"The time has come. Execute the sentence!"
The execution token was flung from Chu Junyi's hand and landed on the ground with a clank.
The scene fell silent, and the only sound was that clank. Then, the sunlight seemed to dim for a moment before becoming unusually glaring.
The on - lookers held their breaths.
Some who couldn't bear it fainted before the heads hit the ground and had to be supported by those around them.
The executioner tightened his grip on the knife handle, raised it high, and then brought it down with lightning speed. There was a crunch.
The person below the knife didn't even have time to feel the pain before their head rolled off.
Blood spattered across the scene. More than seventy heads fell one after another, rolling around and coming to rest face - up, revealing wide - eyed, terrified expressions and contorted faces.
The on - looking commoners shrieked in fear and then, with tears in their eyes, sighed, "Those who deserve pity must have done something hateful!"
"That's right! They've exploited the common people for over twenty years. The bodies of the common people they've persecuted could pile up into a small mountain. How can just over seventy lives atone for all their sins?"
With this said, many people felt a sense of relief, and applause and cheers rang out at the scene.
Chu Junyi leaned back in his chair, his hands tightening on the armrests. He was both nervous about the future political battles ahead and filled with the passion to forge ahead.
The end of the Fu family case marked the beginning of his struggle against the noble families. From then on, he would be the knife that Emperor Mingde used to make an example. If he succeeded, he would enjoy high positions and rich emoluments; if he failed, he would end up in a mountain of corpses.
At this moment, a bright and unrestrained figure flashed through his mind, like a cloud that was sometimes near and sometimes far.
...
"The time has passed. We, your maids, have overstepped. Princess, if you want to punish us, we will have no complaints." After Lian'er heard that the heads of the Fu family had fallen, she heaved a sigh of relief. She pulled Hongxiu and Jingbai and knelt in front of Li Xinyue to beg for punishment.
Li Xinyue opened her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling. She then remembered the croton incident that happened this morning. Someone had dared to poison her right under her nose, and she hadn't noticed at all.
It showed that she could sometimes be careless. In such a situation, having a few loyal servants gave her a sense of security.
She was so grateful to them that she couldn't bear to punish them severely.
She tapped the tea table lightly with her fingertips. Weak from her illness, she said, "Get up. You did this for my own good. I understand. Lian'er, go and boil another dose of medicine for me according to this prescription. Hongxiu, go and reorganize the kitchen."
Li Xinyue pointed weakly at the prescription on the small table.
When she woke up this morning, her cold had gotten worse.
Yesterday, she had only suffered from a splitting headache and a hoarse voice. Today, she felt dizzy, her voice came and went, and her nose and eyes were running non - stop. In no time, the small table was filled with wads of paper.
"Princess, this prescription doesn't seem to be written by Doctor Le. The handwriting is different. But this handwriting is really beautiful." Lian'er marveled that the princess had found another doctor for the mansion. Doctor Le was probably going to feel the pressure.
Li Xinyue didn't say anything.
Lian'er didn't ask any more questions. She tucked the princess in and then went to get the medicine.
Hongxiu also quickly took her leave.
At this time, a servant brought a letter.
Li Xinyue propped herself up halfway and opened it. It was a letter from the collateral branch of the Fu family.
There was nothing else in the letter except that the Fu family still had a few relics of her mother. If she wanted them, she could go and get them at any time.
The Fu Mansion was the natal family of Concubine Fu and could also be the natal family of the princess.
Li Xinyue sneered when she saw the last line and then used the paper to wipe her nose.
The fall of the direct branch meant the rise of the collateral branch.
Many court politicians had been implicated by the direct branch of the Fu family. Those who had managed to escape by luck would naturally have nothing to do with the collateral branch.
The collateral branch wanted to gain a foothold. Since they couldn't get help from the politicians, they came to seek help from her, Princess Yuanyang.
Sure enough, what's a curse can't be avoided.
The curse she had been avoiding for nearly a few months finally caught up with her.
Maybe the relics mentioned in the letter weren't real, or maybe there were really one or two relics of her mother.
But whether they were real or not, she really wanted to find out.
Because the death of the direct descendants of the Fu family made her extremely regretful that she hadn't grasped the last clue to find out the truth about her mother's death.
So, this time, she didn't want to miss it.
She wiped her nose and, with a heavy nasal voice, weakly but firmly ordered Jingbai, "You go to Jiangnan for me. Retrieve my mother's relics."
"Yes!"
"Be careful. Don't get involved in those messy situations. If you sense danger, return as soon as possible. If you really can't retrieve my mother's relics, forget it." Just do your best.
At this time, everything was over at the execution ground.
The bodies were taken away, and the jailers were cleaning the blood on the ground. Bucket after bucket of water was poured.
Chu Junyi took another look at the case file of the Fu family case and then prepared to return to the palace to report.
At this time, the yamen runners who were sweeping the blood took a break and chatted. The words "Princess Yuanyang" drifted into Chu Junyi's ears.
Chu Junyi stopped in his tracks and listened intently. He heard them say that the Fu family was related to Princess Yuanyang.
Chu Junyi's eyelashes fluttered. He thought, Oh no!
Yuanyang would probably hate him to death!
"Lord Chu... Oh no, I should call you Lord Chu now."
"Eunuch Wang." Chu Junyi came back to his senses and walked up a few steps to greet him.
Eunuch Wang walked over with a smiling face. He waved his whisk and then took out a roll of imperial edict and placed it in Chu Junyi's hand. Just as Chu Junyi was about to kneel to receive the edict, Eunuch Wang supported him and squeezed his hand meaningfully.
"Lord Chu, the Fu family case has finally come to an end. But the mess in Jiangnan still needs someone to clean up. The emperor trusts you and hopes that you will handle it. However, the journey is long and dangerous. The emperor has specially assigned several imperial bodyguards to you."
As Eunuch Wang said this, he motioned behind him.
The several imperial bodyguards who were following him stepped forward and saluted Chu Junyi.
Chu Junyi nodded and then looked back at Eunuch Wang. "When does the emperor want me to set off?"
"Preferably, set off immediately."
"Can I set off early tomorrow morning? I still have some private matters to attend to."
"As soon as possible."
Chu Junyi bowed his hands in thanks.
Night
Li Xinyue was lying on the couch and reached out for the medicine bowl on the small table. But her hand touched a pair of slender hands with distinct knuckles and veins, which gave her a strange feeling.
Li Xinyue opened her eyes and looked up to see Chu Junyi sitting in front of her couch with the medicine bowl. He was feeding her spoon by spoon.
Li Xinyue glanced down at the hand that was holding the spoon. She originally wanted to refuse because of the propriety between men and women. But since she was sick with a cold, she didn't want to be so formal. So, she obediently opened her mouth and swallowed the bitter medicine. Then, she saw a few preserved fruits suddenly appear in her line of sight.
Li Xinyue looked at Chu Junyi in surprise.
Chu Junyi directly stuffed them into her mouth. His movements were natural and skillful, without any awkwardness.
But Li Xinyue turned her head away awkwardly.
Chu Junyi patiently fed her. After she finished drinking all the medicine, he put down the bowl and placed his hands on his knees, nervously clenching them.
"I heard that the Fu family is your relative?" When Chu Junyi asked this question, his heart sank. He felt that there was no possibility between them.