Chapter 19: Where’s the Evidence of the Crime?
Xiaozong stared at the unconscious, bloody body of Zhao Qiuming by his feet as veins popped out on his forehead. He didn’t want to talk with his daughter anymore.
“Kill him,” Yu Xiaoxiao urged again.
“You can’t just kill a minister because you say so! What does it count for if you beat him to death?” Xiaozong tried to reason.
Yu Xiaoxiao tilted her head to one side before suggesting, “How about instead of beating him, we burn him to death?”
Reasoning with you is impossible, Xiaozong rested his forehead in his hands. Where’s my pure and kindhearted daughter who wouldn’t even kill a chicken?
“Your Majesty,” outside the courtyard, a head eunuch called out. “Ying Nianyun, Zhao Beicheng–”
“What is it?” Xiaozong cut him off, too lazy to listen to a list of names.
“The officials are all asking to meet with Your Majesty,” the head eunuch replied.
“Let them in,” Xiaozong said.
“Your Majesty, Gu Chen and his eldest son Gu Ningnuo are asking for an audience too.”
“Let them in,” Yu Xiaoxiao butt in.
Xiaozong looked at his daughter in exasperation. “They’re only commoners right now. How can commoners enter the palace?”
“They’re your in-laws,” Yu Xiaoxiao corrected. “Is it out of fashion for relatives to call on the imperial family?”
Is now the time to call on family? Xiaozong’s mouth twitched, but he gave up on talking sense to his daughter and said, “Let the Gu father and son enter the palace.”
By the time the two factions entered the courtyard of Morning Skies Palace, an imperial physician had already revived Lord Zhao. He took one look at Yu Xiaoxiao and wished he was dead. As a prim and proper prime minister, he’d been hauled off by this girl all the way to the palace. How many citizens in the capital witnessed his tragic fate? Did he have any face left to live on this Earth?
“Father!” Zhao Beicheng ran to Zhao Qiuming’s side as soon as he finished paying respects to Xiaozong.
Xiaozong saw that he too, was covered in blood. It was impossible to look at him directly.
“Your Majesty!” Zhao Qiuming had his son support him into kneeling tearfully in front of the emperor. “This subject was wholeheartedly serving the nation!”
“Hmph,” Ying Nianyun scoffed. “Your Majesty, Lord Zhao took imperial guards to break into the Gu Estate and set fire to Her Royal Highness’s bridal chambers. Such bold and reckless actions deserve death!”
Zhao Qiuming said, “Your Majesty, this subject had no idea about the bridal chambers catching fire. This is all part of the Gu Clan’s self-injury scheme to avoid punishment. May Your Majesty render fair judgment.”
The flames of battle broke out within the courtyard. One side was accusing the other of betraying the country, while the other accused them of murder and arson. Neither had any evidence to back up their claims, so they refused to budge on their stance. At least it was better when the civil officials argued, because they didn’t curse, but military men could work themselves up into a fighting frenzy. Yu Xiaoxiao listened carefully for a while. She could only tell that the military men were asking after people’s mothers, but failed to make any sense of the civil official’s blathering. In the end, she ended up completely clueless about what they were talking about.
Gradually, Gu Xingnuo eased his way to Yu Xiaoxiao’s side and asked, “Your Royal Highness, are you alright?”
She shook her head. “Big brother, what are they saying?”
Her moniker for him warmed Gu Xingnuo’s heart. Although this sister-in-law was an imperial princess, she didn’t have any airs. “They hid a set of dragon robes in your dowry chest,” Gu Ningnuo whispered while the two sides were busying exchanging verbal spars.
“Ah?” Yu Xiaoxiao whispered back, “What happens if you hide a dragon robe?”
Gu Ningnuo choked and had to cough. When he saw that Yu Xiaoxiao was serious about her question, he had to explain, “That’s reserved for His Majesty’s exclusive use. Any subject or commoner who hides one for themselves will get the death penalty.”
Now Yu Xiaoxiao understood. She looked at Jing Zhong standing behind Xiaozong and pointed at him, “It was that damned eunuch, wasn’t it?”
“He was the one who delivered the dowry,” Gu Xingnuo replied. “Naturally, he did the deed.”
When Jing Zhong noticed the princess glaring his way, he shuffled closer to Xiaozong. There was an order and procedure to killing ministers of court, but Princess Linglong could murder an eunuch like him at any time. Nothing said that their lives were valuable.
“Shut up, shut up! All of you, shut up for Zhen!” Xiaozong grew incensed with all the shouting from both sides. “If you don’t shut up this instant, Zhen will decree the nine familial exterminations!”
The courtyard quieted down.
Yu Xiaoxiao flashed in front of Zhao Qiuming and slapped him upside the head. He cried out piteously, and she declared to Xiaozong. “He talked. Father, you should give him the nine familial exterminations.”
A heavier silence settled upon the courtyard. Everyone looked at Xiaozong. How was he supposed to resolve this? Were they all here to fool around with Her Royal Highness?
Xiaozong stood with his hands behind his back as he paced back and forth. He didn’t want to talk right now!
“Your Majesty,” behind the doors came Consort Zhao’s feeble voice. “If this consort’s father really did such a thing, then he deserves to be killed.”
Eh? Yu Xiaoxiao gave a start. Did the wicked consort swap personalities?
“Beloved consort, you mean to say?” Xiaozong asked towards the door.
Consort Zhao replied, “Father, who told you that the Gu Clan was trying to hide evidence of their betrayal?”
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