klisemfg Chapter 18 He really made me cry to death!
Chapter 18 He really made me cry to death!
"On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, under Sun Jue's instructions, Zhang, the wife of Sun Jue, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, secretly invited Han, the wife of Tang Jin, an academician of the Hanlin Academy, to meet at the Wei Ming Xuan restaurant. After the meeting, Zhang pointed out that Han was only Tang Jin's second wife, while Tang Ruyin was the legitimate daughter of the first wife. In the future, when Tang Ruyin married the Sixth Prince, he would only support her half-brother, not Han, the son born to his stepmother."
When Mu Bolin uttered his first words, the Sun family, who were sitting below the stage, had already come out on their own and knelt behind the Tang family, both of them trembling with fear.
"Han was persuaded by Zhang's words and her heart wavered. So Zhang took the opportunity to propose that if Han could find a way to make Tang Ruyin lose her qualification to be the sixth prince's wife, then she would marry the second daughter of the Imperial Academy Chancellor's family to Han's third son and provide a large dowry."
"Han immediately agreed, and upon returning home, he took advantage of his position in charge of the household affairs to tamper with Tang Ruyin's dance costume, leading to the current situation."
Emperor Longyun tapped the table and asked the Sun family behind him, "What is your rebuttal?"
Sun Jue immediately crawled forward a few steps, kowtowed deeply, and cried out in a mournful voice, "Your Majesty, I only wanted Tang Ruyin to be sick for a while so that she could avoid this opportunity. My wife also conveyed the same message. It was Han, Tang Jin's second wife, who used the method of publicly ruining someone's reputation in order to deal with the legitimate daughter of the first wife. I had absolutely no such malicious intentions!"
This is true; Mu Bolin has already been interrogated.
Emperor Longyun snorted coldly, ignoring Sun Jue, and turned to Tang Cheng, who was kneeling in front of him, asking, "Scholar Tang, what do you have to say?"
Tang Cheng closed his eyes briefly. “Your Majesty, things have come to this point and cannot be undone. I know that I have failed in my family education, which has led to my granddaughter suffering this calamity. But Han was only doing this for her son. My young son is innocent, and I do not want him to have a mother who is in prison. I beg Your Majesty to consider that my family is also a victim and allow Han to enter the family temple.”
"As for Ruyin, it's probably difficult for her to marry in the capital. This old minister will prepare a generous dowry for her and send her to marry far away, which would be a good ending. As for the Sun family, it's all up to Your Majesty's wishes."
"Tang Jin, do you think so too?"
"Your subject will obey your father's words."
Emperor Longyun slammed the string of beads in his hand onto the table and remained silent for a long time.
The entire Hall of Central Harmony was completely silent.
Lu Yuxi suddenly stood up, "Tang Cheng, do you still remember that Tang Ruyin's birth mother is a royal county princess? And where do you get the nerve to call yourself a victim? The only victim from beginning to end is Tang Ruyin! And you, Tang Jin, are foolish to follow your elders and are unfit to be a father!"
Upon hearing this, Tang Cheng and Tang Jin broke out in a cold sweat and bowed their heads in silence.
"What does the Crown Princess think should be done with these people?" Emperor Longyun then turned the question to Lin Shiming.
Why is it happening to me again?
Lin Shiming was shocked, but he did not show it on his face. "Your Majesty, I believe the key to this matter is how to make up for the harm done to Tang Ruyin, and to use this as a deterrent to others so that they will not dare to do it again."
"You mean a severe punishment?"
"Your Majesty, no. What I meant was to deal with the matter strictly according to the law, neither too harsh nor too lenient, to demonstrate the important position of our dynasty's laws. To use the law to regulate others."
Emperor Longyun's expression remained unchanged, revealing neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction. He simply gestured for Lin Shiming and Lu Yuxi to sit down.
"Issue the imperial decree. Sun Jue, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, has intentionally harmed another person. He is hereby demoted three ranks. His wife, Zhang, is stripped of her imperial title and confined to her quarters for one year. Twenty percent of the Sun family's property shall be given to Tang Ruyin as compensation."
This was an acceptance of Sun Jue's previous rebuttal, and Sun Jue and his wife immediately knelt down to express their gratitude.
"Han, the wife of an academician of the Hanlin Academy, has acted despicably and plotted to harm her children from her first marriage. She is hereby given poisoned wine. Her dowry shall belong to Tang Ruyin. Tang Cheng and Tang Jin have failed to manage their households properly and have been unkind elders, attempting to cover up the wrongdoing. They are each demoted one rank. Once the Tang family's assets are divided, they shall be allocated to Tang Ruyin, starting from the share of Han's son. Tang Ruyin is permitted to establish a female household and is free to marry as she sees fit."
It can be said that it is in full compliance with the law.
Tang Ruyin, who had been kneeling silently for a long time, finally couldn't hold back her tears again. She kowtowed deeply and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"
Empress Bai Qiongzhu said sternly, "Let's leave it at that for today. I hope you will refrain from spreading any rumors that could harm the victims. I will instruct the Imperial Clan Court to keep a close eye on the County Princess's children."
"Your Majesty, we (your humble servants) will obey Your Majesty's decree."
"Your Majesty, now that this matter is settled, I wonder to whom this phoenix hairpin of mine belongs?"
Two families in the audience below stood up in surprise.
Emperor Longyun pondered for a moment, then gave the daughter of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Lady Cui.
Lady Cui quickly stepped forward and said, "This humble woman thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness!"
*
At the end of the Xu hour (7-9 PM), Lin Shiming and his companions finally boarded the carriage to go home.
As soon as Lin Yunyue got into the carriage, he downed a cup of hot tea. “Today’s journey has been quite… complicated.”
"It's quite a story, but you enjoyed watching it, didn't you?" Lin Shiming looked at his father with a quiet gaze.
Lin Yunyue coughed awkwardly, "Why are you looking at me? Don't you know I'm just a simple military general? Do you think I'm a fox like your brother?"
Lin Shiming gave a cold snort, then turned to look at his brother, as if he had completely forgotten about the argument he had with Lin Shihe that morning. "So why did His Majesty keep asking me questions today? I'm not a court official."
Lin Shihe squinted as he sipped his tea, ignoring his comment.
"Fine, fine, you can keep it from me then. I'll find out sooner or later anyway!" Lin Shiming waved his hand and used his internal force to turn the hot tea in his brother's hand into ice.
Lin Shihe was speechless with anger. "I haven't settled accounts with you yet. What's wrong with you today? You went straight to sit with the Crown Prince and even dared to hide behind him and watch us bow!"
Lin Yunyue, who had been leisurely watching the show from the sidelines, immediately joined the battle of criticizing Lin Shiming, "That's right, I think you're just asking for a beating!"
"...It was the Crown Prince who brought me here."
"Ha, do you think I believe that?" Lin Yunyue smiled cruelly. "The Crown Prince's upright and polite demeanor must have been instigated by you!"
"...It really wasn't me."
"Stop making excuses! Your punishment is to feed all the horses in the house tomorrow!"
The Lin family was a military family, and their residence housed many guards and soldiers, as well as thirty or forty horses.
Sigh, that's the downside of having a low credit rating.
"By the way, today I talked with the Crown Prince about next year's imperial examination, and His Highness said that I should be in charge of maintaining order in the examination hall."
Lin Shihe raised his eyes, "His Majesty also mentioned this matter to me today. He said I should take responsibility. Didn't the father and son discuss it?"
“No,” Lin Shiming chuckled awkwardly, “I told His Highness I wanted to go and take a look, and he put me in charge.”
“I’m a little worried that the Crown Prince will become unprincipled towards you in the future. Promise your brother that you will not become a wicked concubine who brings disaster to the country.”
"Brother! Ouch—" Lin Shiming immediately jumped up, but crashed into the roof of the carriage.
Lin Shihe and Lin Yunyue held back their laughter.
Lin Shiming grimaced and rubbed his head. "How can you distrust me like that? Do you think I'm that kind of person?"
"you are not."
Lin Shiming was about to burst out laughing.
"But I still have to say it."
screw you****!
I wonder what it is about you, you fox, that your sister-in-law sees in you!
*
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new.
Lin Shiming fed the horses all day.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the golden rooster crows, heralding the arrival of spring.
Lin Yunyue took Zhang Ting back to her parents' home, while Lin Shihe took Ji Tiao and Xiao Anji back to her parents' home.
Lin Shiming didn't want to go anywhere and spent the whole day playing with wolves all alone at home.
From the third to the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, people visit relatives.
Lin Shiming still didn't want to go. He rode horses in the suburbs for several days.
On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the court resumed its operations.
Lin Yunyue and Lin Shihe got up early to go to court. Lin Shiming smugly walked around in front of them for a while, then went back to catch up on his sleep.
After the court session, Lin Shihe went to the military camp, while Lin Yunyue brought back an imperial edict.
"His Majesty has decreed that this year's imperial examinations will be held on the 9th, 12th, and 15th of the second month, with the results announced on the 15th of the third month. The palace examination will be held on the 15th of the fourth month, with the results announced on the 18th of the fourth month... Crown Prince Lu Yuxi will be the chief examiner for this year, and General Lin Shiming of the Tingyun Army will be in charge of maintaining order in the examination hall."
Lin Shiming nodded, not at all surprised, while munching on a frozen persimmon.
"Furthermore, Cui, the daughter of the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, was bestowed upon the Sixth Prince Lu Yuyang as his principal wife, and the marriage took place on the third day of the fifth month. The Sixth Prince's birth mother, Wang Xiuyi, was promoted to the rank of Consort and given the title of Yu."
It's hilarious. Among these princes who are around the same age, only Prince An's mother is still a Consort.
"Wouldn't Prince An be furious to death?"
"He was really angry," Lin Yunyue said, her words flowing like a torrent. "I saw his face turn bright red after hearing the imperial decree, and he even tore a hole in his sleeve..."
Lin Shiming, growing impatient, decisively interrupted Lin Yunyue, "When does Your Majesty plan to investigate Prince An's affairs?"
Lin Yunyue was bewildered. "What does Prince An want?"
"..."
You shouldn't have said that!
Lin Shiming glanced at his father, a pure military general who "relyed on his parents in his youth, then on his wife and father-in-law, and now on his son," with a hint of disdain. "I really want to cry."
He had no sense of politics or human relationships, yet no one could match him in leading troops into battle.
That's outrageous. Lin Shiming couldn't understand it at all. How could he have someone to rely on at every stage of his life? If he weren't surnamed Lin, he probably would have been tricked into jail long ago.
But since her father was so easily fooled, she said, "Dad, what are you and my brother hiding from me? Tell me, and I promise I won't tell anyone."
"Your brother told me to shut up."
Ha! My brother's wonderful father!
*
After the New Year, time flies by like a whirlwind, and before you know it, it's the lively Lantern Festival.
Because of Lu Yuxi's promise, Lin Shiming got up early in the morning and picked out a nice outfit. Strictly speaking, this was his first date with his fiancé, so of course he had to be well-prepared.
After lunch and a short rest, Lu Yuxi finally arrived at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion in a simple and unpretentious manner at the hour of Wei (1-3 PM).
As soon as he entered, Lin Shiming circled around Lu Yuxi.
"Your clothes are nice today; you have the air of a young master from a prominent family!"
“I originally planned to find a martial arts style outfit, but then I thought it might be too eye-catching, so I changed to this one.”
Lin Shiming nodded in satisfaction, "Good taste!"
After saying that, he asked worriedly, "Our wedding isn't far off, what about your Crown Prince's Palace...?"
"I've already asked Aunt Lianqiu and people from the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household Department to help with the makeup. Don't worry, it'll definitely be your style!"
"Good, good, good!" Lin Shiming was even more satisfied, as long as it wasn't arranged by the same steward as last time. However, "There's one more thing. I plan to have Lin Ha and Lin Qi sent to the East Palace together when I deliver the dowry. Remember to take care of them then, and don't let them be frightened."
"Hmm?" Lu Yuxi asked curiously, "Why are there only two? Where's Lin Shi?"
"Don't even mention it, my brother stole it, right in front of me."
Lu Yuxi laughed heartily, "Why didn't you steal it back?"
Lin Shiming sighed, "I didn't realize it at the time, but I finally did. That greedy little brat has been tamed by my brother. He stole it and ran back on his own."
"Alright, don't be angry anymore." Lu Yuxi pushed a stack of memorials to Lin Shiming. "These are the old regulations for the examination hall order that I told you about last time. It's still early, I'll help you take a look, and we'll go out after dark. I've booked a private room at Weimingxuan, let's eat there."