Chapter 278: Beating The Drum For Reporting Grievances To Accuse The Empress
Jiang Ruanxi stuffed a silver ingot to the guard at the door, asking him to help bring the food inside.
The guard took it and promised her he would bring the food inside.
Jiang Ruanxi left reassured.
But after she left, the guard disdainfully threw the food aside, and Jiang Ruanxi knew nothing about it.
She went directly to Dali Temple, and when she was almost there, Jiang Ruanxi lifted the carriage curtain and said, “Stop.”
The coachman turned back in doubt, “Crown Princess, we haven’t reached Dali Temple yet?”
Jiang Ruanxi smiled, “I know, stop. I’ll walk around outside. You all go back first.”
Looking at the icy snow outside, Yushui frowned and said, “Crown Princess, it’s so cold now, better to take the carriage.”
“I have my own plans.”
Hearing this, the coachman stopped the carriage.
Jiang Ruanxi got off the carriage, and Yushui, not reassured, followed her down too.
It was noon, with people coming and going on the road, and vendors’ various calls rising on the street.
Jiang Ruanxi coughed, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, looking very weak.
She walked toward Dali Temple in a dazed and distraught manner.
After walking a good distance, when she was almost at the entrance of Dali Temple, someone recognized her and pointed at her.
“Isn’t this the Crown Princess?”
“Hey, don’t say, it really is her. You say the Crown Prince dared to kill the Empress, how does she still have the face to go out?”
“Who says not, marrying such a disloyal and unfilial person, I see she’s no good thing either.”
Some people got more and more excited, involuntarily throwing things in their hands at her.
Yushui saw this and blocked in front of Jiang Ruanxi; a rotten egg exploded on Yushui’s face, stinky water flowing down her cheek onto her face.
Jiang Ruanxi stepped forward coldly, her voice sharp, “Who, who exactly threw it?”
These people were scared into silence.
They originally thought the Crown Prince’s Manor had fallen, so they could bully casually, but they didn’t expect this woman to resist.
After Jiang Ruanxi spoke, she coughed violently, her face becoming paler and paler.
Some with courage stepped forward and sneered, “Oh, your husband did such a thing, and you still have the face to come out, you’re too shameless.”
Jiang Ruanxi stepped forward to her, her imposing pressure very strong; the commoners blocking in front of her couldn’t help but make way for her.
Jiang Ruanxi came before that man, and when everyone thought she would curse or hit him, Jiang Ruanxi suddenly shed tears.
“Elder Brother, I don’t know why you have such hostility toward us, but my husband was not born to the Empress, he was born to the Empress’s sister. Back then, the Empress’s sister entered the palace and was favored by His Majesty, becoming pregnant with the Crown Prince. But the Empress was jealous and pulled off the civet cat for the Crown Prince trick, and to cover up this fact, the Empress killed all the people of the Yu Family.”
As she spoke, the tears fell even more fiercely.
Her words caused an uproar among everyone.
They didn’t expect there to be such a thing.
The commoners who were just angrily excited slowly shifted their balance toward Wei Chang.
“It’s really miserable enough, what kind of things did this Empress do?”
“Yeah. Not long ago the Yu Family was wiped out entirely, who would’ve thought it was the Empress who did it, truly the most vicious woman’s heart.”
“Truly vicious enough. To do such a thing, the Crown Prince killing her is considered light. She should be cut into pieces by a thousand knives.”
The commoners condemned the Empress one after another.
Jiang Ruanxi listened sideways, and hearing their words, she felt relieved in her heart.
She deliberately got off the carriage to walk precisely for this effect.
“I…”
The Elder Brother who was just excited suddenly started speaking haltingly.
He just couldn’t stand it, but didn’t expect there to be such hidden circumstances.
“I don’t blame you, after all you didn’t know the truth of the matter.” Jiang Ruanxi’s tone was a bit choked.
Seeing her so magnanimously forgive the man, everyone’s spears turned back to condemn the man.
The man was scolded until his face was flushed red, then he turned and quickly walked away.
Jiang Ruanxi said weakly, “Everyone please make way, I want to go to Dali Temple to beat the Drum for reporting grievances, to seek justice for my husband.”
Everyone was shocked, not expecting Jiang Ruanxi to be so ill yet still thinking of seeking justice for Wei Chang.
Their husband and wife relationship had been much talked about recently.
The Crown Prince wasn’t good to her, yet now that the Crown Prince was in trouble, Jiang Ruanxi still exerted herself for Wei Chang without regard for past grievances; everyone felt even more respect and admiration for her.
They all made way and followed behind her.
Jiang Ruanxi walked while pretending to cough.
Yushui, who was supporting Jiang Ruanxi, seemed to understand Jiang Ruanxi’s intention as well and softly reminded her, “Crown Princess, they have all followed.”
“Mm.”
Jiang Ruanxi seemed to have known long ago.
She stumbled deep and shallow to the Drum for reporting grievances in front of Dali Temple, picked up the mallet resting on the edge of the Drum for reporting grievances, and struck it forcefully.
Every strike was followed by a cough.
She kept shouting in her mouth the same words she had said to the commoners earlier.
Soon, the Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review learned of Jiang Ruanxi coming to strike the Drum for reporting grievances. He hurried out and, seeing the crowd of commoners gathered in front, immediately felt a headache coming on.
“Crown Princess, what are you doing?” the Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review asked helplessly.
Although Wei Chang had been thrown into the heavenly prison now, the Crown Prince’s position was still there.
Having been in officialdom for so many years, he also knew that things in the court were ever-changing.
Therefore, even though Wei Chang had been thrown into the heavenly prison, he remained polite and courteous toward Jiang Ruanxi.
After all, no matter what, she was a daughter-in-law of the Royal Family, someone he could not afford to offend.
“I want to seek justice for my husband,” Jiang Ruanxi said firmly.
The Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review felt sweat pouring down his forehead and couldn’t help but wipe it.
“His Majesty has already issued a decree on this matter, and this official cannot decide.”
“Since Sir cannot decide, then report this matter to His Majesty, let His Majesty see the truth, and restore my husband’s purity.”
The Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review was very anxious; this matter was already settled.
After thinking for a moment, the Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review said, “Crown Princess, why don’t you come in with this official to rest first? You just recovered from illness; you won’t be able to endure this.”
Jiang Ruanxi directly refused, “If I do not see His Majesty, I will keep striking. I will let all the commoners in the world know the things the Empress did, and that is why my husband hates her so much.”
The Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review broke out in even more cold sweat.
Seeing this situation, he knew he could not persuade her. As he saw the crowd of onlookers growing larger, he felt even more uneasy.
Knowing he could not handle this matter, he could only return to his residence directly, write a letter to Emperor Qin telling him everything that had happened here, and ask for instructions on what to do.
Emperor Qin soon received the message from the Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review and slammed the memorial onto the table fiercely. “Has she gone mad? Does she know what she is doing?”
Eunuch Li was frightened and lowered his head, not daring to say another word.
