Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 436 Lingchi
The atmosphere was exceptionally solemn at the grand court assembly the following day.

The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies raised both hands high and presented the letter from the State of Xizi.

A solemn atmosphere filled the golden hall.

Emperor Chongzhao, sitting on the dragon throne, had dark circles under his eyes. He barely managed to support his ailing body as he quickly glanced at a few lines of text before his expression darkened.

Al-Hassan stood in the hall, delivering a passionate speech, demanding that the Great Liang severely punish Xiao Song, the mastermind behind the murder of Princess Ayinur, and presented some of the evidence on the spot...

Emperor Chongzhao did not want to cause any further trouble, but he could not directly refuse the envoy, so he had to force himself to keep up the good work and try to smooth things over.

The upright officials, led by Lu Jing, were resolute in their stance, demanding that the matter be dealt with severely and swiftly as a warning to others. However, some officials who had a past relationship with the Xiao family or were hesitant to speak out were reluctant to do so and attempted to delay the proceedings.

Hassan was quite firm. After paying his respects according to protocol, he said loudly, "Your Majesty the Emperor of Great Liang, the case of the Old Mausoleum Marsh is an internal affair of your esteemed state, and I should not speak of it. However, the matter involves the destruction of the Xiz delegation and the most esteemed Xiz princess, Ayinur... Your Majesty may disregard the wrongful deaths of 200,000 soldiers and the unjust treatment of General Xiao Chong, but our nation's strength is meager. Yet, we must use our own methods to seek justice for the princess..."

He swept his tiger-like eyes around the assembled officials.

"If Your Majesty is unwilling to severely punish Xiao Song and make this matter public, it will inevitably arouse suspicion that the Great Liang is deliberately protecting the murderer..."

His words were resounding and powerful.

The shock caused an uproar throughout the hall.

The case of the old mausoleum is ancient and involves the illegitimate ascension of the late emperor when he was still the Prince of Runan. No one has touched it for many years, and Emperor Chongzhao had already issued an edict to keep it a secret. Unexpectedly, the Xizi envoy brought it directly to the emperor at this critical moment, in front of the entire court...

Emperor Chongzhao, who was already pale from illness, was now even more turbulent with blood and qi, making his face extremely pale.

He coughed, his shoulders tensing slightly, as if he might collapse at any moment...

Wang Chengxi quickly stepped forward to help him catch his breath.

At that moment, Li Zhao stepped forward.

He stood beneath the imperial throne, his expression serene, his voice clear and steady.

“Father, what Chief Envoy Hassan said is all reasonable… This case is already full of doubts, and now there are many pieces of evidence presented in court. Your son begs Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate this case in order to appease the people and uphold the law.”

Prime Minister Lu Jing immediately followed suit, saying in a loud voice, "I second that proposal. I humbly request Your Majesty to issue an edict to retry this case!"

Immediately afterwards, Grand Tutor Lu and a group of important officials from the Eastern Palace stepped forward.

"I second the proposal."

"I second the proposal."

Emperor Chongzhao looked at the kneeling officials below him, and then at the stern-faced envoy from Xiz, and felt a metallic taste rise in his throat, and his vision went black.

He gripped the dragon throne tightly.

This is not a request for imperial decree; it is clearly a coercion.

Take advantage of his illness and kill him.

If this matter is investigated further, it will implicate the case of the Old Mausoleum Swamp, and Xiao Song will be the one who suffers.

The events of that year were too complicated.

Too many innocent people have died tragically...

How could the late emperor not know that Xiao Chong was wronged?

How could they not know what Xiao Song had done?
It's nothing more than a struggle for imperial power and hegemony, each with their own calculations.

How can one sit securely on the throne without killing Xiao Chong?
Back when he was still the crown prince, he personally participated in the annihilation of Xiao Chong's army. After ascending the throne, in order to stabilize the situation, he chose to continue the policies of his predecessor. Even though he later felt remorse and issued a decree to save the lives of the remaining women and children in the old mausoleum... he would still be scrutinized by the people, caught in a dilemma...

The royal family's dignity has been completely destroyed.

But can he say no?

The Xiz delegation's stance was firm; if handled improperly, renewed conflict on the border would inevitably destabilize the nation. Furthermore, the Crown Prince had gained considerable power, and many high-ranking officials were willing to pledge allegiance. If he were to forcefully suppress the conflict, he would lose popular support and further confirm accusations that he was protecting the Xiao family…

...

Silence lingered in the Zichen Palace for a long time.

After a suffocating silence, Emperor Chongzhao closed his eyes listlessly, slumped back on the dragon throne, and waved his hand weakly.

"Granted..."

His throat bobbed, and his voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

"The three judicial departments are hereby ordered to conduct a joint trial immediately regarding the attack on the Westminster mission... and all those involved must be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted..."

His words, though spoken with righteous indignation, were clearly a compromise born of desperation—to investigate only the attack on the Xiz delegation, impeach Xiao Song, and preserve the royal family's reputation.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Lu Jing and the others kowtowed.

Al Hassan paused for a moment, then had to put his hand to his chest and bow, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for upholding justice."

After the court session ended...

The ministers, each with their own thoughts, filed out one after another.

Li Zhao walked at the front, his posture upright and his steps steady.

The ministers looked at that tall and straight figure, and their hearts were filled with awe.

The world in Daliang is truly about to change.

The emperor's compromise signifies a victory for the Crown Prince. It also means that a storm of settling old scores is about to break.
-
For the next few days, the lights in the Three Departments' offices stayed on all night.

With Li Zhao's covert efforts and Xue Sui's assistance in providing clues, a series of old stories were quickly unearthed and organized.

How did Xiao Song forge Xiao Chong's treasonous letter, how did he bribe the military supervisor to frame him, how did he spread rumors in the army, how did he deceive the emperor and prompt him to issue an edict to suppress the rebellion, and how did he afterwards kill witnesses, hunt down surviving former subordinates, destroy evidence, and cover up the truth...?

A deluge of testimonies and case files were presented to the Emperor.

The numerous crimes committed are shocking.

Taking advantage of the situation, Li Zhao submitted another memorial, listing ten major crimes committed by Xiao Song and his son, and demanding severe punishment...

The air inside the Zichen Palace was thick with the aroma of medicine.

Emperor Chongzhao lay on his sickbed, reviewing the incriminating evidence that could overthrow the dynasty, his face ashen.

He knew that behind all these events was the Crown Prince's manipulative power.

This son of his not only wanted Xiao Song's life and the power of Xiao's faction, but also wanted to take this opportunity to thoroughly cleanse the court, establish his authority, and nail his own father to the pillar of shame.

In the twelfth lunar month of that year, the weather suddenly turned cold.

Heavy snow fell for half a month, turning the entire capital into a silvery-white wonderland.

Emperor Chongzhao struggled for several days before finally relenting and personally affixed his seal to the edict drafted by Lu Jing.

An imperial edict was issued and announced to the world.

But it carefully and skillfully avoided mentioning the old mausoleum and its past...

"Xiao Song deceived the emperor, framed loyal officials, harmed friendly nations, and brought disaster to the country and its people. His crimes were heinous, and he was sentenced to death by a thousand cuts and beheading. His son, Xiao Yan, rebelled and caused chaos. Although he has been executed, he will not be released lightly... The entire Xiao family, including nine generations of relatives, will be punished. All male members over the age of sixteen will be beheaded, and those under sixteen will be exiled three thousand li away, never to return to the capital. The female relatives will be confiscated and enslaved..."

The execution was scheduled for the 20th of the twelfth lunar month.

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau said that it was the day with the heaviest snowfall before the end of the year.
-
The news caused an uproar in the capital.

The common people applauded, saying that justice would prevail. Meanwhile, the powerful and influential families who had previously been associated with the Xiao family lived in fear, keeping their doors tightly shut, and the bustling scenes of the past were nowhere to be seen.

Yiyuanli

Xue Sui pushed open the window and stood quietly for a long time, gazing at the heavy snow falling in the courtyard.

Black Eighteen lay quietly at her feet, its two alert ears twitching every now and then, showing great intelligence.

Jinshu tiptoed in and handed her a hand warmer.

"Girl, don't stay out in the wind for too long on a snowy day, take care of yourself."

Xue Sui did not turn around, but asked her softly.

"Everything is arranged?"

"Yes," Jinshu replied in a low voice. "Everything has been taken care of. The eldest son also sent word that you can rest assured and that everything will be done perfectly."

Xue Sui nodded, his gaze still fixed on the vast expanse of heaven and earth outside the window.

The taste of revenge is not as exhilarating as one might imagine. Like this endless snowfall, it covers everything old, leaving only a cold, empty void…

But she had to take this step. The injustice suffered by the 200,000 soldiers of the Old Mausoleum Swamp, and the blood feud between her sect, had to be washed away with blood.

"How is Mother today?" she asked again.

"My lady just took her medicine and fell asleep. She's sleeping very soundly." Jinshu smiled, her voice softening. "But... she was still laughing and asking for candy in her dream... she's still a child at heart..."

"It's alright." Xue Sui smiled faintly. "As long as she's happy."

Those bloody past events need not be allowed to taint her heart any further.

It's good that she can live a peaceful and happy life.

Xue Sui turned to close the window when a familiar flapping sound landed, landing precisely on her arm, with a letter tube attached to her anklet.

"Goodness, what brings you here?"

That was Xuetuan, the carrier pigeon that Li Zhaoyang raised.

Xue Sui untied the letter and unfolded it.

It was still Li Zhao's handwriting, as concise as ever, a few words carrying immense emotion.

"Twilight streams through the window, as we await the arrival of clear skies."

Xue Sui smiled slightly, picked up a pen, and wrote two words on the back of the note.

"Read."

The snowball, carrying the letter, flapped its wings and flew away.

Black Eighteen followed behind her, its tail wagging happily, as if it also knew something.

Xue Sui smiled and hugged it.

The snow is still falling; the darkness before dawn is the coldest...

　Li Zhao: Love letter writing service, 10 taels per letter. Discounts available for bulk orders. Don't miss out...

　　Black Eighteen: Come on, write ten letters, woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof
　　(End of this chapter)