After finishing her shift and returning home, Zhu Yan’s mind still dwelled on this matter. She also wanted to discuss the details of visiting her parents with Shen Du. They had been back in the capital for several days, but with constant turmoil, they had completely forgotten about visiting her family, which was certainly improper.
However, when she asked the housekeeper, she learned that Shen Du had been incredibly busy these past few days, leaving early and returning late, sometimes not coming home at all. She couldn’t even catch a glimpse of him.
“So busy?” She hadn’t heard Shen Du mention any new assignments. Why was he so occupied?
Zhu Yan hurriedly washed up and lay down with her thoughts in disarray. The housekeeper had thoughtfully lit the floor heating, making the room as warm as spring. Outside, the winter wind howled, but inside, Zhu Yan was enveloped in the warmth of her brocade quilt. Before long, she drifted off to sleep.
She hadn’t rested properly since returning from Ying Province. Having just broken off an engagement and now having to report to the Ministry of Justice, Zhu Yan was exhausted. This sleep should have been deep and restful, but instead, it was filled with unease. In her dreams, she saw people with mutilated ears and faces, all coming before her to plead their grievances. Surrounded and unable to breathe, she fell to the ground. Then those people, blood flowing from their seven orifices, surrounded her with their hollow, bloody eye sockets.
Just as she raised her hand to cover her face in despair, a noise woke her.
Her entire body was drenched in cold sweat. Zhu Yan rubbed her head as she got up and opened the window slightly. The cold air from outside hit her face. The leaves of the holly trees in the courtyard were covered with a layer of white frost, glistening brightly in the daylight.
Shen Du stood tall, wrapped in a fox fur cloak, before a group of people. He exuded an imposing presence like a mountain pressing down. Against the backdrop of frost in the courtyard, he appeared even more majestic and aloof.
Zhu Yan wasn’t sure if he had just returned or was about to leave, or if he had rested for the night and was now departing. She hesitated, unsure whether to greet him, when suddenly Shen Du seemed to sense her presence and looked in her direction, their gazes meeting.
Zhu Yan’s heart raced, but Shen Du’s dark eyes were cold. He quickly glanced away and strode out of the courtyard.
Touching her nose, Zhu Yan felt confused, not knowing why Shen Du had such an expression. She felt sympathy for the many dangers he faced at court, suspecting he had encountered some difficult problem. She decided not to dwell on it, only regretting that she would likely have to find an opportunity to visit her parents’ home alone, and would inevitably have to explain Shen Du’s absence.
Her third sister had it better. Having married Han Shiyuan in a matrilocal arrangement, she didn’t have to leave home. Moreover, Han Shiyuan now worked at the Hongwen Academy and could return home frequently. The couple lived in harmony, envied by others.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yan lost all desire to sleep. She got up, wrote a letter for the housekeeper to send to the Zhu family, then put up her hair and changed into her official robes to report to the Ministry of Justice.
She would visit her parents’ home punctually on the next rest day.
She tried her best to restrain herself from getting involved in unrelated matters, but Lu Chuichui came to find her, saying she needed to go to the Ministry of Justice’s prison to record the case of General Kanaqisheluo in the official records.
This was indeed the duty of a scribe, but Lu Chuichui said she was afraid after seeing the horrific scene yesterday and begged Zhu Yan to accompany her.
“You’ve always been brave, even handling autopsies without flinching. Please come with me.”
Unable to refuse Lu Chuichui’s earnest plea, Zhu Yan had no choice but to go with her. They made their way to the deepest part of the Ministry of Justice’s prison, a place they knew well.
The Court of Judicial Review mainly dealt with cases involving imperial relatives. Their prison procedures differed from those of the Ministry of Justice. This was why Tang Zheng, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, dared to transfer General Kanaqisheluo’s case directly to the Ministry of Justice without a trial.
Originally, Lai Luozhi had intended for a secret trial at the Court of Judicial Review, killing the man quietly. But now, the common people had learned of it prematurely.
However, Lai Luozhi didn’t dare to move against Tang Zheng for now, as he was related to Princess Chaoyang. She wasn’t someone he could easily touch.
Princess Chaoyang was known throughout the realm to have a better chance of inheriting the throne than Crown Prince Li Zhong.
Standing before the dungeon door, Zhu Yan couldn’t help but frown.
The dungeon was dark and damp, never seeing sunlight. Built underground, not even an insect could fly in. It was usually unguarded, utterly silent. Most prisoners could endure at first, but faced with endless darkness and no sense of time, they would break and confess within days.
General Kanaqisheluo was now held in the innermost cell. Zhu Yan had never seen him before. As the guard lit the wall lamp, his face was revealed.
General Kanaqisheluo had dark skin, curly hair, and deep-set eye sockets. His irises were yellowish-brown, bright, and alert as he looked at the newcomers. He wore ordinary clothes, his body and face covered in dense whip marks. The lashed areas were flayed open, exposing flesh and blood, some even deep enough to reveal bone, showing the determination to end his life.
His clothes hung in tatters on his body, but one could still see that although not particularly tall, he was undoubtedly robust. His presence was imposing, still faintly bearing the bearing of a military general who had seen battle.
Exhaling slowly, Zhu Yan ordered, “Open the cell door.”
The guard hesitated, advising kindly, “Chief Zhu may not know, but when this prisoner was brought in, he went berserk and nearly injured several guards. We barely managed to subdue him. It would be better for the Chief to question him from outside the cell.”
Zhu Yan could see this point. General Kanaqisheluo’s entire body was shackled. Having suffered greatly, he seemed to have resigned himself to his fate, sitting on a tattered straw mat, not even minding the rats gnawing at his feet.
Zhu Yan couldn’t help but sigh. General Kanaqisheluo was originally a tribal leader in the southwest. Brave and skilled in battle, he admired the culture of Da Zhou and voluntarily pledged allegiance, willing to serve Da Zhou forever. Subsequently, the Empress appointed him as the Valiant General to fight and reclaim the southwestern tribes, establishing prefectures and counties. His merits were numerous.
Yet now, because of a few Siamese maids, he had been framed by Lai Luozhi and imprisoned. The Empress remained indifferent. Even Zhu Yan found it difficult to remain calm in the face of this injustice.
“Open it!” she commanded.
The guard had no choice but to comply. Lu Chuichui followed closely behind Zhu Yan as they entered, keeping a distance from General Kanaqisheluo.
Noticing Lu Chuichui’s trembling hands, Zhu Yan took the thin booklet from her and addressed the prisoner formally:
“Kanaqisheluo, you are charged with embezzling official funds, illegally operating mines, and plotting rebellion. Do you plead guilty?”
After a long silence, just as Zhu Yan was about to step forward, she heard the rattling of chains. Her heart jumped, and she felt Lu Chuichui grip the hem of her robe tightly.
Kanaqisheluo raised his head to look at Zhu Yan. His voice was like air escaping from a broken bellows, fragmented:
“Are you the female official wife of Shen Du?”
Zhu Yan was puzzled. “How did you know?”
Kanaqisheluo pressed his lips together, his yellowish-brown irises contracting slightly. “There are only two female officials in the Ministry of Justice. Among them, Madam Shen is known for her ability to solve cases and perform autopsies. She can face rotting corpses with bones exposed without changing her expression. As for the other one…”
Kanaqisheluo didn’t need to finish; his meaning was clear.
Lu Chuichui pouted, whispering, “Hurry and ask your questions. Let’s get out of here quickly.”
Zhu Yan nodded, stepped forward, and crouched down. She tried to persuade him kindly:
“You should confess to the crimes. That way, your death will be quicker. You must know that entering this death row is tantamount to a death sentence. You won’t survive. Think of your children.”
At the mention of his family, Kanaqisheluo suddenly raised his head and stared intently at Zhu Yan…
Leaving the dungeon, Zhu Yan handed the completed register to Lu Chuichui. “Quickly deliver this to Assistant Minister Gao to complete the task. I need to go out for a while.”
“Where are you going?” Lu Chuichui asked.
Distracted, Zhu Yan replied casually, “I’m going to buy some gifts for my visit home. I can’t go empty-handed.”
Lu Chuichui understood. “Do you want me to go with you?”
“No need. The official business is more important. You should go quickly.”
Zhu Yan calmly told this white lie. The two parted ways at the entrance of the Ministry of Justice, each heading in different directions.