"Big cousin, save—save me…"
The prison cell was cold and gloomy.
A young woman's cries were pitiful and mournful.
Song Langyu followed the sound and saw a person bound to the torture rack.
A person who should never have been here.
Wen Jiao.
Her hair was disheveled, her forehead bore a wound, and her expression was one of utter panic.
Song Langyu's gaze sharpened. With a cold face, he stepped into the cell. At a single look from Shen Xiao, the Palace Guard immediately drew their blades.
The sword tips gleamed with cold light, yet Song Langyu did not retreat a single step.
"The duty of the Palace Guard is to defend the imperial palace. Arresting people without cause is an overreach of authority."
Every word rang out with force, his bearing imposing.
Shen Xiao let out a cold laugh and sat down with a swaggering air. "Even if I have overstepped, it's for the Censorate's old men to impeach me. It's none of the Court of Judicial Review's business to meddle."
Shen Xiao had risen from the ranks of the military, having fought his way to his current position with nothing but his blade. He looked down on those aristocratic heirs.
And Song Langyu was the one he despised most of all.
Just as the tension reached its peak, Wen Jiao's tearful voice rang out: "Big cousin, save me! I was abducted by Miaoshan, but this military officer wants to extract a confession through torture and falsely accuse me of being Miaoshan's accomplice!"
She looked disheveled, as if she had suffered severe punishment. A vein jumped on Song Langyu's forehead. Ignoring the cold blades before him, he stepped forward step by step, forcing the Palace Guards to retreat before his advance.
"Though the Court of Judicial Review cannot govern the Palace Guard, if Lord Shen uses private torture on an innocent person, I cannot stand by and do nothing."
Shen Xiao drew his blade and held it horizontally against Wen Jiao's neck, sneering: "She claimed to be Lord Song's cousin, and I didn't believe it. So it turns out to be true after all?"
"She is indeed my cousin."
The Palace Guards burst into raucous laughter. One burly man among them said: "Vice Minister Song has always enforced the law impartially. Now that his own cousin has become a suspect, is he going to bend the law for personal gain?"
"She is not a suspect, and the Palace Guard cannot convict her." Song Langyu refused to yield an inch. "If Lord Shen insists on not releasing her, then come with me to the imperial presence and let us settle this clearly."
As Song Langyu stepped forward, the blade in Shen Xiao's hand pressed a fraction closer. Wen Jiao's voice trembled: "Big cousin, save—save me…"
The cell fell so silent that a dropping needle could be heard. The confrontation was on the verge of erupting.
But Shen Xiao suddenly sheathed his blade and curled his lip. "Since your cousin is not Miaoshan's accomplice, I'll do you a favor and let you take her back."
Song Langyu stepped past Shen Xiao and, with a cold face, untied the hemp rope around Wen Jiao's wrists. Her skin was naturally delicate—even a slight abrasion showed up as obvious redness and swelling. Those rough Palace Guards had no sense of restraint; the places where the rope had bound her were now a terrible sight of purple and blue bruises.
On her forehead was also a lump the size of a walnut, purple and shiny—both comical and pitiful.
"You used private torture and violated the law. I will not let this matter rest."
"I didn't lay a finger on her! I never tortured her!" Shen Xiao retorted with a dark face.
"If you didn't use torture, then where did these injuries on her come from?" Song Langyu demanded with suppressed fury.
"How would I know—" Shen Xiao stopped mid-sentence.
Wen Jiao leaned weakly against Song Langyu's chest, her wrists bruised, her eyes brimming with tears, looking like someone who had just endured cruel torment.
Who could look at her and not say she had suffered torture…
"Big cousin…" Wen Jiao's voice trembled slightly. "He truly didn't torture me. I hurt my head when I was struggling with Miaoshan—I bumped it."
Seeing Wen Jiao speak up to clear his name, Shen Xiao actually felt a twinge of guilt. He clasped his hands toward Wen Jiao and said: "I wronged you today. Please forgive me."
Wen Jiao's lips parted slightly, as if she were afraid of Shen Xiao.
Song Langyu stepped forward, placing himself between the two. His cold eyes were like stars. "I'm taking Miaoshan as well."
Shen Xiao frowned. "Song Langyu, don't push your luck. Miaoshan caused the death of Xiao Sheng's wife—her life is mine."
Xiao Sheng was the Deputy Commander of the Palace Guard. His wife, Lady Feng, had poisoned herself at the beginning of the month.
A faint glint flickered in Song Langyu's eyes. "The Ministry of Justice has already ruled Lady Feng's death a suicide by poison. What does that have to do with Miaoshan?"
Song Langyu was notoriously difficult to deal with. Last year, a deputy general of the Military Command Bureau had caught his wife in adultery and, in a rage, killed both the adulterer and his wife. Because the family had spent money to pull strings, and because the case fell under the law allowing a husband to kill his wife and her lover on the spot, the court ruled him innocent.
When the case reached the Grand Court of Revision for review, it happened to land in Song Langyu's hands. He re-interviewed the neighbors and other witnesses, confirmed that the adulterer had already fled and that the deputy general had chased him out and killed him beyond the gate—and refused to let it go. He sent the case back for retrial, had the deputy general's sentence changed to exile, and even filed an impeachment against the presiding judge.
Shen Xiao knew he was in the wrong today and feared Song Langyu would blow the matter out of proportion. Forcing patience, he said:
"Lady Feng's maidservant testified that she went to Quedu Temple to burn incense on the fifteenth of every month. Last month, on the fifteenth, she went again. The maidservant heard her arguing with Miaoshan outside the door but couldn't make out what it was about. On the way home, Lady Feng wept bitterly and was never the same afterward. Then she poisoned herself. Miaoshan must be connected to Lady Feng's death."
"The law is clear. Even if you uncover evidence linking Miaoshan to Lady Feng's death, it should be handed to the Ministry of Justice and the Grand Court of Revision for trial. How dare you set up your own tribunal and use private torture?"
Shen Xiao's temper flared. "The Ministry of Justice already ruled it a suicide after their investigation! Hand it to you for trial? I don't trust it!"
"Then it's still not the Palace Guard's place to interfere!"
"Throw them out!"
The Palace Guard immediately surrounded Song Langyu and Wen Jiao, preparing to seize them—when a sound echoed from the corridor.
The clang of iron armor drew nearer, rolling low across the ground like muffled thunder.
Then a sheet of cold silver light surged out of the darkness. Dozens of silver-armored guards surrounded the prison!
Sun Chengyuan hurried forward, holding a bright yellow imperial edict with both hands. He was breathless, but his voice rang out clear:
"All present, receive the edict!"
Everyone knelt in prostration, but Shen Xiao stood stiff-necked, refusing to kneel.
"Palace Guard Commander Shen Xiao, kneel and receive the edict!"
Someone tugged at Shen Xiao, and only then did he kneel, reluctantly.
"By secret memorial, it is reported that Miaoshan, the Daoist priestess of Quedu Temple, is secretly implicated in a case of grave magnitude, touching the safety of the state. It is hereby decreed that the Chief Minister of the Grand Court of Revision and the Minister of Justice shall jointly investigate this very day, with all rigor, to ascertain the truth. This case is confidential—no official of the outer court, no bureau, and no local authority may interfere in any word of it. Whoever dares obstruct shall be severely punished without pardon!"
Song Langyu knew Shen Xiao would not easily hand over Miaoshan, so before coming, he had sent a message to Sun Chengyuan, asking him to rush to the palace and petition the emperor for an edict.
Now that the edict had arrived and the matter was settled, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Turning to Shen Xiao, he clasped his hands in salute and said solemnly:
"I ask Commander Shen to hand Miaoshan and the people of Quedu Temple over to me. I will get to the bottom of Lady Feng's death and ensure the departed rests without regret."
Shen Xiao's eyes blazed with fury. His hand on his sword hilt tightened again and again.
"You'd better keep your word."
Reluctant as he was, Shen Xiao had no choice but to obey the edict.
Miaoshan and the nuns of Quedu Temple were taken back to the Ministry of Justice by Sun Chengyuan. Song Langyu had intended to go there as well, but catching sight of Wen Jiao crouching by the wall in tears, he had no choice but to first escort her back to the Duke of Zhenguo's residence.
Inside the carriage, Wen Jiao pressed her hand to her forehead, looking both ashamed and embarrassed. "Cousin, you should go to the Ministry of Justice. Don't let me hold you up—I can make it back on my own…"
Song Langyu's brows were tightly knit. He held back for a moment, but in the end could not restrain himself, and asked in a cold voice, "How did you end up being abducted by Miaoshan?"
Wen Jiao's lips trembled. Before she could speak, tears came first. She sobbed for a long while, yet could not manage to utter a single complete sentence.
Song Langyu found her crying deeply unsettling. Seeing her disheveled and pitiful, he thought she must have been frightened out of her wits, so he suppressed his irritation and offered a few words of comfort.
But Wen Jiao sniffled and sobbed the entire way, like a zither with a broken string, every note mournful and piercing.
When the carriage arrived at the Duke of Zhenguo's residence, Song Langyu alighted before it had even come to a full stop, and ordered two matrons to help Wen Jiao inside.
Upon learning that Wen Jiao had been injured, Madam Wu hastily summoned the household physician.
"They are all external wounds, madam. Please do not worry too much."
Madam Wu let out a sigh of relief. "Use the best medicine. Don't let it leave a scar."
"Rest assured, madam. The young lady's wounds are neither deep nor large. As long as she keeps them dry and applies some scar-removing ointment, I guarantee not a single mark will remain."
As they were speaking, Song Xiangyu entered the room. She took Wen Jiao by the hands and examined her from head to toe, saying worriedly, "Those bandits are far too brazen—daring to kidnap someone in broad daylight!"
Madam Wu only knew that Wen Jiao had been abducted, but not the full story behind it, so she pressed for the details. Wen Jiao merely clutched her head, saying tearfully that she could not remember clearly, then burst into sobs again, claiming she was frightened. Seeing her in such a state, how could Madam Wu bear to question her further?
Song Langyu did not return to the Duke's residence until nightfall. After changing his clothes, he went to pay his respects to Madam Wu. But no sooner had he entered the courtyard than Nanny Zhou came up to him and said in a low voice:
"Madam sent people out to inquire about the young lady's matter. She is furious that the young lord acted without proper consideration—so angry that she skipped dinner entirely."
Song Langyu nodded and knocked before entering.
Madam Wu was seated sideways on the beauty couch. Seeing Song Langyu come in, she immediately began to scold:
"I know you hold a prejudice against Jiaojiao, but no matter what, you should never have let a young lady like her walk into danger!"
"This matter was indeed ill-considered on my part. In the future, I will never let Cousin Wen take such risks." Song Langyu did not argue. "However, the fact that she was abducted by bandits will damage her reputation. I would ask Mother to help keep the household servants in check."
"Now you think of her reputation! You should never have dragged her into this in the first place!" Madam Wu said indignantly.
Song Langyu simply admitted his fault with a sincere attitude.
Madam Wu let out a sigh. "She lost both her parents, and her circumstances are pitiable. She came to me with nowhere else to turn. If I fail to look after her properly, how could my conscience rest? I have already given the household servants a stern talking-to—rest assured."
"Your son has been unfilial, causing Mother such worry."
"Have the bandits who abducted Jiaojiao all been apprehended? They truly are audacious, daring to snatch someone in broad daylight." Madam Wu said with concern.
Naturally, no one was that audacious.
Song Langyu had interrogated the carriage driver, the maidservants, and the nuns of Quedu Temple. Based on their testimonies, Wen Jiao had gone to Changle Lane of her own accord.
Why would she put herself in danger?
Whether facing Liu Yuqing or Miaoshan, Wen Jiao's behavior was unlike that of an ordinary young lady of the inner chambers.
She was reckless, bold, naive, and foolish—utterly contradictory.
Perhaps he should send someone to Jiangdu once more…
Song Langyu returned to Changpu Courtyard and saw a slender figure standing beneath the eaves.
In early spring, the weather was still cold, yet Wen Jiao wore only a thin white belted silk skirt, delicate and frail, with a strip of gauze wrapped around her forehead, a trace of blood seeping through.
"Cousin…" Her voice trembled slightly, as if she had something to say, but she lowered her head and wept with reddened eyes, her fingers twisting the handkerchief tightly.
Though the night was deep, even cousins should not share a room. After a moment of hesitation, he finally pushed open the study door.
"Come in."
Wen Jiao followed him inside and closed the door behind her.
The candle on the desk was lit, its dim yellow light casting a somber, grave shadow across Song Langyu's face.
"Why did you send away the carriage driver and the maidservant?"