BLHO Chapter 41
by VolareThe spring night was enchanting, the threads of love endless, but no one pitied the inseparable lovers. As soon as the hour of Mao (5-7 am) arrived, the people from the Three Law Divisions, accompanied by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, arrived at the General’s Manor and took He Yuncheng away.
Shen Tan was responsible for escorting him, but she didn’t arrest or tie him up, leaving him enough dignity.
The whole process was peaceful and smooth, with the people of the General’s Manor fully cooperating.
However, everyone knew in their hearts that beneath the calm surface lay unpredictable undercurrents.
After He Yuncheng left, Lin Shuangxu went to the He Family Ancestral Hall and didn’t come out for the entire day.
The whole manor was deathly silent. It wasn’t until evening that the housekeeper dared to go in and call him.
“Young Master, you haven’t eaten anything all day, please go and have a meal.”
Lin Shuangxu’s legs were stiff from kneeling and he couldn’t stand up for a moment. He turned his head to look at the housekeeper, then looked at the sky.
He instructed him, “Prepare the carriage.”
–
At the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, Song Jiting was almost going crazy.
There was no time left. Tomorrow was the joint trial by the Three Law Divisions, and he had failed to fulfill his promise to Lin Shuangxu in the end.
He couldn’t understand where the problem lay.
He had clearly coaxed Li Yuliang, who had personally promised when he left that he would take him to see his father next time they met.
Why had he disappeared without a trace, with no news for several days?
“Master Song, listen to me, the Imperial Palace is heavily guarded, you can’t get in even if you go. It’s so late, rest assured, maybe Grand Eunuch will come tomorrow…”
The madam tried to persuade him in every way, but she couldn’t stop him. Song Jiting wrapped himself in fox fur, covered his face with a veil, and hurried out.
When the madam wouldn’t let the coachman drive, he jumped up and drove the horse himself.
Having no other choice, the madam was afraid that something would happen to him alone, so she had to risk her life to accompany him.
But how could commoners like them get close to the Imperial Palace? The carriage stopped a long distance from the Meridian Gate.
The guard at the gate was a confidant of Grand Eunuch, so the madam told Song Jiting to wait in the carriage while she delivered a message to see if she could get Grand Eunuch to come out for a moment.
This trip turned into another endless wait.
The wind was terribly strong at night, slicing like knives, and the horses’ hooves were unsteady.
Song Jiting sat in the carriage, his body swaying with the carriage, and he became increasingly agitated.
In fact, at this point, it made no difference whether Li Yuliang came to see him or not.
Even if he came and told him where his father was, what could he do?
It was too late for him to ask the General’s Manor to help rescue him.
He had already given up this hope.
The reason he had to come to the Imperial Palace was because of his anger towards Li Yuliang.
Why go back on a promise that had been made? Was he toying with him? On what basis?
Time passed bit by bit, and he waited more and more anxiously.
After who knows how long, he finally heard footsteps outside the carriage.
A glimmer of life appeared on his pale face, and Song Jiting couldn’t wait to get out of the carriage.
But before he could get up, the carriage door was pushed open.
Giving him no time to react, a dagger was quickly thrust in.
The cold blade pressed against his neck, not giving him a chance to resist.
“Don’t move.”
–
On the day of the joint trial by the Three Law Divisions, goose feather snow covered the entire Fengdu City, and heaven and earth were waiting for the redress of a wrongful case—
A princess of a country married a military general, and was brutally abused on the night of their wedding, committing suicide in humiliation.
If the culprit could not be severely punished, the authority of the imperial power would be lost.
He Yuncheng was escorted to the court as a suspect, and his expression didn’t change as he faced the officials of the Three Law Divisions.
But he didn’t expect that the Empress Dowager, who was originally scheduled to preside over the trial, was replaced by the young Emperor Gu Huan today.
Gu Huan sat high in the main seat, and he was obviously unaccustomed to the solemn court.
It was hard for He Yuncheng not to suspect that Li Yuliang was behind it. Before the court session, he first raised a question: “Wasn’t it agreed that the Empress Dowager would preside over this case?”
No one answered.
Li Yuliang stood beside Gu Huan, his eyes lowered and silent.
Shen Tan guarded the court with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the officials of the Three Law Divisions sat in their respective positions, each with a cold face and sealed lips, like dummies.
Gu Huan tried his best to calm himself, but he couldn’t hide the fear in his eyes when he met He Yuncheng’s gaze.
Not long ago, he had secretly sent a message to He Yuncheng, entrusting him with an important task.
In the blink of an eye, the princess had died tragically in the General’s Manor.
He dared not trust He Yuncheng again.
He Yuncheng felt extremely powerless. The Emperor was determined to rectify the court, but he lacked both political skills and courage. He wavered and struggled between loyal ministers and treacherous officials, only stirring up the water more and more.
After a moment of silence, Gu Huan said to He Yuncheng, “The Empress Dowager suddenly caught a cold and can’t come. I will personally try this case.”
It seemed that the situation today was more difficult than he had imagined, and He Yuncheng couldn’t help but become more vigilant.
He no longer questioned it, knelt down, and kowtowed to Gu Huan.
Gu Huan sat up straight and pointed at him, asking, “He Yuncheng, do you plead guilty?”
“Your Majesty, I have never harmed the princess, and I have no guilt to plead.”
His posture was tough, and his words shocked Gu Huan, who forgot what to say next.
In his anxiety, Gu Huan looked at the person beside him with his eyes.
Li Yuliang’s sharp eyes swept over, and he stepped forward.
“General He, the night the princess had the accident was your wedding night with her. In the General’s Manor, no one else could have gotten close to her except you. How do you want to defend yourself?”
In the courtroom, a eunuch spoke, and He Yuncheng could hardly suppress the anger in his heart.
He disdained to look at him directly and replied, “That day was indeed the day of my marriage with the princess, but I did not consummate the marriage with her. When she had the accident, I was not in the room.”
Hearing this, everyone showed a puzzled expression.
Li Yuliang asked, “Why not consummate the marriage on your wedding night?”
Now that things had come to this, there was no need to hide what should be confessed.
He Yuncheng said, “This was agreed upon by me and the princess. She didn’t favor me in the first place, and I had no romantic feelings for her either. This marriage was not based on our true intentions.”
Li Yuliang pressed, “If there was no affection, why did you agree in the first place?”
“Naturally, it was for…”
He Yuncheng suddenly stopped halfway through his words, staring at Li Yuliang, his eyes seeming to penetrate him.
However, Li Yuliang was not affected by him. It was Gu Huan on the side who was feeling guilty.
The marriage between the He family and the royal family was to maintain the stability of military power and consolidate imperial power, precisely to restrain the arbitrary eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
If Gu Huan hadn’t personally asked him, He Yuncheng would never have agreed to this absurd marriage.
Now that a traitor had schemed and interfered, Gu Huan immediately wavered, completely unable to distinguish between loyalty and treachery, which was really infuriating.
He Yuncheng suppressed his impulse and didn’t drag the Emperor into the chaotic situation.
He said, “Naturally, it was for my father and the Empress Dowager’s expectations over the years.”
Li Yuliang remained unmoved and continued to interrogate, “Since the general said that he was not in the bridal chamber on his wedding night, then please tell me, where were you that night, what did you do, and who can prove it?”
The courtroom was silent, and the officials of the Three Law Divisions were writing, waiting for him to confess the details.
After waiting for a long time, they still didn’t get a response.
“General He?” Li Yuliang urged him to answer.
He Yuncheng remained silent, scanning the officials present, his eyes clearly calm, but inexplicably chilling.
“I’ve said it, I didn’t kill the person.”
His words of defense sounded more like a warning to everyone present.
Gu Huan lowered his head, wanting to speak, but was afraid of angering He Yuncheng. If the He family raised troops in revolt, the court would have almost no possibility of suppressing them.
However, Li Yuliang didn’t allow him this argument and said sternly, “General He, I’m asking, on your wedding night, where did you disappear to?”