Chapter 120 Public trial

“Your Majesty, has you finished talking with them so quickly?” Yun Fenghuang walked briskly into the imperial carriage. She looked around and saw that the furnishings inside were the same as before, and the Emperor looked calm as the time when she left. She couldn’t help being surprised. She stepped forward to salute and asked with a sweet smile, “My Majesty, I thought it would be longer.”

The Emperor said lightly, “In the final analysis, the matter was caused by Zheng Fengqing. Neither of the two sides could convince the other about if Zheng Fengqing had done harm to the poor families. The government of Wannian County was not far, so I decided to resume the case personally when we arrived there.”

“My Majesty!” Yun Fenghuang hurriedly said, “Can I take a look at that time?”

“Nonsense.” The Emperor reprimanded, “How can you, a woman, be in the trial scene? The ministers in the Imperial Court will also be there to observe, so it’s not suitable for a concubine to be on the side!”

Yun Fenghuang felt that he didn’t seem to be really angry, so she stepped forward to hug his neck and lay on his shoulders to act coquettishly, “My Majesty, I just want to see your heroic posture!”

The Emperor didn’t change his attitude and said, “You can enjoin your people to see the process, and let them report to you after seeing it.”

“How can they describe your wise and magical power well?” Yun Fenghuang said, “If they really have that ability, how could they enter the Imperial Harem to be servants? My Majesty, just let me go there! If it’s inconvenient for me to appear in front of people, can I see it behind the screen?”

Emperor Chunjia pushed her with a sullen face, letting her come down from his back, “Look at you. Is there anyone in the Imperial Harem who always makes trouble like you? Should you go on this occasion? If I knew you acted like this, I wouldn’t call you here.”

“My Majesty, it can be seen that you actually love me in your heart.” Yun Fenghuang hugged him a little bit tighter, and refused to let go of her hands. She said sweetly and softly, “Since this is the case, why not promise me?”

The Emperor snorted and said, “Is there another sweet talk to coax me at this time?”

After seeing her entanglement, he finally compromised. He said that she could be allowed to peep behind the screen, but she was not allowed to show up or make any noise to disturb the trial… In short, a lot of requirements were listed.

Yun Fenghuang promised, and also assured that she wouldn’t wear the hairpin and rings at that time, and would do her best to cover her tracks, lest the Emperor would be spoken ill of by others.

After the two set the conditions, the meal was almost set. The Emperor was so noble that he couldn’t be slighted in meal even on the way. Yun Fenghuang was very happy to eat the Emperor’s meal. During the meal, she acted coquettishly to ask the Emperor to send the braised shark skin with green onion which was hardly eaten to Yun Qingman, “Qingman liked to eat this when she was in Yun’s Family.”

At this time, Emperor Chunjia had a plan to spoil her, and didn’t care about a dish, so he agreed casually. But after thinking about it, he personally picked the completed crystal quail, and enjoined someone to give it to Yuan Lianniang. Queen Mother Yuan was ill before leaving, and was deemed unsuitable for the long trip by the imperial doctors, so she could only stay with the unfavored High Consorts and Great-concubines of Emperor Shenzong or Emperor Xiaozong to “convalesce” in the imperial city. She hadn’t agreed Yuan Lianniang to escape the summer heat in the temporary imperial palace.

Queen Mother Yuan meant that since she could not leave, it would be better for Yuan Lianniang to make excuses to stay in the Imperial Harem, so that they could look after each other.

Well, it was mainly because Queen Mother Yuan could look after Yuan Lianniang, lest Yuan Lianniang lost her child or even died without reasons.

But Yuan Lianniang stuck to Emperor Chunjia. It was not different this time when the Emperor went out. He was surrounded by a group of beautiful concubines, such as Yun Fenghuang, Wei Hengyan and other newly-promoted consorts who were sweet or elegant, and Yi Xing’en, Qu Hongzhuan and other new concubines who born in non-aristocratic families but were super beautiful… Originally, since Yun Fenghuang joined the Imperial Harem, she had broken the peace in the Imperial Harem for many years. Although the Emperor still went to see Yuan Lianniang more frequently than others, the number of times for his coming had been reduced.

After he took over the reins of government, he even just went to Ning Bi Hall to sit down for a while every a few days.

Yuan Lianniang was expecting and jealous. There was no moment of calm in her heart.

This was also the situation where the Emperor often came to appease her. If she had stayed in the Imperial Harem with Queen Mother Yuan, and watched the Emperor to take a group of coquettes to happily go out and escape the summer heat… Yuan Lianniang would have almost exploded as soon as she thought the scene!

Therefore, even if Queen Mother Yuan firmly opposed her to go out, and the people around her tried their best to persuade her, she still insisted on following him.

Because of the bumpy trip all the time, she had no appetite at this time. When she was coaxed to eat some food for her child even if she didn’t think of herself, the servants including Auntie Zhu were relieved when they saw the meal sent by the Emperor. They thought that this arrogant woman might eat finally, “My Lady, although His Majesty is busy with political affairs, he still thinks of you after all.”

Originally, Yuan Lianniang also had a little smile, but she asked the eunuch who sent the meal suspiciously, “Is His Majesty eating alone or is there someone accompanying him at this time? Is me the only one to be rewarded the meal or is there anyone else?”

Who didn’t know that Jie Yu Yue was jealous in the Imperial Court and the Imperial Harem?

But the eunuch didn’t dare to lie to her, so when he heard the words, he was a little bit hesitant.

Upon seeing this, Yuan Lianniang suddenly became angry and slapped the table, “Be honest with me!”

“… His Majesty is accompanying by, by Jie Yu Mao to have the meal now.” The eunuch was helpless and had to tell her tremblingly, “When Jie Yu Mao saw the braised shark skin with green onion during the meal, she remembered that Rong Hua Yun liked it, so she asked His Majesty to send it to her. His Majesty thought of you, so he enjoined me to send the crystal quail… Before I came out of the imperial carriage, His Majesty hadn’t instructed anyone to give others a royal meal.”

“It can be seen that His Majesty never forgets you.” Auntie Zhu quickly appeased Yuan Lianniang, whispering, “My Lady, don’t think too much. His Majesty listened to the report of the county magistrate of Wannian County just now, so how could he have the efforts to do the romantic things? He may have other plans to call that bitch Ms. Yun… The bitch Ms. Yun always likes to be troublesome. The reason why she asked His Majesty to give Rong Hua Yun a meal was that she perhaps wanted to remind His Majesty to think of you, so as to irritate you and let you make trouble!”

“…” Yuan Lianniang was silent for a while. In the end, she did not make trouble, and waved her hand to let the eunuch leave.

The eunuch breathed a sigh of relief, saluted and walked away. Of course, after going out for a while, he turned his head back, gave a bite of saliva, and went away with hatred. If he sent something rewarded by the Emperor to other concubines, he would be rewarded some money, let alone being rebuked. But he never got any benefit from Yuan Lianniang. How couldn’t he hate her?

“His Majesty may be bored with me?” Yuan Lianniang might have known the eunuch’s thought, but after a long-term depression, she was already a bit overwhelmed.

Others, including Queen Mother Yuan and Auntie Zhu, felt that the Emperor finally took over the reins of government, so they saw the dawn and could stand the life even more.

But in fact, for Yuan Lianniang, it was even more painful.

When the Emperor didn’t take over the reins of government, not only did he have more time to accompany her, but she felt that among all the concubines in the Imperial Harem, the Emperor was only truly in love with her. Others not only robbed her husband, but didn’t love the Emperor at all. They only joined the Imperial Harem for their families.

But now, the Emperor took over the reins of government, and might be able to regain the power in the future and truly become the master of the county. If so, would those people who were not enthusiastic to the Emperor before, such as the Empress and Consort Xin, continue their previous attitude?

Yuan Lianniang thought it was impossible. After all, the Emperor was still young, handsome and gentle. He was the supreme Emperor. In such a situation, how many women would not admire him?

Would he still spoil her as before?

Especially for the people like Yi Xing’en, they had nothing but peerless beauty. They could only be appreciated for serving the Emperor, so how couldn’t they fall in love with the Emperor…

Yuan Lianniang thought that her love with Gongxiang Ji for so many years couldn’t be comparable to the coquettes who were forced to join the Imperial Harem by others. But after a while, she also thought of the stories of many unfaithful lovers. She couldn’t help being suspicious that her life was so hard and could her future be bright?

The most important thing was that she often felt at a loss. Compared to Emperor Chunjia who was handsome, gentle, generous and noble, and had the means to obtain opportunities to gain the power after he had forborne for many years, she seemed to have nothing?

She had a powerful family in the past. As the legitimate daughter of the top celebrity in Fuyang Prefecture, it was a perfect match between her and Princedom Fuyang who hadn’t been noticed by the Imperial Court.

However, this kind of match had been quickly replaced by Empress Ji after Gongxiang Ji had become the Emperor.

She had been praised by the people around her since she was a child, so she had naively thought that she was a rare beauty. However, after joining the Imperial Harem and seeing the different styles of beauties such as Empress Ji and Noble Consort Gui, she had already understood that she was not beautiful enough.

Besides, there were Yun Fenghuang, and Yi Xing’en. This Imperial Harem never lacked younger and more beautiful concubines.

When it came to temperament… Yuan Lianniang didn’t admit, but how couldn’t she be clear in her heart?

She had nothing to commend in this aspect.

When the Emperor was a pure puppet before, Yuan Lianniang felt that with their love for many years, it was suitable for her to be equal with the Emperor.

Now Emperor Chunjia’s identity and power had changed, but she was still the consort who was hated by the whole Imperial Harem and was even bored by the old servant Auntie Zhu from Yuan’s Family. Yuan Lianniang not only was angry and aggrieved, but also had a deep and indescribable panic.

But for no reason, her attitude towards the Emperor was worse.

At Ning Bi Hall last time, if Auntie Zhu hadn’t forced maids to open the door, Yuan Lianniang even planned that she wouldn’t meet the Emperor unless he went to her palace for three or five times, and coaxed her patiently.

After the Emperor left that night and went to sleep with a newly-promoted Cai Nv, Auntie Zhu scolded her heavily, and cried bitterly in the end. Auntie Zhu who had watched Yuan Lianniang grow up was always resolute, brave and shrewd, and rarely showed her weakness. At that time, Auntie Zhu knelt in front of her and pulled her skirt’s hemline to cry sadly, “Even if you refuse to grow up, you are no longer alone. Considering your own child, you still don’t listen to our persuasion? How about my and others’ future? How about your future?”

Yuan Lianniang sat silently for a while and pushed Auntie Zhu away as if nothing had happened. No one knew that at the moment when the Emperor left, the regret in her heart came like a tide and swallowed her.

“It may be that Ji has treated me so well over the years, so even if I am afraid that he will be seduced by those bitches after he holds power…I still believe subconsciously that he will not betray me?” Yuan Lianniang smiled bitterly and touched her baby bump subconsciously. She looked at her servants who were watching her worriedly and said lightly, “I have no appetite at this moment. You share this crystal quail.”

Auntie Zhu wanted to say that you ate at least one bite, even if you pretended to taste it. After all, it was specially rewarded by the Emperor, wasn’t it?

But considering that the arrogant woman had made trouble form time being during this time, Auntie Zhu did not dare to say anything.

Now it was on the road, not in remote Ning Bi Hall. If Yuan Lianniang made a small problem, they might be laughed by many people.

But neither the Emperor nor Yun Fenghuang in the imperial carriage knew Yuan Lianniang’s feelings. After they rewarded the people they wanted to reward, they had the meal very quietly.

After dinner, the Emperor and Yun Fenghuang talked a few words happily with each other, and the team had almost recovered. The imperial carriage which had stayed for a long time finally moved slowly.

It was late night when they arrived in Wannian County. Of course, it was impossible to try the case at this time. Therefore, after some brief consultations, it was decided to have a public trial in the county government tomorrow afternoon. The civilians were allowed to watch.

“These people of Ji’s Family really have bad intentions!” Of course, a county government couldn’t accommodate so many noble people. Fortunately, there were several large households living beside the county government, so they were vacated overnight to accommodate these noble people. Yun Fenghuang was asked by the Emperor to sleep with him that night, so she happened to hear a few words. Hearing the news, she curled her lips. Unless it was forced, or people had complete confidence, the public trial wouldn’t take place.

After all, if there was something wrong in front of so many people, the judge would greatly lose his face.

If ordinary officials made mistakes, at most, their reputation was impaired, or their official career was affected. For Emperor Chunjia, who had just taken over the reins of government for a few months, once there was any mistake in the public trial process, he must be criticized by the people of Ji’s Family. They would lead the public opinions that “he was a fatuous monarch”, “although the Emperor was of filial piety, he was not wise”, or “it was helpless that the ministers wanted to let the Emperor learn more instead of taking over the reins of government immediately, and it was not an act of ulterior motives”.

For Emperor Chunjia who had hardly obtained the opportunity for taking over the reins of government, the setback was obvious!

But…

It had nothing to do with Yun Fenghuang!

Yun Fenghuang not only didn’t warn him, but also pretended to cheer the Emperor on before going to sleep, “My Majesty, you are heroic and wise, so you will surely be able to make the things clear, find out the true evil, and give back the innocence to the civilians tomorrow! I congratulate beforehand that you will succeed smoothly!”

Try the trial without hesitation!

Try the trial seriously!

In case of embarrassment, I would just watch the scene behind the screen!

Emperor Chunjia, who had just made out with her, was closing his eyes to have a rest. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her after hearing the words. A moment later, he made a fake smile, “Jie Yu Mao, you are really considerate.”