Jinyi Spring

The first rays of dawn break.

On the eastern horizon, a fiery red sun was rising slowly. On the other side, the pale moon still hung in the sky, reluctant to set.

Wang Tu emerged from the reeds and watched the two figures turn into the small courtyard.

He laughed, his laughter filled with the relief of surviving a disaster and the joy of a great weight lifted from his shoulders.

He raised his head, his lips moving slightly, "The sun and moon shining together is a good omen..."

Then, he stumbled into the dense forest of Qingmiao Mountain, his figure quickly disappearing into the white morning mist.

He hid in the mountains for a whole day.

From sunrise to sunset, he sat under an old tree, leaning against its rough bark, watching the light change inch by inch—from blinding white to gentle orange, and then to a deep gray. But his mind never stopped.

What should we do next?
This is the first question.

My sister-in-law should be dead. The young child has lost her mother, the elderly parents have lost their daughter, and the eldest brother in his prime has lost his wife... That infant is still waiting for me to overturn the verdict.

He had to keep his life, which meant making everyone believe that Wang Tu was dead.

From then on, the elderly parents lost their youngest son, and their fiancée, who was three months away from marrying them, was destined to become a widow. Thankfully, she hadn't married them yet, otherwise she would have remained a widow for life…

Thinking of this, he felt as if something had ripped his heart out.

How can we survive?
This is the second question.

He had to ruin his face, live under an assumed name, and go somewhere where no one knew him, living like an ant. The jade pendant and the string of jade beads in his pocket were still worth some money; he would pawn them and head south, the farther the better.

How to overturn the verdict?

This is the third question, and also the most difficult one.

We need to plan slowly, step by step, we can't rush it... But what if? What if he dies before the day the case is overturned? Dies in the mountains, dies on the road, dies in some unknown corner—wouldn't that solidify the injustice and leave no chance for redress?

He opened his eyes.

In the warm orange light, a thought suddenly popped into my head.

Another person must know. This person needs to know about the Xue family's framing of Empress Xiao and their use of Red Hare to exchange for the princess, but cannot know the whole truth—otherwise, the little princess will be in danger.

He thought of Wen Qian.

Wen Qian and he had been friends since their youth. Wen Qian was thoughtful, shrewd, and never acted rashly. He was a man who could keep things to himself, and also... an ambitious man.

Wen Qian knew about this and dared not inform on it—because the Xue family would not allow anyone who knew the truth to live. He could only keep this matter buried deep inside, hoping that one day the case would be overturned and he could also share in the credit.

Yes, we should look for him.

Ask him to help me get a fake household registration. Ask him to keep an eye on things happening in the capital. Ask him to remember—there's a colossal miscarriage of justice in this world waiting to be investigated!
Wang Tu raised his head, looked at the dark red clouds on the horizon, and let out a long breath.

Ok, deal.

The last ray of sunlight sank behind the mountain ridge. He stood up, dusted himself off, and walked towards the direction where Wen Qian's garrison was located.

Three days later, Wang Tu finally met Wen Qian.

At that time, Wen Qian was still the heir of the Marquis of Wuyi and served as the commander of the garrison.

He led Wang Tu to a secluded, abandoned temple in the suburbs. After listening to what he had said, Wang Tu stood there, dumbfounded. After a long while, he finally recovered and his eyes gradually regained their light.

He patted Wang Tu's shoulder heavily, his voice deep, "You are a loyal subject, well done. Thank you for trusting your brother."

He raised his right hand, his expression solemn, and said, "I, Wen Qian, swear to Heaven that if I reveal even a fraction of what happened today, I will die a horrible death."

Wang Tu didn't speak, he just nodded.

Wen Qian paid for Wang Tu to stay at an inconspicuous inn in Tongxian County. A few days later, he brought a fake household registration certificate with a new name written on it: Jiang Huaizhao.

He then slipped another five hundred taels of silver notes to him, saying, "Take these, use them on the road. Life will be tough from now on, take care."

Wang Tu clasped his hands and said, "Thank you for your righteous help, Brother Wen. If the case is overturned in the future, I will never forget your kindness."

He took the silver notes, wrapped them one by one in oiled paper, and sewed them into the lining of his clothes, into the hidden compartment of his satchel. Only a few loose pieces of silver were scattered on the outside, just for show.

He tousled his hair, picked out a tattered and dirty piece of clothing, and put it on—he looked exactly like a slovenly, unclean man.

He bid farewell to Wen Qian and headed south.

He walked along, searching for a suitable place. When he reached the outskirts of Jingzhou Prefecture, he stopped. There was a steep cliff on the mountain, with jagged rocks at the bottom, several sharp stones sticking out straight, which looked terrifying.

He squatted on the mountain for more than an hour, and when a passerby came by, he jumped.

When he jumped, he consciously positioned himself with his left cheek facing down, landing heavily on the rubble.

pain!
The pain was so intense that his vision blurred and he almost fainted. His face was a bloody mess, and he had multiple cuts and lacerations all over his body; it was unclear whether his bones were broken.

He lay prone in the pile of rocks, shouting with all his might, "Help...help..."

Those people were kind-hearted; they followed the sound and, with a few quick hands, carried him down the mountain and took him to the village doctor's house.

He had already found out that there was a doctor in the village who was excellent at treating external injuries.

He stayed at the doctor's house for half a month, and his wound gradually healed. He paid the consultation fee, thanked each of his saviors, and continued on his journey.

Jiang Huaizhao stopped in Huaijiang County, Xiangxi, heading south.

Here, the mountains are high and the waters are far, surrounded by mountains on all sides, with a clear river flowing through the town. The people on the street speak a local dialect that he can hardly understand; no one knows him, and no one asks who he is.

He settled down here.

He first rented a small courtyard, with a shop in the front and living quarters in the back. Since he didn't know how to weave bamboo ware, he went to the homes of bamboo weavers in the countryside to buy some, selecting the best ones to sell in his shop and earning a profit. He was quick-witted and had a discerning eye, so the goods he bought were always better looking than those from other vendors, and his business gradually took off.

The following year, he married a woman surnamed Liu.

Liu was a local. She wasn't in good health, but she was gentle and hardworking, keeping the house in perfect order. The following year, she gave birth to a son for him. Her family was moderately wealthy, and they were attracted to Jiang Huaizhao because he was tall, healthy, and honest.

Life went on like that.

Manager Jiang of the bamboo ware shop was a man of few words, good-tempered, and never offended anyone. Occasionally, when someone asked where he was from, he would only say that his ancestral home was in the north, and that he had fled there during a period of hardship. If asked too many times, he would just smile and remain silent.

Nobody knew he could swim.

No one knew that he had passed the military examination and had met the emperor and empress.

No one knew that when he couldn't sleep at night, he would get up, put on his clothes, and stand in the courtyard, staring blankly at the northern sky. He thought of the home he could never return to, of his sister-in-law who had been dead for many years, and of the tiny baby he had placed in the reed soup with his own hands…

And that girl.

You must be married by now, right? What kind of person did you marry? How many children do you have? Are you doing well?
Besides doing business, he was also keen to find out what was going on in the capital.

Every now and then, I would go to a teahouse in the county town to sit and listen to the chatter of merchants from all over the country. When I encountered merchants from the capital, I would try to get close to them, offer them a bowl of tea, and listen to their stories about the capital.

Years later, he secretly returned to the outskirts of Beijing twice.

Unfortunately, Empress Dowager Xue was still alive, Consort Xue was still favored, Grand Tutor Xue died, and Master Xue became Minister of Revenue and Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. The Xue family still held immense power in the court.

As for the Xiao family, even though Lord Xiao only rose from a seventh-rank official to a fifth-rank official, he remained isolated and helpless.

He hid in the shadows, gazing at the majestic city gate, feeling a heavy weight on his heart. However, it wasn't all bad news.

That baby has grown up and has been taught very well...

-

Feng Chuchen listened to the whole thing while crying.

Tears streamed silently down her cheeks, one drop at a time, landing on her clothes. She bit her lip hard, trying not to cry out, but the tears wouldn't stop. Her handkerchief was already soaked through, feeling heavy in her hand.

Being a loyal minister is difficult.

One faced death with composure, the other spent half his life wandering.

Only she knew—that the precious daughter they had protected with everything they had was, in the end, dead.

It was her turn.

The Xue family owes more than just the young master's life. It also owes the resolute decision of Doctor Cai with that needle, Xiao Wan's sixteen years of torment in seclusion, Wang Tu's disfigurement, his life of wandering and unwavering loyalty, and all those who died and those who survived in this conspiracy…

The Xue family deserves to die. The Emperor is even more despicable—he refuses to investigate thoroughly, allowing the injustice to be proven true, and letting these loyal officials suffer unjustly.

Ming Shanyue's eyes also gleamed faintly.

After recounting that long story, he didn't speak again. He just sat there silently, watching her cry, watching her pour out all the anger, heartache, and grievances in her heart through her tears.

He hid the tenderness in his eyes, remaining motionless and silent.

Having known her for so long, this was the first time he'd seen her so unrestrained with her emotions. He knew that at this moment, any attempt at comfort would be intrusive. She didn't need to be consoled; she needed to have a good, cathartic cry.

After a long while, Feng Chuchen finally stopped crying.

Her eyes blazed with barely suppressed hatred, and her voice was as cold as ice in the twelfth lunar month, “I will stand with my elder brother and with you all to make the Xue family pay the price they deserve. We will not let that high and mighty woman get away with it.”

She did not mention the Emperor.

That person could only curse in their heart; to speak it out loud would be tantamount to rebellion.

Ming Shanyue nodded. "If this matter comes to light, Consort Xue and the Xue family will definitely pay the price."

He paused, his gaze darkening. "But that high and mighty woman, on the surface, is the opposite of Consort Xue, and almost everyone is praising her virtue."

"It will take some time to deal with her. There is another person, King Zhao. All the actions of those two women and the Xue family were for him."

Feng Chuchen nodded.

She looked up at Ming Shanyue, her voice still slightly nasal, but it had returned to its usual clear and bright tone.

"The most crucial witness has been found, when will the reckoning begin?"

Ming Shanyue said in a deep voice, "We still have an important matter to attend to first—rescuing Qingxin Fagu. Qinwang and we don't want her to return to the palace, so we're planning to have her fake her death to escape. Once she's successfully escaped, we can then expose her."

Feng Chuchen's eyes lit up. "You've come up with a plan?"

His gaze darkened slightly. "There's a surprise plan in mind. We're training the 'people' who will participate. We're just waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

She snorted coldly again, "The Xue family already knows we're investigating this matter. While they're blocking my second uncle, General Wang, and Jian He Niang from entering the capital, they'll inevitably dredge up old matters and anger the Emperor again..."

He suddenly stopped talking.

Feng Chuchen pressed further, "What old stories have you dug up?"

Ming Shanyue looked embarrassed, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. "Uh... it's something from many years ago, something our elders talked about."

"What old story?" Feng Chuchen asked anxiously, her brows furrowing slightly. "What's wrong with you? You only say half of what you mean."

Her tone carried an unusual hint of reproach, and her lips unconsciously pouted slightly, revealing a touch of childlike naiveté.

Feng Chuchen had never shown such an expression in front of him before.

Ming Shanyue's heart softened, and she pursed her thin lips, saying, "It's just... your mother and my second uncle. They grew up together since childhood, childhood sweethearts, inseparable. Just when their hearts were already in love and their families were preparing for the engagement, the Emperor... snatched them away."

Feng Chuchen was speechless.

Immediately, a wave of bitterness welled up in my heart.

It turned out that her mother already had someone she loved, but they were forcibly separated and she was forced into that magnificent cage.

No wonder she wasn't happy even after marrying into the royal family.

Her beloved was none other than Ming Shanyue's second uncle, Ming Changqing.

That man who is still unmarried.

This is the kind of man you can entrust your life to.

She looked at Ming Shanyue, her gaze intense, a hint of pleasure in her eyes. "In that case, we must rescue my mother. Let her and your second uncle—" She paused, her eyes sparkling, "fly together."

Ming Shanyue was slightly taken aback, then burst into laughter.

That's so bluntly stated.

His smile lightened the tense atmosphere considerably.

Feng Chuchen blushed slightly—this is ancient times, what kind of daughter is so eager for her mother to remarry?
But she still stubbornly added, "Well, that's how it is."

Ming Shanyue nodded, then shook her head and said in a low voice, "Get her out of here first. We'll talk about other things later."

Feng Chuchen was puzzled, "If lovers are destined to be together, why 'say it again'?"

Ming Shanyue looked at her.

She's smarter than anyone else. But there are some things she just can't think of.

He patiently explained, "If we really rescue her, it would be best to follow His Highness Prince Qin's instructions on how to arrange things for her."

Feng Chuchen was taken aback for a moment, then immediately understood.

In their eyes, serving the emperor meant becoming emperor himself. And no matter who it was, the emperor's mindset would change after a while. Letting his own mother remarry in secret—this was something he should announce himself to avoid future repercussions.

If he doesn't approve, this matter... won't come to fruition.

Feng Chuchen's heart clenched again for that woman.

The first half of her life was bitter; how she will live the second half depends on her son's wishes...

She sighed deeply, "My mother has had such a hard life. I hope my eldest brother can think of her situation."

Ming Shanyue looked at the sadness in her eyes and said softly, "It seems that His Highness Prince Qin is very distressed for Qingxin Fagu. Perhaps he will consider her well-being."

Guo Hei, standing outside the door, promptly reminded him, "Grandpa, it's getting late, we should go."

The two exchanged a glance.

Feng Chuchen said, "If it's convenient, could you arrange for me to go see Uncle Wang again? I'm worried about him." (End of Chapter)