“The heir has gone to court,” Qingrui said with a cheerful smile as she gently gathered Xiao Zhaoning’s disheveled hair. “But before he left, His Highness specifically instructed us that once you woke up, you were to rest properly. He’ll be back later.”
Qinghe brought over a moon-white dress.
“Miss, your body is still weak. Would you like us to do your hair and makeup?”
Xiao Zhaoning nodded blankly.
Her pale face appeared in the bronze mirror, her lips completely devoid of color.
What surprised her even more was that this face was exactly the same as the one she had possessed in the modern world.
The young girl’s skin was fairer than snow and smooth as jade. Her brows curved like distant mountains veiled in mist, while her phoenix-shaped eyes were slightly upturned at the corners, their pupils as black as ink.
Her long black hair fell like a waterfall, though years of poor health had left it somewhat dry. Unlike an ordinary young girl’s soft, glossy hair, hers was slightly coarse and unruly, with several stray strands stubbornly sticking up.
She sat upright before the sandalwood dressing table while Qinghe slowly combed through her long hair with a jade comb.
The bronze mirror reflected her cool, delicate features, as well as Qinghe standing behind her, busy arranging her hair.
Suddenly, the surface of the mirror rippled faintly like water.
Xiao Zhaoning’s fingers froze.
In the bronze mirror, something was perched on Qinghe’s back.
A child with a bluish-green face!
Its skin was a deathly gray-green, its eyes as black and hollow as bottomless pits. Its mouth stretched all the way to its ears as it extended thin, branch-like hands and slowly tangled them into Qinghe’s hair.
Qinghe was completely unaware of it.
Still smiling, she asked, “Miss, what hairstyle would you like today?”
Xiao Zhaoning’s gaze instantly turned cold, but she merely curled her lips into a smile.
“Anything is fine.”
“Then shall I give you a simple hairstyle today?”
“Mm.”
Her fingers lightly tapped against the dressing table.
The ghost child in the mirror suddenly raised its head and met her gaze.
Its eyes locked with hers through the mirror.
“Crash!”
Xiao Zhaoning pretended to accidentally knock over the bronze mirror.
The mirror shattered into pieces.
“Miss!”
Qinghe cried out in alarm and hurriedly crouched down to pick up the fragments.
Xiao Zhaoning lowered her eyes and looked at Qinghe’s back.
There was not the slightest sign that anything was wrong.
“My body feels a little weak. I didn’t control my strength properly.”
Among the shattered pieces, one fragment still reflected the ghost child’s twisted grin.
“As long as you’re all right, Miss.”
Qingrui also hurried over to help gather the broken pieces, while Qinghe quickly finished arranging Xiao Zhaoning’s hair into a neat bun.
Xiao Zhaoning shook her head.
Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of her sleeve.
“I’m fine. Just take the mirror away.”
“Oh, and one more thing. Help me buy some things. I’ll need them tonight.”
Inside the Golden Hall, the civil and military officials stood in orderly rows on either side.
The entire hall was deathly silent, with everyone lowering their heads and holding their breath.
Xie Heng wore a black embroidered dragon robe, a jade belt fastened around his waist. He slowly climbed the imperial steps before dropping to one knee.
“Your Majesty, this subject has a matter to report.”
The emperor’s hand paused.
He raised his eyes toward his nephew.
Whenever Xie Heng had something to report, it was never anything good.
Three years ago, Xie Heng had clearly been poisoned with a deadly toxin. Even the imperial physicians had been helpless.
Yet somehow, he was still alive.
It wasn’t that the emperor particularly wanted Xie Heng dead.
It was simply that having this man alive constantly reminded him of certain unpleasant matters.
“What is it?”
Xie Heng raised his eyes.
His gaze was as calm and deep as a secluded pool, yet there was a sharpness hidden within it.
“I wish to formally accuse Marquis Kangping, Xiao Yanshan, of abusing his legitimate daughter and nearly beating her to death!”
The emperor’s half-closed eyes slowly opened.
The Kangping Marquis?
Abusing his legitimate daughter?
What was there to accuse him of?
He frowned, initially unwilling to let Xie Heng continue.
But then he remembered how increasingly arrogant Marquis Xiao Yanshan had become over the past few years.
An idea formed in his mind.
Xie Heng continued.
“Marquis Kangping’s legitimate daughter, Xiao Zhaoning, is fifteen years old. Since childhood, she has been confined to a dilapidated courtyard, where the servants of the residence were allowed to bully her at will. Last month, the Marchioness, Madam Shen, locked her in a woodshed, cutting off both food and water. She was then flogged thirty times, leaving her severely injured and vomiting blood.
“Yesterday, the marquis locked her inside the ancestral shrine and drove her to smash her head against a pillar in an attempt to take her own life. He then sent servants and maids to pursue her and finish her off.
“She is currently unconscious and recovering from her injuries at my residence.”
The moment his words fell, the entire court erupted into an uproar.
“What? The marquis’s residence actually did such a thing?”
“Marquis Kangping has always been known for being strict. I never imagined he would treat his own family so cruelly…”
The officials were utterly stunned.
Had Marquis Kangping lost his mind?
And the Marchioness had actually stood by and allowed it?
She was her own flesh and blood daughter, yet she could treat her like this…
Xiao Yanshan’s face turned livid.
“Prince Xie! This is a private family matter. How dare you make baseless accusations? I have never mistreated my children, much less my legitimate eldest daughter. My daughter is perfectly safe and sound in the residence. Your Highness, choose your words carefully!”
Xie Heng gave a cold laugh.
Without the slightest trace of panic, he pulled a roll of bright-yellow silk from his sleeve.
It was densely covered with Physician Qu’s medical records.
He slowly unfurled it and spoke loudly.
“Your Majesty, judge this matter fairly. When I encountered Miss Xiao yesterday, she was wearing nothing but a thin spring dress. Furthermore, this is Physician Qu’s medical report.”
At this point, Xie Heng glanced disdainfully at Xiao Yanshan.
“Marquis Xiao, on the other hand, seems to have wrapped himself up rather warmly.”
The emperor’s brows drew together.
He motioned for the eunuch beside him to take the document.
After quickly scanning it, his expression became increasingly grim.
Xiao Yanshan was even more ruthless than he was.
He had actually treated his own daughter this way.
A man who could abandon even his own child—how could he possibly remain loyal to the throne?
Xiao Yanshan’s face went from green to white.
Cold sweat appeared along his temples.
He was just about to defend himself when the Grand Censor suddenly stepped forward with a cold laugh.
“Marquis Xiao has always boasted that he runs his household with an iron hand. Yet now he cannot even tolerate his own daughter. It is truly chilling. I wonder whether he should still be allowed to retain military authority. Otherwise, who knows? Perhaps one day we’ll hear that one of his soldiers froze to death under his command.”
The Minister of War, Li Chong, immediately stepped forward in agreement.
“Indeed. Marquis Xiao has earned considerable military merit, but who would have thought his family would be governed so cruelly? He cannot even tolerate his own daughter. Tsk, tsk.”
The Minister of Revenue, Zhang Qian, stepped forward as well.
“Your Majesty! If the marquis governs his own household with such brutality, how can he possibly command an army? I respectfully request that the military be thoroughly investigated to determine whether he has been abusing corporal punishment among the troops.”
Even Zhao Mingde, a Hanlin scholar who had always remained neutral, shook his head and sighed.
“Even a tiger does not devour its own cubs. The marquis’s actions go against the teachings of the sages!”
Xiao Yanshan gave a cold laugh and stepped forward, clasping his fists.
“Your Majesty! I am the father. How is it anyone else’s place to interfere with how I discipline my children? That unfilial little wretch defied me repeatedly. I merely punished her lightly!”
As her father, he had every right to discipline his own child.
Who had any grounds to object?
Li Chong immediately stepped forward again.
“Marquis Xiao, that is where you’re wrong!”
His voice rang loudly through the hall.
“The Book of Rites states that the bond between father and son is rooted in nature. Even when children are disobedient, they should be taught and guided. How can you resort to flogging at every turn and nearly beat your own daughter to death?”
A cold glint appeared in Xiao Yanshan’s eyes.
“Minister Li certainly has studied the sages’ teachings well. But have you ever been on a battlefield? Without strict laws and harsh discipline in the military, how would you control an army of a hundred thousand soldiers?”
Li Chong nearly laughed.
Was this old bastard actually trying to argue with him?
He had disliked Xiao Yanshan for years. The man walked around every day with his nose practically pointed at the sky.
Normally, what happened inside the marquis’s household was none of his concern.
But now that Xiao Yanshan had practically handed him a weapon, how could he possibly pass up the chance to make the old bastard suffer?
“Marquis, are you implying that you also use corporal punishment indiscriminately in the army? That soldiers who have not died on the battlefield might instead nearly die at the hands of their own commander?”
He sneered.
“That would surely chill the hearts of every soldier under your command!”
Xiao Yanshan’s face turned livid with rage.
Li Chong had long been at odds with him.
This was nothing more than settling a personal grudge under the guise of official business!
The emperor’s gaze grew colder.
“Marquis Xiao, do you have anything else to say?”
Xiao Yanshan gritted his teeth.
He absolutely could not admit guilt.
But—
Zhang Qian stepped forward again.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty rules the empire through benevolence. What Marquis Xiao has done is nothing short of showing contempt for Your Majesty’s grace!”
The Vice Minister of Justice, Xu Chang’an, immediately followed.
“This subject requests that the Great Yong Code be applied. It states: ‘If the head of a household beats a child or grandchild and causes permanent injury, he shall receive one hundred strokes and three years of penal servitude!’”