Chapter 59: Censorship is also a kind of love

  A basin of cold water was poured over her head, and Yu Fei slowly came to. Her eyes were dull as she looked around, and it took a while for her to regain consciousness. She saw the old woman standing above her with an expressionless face, and Yu Fei struggled to get up, kneeling on the ground.

  With a splash, the water sounded, and Princess Hui looked over to see that the old eunuch had just poured a ladle of icy water onto the unconscious Third Princess. Princess Hui shuddered and glared at the old eunuch with resentment, but didn't dare plead for mercy.

  The old lady-in-waiting smiled as she looked at Ruhui, and another ladle of ice water was poured over the Third Princess. Ruhui knew that this person was extremely vicious, and if she continued to watch, her daughter would inevitably suffer even more hardships. After being splashed with cold water, the princess finally came out of her daze, recalling today's nightmare-like events with shame and wanting to die, prostrating herself on the ground, tears streaming down her face.

  Qin Lei was worried that the Third Princess would not die but would be unconscious for three days and three nights, but unexpectedly, after drinking the Three Pledges of Water, the Third Princess's body lying on the ground slightly moved, and after a long time, she actually came to, only unable to move a single finger.

  The old eunuch ordered the two little eunuchs beside him: "Help Princess Shanyang get up."

  Kneeling on the ground, like a noble concubine, she knocked her head against the empress dowager and wept: "Mother Empress, spare Shanyang, if this continues, it will cost her life. I am willing to take her punishment, please let her go, Mother Empress..." Her voice was as mournful as a cuckoo's cry, and with her pitiful appearance, it truly moved those who saw her to sorrow and those who heard her to tears.

  The Empress Dowager hummed and waved her hand at the old eunuch, who retreated back into the darkness. She coldly stared at Ruhui: "Are you sober now?"

  The imperial concubine nodded vigorously: "After returning to her mother's home, the sinful woman has come to her senses."

  The old lady lowered her eyelids and stopped paying attention to her. She turned her head to the prince kneeling on the ground and said, "Tong'er, you have read extensively and are well-versed in ancient and modern times. Have you ever seen such a palace drama in our Chinese history?"

  "The prince actually knew a lot, but he wouldn't dare say it even if you killed him: 'Replying to the Empress Dowager, your grandson has never seen it.'"

  The old lady chuckled and said, "Alright, tomorrow you go to Tai Shi Ling's place and order him to write it down with a straight brush. Write that on a certain year, month, and day, the imperial princess and prince had a falling out with the crown prince, who was chased by them for over three miles along the shores of Tai Ye Lake, almost throwing himself into the lake. It's also a pioneering work in history, isn't it?" Her voice grew colder and colder.

  The crown prince hung his head low and didn't dare look at the empress dowager.

  "Look up!" The old lady glared with her eyes and shouted in a low voice.

  The crown prince hastily lifted his head, looking at the old empress dowager with a face full of guilt. The old empress dowager narrowed her eyes and said, "A country's heir should have the demeanor of a country's heir, Qin Feng, remember for me, never lower your head, forever!" After finishing speaking, she closed her eyes. Old people are always easy to feel tired, the old empress dowager didn't want to say another word. She slightly lifted her hand and softly hummed "Nian", then fell silent.

  A female official stepped forward, took out a document and read it aloud in a clear voice: "The Imperial Edict of the Great Qin's Empress Dowager Wen Zhuang."

  Jinfei, who was originally standing in the house, and the Empress Dowager, who was sitting, both knelt down in the hall to hear the imperial edict.

  "Now there is a princess who is arrogant and reckless, with no respect for authority, and has attempted to use violence to attack the Regent Prince. Her crime cannot be forgiven. If she is not severely punished, it will be difficult for heaven and earth to contain her."

  Qin Lei heard 'holding arms', thought of that thing, and smiled in his heart, but had to lower his head. The empress dowager did not allow the crown prince to bow his head, but he didn't let him raise it either.

  "Because Empress Liu was remiss in her management and indulgent, not fully discharging the responsibilities of a mother and not carrying out the duties of an empress."

  As for Guifei's actions, which were considered by the Empress Dowager as 'opening a precedent in history', they weren't even mentioned.

  "Crown Prince Qin Feng and Imperial Son Qin Lei have no respect for their elders, do not revere the Honorable Consort, are arrogant and unrepentant, and shout loudly in the Forbidden Palace. Their crimes are as great as those of Mount Tai."

  "Heaven has rain and dew, also thunder and lightning. Now, the imperial family's residence is collecting and detaining Shanyang for one year. Every season, forty lashes are given. During this period, the princess's title will be temporarily removed, to be decided after Your Majesty returns to the palace." For royal children, as long as they do not commit treason, being detained for a year is already an extremely severe punishment. At that time, the crown prince said Qin Lei's crime was only punishable by house arrest for half a year. Fortunately, every three months, he would receive a meal sufficient for three months of flogging, so it wasn't lonely.

  His mother, Liu, was forbidden from leaving her room for half a year. Every day she had to copy the Lengyan Jing ten times. During this time, the rules and regulations were reduced by half.

  Qin Lei originally regretted that her punishment was too light, but seeing the smile in the crown prince's eyes, she knew there was another way.

  "Crown Prince Qin Feng should be flogged twenty times and detained for half a year. Imperial Son Qin Lei should be flogged ten times and detained for one month. However, as the Crown Prince bears the heavy responsibility of overseeing the country, he cannot be punished with physical punishment or relieved of his duties. According to the rules of the Imperial Clan Court: if an elder brother commits a crime, a younger brother can take his place. Therefore, it is decreed that Imperial Son Qin Lei should be flogged thirty times and detained for seven months. Let this be carried out."

  The crown prince saw that all his fault was being shifted onto Qin Lei, and he exclaimed: "Absolutely not!" He knocked his head against the ground in front of the empress dowager, saying: "Imperial Grandmother, the rules of the Imperial Clan Court also have regulations: if one cannot accept punishment due to their position, they can be punished after stepping down. Imperial Grandmother, please... let your grandson take responsibility for himself."

  The old lady did not open her eyes, nor did she respond to the prince's request. She waved her hand and said, "Go and accept your punishment." Qin Feng, you stay behind." After a brief pause, she added, "Lei'er, you also stay behind."

  Qin Lei and Qin Teng left under the worried gaze of Huang Hou and Jin Fei. Rong Gui Fei and Shanyang Gongzhu were also carried out.

  The Empress Dowager Wen ordered everyone else to withdraw, leaving only three people in the room: herself, her grandson, and his mother.

  She gazed at her two grandsons. Both were generally fair and handsome. The eldest son was elegant and gentle, with a mustache on his lips adding a few points of dignity to him. Qin Lei was vigorous and full of youthful vitality. From their appearance alone, the old lady liked Qin Lei a bit more.

  But things in this world have many sides.

  The Empress Dowager pointed at the stool beside her and smiled at her two grandsons: "Sit." The spring breeze was again green on the south bank of the river.

  Qin Lei smiled and helped the prince up, and they sat down together.

  The empress dowager smiled and asked Qin Lei: "Little monkey, I treated you like this, why aren't you angry at all?"

  Qin Lei scratched his head and said: "Sonny feels that Grandma has always been good to me, she definitely won't harm me."

  The old lady smiled wryly and lectured, "Grandson, the people in this world are not always good to you just because they won't harm you." She also said somewhat gloomily, "Always only represents the past, it has no meaning at all."

  After saying so much, the old lady was still spirited and energetic, without any sign of fatigue or dizziness from just now.

  The old lady said to the prince in a low voice: "Dong'er, you are being reckless. This is not the time to turn against each other."

  The prince was about to get up, but Wen Zhuang waved his hand and said, "Speak while seated."

  After the prince thanked him, he said firmly: "Imperial Grandmother, I think that since everyone knows what's going on and it's only a matter of time before things come to a head, if we just pretend everything is fine for the sake of appearances and let my fifth brother suffer, it would be a shame for me as an older brother."

  The empress dowager thought for a moment, then said slowly: "You young people have your own ideas and that's not wrong. Let's just drop this matter. But have you thought about how to protect Le'er in the future? Do you want Grandma to keep hiding him in the Zong person's mansion?"

  The prince rubbed his temples and said in a hoarse voice, "Grandma, today's events were indeed unexpected. I originally just wanted to slightly punish Shanyang and then ask you to help us get out of this situation. I didn't think it would turn into such an irreconcilable deadlock."

  Qin Lei thought of that thing nailed on the wall, and when it appeared in front of everyone, it was indeed unexpected.

  "The crown prince gritted his teeth and said: 'No matter what, I must ensure the safety of my fifth brother. Even if it means sacrificing myself, I will not hesitate.'"

  Qin Lei asked curiously: "Second Brother, is this Imperial Concubine really that formidable?"

  The crown prince sneered: "Noblewoman? Didn't you see her being as timid as a cicada in front of the empress dowager? The one who's really formidable isn't her, but her older brother."

  Qin Lei said calmly, "It's Taifu Li Hun." He then asked strangely, "Even if he doesn't put our imperial family in his eyes, he wouldn't dare to openly take away my younger brother, would he?"

  The empress dowager and the crown prince were amused by him, but after a while, the crown prince said: "Li Hun actually doesn't dare to do anything to you openly, but this rascal has a secret team called Blood Kill, known as the number one killer in the world. It is said that anyone who is locked down by them can hardly live for three months."

  Qin Lei disbelievingly said: "If he's so formidable, then why didn't he just..." Although it wasn't explicitly stated, everyone present knew what he meant.

  The old lady said expressionlessly: "That's because I'm here."

  Qin Lei understood that the old empress dowager could protect one person, but not two. It was just like playing cards, having an ace in one's hand. Although the ace could control all the other cards, once it was played, it would be gone. Originally, Qin Lei had a good hand, but now with an extra card, he might be crushed by his opponent.

  Just as the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince were deep in thought, they suddenly heard Qin Lei's soft laughter. They saw Qin Lei stand up elegantly, kneel down in front of the Empress Dowager, and say in a clear voice: "Your Majesty doesn't have to worry about your grandson, I guarantee that within seven months, I can train an army that is no worse than those Blood Killers, and wipe out their reputation."

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  Debt of 1,500, now changed, was smoked by mosquito coils this morning, feeling sluggish.

  Alright, I know it's almost 1600 recommended already. Alright, I won't say anything else, let me continue writing.

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