The repeated calls of "brother-in-law" were quite pleasing, and the young girl was more sensible than an emperor.
Xiao Shan graciously stopped and, upon hearing the full story, frowned.
"Brother-in-law! I really don't think he would kill anyone. My imperial sister once said that a person's first impression is very important, just like when she met you, she felt you were trustworthy. When I saw that scholar, I felt he was the kind of person who should be well-behaved and polite."
"Oh, is that so!" Xiao Shan raised an eyebrow. "That makes a lot of sense."
In the end, Xiao Shan naturally helped. He first sent Chen Kui to stop the execution, then dispatched Lingxi to report to the palace, and ordered the Dali Temple to re-investigate the case.
He then went to the outskirts alone.
After returning to the palace, Lingxi first went to Fengque Tower to find Lingyao. Lingyao did not concern herself with minor court affairs; that was the responsibility of her imperial brother. Upon hearing the news Lingxi brought, she naturally sought to understand the situation first.
The palace attendant sent to the Imperial Study directly brought back the case files.
"Liu Donghuai?" Lingyao exclaimed, flipping through the dossier. "Bozi Village, Donglin County, father Liu Demao... recommended by the county magistrate. Is it really him?"
"Imperial sister knows him? A very well-behaved scholar, not dressed particularly well."
"Yes, of course, I know him. Murdering his mother and wife, how is that possible?"
Liu Donghuai was different from his cunning father. He looked frail but possessed a spirit of chivalry and upright character. Although somewhat weak, he was by no means someone who couldn't withstand hardship.
When his father was thrown into prison by Xiao Shan, he hadn't lost his integrity. Could a mere imperial examination drive him mad?
Looking again at the dossier, the actual accuser was only his neighbor. The rest were circumstantial evidence. His wife, the daughter of his tutor, was considered a party involved, not a proper witness.
"Lingxi, your intuition is correct. I also don't believe he would kill anyone."
This matter needed to be thoroughly re-investigated. With the imperial examinations imminent, such an incident involving a scholar from a humble background could not be handled so carelessly. The common people had already harbored grievances against the imperial family in recent years. If this case involved injustice, it was an opportunity to redress the wrong, overturn the verdict, and demonstrate the imperial family's importance to scholars from humble backgrounds across the land.
Her imperial brother's handling of this matter was too casual. He failed to realize that true talent came from the populace, not from those wealthy idlers who were overfed and corpulent.
"Lingxi, you will handle this..."
...
At the execution ground, the sun hung high, past noon. The surrounding crowd began to murmur. Xie Er, standing within the throng, his face full of smugness, grew impatient.
However, it wasn't worry about the proceedings changing, but rather a desire to see the person die quickly.
After all, a case finalized by the Dali Temple was unlikely to be altered.
Due to the heinous nature of the crime, the Minister of the Dali Temple was personally overseeing the execution. Ever since Chen Kui presented the Divine Might General's token and announced a postponement, he had felt a sense of unease.
This case was not handled by him, but by the Deputy Minister. However, the final decision was signed by him and submitted to the Emperor. Could something have gone wrong?
He looked again at the prisoner, a frail scholar with no trace of malice, nor any sign of madness.
His heart began to beat faster and faster.
He glanced up at the time and couldn't help but ask Chen Kui, who stood unmoving beside him, "General Chen, how much longer must we wait? If, by chance, something goes wrong, and His Majesty investigates..."
"Will the investigation reach you? Are you taller than the general to prop up the sky? Just wait patiently!"
Chen Kui was extremely impolite. He had heard from the general that this pretty boy was quite promiscuous, frequenting brothels all day. Disgusting! Truly disgusting!
The Minister of the Dali Temple was infuriated. If this fellow hadn't held the Divine Might General's token, would he even bother with him?
A mere fourth-rank deputy general dared to put on airs with him.
Because the execution order was delayed, no one attended to the visiting family members. Su Yurou knelt before Liu Donghuai, stiffly holding a bowl of meat for a long time.
Liu Donghuai never looked at her.
He only said, "Take care of yourself."
He had no regrets towards her.
That path of no return was her own choice.
He only regretted not killing that villain and avenging his mother.
The passionate dreams of his youth had ultimately remained just dreams. It turned out that the sky of Da Jing was this dark.
"Husband, please eat a bite, I beg you..."
Liu Donghuai looked miserable. His face and body were covered in dirt and bloodstains, his mouth swollen and black from beatings. He hadn't eaten a grain of rice for days, yet he felt no hunger.
Therefore, the food before him held no appeal.
The onlookers sighed at the wife's devotion, which only made Su Yurou more embarrassed, wishing she could leave immediately.
But she still wanted to look at him, to look at him for a few more final moments.
She knew that no one would ever be this good to her again, no one would tuck her in at night, speak to her in a gentle voice, or secretly take out hidden eggs that they were reluctant to eat for her.
No one would inadvertently change the subject when her mother-in-law complained about her, diverting her mother-in-law's thoughts elsewhere, and then quietly hold her hand.
No one would stand in front of her when she was in danger.
"If only I hadn't come to the capital in the first place..." she blurted out again.
This caused Liu Donghuai to show a look of disgust.
She still didn't understand where she had gone wrong.
At this moment, he was rather glad that he wouldn't spend his life with such a woman; it would have been truly disgusting.
For some reason, the execution had not yet commenced at this hour. He closed his eyes, without any hope, waiting quietly.
"Liu Donghuai!"
With a loud, clear shout, the eyes of everyone who had grown impatient were drawn to the source.
On the execution platform stood a round-faced woman in a green dress. Liu Donghuai opened his eyes. Due to his weakness, his mind was not entirely clear, and he mistook her for someone from his memory.
The Minister of the Dali Temple stood up and asked Chen Kui, "Why has Princess Lingxi come?"
He hoped it wasn't that they had waited all this time just for her!
A princess with no real power could not bear the responsibility for this delay!
"Why do you have so many questions? Can't you be more steady, woman? It's still a long way from dark!"
The Minister of the Dali Temple truly couldn't communicate with this brute!
Lingxi looked at Su Yurou. "You are Liu Donghuai's wife? You said he wanted to kill you? Are you telling the truth? If you lie, you will incur divine retribution!"
Su Yurou didn't know who she was, her face contorted, and she bit her lip, refusing to say a word.
Ling'er loudly reprimanded, "Princess Lingxi is asking you! Answer quickly!"
Princess Lingxi?
The commoners below heard it. The person above was Princess Lingxi.
Xie Er's face froze for a moment.
Su Yurou was terrified. The bowl dropped to the ground, and she repeatedly kowtowed, saying over and over, "This commoner doesn't know, this commoner doesn't know, this commoner knows nothing..."
"If you don't know, you say he killed someone? This is outrageous! Liu Donghuai! You speak, did you kill anyone? If you did, the law will not spare you. If you didn't, justice will be served!"
Lingxi spoke loudly in front of so many people for the first time. She was very nervous, her face taut. To outsiders, she appeared very serious, her demeanor stern and imposing.