The Emperor's anger remained, "Mo Qianxue, only in this morning, I've received dozens of memorials criticizing you."
"Your majesty, please don't be angry." Mo Qainxue's voice was calm without trembling or shivering.
"Don't be angry? How? You've committed such a hideous and outrageous crime. But for these officials and officers pointed your name, I would never believe that a woman should be so daring as to commit murder on the street of the capital city. Who is it that gives you the courage?!"
Now the Emperor intended to give up the black wooden token and try to figure out another method to find the secret troop.
Mo Qianxue's death would calm the people's complaint and his civil and military officials as well as dissolve his own rage, while setting up a warning for those misconducting noble sons…
The long eyelashes of the Emperor hung down which covered the cold light from the eyes. He pondered for a while and then gave a look to a close official when he looked up again.
That imperial censor received the Emperor's intention, standing out and saying, "Mo Qianxue acted so presumptuous, which is a huge shame on our Tianqi nobilities. If she didn't get deserved punishment, I'm afraid other noble lords and ladies will follow her example in the future. Your majesty, please severely punish Mo Qianxue as a warning to others."
…
**
Su Qi wasn't interested in the girl that his eldest brother had mentioned, but Alu cared about his lord.
Hearing that the eldest lord wanted to forge a marriage between lord and the Founder daughter, he naturally wanted to know more about the lady, so when his lord went to bed, he ordered a messenger to inquire about the Founder daughter.
The messenger came back early in the morning and reported that the Founder daughter Mo Qianxue had left the capital city five years ago and encountered assassination last year on the way back for the Founder's mourning. She had been lost for over half a year and just returned yesterday…
Mo-Qian-Xue! Been missed for over half a year? Just returned yesterday?
Mrs. Ning's original name was Mo Qianxue who had been rescued by the villagers of the Wang village, married to Mr. Ning as a luck wife. He had heard his lord mentioned that Mr. Ning was taking her back to the capital recently…
The shocking coincidence caught Alu dumbfounded and falling into complete confusion. According to the messenger's description of the Founder daughter's appearance, he could basically confirm that this Mo Qianxue was exactly the Mrs. Ning at Tianxiang city.
He didn't the slightest idea whether this news a blessing or curse to lord, and he hesitated whether to tell him this news or not.
With this on his mind, Alu kept making mistakes when serving Su Qi during washing.
"Alu!" Su Qi scolded loudly, which scared Alu and made him kneel down at once. In total restlessness and anxiety, he closed his eyes and told everything he knew.
His words struck Su Qi's head like a thunder. He had never thought that this was Mo Qianxue's true identity or that Mo Qianxue had come back to the capital on her own…
Killing dozens of people on the street… This wasn't a trivial matter that could be solved by a few words. Likely, today she might not come over it…
Thinking of this, Su Qi was in overwhelming anxious at once, ordering Alu to prepare horse immediately while taking out the military officer's uniform that he had never worn.
He was going to court! A legal son of a super-noble family was born with a rank, so it was normal for him to go to meet the Emperor at court.
In the past, she was a man's wife who fully loved Ning Shaoqing, so he had no reason to approach her.
But now, it was different.
No matter what had happened between she and Ning Shaoqing, since she had come back directly to the Founder mansion, it meant she was single.
As long as she was single instead of a man's wife, then his approaching to her wasn't against ethics.
At the bottom of Su Qi's heart, he understood that his attempt to get near to Mo Qianxue again would be quenching a thirst with poison and a dive into an abyss.
However, he couldn't leave her alone … Whether she would accept him or not in the future, he would try his best to protect her.
**
On the street, a horse carriage with a flag writing Feng rushed directly to the imperial palace.
Feng Yuchen just arrived at the capital today and heard that Mo Qianxue had killed some people and invited to the imperial palace by the Emperor. And now his heart was burning with anxiety.
The two spies that he had arranged in the Wang village had long been erased by Ning Shaoqing. Not having received any news for a long time, he had no choice but to send more people there when he finally got to know that Mo Qianxue had gone to the capital with Ning Shaoqing.
He was afraid that Xue might be bullied by Ning Shaoqing since there were no people in the Mo family who could prop her up.
Now that Xue wanted to follow Ning Shaoqing, she must obtain the best identity.
If the Ning refused, the Feng family wouldn't agree.
But to his surprise, upon returning, he got this shocking news. Where was Ning Shaoqing? How could he let Xue go back to the Founder mansion alone? Yet, this was also a good thing…
**
Su Jinyu's carriage had just reached the gate of imperial palace, Su Qi caught up from behind.
The masters of noble families didn't need to go to court, but as a huge event took place yesterday, the tussling between various parties took on certain change with the arrival of this new tiny chess piece. Hence, the master of the Su family, the father of Su Qi and Su Jinju, had sent Su Jinyu to meet the Emperor at court and obtain more news.
However, Su Jinyu didn't expect to see his younger brother here.
Su Qi, seeing his brother was still at the gate of the palace, hurriedly jumped off the horse, "Brother, please do me a favor."
Su Jinyu confused, "What's it?"
"Please keep Mo Qianxue alive…"
…
In the court, the situation got tenser and more urgent, when the voice of a eunuch rang, "Eldest lord Su, eldest lord Feng, and lieutenant Su Jinhan request to meet his majesty!"
The Emperor frowned slightly, raising his hand, and the eunuch inside announced loudly, "Approved…"
Su Jinyu, Su Jinhan (Su Qi), and Feng Yuchen walked into the palace and bowed together. The Emperor didn't ask why they came and only gestured them to stand in the rows on the two sides.
The Su family rarely sent anyone to attend the court but came on this special day. They must be here watching the drama and checking whether there was any benefit they could get.
After all, the Founder mansion grabbed partial military power in its hand. Although Mo Tianfang had passed away for over half a year, nobody dared to take over his untouchable troops left behind. They weren't unwilling to but unable to take over. Of course, the Su family also wanted to get a share of the cake.
Although the Feng family was entitled as the first-level noble family, it had kept a low profile and its main mansion wasn't located in the capital. Except for important festivals or ceremonies, they didn't send people to the capital either, so there was only one reason why a Feng appeared at court, that was to prop Mo Qianxue up.
The Emperor believed that he fully understood the purposes of these two families, sneered covertly and suggested his close imperial censor to continue, "By slaughtering dozens of civilians on street, Mo Qianxue disdained the imperial justice and authority. Her sin is unforgivable…"
Previously, the officials weren't sure about the Emperor's intention and didn't dare to speak recklessly. Now, since there was a person standing out and that man was the Emperor's close censor, they understood it and certainly then followed suit.
"Mo Qianxue's act was outrageous and a disrespect of law… Forgiving her will further irritate civilians…"
"Mo Qianxue is cruel in nature. If she is forgiven, then all noble lords and ladies will act like her, then the future of our country is doomed…"
"Mo Qianxue did it only because of the protection of the Founder's merit and credit…"
"I agree!"
"I agree!"
What a shame that so many men bullied a girl without parents at court. If Mo Tianfang was still alive, who dared to talk to his daughter like this? Even the Emperor should treat her politely.
Mo Qianxue wasn't angry yet, but Su Qi couldn't bear it anymore, his pupils retracting slightly and fists clenched, ready to stand out and beat the crap out of these shameless censors.
Feeling the chilly anger next to him, Su Jinyu pulled the corner of Su Qi's clothes, suggesting him to calm down. It wouldn't be late to beg for mercy after the Emperor openly expressed his attitude. This was the best and most effective way.
Mo Qianxue didn't hasten in protesting. The Emperor wouldn't easily convict her guilty until she herself pleaded guilty, because he must present to his countrymen a perfectly convincible answer if he wished to be a wise emperor.
Even though she had really done anything wrong, he would try all means to let her admit it and cried and begged for mercy. By then, he could pretend to be in a dilemma, recalling her father's contribution to this country while pretending to be forced to sentenced her to death to satisfy his people and the official's request.
Wasn't he only aiming at letting her suffer a mental breakdown and plead guilty on her own by having the officials criticizing her unanimously?
No way!
Mo Qianxue picked up a memorial scattering around her on the ground. She wanted to know what exactly these officials had written and criticized.
Only when she could refute against every accusation against her could she be invincible.
She read the memorials carefully, missing no single word or sentence or the suggesting meaning between lines.
Su Qi resumed clear after being pulled by Su Jinyu. A person will lose sanity when he cares too much! Su Qi wasn't stupid and quickly understood when at the sight of Mo Qianxue reading the memorials one by one.
Indeed, it wasn't the right time to defend her. Just let those shameless people arguing against each other so that she could at least buy some time.
Su Qi regarded intently…
He had thought that he was indifferent now and believed that he had long given up. But at this moment, he found himself jealous, of the memorials which occupied her attention.
He couldn't help imagining what it would be like if Mo Qianxue looked at him so intently and lovingly…
Only the thought of it made Su Qi's heart beat uncontrollably faster.
How lucky Ning Shaoqing was!
Feng Yuchen didn't know the whole story except that Mo Qianxue had killed a dozen beggars out of rage. Seeing Mo Qianxue kneeling there speechless, he at once started to defend for her.
"My cousin Mo Qianxue, less than 15 years old, has just returned to the capital and suddenly saw a group of beggars. She misunderstood that thought they were robbers, so it isn't unforgivable that she protected herself in a violent way. Even if she was guilty, it shouldn't be that serious…"
Certainly the Feng family had its supporters in the court, so seeing the future master had expressed his attitude, his supporters also began to stand out and speak in favor of Mo Qianxue.
"As far as I know, there are noble lords who bought slaves as hunters and played hunting gamble with others by letting the slaves run ahead and the lords and their friends rode a horse to chase after the slaves… These people took human lives as a game for fun. They are the real root cause of our country's doomed future…"
"These noble lords have killed much more people than a girl like Mo Qianxue. What about we summon all of them here for a sentence?"
There were other generals who admired the Founder and looked down upon those officials also began to speak in favor of Mo Qianxue with a trace of compassion and intention of interdependence.
"The Founder spent his whole life being an upright man. Miss. Mo suffered misfortune for almost a year and has just come back when she was being cornered by a group of beggars. It's inevitable she mistook in a fluster… Although she did wrong, she shouldn't be punished too severely..."
"The Founder spent his whole life fight for this country, and he only has this single daughter. Even if she did anything wrong, your majesty, please consider the Founder's contribution and forgive Miss. Mo…"
The white clothes worn by Mo Qianxue was made out of the white silk granted by the Empress. The Emperor knew it, the Xie family knew it, the Su family knew it, but those close censors didn't.
As there were people taking Mo Qianxue's side, there were also people trying all means to pick faults. Finally, a censor focused his eyes on her white clothes.
Hence, it became another crime of her. How dare she that she should dress in white before the Emperor! What a despising and scorn against the imperial power!
Mo Qianxue concentrated on the memorials and at the same time listened to every word of their arguments in the court. At the moment of hearing this, she smiled secretly, folded the memorial in her hand and replied loudly, "Your majesty. This mourning dress was granted by her majesty in person yesterday considering my mourning pain." Usually, once a mourning suit was put on, it must be taken off at least after seven days.
If she took off in advance, she would be regarded as unfilial. Tianqi valued filial piety as the foundation of the unity of this country, so it was tolerant towards filial people. Therefore, usually those official who had to observe mourning (a long period) didn't need to go to court until the mourning was finished.
In her case, however, Mo Qianxue wasn't offending the Emperor on purpose. She was summoned here… The censor instantly began to sweat.
This was the right time to mention the Empress.
Only by this sentence, the Emperor felt his forehead popped twice. This was the first time he felt so embarrassed at court. Yet, he didn't put the blame on Mo Qianxue but was contemplating to give the Empress a good lecture later.
The Emperor's cold gaze fell on that censor, and then the censor trembled bodily, legs becoming soft and kneeling down in a second.
In this situation, Mo Qianxue, a girl committing such a huge incident, could still keep her back straight. In the contrary, this censor easily kneeled by the Emperor's one single gaze.
The comparison was obvious. A censor even wasn't as daring as a girl. The Emperor felt disheartened about the country.
Nevertheless, at this moment, no one cared this detail. Other censors quickly took this opportunity and shifted the subject back to the murder on the street, as if they hadn't heard anything at all.
For a moment, the two factions were in a heated discussion again.
However, most of the hundred officials only listened expressionlessly and didn't express their opinions, such as the Xie family's supporters, censors related to the Ning family, and two imperial members, Prince Jing and Duke Yu…
As the officials argued in the war of tongues, Mo Qianxue had finished reading all the memorials, collected the scattering memorials and raised them with both hands above her head, saying loudly, "Your majesty, I've finished reading them all."
At once the palace turned silent.
Either those criticizing Mo Qianxue or those taking her side or the expressionless ones in the crowd began to sincerely appreciate the courage and calmness of this girl.
Many people admitted to themselves that if they had been her, whether they could maintain such a gesture. Certainly the answer was no. Hence, they sweated again.
It was quiet, and the Emperor was satisfied too.
Just now, as those people expressed their opinions, he had figure out the attitudes and factions of them. He hadn't expected to get such a windfall.
However, he still didn't want to talk because he wanted to grind the heart of this girl further.