Chapter 108
"Mother, should we turn back now and see what Old Xu is secretly up to behind your back?" Xu Qingshi's eyes sparkled as he leaned in excitedly.
"Why should we go back?" Li Zhiwei asked, puzzled.
But seeing the scheming glint in Xu Qingshi's eyes, Li Zhiwei knew she couldn’t take the child’s words at face value. After all, Xu Qingshi was both a child and a mischievously clever one at that.
"Mother, Father sent you away from the capital—maybe he’s planning something big!" Xu Qingshi declared with an air of importance.
"Oh? Then tell me, what kind of 'big thing' might your father be up to?" Li Zhiwei asked, amused.
"Maybe he wants to bring three or five concubines into the household?" Xu Qingshi mused after a moment’s thought.
"Is that so? Well, congratulations, little Qingshi. By the time we return to the capital, you might have three or five new siblings," Li Zhiwei laughed, thoroughly entertained by his imagination.
Though she didn’t know what Xu Heming was truly planning, she doubted it involved taking concubines. If he dared, her father would be the first to object.
But since her father had also urged her to return to Li'an County, this was likely related to court affairs.
Besides, Xu Qingshi had been brought along, which suggested Xu Heming would be too busy in the coming days to look after him.
And then there was the escort—though dressed as ordinary civilians, their light, practiced footsteps betrayed their martial training.
Recalling Xu Heming’s mention the day before that Liu Ruyan had been demoted to a military camp prostitute, Li Zhiwei suspected the Liu family must have committed further offenses. Otherwise, even if an imperial consort erred, she would at most be confined to the cold palace or stripped of her title—never reduced to such a fate.
With that in mind, Li Zhiwei decided not to dwell on it. Court matters were beyond her control. For now, the best she could do was follow their arrangements, stay far from the capital, and avoid becoming a burden.
"I don’t want that!" Xu Qingshi grimaced at the thought of the household filling with unwelcome faces.
Later, Li Zhiwei explained that Xu Heming likely had urgent matters to attend to—and besides, she missed her own mother.
"Mother, do you think Grandmother Li will like me as much as Grandmother Xu does?" Xu Qingshi asked after a pause.
"Of course. My mother will adore you," Li Zhiwei assured him with a smile.
Lady Yao had long wished to bear another child for her husband, but poor health had dashed those hopes over the years.
A child’s attention shifts quickly. Along the journey, Xu Qingshi marveled at everything.
"Wow, Mother, look at that tree—it’s enormous!" he exclaimed, pointing at an ancient giant.
Li Zhiwei followed his gaze and indeed saw a towering tree.
"Mother, there are fish in this water!"
Passing a stream, Xu Qingshi gasped at the sight of darting fish.
At first, Li Zhiwei found none of this remarkable, but his infectious wonder made even the ordinary seem magical.
When she had first left for the capital, her heart had been heavy with homesickness and uncertainty. Now, retracing her steps, she realized every corner held surprises.
Truly, perspective changed everything.
Their party traveled leisurely, stretching a one-day journey into five.
When the familiar gates of Li'an County came into view, Li Zhiwei’s heart swelled with joy. Li'an County, I’m back!
Meanwhile, the capital had descended into bloodshed.
On the day Li Zhiwei left, Zhu Jingchen revealed in court that Liu Zongcheng had embezzled a staggering 280,000 taels of silver (28,000 taels of gold) from disaster relief funds.
The court was stunned. How could Liu Zongcheng, always so amiable, have pocketed such wealth?
"Liu Zongcheng not only stole relief silver but also pressured grain merchants for kickbacks. In twenty years of office, he lined his own pockets while leaving the national treasury barren. Is this the conduct of an official in our great Lanuo Kingdom?" Zhu Jingchen thundered.
The ministers stood in terrified silence, none daring to speak lest the emperor’s wrath turn on them.
"Your Majesty, Liu Zongcheng’s actions gnaw at the foundations of Lanuo. Such crimes cannot be tolerated," Cheng Tianyuan, the empress’s father and Grand Preceptor, swiftly declared.
"Eunuch Liu, announce the edict."
Eunuch Liu hurriedly unrolled the prepared decree.
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Former Vice Minister of Revenue Liu Zongcheng, though favored by the throne, betrayed his duty, wallowing in corruption to the nation’s ruin. Verified embezzlement totals 280,000 taels—a heinous crime demanding severe punishment to uphold justice. Per the Lanuo Code, corruption warrants no mercy. Liu Zongcheng is sentenced to death by a thousand cuts as a warning to all. The Liu family’s assets are forfeited to the state. All male kin within nine degrees of relation shall be exiled to the distant frontier fortress Dayan Pagoda, barred from return without decree. Female relatives shall enter the Court of Entertainment as government slaves, never to be redeemed. Any pleading for leniency or secret aid will be treated as complicity. Let this be known throughout the land. Respect this."
As Eunuch Liu’s voice faded, would-be defenders fell silent. Those tied to the Liu family by marriage felt their blood run cold.
Exile for men, enslavement for women—all for sharing blood or ties with the Lius?
But what of Consort Liu? As the emperor’s concubine, was she not also of the Liu clan?
"Your Majesty, Consort Liu is a Liu daughter..." one official ventured, his voice strained. His own family had married a daughter to a Liu branch—must they suffer too?
"Official Cao, the former Consort Liu was stripped of rank yesterday. She now awaits judgment with her family in the Imperial Clan Court. Do you have further questions?" Eunuch Liu interjected, noting Zhu Jingchen’s displeasure.
The official retreated, swallowing his bitterness.
As silence reclaimed the hall, the emperor’s lingering presence hinted at more to come.
Fresh unease gripped the ministers. Who would the emperor’s next target be?
"If a mere vice minister could amass such wealth, let this be the start of a thorough investigation," Zhu Jingchen said coolly.
The court froze. An investigation?
Of what?
