Chapter 49
The Emperor really likes his daughter. The Imperial Knife Corps make one last appearance.
Thanks to Leecherleechleech who edited this chapter.
Chapter Forty Nine The Honor of the Imperial House
Very quickly the Imperial Decree concerning the Count of Bei Lu and Jin An Princess Royal was sent down. At the same time, there was also the decree bestowing the titles to the two children of Jin An Princess. As to the Count of Bei Lu, Qing De Emperor didn't take away his title. He only let the servants drag him to the Meridian Gate of the Palace to be punished with forty blows. In the Imperial Decree, he clarified "The conduct of Jing Zhou's Cao Clan is not good, their morality lacking. They cannot be a choice for marriage. Zhen is shamed to regret, but it is too late. The only wise is that no other in the future will suffer zhen's pain."
This sounded like that the emperor was reflecting on himself but in reality, it was saying, this entire Cao Family isn't any good, their conduct and morals aren't good, zhen was blind to marry his daughter to the Cao Family. Hopefully, no other person will be blind and enter into marital relationships with the Cao Family.
This was actually the most vicious. The Cao Family was a famous family in Jing Zhou. There would have unmarried males and females in the clan. Once the emperor's decree came out, no one would dare make marital relations with the Cao Family. Otherwise, wouldn't that be going against the Emperor? This Count of Bei Lu doomed his entire clan.
When Qu Qing Ju heard this decree, she suddenly understood, this was true imperial power. If the Emperor said that the people of the Cao Family weren't good, then it was that the members of the Cao Family one hundred percent had problems. Whoever dared to ask for mercy would be as lacking in morals and conduct as the members of the Cao Family.
How many innocent males and females of the Cao Family would be affected, Qu Qing Ju didn't know but she sympathized for them. She also felt that the conduct of the Count of Bei Lu was truly disgusting. When he returned to the clan, how much would the clan hate him?
When He Heng came into the zhengyuan, he coincidentally saw Qu Qing Ju sitting in a daze. He walked behind her: "What are you thinking with such focus about?"
"About the members of the Cao Family," She turned her head back to look at He Heng, not covering the truth, "and how many people would be implicated with the Count of Bei Lu."
"These people are truly innocent, but who let them all have the same Cao name?" He Heng understood that she was sympathizing with the innocent members of the Cao Family, and explained, "If only the Count of Bei Lu was punished, then where is the Imperial House's dignity. Additionally, fuhuang's actions are already light. A hundred years earlier, an ancestor had a fuma who took a qie into the fu and imprisoned the princess. In the end, his family was sentenced to execution. His relations within five clans were all demoted to jian min. [i]"
Qu Qing Ju stopped in shock. If the cost was so high, why do such a thing? If the princess' conduct was lacking, then it was reasonable, but Jin An Princess raised a son and daughter and treated the Count of Bei Lu very well. To do what the Count of Bei Lu did, didn't he feel guilty?
"Alright, don't think about such things," He Heng patted the back of her hand. He smiled and said, "Now it is already like this, you don't have to worry. In the future when you have the time, just visit the princess' fu more often."
Qu Qing Ju nodded, her face relaxing slightly. She looked at the condition of the sky outside. It was dark and likely to rain: "The weather doesn't look good. The wind might start up. If you are going out, you have to wear more."
"Don't worry, there's Ming He and the others," He Heng waved his hand, "I'll accompany you for the noon meal before going out. This afternoon, the Count of Bei Lu is leaving Jing. Us brothers have to at least bid him farewell."
Hearing this, Qu Qing Ju silently lit a candle for the Count of Bei Lu inside.
There were always people passing through the four main gates of Jing City. The city of Jing's prosperity caused many to come to Jing to make a living. There even were many foreigners that set down roots in Jing City to live. But at this time at the north gate, not many people were passing through, only some of the public watching from far away.
"Count of Bei Lu is leaving so soon? Why don't you stay a few more days, ben wang and brothers hadn't even properly received you, you're in such a rush." He Qi looked at the Count of Bei Lu that knelt in front of him. He gave a hearty laugh and reached out to heavily pat on the Count of Bei Lu's shoulder. He watched as the Count of Bei Lu's originally pale face become even uglier.
" "Look at the count's white face. No wonder he could seduce those unclean and unknown women outside," He Yuan sat on a tall white horse, staring from half-lidded eyes down at the Count of Bei Lu, "Now you can go far away with that woman freely. Such a cause for celebration. Ben wang will give his congratulations here. Come, present the gift that ben wang has prepared for the Count of Bei Lu's beloved."
The Count of Bei Lu had been sentenced to a beating, and shivered as he knelt. When Rui Wang's gift was presented, his expression changed out of fright. He had seen such a medicine bottle before. Inside was a medicine called "Linked in Countless Ways". After the person swallowed the medicine, his stomach and intestines would hurt in countless ways. The medicine would sap all energy from the body to the point that suicide wasn't possible. They had to suffer in pain for an entire day before death.
"A beauty is only fit to use a medicine with a beautiful name, what does the Count of Bei Lu think of ben wang's gift?" He Yuan jumped off the horse, walking in front of the Count of Bei Lu. He used the tip of his foot to raise the chin, looking at the other's sweaty state, he revealed a few fractions of mirth, "If you don't like it, ben wang can give you another gift?"
Hearing Rui Wang put emphasis on the word you, the Count of Bei Lu kowtowed and said: "Thanks to Your Highness Rui Wang for your gift."
Seeing his state, He Yuan took his foot away in disgust. The little taijian that followed behind him hurriedly knelt on the ground and took out a handkerchief to carefully wipe the tip of his shoe, the disdain clearly displayed.
He Heng cheerfully watched this scene. Seeing the Count of Bei Lu tighten his fist, he bent down to speak to him: "Think how grand you were in the past, and look at you now. You don't want to be that high up fuma, but you want to be that dog that everyone hates. Should ben wang say you are pitiful or disgusting?" Finishing, he straightened his body and announced in a loud voice, "The princesses of the Imperial Family are born into high status, beautiful and virtuous. You betrayed Princess and son and daughter. The Imperial Family can't have a fuma like you. In the future, the Cao Family of Jing Zhou is forbidden to ever enter the City of Jing. Otherwise, our He Family will punish each as they appear." Finishing, he gave a kick to the body of the Count of Bei Lu, brushed off the non-existent dust on his clothes and got on his own date-colored steed.
"Get out, get out," He Qi disliked his disgusting state too, turning and leaving on his horse. He Heng and He Yuan didn't look at him, leaving on their horses as well.
The horse that He Yuan was riding made his tail whip across the Count of Bei Lu's body, but the count could only kneel straight up, not daring to evade.
Seeing the wang ye leave, the surrounding people then came over, pointing and telling the countless versions of what the Count of Bei Lu had done. But in all of them, it was how despicable the Count of Bei Lu was and how enticing the woman that seduced the count was.
To the citizens, if the emperor and the wang ye said it was not good, then it was naturally very not good. As to if this matter occurred between ordinary people, what they would have done, only they themselves would know.
The Count of Bei Lu forced himself onto the carriage with the help of a manservant. He laid on his stomach on the soft cushions as he thought back to how magnificent he was that year he had come back to Jing and the sorry figure now. He started to become regretful.
If he had always been good with the princess, then these wang ye today would have been courteous to him, and everyone in the Cao Family would have been carefully flattering himself. Now, even if he did go back to Jing Zhou, the entire Cao Family probably wanted to eat his flesh and drink his blood.
Tightening his grip around the medicine bottle in his head, the Count of Bei Lu's eyes darkened. If it wasn't that whore seducing him, he and the princess wouldn't be in this position today!
After the incident involving Jin An Princess Royal had been passed around in Jing for a few days, it settled down. For the womenfolk, it was just that there was another person to praise and flatter in Jing. To men, it was reminding them not to interact with the Cao Family of Jing Zhou in the future. Otherwise, there was no change.
The first month quickly passed by. Just as everyone quieted down, another storm of thunder and lightning came upon Jing. His Highness Ning Wang had found the mastermind behind the attempted assassination of the imperial envoy. And that person was the most favoured by the emperor, His Highness Rui Wang.
His Highness Rui Wang's people tried to argue for Rui Wang but Ning Wang provided many pieces of evidence. For example, how the assassins killed by the guards had once served in Rui Wang Fu, and a protective talisman found on a certain assassin's body had been requested from the Five Estates Monastery from a certain yahuan of Rui wang Fu. There were even witnesses who claimed that on the second day after Cheng Wang left the city, Rui Wang had secretly met with certain members of the group.
After Qing De Emperor finished listening to the entire matter, he was so angry he couldn't speak a word. On the spot, he was so angry he spat out a mouth of blood and fainted. He was quickly sent back to Tian Qi Palace under a crowd of people, the taiyi on duty at the Imperial Hospital summoned.
Because He Yuan couldn't come to court, the Emperor had regained consciousness when he had received the news. He wanted to leave the fu to see the emperor but he found that the Imperial Guards that he assumed he could casually order around suddenly became unmovable.
The people inside couldn't go out, the people outside couldn't come in. He Yuan smashed a few more objects in frustration before he remembered his subordinate Gao Duo was coincidentally in the fu and had a taijian summon him.
When Gao Duo rushed to the study, He Yuan's anger hadn't calmed. He pointed at Hao Duo and accused: "In the beginning, it was you who put out such a bad idea, now that it's like this, how is it possible to end it?!"
Gao duo gave a proper greeting, his face not changing expression. He explained: "Wang ye, this one didn't think that it would happen like this. And this one is suspicious, someone is purposefully framing you."
"Of course, ben wang also knows that someone is framing me, do I need you to tell me?!" He Yuan pushed a brush stand onto the ground, "Killing brothers, if this kind of label comes down, ben wang is finished."
"Wang ye naturally knows that there is someone framing you, but this one's meaning is, why is this person framing you, and who is the person framing you?" Gao Duo's tone became slightly deeper, "You are the most favoured imperial son of the Emperor. Naturally, others would be jealous. Only if you fall, will he then have a chance."
"He Qi, it must be him!" He Yuan hatefully concluded, "This incident was investigated by him, he was more enthusiastic than anyone else. He dares to frame me."
Gao Duo lowered his face and bowed to comment: "Wang ye, this one thinks that this time, you have to let some blood out."
He Yuan's eyes slightly changed. He thought for a beat before ordering: "Come, bring a cloth."
Gao Duo smiled, "Wang ye is wise and understands how to move the emperor's heart. This one will retreat first."
He Yuan waved his hand, letting him know he could leave.
Coming out of the study, Gao Duo ran his fingers through his beard, a smile appearing on his face.
[i] 贱民: 贱 inexpensive/lowly民 people/citizen. Jian min is a social stratum below ordinary people.