Lord Li stood in the Ministry of Justice's main hall and ordered those below, "Hmph, do not send food to the three people in the prison. Let them know my might."
She had favored Xi Chen, considering it his good fortune, but instead, she was beaten soundly. As for the two who fought with Xi Chen, especially that woman, she actually dared to threaten her.
Someone walked in through the doorway. She looked up and saluted, "Minister Jun, why have you come at this late hour?"
Minister Jun nodded, "I just came to take a look. Were there any cases today?" The Empress had been investigating strictly lately, and she had to manage the Ministry of Justice's affairs well, or she would end up like Prime Minister Lin.
It was all her son's fault; he didn't speak up for her before the Empress. After so many years, she had raised a useless person!
Lord Li said, "Minister Jun, today there was only a street brawl, and they have been arrested and put in prison."
"Mm, you keep an eye on things recently." Minister Jun, upon hearing it was just a brawl, waved her hand, not paying much attention. She glanced at the table and saw the written record of the brawl case. Just as she was about to stamp it, she heard a commotion at the door.
She saw that the arrivals were Lan Ting and Mei Dong. Her eyelids twitched, and she stood up, saying, "Prince Ting, Miss Mei Dong, why have you come?" Both of these individuals were favored by the Empress. They wouldn't come without a reason.
Mei Dong had come because she saw the signal flare. When she arrived, she met Lan Ting and was asked to accompany him. "Minister Jun, this servant came on the Empress's orders."
"The Empress?" Minister Jun was bewildered. Where was the Empress? "Miss Mei Dong, is there a mistake? I haven't seen the Empress today." The Empress should be in the palace!
Mei Dong took out a token. Minister Jun and Lord Li quickly bowed. "Seeing the token is like seeing the Empress. The Empress has already informed this servant that she is here. Guards, search!"
The Imperial Guards she brought dispersed and went to various parts of the Ministry of Justice.
Minister Jun was immediately puzzled. What was going on! She couldn't help but look at Lord Li and accuse, "Did you do something!"
She shot an angry and anxious glance at Lord Li, then quickly followed Mei Dong, praying that the Empress was not really here. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to explain herself.
Meanwhile, inside the prison, Lan Yan was leisurely sitting on the ground, eating candy. She picked up a few blades of grass and wove them in her hands, catching the attention of Jun Ye Lan beside her.
Jun Ye Lan said nothing, calmly staying by Lan Yan's side. Soon, chaos would erupt here.
Xi Chen, in the adjacent cell, paced back and forth, banging on the cell door and shouting, "Hey, aren't you two worried! We're locked up here, and we might die. No, I absolutely cannot die here."
No one paid him any attention, and he slumped like a deflated eggplant. Just then, he saw several people walking towards the door. They were not Lord Li's people. He quickly shouted, "Hey, someone's coming. Are they going to deal with us!"
He shouted even louder, his tone more anxious.
This time, Lan Yan looked up, placed the grass dragonfly she had woven on the grass, and stood up, saying, "They're finally here."
Mei Dong appeared at the cell door. Seeing her Empress imprisoned, she shouted, "Open the door quickly."
Minister Jun, who had followed, arrived and was stunned to see Lan Yan. It was truly the Empress! She trembled all over and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, this subject is innocent. I truly did not know you were here!"
"Please spare this subject's life, Your Majesty."
Seeing Minister Jun like this, Lord Li finally understood Lan Yan's identity. Her pupils widened in shock, and she was momentarily unable to react, her throat unable to utter a sound.
Lan Yan looked coldly at the two, sarcastically saying, "You are truly excellent officials of the Ministry of Justice. Lord Li, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
Hearing Lan Yan call her name, Lord Li quickly knelt before her and stammered, "Your Majesty, this subject..."
"If you can't say it, then I will," Lan Yan said, putting her hands behind her back. "Lord Li, you defy the law, arbitrarily arresting citizens for your own selfish desires, and you intended to inflict private punishment. You also claimed your words were law and not to be debated."
She looked at Mei Dong and called out, "Mei Dong, slap her fifty times first."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Mei Dong stepped forward, rolled up her sleeves, and slapped Lord Li fiercely.
Lord Li's cheek turned red. After a few slaps, she fell to the ground in disarray. Blood trickled from her lips, and she covered her cheek, saying, "Please spare this subject, Your Majesty! This subject knows her mistake."
Lan Yan would not let her off so easily. She turned to Minister Jun, "Minister Jun, you are her superior. You are also at fault for not managing your subordinate properly. You must also be punished."
This was her true purpose for coming.
Minister Jun was startled, knowing Lan Yan was using her as an example. She looked at Jun Ye Lan and cried out, "Ye Lan, I am your mother. Quickly plead with the Empress for me."
Given the Empress's favoritism towards Jun Ye Lan, no mistake she made would matter.
Jun Ye Lan remained indifferent, as if she hadn't heard Minister Jun. It was at this moment that Minister Jun realized she was her mother! Yet, she had never glanced at her before.
Seeing Jun Ye Lan not responding, a flicker of anger ignited in Minister Jun's eyes. "Jun Ye Lan, I have raised you for so many years, and you are truly as your brother said, heartless and unfeeling."
Fortunately, she had doted on Jun Jiu since childhood, not this unfilial son.
Jun Ye Lan stared at Minister Jun and said coldly, "Those last few words should be applied to you. You know perfectly well how my father died. Since you abandoned me, why bother begging me."
Minister Jun stood frozen on the spot, speechless.
Lan Yan looked at Jun Ye Lan and quietly held his hand. She knew Jun Ye Lan carried much pain, but she hadn't expected it to be this deep. Her heart was filled with a surge of emotion.
Jun Ye Lan felt the warmth in her palm, and some of the anger towards Minister Jun dissipated. He turned his head to look at the grass dragonfly woven on the grass and silently put it into his sleeve.
Lan Yan looked at the two kneeling on the ground. "Lord Li will be directly imprisoned. As for Minister Jun, she is suspended and will remain at home. I will thoroughly investigate the Ministry of Justice. If any other problems are found, Minister Jun must be prepared."
Minister Jun collapsed onto the ground, taken away in a state of panic. She thought of Jun Jiu's words: if Jun Jiu were by the Empress's side now, she would surely be fine.
A secret plan began to form in her mind; she had to go back quickly.
As Lan Yan prepared to leave, she heard shouts from behind and turned her head to look at Xi Chen.
"You're the Empress? That infamous Empress!" Xi Chen stared at Lan Yan in surprise. It was somewhat different from what he had heard in Hao Country. He had heard the Empress was ugly, but now she seemed somewhat attractive.
He would never admit it, shouting, "Hey, let me go quickly. I am your sworn enemy."
Lan Yan turned away directly, ignoring Xi Chen's noisy protests. At the doorway, she said to Mei Dong, "Release him half an hour later. Give him a small lesson."
This person's mouth was too venomous and too loud.
She took Jun Ye Lan's hand and walked towards the entrance of the Ministry of Justice.