Chapter 1372: The Exoneration of the Xue Family (5)

“Boom boom boom!” A series of dull drumbeats sounded, startling the surrounding citizens.

“This, someone is going to lodge a formal complaint with the Emperor!” A citizen looked over, wanting to see who had the audacity to dare such an act.

“Oh my! How can it be a young girl?” A woman exclaimed in shock.

“Oh dear! Young lady, this is not something you can meddle with; quickly put it down!” Another concerned woman planned to step forward and pull Xue Shuyao away, thinking the girl was young and didn’t realize this was a call for justice by beating the drum.

Xue Shuyao turned a deaf ear to them, she exerted herself to beat the drum, every strike using up all her strength.

“I, Xue Shuyao, daughter of the Xue Family, come to beat the drum for justice, earnestly request the Emperor and court to clear the Xue Family’s name!”

“Oh dear! She really is here to beat the drum for justice.” The woman who had attempted to pull her back quickly retreated, realizing this was a formal complaint to the Emperor; she dared not involve herself.

“This girl is truly brave! She actually dares to lodge a formal complaint with the Emperor!” The surrounding began to buzz with discussion, as lodging such a complaint was not something just anyone could bear, especially a girl.

“Who are you? Do you know this is a call for justice by beating the drum?” A pair of guards walked over, the one in the front shouted.

“I am the daughter of the Xue Family, and this is my plea!” Xue Shuyao handed over the plea document, her heart fully supported by faith, facing the stern-faced guards without feeling afraid.

“Do you know, any formal complaint to the Emperor means you first must endure fifty lashes?” The guard, seeing she was a young and beautiful girl, felt some reluctance to penalize her harshly, fearing she might not understand the laws, thus first explaining this.

“I understand, I only ask the official to take my plea document up!” Xue Shuyao nodded, her mind set on it.

The guard, seeing her resolute attitude, had no choice but to swallow back his words. He wanted to say that a citizen accusing an official meant fifty lashes first, followed by other penalties; however, she was indifferent, and he couldn’t say more.

“Hand this plea document over to the Ministry of Communication!” The guard handed the document to the person behind him, then turned to Xue Shuyao: “Wait here!”

Chang Xuezhou from the Ministry of Communication received the document, opened it curiously, and was so startled he almost tossed it away.

“This, who handed over this document?” Chang Xuezhou had just been promoted to Left Minister of Communication, not expecting to encounter such a major incident upon taking office. There were seventeen accused officials in the document, including high-ranking ones.

Included was a person who happened to be the current Regent King’s tutor—this was a deadly mistake.

“Said to be the daughter of the Xue Family, currently waiting outside the palace.”

“Quickly, quickly stop her, I need to go to the Ministry of Justice!” He was only a fourth-rank official, usually unable to meet the Regent King, let alone the Emperor.

Normally, matters like this first require interrogation from them at the Ministry of Communication, then handover to the Ministry of Justice. But at the moment, he couldn’t care much about it; it’s better to first hand it over to the Ministry of Justice for handling!

Urgently, the priority was to first use the Ministry of Justice to deliver to the Regent King. Show obedience before the Regent King and those ministers, and worry about future prospects later!

Thinking of this, he immediately ordered, “Bind the person and detain them first!”

“Sir! Dali Temple’s personnel have arrived, saying they accepted the document and will submit it to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation!” An adviser rushed over to report to Chang Xuezhou.

Chang Xuezhou was stunned at first, then understood; it seemed the Regent King had long known about this.

…

“Go keep a close watch on Yang Shiqi; the plea document must not inexplicably disappear,” Gu Chengyu said to a guard of Dali Temple.

This matter involved Yang Shiqi; the concern was that the other party might stash away with the plea document.

“Emperor, the Ministry of Justice brought over a plea document, stating it’s the orphan of the Xue Family seeking to overturn the case for the Xue Family!” The Minister of the Ministry of Justice entered Wenhua Hall, seeing Gu Chengyu reviewing the memorials for the Emperor, while the Emperor listened to Hanlin Academy officials explaining lessons, his eyes flashed.

Gu Chengyu actually dispatched someone to interfere in the matter; this involved Liang Zhirui, wasn’t he worried at all?

“Xue Family?” The Little Emperor was somewhat puzzled; this was a matter from three dynasties ago, so he hadn’t heard of it.

Gu Chengyu put down the red pen in his hand, glanced at Yang Shiqi, then explained to the Emperor: “Reporting to the Emperor, the Xue Family was involved in a case of extermination that occurred in…”

“So this person is the Xue Family orphan? But wasn’t the entire Xue Family exterminated? Where did this person come from?” The Little Emperor frowned; if this person’s identity was genuine, then it would be the court’s identified criminal.

“Indeed! This person is a court’s identified criminal! She luckily escaped back then, but dares to lodge a formal complaint now? I urge the Emperor to capture this person!” Yang Shiqi nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Feeling somewhat confused, he worried that the Xue Family orphan wanting to overturn the case would unravel the events from back then; he was involved in those events.

“Emperor, since she presented herself here, it’s only natural to capture her. But it might be worth seeing what supposedly incriminating evidence she has. If the Xue Family truly has grievances, they were loyal to the court for decades…”

The Little Emperor was uncertain; the implicated officials were widespread, and the matter involved his grandpa Emperor Huiming. If he accepted it, it would inevitably affect his grandpa’s reputation.

“Emperor, the plea document lists numerous officials colluding with the Da Xing. If not investigated first, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

Xue Shuyao waited outside for a long time, becoming more anxious as she waited, until a guard finally came to arrest her, “Follow us to the Ministry of Justice!”

Xue Shuyao finally felt anxious in her heart; saying she wasn’t afraid, how could that be?

Upon arriving at the Ministry of Justice hall, Xue Shuyao was pressed to kneel on the ground by guards. When she looked up, she saw several officials sitting above, Gu Chengyu prominently among them.

Upon seeing Gu Chengyu, her scattered and panicked heart finally calmed down.

“Who is below?” Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice Zhou Wei struck the wooden gavel, shouting towards the person below.

“I am the daughter of the Xue Family, today beating the drum for justice to accuse Liang Zhirui, the Grand Tutor, and Yang Shiqi, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice… they slandered my Xue Family in the past, I plead with the official to clear the Xue Family’s name!”

After bowing three times, Xue Shuyao remembered the evidence in her possession and clenched her fists tightly.

“You are the daughter of a condemned minister, a court’s identified criminal. The Emperor’s grace has allowed you an opportunity to plead. A citizen accusing an official means fifty lashes first, if falsely accused, then a hundred lashes and punishment for false accusation. You accuse numerous officials; if false, not only will you endure a hundred lashes, but you’ll also be banished to the army. Proceed with the punishment!”

Xue Shuyao trembled, as the guards picked her up and placed her on the bench; she hadn’t prepared herself when a whip lashed down.

She instantly felt her back burning with pain, almost crying out in torment. She clenched her teeth tightly; the second whip swiftly followed, prompting her to look at Gu Chengyu.

Gu Chengyu was expressionless, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

In truth, Gu Chengyu didn’t feel well in his heart either, inwardly cursing the punishment as incredibly inhumane. But this was the law, he could only pick up the files on the table and shift his focus.

He had already arranged for it; although painful, it wouldn’t damage her tendons and bones. With so many people watching, lest it seemed too fake.

Xue Shuyao turned her gaze back, silently enduring the pain on her back, feeling even breathing becoming difficult.

No idea how long it took, when she was lifted from the bench, she had become utterly exhausted, after all, she was flesh and blood.

“Do you still want to continue?” Gu Chengyu asked gently.

“Daughter of the condemned minister seeks justice for the Xue Family.” Xue Shuyao spat blood from her mouth, her mind starting to blur, though she still unmistakably heard Gu Chengyu’s voice—so piercingly cold, so unyielding.

“Proceed with the second punishment, rolling on the spiked board!” Vice Minister Zhou Wei also admired the girl’s fierceness; even men rarely endure fifty lashes.

But they were used to such matters, thus they didn’t feel much.

“Strip her clothes!”

Xue Shuyao suddenly felt someone was stripping her outer garments, she immediately gripped tightly, unwilling to let go.

“Remove outer garments, onto the spiked board!”