Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 224: Counterattack with an Army

Xiao Zhao spoke with righteous indignation.

He spoke while gesturing.

"That's what I did back then, slapping her on the left and punching her on the right, until Fourth Miss's hair was all disheveled!"

She spoke vividly, and at the end she winked and smiled mischievously.

"And so, I've come to accompany the girl to jail."

When Xue Sui saw her roll up her sleeves, her nose still covered in dust, looking both fierce and adorable, her originally gloomy and heavy mood was lifted, and she coughed and laughed.

"Getting wilder and wilder, you think you can beat up the young mistress of the Marquis of Jingyuan's mansion..."

"She deserves it!" Xiao Zhao squatted down, took out clean clothes and soft-soled shoes one by one from her bundle, and then took out an oil paper package and stuffed it into Xue Sui's hands.

"The chestnut cake I stole from the kitchen is sweeter than the one the girl made."

Xue Sui: "..."

Just as she was about to reach for the chestnut cake, she suddenly saw Xiao Zhao tuck her wrist into her sleeve.

A fresh scratch mark was quite noticeable.

"How did you get this injury?" Xue Sui grabbed her hand.

"Fourth Miss has long fingernails. Not only did she not let me hit her, but she also dared to resist..." Xiao Zhao flicked her wrist, as if showing off a trophy, and said it nonchalantly. Suddenly, she carefully took out a small celadon bottle.

"The cold medicine given by the eldest son is said to be a hundred times more effective than the one from the Imperial Hospital."

Xue Sui: ...

With so many items, didn't the jailer search them?
It was obvious that Li Huan had turned a blind eye, which is why the jailer was turning a blind eye.

What is this? Is it guilt for using someone else to do the dirty work, or is there some other ulterior motive?
She looked at Xiao Zhao with a mixture of helplessness and heartache, finding it both amusing and infuriating.

"Didn't I tell you? You don't need to go to great lengths to see me, nor do you need to risk bringing me things. It's better for you to live a comfortable life outside than to stay here with me and live in fear..."

"That won't do. I've said it before, wherever the young lady is, Xiao Zhao will be there too..."

After a pause, Xiao Zhao mysteriously lifted the corner of her clothes.

"This servant has something else for you..."

Xue Sui narrowed her eyes slightly, quickly glanced in the direction of the prison door, and pulled a letter from the gap in her clothes.

The letter was written in Tian Shu's strong and powerful handwriting.

From the moment Gu Jie found Jinshu, to Xiao Zhao hitting Xue Yueying, and then to Ling Yu delivering a message to the Eastern Palace.

The old mausoleum is a maze of moves, each step carefully planned and executed...

Her expression hardened, and she saw Xiao Zhao secretly smiling, "The eldest young master said that everything has been done as the young lady instructed. We just need the east wind to rise and burn down all the evil in the city..."

A jailer's shout came from afar.

Xiao Zhao busied herself packing her bags.

"Miss, eat your cake quickly. I'll go tell them to fetch some hot water. These gold leaves aren't given away for nothing..."

Xue Sui: ...

Looking at Xiao Zhao's frail figure, she suddenly recalled the days in the old mausoleum.

The fiery heat from the charcoal stove, mingled with the aroma of plum wine, filled the air. The house was simple, yet full of warmth and life. Year after year, through every difficult moment, Xiao Zhao was always there for me...
-
The gates of the Prince of Wei's mansion were tightly shut in the twilight.

Xue Yueying huddled in the carriage, clutching a blood-stained handkerchief, staring intently at the towering, upturned eaves of the corner tower. The child in her arms was covered in blood, turning blue and purple, but she seemed oblivious to it.

Two kitchen women emerged from the side door, whispering to each other, carrying bamboo lanterns whose dim, yellowish light resembled will-o'-the-wisps.

"Those two concubines from last night, were they sold to a brothel?"

"Such things are rare? In the Prince's mansion, what kind of person is a concubine? Just the other day, wasn't one of Lady Wang's maids beaten to death?"

"Indeed, in the eyes of their masters, servants are not even as good as cats and dogs."

Two unskilled kitchen women whispered among themselves as they walked away.

"Young Madam..." Qingzhu looked at Xue Yueying cautiously and asked softly, "It's getting cold, should we still wait?"

Xue Yueying released her grip, stroked her injured head and scratched cheeks, then hugged the child tightly in her arms, her eyes brimming with tears as she clenched her teeth.

"Wait……"

"I must wait until the Prince returns and stands up for me..."

The cold wind swirled withered leaves and slammed them against the vermilion gate.

At night, the Wei Prince's mansion resembled a lurking beast, its dark shadows pressing down on one, making it hard to breathe.

Xue Yueying stared at the faint light shining through the wall, then looked down at the child's wrinkled little face, gently wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, kissed his forehead, and felt a surge of heartache.

"If only you had been born the heir of a royal family..."
-
Outside the corner gate of the Prince of Wei's mansion, Li Zhao, dressed in a black outfit, was hidden in the shadows of a locust tree.

The Crown Prince's guest, Mei Ruhui, stood quietly beside him, stroking his beard and shaking his head.

As the Crown Prince's advisor, he was increasingly unable to understand this perilous scheme.

"Would the King of Wei be that stupid? It's puzzling."

"When a person becomes stupid, even they are afraid of themselves..."

Mei Ruhui had no idea who he was referring to in his sarcastic tone, and was even more puzzled...

"Then Your Highness, should we make arrangements as soon as possible?"

Li Zhao gripped the sword at his waist and looked at the crows circling above the Prince's mansion.

Twenty years of navigating the treacherous waters of the palace had long since honed his skills in political maneuvering. But for the first time, he truly understood the meaning of his father's often-quoted saying, "Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish"—

If the heat is too high, it will overflow; if it is too low, it will become cold.

It was only at this moment that he could see himself and the other princes from Emperor Chongzhao's perspective, and understand why he had repeatedly weighed his options and hesitated between him and Li Huan.

This dish is a perfect balance of meat and vegetables, cooked to perfection...

It all rests on his whim. How much salt to add, how much seasoning to add, what flavor to achieve—all these are matters of vital importance to the nation's fate and the continuation of its destiny…

“No rush.” Li Zhao stroked the dark jade belt that gleamed with a cold light. “Let Prince Duan make the first move, and then the Crown Prince can follow suit. This credit can be given to him.”

—

Crows swept over the palace walls, and the morning drums began to sound.

The weather has gotten a bit colder, and there have been many undercurrents in the capital lately.

Lu Gong contacted censors and court officials to impeach Princess Ping Le, with Grand Tutor Lu being the most influential figure in this effort.

With the two elder statesmen joining forces, most people in the court chose to remain on the sidelines and wait for the situation to become clearer.

At 3:45 AM, the morning mist had not yet dissipated.

The two kings, together with the three judicial departments, jointly tried the case of the murder of the concubine in Qinghui Palace.

The news struck like a thunderbolt, and the streets and alleys of the capital were abuzz with discussion.

The trial was held in the Dali Temple, where the Minister and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, the Left Censor-in-Chief and Censor of the Censorate, the Chief Justice and Vice Chief Justice of the Dali Temple, and other officials were all present.

Inside the main hall, a plaque inscribed with "Enlightening the Mind and Enabling the Teachings" hangs high, and wisps of smoke rise from the animal-head incense burner.

Li Zhao, dressed in a black python robe, sat upright in the main seat, with several files stacked on his desk. His expression was languid, with a half-smile that made him somewhat enigmatic.

Li Huan's white mourning clothes accentuated his gloomy face. His fingertips unconsciously rubbed the jade pendant at his waist, and he pursed his lips solemnly...

The officials of the other three departments each performed their duties.

Xie Yanzhan, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, sat upright behind the wooden desk, clenched his fist, and slammed the gavel down.

"Bring people to commit crimes against the Xue family!"

The two rows of black-clad yamen runners on the left and right stood motionless, holding water and fire sticks.

Xue Sui was helped into the hall by the jailer—

His pale face was almost transparent, his lips were dry and cracked, and his frail shoulders protruded slightly beneath his prison clothes, but his back was straight.

Li Zhao put down his teacup, his gaze lingering on the shackles around her wrists. He then gripped the jade pendant at her waist, the pressure causing a sharp pain in his palm…

Li Huan lowered his eyes, staring at the cracks in the bricks on the ground, his dark eyes reflecting a stern, cold light.

"Prisoner, kneel down and answer!" Xie Yanzhan saw that even as the jailer pressed her shoulders down, she still stubbornly refused to bend her knees. He shouted, and the gavel slammed down, shaking the table.

“The Xue family—” Li Huan suddenly spoke, his voice as cold as an ice pick.

"Why did you have the jade pendant of the Xizi Wolf Guard in your purse on the night Consort Xiao passed away?"

Xue Sui looked up and met the chilling coldness in his eyes...

"Wasn't that jade pendant a gift from His Highness?" she chuckled. "At the family banquet before the Mid-Autumn Festival when I was conferred the title of Imperial Concubine, His Highness said that the jade pendant matched the pattern on my embroidered shoes perfectly, and he gifted it to me to enjoy this auspicious occasion together..."

An uproar erupted in the hall.

Li Huan's fingers suddenly tightened.

"Outrageous!" He slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "How dare you distort the truth in court?"

Xue Qingzhi, as the Minister of Justice, sat stiffly in the first seat on the left.

Hearing the scolding, he hurriedly stood up and bowed, "Your Highness, please calm down. My daughter... this criminal Xue may have contracted a fever in prison and is delirious, which is why she said such crazy things!"

"Minister Xue has raised a good daughter!" Xie Yanzhan, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, suddenly sneered.

He then slowly squinted his eyes, scrutinizing Xue Sui from head to toe as if examining prey.

"Mr. Xue, the evidence is overwhelming, how can you deny it?"

"I deny it." Xue Sui suddenly raised her head, her voice chillingly cold. "Since Lord Xie knows the witnesses and evidence, he should have investigated thoroughly. At the time of the incident, everyone in Qinghui Palace saw that the poisoned handkerchief was taken from Miss Lu's bosom..."

"Then what explanation do you have for the jade pendant?"

"That's nothing but a trick to fool people." Xue Sui glanced at Li Huan, a cold, mocking smile suddenly appearing in her eyes. "My lords, you are all wise enough to know why the jade pendant was broken in half. It's because that night, I argued with Your Highness, and you accidentally dropped it. I thought Your Highness was just acting on impulse, but unexpectedly, you left behind the fragments, publicly accusing me of calling a deer a horse..."

The Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, surnamed Wu, was a portly, fifty-year-old civil official who would speak slowly and deliberately, patting his round belly.

"Since His Highness has presented you with this jade pendant, it is clear that His Highness regards you differently. Why then do you argue with Prince Duan?"

Xue Sui hesitated for a moment, her voice as soft as a feather falling on the snow, yet it made everyone in the hall hold their breath.

"Because of... what happened between me and Your Highness in your room, Your Highness became enraged!"

Amidst the uproar, the sound of teacups tapping softly came from the seats in the Eastern Palace.

Everyone looked at each other, puzzled.

What happens inside the bedroom is something that outsiders can hardly know the whole story, nor can they be witnesses.

She insisted on Li Huan, leaving the officials from the three ministries present at the table at a loss and quite embarrassed.

The hall was deathly silent, like a graveyard; even breathing seemed to have been cut off.

After a long while, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the Left Censor-in-Chief exchanged a glance.

Xie Yanzhan grasped the gavel, looked around at the silent surroundings, and then gently put it down.

"Your words are baseless; how can I trust you?"

Xue Sui looked at Li Huan's cold and warning eyes, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly.

Li Huan had the ability to leave her speechless.

So she simply accepted the dirty water he threw at her, fighting fire with fire, and turned the tables on him.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Xue Sui suddenly raised his hand and pulled up his sleeve, revealing a bright red mark on his elbow.

"The fact that I remain a virgin since marrying into the Prince Duan's household is enough to show that the Prince's favor is all an act, and every step is a calculated scheme..."

　Li Huan: I... forget it, I can't beat this vicious woman, I admit defeat.

　　Li Zhao: I find this very satisfying. She's not a wicked woman at all, she's clearly a little cutie!
　　(End of this chapter)