Chapter 1220 - 896: Pleading Guilty
In the blink of an eye, New Year’s Eve had arrived.
On this day the rare wind and snow had paused, yet the skies did not clear. Heavy, leaden clouds still lay over Changa An City like a gigantic palm pressing on everyone’s heart, weighing down on the city’s crown. In the biting north wind, the chill was sharp as a blade, always giving people a looming sense of crisis, as if a storm were about to break and the whole building was filled with wind.
At dawn, Yu Wenye rose early, dressed properly and hastened to court, accompanying the Emperor to stand atop the city tower and receive the New Year’s obeisance of officials and commoners. Then he returned to the main hall, watching the lively exorcising Nuo-dance of driving out ghosts and plagues, and the sacrificial prayers, only coming back to Qianqiu Palace at noon. By that time Shang Ruyi was in the courtyard with Little Yuanzi, teasing the pine and cypress branches at the foot of the wall. The snow piled on them immediately fluttered down, sprinkling over the two faces; Little Yuanzi shivered from the cold, then burst out in peals of laughter.
Shang Ruyi laughed as well, bouncing the swaddled little baby in her arms and teasing him: "Not cold, is it? Little Yuanzi, the snowflakes aren’t cold, are they?"
"Gurgle gurgle gurgle."
Yu Wenye walked over and said gently, "Careful not to freeze him."
Shang Ruyi turned back when she saw he’d returned, her eyes curving with mirth. "It’s not that cold today, and this little fellow doesn’t fear the cold either. I wonder who he takes after."
Yu Wenye cast her a sidelong glance. "You tell me who he takes after!"
Shang Ruyi did not answer. She suddenly stretched out her hand and slapped the branch hanging over Yu Wenye’s head. With a sharp "pa", a flurry of snow cascaded down, dousing Yu Wenye from above, while Shang Ruyi clutched Little Yuanzi and darted out from under the tree. In the end only Yu Wenye was left standing there, drenched from head to toe.
"You—"
Yu Wenye ground his teeth in anger and turned, reaching out to grab Shang Ruyi. The two of them laughed as they chased each other around the courtyard, playing for quite a while.
Only when she couldn’t run anymore did Shang Ruyi stop, panting. "No more, no more."
Yu Wenye glared at her, but still reached out to steady her, then took the swaddled baby and handed him to Tushere, who had long been standing off to the side. After that, he led Shang Ruyi back into the main hall; several braziers were burning there, heat billowing up, and added to their recent burst of running, they were instantly covered in sweat.
Shang Ruyi took off her outer robe, but Yu Wenye still wasn’t at ease. He ordered someone to bring a thinner coat to drape around her shoulders.
Shang Ruyi smiled and asked, "You’re back so soon?"
Yu Wenye went to wash his hands. Hearing her question, he replied, "Court affairs are finished. Later the banquet will be laid in Bai Fu Hall."
"What is Father Emperor doing now?"
"He’s called a few old Ministers over to Liangyi Hall to chat about home matters, and told us to come too, sit and talk together."
"Oh? Who’s going?"
"Several Chiefs of Staff, and Lord Ji."
"Oh..."
On ordinary days, Yu Wenquan would certainly have summoned Shen Shiyan and Pei Xu to join in the talk and laughter as well. Those old brothers had accompanied each other for many years and naturally had much to say. But after the incident at Hot Spring Palace, every member of the Pei Family had been placed under house arrest, and Shen Shiyan had not shown his face for quite some time.
Shang Ruyi wasn’t particularly surprised. She only asked again, "What about Duke Wushan?"
Yu Wenye dried his hands and came back to sit beside her. Only after taking a sip of tea did he say, "Father Emperor originally summoned him too, but today he’s requested half a day’s leave."
"Oh."
On hearing this, Shang Ruyi smiled faintly. "That’s rare—Commandery Prince actually isn’t coming to join the fun."
Just as the two of them had finished straightening their attire and were preparing to set out for Liangyi Hall, over in Liangyi Hall Yu Wenquan was looking at several officials seated before him. They were so nervous they were practically trembling; they hardly dared to breathe loudly as they spoke. He then glanced at Ji Hong to the side. This old Minister, who was usually the boldest speaker, was at this moment only sitting there with eyes half closed. His thick, graying brows obscured his expression, so no one could tell whether he was listening to the conversation or dozing off.
Yu Wenquan suddenly felt a rush of boredom.
This sense of helplessness had begun to hover in his heart ever since the battle at Longmen Crossing, and after the incident at Hot Spring Palace it had grown even heavier.
He sighed and said, "Enough. You should all go home. It’s New Year’s today—your wives and children are surely waiting at home for you to reunite with them."
At these words, the eyes of the several old Ministers lit up, even Ji Hong opening his. They rose one after another, cupped their hands to Yu Wenquan and saluted. "Emperor, this old Minister and the others respectfully request—"
They hadn’t finished the word "leave" before Eunuch Yu walked in from outside.
He saluted the Emperor, then said, "Emperor, Duke Wushan requests an audience."
"Hm?"
On hearing that Duke Wushan had come, Yu Wenquan’s eyes also brightened, and he laughed. "He’s here? Let him in, quickly."
The old Ministers had all been about to depart, but when they suddenly heard that Duke Wushan, who had been resting for several months, had actually entered the palace at this moment, they looked at one another and each paused, their gazes fixed on the doors of Liangyi Hall.
Before long, a familiar tall figure could be seen walking in from outside.
Duke Wushan Yu Dingxing strode into Liangyi Hall, carrying with him a touch of icy, snowy chill. The bandages on his face had not yet been removed. By rights his wounds should long have healed, but he had kept the bandages on: firstly because the wound itself was too grotesque, and secondly because the weather was cold and he feared the injury might freeze. Yet this only made that face, missing one eye, look all the more vicious and harsh.
Ji Hong only glanced at him once before immediately lowering his head.
The other Ministers were quite attentive, cupping their hands and saluting Duke Wushan. But Yu Dingxing did not look at them. He went straight forward and knelt to Yu Wenquan, kowtowing. "This humble minister has come to plead guilty!"
"Hm?"
Yu Wenquan had been smiling, about to greet this in-law, but when he saw him enter and immediately "plead guilty", he was taken aback. "What are you saying? When has I ever condemned you? Get up, quickly!"
Yu Dingxing remained kneeling on the floor, bowing and not rising. "This humble minister is guilty, this humble minister deserves death!"
Yu Wenquan frowned. "What exactly is the matter?"
Only then did Yu Dingxing slowly raise his head, using the one remaining, slightly bloodshot eye to look up at Yu Wenquan with utter supplication. "Emperor, back then when this humble minister went out of the city to seek and gather the sick, I never imagined that remnants of Wanggang Village would be hiding among them. These dim old eyes let that man slip away right under my nose. This humble minister knows his crime, this humble minister deserves death!"
On hearing this, Yu Wenquan finally let out a breath.
He then smiled and said, "So that’s what you’re talking about."
"..."
"Indeed, the remnants of Wanggang Village should not have been allowed to escape. But at the time you were ordered to search for and bring in the sick, not to capture people from Wanggang Village. Even if he slipped away, it is understandable. I have not blamed you. Get up."
Yet Yu Dingxing still refused to rise. "Though the Emperor does not reproach me, this humble minister knows his own guilt is grave. These days there has not been a single day I have not reflected upon my faults, not thought of making amends for my crimes. So today I—"
Yu Wenquan heard the implication in his words. "What have you done?"