Unyielding even when crushed to dust, I'll preserve my purity in this mortal world.
This poem expressed the determination to uphold noble integrity while revealing a fiery nature that refused to bow to material temptations.
He Yunzhao casually tossed aside the piece of fabric in her hand. Standing there with disheveled clothing—the hem torn away—she appeared both wretched and destitute, utterly incomparable to the luxurious attire of the Duke.
Yet her expression was filled with scorn, her eyes brimming with arrogance. Her slender, pale neck seemed to reveal the crimson, boiling blood within.
The first character she had written was already beginning to fade and blur.
Her posture was not entirely upright, but the fear of a narrow escape and the fury of being oppressed by power were vented through the verses. Having found an outlet for release, she now laughed heartily!
She stood like an inviolable deity, her torn garments her battle robes, the characters written in wine on the wooden board her sword. Merely by standing there, she was enough!
He Yunzhao fixed her gaze on Pei Shangxuan. "Duke of Li, I await your response!"
The scholars, still untainted by court politics, were filled with fervor. Having witnessed this poem, how could they not feel indignation? And feeling indignant, how could they not step forward?
As soon as He Yunzhao finished speaking, many shook their sleeves and strode forward, glaring angrily at Pei Shangxuan. "Lu stands with Young Master He in awaiting your response!"
"Wang awaits!"
"Yang awaits!"
"Jin awaits!"
"Luo awaits!"
Amid the roars of defiance, He Yunzhao lifted her chin, looking scornfully at Pei Shangxuan.
You sought to oppress with power? Now see who truly holds the upper hand!
Xiao Changfeng, standing silently to the side, watched the deity-like He Yunzhao.
Her courage, her fiery spirit, shook him to the core, his gaze intensifying.
A dagger slipped silently from his sleeve as he vigilantly watched Pei Shangxuan, ready to intervene if the latter dared to strike.
Though Pei Shangxuan was despicable, he was, after all, a military commander. Confronting a scholar like He Yunzhao, any physical assault would be hard to guard against.
Xiao Changfeng had already resolved that if Pei Shangxuan charged forward in rage, he would cut him down on the spot.
As for the consequences from the authorities, he cared not. If he could die for He Yunzhao and for righteousness, he would do so willingly!
At this critical moment, he noticed Feng Qing, who was lying on the ground, subtly twitch his arm.
Huh? Wasn't this man unconscious?
Xiao Changfeng instinctively glanced at He Yunzhao, but the clamor of the enraged crowd drowned out his unspoken question.
Pei Shangxuan was no fool. His ability to command the Capital Military Camp after his father's death owed partly to his father's influence and the current emperor's trust, but he himself was also shrewd.
However, the shrewdness of a military commander differed from the intellect of a civil official.
Pei Shangxuan's downfall lay in his lack of scholarly learning. He understood the meaning of He Yunzhao's poem and sensed its intense emotion, but his impoverished literary cultivation prevented him from recognizing it as a powerful piece.
Each word of the poem cut like a blade. Unless he killed everyone present today, this poem would inevitably spread. Once it did, every scholar who had paid homage to the sages would despise and attack him.
If Pei Shangxuan were to immediately strangle Feng Li, hand Feng Qing over to He Yunzhao for judgment, and put on a convincing act—weeping over how he had been deceived by his concubine, who had helped Feng Qing harm others—
He only needed to adopt the posture of sudden enlightenment. Given his background and power, it wasn't impossible for him to retreat unscathed.
He was just a tiny bit short—this subtle difference…
Thus, under the furious gazes of the crowd, he ordered his servants to take Feng Li and Feng Qing away.
He Yunzhao let out a cold snort; she had seen everything clearly just now.
There was clearly something strange about Feng Li and Pei Shangxuan. Pei Shangxuan's anger wasn't because his beloved concubine was weeping bitterly—he was clearly furious that He Yunzhao had humiliated him, challenging his dignity and authority.
Savior?
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly as she pondered silently.
Pei Shangxuan was no commoner by birth. His father was the previous Duke of Li, who controlled the Jingdu Daying. After more than a decade under different leadership, Pei Shangxuan had finally regained control of the Capital Military Camp.
A pampered young nobleman, a general whose martial skills might not be exceptional but who could easily scale roofs—when would such a man ever need a sheltered young lady to rescue him?
There was likely more to this matter.
As for the possibility of true love, He Yunzhao drew a sharp breath, "Tch!"
Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Though Feng Li was beautiful, her looks were merely above average, and the terrifying scar on her face made her appear rather eerie.
She adjusted her non-existent glasses below the bridge of her nose, a strange glint flashing in her eyes.
Shinichi wa itsumo hitotsu! (There is only one truth!)
After Pei Shangxuan was born, his parents thought his large head made him look like an idiot and threw him into a manure pit. Feng Li happened to pass by, took pity on him, and fished him out!
"Hehe"
He Yunzhao laughed cheerfully, watching as this group of people beat a hasty retreat.
"Martial Uncle…" Xiao Changfeng stepped forward, frowning suspiciously. "Martial Uncle, it seemed like Feng Qing was pretending to faint earlier."
He Yunzhao patted his shoulder and said, "Of course he was."
Xiao Changfeng was stunned and quickly asked, "Then why didn't you expose him earlier?"
Seeing his genuine curiosity, He Yunzhao explained, "I knew all along he was faking. We only threw him into the male prostitution house—it's not like we drugged him. Of course he was still conscious."
Where would an honest scholar like her get her hands on actual knockout drugs!
She added, "What good would exposing him do?"
Xiao Changfeng: "It would completely humiliate him!"
He Yunzhao: "He's already been thoroughly humiliated."
Her expression was lighthearted. Having dealt with the hidden threat, she no longer needed to be so vigilant, and her mood lifted accordingly. That was why she was willing to patiently explain to Xiao Changfeng.
"Feng Qing once achieved Two Top Ranks in the Tongsheng Shi. Pardoned and recalled from the borderlands, he pursued his studies with unwavering determination. His intelligence is second to none."
"If he hadn't pretended to faint earlier, he might have used his quick wits to turn the situation around."
Feng Qing must have prepared two contingency plans. If she had taken the bait and chosen the carriage through the alley, there would certainly have been something waiting for her.
Since she didn't fall for it and continued on the main road, the carriages flanking her controlled the speed to ensure she had no escape.
The length of the pillar, the height of the carriage, the angle of the fall—even if she didn't die, she would have been crippled.
Crippled, and her future would be utterly destroyed.
Moreover, given the current medical technology, any serious injury would most likely be fatal.
Just like that injured donkey.
If Feng Qing hadn't pretended to faint, he could have easily argued his way out. As long as he bought enough time, his dear brother-in-law would naturally take care of the evidence for him.
From another perspective, if he were ruthless enough to kowtow and apologize to He Yunzhao on the spot, crippling his own hands, someone would inevitably "forgive" him on He Yunzhao's behalf in the face of such a bloody scene.
He Yunzhao naturally wouldn't expose him, because Feng Qing was merely wicked, not incompetent.
Unfortunately, one's character determines the course of fate, and what Feng Qing cherished most was his hard-worn dignity.
After the Feng Family was exiled to the borderlands, he must have suffered immensely—only he and his sister survived to return to the capital. He had painstakingly scrubbed the mud from his feet and climbed step by step to a high platform.
Before the incident with He Yunzhao, everyone even praised his talent, yet few knew to connect him with the Duke of Li's beloved concubine, which shows how much he valued face.
She shrugged her shoulders. "Let's go. The real show is yet to come."
Xiao Changfeng's eyes sparkled with fascination, fixed unblinkingly on He Yunzhao's fair profile.
He said, "Martial Aunt, won't your retaliation against Feng Qing give him grounds to argue?"
The case still needed to be tried by Shuntian Fu. Given Pei Shangxuan's influence, there would likely be further complications.
He Yunzhao waved cheerfully to the scholars watching the spectacle. "Thank you, everyone! Do come watch when Shuntian Fu holds the trial."
"Brother Lu, you must come."
He Yunzhao mounted her horse unhurriedly, teasing Xiao Changfeng with a smile. "I told you long ago—you're not cut out for the Imperial Examination. Legal knowledge is crucial! How can you manage with such poor understanding of the law?"
Since she dared to retaliate, she had nothing to fear. "Do you know about Chunqiu Jueyu (Spring and Autumn Annals Adjudication)?"
Xiao Changfeng hesitated briefly.
He Yunzhao curled her lips. "The integration of moral principles with judiciary practice."
Throughout history, up until the Qing dynasty, there were clear regulations regarding acts of retaliation.
If a rapist was killed on the spot by the woman, she would be acquitted. If the woman committed suicide after being violated, the perpetrator would be sentenced to decapitation with deferred execution for causing death through intimidation.
If a criminal was killed by the victim's family before being apprehended, the killer would receive one hundred cane strikes. If a released offender mocked the victim's descendants and was killed by them, the killers would receive a one-degree reduced sentence for murder.
The fusion of Confucianism and law provided ample room for victims to seek retaliation.
Since Feng Qing dared to act, He Yunzhao could retaliate freely. Had he appeared at the scene himself, the He Family servants beating him to death would be considered defending their master. He Yunzhao would only need to pay a fine to the authorities.
"I could even kill Feng Qing, but I refuse to tarnish my reputation for his sake."
A killer would always be viewed with suspicion, no matter the circumstances.
"Still too kind-hearted, alas." He Yunzhao shook her head with a resigned smile.
Xiao Changfeng nodded vigorously in agreement. "It's precisely because Martial Aunt is pure and virtuous that these vile schemers repeatedly plot against you!"
Yang Xiaoman, leading the horse ahead, puffed his cheeks and glared back at this young master—how dare he steal his line!
…
Feng Qing still couldn't face his physical condition and hid in his room, refusing to come out.
He could hide, but his sister wouldn't.
Feng Li clung desperately to Pei Shangxuan, her face streaked with tears. "Pei Lang, you can't abandon Xiao Qing! Don't you know the Magistrate of Shuntian Fu? Stop him from presiding over the trial—Xiao Qing mustn't be imprisoned!"
Pei Shangxuan's face was ashen, his fists clenched tightly. He had already learned from his advisors how formidable He Yunzhao's literary prowess could be.
A single poem from her could mobilize all civil officials to attack him!
Feng Li pleaded and cajoled, but seeing Pei Shangxuan remain unyielding, her lowered eyes filled with resentment as she tearfully cried, "Pei Lang, our Feng Family has been reduced to this state because of your Pei Family—you cannot abandon us!"
Her voice was gentle, yet her words dripped with threat. Pei Shangxuan abruptly tightened his grip on her slender wrist, leaving a red mark.
"Are you threatening me?"
Feng Li lifted her head with an innocent expression. "Pei Lang, I love you so much. Can’t you show Xiao Qing some love just once?"
No one cared whether they loved each other or not.
The entrance of the Li Country Duke Mansion was already surrounded by scholars, many of whom had come to witness the great scholar’s tirade.
Great scholars’ tirades were not always eloquent, just as civil officials sometimes brawled in court.
Qi Jun was seen supporting an elderly man—the notorious troublemaker, the great scholar Liao Yinghuan.
The old man stood with one hand on his hip and the other pointing at the mansion’s gate, shouting, "Pei Shangxuan! I curse your ancestors!"