The emperor’s eyes widened slightly.
Not just him—every official in the court was stunned.
Since the founding of Great Xia, this was the first time a woman had ever set foot in the imperial court!
"Your Majesty, my daughter is reckless. I beg Your Majesty not to—"
Before Chu Huaishan could finish, Cao Yang stepped forward. "Your Majesty! The grievance drum has been struck. Since there is an injustice, should we not first allow the petitioner to enter?"
The emperor’s voice was heavy. "Let her in!"
Chu Ruoyan led Ajiao into the hall.
She dared not meet her father’s gaze, focusing only on supporting Ajiao as they walked steadily forward.
When they reached the center of the court, her eyes briefly met Yan Zheng’s. She pressed her hands together before her forehead and knelt in deep reverence. "This subject, Lady Chu, greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"
The emperor stared at her bowed back. "You claim there is an injustice?"
"It is my husband’s family who has suffered injustice!" Chu Ruoyan’s voice was steady and unwavering. "My father-in-law was betrayed, his city’s defenses stolen, leading to its fall and his death. By chance, I uncovered the culprit, but as a mere woman ignorant of state affairs, I have brought the perpetrator here for Your Majesty’s judgment!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Ajiao stood up.
The palace guards instantly surrounded her, but Ajiao remained unafraid. She tossed her hair back and smiled at the Marquis of Pingjing. "My lord, do you still recognize Ajiao?"
Her face had been disfigured by Yan Zheng, but her eyes were clear. The Marquis of Pingjing recognized her at once. "It’s you! Yes, yes—quickly, tell His Majesty the truth! You and I have no connection—"
"My lord, those words wound me." She curled her lips. "Have you forgotten? At Wangshuang Tower, it was you who said my face resembled Rong Shan’s. You ordered me to get close to the young master and steal military secrets… It was also you who said the Yan family was kind-hearted, so you arranged for those ruffians to harass me, allowing Young Master Yan to rescue me and thus infiltrate the Yan household."
The court erupted in uproar!
To exploit someone’s kindness and then annihilate their entire family—such behavior was worse than beasts!
Only Grand Tutor Rong murmured in a daze, "Shan’er…"
Ajiao, already severely injured, collapsed to the ground after speaking, her strength spent.
The Marquis of Pingjing shouted, "You’re lying! It was you who came to me, offering to help—"
The moment those words left his mouth, Chu Ruoyan’s lips curved into a faint smile.
The emperor clutched his forehead in frustration.
His cousin was truly a fool—this was practically a confession!
The Marquis of Pingjing froze, realizing he had just sealed his own fate. He scrambled on his knees toward the emperor. "Cousin! I—I was wrong! I’ll never dare again! Please, for the sake of our aunt, the Empress Dowager, spare me! I don’t want to die!"
His pitiful display drew scornful gazes from all present.
The emperor remained silent, still massaging his temples.
The Marquis of Pingjing’s hope withered. He turned and crawled toward Yan Zheng. "Yan Sanlang… Marquis of Anning, I was wrong! I’m worse than an animal! Please, show mercy—let me live!"
He punctuated each word with a slap to his own face, the sharp cracks echoing through the hall.
The emperor could no longer endure the spectacle. "Enough!"
The Marquis of Pingjing shuddered, then screamed in despair, "It was him! Yan Xu struck first at Nanhe! I only sought vengeance—what’s wrong with that? Your Majesty, he was my only brother!"
The emperor slammed his palm on the table. "Your brother? Back at the border, he slaughtered an entire village to claim false merit, then defiled the only survivor—a girl not yet thirteen—driving her to lodge a blood-soaked accusation! If Yan Xu hadn’t executed him, I would have!"
The Marquis of Pingjing fell silent, clutching his head and weeping.
The emperor slumped back into his chair. No matter how much he wished to protect his cousin now, it was impossible…
"Cao Yang."
"Your servant is here."
"Draft the edict. The Marquis of Pingjing, for leaking military secrets and conspiring to murder the general’s family, is stripped of his title and imprisoned. Execution in the autumn—"
Before he could say "execution," a herald announced loudly, "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has arrived!"
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
Empress Dowager Su, clad in a bright yellow court robe and a phoenix crown adorned with pearls, entered slowly, supported by Prince Yu.
The assembly bowed. "Greetings to the Empress Dowager! May Your Majesty live a thousand years!"
Even the emperor rose. "Mother, why have you come in person?"
Empress Dowager Su swept a cold gaze across the hall. "If I hadn’t come, I would have watched you behead my nephew with my own eyes!"
Hearing this, the Marquis of Pingjing clung to her legs like a drowning man. "Aunt! Aunt! You must save me!"
The hearts of everyone else sank.
The Empress Dowager’s stance was clear—she intended to shield Su Nantian.
Grand Tutor Rong stepped forward. "Empress Dowager—"
"Grand Tutor Rong," Empress Dowager Su interrupted. "The emperor tells me you’ve never engaged in factional politics all these years, remaining a loyal minister. What now? Has your son-in-law’s death finally moved you to act?"
Grand Tutor Rong’s face flushed. "This old subject is not acting for his sake—"
"Then step aside."
Empress Dowager Su then turned to Cao Yang.
Prince Yu accused, "Mother, it was him! He blocked me from taking Ajiao away. You must charge him with insubordination!"
Cao Yang’s heart lurched, but he stood his ground. "Your Highness, do you have proof?"
Prince Yu faltered. "My personal guards saw it!"
"Witnesses must be impartial. This subject cannot accept the charge."
Prince Yu was left speechless. Empress Dowager Su nodded slowly. "Very well. Minister Cao, your brother married my daughter. Our families are bound by marriage. Even if you disregard my face, think of your brother, Imperial Son-in-law Cao."
Cao Yang paled. After a moment of hesitation, he retreated.
Next, Chu Huaishan stepped forward, but Empress Dowager Su cut him off. "Duke Chu, think carefully. She is not your only daughter."
With that, she approached Chu Ruoyan. "You are the wife of the Marquis of Anning?"
"I am."
Empress Dowager Su flicked her sleeve sharply. "Seize her!"
The guards rushed forward.
The emperor protested, "Mother, this—"
"Emperor, if you wish to punish the Marquis of Pingjing, I will not interfere. But this woman trespassed into the palace and violated ancestral law by entering the Hall of Heavenly Worship. I shall deal with her according to ritual law. Do you object?"
The emperor fell silent.
Chu Huaishan tried to intervene but was stopped by Chancellor Gu.
Yan Zheng suddenly spoke. "She is innocent!"
Empress Dowager Su had been waiting for this. "Innocent? She trespassed into the palace! By law, she must receive thirty strikes of the rod. Marquis of Anning, think carefully—thirty strikes could take her life!"
Yan Zheng’s eyes burned red, as if he wanted to tear her apart. Empress Dowager Su stumbled back, barely keeping her footing.
The hall was deathly silent.
Everyone held their breath.
The Empress Dowager was forcing Yan Zheng to choose—avenge his family at the cost of his wife’s life, or spare his enemy to save her…
Then Chu Ruoyan let out a soft laugh. "Your Majesty overestimates this subject. My humble life is hardly worth comparing to the Marquis of Pingjing’s…"
Empress Dowager Su sneered. "A life for a life—isn’t that fair? If you wish to live, beg your husband to abandon his revenge."
Chu Ruoyan shook her head. "I do wish to live. But how can my life alone atone for the hundred thousand loyal souls of the Yan family?"
Empress Dowager Su felt a foreboding premonition rise in her heart, but she saw the woman declare resolutely: "This humble subject, Lady of the Chu family, willingly accepts the punishment of caning!"
