Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 164 Good Go
In the dungeon of the Ministry of Justice, the damp and musty smell went straight into people's throats.

Li Zhao took the handkerchief handed to him by Guan Ya, covered his mouth and nose with it, and rolled his black boots over the half-dried blood scabs in the cracks of the blue bricks.

Xiao Jing was hung on the rack by iron chains, his head drooping crookedly, the wound from biting his tongue that day was still dripping with blood, and the wound on his right foot caused by the chain had a layer of black scab, like a poisonous snake coiled on a bone...

Yuan Cang frowned and bowed.

"Your Highness, he can't speak or eat."

In other words, life is coming to an end.

"Huh... Huh..." Xiao Jing heard footsteps and a gasping sound like a leak in his throat.

Li Zhao put his hands behind his back and asked, "Minister Xiao, have you made up your mind?"

Xiao Jing glared at him, his mouth wide open, but he couldn't utter a complete sentence.

Li Zhao snorted coldly and lit the oil lamp on the desk. The flames shot up and illuminated the biting cold on his face.

The air in the room seemed to freeze.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been in a state of moodiness these days, and no one dares to speak easily.

Li Zhao said calmly, "Minister Xiao, do you know that Concubine Xiao has moved back to the Ruijin Palace? Your Majesty went to visit her yesterday and personally sent four baskets of newly arrived lychees from Lingnan?"

Xiao Jing's body trembled and he stared at her with wide eyes.

"Don't believe it?" Li Zhao walked in front of Xiao Jing, his eyes were as sharp as knives and cold.

"They were all pardoned, but they didn't think of rescuing you. They even sold your children in order to regain grace..."

"Your son has now followed your path of exile to Lingnan, and your beloved little daughter has been hastily promised to a frail and sickly distant relative..."

"Xiao Jing, you are already a discarded pawn, why don't you wake up?"

The iron chain shook violently, and Xiao Jing's eyes seemed to be bleeding.

His injured tongue pressed against the gap between his teeth, saliva mixed with blood dripped onto his chest, he felt angry and helpless...

“Oh…oh…ah…ah…”

"You have devoted your whole life to the Xiao family, but now you have to be a pawn who dies unjustly, end up with a bad reputation and die tragically in prison. Is it worth it?"

Xiao Jing's body was shaking, blood was oozing from the corners of his mouth, and he made an indistinct breaking sound, like a blunt knife scraping across his eardrum.

Li Zhao looked at his desperate and painful expression with satisfaction.

"Put him down. Get a pen and paper..."

The dim light in the dungeon illuminated the gemstone on the jade belt around Li Zhao's waist, which glowed blue.

Xiao Jing collapsed to the ground, squirming in his tattered prison uniform stained with blood and dirt, like a trapped beast struggling to death. He raised his head with a weak breath and looked straight at Li Zhao.

The four treasures of the study were spread out on the floor.

Guan Ya put the pen dipped in ink into Xiao Jing's hand.

Li Zhao glanced at him calmly.

"Write down the list of officials involved in the illegal salt trade."

"Which other powerful families are involved in the private salt trade?"

"The Yellow Book of the Hedao Yamen says that 60,000 catties of glutinous rice mortar were paid, but the craftsman testified that he actually received less than 5,000 catties. Did the remaining 90% of the money go into the Xiao family's bank?"

"How did you conceal your actions by tampering with the Ministry of Revenue's accounts over the years? Who were your accomplices?"

"Did you use the grain ships to transport 3,000 dan of old grain to Xizi in the first month of last year, or the civilian merchant ships controlled by the Xiao family?"

"When the Luo River flooded, you proposed to open the imperial granary to lend grain to the people, and repay them with a 30% interest rate in the autumn. But the court issued an order to waive interest for three years. Did the extra grain go to fill the Xiao family's granary?"

Xiao Jing's hands trembled violently, and ink dripped onto the snow-white paper...

The cell was silent, as if in death. After a long while, the wolf hair brush slipped from Xiao Jing's hand...

He moved his body with difficulty, lowered his neck, kowtowed to Li Zhao, and spoke incoherently.

Li Zhao looked down from above, his toes touching Xiao Jing's fingers, "Want to have a good death?"

He smiled gently, "You write, and I will make you happy."

Xiao Jing slowly raised his hand, his eyes turned red, and he closed them weakly.

"Minister Xiao is so tough. I have to respect you a little bit..."

Li Zhao glanced at Guan Ya.

The confession that had been prepared long ago was taken and pressed on Xiao Jing's trembling fingerprints, stained with glaring red blood.

The lights were flickering in the cold wind, and Li Zhao's stern face was colder than the torture instruments in prison.

He took a look at the confession, handed it to Yuan Cang, slowly turned his back, raised his hand, and said, "Let him go."

Yuan Cang responded, "Yes."

Xiao Jing looked at Li Zhao's back, revealing a sense of relief, and the glimmer in his eyes seemed to be a hint of gratitude...

Until his death, he never betrayed the Xiao family, never lost the face of his ancestors, and kept his integrity as a descendant of the Xiao family. However, he worked hard all his life for the prosperity and decline of the family, but in the end he treated his children badly, and he was full of regrets and felt uneasy...
-
At nightfall on the second day after Xue Sui returned to Prince Duan's Mansion, a pure white pigeon flew to Lingyu's pigeon loft.

The snow-white feathers were fluffy and smooth. When it got close to Lingyu, it cooed affectionately.

That night, the lights in Tanqiuyuan burned until three o'clock in the morning.

Xue Sui leaned against the window, his fingertips stroking the letter sent by the carrier pigeon.

The letter was written in Li Zhao's sharp handwriting: "The Queen Mother's birthday is coming. The imperial decree has issued a general amnesty. Pingle is released from confinement. Concubine Xiao is back in favor. The Xiao family must cut off its tail to survive and protect itself."

The ink seeped through the paper, and there was not a single word about the humiliation of being tied up that night.

She held the letter close to the candlelight and watched the flames roll over the words "Xiao Family". Suddenly, she heard Feicui's low voice coming from down the corridor.

"The princess couldn't sleep at night, so she wanted to ask Madam to go to Muyue Residence to talk..."

Xiao Zhao responded: "Our wife has gone to bed..."

"Xiao Zhao." Xue Sui interrupted her, poked the burnt letter with a shovel, and said to Feicui through the window: "Aunt, please tell the princess that I will change my clothes immediately."

Half a cup of tea later, Xue Sui simply dressed up, put on a light green silk dress, and went to Muyue Residence.

The lights in Muyue Residence were shining softly. Xue Yuechen was sitting in front of the dressing table with her long hair loose. The bronze mirror reflected her deep sorrow and her face was full of fatigue.

Xue Sui lifted the curtain and entered, bowing politely.

"I met the princess..."

"Sixth sister, please stop being so polite." Xue Yuechen helped her sit on the carved couch, and said with a worried look on his face: "I called you here in the middle of the night because the situation is really difficult and I am anxious..."

Xue Sui smiled slightly, "Sister, don't be so polite. If you have anything to say, just tell me..."

Xue Yuechen's expression finally relaxed.

After hesitating for a moment, he spoke softly.

"Ruihe is coming to visit the mansion again. He said he copied the Diamond Sutra by hand and sent it to the prince to pray for his blessing..."

She curled her lips and said, "You say she is a newly widowed woman who finally returned to the capital. Instead of serving the Queen Mother in the palace, she runs to Prince Duan's mansion every day. What is she doing?"

Xue Sui nodded thoughtfully, "She is all alone and has nowhere else to go. I think she is hoping that the prince will remember their old friendship and find someone to rely on for her..."

"That's what's strange." Xue Yuechen frowned, his expression slightly agitated, "The prince left before dawn these past two days. I said the princess was weak and looked like she had a stubborn illness, so I was eager to see him. But he didn't treat me well and just turned around and left, as if I had done something wrong..."

She twisted the handkerchief in her hands, and her eyes suddenly became sharp.

"Do you think he and Ruihe will have..."