Chapter 074
Chapter 74: Audience with the Emperor
Imperial Study.
A eunuch attendant led Xia Meng Yan to the door of the Imperial Study, and the Chief Steward lowered his voice as he warned: “Several Grand Secretaries are inside, along with the Chief Justice of the Dali Court. His Majesty just reviewed the evidence.”
Xia Meng Yan bowed to the Chief Steward and said: “Thank you for the reminder.” She did not understand why he wanted to favor her, but she kept it in mind.
She entered, bent at the waist and said: “Your Majesty, your subject Xia Meng Yan pays her respects,” then she knelt toward the main seat.
Emperor Xuan Ming sat straight in a golden nanmu round?back chair. His eyes rested on the evidence the Chief Justice had submitted, and he did not speak.
Xia Meng Yan knelt properly and kept still. [He is giving me a warning.] [If everyone did what I did today, the Imperial Palace would turn into a noisy market.]
Fortunately, Emperor Xuan Ming did not make her wait long. He lifted his gaze and said: “Rise, and be seated,” then his eyes paused on her belly.
He had heard that Xia Ping Yuan had a headstrong daughter who divorced while pregnant because her husband flirted with another. Now that he looked, she truly was beautiful. No wonder his nephew cared.
Thinking of Duan Yi Chen softened his face. [That boy is simple and likes decent people. If he cares for her, she is probably not scheming. Besides, she is only a woman.]
Xia Meng Yan did not realize that a single movement as she stood had already made Emperor Xuan Ming look down on her a little.
He asked in a level voice: “They just reported that Beloved Minister Xia was poisoned. What exactly happened?”
Tears rolled down as Xia Meng Yan looked up, her voice full of hurt as she said: “Your Majesty, my father was falsely accused. He closed our doors and refused visitors while waiting for the Dali Court’s investigation, but some people wanted to kill to silence us and put poison into food purchased for the Xia Family. My father and mother ate together and both were poisoned.”
In the quiet Imperial Study, the Grand Secretaries glanced at each other and dared not speak.
Emperor Xuan Ming’s face darkened as he asked: “How is Beloved Minister Xia? Was he saved?”
Xia Meng Yan nodded and said: “Divine Physician Luo happened to be visiting our house and acted in time. He saved my parents. But I am afraid. Our gates were shut tight, yet the poison still got in. To those people, the Xia Family seems like flat ground, easy to tread. Now my parents have both been harmed, and others in the manor harbor ill intent. I had no choice but to enter the palace to beg Your Majesty’s protection. I did not mean to cause a scene. If I have acted improperly, please punish me. I will not complain.” She supported her belly and slowly sank to her knees again.
Emperor Xuan Ming said with a frown: “Why kneel again, get up.” Seeing her made him remember the day Xia Ping Yuan knelt at his feet and wept. [Truly father and daughter.]
The Chief Steward almost dropped his eyes and thought: [Listen to her. Every word has reason behind it. She is not tattling, yet every sentence points in the right direction. Calling our manor a place others walk like on flat ground, and saying the gates were shut and poison still got in, that clearly tells His Majesty there are planted spies from other mansions inside Xia Manor. If others can plant in the Xia home, could there also be plants in the Imperial Palace? And asking for protection tells His Majesty the Xia Family has no backer in the capital and depends only on him. What emperor does not favor a “lonely” minister? His Majesty already liked Xia Ping Yuan. With him persecuted like this, even if this girl barged in, even if she killed someone, His Majesty would cover for her. One Xia Ping Yuan was trouble enough for those people. Now there is a younger one. Let’s see how they handle it.]
Xia Meng Yan dabbed her tears and looked at Emperor Xuan Ming with grievance as she said: “I did not want to be rude before Your Majesty, but I feel so wronged for my father.”
Emperor Xuan Ming answered with more warmth: “If you want to cry, cry. You need not be restrained before me,” then he turned to the Chief Justice and asked: “Have you investigated the people who accused Beloved Minister Xia? Were they bought?”
The Chief Justice’s heart sank. [This is not a question, it is a hint. If I say the wrong thing, I won’t keep my seat.] He bowed and said: “Your Majesty, I am still investigating. Too much time has passed. Many pieces of evidence are insufficient, and I cannot conclude the case.”
Emperor Xuan Ming scolded with a cold face: “Every deed leaves a trace. How can there be no evidence? It seems the Dali Court is not doing its job. Send people to dig. If they dare to poison my minister, I will make them pay.”
The Chief Justice felt aggrieved. It was not that he refused to clear Xia Ping Yuan, but time had gone by and the victim’s family insisted Xia Ping Yuan was at fault. He could only say: “I am incompetent. Please punish me, Your Majesty.”
Xia Meng Yan suddenly said: “Your Majesty, the Marquis of Ping’an may know something.”
Emperor Xuan Ming looked puzzled and asked: “The Marquis of Ping’an?”
Xia Meng Yan did not drag it out. She told him directly that Lin Ye Lan had gotten a confession and a letter of understanding from the victim’s family, and had even offered five thousand taels in compensation.
She added: “I believe the victim’s elder brother and sister?in?law only want to extort the Xia Family. Otherwise, they would not have signed a letter of understanding for a mere five thousand taels.”
Emperor Xuan Ming frowned and asked: “Is there such a thing? Did you sign it?”
Xia Meng Yan shook her head and said: “My father is upright. What he did not do, he did not do. I do not lack five thousand taels, but I cannot smear my father just to calm things down.”
Emperor Xuan Ming’s mood lifted as he said: “Smart. You did not fall into the trap.”
Xia Meng Yan blinked in confusion, tears still on her lashes, and asked: “A trap?”
Emperor Xuan Ming, amused by how simple she looked, pointed to one of the Grand Secretaries and said: “You explain to her.”
That minister said: “If you sign the letter of understanding, you admit your father forced a student to his death. Those behind the scenes can take that letter to the Dali Court as evidence and throw your father into prison. His reputation would be ruined.”
Emperor Xuan Ming nodded and said: “Right. They came to you because you are a woman and they thought you know nothing. They did not expect you to be stubborn like your father and refuse to sign.”
The Grand Secretaries were old foxes. They could all tell His Majesty was pleased with Miss Xia. [Xia Ping Yuan has a good daughter. Look at His Majesty grinning; he cannot hide it.] The Chief Justice grew gloomier. [She did not sign, and His Majesty is delighted. Why?]
With the emperor in good spirits, the air in the hall changed.
Xia Meng Yan said with sudden realization: “I almost believed the Marquis of Ping’an. How hateful. He is still the father of my child. How could he set up the Xia Family like that?”
She took the chance to step on him again. Lin Ye Lan relied on military merit to win favor before Emperor Xuan Ming. She would strip that favor away piece by piece and see how arrogant he dared to be later.
Hearing that name again, Emperor Xuan Ming frowned. [A newly promoted military officer who cannot see through such a simple trick?] He remembered the rumors in the capital that the Marquis of Ping’an often went in and out of the Xia home. He had thought the man wanted to remarry. [It seems not so simple. If this continues, the Xia Family will suffer, and as the former son?in?law and the father of the unborn child, he will step forward and control the widow and the soon?to?be orphan. Then all the Xia wealth will fall into his hands.] Thinking of the two hundred thousand taels of army pay, he decided: [His intentions are not right. I will keep watching.]
Seeing his expression change again and again, Xia Meng Yan knew her plan had worked. [Lin Ye Lan, save yourself if you can.]
Emperor Xuan Ming said in a firm tone: “The matter is clear. Beloved Minister Xia was framed, or the people behind would not have done so many things. The Dali Court will send people to the victim’s home to investigate, then question them in public. I want to see who dares harm my beloved minister.”
The Chief Justice dared not delay and answered at once.
Emperor Xuan Ming added: “Also, she seems quick?witted. Take her along when you try the case.”
Before the Chief Justice could refuse, Xia Meng Yan knelt and touched her head to the floor as she said: “Your Majesty is thinking for the Xia Family. I thank you on my father’s behalf.”
It matched her wish. She wanted to see who was pushing from the shadows to hurt the Xia Family.