“Your Majesty,” Lai Luozhi stepped forward, “This woman, though fair in appearance, has committed unspeakable atrocities. I implore Your Majesty to punish her severely and not show any leniency.”
“Heh…” Before the Empress could respond, Madam Tang let out a cold laugh. “You think the case is over just because you say so? I’ve done other things that you seem to have forgotten.”
“What things?” Zhu Yan quickly asked, her mind racing to recall if she had overlooked any clues.
Madam Tang raised her eyes slightly to look at Zhu Yan. “Madam Shen, do you remember the incident with the reanimated corpse?”
With this reminder, Zhu Yan suddenly remembered. During the case, two bizarre incidents occurred at Ximing Temple.
Given the current situation, those two incidents must also be connected to Madam Tang.
“Was it you?” Zhu Yan asked calmly, seeming unwilling to dwell on past events.
“That’s right,” Madam Tang nodded. “Madam Shen, being so clever, you must have already figured out the reasons behind it.”
“Yes,” Zhu Yan replied. “Your actions at that time did startle me, but later, with my master’s guidance and after experimenting, I understood the principle behind it. I learned a lot from this case, so Madam Tang, I should thank you.”
“Thank me for what?” Madam Tang had completely calmed down, but her eyes remained complex as if suppressing some emotion.
“I’ve killed so many people and deserve to die, but like everyone else, I fear death. The reason I created so many obstacles in this case was to prevent you from finding the culprit. I deliberately chose to let you see my tattoo while bathing in the hot springs and intentionally took you to Zhuqing Teahouse to tell you about the clues related to the murdered men. But what I didn’t expect was that in your heart, you never let go of your suspicions about me.”
“Some things seem predestined,” Zhu Yan said calmly. “Do you remember when we first met?”
“At Taibai Tower?”
“No,” Zhu Yan quickly corrected. “Outside Ximing Temple, when we accidentally bumped into each other. From that single glance, I felt you were different from others in the crowd. Perhaps from that moment on, I started paying extra attention to you.”
“So Madam Shen experienced ‘love at first sight’ with me?” Madam Tang’s words became somewhat whimsical, even carrying a hint of amusement. “Such an intelligent woman as yourself suits my taste. Fortunately, you caught me today. If you hadn’t, you would have been my next target.”
Madam Tang’s words sent a chill down Zhu Yan’s spine, nearly causing her to stumble.
Shen Du stepped forward to shield Zhu Yan. “Spouting nonsense even in the face of death. You truly show no remorse.”
“Your Majesty,” Lai Luozhi spoke again, “In this official’s opinion, the culprit has gone mad. I implore Your Majesty to disregard her status as a loyal official’s widow and conclude this case swiftly.”
“I’ve killed so many people and will die sooner or later. But I have one request. I wonder if Your Majesty would grant it?” Madam Tang said.
Everyone present pondered her words. What right did a condemned person have to make requests?
“In consideration of your status as a loyal official’s widow, We will allow you to keep your body intact. What other wish do you have? Speak freely,” the Empress said, not wanting to be seen as completely heartless.
“Heh…” Madam Tang gave a bitter laugh. “All of this started because of jealousy, but I can’t deny that there was also true feeling involved. If they hadn’t betrayed me, I wouldn’t have betrayed my humanity. So I beg Your Majesty’s mercy to allow me to see Xiao Lang one last time before I die.”
A hush fell over the scene. Madam Tang, widow of the loyal official Tang Chengyi, wanted to see her so-called ex-husband before her death.
This seemed improper…
“Your Majesty,” Zhu Yan suddenly stepped forward and bowed. “Madam Tang is also a woman who has suffered. Although she has killed many, she now shows remorse. I beg Your Majesty to grant her wish and not let her die with regrets.”
Zhu Yan’s plea for Madam Tang was unexpected by all.
Moments ago, Madam Tang had openly stated that if she hadn’t been caught, Zhu Yan would have been her next target.
Yet Zhu Yan still pleaded for her, truly baffling everyone.
“If that’s the case, We shall grant it,” the Empress, seemingly moved by Madam Tang’s story, agreed to her request.
Finally, the matter was settled, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The Empress’s face finally broke into a smile as she looked at Shen Du and Zhu Yan with approval. “Minister Shen is fortunate to have such an intelligent and kind-hearted wife. You must treat her well in the future.”
“This subject will not fail Your Majesty’s grace and will treat my wife well,” Shen Du said, glancing at Zhu Yan.
Zhu Yan’s lips twitched, her mind already considering whether to tell the Empress about Shen Du setting a limit on her lifespan.
Deciding it was better to avoid complicating matters, Zhu Yan shook her head. She would fight for her own life.
With the case solved, the crowd outside the temple rejoiced.
The Buddhist ceremony had concluded, and the Empress ordered the temple to reopen, allowing people to enter and seek blessings.
Many curious onlookers still pressed against the doors, trying to glimpse the scene inside.
It was a good day, and seeing the people’s enthusiasm, the Empress didn’t order them to be stopped.
Among the crowd, a boy who looked to be in his early teens seemed particularly excited.
He was at the front of the crowd, his gaze fixed on Zhu Yan, his eyes full of admiration.
As things seemed to be winding down, Zhang Baohuan suddenly remembered something and whispered in the Empress’s ear.
The Empress had a moment of realization and quickly nodded, looking back at Shen Du and Zhu Yan. “The Shen couple has done great service in solving this case. We are very pleased. We hereby reward you with ten thousand taels of silver, a hundred mu of good farmland, and a hundred bolts of fine silk. You two must continue to work hard.”
“We thank Your Majesty for your gracious reward!” Shen Du and Zhu Yan knelt together to express their gratitude, looking somewhat awkward, as if they were at their wedding ceremony.
This generous reward caused Lai Luozhi and Princess Yong’an to show varied expressions.
Shen Du noticed their reactions, well aware of the calm surface and turbulent undercurrents of court politics.
Just as the seemingly condemned Madam Tang had quieted down, and as Jing Lin was directing the Imperial Guard to take her into custody, Madam Tang suddenly went berserk. She leaped up, laughing and crying, and ran to the door, grabbing the young boy who had been watching.
“Little one, big sister will take you to a fun place. Come with big sister, okay?” Madam Tang babbled incoherently, not waiting for the boy’s response before dragging him through the crowd into the courtyard.
Everyone was shocked and quickly followed to assess the situation. The young boy, though terrified and pale, remained silent.