vrcanaries Chapter 169 The Tragedy of That Year
Chapter 169 The Tragedy of That Year
On the day of the imperial examination, she felt that the name Xu Zhiyuan sounded familiar. Even though she had never met him before, she just had a vague impression of him.
It wasn't until several days later that she remembered a tragic incident in her previous life: the newly appointed top scholar, after being caught in the saga of the imperial examinations, sent assassins to kidnap and murder his wife and children.
He thought he had succeeded. After marrying the daughter of the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, he rose rapidly through the ranks. In just seven years, he became the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, a fifth-rank official.
To hold such an official position at the age of thirty-something shows that one is highly regarded.
That same year, a blind woman went to the capital to file a complaint with the emperor, and the truth finally came to light when the emperor was on his tour.
Back then, her daughter was killed by an assassin, and her youngest son died of a high fever while on the run. The woman had wanted to file a complaint for a long time, but she was worried about collusion between officials and feared that she would fall into the hands of her heartless husband again, so she endured seven long years of hardship.
The truth shocked the court and the public. Who could have imagined that the highly talented top scholar would be such a ruthless and vicious person?
The daughter of the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture also suffered. A pampered young lady who had been spoiled since childhood never imagined that her considerate and gentle husband would be such a person. She was eight months pregnant when she was frightened and died from postpartum hemorrhage.
This was truly an appalling tragedy. However, in her previous life, Shen Li was so preoccupied with her work that she didn't pay much attention to the outside world. Otherwise, she would have been able to recall it the moment she heard the name.
"Huh? There are children too?" Peony cursed angrily, "This bastard looks like a no-go, but I never thought he was such a scoundrel. He's become rich and powerful and has forgotten his wife and children?"
Shen Li sighed inwardly; it was more than just forgetting.
However, in this life, she had already arranged for Gu Chang'an's men to protect her before Xu Zhiyuan could make a move, so those assassins would only end up getting themselves killed.
Indeed, news came a few days ago that the mother and her two daughters were safe and sound and were about to arrive in Kyoto.
"Miss, are we just going to let him continue to swindle like this? Although the young lady from the Shuntian Prefect's family is a bit domineering, she's not a bad person. We can't let her be fooled." Peony was getting anxious.
"He has no chance." Shen Li picked up her book, calm and composed.
She had already laid her trap from the moment Xia Yuanqiang abducted a woman; in this life, no one who has committed a crime can escape.
“That’s right. You’ve already told the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture. He cares so much about his daughter that he’ll investigate even if it’s just a rumor.” Peony felt much more at ease.
After Shen Li returned to the Hanlin Academy from teaching in the palace, she saw several people surrounding Xu Zhiyuan, asking him about his well-being. Xu Zhiyuan had a white bandage wrapped around his forehead under his black gauze hat, and his face was pale. He did not respond well to their concern and flattery.
When he saw Shen Li's pale face, it became even more obvious. His eyes were filled with undisguised resentment. He would remember this grudge and see if Gu Chang'an and the Shen family could protect her in the future.
"Lord Shen, over here." Zhao Wencai saw Shen Li and Xu Zhiyuan looking at each other and quickly pulled Shen Li over.
He was also afraid that if they started fighting again, Shen Li would be at a disadvantage, since Xu Zhiyuan was a grown man and was definitely stronger than Shen Li.
"Good morning, Brother Zhao." Shen Li glanced past Xu Zhiyuan and greeted Zhao Wencai.
Zhao Wencai breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that Shen Li was more magnanimous than Xu Zhiyuan, who was petty and still held a grudge after yesterday's fight.
If Shen Li knew what he was thinking, she would correct him. She wasn't angry because she hadn't been hit herself.
She casually copied and wrote at her desk until the afternoon. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Xu Zhiyuan go out for a moment, and when he came back, his eyes were smiling, and he walked with a swagger, as if he had regained his confidence.
Shen Li secretly doubted him, thinking, what could someone who wears his heart on his sleeve possibly accomplish? Even if he hadn't been sentenced to death for killing his wife in his previous life, once his official position rose to a point where his father-in-law couldn't protect him, his death would have come in an instant.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
That evening, Prefect Cheng Sheng of Shuntian Prefecture prepared a lavish banquet with the finest wines and invited an opera troupe to his residence, all in anticipation of Xu Zhiyuan's arrival.
When evening came, all he received was a servant bringing news: "Master, the son-in-law said he won't be coming today. He has a last-minute appointment to come and apologize another day."
"What's the appointment?" Cheng Sheng felt an even greater surge of anger and inexplicable anxiety.
"It was an invitation from the King of Chess. The King invited the son-in-law to a banquet, and the son-in-law could not refuse."
"What?" Cheng Sheng felt a wave of dizziness. He had spent most of his life avoiding factional strife, not wanting to get involved and become a pawn, but Xu Zhiyuan had gotten involved in just a few days.
Did he see the King of Chess at the height of his power and think that by climbing on that tree, he could become a powerful minister?
idiot.
Approaching Yi Wang at this time is practically digging a pit for his future father-in-law. Once the emperor finds out, he will surely think that he is forming a faction, which is why he is holding Xia Yuan back from handing him over to the Ministry of Justice.
"Get out of here." He waved his hand to dismiss the servants, already calculating in his mind how to cut his losses.
Soon the sent-out officers returned and handed over to Cheng Sheng the details of Xu Zhiyuan's recent itinerary and the people he had met.
Cheng Sheng saw the King of Chess twice in just one glance.
To his surprise, he even came into contact with gang forces; everyone knows those are just some capable thugs and hooligans.
This son-in-law is truly a trap; you don't know until you investigate. Cheng Sheng rubbed his temples as he looked at the itinerary and decided that even if Xu Zhiyuan was unmarried, his daughter could not marry him.
They have no sense of restraint. They've only had a few good meals and they've already forgotten who they are. They're bound to bring trouble upon themselves in the future.
He already regretted asking the emperor for a marriage decree. Now he needed to find a suitable reason to ask His Majesty to rescind the order. Before that, he could not act rashly. At most, he could write a memorial in advance and organize all the files and evidence in the Xia Yuan case.
However, things did not go as he expected. The next day, after court, the person who had been keeping watch brought news that a woman and a child had filed a lawsuit against Xu Zhiyuan, the newly appointed top scholar, with the Ministry of Justice.
He knew immediately that something was amiss. There was no reason for the complaint to go all the way to the Ministry of Justice. Even if it were a complaint to the emperor, it would have to go through the Shuntian Prefecture. The fact that it didn't go through him could only mean that the other party was very familiar with the official system.
Moreover, the Ministry of Justice did not pass the case on to him; it accepted it directly. How could it have gone so smoothly without the push from the princelings?
He felt an unprecedented sense of crisis. He wasn't afraid of whether he had a family or not, but once someone was arrested, he would be powerless to control his own destiny.
Although the Ministry of Justice is not as adept at using torture as the Court of Judicial Review and the Flying Fish Guard, it is still very easy for them to shift the blame onto themselves. If the charges of factional strife and self-interest arouse the emperor's suspicion, he and his daughter will lose their heads.
The Crown Prince was pushing him to the brink of despair. He would remember this grudge, but as the saying goes, one has to bow one's head when under someone else's roof. He made a decision on the spot.
Bring the files and memorials you prepared last night and go to the palace to meet the emperor.
He wanted to distance himself from the matter before the Ministry of Justice and the Crown Prince could make a move. He carried all the evidence in the Xia Yuan case, and there was no such thing as insufficient evidence. He had investigated it thoroughly long ago.