Upon hearing the words of the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, the air in the room seemed to freeze for a few breaths.
After regaining their senses, everyone knelt down and shouted, "Long live the Emperor!"
"May I have your name."
Gu Qingyan spoke to the woman, his expression authoritative without being angry.
"This humble woman...this humble woman is Zhong Ke'er."
"Go check if she has a marriage certificate recorded in the government." Yingzhi brought a chair for Gu Qingyan, who sat down directly, obviously waiting for the results of the investigation.
Seeing this, cold sweat began to bead on the burly man's forehead.
"Your Majesty, I...I was drunk just now and couldn't see people very clearly. This woman doesn't look like...doesn't look like my wife."
"presumptuous!"
Yingzhi's shrill voice rang out, "How dare you change your words in front of the Emperor! This is a crime!"
“Yingzhi, let him talk. Tell me where you drank tonight, who you drank with, and who else was at home.”
Gu Qingyan stared at the burly man, "I want you to answer my questions without missing a single word."
The burly man stammered and couldn't utter a single word. Seeing this, everyone around understood what had happened.
"Your Majesty, there is no marriage certificate for Zhong Ke'er registered in the official records."
One sentence completely plunged the strong man into hell.
“You’re not drunk. I think your mind is clearer than anyone else’s.” Gu Qingyan stood up abruptly and kicked the burly man. “Guards, take him to the imperial prison.”
"Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty, spare my life! This humble subject was merely confused for a moment..."
Before the burly man could say anything more, a guard who appeared from the shadows immediately covered his mouth.
Gu Qingyan had sobered up considerably by now. He glanced around and said with a hint of helplessness in his voice, "He says this woman is his wife, and you all believe him?"
He watched as the woman's eyes went from helplessness to hope, and finally to despair.
Everyone present fell silent, not daring to answer Gu Qingyan's question.
"By imperial decree, in the future, whenever such a situation occurs within the territory of Dayu, all those present must report it to the authorities, who will then verify the information before taking further action. Also..." Gu Qingyan looked at the woman kneeling on the ground, "Even if they are truly husband and wife, they cannot send her to her death."
"Return to the palace."
Gu Qingyan lost interest in continuing his stroll, waved his hand, and headed towards the carriage.
"emperor."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving my life." Zhong Ke'er kept kowtowing to Gu Qingyan. If it weren't for the Emperor, she dared not imagine what her fate would be now.
"Didn't you say you were going to buy medicine for your mother? Go on now."
Judging from Zhong Ke'er's appearance, she was only about the same age as him, yet the burly man claimed that they had a child, a clumsy lie that had not yet been exposed.
The thought of this made Gu Qingyan feel extremely uncomfortable.
On the way back to the palace, Gu Qingyan was dozing off, but suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he said, "Yingzhi, let Ling Ku interrogate that strong man."
"As I reflect on tonight, I feel that his behavior is not like the first time he has done such a thing. I need to find out which other women have been victimized before."
He thought that under his mother's influence, the women of Dayu could live a very good life, but it seems he was too naive.
The next day, Wei Ruo entered the palace to pay her respects to Gu Qingyan.
"Your Majesty has discovered that he cannot bear to see women suffer."
Kui Ruo spoke softly. This was the first time he had met a man who always felt a sense of pity for women.
"Sir, the Empress Dowager has suffered too much for my sake."
Gu Qingyan paused in his vermilion brush. From marrying into the palace to having a difficult childbirth and giving birth to him, to being tormented in the palace afterward, she had suffered too much.
"Therefore, I hope that not only the Empress Dowager, but also my people will no longer have to suffer like this."
"Your subject understands."
In a somewhat dilapidated thatched hut.
Zhong Ke'er carefully fed the medicine to the woman on the sickbed, "Mother, drink your medicine quickly."
"My body is failing me, Ke'er. Save that money carefully, so you won't be left alone after I'm gone." The woman said weakly, and Zhong Ke'er's tears immediately streamed down her face.
"Mother, you will be alright."
Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Zhong Ke'er immediately became alert. "Who is it!"
"Is this Miss Ke'er's house? I am Mei Chu, and I have come to take your mother's pulse on the orders of the Empress Dowager."
Zhong Ke'er practically ran to open the door, then stared blankly as Mei Chu took her mother's pulse. "Get the medicine according to this prescription, and she'll be fully recovered in two months."
"Also, you should keep this silver."
"This... I can't accept this."
"You should accept the Empress Dowager's order." Mei Chu said and hurriedly left, leaving Zhong Ke'er and her daughter to weep bitterly.
"Ke'er, you must repay the Emperor and the Empress Dowager properly when you have the chance in the future, understand?"
"Mother, I've remembered it."
......
Jiang Yu had just returned to the palace when she received a message from Sun Shu.
"Your Majesty, Miss Sun has caught a cold and is now confined to bed and unable to get up."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu stopped what she was doing. "If you're sick, you should see the imperial physician. Why are you coming to me?"
"Miss Sun refuses to take the prescription given by the imperial physician and insists on seeing you."
"You insist on seeing me?"
Jiang Yu chuckled and said, "Go tell her that I'm not feeling well either and won't be able to see her anytime soon."
She hates being threatened the most, but this Sun Shu is quite bold.
"Don't worry, Sun Shu is more shrewd than Qin Ke'er. She won't let herself die here in vain."
"Yes, this servant will take care of it immediately."
After Wanji left, Jiang Yu continued writing.
Gu Lin was holding a military book to the side; the matter of Sun Shu had not attracted his interest at all.
"Ayu, what do you think of that burly man who caused trouble on the street last time?"
“Ayan said he confessed a lot of things. It turns out that such a strange wind has arisen in Dayu, using marriage to abduct women. Ayan asked us who should handle this matter.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu pondered for a moment, and then thought of a very suitable candidate.
"I did think of someone."
An hour later, at the temple.
"The Empress Dowager wants to see me?"
Zhong Qi'er could hardly believe her ears. She was now a convicted criminal, so why would the Empress Dowager still want to see her?
"This servant would not dare to falsely convey imperial orders. Miss Zhong, please get ready and get up quickly."
After the young eunuch finished speaking, he left the room. Zhong Qi'er gripped the bedsheets tightly. If there was anything she could hold onto, it was the Empress Dowager's kindness. Was this an opportunity...?
Thinking of this, Zhong Qi'er quickly got out of bed, dressed herself, and opened the door. "Father-in-law, let's go."
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