Shen Guiyan looked at Gu Chaobei with some surprise. It was rare for him to be so righteous—it made her feel rather unaccustomed. However, his standing with her in solidarity made her feel much more at ease.
“Fourth Young Master Gu, the refugees were at fault first. How can you ask this official to be lenient?” the Capital Magistrate said helplessly.
“Your Honor speaks truly.” Lady Shen lifted her chin. “This matter is clearly someone deliberately making difficulties, using the banner of seeking justice for refugees when in reality it’s an attempt to commit insubordination and make trouble for me. Such intentions are truly detestable!”
“Insubordination?” Shen Guiyan said seriously. “The refugees merely rebuked with words and spit—they didn’t harm Mother in the slightest. Why should they be thrown in prison? Didn’t Mother also insult them with words?”
“What is Madam’s status? Those who dare offend her naturally should be thrown in the heavenly prison!” Xiurong, standing behind, stepped forward. “If it were ordinary people cursing at each other, naturally there would be no problem. But when commoners’ words harm an official’s family member, shouldn’t they be imprisoned?”
“What of officials and what of commoners?” Shen Guiyan took a deep breath. “Didn’t the Emperor also say that officials and commoners should be treated equally?”
Bao Shilan snorted coldly. “Bringing up all sorts of words—truly lacking in propriety. Your Honor, please decide this case. My husband’s official seal is placed right here. Let’s see whether Your Honor wishes to respect the dignity of a ranking official or protect the lives of lowly commoners!”
“Your Honor holds the heavens above your head and naturally should be fair and impartial.” Shen Guiyan looked up at the Capital Magistrate. “Please, Your Honor, make a clear judgment!”
The Capital Magistrate was extremely conflicted. Looking at the official seal in Lady Shen’s hands, he hesitated for a while before finally saying, “The refugees committed an offense first. We’ll cut out the tongue of the refugee who insulted Madam but spare his life. Would this be acceptable?”
Shen Guiyan’s eyes widened. “Cut out his tongue? Cursing an official’s family member once means tongue removal? Then who in the world would dare speak another true word? Your Honor, you’re not just cutting out one refugee’s tongue—you’re severing the courage of all commoners to speak!”
“Fourth Young Madam Gu need not say more.” The Capital Magistrate tapped his gavel. “This matter has nothing to do with Young Madam. Please return home first.”
“How is it unrelated?” Gu Chaobei said mildly. “My wife and I are pleading for the people. Is that not permitted?”
The Capital Magistrate was stunned. He glanced at Gu Chaobei as if he’d heard the greatest joke, suppressing laughter for quite a while.
The dissolute and romantic Fourth Young Master Gu saying he wanted to plead for the people—if this got back to the pleasure houses, people would laugh their heads off!
Bao Shilan also snorted coldly and rolled her eyes. “If you can plead for the people, the Yellow River would flow backward for three hundred miles. Today’s affair has caused such an uproar that both families have lost face. When you return to the Prime Minister’s residence, you won’t have an easy time. Better settle down for now!”
“Why won’t we have an easy time?”
Bao Shilan laughed scornfully. “Protecting lowly commoners, making a scene in court, losing face for the Prime Minister’s residence—what easy time could you have?”
Having answered this question, she realized something was wrong.
Whose voice was that?
Everyone turned to look behind them, only then seeing a plainclothes gentleman being brought up. The question had come from him.
“How dare you! Now you’re questioning me!” Bao Shilan looked at him with shame and anger. “You insubordinate troublemaker—you deserve to have your tongue cut out!”
The plainclothes gentleman looked at her innocently. “Insubordinate?”
Lady Shen turned her head away hatefully, unwilling to speak further. After today’s humiliation on the street, she would be mocked for a long time. If she spoke more with lowly commoners, she’d be even more deserving of ridicule.
“Will the troublemaker below not kneel?” The Capital Magistrate struck his gavel.
The plainclothes gentleman glanced at the two people beside him. Shen Guiyan looked at him anxiously, while Gu Chaobei beside her kept his head lowered, making his expression unreadable.
“May I not kneel?” the gentleman asked quite seriously.
“Why should you not kneel?”
The plainclothes gentleman didn’t answer his question but instead looked at Shen Guiyan. “Madam’s words just now moved me greatly.”
Shen Guiyan looked at him in surprise.
“The Emperor speaks of treating officials and commoners equally—officials won’t listen, commoners don’t dare believe it. Under heaven, there’s only one woman who believes it and dares to act on it.” The plainclothes gentleman sighed. “What a pity, and yet how fortunate.”
The Capital Magistrate looked at him blankly for a moment. Lady Shen, however, couldn’t contain herself. She shot a glance at Xiurong beside her, who stepped forward angrily. “In the courtroom, who wants to hear your sentiments? The Capital Magistrate has already ordered tongue removal. What are you all still standing around for?”
The bailiffs beside them moved to restrain the man, and pincers had already been brought out. Shen Guiyan frowned, about to speak again, but Gu Chaobei pressed down on her hand.
She turned to look at him questioningly, only to see someone outside rushing into the courtroom carrying something.
“Oh my, what’s happening here!” The servant with his orchid fingers raised slapped his thigh. Leading the guards behind him, he came forward and surrounded the courtroom.
Everyone was startled. Lady Shen retreated several steps, bewildered.
The plainclothes gentleman standing in the center of the hall moved his tongue and clicked it. “San Quan, good thing you came quickly. Otherwise, this one’s tongue would have been pulled out for someone’s drinking pleasure.”
“This servant deserves death!” San Quan knelt on the ground and kowtowed. “Arriving late to protect Your Majesty—please forgive this crime!”
Hearing these words, everyone in the hall turned pale. Even Shen Guiyan was shocked, staring at the plainclothes gentleman in disbelief.
He was actually the Emperor?
The Capital Magistrate came down from his seat trembling and knelt. Lady Shen looked at the man doubtfully a few times, then reluctantly followed suit and knelt as well. Only Gu Chaobei wasn’t too surprised, slowly guiding Shen Guiyan to bow.
The plainclothes gentleman smiled cheerfully and swept his gaze over the people who had suddenly all become shorter, his eyes landing on the Capital Magistrate. “Xu Wande?”
Cold sweat broke out on Xu Wande’s back. “This subject is here.”
“This one recalls that when Scholar Fu recommended you last time, he said you were Justice Bao reincarnated, unafraid of power and influence.” His smiling face turned cold. “Such fine words indeed.”
“Your Majesty, this humble subject…” Xu Wande knelt trembling, his teeth beginning to chatter.
Who could have known such a thing would happen? Why wasn’t the Emperor staying properly in the palace? Coming out was one thing, but mixing in with refugees and getting arrested and thrown in prison?
Lady Shen’s face also turned pale after she came to her senses. Looking left and right, not knowing what to do, her gaze swept toward Shen Guiyan with some panic.
Shen Guiyan’s brow hadn’t relaxed at all. She had seen this gentleman before and had only thought him some ordinary commoner—who would have imagined he was the Emperor?
This was terrible. Things had really escalated.
“The wife of Assistant Minister Shen?” The Emperor walked before Lady Shen and reached out to take the official seal she was holding.
Lady Shen immediately kowtowed. “Your Majesty, please forgive me. This lowly concubine has offended. This lowly concubine didn’t know it was you. Today was truly a misunderstanding…”
“Oh? Now you’re the ‘lowly’ one?” The Emperor raised his eyebrows. “Earlier you called others lowly commoners, now you call yourself a lowly concubine. Indeed, nothing in this world is absolutely noble or base.”
Lady Shen looked up at the official seal, wanting to reach for it but not daring to. She could only kowtow repeatedly. “Your Majesty, please forgive me!”
The Emperor laughed and tossed the official seal. “This one only came out for a casual stroll today. I didn’t expect to encounter such matters—quite novel indeed. Insubordination—Fourth Young Madam Gu spoke correctly. The crime doesn’t merit death.”
Shen Guiyan was stunned. She kept her head lowered, not daring to make a sound.
When commoners offended officials, the crime truly didn’t merit death. When officials offended the sovereign—there was no good way out. This Emperor was rather magnanimous.
“Very well, this one is also tired.” The Emperor sighed. “The Empress Dowager’s birthday is approaching, and the palace is busy with preparations. This one will return now. Today’s matter—this one will not investigate deeply.”
Lady Shen breathed a huge sigh of relief. Her body nearly went soft.
It was like surviving a disaster.
“However, this official seal will remain with this one for now.” The Emperor smiled broadly and also took down the official seal from the judgment bench. “Lord Xu’s, this one will also safeguard.”
The heart that had just settled was raised again. Lady Shen could barely breathe. She stared wide-eyed at the items in the Emperor’s hands.
Taking the official seal… did that mean dismissal from office?
“For the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, Lord Shen should rest at home. No need to attend.” The Emperor smiled very gently, then turned to look at Shen Guiyan and Gu Chaobei. “You two, however, must come. This one still has words to speak with you.”
Having said this, without giving anyone a chance to react, he left with San Quan.
The people in the hall dispersed instantly.
Lady Shen collapsed on the ground. Xiurong behind her quickly stepped forward to support her. “Madam!”
Shen Guiyan hadn’t yet recovered when Gu Chaobei laughed.
Previously, someone had said Third Miss Shen brought good fortune to her husband. He hadn’t believed it then, but now he believed it somewhat. What would have required much effort to accomplish—entering the palace—had now been achieved so coincidentally through this unexpected opportunity.
Head lowered, Fourth Young Master Gu couldn’t have been happier.
Looking at Lady Shen’s condition, Shen Guiyan felt somewhat worried. Confiscating the official seal was too serious a matter. Although carelessly giving the official seal to a woman was her father’s fault, if he were truly dismissed from office, she should bear some responsibility too.
“Let’s go. Time to return.” Gu Chaobei pulled her up. “You’ve done everything you should. You haven’t harmed anyone, and you’ve certainly saved people. Why are you still standing here?”
“Husband.” Shen Guiyan frowned and looked back at Lady Shen.
“Don’t always pile every burden onto your own shoulders,” Gu Chaobei said. “It’s very tiring.”
The capable do more work, but if one worries about everything, one might end up like Zhuge Liang—with not long to live.
Today, stumbling into the Emperor’s notice was already extremely good fortune. As for other matters, they’d take things one step at a time.
News of the Emperor’s incognito inspection being thrown in prison by Lady Shen spread quickly. Lord Shen angrily confined Lady Shen to the ancestral hall without food or water, then went to kneel at the palace gates for half a day himself.
The result: the Emperor said he wouldn’t see him, being busy with the Empress Dowager’s birthday.
Prime Minister Gu tried to help intercede. The Emperor’s face showed no displeasure, yet he said, “Even young women understand propriety, yet those who serve as officials make this one’s heart grow cold. Shouldn’t they receive some lesson?”
Thus Prime Minister Gu understood—this matter could only be resolved by Shen Guiyan.
The Gu family’s Fourth Young Master had also had excellent fortune, being allowed to enter the palace along with her. One must know that at this birthday banquet, even Gu Chaodong couldn’t get in, yet the Prime Minister would personally bring Gu Chaobei.
“Why should he?”