Chapter 104: He Doesn’t Ask
“Ling Scholar, Ling Scholar.”
Rapping knocks and soft calls came from outside the window.
Ling Yu looked at the book scroll, his gaze not moving a bit.
Today the instructor took the students to Lingquan Temple; there weren’t many students in the National Academy.
The instructors and students in the National Academy all knew he was obsessed with reading and wouldn’t come to disturb him.
Even if there was truly an urgent matter, they would go through the main door and respectfully address him as Dr. Ling or Senior Brother Ling.
Back window, scholar, female voice—these three appearing together was truly bizarre.
But compared to the key chapter he was right in the middle of reading, none of it mattered.
“…The Empress Dowager has come to the National Academy.”
The female voice said softly at the back window.
Ling Yu finally spoke, humming: “I know.”
Although obsessed with reading, with the instructor away, any disturbances in the National Academy would be reported to him.
He had known when the Imperial Guards who were originally stationed outside the academy suddenly came in and surrounded the princess’s companion readers all together.
The palace maids there had also personally come to say there was a little incident involving the princess’s privacy, the Empress would come personally, and asked the National Academy not to get involved.
“…The Empress is going to interrogate the female student.”
The female voice continued.
Ling Yu turned a page, saw the next line as he expected, nodded in satisfaction, and said again: “That’s not a student, that’s the princess’s companion reader, unrelated to the National Academy.”
Although he was obsessed with reading, born into a family that owned gold mountains and silver mines, it was impossible for him to truly be deaf to affairs outside the window; moreover, following the instructor everywhere and happening during chaotic times, the master and disciple surviving meant they were extremely perceptive of worldly affairs.
Even the Empress had come personally, showing how serious the matter was; how could he give up his peaceful reading to intervene.
The person at the back window seemed anxious, accompanied by a clack, and crawled in.
“Scholar, help me out.”
Ling Yu’s gaze still followed the lines of text, ignoring the person who entered the room, and shook his head: “Those who know the constant are enlightened. Those who do not know the constant act recklessly and bring disaster.”
“Scholar, the one being interrogated is A Sheng.”
A Sheng? Ling Yu’s gaze paused, slowly turned his head, looking at the woman who had just come out from the inner cleansing room.
This scholar finally deigned to look at her, Tao Hua hurriedly said: “Ling Scholar, do you still remember me? I’m A Sheng’s sister-in-law, earlier at the butcher shop…”
Before her words finished, she saw this young scholar who had been sitting suddenly stand and stride out, so fast that Tao Hua didn’t react.
She hadn’t even explained how a sister-in-law like her appeared here! Nor said why the female student the Empress was interrogating had become A Sheng.
Tao Hua gripped the knife hidden in her wrist cuff, hadn’t even properly said it; if words failed, then act.
Was this Ling Scholar not listening clearly to what she said?
……
…….
“This palace will ask once more.”
The Empress’s voice was heavy.
“If you don’t tell the truth, this palace will use punishment.”
“Your Ladyship, Your Ladyship.” That palace maid wept bitterly and kowtowed, “This servant spoke the truth, it was Yang Luo who instructed this servant.”
The Empress said faintly: “Beat her.”
With the order given, two palace maids stepped forward to hold down this palace maid, two eunuchs raised their staffs and struck down; the palace maid let out a miserable scream, blood from her mouth and nose that hadn’t stopped surged out and splattered; Princess Wuyang leaning in Imperial Consort Li’s arms felt it splatter on her own face too, she had none of her earlier momentum and nearly fainted from fear.
Too terrifying, she didn’t want to be beaten like this.
Mother Consort must protect her!
“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.” Imperial Consort Li tightly hugged her daughter and murmured softly, “Whatever Your Ladyship asks, just say it, tell the truth.”
“Your Ladyship, Your Ladyship, I’ll say—” The palace maid’s screams and sobs came.
One palace maid raised her hand, and the eunuchs’ raised punishment staffs stopped.
“I actually knew too.” The palace maid said tremulously, tears and blood messy on her face, “I, I was also indignant that our princess was bullied, I also wanted to vent anger, so when Miss Yang suggested it, I agreed…”
“I didn’t know—they didn’t tell me—” Princess Wuyang couldn’t help shouting again.
These were all her people, they conspired under the pretext of venting for her, wasn’t she then also an accomplice? Unjust!
Imperial Consort Li hurriedly covered her mouth.
The Empress didn’t have the palace maid beaten again, only said faintly: “Don’t be anxious, we’ll question you soon.”
With that, her gaze fell on “Yang Luo” prostrated on the ground.
“Yang Luo” hadn’t lifted her head from start to finish, not knowing if she was scared silly.
“Beat her.” The Empress said.
Beat her? Yang Luo standing at the doorway tightly watching inside paled; not even asking, just beat?
“Your Ladyship—” The kneeling “Yang Luo” was clearly also surprised, lifted her head, “I didn’t—”
The Empress’s gaze had already lowered, only looking at the gold flecks adorning her own sleeve cuff.
“Beat her first, talk later.” She said, “To avoid wasting words.”
The palace maids stepped forward to hold down the kneeling person, the eunuchs holding the punishment staffs also stood to the sides…
Although they had already retreated to the plum grove side, the companion reader ladies could still hear the sounds from the hall; at this time many ladies closed their eyes and bit their lower lips to avoid crying out.
“Once this beating starts.” Jiang Rui murmured, “Even if she didn’t do it, she won’t be able to stay in the capital.”
A caning in the palace, not to mention whether a young girl’s delicate body could endure it, being beaten publicly would shatter her mind.
Although she hadn’t liked this Miss Yang’s behavior before, at this moment Jiang Rui also felt sorrow in her heart; this Miss Yang must regret coming to the capital, originally thinking to soar by the princess’s side, yet not expecting the imperial majesty could take a life.
The thought flashed, when suddenly she saw “Liu Chan” standing at the very front about to rush into the hall—
Jiang Rui instinctively reached out and grabbed “Liu Chan”.
“Are you mad.” She scolded in a low voice.
After scolding, she felt in her heart that she herself was mad too.
Why care about this Liu Chan’s life, she had been unkind to her, and coveted Zhu Yunxiao too…
Perhaps because at their first meeting, she had praised her father.
Jiang Rui gripped “Liu Chan”‘s wrist tightly.
Yang Luo hadn’t expected Jiang Rui to grab her, turned back somewhat surprised, but immediately struggled: “I can’t just watch and do nothing.”
“What can you do?” Jiang Rui said lowly, “That’s the Empress’s order.”
She didn’t know what she could do either, Yang Luo thought; in any case, she couldn’t watch A Sheng get beaten like this, worst case rush in, have A Sheng take out that dragon pattern jade pendant, directly shout she’s the Emperor’s daughter, just tear face like that, regardless of the consequences!
Bang—a loud sound.
The sound of wooden staff colliding with flesh came.
She was hit!
Yang Luo forcefully pushed away Jiang Rui.
“Stop!”
“Your Ladyship!”
“Mother Consort!”
A female scream came from inside.
Yang Luo and Jiang Rui both stunned for a moment, looked inside; through the doorway’s Imperial Guards and palace maids, they could see the eunuchs’ raised punishment staffs had struck down, but the girl prone on the ground wasn’t hit…
Imperial Consort Li had thrown herself on her.
The eunuch’s board heavily struck Imperial Consort Li’s body.
Everyone in the school hall jumped in fright.
Princess Wuyang was even more incredulous; she was scared, yet Mother Consort pushed her away and went to protect this lady-in-waiting.
“Li Qing!” The Empress also stunned for a moment, then sneered coldly, “What are you anxious for? This palace said, when we question you later, we’ll use punishment.”
“Your Ladyship.” Consort Li prostrated over the girl, pleading, “It’s all this consort who failed to teach them well, it’s this consort’s fault, they’re young and sensible, Your Ladyship wants to punish, punish me instead, I’m willing to atone with my life for Princess Pingcheng, don’t beat her, she’s still a child—”
The Empress laughed: “I still say the same, don’t be anxious; once it’s found to be their fault, you as their mother consort naturally won’t escape.”
She looked at Imperial Consort Li, word by word.
“…I’ll make you take a good beating too.”
With that, she commanded.
“Pull her away!”
More palace maids came forward.
Imperial Consort Li desperately struggled and pleaded, “Empress, Empress, spare her, beat me instead, I’ll take the punishment for her—”
But couldn’t resist the many palace maids, and was soon pulled away.
The Empress lowered her eyes, still not looking at the girl on the ground: “Beat her.”
Two eunuchs raised their wooden staffs again.
Yang Luo came back to herself, and once more tried to break free from Jiang Rui—
“Stop!”
A loud male voice rang out.
Yang Luo once more stopped her steps and hand on her mouth, looked back, and saw a young man striding over.
He wore a cyan robe, no cloak, no boots on his feet, just a pair of casual shoes, striding forth.
The other companion reader ladies all looked over, low voices rising.
“It’s Ling Yu.”
“Dr. Ling has come.”
Behind Ling Yu, there were also seven or eight instructors following.
Hearing the shout to stop from outside, and it was a male voice, the two eunuchs inside hesitated, but the Empress sat upright with eyes lowered and said nothing; the two eunuchs came back to themselves and were about to strike again.
Ling Yu had already strode into the room, shouted “Stop” again; the seven or eight instructors following him rushed over, blocked the two eunuchs, and two strong instructors even seized the punishment staffs.
The hall was in chaos.
Only then did the Empress raise her head, as if just noticing the people who entered.
She naturally recognized Ling Yu.
“Dr. Ling.” She said heavily, “Entering without decree, you’ve overstepped.”
But Ling Yu didn’t look at her, instead looked at the girl prone on the ground receiving punishment.
In the tugging, the girl’s hair had come loose; at this time she was also tilting her head to look over, their gazes met, the girl slowly withdrew her gaze, then slowly raised her arm, using her sleeve to cover her face.
