Chapter 360 What crime is it to slander the imperial court?
Upon seeing the newcomers, Huang Ren cried out for help, “Grandfather, Grandfather, you’ve come! Please save your grandson! We stood up for the people, and they accused us of framing the court. We saw with our own eyes that the people were poisoned after drinking their porridge. When we questioned their poisoning, they arrested us and injured Abao. They just wanted to kill us to silence us.”
Grandpa Huang scolded his grandson, "Shut up!"
Blindly following the trend and making a fuss, why be a target?
He then bowed to Yun Zhaoxue and said, "I, Huang, pay my respects to the Princess. I, Huang, apologize on behalf of my unfilial son."
"Mr. Huang, you're too kind. There's no need for such formalities."
Then the heads of the other families also arrived. Their families had been rooted in Lingnan for generations, emphasizing clan tradition and unity, and the whole clan would help each other if one person was in trouble.
This time, the clan chief came to demand the person, along with dozens of strong men from the clan. If they wanted to forcibly take him away, they could actually succeed.
Yun Zhaoxue had to admire those who were pulling strings behind the scenes, deliberately instigating several powerful local families to oppose her.
If we release the person, more and more people will spread rumors in the future; if we don't release them, we will offend the local powerful figures and push them to their side.
No matter what she does, it won't benefit her, but it will benefit them.
Old Master Huang pleaded again, "Please, Your Highness, be magnanimous and let us take them back and punish them according to family rules, so that they will never dare to talk nonsense again."
Yun Zhaoxue refused to back down, saying, "Clan leaders, it is no small matter to slander others for murder. I also suspect that they are involved in the poisoning case. Sending them to the authorities for investigation and clearing your names will also protect the reputation of your families."
She shut them all down, leaving the old men speechless for a moment.
An old man said, "They did nothing wrong. What good will it do to go to the government? The government can't convict them. Why don't we compromise? As compensation, our families are willing to donate ten bushels of rice to help with disaster relief."
If it were the previous dynasty, they would still be wary, but the current dynasty has lost half of its territory, with the capital occupied by enemy troops and the emperor and thousands of members of the royal family captured and enslaved.
They no longer take the imperial court and Yun Zhaoxue seriously.
Yun Zhaoxue pondered for a moment, "Elder Huang, they slandered the imperial court, and their words were very credible. If we let them off lightly this time and set a precedent, then if anyone spreads rumors again in the future, we won't be able to punish them. Therefore, we cannot release them before the government interrogates them and finds them innocent!"
“The innocent are innocent. Young Master Huang insists that he did not poison anyone. If he can sincerely repent, he can be treated leniently.”
Huang Ren said, "Grandfather, what she said makes some sense. The innocent are innocent. If we go to the government, we go to the government. I didn't poison anyone, so no one can convict us."
He's just said a few wrong words; at most, he'll get a few lashes. He's not afraid; he's thick-skinned and can withstand a few lashes without dying.
He couldn't let his grandfather lower himself to beg for help.
Another commotion arose from the crowd.
Old Huang scolded his grandson again, "Shut up! What do you know?"
If he were to confess under torture, not only would he die, but the entire Huang family would be implicated.
"The officials are here, please make way."
The onlookers made way for them.
A constable led four constables forward.
The head constable bowed to Old Master Huang, saying, "Old Master Huang."
“Officer Guo, you’ve come at the right time. My grandson is honest and law-abiding, but timid. He would never do anything to poison others. Please investigate thoroughly and clear his name.”
"Gentlemen, please calm down. I have heard about what happened here. Young Master Huang only raised a few questions; he has not committed any crime."
Yun Zhaoxue retorted, "Officer Guo, they are not questioning, but framing. Please do not try to change the subject. Framing the court, slandering the current emperor, and even this princess—what crime is that? You are the officer, you should know better than me."
The people who supported Yun Zhaoxue shouted, "It's a frame-up, not a questioning; we must send them to the authorities!"
“Princess, you probably don’t know, but the whole city is spreading those rumors. If we can convict someone just because of a few words, the jails in the yamen won’t be able to hold them all. We really can’t arrest this person.”
“I don’t know what others are saying, but they are saying it to my face and even slandering me, so I have to care.”
As for the people's slanderous remarks against the imperial court, that should be handled by your county government. Now, rumors are flying everywhere, and you're telling me to let it go unchecked? That's your negligence. I will write to the imperial court to explain the situation here.”
Officer Guo didn't take her seriously, so he filed a complaint?
Did you think he would be afraid?
By the time her complaint reached the imperial court, Lingnan had already undergone a change of dynasty.
Someone suggested, "If the yamen (government office) won't do anything, send the person to the prefectural government."
Upon hearing this, Constable Guo sneered inwardly and simply resigned himself to his fate, saying, "Fine, then you can send your blessings. Our yamen can't interfere."
The prefectural government is under Lord Pu's command, so they won't interfere.
Just then, another commotion arose from outside the crowd: "Military Advisor Lu is here! Military Advisor Lu..."
As a judicial officer, Lu Canjun wielded power above that of the head constable.
Whether or not someone can be sent to see the authorities depends mainly on Military Advisor Lu.
"Military Advisor Lu, you've come at the right time. They've slandered the imperial court and accused me, the princess, of murder. What do you think we should do?"
Lu Zheng replied, "Slandering the imperial court is tantamount to treason, a grave offense of disrespect. The lightest punishment is exile, while the heaviest is beheading or the implication of others. Guards, take him back to the yamen!"
An old man said, “Treason? At most it’s just a rumor. How did it become treason in your mouth? You’re a soldier, and you’re deliberately putting these accusations on their heads. When you get to jail, will you be tortured into confessing? I want to interrogate you in front of me. I absolutely cannot let you take you away. Even Old Master Lu has to give us some face.”
Lu Zheng's voice was louder than theirs, "Are you all questioning the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty?"
The constables he brought stepped forward to lead the people away.
Members of several powerful families stood in rows to block the yamen runners, their imposing manner and tense atmosphere suggesting they were about to draw their swords.
They were ready to pounce and snatch the person at the old man's command.
Lu Zheng's face darkened. "What do you want to do? Are you going against the government?"
These people are becoming increasingly lawless.
He was injured but forced himself to come; he won't be a match for them when they fight.
The two sides are at a stalemate.
The people around were so frightened that they backed away.
Yun Zhaoxue made a move, and the people from several families looked at him with apprehension.
Zhu Feng stood protectively in front of her, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword.
Yun Zhaoxue raised her hand, signaling him not to make a move.
"Elders, I understand your desire to protect your descendants, but they are not children anymore. This time, they were taken advantage of by someone with ulterior motives and made a small mistake. If they are not punished, they may make bigger mistakes in the future and implicate the clan. I'm afraid you will regret it too late."
Even if people are to be taken away, some courtesy must be given to the major families.
Old Master Huang understood the implication in her words; she was giving them a way out. Huang Ren was a fool who acted without considering the consequences. If he could be given a small punishment as a warning, it would be good. After thinking for a moment, he said, "What the princess says is true. Then let's do as you say."
"Old Huang, aren't you afraid they'll torture you into confessing if you let them take the person away?"
Lu Zheng said, "I assure you that there will be absolutely no torture before the interrogation."
The constables took Huang Ren and the others away.
The onlookers dispersed.
Lu Wenzhong, who was in the crowd, noticed that his nephew's pace was slower than usual and his complexion was not quite right, so he rushed over to help him.
“Kid, you’ve really stolen the show just now, but you’ve also offended some people. When you get home tonight, your father will probably be furious. I’ll cover for him.”
As he spoke, he slapped Lu Zheng on the shoulder, right on the side where Lu Zheng was injured.
Lu Zheng gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay on the edge, saying, "Then thank you very much, Uncle."
"What are you thanking me for? I only helped you because you helped my benefactor. Otherwise, I wouldn't care that the old man dotes on you and would definitely not have the heart to beat you to death."
"Your benefactor?"
"That's the princess who's stunningly beautiful, with a face that could topple kingdoms. This morning, I was eating noodles at a noodle shop when two barbarians bullied me. Well, I shouldn't say bullied them, but I fought them head-on, one against two. The princess easily defeated them and even severed one of the barbarians' tendons. Her skills might even surpass yours."
Lu Zheng touched the wound on his chest and murmured, "Yes, definitely above me."
As the moonlight faded, we realized we couldn't go to the restaurant as planned and had to reschedule for another day.
"Someone might make a move in the jail tonight. Have Master Liao take a few men to guard the cells. They used to be jail guards and know where the criminals would strike. Make a big commotion, and hopefully the word will reach the old gentlemen."
"Yes, I will arrange it immediately."
Yun Zhaoxue didn't go home last night. She was worried about her son and rushed back. She took a shower before going back to her room to see him.
Children are exposed to too many patients during the day and may be carrying the virus. Children have weak immune systems and are easily infected.
She wanted to hug her eldest child first.
Erbao excitedly reached out to her as soon as he saw her, "Eek..."
She held the second baby first.
"Okay, I'll hug you first. Next time, Mommy will hug Da Bao first, even if you whine. No exceptions will be made."
The eldest brother's disadvantage is that he is honest and doesn't know how to act cute.
As a mother, she cannot show favoritism; she must treat them all equally.
Erbao looked up at her, his dark, grape-like eyes blinking as if to confirm that this wasn't a dream.
The little head slowly lowered and buried itself in the crook of its mother's shoulder, the warm forehead gently rubbing against it, again and again. The little head moved eagerly like a young animal returning to its nest, its breath warm, punctuated by intermittent, aggrieved sobs, "Hmph~"
Two days later, she finally came back.
He thought she had abandoned him again.
Seeing the little one next to me made me feel a little relieved. I couldn't sleep well at night, and I always had to check if the person next to me was there when I woke up.
I only felt at ease after confirming that he was still there.
In my memory, she took my older brother away and then abandoned him; she only loved my older brother.
Yun Zhaoxue gently patted his back, "Erbao, don't be afraid, Mother is here. I've been a bit busy lately and can't be with you all the time. Once this busy period is over, Mother will be with you every day and won't leave you."
"Princess, the meal is ready."
When Hongzao and Lvzhi returned and asked if they had eaten yet, they went into the kitchen and cooked a few dishes.
"Okay, let them eat first, don't wait for me. I'll be going out in a bit. Da Bao and Er Bao haven't seen me for two days, they're clinging to me."
She put down the second child and picked up the first child, saying, "Come in here for a moment."
Have they cried these past two days?
Hongzao pushed the door open and went in. "Yes, the eldest young master woke up early this morning, so I took him out to feed him. But when the young master woke up and didn't see the eldest young master, he cried very hard. The two brothers have a really good relationship."
Yun Zhaoxue smiled and agreed, "Yes, they were inseparable even in the womb."
Only she knew why Erbao was crying.
In his past life, he was abandoned and left in a foreign land, and he was afraid of being abandoned again.
She went to eat, leaving Hongzao and Lizhi to watch over the two children.
That night, Yun Zhaoxue placed the two children on the inside of the large bed and slept with them.
In the dead of night, the moon, like a silver hook, hangs in the inky sky.
The sound of hooves broke the silence of the night, "Giddy up, giddy up!!!"
She lay prone on horseback, her robes blending into the night, only her long hair, tousled by the wind, shimmering like stars, with four riders following closely behind.
When they arrived at the rendezvous point, the spies they had planted in the city all showed up.
They split into three teams, their targets being Chairman Feng, Boss Hu, and Officer Guo.
These three are their assassination targets for tonight.
The black figure blended into the night, scaled the wall, and sneaked into the courtyard. After successfully completing the mission, he noticed something amiss.
Yun Zhaoxue felt that the courtyard was unusually quiet. Logically speaking, since that person surnamed Feng had done something wrong, there should have been more people patrolling the backyard. But at this moment, there was only one patrol team.
She suspected that the person they killed was not Feng Zhang, so she sneaked back to check, but the person on the bed was not Feng Zhang.
Meanwhile, the brothel was brightly lit, with several carriages parked in front of it, and people coming and going in an endless stream. Women dressed in revealing clothes waved handkerchiefs at the entrance, trying to attract customers.
"Master Chen, you've arrived? Please come in."
"Young Master Wang, Qingqing has been eagerly awaiting your arrival day and night..."
In the No. 1 private room on the second floor, the people inside remained sober even after several rounds of drinks.
The windows were nailed shut, four guards stood outside the door, there were more than a dozen inside, and two guards stood on the roof.
Feng Zhang downed another cup of wine and saw the others sitting upright, not daring to drink much, as if facing a formidable enemy. He couldn't help but sneer, "What are you afraid of? Cowards like mice, how can you achieve great things? A woman has scared you out of your wits. If word gets out, where will we men put our faces?"
Boss Hu said, "Chairman Feng, they have powerful weapons! The fake Lord Pu had so many people protecting him, but they all died at their hands. We can't let our guard down."
"The entire brothel is staffed by my men. No strangers can get in. We've sent so many people to protect you, what are you afraid of? Eat and drink to your heart's content. Tomorrow night, we'll open the city gates to welcome Lord Pu's army into the city. You will all be heroes."
"Come on, drink!"
Mr. Hu agreed, saying, "Chairman Feng is right."
Feng Zhang picked up the wine pot and poured himself a cup. It was a little light to carry, so he called out towards the door, "Someone come here and have some wine brought in, and also arrange for a few pretty girls to come in and serve us."
One of the guards outside the door went to make arrangements and soon brought up a group of girls.
They were carrying wine and various foods in their hands.
One of the women had a beautiful demeanor, which was out of place in the vulgar atmosphere of the brothel, catching Feng Gan's attention. Just as he was about to question her, he asked, "This young lady looks unfamiliar. Is she new here?"
Yun Zhaoxue lowered her eyes and nodded slightly, "Mm."
The girls in front of him all turned to look at him. They also felt that he was a stranger and had never seen him before. They were about to speak.
Another urging voice came from inside, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and bring in the wine. Chairman Dong wants to drink with you all until we drop tonight."
Upon hearing this, Feng Gan dared not delay, stepped aside, and waved for them to enter.
Yun Zhaoxue held a pistol under the tray, then withdrew it into her spatial storage as she passed him. Upon entering the room, she saw several familiar faces.
Feng Zhang's eyes widened at her alluring figure. He swallowed hard, then beckoned to her, "Come here, come into my arms. Tonight, I'll pamper you."
Yun Zhaoxue walked towards him, pressed the ring and silver bracelet in her hand, and a thin thread flew out, leaving a thin mark on his neck before the people around her could react.
Yun Zhaoxue held the guns in both hands, shooting them one by one, "Bang bang bang!!!"
Mr. Hu felt a sharp pain in his forehead, his whole body trembled, and he fell straight down.
Upon seeing the murder, the woman inside screamed and fled towards the door, yelling, "Ahhh!!!"
The guards then realized what was happening and cried out, "Sir, men, capture the assassin!"
They drew their swords and attacked Yun Zhaoxue.
Yun Zhaoxue kicked over the round table.
With a sudden jerk, the entire pear wood round table flipped over, hurtling straight into the guards' chests with a whooshing sound. The wooden table shattered, and the two men were sent flying, spitting out large amounts of blood. "Pfft!"
At the same time, several holes appeared in the roof, and several dark figures fell down, engaging in a fierce battle with the guards.
Yun Zhaoxue used a hammer to smash open the wooden planks that were nailed to the window and broke through the window to get out.
After defeating the first wave of guards, Zhu Feng and his companions also jumped out of the window.
Feng Gan had a cut on his arm and chest. Clutching his chest, he looked out the window and ordered his men, "Chase!"
Suddenly, a hidden weapon shot into Feng Gan's heart at an almost invisible speed, spurting blood with a "plop!"
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