Xie Yu and his group were returning to the capital to report on their mission, while Princess Shouyang and her entourage were also heading back to the capital for mourning. Both parties were in a hurry, which led to their reunion early the next morning at the post station.
No one knew what Xie Yu and Princess Shouyang had discussed the previous night.
But one thing was certain:
Their relationship was far from good.
Therefore, when Princess Shouyang and her entourage stopped to rest at the next post station, and Xie Yu unhesitatingly chose to continue his journey, no one found it the slightest bit unusual.
Avoiding each other meant avoiding awkwardness.
Princess Shouyang did not immediately get out of her carriage.
She listened to the creaking of the passing carriages outside the window, her face dark with displeasure.
Out of courtesy, Yuan Pei approached to offer a brief explanation: “Your Highness, we are on official duty and must hurry to escort the prisoners to the capital, so we will proceed first.”
Princess Shouyang sneered coldly from inside the carriage, “Imperial orders are hard to defy. Do you think I would force you to stay?”
Yuan Pei had only come to go through the motions, delivering the message was enough. Immediately, he raised his whip and rode off to catch up with the group.
Princess Shouyang suddenly lifted the carriage curtain, her face flushed with anger, her nails almost piercing her palm.
The attendants accompanying her lowered their heads, too afraid to speak.
Her consort, Shen Xuan, approached from behind and said, “Your Highness, why trouble yourself so?”
Princess Shouyang abruptly dropped the curtain, “Step aside!”
Shen Xuan’s eyes flickered slightly before he quietly withdrew to rest.
Traveling day and night was nothing unusual for Xie Yu’s group, but it was tough on the two young prisoners. Initially, they glared and cursed, but by the afternoon, their joints were all sore, their bodies stiff and numb, nearly dead from exhaustion, leaving them no strength to resist.
It was a living hell.
Persisting for two days like this, the group finally returned to Kaifeng smoothly on the 20th of May.
Since death sentences across the country needed the emperor’s approval, Xie Yu directly entered the palace to report his mission and submitted a memorial from Old Minister Chen Wei expressing remorse:
After much deliberation, the old minister still wrote the memorial with a heavy heart.
The emperor glanced through it and simply laughed, “That old man is at it again.”
He didn’t seem to care.
After a moment’s thought, he felt the old man had endured enough hardship, so he ordered someone to fetch a scroll from the large blue-and-white porcelain jar in the corner of the room as a reward.
The palace eunuch looked confused, “Your Majesty, which scroll should I take?”
Regardless of their actual skill level, most high-ranking officials loved to dabble in calligraphy. However, the emperor himself was indeed a master of both calligraphy and painting. He often wrote a few lines or painted a few pictures every few days, then casually tossed them aside. Later, when he remembered them, he would take them out and award them to his ministers. It was economical, elegant, and dignified.
Giving gold or jade was too vulgar. Calligraphy and paintings were better, symbolizing a small gift with deep meaning.
The emperor hadn’t decided yet and replied casually, “Just grab one at random.”
After all, the old man was used to overthinking. Even without much, he could always find something meaningful:
If he picked the “Three Friends of Winter,” it would mean the emperor was praising his integrity, and he might be moved to tears;
If he chose the “Pine and Crane,” he would certainly think the emperor wished him a long life to continue serving the country;
If he selected the “Hundred Flowers,” he would surely believe the emperor meant that no one is perfect, just like the flowers, varying in size…
This was the advantage of having clever ministers; the emperor could easily get away with being vague.
He picked up the organized documents and occasionally asked Xie Yu a question, quickly grasping the whole situation.
“What’s your opinion?”
Xie Yu was sitting across from him, eating a bowl of cool lotus seed sweet soup from a small blue-and-white porcelain bowl. Without hesitation, he replied, “Only by executing them can we satisfy the public’s outrage and uphold the law.”
The emperor tapped the documents with his finger, “They’re not even fifteen yet.”
According to the laws of the Great Lu, those under fifteen received a reduced sentence. Five-er still had seven months before turning fifteen, and the other accomplice was even younger, having just turned fourteen last month.
Xie Yu insisted, “Beyond the law, we must also consider human sentiment. Since Five-er has confessed and the evidence is solid, we must give the people an answer.”
The cruelty of the murderer in this case was shocking, and the local people were in an uproar. If Five-er were pardoned merely for being underage, although it would comply with the law, it would violate public sentiment.
“Committing such a heinous crime, Five-er and others are hardly human anymore,” Xie Yu said, looking at the ice mountain displayed in the center of the room. “If we make a big show of punishing them but then let them off lightly, others will imitate them. It’s better to make an example of them.”
He didn’t want to wait until next year either.
Keeping them in prison would still cost the government money.
With the people’s livelihoods already difficult, wouldn’t it be better to spend that money on buying rice to feed chickens, which might even lay double-yolked eggs?
The emperor looked at him for a moment, seemingly surprised.
“Zhi Zhi, you’ve indeed changed a lot.”
In the past, the young Xie Zhi Zhi strictly followed legal codes, which was reassuring but somewhat rigid. Now, he seemed more like a capable ruler.
The emperor was pleased and patted his shoulder. Immediately, he noticed that this young man, who he still remembered as a boy, had not only matured mentally but also grown physically stronger.
Thinking of his own declining health due to years of sitting in the palace reviewing memorials and neglecting physical exercise, the emperor couldn’t help feeling a bit envious.
“You’ve grown up.”
“So,” the emperor closed the documents, “you lead the way in drafting a memorial to submit, and bring it up for discussion at the grand court meeting the day after tomorrow.”
After all, it conflicted with the law, so it would inevitably require several more days of debate.
Then he saw Xie Yu magically pull a memorial from his sleeve, “I’ve already written it.”
The emperor: “…”
He refused to accept it, irritably saying, “You submit it yourself the day after tomorrow!”
This little brat was becoming more and more like that old brat, Xie Xian!
Xie Yu silently put the memorial away.
After a brief silence, the emperor suddenly asked, “When you came back, did you meet Shouyang?”
Xie Yu nodded, “My aunt didn’t seem very happy.”
“That’s exactly why she’s upset!” the emperor scoffed.
After thinking for a while, the emperor ordered someone to pass a message, “Tell someone to wait at the city gate. Once Princess Shouyang arrives, she must come to the palace immediately.”
Seeing Xie Yu’s puzzled expression, the emperor laughed, “Why? Don’t you understand why I hate her so much, yet still want to see her urgently?”
Xie Yu hummed in agreement.
The emperor then proudly said, “She’s already unhappy, and seeing me will only make her more unhappy. And seeing her unhappy makes me happy!”
Xie Yu: “…”
He really shouldn’t have asked!
A palace eunuch cautiously inquired, “Your Majesty, what about the imperial son-in-law Shen Xuan? Should he be received as well?”
The emperor pondered briefly, “Let him go to the Ministry of Personnel first to report his duties, then wait for further notice.”
The Shen family of Ludong had a long history. Although their power was greatly diminished, they still had considerable influence within and outside the court. Being too harsh on them now would be too hasty.
Waving his hand to dismiss the eunuch, the emperor almost childishly muttered, “One day, I will crush those arrogant aristocratic families into dust!”
It was clear he had endured much from the aristocracy over the years.
Xie Yu couldn’t help but laugh, “But starting next year, students applying for the imperial examinations will no longer need recommendation money, which will certainly bring more commoners into the court.”
Speaking of this, the emperor became cheerful, rubbing his hands together, “Yes…”
Commoner students were like weeds in the cracks of rocks, fighting desperately even when ignored. Now that they were given opportunities, they would surely become unstoppable.
After a while of chatting between uncle and nephew, the emperor suddenly asked, “I heard that when you left the capital that day, a young lady was waiting for you at the palace gate?”
Xie Yu paused mid-sip of his tea, “She’s a physician from the Kaifeng Prefecture, with excellent medical skills.”
However, the emperor noticed a very slight twitch of his lips and burst into laughter, “Alright, alright, she’s a physician, a physician, hahaha!”
Xie Yu: “…”
That laughter was genuinely fake!
Since the tasks were done, Xie Yu stood up, openly showing his displeasure to the emperor, “Your servant still has matters to attend to and will take my leave now.”
The emperor tried to suppress his laughter, “Granted, go ahead.”
Xie Yu pursed his lips and left with a stiff face.
Even after walking a long way, he could still hear the emperor laughing inside.
After Xie Yu left, a palace eunuch came to tidy up the table. Seeing the emperor was in a good mood, he playfully remarked, “I’ve never heard of the Prince taking a young lady with him on official business before. She must be an excellent physician.”
The emperor pointed at him and laughed, “You old fool.”
Was it really about her medical skills?
The eunuch laughed along for a while before cautiously asking, “Shall I send someone to find out which family she belongs to?”
The emperor was tempted but ultimately refused.
“Never mind. That boy has always had his own mind. Since I promised long ago not to interfere, I can’t break my word now.”
Family ties also needed nurturing. Since he had promised Xie Yu long ago that he could choose his own spouse, he couldn’t pretend nothing had happened now.
The emperor patted his knee, “Besides, Zhi Zhi has always been steady by nature. he won’t act recklessly.”
But he didn’t consider that if a normally steady person suddenly acted recklessly…
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