The ministers who had previously been on good terms with Shangguan Qingyun didn’t say a word when they saw him collapse. Instead, they quietly shuffled to the side.
Very quickly, a large empty space formed around the unconscious Shangguan Qingyun.
When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter—there was no better description for this scene.
The rest of the Shangguan family finally snapped out of their shock. They scrambled to surround Shangguan Qingyun, trying to shout him awake so the entire family could face the judgmental stares together.
However, no matter how much they called out, Shangguan Qingyun remained motionless on the floor. He looked like he was sleeping quite peacefully, as if he had already been “gone” for a long time.
If not for his faint breathing and the slight rise and fall of his chest, the children of the Shangguan family might have already started wailing for their father.
As for the Heir of the Marquis of Dingyuan, who had been the first to charge in, he managed to deliver several vicious kicks to the scantily clad Shangguan Qinglan on the bed before the belated Golden Guard finally pinned him down.
At this moment, the Heir was no easier to restrain than a pig being dragged to the slaughter for New Year’s.
The Marquis of Dingyuan, equally furious, noticed the Empress’s expression shifting toward impatience. He hurried forward and delivered a sharp slap to his son’s face.
“Presumptuous! You must not lose your manners before Her Majesty!”
His face twisted beyond recognition, the Heir was about to snap back when he caught the Empress’s gaze out of the corner of his eye. He sobered up instantly.
After a futile struggle to break free from the Golden Guard, the Heir of the Marquis of Dingyuan fell to his knees with a heavy thud.
Facing the sea of sympathetic or mocking gazes, he looked toward the Empress Regnant at the front of the crowd and pleaded through tears and snot, “This subject wishes to divorce this wretched woman! I want to cast her out! I beg Your Majesty to grant me justice!”
Looking at the Heir’s tear-streaked face, Luo Wushuang looked away in disgust.
Her gaze swept over the onlookers before finally landing on the rest of the Marquis’s family, who shared the Heir’s grief and indignation.
Opening her crimson lips, she spoke calmly, “The Marquis of Dingyuan has served the court for over thirty years and has achieved great military merit. He indeed should not have to endure such an insult.”
Hearing this, the members of the Manor of the Marquis of Dingyuan relaxed slightly. Their expressions grew even more respectful as they remained on their knees.
“However, since this involves Chancellor Shangguan’s beloved daughter, it is better to wait until the Chancellor wakes up before we proceed,” Luo Wushuang said. She then gave a meaningful look to Leng Yu, who was standing in the shadows.
Remembering her six months of docked salary, Leng Yu let out a cold smirk and stepped forward. She roughly shoved aside the two brothers, Shangguan Chi and Shangguan Shi, who were blocking her path.
A silver needle flashed in her hand as she plunged it precisely into Shangguan Qingyun’s philtrum.
Shangguan Qingyun let out a sharp “Aow!” and jolted awake. Before he could even process his surroundings, Luo Wushuang spoke directly.
“Hear my decree. In consideration of the past contributions of the Marquis of Dingyuan and his Heir, this matter shall not implicate the Manor of the Marquis. Furthermore, the Heir is permitted to divorce his wife and remarry.”
“Thank you for your immense grace, Your Majesty!” The Heir of the Marquis of Dingyuan hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude, the fire in his heart cooling slightly.
Still, the thought of that wretched woman made him feel as sick as if he had swallowed a fly.
“Your Majesty…” Shangguan Qingyun, who had just been poked awake, finally realized what was happening. He quickly cried out for mercy, “My daughter… my daughter is not such a promiscuous person! She must have been framed by someone! I beg Your Majesty to seek justice for this old official!”
The rest of the Shangguan family members kneeling nearby followed suit, nodding their heads so frantically it looked like they were trying to shake their brains out.
Luo Wushuang stood before them, looking down from her height to admire the unsightly display of the Shangguan family before speaking softly.
“The Eldest Miss of the Shangguan family met with this accident during the Flower Viewing Banquet hosted by me.”
Hearing the Empress say this, Shangguan Qingyun hadn’t even let out a sigh of relief before the Empress’s face darkened. She questioned him with displeasure, “Is Lord Shangguan suggesting that my management of the palace is lax, leading to your beloved daughter suffering such humiliation?”
Whether from the pain of the needle or pure rage, the veteran official Shangguan Qingyun trembled all over. He couldn’t help but wail in despair.
“This subject would not dare! I beg Your Majesty to seek justice for my daughter!”
His voice was so grief-stricken and his expression so desperate that it was enough to make listeners weep—or laugh.
[Xiaobai: Hahaha! Old thief! You deserve it!]
Luo Wushuang merely spared a fleeting glance at the kneeling Shangguan Qingyun and said tonelessly, “Lord Shangguan has served as Chancellor for twenty years. Even if there is no merit, there is hard work. Today, I shall grant the Chancellor’s request and investigate this matter thoroughly.”
Having said that, she shifted her gaze to Leng Yu and ordered, “Bring the person in!”
Leng Yu acknowledged the command and, a moment later, pushed in Yueying, who was tied up like a festive zongzi.
When they saw that the person being pushed in was Yueying, the expressions on the faces of the Shangguan family members were incredibly vivid.
Yueying, demonstrating her superb acting skills, began kowtowing the moment she entered the room. She cried out repeatedly, “Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! This servant was forced!”
Shangguan Qinglan, who had nearly stopped breathing after being kicked by the Heir, finally managed to catch her breath. When she heard Yueying’s voice, a spark of hope suddenly ignited in her desperate eyes.
Wrapping herself clumsily in a bedsheet that was practically falling apart, Shangguan Qinglan pointed a trembling finger at the bound Yueying. She was about to speak when she broke into a fit of violent coughing.
The Heir’s kicks had been too brutal. Ever since her miscarriage, her body had been weak, and the assault had left her struggling for air.
Before her coughing fit even ended, Shangguan Qinglan pointed at Yueying and blurted out, “It was this maid—”
Before she could finish, Luo Wushuang gave a subtle look to the Golden Guard holding the Heir.
The Golden Guard loosened his grip. The Heir of the Marquis of Dingyuan, who had followed his father to the battlefield since childhood and possessed decent martial skills, delivered a flying kick that knocked the air out of the babbling Shangguan Qinglan, sending her back into unconsciousness.
Only after kicking her did the Heir realize he had acted impulsively in front of the Empress again.
Before he could apologize, the Golden Guard pinned him back to the ground and said with a look of feigned panic, “This subordinate has failed in his duty! Please punish me, Your Majesty!”
Facing her loyal subordinate’s plea for punishment, Luo Wushuang merely said lightly, “The Heir was simply blinded by rage. It is understandable that you could not control him.”
She let it slide just like that.
The Heir, indeed blinded by fury, breathed a sigh of relief seeing that the Empress didn’t mind his outburst.
As for the unconscious Shangguan Qinglan and the furious Shangguan family, no one cared about them.
However, Yueying, who was still kneeling on the ground, was getting a bit anxious. Why hadn’t the Empress questioned her yet?
“Your Majesty, spare my life! Spare my life!” Yueying called out weakly to remind her master. She hadn’t even started her performance yet.
Luo Wushuang’s lips twitched slightly as she looked at Yueying, whose acting was a bit over the top.
Nevertheless, she maintained her majestic poise and spoke with authority, “Tell me everything you know truthfully, and I might just spare your life.”
