chapter 24

The three courts gathered together, setting up the tribunal on the spot. Both cases were to be tried together, vowing to uncover the truth tonight and ease the holy heart.

Yan Ci, guilty as charged, was brought in under guard. Dried blood clung to his cheek, and the corner of his lips was bruised-evidence of the punch Yan Qing had just landed.

He looked disheveled, yet that mole shamelessly hung between his brows, like a merciful eye.

“In the winter two years ago, the charcoal was distributed one tael at a time. I found it strange and asked my mother about it. Yan Qing would come to Huai Ci Palace almost every evening for pleasure. Each time my mother pleased him, he would reward her with a tael of good charcoal. I begged her to stop, but she said Yan Qing was blackmailing her with their affair, forcing her to continue-”

Before he could finish, Yan Qing suddenly stood up, grabbed Yan Ci by the collar, furious: “You bastard! How dare you slander me!”

As if prepared, Yan Qing pulled out a letter from his robe and threw it in Yan Ci’s face:

“Before Wen Mu disappeared, he told me he accidentally dirtied your robe, and you lashed out at him. He was troubled day and night, so he left this letter as proof.”

After reading the letter, the Dali Temple Minister nodded, “This is Plum Blossom Small Regular Script. He did write it.”

Yan Qing pressed his advantage: “Just over a robe, you could kill Wen Mu. With such a vicious heart, who would believe anything you say?”

Yan Ci lowered his eyes, “Royal brother, do you dare swear that, aside from this matter, Wen Mu and I bore no grudge against each other?”

“…I swear in the name of the Crown Prince,” Yan Qing declared loudly, “Aside from this, Wen Mu and you were strangers, with no enmity!”

“Good,” Yan Ci replied clearly, “As a criminal, I earnestly request the three lords to summon witnesses.”

The witnesses Yan Ci requested were the eunuch in charge of charcoal distribution three years ago and the Grand Tutor of the Imperial College.

The young eunuch stammered, “I-I only remember the Crown Prince told me not to send good charcoal to Huai Ci Palace…”

The Government Soldiers threatened to beat him, scaring him into tears: “And! The charcoal was-was given out one tael at a time!”

Grand Tutor Song, bleary-eyed, was rushed in overnight. Though confused, he still answered the Dali Temple Minister’s questions honestly:

“Yes. In the winter two years ago, the Crown Prince would often leave early with his page, and I don’t know where they went.”

Yan Qing’s face flushed red. He paced back and forth in the courtyard, as if making a great decision, then gritted his teeth and said, “I did do that.”

“I withheld charcoal from Huai Ci Palace because that wretch poisoned my Empress Mother.”

“As for why the charcoal was distributed one tael at a time, Yan Ci and I made a deal: every time he crawled under Wen Mu’s legs, I rewarded him with a tael of good charcoal. To avoid suspicion, I left school early.”

“Saying I forced someone into prostitution-he’s just resentful and trying to smear me.” After admitting his vile deeds, Yan Qing became even more self-righteous, “Everything else is nonsense!”

“Royal brother, you just swore in the name of the Crown Prince that Wen Mu and I were strangers. Why do you now claim I crawled under Wen Mu’s legs?” Yan Ci narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly, “Do your words still count?”

The faces of the three presiding lords suddenly darkened. Yan Qing was stunned, not expecting Yan Ci to catch him at his weak spot: “You-you tricked-”

How foolish, how tedious. Hearing this, I lost all interest, yet Yan Qing kept babbling on.

His feeble defense made my ears ache. How I wish I were not a Mute; I want to tell Yan Qing: “When one is loathsome, the onlookers feel loathsome too. Seeing you so disgraced, those watching also feel disgraced.”

So, Your Highness the Crown Prince, to spare us listeners from feeling ashamed for you, please hurry up and die.