National Division

Chapter 75 The Crime of Not Annulling the Engagement!
Dali Temple, Prison
Shen Xian sat cross-legged on a pile of hay. Sunlight shone sparsely through the window lattice onto his handsome, chiseled face. His expression was calm and undisturbed, like a clear stream.

Just then, a deep, resonant voice came from the side: "You are the first person to enter the Dali Temple prison and remain so calm and fearless."

Shen Xian turned his gaze and saw a young official in prison clothes, his hair covered in straw, around thirty years old, with a short beard, but his prison clothes were covered in bloodstains.

Shen Xian raised an eyebrow, sized up the young man, and asked, "Who are you?"

"My name is Jiang Rui, courtesy name Bingren. I was originally a legal officer in Yanzhou, and later served as an official in the Court of Judicial Review. I once served as the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, but now I am imprisoned." The young man smiled bitterly.

A thoughtful look appeared in Shen Xian's eyes as he asked, "What crime have you committed?"

"I simply did not want to join Zhou Suo and the others in framing court officials and colluding with them, but I did not expect to be ostracized and framed by them and dragged into the Prince Qing's treason case." Jiang Rui sighed, his face full of sorrow.

Shen Xian scoffed, "The case of Prince Qing's treason is a catch-all phrase; anything can be thrown into it."

The case of Prince Qing's rebellion has now become a catch-all charge for court officials to exclude dissidents and frame each other.

Jiang Rui said, "Who can argue with that? Right now, treacherous villains are in power in the capital, and people are filled with fear."

Shen Xian looked at that handsome and upright face and asked, "Has Lord Jiang confessed his crime?"

"If you hadn't confessed, you wouldn't have received these lashes," Jiang Rui said with a wry smile, looking at his injuries.

Shen Xian remained silent for a moment.

The cruel officials' method of extracting confessions through torture has created countless wrongful convictions.

"However, I only admitted to the crime of wrongful conviction, and at most I will be sentenced to exile. I can only pray that the court will have some good news and a general amnesty, and there may be a possibility that I will be released and returned." Jiang Rui seemed to have resigned himself to his fate.

Shen Xian said, "If one is exiled to a land of miasma, it is possible to die far from home."

Jiang Rui: "..."

You're a good conversationalist.

Shen Xian chuckled lightly, composed himself, and asked, "Do you really think there are so many rebels in the court?"

Jiang Rui smiled and said, "There may be those who are loyal to the imperial family, but if there were, Prince Qing would not be imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's prison."

Shen Xian said, "Yes, the case of Prince Qing's treason has implicated and framed too many people."

Jiang Rui, however, was curious and asked, "What did you do to deserve being imprisoned by the Dali Temple officials?"

Shen Xian said, "The crime is not to annul the engagement."

Jiang Rui: "???"

……

……

Inside the capital city, on the cobblestone streets, the sound of hooves suddenly came from the roadside. The sound of horses' hooves was chaotic and disorderly, with riders dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses.

Gao Yanfu, the head of the Inner Palace Attendants Department, led a dozen or so guards on horseback towards the Court of Judicial Review.

"Hurry, hurry!" Gao Yanfu raised his whip, urging the horse on.

Gao Yanfu realized a problem: given the cruel nature of those officials in the Dali Temple, they might use torture on people. If they humiliated Mr. Shen, the Empress Dowager might unleash her fury.

He saw that even after meeting the Prince of Zhao, the Empress Dowager was still engrossed in reading the two memorials submitted by Shen Xian.

What great favor and high regard this is!
Meanwhile, Xue Zhihua was enjoying tea and waiting in the flower hall of the Princess's residence.

A moment later, a maid entered the hall and announced, "Lord Xue, Her Highness the Princess and Lord Si Di have returned."

Xue Zhihua quickly stood up, looked at the Princess and Si Di, and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, I greet you, and Lord Si Di."

The eldest princess and Si Di had just come out of the Vermilion Bird Palace.

The princess, dressed in a crimson gown and adorned with a golden hairpin, possessed a noble and mysterious air. A bright smile graced her stunningly beautiful face: "I was just telling Si Di that it was indeed you who had returned."

As he spoke, he glanced at Si Di.

The secret passage—no wonder he's the highly skilled Commander of the Vermilion Bird Division; his perception was incredibly sharp earlier.

As they were talking, the two sat down at a tall table.

Xue Zhihua said softly, "Just now, I led the scholars of Zhaowen Pavilion to the Vermilion Bird Hall of Qilin Pavilion to retrieve the elixir."

The eldest princess looked surprised and asked, "May I ask which scholar from the Zhaowen Academy you are?"

Si Di gently picked up the teacup on the small table beside her, took a small sip, and her clear eyes were calm beneath her two sharp eyebrows that looked like they were cut from willow leaves.

Xue Zhihua said, "Scholar Shen, the Empress Dowager has ordered you to take charge of the Qilin Pavilion and establish the Jingsui and Zhanyao Divisions."

Si Di gently put down the teacup she had just brought to her lips and said, "The Vermilion Bird Division can suppress all evil spirits in the world with its own strength. Why do we need the Jingsui and Zhanyao Divisions?"

Xue Zhihua’s voice was clear and pleasant: “Lord Si Di, there are thousands of prefectures and counties in the world. It is difficult to deal with the endless demons and monsters in the world with just the manpower of the Vermilion Bird Division.”

Si Di said in a calm tone, "Can the Jingchong and Zhanyao Divisions really deal with all the demons and monsters in the world?" "They gather the best martial artists in the world and bring them into the Jingchong and Zhanyao Divisions to eradicate all the demons and monsters. If it is a demon or monster of the first, second, or third realm, the martial artists of the prefectures and counties can handle it themselves." Xue Zhihua explained the significance of the Zhuque Division's structure.

Si Di was speechless for a moment, and had to admit the feasibility of the Vermilion Bird Division's structure. After a moment of silence, she said, "Was this the idea of ​​that scholar from the Zhaowen Hall?"

Xue Zhihua nodded and said, "Lord Si Di is wise."

The eldest princess smiled and said, "That's fine. The Vermilion Bird Division can handle the major and important matters in the immortal path, while these trivial matters of slaying demons and pacifying evil spirits can be left to the two divisions."

Si Di did not respond, remaining noncommittal.

Xue Zhihua said, "In addition, Scholar Shen has also been granted the title of Commander of the Vermilion Bird Division. Lord Si Di can ask him about it later."

Si Di put down her teacup, her face as cold as frost, her voice as calm as ever: "I am somewhat interested in meeting this Commander Shen."

Just then, a maid rushed in and said, "Miss Xue, an official from the Zhaowen Pavilion outside says he has urgent business to discuss with you."

It turned out that Han Yi went to the Duke of Xue's residence first, but was told by the servants that Xue Zhihua was not there and might have gone to the Princess's residence.

Han Yi hurriedly rode a fast horse to the Princess's residence to find Xue Zhihua.

Xue Zhihua's heart skipped a beat, and she said, "Your Highness, I'll go to the front hall to take a look."

The princess raised her eyebrows, a thoughtful look appearing in her charming, flowing eyes, and said, "I will also go and see what's going on."

At this moment, Han Yi was waiting in the hall in the front yard, his face showing anxiety.

Just then, accompanied by the tinkling of jade pendants, footsteps came from the corridor, and Xue Zhihua quickly walked out first.

Han Yi stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, Lord Xue."

"What's the matter that you're in such a panic?" Xue Zhihua asked.

Han Yi said, "Reporting to Lord Xue, Scholar Shen has been arrested by the Dali Temple."

Upon hearing this, Xue Zhihua's beautiful face changed drastically, and she whispered, "What's going on?"

At this moment, behind a screen embroidered with plum blossoms, bamboo, orchids, and chrysanthemums, Princess Zhenguo and Si Di exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

He was just promoted to the Qilin Pavilion and then arrested and taken to the Dali Temple?
Princess Zhenguo chuckled and teased, "Si Di, your subordinate doesn't seem like someone to be trifled with. You'd better protect him."

Han Yi said, "The Dali Temple said that Scholar Shen is hiding a criminal, a blind woman from the Yu family who escaped from the capital."

Xue Zhihua frowned slightly, her clear eyes flashing with understanding: "I know what's going on now."

It seems that the marriage agreement between the Shen and Yu families has been discovered by the cruel officials of the Dali Temple.

At this moment, the Princess Zhenguo emerged from behind the screen with graceful and elegant steps. A hairpin adorning her cascading hair swayed gently as she asked, "Zhihua, how could Scholar Shen be hiding a wanted criminal?"

Si Di, standing to the side, also held the Dragon Sparrow Sword at her waist, serving the Princess Zhenguo.

"Your Highness, there is more to this matter than meets the eye," Xue Zhihua said, bowing slightly.

Han Yi was startled. He knew exactly what was happening before him and dared not look any further. He cupped his hands and said, "This humble servant greets Your Highness the Princess."

Princess Zhenguo said, "Go to the Dali Temple first. Don't let Zhou Liang and the others carry out the torture. Just say it's my order."

Han Yi bowed and agreed.

The secret passage: they really made the right bet.

Shen Xueshi's backing was stronger than he had imagined.

The Dali Temple has really messed up!

After Han Yi left, Xue Zhihua explained, "Your Highness, the Yu family and Shen Xian of the Shen family are engaged. The Yu family is involved in the Prince Qing's rebellion case. The Yu family's daughter escaped from the capital with the help of her uncle and went to Guhe County, Anzhou, where she was taken in by Shen Bin and his son. Shen Bin had some doubts at first, but he took full responsibility for Shen Xian!"

Upon hearing this, the Princess Zhenguo's jade-like face twitched slightly, and a look of doubt appeared in her bright, beautiful eyes. She asked, "A blind woman? A marriage agreement?"

Beneath Si Di's two sharp eyebrows, a hint of surprise appeared in her long, narrow, clear eyes, but she quickly concealed it.

Xue Zhihua's face was ashen, but she was anxious. She cupped her hands to the Princess and said, "Your Highness, I must go to the Dali Temple first to rescue Scholar Shen, otherwise the Empress Dowager will surely be furious."

With that, he bowed and took his leave.

The princess, her bright eyes beneath her willow-leaf eyebrows, looked thoughtfully at Xue Zhihua who was hurrying away, and smiled, "I've never seen Zhihua care so much about others before?"

Si Di did not respond to this, but said expressionlessly, "This humble subject will also go to the Dali Temple to take a look."

The eldest princess chuckled and said, "I have nothing to do at home, so I might as well go and see this good show. But I will also send someone to inform the Empress Dowager."

The princess also had some opinions about the arbitrary and reckless actions of the Dali Temple and the Censorate over the past two years.

The two then headed towards the Dali Temple government office.

(End of this chapter)