Who Cares

Who Cares – Chapter 87

Chapter 87 Resign

 

When such a big thing happened in the Zhao Mansion, Jinzi naturally did not dare to hide it. Worried that His Majesty would misunderstand Madam’s viciousness, she wrote all the details in the secret letter, how she came up with the idea, how she made decision, how she rescued the child, how she hugged him and cried bitterly, and how she put him next to Ruan shi and let the mother and son see the last scene one by one, which made people immersed.

After receiving the secret letter, Emperor Sheng Yuan read it over and over again. Although his expression was always calm, there were occasional lightning flashes in his blue-black eyes. He squeezed the letter tightly, and his hands gradually began to tremble, as if he was enduring great pain. He hesitated for a while, then finally opened the secret chamber hidden inside the palace hall, intending to enter.

“Your Majesty, why are you doing this?” Baifu had no way of knowing what was written in the secret letter, but he knew that if His Majesty walked into this door, he would go crazy for no reason and severely hurt himself.

The leader of the dark guard couldn’t help but show his figure, and knelt down to block him, “Your Majesty, let the past things pass, don’t think about it anymore. The things in this room should have been burnt down long ago.”

Emperor Sheng Yuan bypassed him without saying a word and strode inside. The secret room was not spacious, with many luminous pearls inlaid on the four walls, and there was a painting on the wall facing the door. It was said that the Empress Dowager specially found a Dongyang (Japanese) painter to describe the real scene, called Ukiyo-e*. It was very colorful, and the pigments used were specially treated, which could be preserved for thousands of years without rotting.

As soon as the room came into view, there were large patches of red, and the ground was covered with blood. If it in the past, Emperor Sheng Yuan would have been stimulated into madness, and then recklessly smashed and slashed, he would be unwilling to lie down until he was seriously injured or physically weak.

The leader of the dark guard and Baifu were already ready to deal with a man-eating beast, but today’s situation was very different. His Majesty stood quietly in front of the painting, and there was no other abnormality except for his clenched hands. He looked at the painting over and over again very calmly, and suddenly laughed in a low voice. There was bitterness and sorrow in his laughter, but more than that, relief.

When he turned his head, his face was filled with tears, and he picked up the secret letter that’s unknown what was written on it, and read it with a very gentle expression.

In their anxiety, the leader of the dark guard and Baifu vaguely heard him choking and whispering, “It turns out that Zhen is not a sin, but a hope, a gift, and even more a continuation of mother’s life. Zhen is not a monster, a hell Rakshasa (!!!), Zhen is mother’s child protected with her life!” He laughed and laughed then turned to cry, and after crying for a while, he smiled again, it seemed that he was still sane, but it was more frightening than when he was manic.

The leader of the dark guard and Baifu had never seen him lose his temper like this, they thought he was possessed, and were thinking about whether to invite a wizard to exorcise His Majesty, when they saw him suddenly put away all his expressions and walked out the secret room while wiping his tears with a handkerchief, and said with a deep love in his tone, “Madam has saved Zhen once again, she is worthy of being Zhen’s Madam.”

What exactly was written on the secret letter? It actually cured His Majesty’s madness? The leader of the dark guard and Baifu scratched their hearts and lungs curiously.

Three days later, their questions were finally answered. It turned out that Madam Guan had cut open the belly of her sister-in-law that died in childbirth, took out the child, and then sewed it up again. This is too formidable, isn’t it?

Even the murderous dark guards couldn’t bear it, let alone an ordinary people? Therefore, when the Ruan family were shouting everywhere, Madam Guan was scolded as a “witch”, and her actions had the effect of stopping children from crying at night. If there was a disobedient child who made a fuss, the elder would said with a tiger face, “If you make trouble again, let the big madam of the Zhao family come to cut you and sew you up again!” It without fail kept the child as good as a quail.

Within three days, the reputation of the Guan family’s benevolence was completely ruined. When people saw the plaque of the Emperor Teacher Mansion, the timid ones would avoid it, and the daring ones would smash it with stones or rotten eggs, and there were also women who believed in Buddhism who sneakily burned paper money at the base of the wall to beat up villains, and drove away evil spirits, which made the Guan house billowing with smoke.

Old Master Guan and Guan Father didn’t blame their beloved daughter at all, they went out like usual and deal with the situation calmly. They knew that if no one contributed to this matter, it would not have caused such a big fuss. On the surface, it seemed to be aimed at Yiyi, but in fact it was pointing at the Emperor Teacher Mansion. However, they had a clear conscience, and they were not afraid of danger. After waiting for three days, they finally waited until someone attacked from the front.

Just after being transferred to the imperial secretariat platform, although he was only in his early twenties, Master Song Xuan, who was in charge of the judicial secretariat of Judicial Affairs Department, held the jade tablet and stepped forward. “Report to the emperor, this minister have two person he want to impeach.”

“Present the memorial.” Emperor Sheng Yuan glanced at him darkly.

“This minister want to impeach the Emperor Teacher and Chief of Ceremonies for not educating their children properly, loss personal virtue, and instigated Guan shi to desecrate a body, anger ghosts and gods, and do demonic things. Dissection of a corpse and torture of the dead’ souls are indeed a rare crime in the world, and it also a great evil devoid of all humanity. Still ask the emperor to deal with it fairly, to clear the soul of the deceased, and let the dead sleep in peace.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a few more people stood up to agree, all of whom were from noble families with powerful foundations.

Emperor Sheng Yuan was about to get angry, but Old Master Guan and Guan Father slowly took off their official hats, removed their official robes, and strode forward to kowtow. Guan Father cupped his hands in salute and said in a dignified tone, “Report to the emperor, the little girl cut open the abdomen, not to desecrate the body or offend the ghosts and gods, but to save the unborn child in the womb. There is a Buddhist saying: ‘Heaven has the virtue of good life*, saving a life is better than building a seven-level pagoda’, and there’s also a saying : ‘human life is beyond value, and should not be neglected’. The little girl did not kill a single person, but saved one person. This minister really couldn’t understand where she was wrong. But since everyone said that her saving is wrong, then it’s wrong. This minister and his father exchanged these two black gauze hats for a life. We never feel that we have lost even a little bit, but instead feel very fortunate! This then resign and return home. ”

The old man also cupped his hands in salute and said indignantly, “Justice is not in the hearts of the people, good and evil have their own destiny. Whether the granddaughter of this old man is a witch, the gods are watching, the deceased are watching, and the child who survived is also watching. This old man not only did not feel that she had loss her personal virtues, but also praised her for her immeasurable merits, bronze heart and iron courage, dare to do what others did not do, dare to bear what others could not bear, and is the best woman I have raised in my Guan family. Resigning from office today, this old man do not feel it’s a pity, only feel happy. My Guan family’s thousand-year-old family precepts is just one sentence – Look up worthy of the sky and look down not to be ashamed of people. She has a clear conscience, and I have no complaints or regrets! Your Majesty, this old man take his leave.”

After the words finished, without waiting for the emperor’s response, he led his son to stride away, in honest and upright manner.

After listening to his impassioned and righteous words, seeing that he did not care about the power at all, saying he left then he left, the civil servants with a little bit strength of character were deeply impressed by him, and the military generals had long been convinced by the old man, they loudly plead for him, some of them had drawn their swords and wanted to hack Song Xuan on the spot.

People like Guan family’s father and son were really a clear stream in the court, not seeing the family status, no partisanship, no disputes between civil servants and military generals. If you have a reason they will defend you, if you break the law they will impeach you, always consider the matter, not the people. The villain fear them, the gentleman respected them, and the warriors who have always been inflexible were very close to them, always full of adulation.

If the Emperor Teacher and Chief of Ceremonies left the court, afraid the civil servants and military generals would fight against each other.

Emperor Sheng Yuan didn’t expect the two Mount-Tai to be so decisive, and left as soon as they said they wanted to leave. When he came back to his senses, he could only smile bitterly. After smiling, he thought of Madam who was criticized badly, and felt another burst of heartache.

He looked at Song Xuan coldly, and said word by word, “If Zhen remember correctly, Master Song has just entered the Imperial Secretariat platform, and has taken up the position as judicial secretary of Judicial Affairs Department. The duties are judicial participation in the military, managing the prison law, supervise thieves, have knowledge of the stolen goods and bribes that have been confiscated, and review important cases in various places, is it not?”

Song Xuan didn’t understand, so he only agreed, “Yes.”

Emperor Sheng Yuan said again, “The law of civil punishment has been revised a few days ago, what is the benchmark?”

“People-oriented, human life is beyond value.” Song Xuan began to sweat after saying this. He only knew that Guan shi had dissected a body, and her behavior was shocking and inhumane, but he forgot that her original intention was to conform to the way of heaven. Saving a life is better than building a seven-level pagoda, the Buddha would not blame her, and where would it be the turn for mortals to raise an issue.

“It’s hard for you to remember.” Emperor Sheng Yuan seemed very pleased, but he quickly asked with a low face, “What is the content of Article 6, Paragraph 7?”

Song Xuan froze for a moment, and when he spoke again his voice was hoarse, “Article 6, Paragraph 7, if a lawsuit involving human life occurs in various places, and the matter involves a capital crime, the local government shall not arbitrarily take action, it must be reported and examined and approved at every level. Death row prisoners can only be executed after the review, and if there are any grievances before the autumn and winter, they can submit a petition and do their best to express their situation, and every time there is a complaint paper, the authorities must check it, cannot shrink one’s duty.”

“So you still remember all.” Emperor Sheng Yuan looked around the silent court and said slowly, “For death row prisoners, the court still leaves them with a glimmer of life, can an innocent baby be ignored just because he is weak, unable to speak, and unable to move his legs? Do you think Madam Guan was wrong in saving him, and knowing that the fetus in the womb is moving, is it right to buried the child with the mother’s body? Zhen really doesn’t understand your concept of right and wrong, your view of good and evil.”

He stared at Song Xuan with a cold tone, “Knowing that human life can be saved but not saving it, and in turn blaming others for saving it, this kind of confuse remark came from the mouth of judicial secretary, Zhen is deeply shocked and disappointed. If someone were to report a murder case to you for review in the future, would you be as black and white as you are today, with no distinction between good and evil?”

He picked up the brush, and wrote down the dismissal document while speaking slowly, “The law is the foundation of a stable society and it should not be taken lightly. Zhen definitely dare not hand the national law to a person who cannot distinguish right from wrong, who cannot distinguish good from evil. Knowing that there is a small life inside, but he doesn’t even dare to cut open a layer of belly, Master Song has neither courage, nor benevolence, nor loyalty, there is really no positive point. You should not sit in this judicial secretariat position, let it be given others.” After the words finished and he looked at the people who supported Song Xuan, shook his heads and sneered, and pointed to a prison officer who spoke for the two Mount Tai, and said, “The new law judicial secretary, report your name.”

The man never expected a huge pie to fall from the sky, which made his head dizzy. He reported his name in a trance, and saw the emperor drop the imperial brush and seal the appointment document, and then flung his sleeves as he left.

Song Xuan, who was still smug just now, was so pale and slumped to the ground. He was dragged out by two internal attendants and thrown down the steps. His supporters all beat their chests and stomp their feet, and felt great remorse.

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T/N: I used the term Asura for the emperor’s derogatory name before (look at ch. 74 & 75) but I made a stupid mistake and that’s I don’t do my research properly! It’s actually Rakshasa, an evil spirit that eat human flesh from Indic mythology, while Asuras are powerful superhuman demigods with good or bad qualities. Sorry for the mistake 😋.

7 thoughts on “Who Cares – Chapter 87

  1. I still can’t help but not trust this emperor…if it was a person he did not know (or like), would he “uphold righteousness” so strongly? Or would he just sign away the person as irrelevant, just as he did to GS when he gave her to ZL?

    1. I think yes because in the previous he never met Guan shi and learned good precepts so he never bothered about women, and the poor people. Now in this life….Even if he never fell in love with FL her influence would have made him think.

  2. So our fallible but keeps trying Emperor was slso a despised posthumous baby 🥹 Thanks for the chapter

  3. Ah knowing what “Rakshasha” is you can easily know of his birth traumatic past. Since all terms and legends in her are quite foreign to me, I didn’t know he resented himself for a very cliche reason of “his birth killed his mother”. Though I think there is more to it, because Empress Dowager brazenly commissioned someone to paint that gory scenery! Inhuman.

  4. I still don’t like the emperor yet, but I did appreciate that he protected the FL and put that Song Xuan in his place.

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