Fortunately, they were not shoved and pushed around like criminals being paraded through the streets.
Xi Cai followed the group through the alleyways that had only just witnessed a bloody battle. The air was thick with the stench of blood that refused to disperse. The smell crept into her nose, making her feel nauseated again and again.
She could not help retching several times. Lady of Chen looked at her curiously and asked, “Young Madam Ninth, are you pregnant?”
Xi Cai shook her head awkwardly. “Aunt, I have only been married for half a month.”
“Oh,” Lady of Chen replied, realizing that she had misunderstood.
Lady of Chen was not particularly concerned about being dragged into the matter for no apparent reason. She was the cousin of the founding emperor, and the nine princes were all her nephews. Naturally, she had some dealings with them from time to time.
Now that they had committed the foolish act of rebellion, it was inevitable that everyone connected to them would be investigated. Her conscience was clear, so she only needed to explain herself later. Surely the emperor would not go so far as to kill his own grandaunt.
Princess Consort of Prince Yue, on the other hand, was trembling so badly that her hands and feet would not stop shaking. She muttered anxiously, “What does any of this have to do with us? We traveled thousands of miles to Luodu to attend the ceremony, and before we had even warmed our seats, we were taken into custody. This is simply too unjust!”
As she spoke, she glanced at Xi Cai again.
“Young Madam Ninth, didn’t your husband just put down the rebellion? Why are you being investigated?”
Xi Cai did not answer. She understood perfectly well that the problem had nothing to do with Yang Xun himself. It lay with her father.
Some deadlocks could only be broken by tearing everything apart first. Yang Xun must have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. No wonder he had been so busy lately that he barely returned home. He had probably learned of Prince Bin and Prince Cao’s plans long ago.
A rebellion could severely damage the country, but it also offered an opportunity to eliminate political rivals under the same pretext. Matters that had once been difficult to settle through sharp arguments in court could now be resolved with ease. As long as Yang Xun declared someone involved, that person would find it difficult to escape suspicion.
As for why Princess Consort of Prince Yue had been implicated, Xi Cai did not know. Lady of Chen, however, had probably been brought along to confuse the issue and make the arrests seem less targeted.
If every person arrested was a political opponent, the pattern would be far too obvious. It would make the whole operation seem deliberate.
Xi Cai remained silent as she was brought before Zhengyang Hall. Looking around, she saw that the Right Vice Director and the others had all been herded together. Her father was among them.
The officials’ wives and other female members of their households had naturally been unable to escape either. Xi Cai spotted her mother in the crowd. Her mother’s eyes were filled with concern. Only after seeing Xi Cai did she finally relax, but a fresh wave of worry soon replaced her relief.
At this point, all they could do was accept whatever fate had in store for them.
Under ordinary circumstances, a woman who had already married into another family should not be punished alongside her birth family. However, Xi Cai had not even been married for a full month. Whether she could remain uninvolved depended on whether her husband acknowledged her status as his wife.
Yang Xun clearly did not.
When he saw her, his expression remained utterly indifferent.
If she had been any other young woman, she would probably have cried out for help and called for her husband by now. Perhaps Yang Xun was waiting to see how she would react. All she needed to do was call him “Husband” or give him a pitiful look.
But Xi Cai had no intention of doing either.
Only now did she understand why he had married her in the first place. He wanted an opportunity to eliminate his own in-laws in the name of justice, so that no one could criticize him behind his back for showing favoritism toward his wife’s family.
Now that he had achieved his goal, he would never abandon everything at the last moment.
Xi Cai decided to save her strength. If he was determined to destroy her parents, then she would not cling to life alone.
With all the people involved in the case gathered together, Yang Xun issued only one order.
“Investigate them thoroughly.”
Xi Cai looked at the bloodstains scattered across the ground and quietly tightened her grip on her mother’s hand.
Everyone suspected of having connections to the rebellion would be sent to the Sili Prison.
The Commandant of Sili answered directly to the emperor. Along with the Director of the Secretariat and the Censor-in-Chief, he enjoyed a designated seat during court sessions. Together, the three officials were known as the “Three Officials with Exclusive Seats.”
Everyone knew that the Sili Prison was a terrible place to end up. No matter how high a person’s position had once been, they would have to endure considerable suffering once inside.
Take this major rebellion case, for example. A thorough investigation could drag on for a long time. At the very least, it might take a month or two; at worst, it could last a year or even two. Everything depended on whether the presiding officials wanted to resolve the case quickly or make the prisoners suffer for longer.
Besides, no amount of verbal pleading would be accepted in front of Zhengyang Hall. Everything had to be judged according to the evidence. Therefore, sending everyone to the Sili Prison for questioning and investigation was the quickest way to proceed.
The prisoners were herded forward again, moving toward Duan Gate. Xi Cai walked among them, feeling an unexpected calm, like the stillness that followed a violent storm.
Suddenly, she heard a low voice call out, “Madam.”
She turned her head and saw Yang Xun standing nearby, his brows tightly furrowed and displeasure written across his face.
Xi Cai did not respond. She turned away and walked through Duan Gate with her parents.
The moment they entered the Sili government offices, a terrifying, oppressive atmosphere seemed to swallow them whole. The once-powerful and dignified nobles displayed different reactions. Some remained defiant and unyielding, while others hung their heads in despair.
The men and women had to be detained separately. Her father, the Right Vice Director, and the other officials were to be taken somewhere else. As they were about to part, everyone looked back at their loved ones, reluctant to leave.
That glance might very well be their final farewell.
No one broke down or cried out in desperation. After years of warfare, even the hearts of women had been hardened like iron. Now that things had come to this, showing more reluctance would only deepen their sorrow.
Husbands and wives simply gazed at one another in silence before the prison guards urged them onward, toward the dark passage on the other side.
Fortunately, Xi Cai and her mother were not separated. Lady of Chen and Princess Consort of Prince Yue were placed in the same cell with them, while the remaining officials’ wives were scattered among other cells.
Even after arriving there, Lady of Chen remained remarkably confident. She touched the wooden bars and looked around, murmuring, “I’ve lived to such an old age, yet I never imagined I would have the chance to visit a prison and broaden my horizons. What a peculiar experience!”
As she spoke, she knocked on the chains hanging from the cell door and called outside, “It’s so damp and smelly in here. Where are we supposed to sit? Do you have any stools? Even a few benches would do!”
Unfortunately, no one paid her any attention. The guards were probably wondering whether the old woman had lost her mind and mistaken the prison for a place where she could enjoy herself.
Princess Consort of Prince Yue, meanwhile, continued cursing Prince Bin and Prince Cao.
“Those two scoundrels must have been out of their minds to do something so reckless! Their territories are close to each other, so naturally they have frequent dealings. But we have nothing to do with them! What have I ever done to deserve this misfortune? Why did I have to get caught up in such a mess?”
She continued complaining, “What about the women from their households? Why aren’t they arresting those women instead of me?”
In reality, when a crime as serious as rebellion was involved, the families of the main conspirators could not escape punishment. Prince Bin’s consort, who had been pretending to be ill at her residence, would probably be brought into the prison soon.
Xi Cai and her mother remained silent from beginning to end. They knew that nothing they said would make any difference.
They leaned against the corner of the wall, relying on each other for comfort. Now, all they could do was endure whatever came next. In the end, they would either live or die.
Lady Xi was worried only about her children, Xi Xiao and Xi Tan. After such a major upheaval, she feared that neither of them would escape the consequences. The guards would not spare them easily. Perhaps the soldiers had already surrounded the Xi residence and begun arresting everyone inside.
The prison gradually fell silent.
At first, the noblewomen insisted on remaining standing to avoid dirtying their skirts. But after standing for two hours, with the night growing late and exhaustion setting in, they gradually stopped caring about such things. Gathering their skirts around themselves, they finally sat on the cold floor.
The women huddled close to one another for warmth. It was already early autumn, and the nights had grown cold. Inside the prison, where sunlight rarely reached, the damp chill seemed to seep straight into their bones.
Lady Xi gently rubbed her daughter’s shoulder.
“Are you cold?”
“I’m not,” Xi Cai replied. “I’m only worried about Father. His leg condition will probably flare up again.”
Xi Jiyuan’s leg injury had also been a result of the war. One December, he had carried a secret letter while wading across a river. The freezing water had badly damaged his knees, leaving him with a lasting injury.
And what about those veteran ministers and senior officials? Which of them did not carry some tragic story of their own? They had survived years of bloody warfare, only to be brought down in a time of peace.
When she thought about it, the irony was almost cruel.
Lady of Chen looked at Xi Cai sympathetically.
“I heard Ninth Lord calling for you earlier. A husband and wife share a bond that grows with time. If you were willing to soften your attitude and humble yourself a little, perhaps he might let you go.”
Xi Cai shook her head.
“My parents are both here. There would be little meaning in my remaining outside. It is better for us to stay together, so we can at least look after one another.”
Everyone felt a little melancholy. They could now see just how ruthless the Marquis of Yanling truly was. If he had not wanted to implicate his own wife, why had he sent people to the Empress Dowager’s palace to arrest her?
Xi Cai, however, had come to terms with it.
She had never had any real affection for Yang Xun. Their relationship had always been one of mutual calculation, and she had spent much of her time secretly thinking about how she could kill him.
Now, the two princes had disrupted everything, bringing their contest to an early end. Whether she had married Yang Xun or not, the outcome would probably have been the same.
At least she could live or die alongside her family. She had no regrets about that.
The night grew deep and still. Somewhere in the prison, water was dripping through a leak, and the steady sound of each drop could be heard clearly.
Amid the darkness, there seemed to be some movement outside. Everyone suddenly became alert and stared toward the entrance.
They saw prison guards escorting men and women from various noble households into the prison, but Xi Xiao and Xi Tan were nowhere to be seen.
Then they heard two guards speaking quietly to each other. The pair of siblings from the Xi family had escaped.
As expected, the children had been clever enough not to surrender without a fight.
Lady Xi finally let out a breath she had been holding. She glanced at Xi Cai, her expression carrying a hint of relief.
Soon afterward, the interrogations began, and the prisoners were taken out one by one to answer questions.
To prevent the suspects from coordinating their statements, anyone who was taken away was not returned to their original cell. Instead, they were transferred to another one.
Gradually, the number of people left dwindled until only the mother and daughter of the Xi family remained.
When it was Xi Cai’s turn, Lady Xi gently smoothed her daughter’s hair and said softly, “Don’t be afraid. Just tell them the truth.”
Xi Cai nodded and followed the prison guard into the main hall.
Three senior officials were presiding over the interrogation. Seated at the head were the Director of the Secretariat, the Commandant of Sili, and Yang Xun, who held the title of Director of the Secretariat by virtue of his noble rank.
Xi Cai bowed slightly in greeting, maintaining her usual calm and dignified bearing.
Because of Yang Xun’s presence, the Director of the Secretariat and the Commandant of Sili treated her with considerable courtesy. They instructed an attendant to bring a seat for the marquise.
Xi Cai declined.
“Thank you, but there is no need. I am here as a suspect under interrogation. It would be improper for me to sit, so I will remain standing. My lords may ask whatever questions they wish. I will tell you everything I know.”
Since she had decided to sever all ties with Yang Xun, she did not even look at him again.
A gust of autumn wind swept through the courtyard outside the hall, lifting the long ribbons and pendants hanging from the edges of her skirt. She seemed almost ready to rise into the air, yet her feet remained firmly planted on the ground.
Her resolute bearing displayed the proud spirit of the Xi family.
The Director of the Secretariat began questioning her.
“Before you married, did anyone from the distant princely territories come to visit? Did your father have close dealings with any of the princes or nobles?”
Xi Cai answered, “I am a woman who lives within the inner quarters. I have never involved myself in my father’s social affairs, nor do I casually meet outsiders.”
The Commandant of Sili continued, “On the day you returned to your parents’ home after the wedding, did the Xi family host a banquet for the Right Vice Director, the Grand Tutor, and the others? Why were they invited? Did your family maintain frequent private contact with them? Did you ever overhear them discussing anything?”
Xi Cai almost laughed at the question, but she managed to suppress it.
They had clearly already decided to implicate her entire family, yet they still insisted on going through the motions of an investigation, asking these absurd questions.
Nevertheless, she could not refuse to answer. Things had not yet reached the point where everyone had completely abandoned all pretense. She still had to give them a way to save face.
After thinking for a moment, she replied, “On the day I returned to my parents’ home, the Director of the Secretariat accompanied me to Great Poplar Street. Once the banquet began in the front hall, I returned to the inner residence. As for what was said during the gathering, my lord should know better than I do.
“As for my father’s usual social connections, he is an official serving at court. It is inevitable that he maintains relationships with other officials. The Right Vice Director and the Grand Tutor were not the only ones who visited our family. All three of you seated here have also been honored guests of the Xi household.
“For five generations, the Xi family has upheld the traditions of poetry, learning, and proper conduct. Anyone who crosses our threshold is treated as an honored guest. That is simply how we conduct ourselves in the world.”
The Commandant of Sili and the Director of the Secretariat turned toward Yang Xun, waiting for his response.
Yang Xun said, “Nothing unusual was discussed at the banquet. We merely exchanged the usual pleasantries and drank together.”
As for anything else, there was little they could learn from a young woman who lived in the inner quarters.
They then asked whether she had returned to her parents’ home at any point over the past few days.
Xi Cai replied, “Apart from the customary visit three days after my wedding, I have spent all my time at the marquis’s residence, managing the household and attending to my husband’s daily needs. The senior matrons and maids in the residence can testify to this.”
The Commandant of Sili and the Director of the Secretariat exchanged glances.
“In that case, there is nothing further we need to trouble Madam with.”
Xi Cai bowed once more, turned around, and followed the prison guard back to her cell.
When she returned, Lady Xi was just being taken away for questioning. The mother and daughter did not even have time to exchange a few words before they were hurried past each other in opposite directions.
Xi Cai knew that the interrogation her mother would face was bound to be far more severe than her own.
It was said that the Commandant of Sili had a special technique. He would not beat or curse at prisoners. Instead, he would repeat the same questions over and over, changing the wording slightly each time. He could question someone for hours until they became furious, mentally exhausted, and nearly driven to despair.
The moment a prisoner made even the slightest mistake or contradiction, he would seize upon it and keep digging. He would guide the prisoner along his own line of reasoning until they gave a false statement without realizing it.
By the time the prisoner understood what had happened, it would already be too late. The authorities would have obtained the evidence they wanted and would not allow the prisoner to retract the statement. They only needed to force the person to sign the confession and press a fingerprint onto it.
That was what worried Xi Cai.
Her mother was a sheltered woman who had spent most of her life within the household. Xi Cai feared that the officials might deliberately set a trap for her.
She stood before the cell door, staring anxiously in the direction her mother had gone. She did not know whether her mother would ever return or whether their family would have another chance to reunite.
Waiting was unbearable.
She waited for what felt like an eternity, growing more anxious with every passing moment. Like a trapped beast, she began pacing back and forth in the cramped space.
She looked around, but there was no one on either side of her, nor could she hear the slightest sound.
It felt as though she were the only person left in the world. The only thing keeping her company was the heavy thudding of her own heartbeat.
Gradually, her strength began to fail. Her body felt unbearably heavy, and her legs seemed to have been filled with lead.
The emperor’s birthday celebrations had lasted the entire day, leaving everyone exhausted and unsettled. Even when sitting, she had been required to keep her back straight and maintain her posture, without leaning casually against anything.
Then came the turmoil of the previous night.
Now, she could barely summon the strength to remain standing. She took two steps backward and sank down into the corner of the cell.
Yet she continued waiting, occasionally lifting her head to look toward the entrance.
Her mother still did not return.
When exhaustion finally overwhelmed her, she hugged her knees and lowered her head. The intricate golden embroidery on her ceremonial quezhai robe scratched against her cheek, but she was too tired to care.
She drifted in and out of sleep, her thoughts becoming increasingly muddled.
Outside the cell, someone approached at a leisurely pace.
Through the heavy bars and locked door, he looked inside and saw Xi Cai sitting there with her carefully arranged hair coming loose. Her hair ornaments and floral hairpins had been carelessly discarded beside her.
Although she was still wearing the formal robes of a noblewoman, she looked utterly disheveled, a stark contrast to the dignified woman who had stood before the court earlier.
Perhaps sensing someone’s presence, Xi Cai quickly raised her eyes.
But the moment she recognized the person standing outside, disappointment immediately spread across her face.
It was the Xi family’s sworn enemy.
He stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at her from above.
Xi Cai could not allow him to look down on her.
Struggling to her feet, she braced one hand against the wall and straightened her hair.
She no longer addressed him as her husband.
Instead, she called him “Marquis.”
“The prison is damp and cold. This is no place for someone of your standing. You should return home.”