"Uncle Zun Jin..." In the royal tent, Lin Yue looked at Zun Jin with tears in her eyes.
To exorcise Prince Bian, Duo Yongjian had actually given Lin Yue to Prince Bian, demanding that she consummate their marriage with Prince Bian that night. This caused Lin Yue immense humiliation.
"Endure!" Zun Jin said, "Sincere without regret, forgive without resentment, reconcile without enmity, endure without shame."
...
Yanjing, You Province
The Yan court assembly was very different from the Xia court assembly. In the Xia assembly, the emperor sat facing south in the center, with officials divided to the left and right, creating a solemn and respectful atmosphere. The Yan assembly, however, largely continued the nomadic customs where the ruler and officials could discuss matters while seated in the hall, in a tent, or even at a minister's home.
Rulers and subjects sat on the ground, engaging in lively discussions. They might be feasting on fatty meat or drinking fine wine, with beautiful female slaves performing song and dance to entertain them.
"Magistrate Ji, how was the case of Brigadier General Zhou Fugui adjudicated?" As the Yan emperor and his officials were happily eating and drinking in the golden tent, Emperor Yan Murong Xi suddenly asked about Zhou Fugui's case.
"Great Chieftain..." Ji Hu Yu, the official from the Ministry of Justice, a Xianbei, wiped the wine from his mouth and replied, "The main judge for Zhou Fugui's case was Prefect Cui. Let him report on it."
Murong Xi glared at Ji Hu Yu before turning his gaze to Cui Tianchou.
"A boor, a mere brute who only knows how to drink and womanize. It's truly asking too much of him to judge a case," Murong Xi thought to himself.
"Crafty old fox!" Prefect Cui Tianchou of You Province cursed inwardly before hastily rising to report, "Your Majesty, this humble subject was ordered to jointly judge the case of Zhou Fugui with Magistrate Ji and Marquis Murong..."
"Where is Marquis Murong?" Murong Xi interrupted Cui Tianchou, casting a glance at Empress Murong Qing, and asked.
"Marquis Murong personally led troops to capture the rebels and has not yet returned," Cui Tianchou replied.
"Rebels? So, the Duan family indeed harbored treasonous intent?" Murong Xi asked indifferently, but his eyes gleamed with a predatory light.
"Indeed they did!" Cui Tianchou shuddered and continued, "However, Great Chieftain, everything can only be definitively determined after Marquis Murong returns."
"Hmm, Zhou Fugui, how do you intend to deal with him?" Murong Xi nodded and asked.
"Your Majesty..." Cui Tianchou replied, "Zhou Fugui killed and wounded over two hundred people. This was premeditated murder. According to the law, Zhou Fugui, his accomplices, and his retainers are all to be executed! All males in his household above the age of twelve are to be executed as well! Females above seventy are exempt, and the rest are to be made imperial slaves. However, Your Majesty, before committing the murders, the convicted official Zhou Fugui was ambushed by the Duan father and son, Commandant Albugu, and others. Ambushing a court official is akin to rebellion. Therefore, Zhou Fugui's murders can be considered a counterattack. After the incident, the convicted official Zhou Fugui did not flee but remained at the Duan residence, awaiting our arrival to arrest him. This action is considered a voluntary surrender. According to the laws of Great Yan, those who surrender will have their sentence reduced by two degrees. Therefore, whether Zhou Fugui is executed or not is entirely up to Your Majesty's will!"
The case of Zhou Fugui was now involving more and more people, and the scope was widening. It touched upon treason, implicating Left Virtuous King Murong Bole, and others, including Consort Dowager Duan and even Empress Murong Qing herself... Therefore, Cui Tianchou and others dared not make a hasty decision and pushed everything back to Emperor Yan Murong Xi.
Magistrate Ji Hu Yu of the Ministry of Justice was not merely a drunkard who frequented women; he was cunning and astute, having neatly extricated himself from the situation, unwilling to get involved.
"Great Chieftain..." While Murong Xi was contemplating, Grand Councilor Murong Fu was the first to speak. "The crimes are varied, including conspiracy, fighting, jailbreaking, and kidnapping. For those who surrendered voluntarily, some crimes can have their sentences reduced by two degrees, while others absolutely cannot. Zhou Fugui may have killed for his brother and sister, but he killed over two hundred people! And most of them were of his own clan. Such a brutal individual, if not executed, will not appease the public anger and will surely chill the hearts of his own clan. If other Han people follow suit, the realm will be thrown into chaos. Therefore, Great Chieftain, this humble minister implores that Zhou Fugui, his accomplices, his retainers, and his entire family be summarily executed to resolve this case."
Since Zhou Fugui's case involved matters of treason, although the Duan father and son were suspected of treason, such matters must be immediately and swiftly distanced from. Otherwise, someone would surely use this incident to attack Murong Bole, Murong Fu, and others. The longer Zhou Fugui lived, the more troublesome it would be for Murong Bole, Murong Fu, and the like, and the trouble would continue incessantly. Therefore, after careful consideration, Murong Fu decided to demand Zhou Fugui's immediate execution.
"Uncle, Marquis Murong has not returned from capturing the rebels, and the matter is not entirely clear. Are you rushing to conclude this case? And why are you in such a hurry?" Yan Che Fu Ling Wu Ruikun said to Murong Fu with a cold laugh. "Could it be that Uncle has something to hide?"
Wu Ruikun, a Han official from Liaodong, spoke with such vehemence that everyone was taken aback.
Empress Murong Qing's efforts to win the hearts of the Han people and seize the opportunity to suppress the influence of Consort Dowager Duan, Murong Bole, Murong Fu, and others had begun to bear fruit, making Han officials like Wu Ruikun willing to serve as her foot soldiers.
At this moment, the Han people of Yan seemed to be united against a common enemy, all speaking up for Zhou Fugui. The underlying reason was likely the long-standing oppression of Han officials by the Xianbei.
Prefect Cui Tianchou of You Province was also subtly trying to exonerate Zhou Fugui.
In reality, what was happening in the Yan court was far from Zhou Fugui's estimations. Zhou Fugui had estimated that Murong Bole and Murong Fu intended to save him. However, the actual situation was that Murong Fu and the others wanted Zhou Fugui dead, including Murong Bole. Those who wanted to save Zhou Fugui were Empress Murong Qing and others.
"Wu Ruikun, you insignificant Che Fu Ling, how dare you slander a minister?" Murong Fu was furious. His steps, usually unsteady from indulgence in wine and women, now seemed to have springs beneath them as he leaped from the ground, pointing at Wu Ruikun. "What do I have to hide? I think it's you who has something to hide, you old scoundrel, spewing such nonsense!"
"Who has something to hide will be judged by the Emperor!" Murong Fu, like a hooligan, jumped and cursed, even appearing ready to fight. But Wu Ruikun was not intimidated and continued with a cold smile. "When Marquis Murong returns, the truth will be revealed. If the Duan father and son truly harbored treasonous intent, then Brigadier General Zhou Fugui's actions are not only blameless but meritorious. If the Duan father and son are indeed rebels, let alone these mere two hundred odd people, even killing tens of thousands would be a great service to our Great Yan!"
"Your Majesty!" Wu Ruikun turned to Murong Xi and said, "If the Duan father and son indeed plotted rebellion, yet Uncle and others wish to hastily conclude this case, the reasons behind this are bound to arouse suspicion. This humble subject implores Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate this matter."
"Che Fu Ling, what are you suspicious of?" Before Murong Xi could answer, Murong Bole coldly asked, "Are you suspicious of Uncle, or are you suspicious of me?"
"Whoever commits rebellious acts, this subordinate will suspect them." At this point, Wu Ruikun could no longer retreat. Even if Murong Bole held immense power and could cover the sky with one hand, Wu Ruikun had to stand firm.
Grand Councilor Murong Fu of Great Yan turned pale, then red, then dark with anger. What was originally a pot of shit about to be dumped on himself and others had now stuck to their bodies. Murong Fu's attempt to snatch the crow had resulted in him losing his own eggs.
Too much is as bad as not enough. This is often the case in the world.
"Great Chieftain... eldest brother-in-law..." Murong Fu saw that Murong Xi's gaze had begun to show suspicion, and he was immediately terrified. He prostrated himself on the ground. In the imperial court, he even resorted to calling him "brother-in-law," stammering, mournfully, and fearfully, "This is simply something out of nothing, a grave injustice!"
"Oh, is that so?" Originally, Murong Xi did not believe that Murong Bole and Murong Fu harbored any treasonous intentions. However, when it came to matters that endangered the empire, it was better to believe it might be true than not. Moreover, Murong Fu's increasingly desperate cries only deepened Murong Xi's suspicion. He cast a cold glance at Murong Fu, then turned to Empress Murong Qing and asked, "Great Rouge, when will the Marquis return?"
"Great Chieftain..." Murong Qing replied faintly, "This concubine has not left the palace for a long time and truly knows nothing about this matter."
Murong Qing's expression was calm, but her heart churned like boiling water. Her objective had been achieved. Murong Xi was already suspicious of Murong Bole and Murong Fu. The subsequent events would then naturally unfold.
"Great... Chieftain... Marquis Murong... awaits your decree outside the hall." Just then, the eunuch Tu Zhen rushed into the hall and reported, stammering.
Emperor Yan Murong Xi was capricious. Not long ago, the eunuch Tu Zhen had been whipped over a hundred times. Everyone thought Tu Zhen's good days were over and that he would surely be banished to the cold palace and never appear before Murong Xi again. Yet, Murong Xi had promoted him.
"Summon him into the hall. Why are you in such a state?" Murong Xi asked Tu Zhen in surprise.
"Marquis Murong has come with bared torso and a sheep," Tu Zhen replied.
...
"Dong... Dong... Dong..."
A series of urgent drumbeats sounded. Murong Kang, the Zhonghou of Great Yan's Zhongjie Army and the younger brother of Empress Murong Qing, his upper body bared, leading a white sheep, walked solemnly up the jade steps under the watchful eyes of numerous imperial guards.
What was "bare torso and a sheep"? This was the most solemn or grave ritual of direct remonstrance for the Xianbei. If the remonstrance failed, one would face the same punishment as a condemned prisoner, comparable to the "Dengwen Gu" (a drum for commoners to appeal to the emperor) in the Han dynasty.
Although Murong Kang's expression was solemn, his heart, like his sister's, churned like boiling water.
Murong Kang personally led troops to subdue the remaining forces of the Duan father and son. This achieved three objectives: Firstly, it substantiated the Duan father and son's treason and could be used to attack Consort Dowager Duan, Murong Bole, Murong Fu, and even implicate the Crown Prince Cheng; Secondly, it somewhat won the hearts of Han officials, Han troops, and the Han people; Thirdly, Murong Kang gained over ten thousand elite troops.
How could Murong Kang not be immensely excited? And he admired his sister, Empress Murong Qing of Great Yan, to the core.