History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Before Bai Zheng could reply, a young eunuch hurried over and reported: "The Empress misses the fried dough rings made by the Imperial Kitchen. Those fried dough rings are crispy but not greasy, and only Uncle Wang knows how to make them. So the Empress sent a female official to take Uncle Wang to Xianyang Palace."

Bai Zheng dared not offend either side, and looked at Wei Yao with a troubled expression.

Wei Yao smiled and instructed, "That's good. Wang Jishu shouldn't commit suicide like Liu Teng. However, he was taken from the palace prison, so the Grand Chamberlain can't just ignore it. Please go and tell the Empress that once she's tired of the cosmetics, she'll definitely send someone to bring Wang Jishu back for questioning."

Bai Zheng understood. It was impossible to please both sides and protect himself! He quickly glanced at Kou Meng and Yang Fan, and then weighed the consequences of offending Wei Yao versus offending the Empress.

“I understand. As for the Imperial Kitchen, I will continue to have someone temporarily in charge. Wang Jishu… will serve the Empress’s meals. If the Empress releases him back to the Imperial Kitchen, I will inform the Junior Minister.” He made a decisive choice when Wei Yao showed displeasure!
He might not lose his official position quickly because he offended the Empress, but if he offended Wei Yao, she might use the same methods she used against Wang Jishu to imprison him in the palace prison or take him to the imperial prison to await interrogation, and let Wang Zhi temporarily take over his position as Grand Chamberlain.

"How should we deal with Chang Shami, Shaoqing?" Bai Zheng had already decided to pledge allegiance, and his tone was different from before. He lowered his back and asked softly.

Wei Yao: "We can't conclude that he's related to Liu Teng's death just because of a hairpin. Does anyone know him?"

Upon hearing this, the novice monk, who was already contemplating suicide, twitched his eyelids.

Bai Zheng called to the clerk behind him: "Clerk Yao, the Junior Minister is asking you a question."

The clerk, who had been pretending to be deaf and dumb, quickly stepped forward and replied, "I met Chang Shami when he was imprisoned in Heijo Palace. Perhaps due to the family misfortunes he experienced in his early years, he became deaf and dull. Others were unwilling to talk to him, and some even bullied him. Over time, he became more and more withdrawn and did not take the initiative to make friends with others. By the way, he likes to sing. Lately, I have only heard him sing."

Bai Zheng listened patiently until the end, then rebuked him: "Even though he is pitiful, he shouldn't have coveted Liu Teng's hairpin."

Ling Shi obediently replied with an "Mm," but inwardly he was furious: a palace servant like Chang Shami, whose food was usually stolen, would have starved to death long ago if he didn't take something from the dead!

Wei Yao gave Kou Meng a look, and the latter went over to untie Chang Shami's ropes. Wei Yao asked loudly, "Whether you want to live or die, you can only rely on yourself now. Chang Shami, tell me the details of your meeting with Liu Teng last night. If you are innocent, I will give you justice."

Chang Shami heard clearly, got up, and although he was slow, his bow was proper. He recounted Liu Teng's shouts from the previous night and his own response, and sang the song in its entirety.

Wei Yao was very patient. After listening to the other party finish singing eight lines, she continued to question loudly and clearly: "You were cleaning in the palace prison. You must have seen Liu Teng before he called you. Did he show any unusual behavior such as fear or anxiety at that time?"

Chang Shami thought carefully, so slowly that Bai Zheng was about to scold him before he replied, "No, once he was sitting, and once he was lying down."

Wei Yao asked again, "Liu Teng's confession is a big deal. You should know that you walk slowly. Why didn't you tell the palace maids you worked with and let the other palace maids report to the Grand Chamberlain?"

Chang Shami: "I've looked around, but no one is willing to listen to me finish speaking, so I have to go by myself."

The clerk added, "He must not have had a lantern to light his way, so he was walking slower than during the day."

Chang Shami had poor hearing and looked at the clerk's mouth with suspicion, clearly not having heard what the official was saying.

In a short time, Bai Zheng glared at Ling Shi for the third time: Dealing with dead people every day, yet still talking so much!
Since Chang Shami has not committed any major offenses, Wei Yao said, "Let him continue his labor."

Bai Zheng immediately smiled and replied, "That's fine. The work here isn't actually heavy, it's just dirty. Anyone would slack off, but he's the only one who doesn't mind the dirt and smell."

Wei Yao, who was used to overthinking, had already planned to leave, but then stopped and asked, "The song you sang comes from a poem called 'Imitation of the Difficulty of Traveling.' The melody is quite extraordinary. Who did you learn it from?"

Without hesitation, Chang Shami replied, "It was a soldier. Yesterday afternoon, I was pushing a wooden cart carrying barrels when he blocked my way. He said he heard someone praise me for learning songs quickly, and he didn't believe it. He sang the poem twice and threatened to test me at the same time today. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to learn it and would get beaten up, so I practiced whenever I had free time." Wei Yao asked, "Did anyone bully you like that before?"

"Have."

Having served as Grand Chamberlain for many years, Bai Zheng had survived countless power struggles and schemes, so he was naturally well-versed in various methods. He asked, "Does the Junior Chamberlain think that Liu Teng's suicide was related to this poem?"

Wei Yao took one last look at the corpse on the straw mat and said, "He wanted to live, that's why he wanted to confess something. How could he willingly commit suicide? This afternoon, send someone to escort Chang Shami to the appointment. If soldiers appear, arrest them first and wait for me to interrogate him."

Bai Zheng nodded and said, "I understand. If that guy doesn't show up, it's a scheme to kill Liu Teng and then harm Chang Shami."

Last night, Wei Yao had already discussed with the Sizhou government that Zhao Sengbiao would be paraded through the streets this afternoon. She hurriedly left the palace, and twenty cavalrymen and six prison guards gathered at the south gate of the Sizhou government office, led by the military advisor Erzhu Maizhen.

There were far more onlookers than soldiers, and the chatter was deafening. Only when Wei Yao arrived and the imposing cavalry dismounted and bowed did the crowd quiet down.

"Waaah—" Zhao Sengbiao cried out.

With his arms tied behind his back, he struggled and begged Wei Yao for mercy: "I've confessed everything, please spare my life, sir. I'm willing to work as a river worker and do hard labor for the rest of my life."

This fellow knew very well that the purpose of the parade was to lure out Xiao Liang's spies. Would he still be alive then? If he had known that his happy days would be so short, he would rather have been in debt gambling. No, he would never gamble again!

Wei Yao showed no mercy to such villains. She loudly proclaimed to the people: "This thief was bribed by spies of Xiao Liang to assassinate our ministers. His crime is heinous! He will now be paraded through the streets as a warning to the people of Xiao Liang: if you come to Luoyang to do business, the Imperial Wei will tolerate you; but if you break the law and disrupt order, the court will surely punish you!"

"So he's a spy! Beat him!" The villagers, who had already prepared rotten vegetable leaves and stinking mud, threw them at Zhao Sengbiao, making him howl in pain before he even moved.

Wei Yao did not go with them, but instead ordered Kou Meng to change his clothes in the government office and leave through the back door to catch up with the parade.

"Xiao Yan is despicable, and all the spies of the Xiao Liang dynasty are dogs."

"Xiao Yan is despicable, and all the spies of the Xiao Liang dynasty are dogs."

As Zhao Sengbiao was being punished with ropes and whips and pushed around by the soldiers, he walked and shouted.

The assassin Zhao Cao, disguised among the common people, grew increasingly enraged as he listened, his anger reaching its peak!

He knew this was an open trap, but he couldn't tolerate it. He could be insulted, but not His Majesty.

Du Sichong, the strategist in charge of assassinating Wei Yao, watched from a distance, not daring to approach or pretend to be deaf and blind, torn between loyalty to the emperor and the desire to save his own life. As he walked forward with the crowd, he looked left and right for Zhao Cao. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head: if Zhao Cao died, and he killed another spy who knew his identity, perhaps his reputation for cowardice and timidity would not reach Daliang.

"Xiao Yan is despicable, and all the spies of the Xiao Liang dynasty are dogs... Xiao Yan is despicable..."

Zhao Cao tensed up, gripping a sharp stone in his hand. He pushed aside the people in front of him, then two more, and got closer. He was confident that he could kill the neighborhood official surnamed Zhao with one blow.

Kou Meng approached from behind, his eyes scanning the surroundings like an eagle's. He not only fixed his gaze on Zhao Cao but also noticed something amiss with another person, for the latter was watching Zhao Cao with even greater focus than if he were watching the criminals' spectacle! (End of Chapter)