song Jin's lips twitched, and she waved her hand: "It's really not. According to what they said, it's the hour of You (5-7 PM). At this time, I'm in Shangyang Village, two hundred miles outside the city. Even if I flew, I couldn't fly that fast, could I?"
Dai Yuanhua didn't believe him: "What evidence do you have?"
"I"
Qi Zheng, who had been observing from the sidelines, stepped forward. He wore a low-key gray robe, with a fox fur collar adding a touch of nobility. He was understated yet luxurious, and his tall stature blocked out most of the light in the hall.
Even those among the common people who didn't recognize him whispered among themselves, inquiring about him, and soon became even more excited and puzzled.
Qi Zheng stood solemnly beside Song Jin, his aura cold and dignified, powerful and clearly not to be trifled with, yet at the same time, he exuded righteousness.
He glanced at Song Jin and said, "Princess Mingguang stayed with me all night that day."
The scene erupted in uproar once again.
A lone man and a lone woman, one night...
Dai Yuanhua, incredulous, roared, "Impossible! Just because you say so doesn't mean it is! You two know each other, you're definitely taking her side!"
Qi Zheng said in a deep voice: "Empty words are not enough to prove anything. We stopped in Shangwai Village outside the city. The villagers will remember us. The fire in the mountains, the fur and feathers, even the broken branches and leaves, chickens and dogs can all testify to this. We set off after 5 a.m. and arrived at the city gate at 9 a.m. During that time, Princess Mingguang led an old man who sold chickens into the city. On the way back, we bought candied hawthorns. All of these can testify to this."
Dai Yuanhua fell to the ground, still unable to believe it, muttering, "You are princes and princesses, you're looking for someone, who can say for sure if you've been bribed?"
With this stubborn streak, Song Jin could finally understand the frustration she felt when Qu Maoze was being pestered before.
It's impossible to reason with someone who's just like a tortoise; they seem dull-witted most of the time, but once they bite, they won't let go.
Song Jin rolled up her sleeves, ready to go up and give the guy a good beating.
Qi Zheng grabbed her, pressed her wrist, and quietly looked at Dai Yuanhua, who was still lying on the ground in disbelief. Then he turned to his side and said in a deep voice, "Dai Yuanhong, it's come to this point, are you still not going to say anything?"
As if losing all strength, Dai Yuanhong collapsed to the ground. Under Dai Yuanhua's blank gaze, he forced a smile and said pitifully...
“If I hadn’t been forced to, I wouldn’t have wanted this. I’m willing to accept punishment, exile or death, but my brother is innocent. He knows nothing. I beg you, Your Highness, please save my mother! Save my mother! She… she’s been kidnapped. It was all that person’s doing…”
The audience erupted in uproar
Even Song Jin's eyes widened: "Huh? Save your mother? Isn't your mother dead?"
Is he just teasing her? Is she a monkey that's so funny?
Dai Yuanhong: "That wasn't my mother, it was my mother's personal maid, Diancui. That day, she suddenly said that my mother was looking for me. When I went there, I saw my mother being held hostage by her. There were also two other people nearby. They were highly skilled in martial arts. They killed Diancui in front of me and then held my mother hostage. I... I... I was powerless and could only obey them..."
After Dai Yuanhong's explanation, the incident of the princess killing someone in a fit of anger became a farce, but it also raised even greater suspicions.
Who is behind this? And what is their intention?
The people whispered in surprise and disbelief.
Only Dai Yuanhua stared blankly at his elder brother: "Mother, Mother, she really, really..."
Dai Yuanhong looked at the wound on his head with heartache and guilt, and nodded lowly: "Mother is still alive."
Dai Yuanhua stood there frozen like a stone, then his swollen, red eyes lit up, and then, with a wail, he lunged at Song Jin.
"Save my mother, save my mother! Please, Your Highness, save my mother..."
This time, without letting Song Jin make a move, Qi Zheng remained expressionless, and with a gentle press, he bound the person to the ground.
But it doesn't matter who you call on, right?
Dai Yuanhua grabbed Qi Zheng's leg and continued wailing, "Your Highness, Your Highness, please save my mother! I'll be your slave in my next life!"
There's absolutely no sincerity.
Song Jin's lips twitched, and she walked over and kicked him. Just as he was about to retaliate like a stubborn leech, Qi Zheng delivered another kick.
He still clung to me.
Song Jin and Qi Zheng both raised their eyebrows.
Something's off about this guy.
Finally, Dai Yuanhong rushed over and held down his younger brother, saying awkwardly and fearfully, "Please, please, Princess and Prince, save my mother!"
Song Jin pouted: "You should talk to Lord Li about that; I can't do anything about it."
Qi Zheng nodded slightly: "Without any evidence, how can we save them? Do you know who those people are? Or do you remember their appearance and accents?"
Before he could finish speaking, Dai Yuanhong impatiently interrupted him: "I remember, I recognize that person, that person, that person had already coerced me before that. I, I deserve to die, but my mother and younger brother are innocent. Please, sirs, save my mother!"
This leads to another matter.
Qi Zheng subconsciously glanced to the other side. His father, Qi Ye, sat there, his gaze inscrutable, his expression unreadable. On the other side, Qu Maoze stood beside Niu Tielan, twirling a strand of his hair, a smile playing on his lips, looking as if he had expected this.
He sighed inwardly, but maintained his cold and stern expression, asking, "Who is it?"
A look of fear flashed across Dai Yuanhong's face as he hesitated, "I, I, I'm afraid to tell."
Qi Zheng: "You don't want to save your mother anymore?"
After a moment of hesitation, as if making a crucial decision, Dai Yuanhong gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, it was someone from the Duke of Ying's mansion. He thought I didn't know, but I carefully followed him beforehand and saw him enter the Duke of Ying's mansion, chatting and laughing with the steward inside."
The scene erupted in uproar again.
Qi Zheng's expression became even more solemn, and he was about to say something.
Qi Ye, who had been observing, suddenly stood up and said in a deep voice, "One minute you're accusing the Princess, the next you're accusing the Duke of Ying's mansion. Are you playing house? You're falsely accusing the Duke, a crime punishable by death."
Dai Yuanhong gritted his teeth: "I swear, everything I'm saying now is absolutely true. I'm willing to be executed, just to save my mother and spare my little brother who knows nothing."
Qi Ye looked at him intently: "What evidence do you have?"
Dai Yuanhong stared at Qi Ye's face, which bore a striking resemblance to Qi Zheng's, and trembled slightly. He instinctively tried to look at Qu Maoze on the other side, but was forcefully pressed down. He lay on the ground, taking a deep breath.
“I don’t know the man’s name, but he was short, less than five feet tall, with a very square face, a flat nose, a black mole under his ear, and his name contained the character for sheep. The day he kidnapped my mother, my wrist was scratched by the family cat.”
Qi Ye: "Words are no proof. Is there anything else? You just said you were threatened last time. What did you threaten to do?"
Dai Yuanhong's hands trembled, his breathing became heavier, and sweat trickled down his forehead.
Qi Ye, though not angry, exuded an imposing aura: "You'd better think this through. You can't bear the crime of deceiving the emperor."
Dai Yuanhong, his brow beaded with sweat, raised his head, his hands clasped tightly at his sides, and said with difficulty, "I, this humble commoner, I had a manor outside the city, which I gave to that person three months ago. At first, I thought he was just after money, until later, later..."
Qi Ye's gaze deepened: "What comes next?"
Dai Yuanhong was truly terrified at this moment, but his past actions would eventually be exposed. He said bitterly, "Later, when Grand Secretary Song got into trouble, my estate was also destroyed by fire. When I returned, I carefully investigated and found... found the token of the Duke of Ying's manor. I deserve to die a thousand deaths, but I beg Your Majesty to save my mother, I beg Your Majesty..."
At the beginning of the incident, Song Jin was imprisoned.
In the end, the matter had nothing to do with her anymore. She stood aside, listening with wide eyes and a gaping mouth.
How could this be related?
Something feels off.
Song Jin pressed her chin to her lips and turned her head to look at the Song family.
The five Song brothers' faces darkened completely, their gazes turning icy, and the overall atmosphere became oppressive.
Song Shenzhi stepped forward, kneeling down, his long sword slamming into the ground, his voice resolute: "The hatred for the murderer of my father is irreconcilable. Your Majesty, I humbly request permission to lead troops to thoroughly investigate the matter of my father."
Song Xingzhi, Song Shunzhi, Song Anzhi, and Song Qingzhi followed closely behind.
The five brothers stood in unison: "Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly."
Qi Ye stood in the center, separated from the other five, gazing across the distance at Qu Maoze, who had undergone a complete transformation.
Time has passed, and he stands at the highest point, approaching his twilight years, while his old friend returns to the past.
Qi Ye felt as if he had stepped back into those chaotic years of war, when rivers of blood flowed, corpses littered the fields, and those who survived were numb and lifeless, the world shrouded in deathly silence.
At the time, Song Shang, a spirited seventeen or eighteen-year-old, was just a penniless commoner. He said, "Brother Qi, how do you know it won't work if you don't try?"
Now, the nearly forty-year-old Grand Secretary Song Shang has abandoned everything he has and said, "How will Your Majesty know if it will work if you don't try!"
Cutting the weeds but not the roots
Endless troubles
Qi Ye gently closed his eyes, then opened them again, unleashing his full imperial aura. Wherever his gaze fell, everyone knelt, and the entire government office fell silent.
He said in a deep voice, "For the past twenty years, Grand Secretary Song has devoted himself to the country and its people. Now he has been murdered and his fate is unknown. I grant General Song's request."
"No matter who the murderer is, kill them without hesitation."
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