Translator – Xiao He Lian
This is a translation hosted on KnoxT, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarized. Please support the translator by reading it at KnoxT.
Chapter 31.1
The night dew was thick.
Lu Yan pressed her body, staring into her eyes motionless, as if he would not give up if she didn’t give him a reply
Shen Zhen remained silent. The man’s hand on her waist changed from a cold clamp to a slow caress… gently and heavily, like coercion
Feeling wronged?
She shouldn’t have felt wronged by following him. Without him, even if she had escaped from Chang’an City that day, she can only take Hong’er to run around and hoping to find a peaceful place was all nonsense.
Since she received his favor, she should always pay the price. She should understand this.
But the truth is the truth, it is really difficult for her to say the four words “I was not wronged”.
After all, she had lived for sixteen years and never thought that one day she would be someone else’s outside mistress…
Shen Zhen tried hard to open her mouth, but no sound came out.
Seeing her like this, Lu Yan’s heart couldn’t help but sink again and again.
Four words, are they really so difficult to say?
The dignified Heir Apparent of Zhengguo Duke’s Mansion, the god’s favored one1(specially privileged person) in Chang’an City, who has always been fawned upon by others since he was a child, how has he ever been led by the nose like this?
Seeing the restrained watery color in her eyes, Lu Yan’s dark and deep eyes suddenly filled with a trace of anger and a trace of panic that he didn’t want to admit.
His Adam’s apple slightly moved, he turned over and got off her and said in a hoarse voice: “Just rest.”
Henceforth, if she didn’t want to say, he also didn’t want to ask again.
Shen Zhen looked at his back and knew that she had just made him unhappy. After thinking for a moment, she put her hands around his waist and said: “Thank You for your kindness, Shen Zhen will never forget it.”
Her voice didn’t change at all, but the words she spoke made his limbs tingle.
Sure enough, is it just kindness?
——
The night had fallen and Shen Zhen’s breathing gradually became even.
Lu Yan turned his head to look at her, and then at the sachet she placed beside the bed. Finally, he let out a long sigh, closed his eyes, and slowly fell asleep…
Time flashed back to the ninth day of the tenth lunar month.
That was the night before the Shen family was due to pay off their debt.
That day, there was a difficult case in Jingzhao Prefecture. When the evening drum sounded, Lu Yan was writing a report with his head down.
At this time, a few officers who were about to go home from work strode in, “Lord Lu, there’s a fire over at Zhaoxing Lane.”
Another person said: “The shopkeeper of Jin Family’s money Shop just came to beat drums and said that the third young lady of the Shen family refused to repay her debts and fled out of fear of crime. She has already left the city.”
Lu Yan raised an eyebrow, the third young lady of the Shen family? Is it her again?
This is a translation hosted on KnoxT, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarized. Please support the translator by reading it at KnoxT.
Lu Yan put down his pen and said, “Call the Jin family’s people to come in.”
As soon as the shopkeeper of Jin family’s money shop came in, he took out the evidence in his hand and said, “My Lord, the Shen family owes eight thousand copper coins. If she runs away, her life is not enough to pay back the debt.”
Seeing that Lu Yan was silent, the shopkeeper hurriedly said: “Besides this, I have another matter to report! The three young lady of the Shen family left the city using fake household registrations and forged documents! The Yamen will not ignore this matter, will it?”
“My Lord, what should we do?” Yang Zong whispered.
Lu Yan turned the wolf hair brush in his hand and sighed, “Tell the officers to leave the city.” Tampering with household registration and forging documents is no small matter.
Lu Yan led a group of men and horses holding torches to search for people, from north to south. Finally, at three quarter to Zishi2(the period of the day from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m), they captured Shen Zhen and Shen Hong who accidentally fell from their horses.
The tampered documents were in possession and there was no chance of denial.
Lu Yan got off his horse, walked to Shen Zhen’s side, and said in a very cold voice: “Who gave you the gate clearance order?”
Shen Zhen lowered her head, bit her lower lip, and said nothing.
Her sideburns were disheveled, with some blood stains remaining, and her face was as pale as the silver lamp in his hand.
“Answer me.” Lu Yan said.
Shen Zhen’s fingertips were trembling. The third young lady Shen, a pampered girl, who had never been interrogated before and had never been a fugitive.
It was related to her eldest sister, so she didn’t dare to say anything.
Lu Yan smiled and said nothing, and stopped talking with her. He only turned back to Yang Zong and said, “Take her away.”
It was already the second watch3(更〉the second watch of the night (10-11 p.m.)) when Lu Yan took her back to Jingzhao Prefecture Prison.
He imprisoned Shen Zhen, Shen Hong and the bribed city gate soldier in different cells, and then said: “Separate trials will be done for them.”
At this moment, Shen Zhen suddenly stood up and said, “My Lord, he is only five years old, he doesn’t know anything.”
Lu Yan came to her side, stepped in close and frowned, “Take out the documents and household registration.”
Shen Zhen raised her hand and pressed her chest, tears welling up in her eye sockets. She wanted to beg him to let her go, but she also knew that begging was useless.
There is no relationship between the Zhenguo Duke Mansion and the Shen family. Even if there is a relationship, he, a court official, will not show favoritism.
Seeing that she had been silent for a long time, Lu Yan added, “If you don’t hand it over yourself, I will have no choice but to search you.”
How could a woman like Shen Zhen, who lived in a boudoir, withstand Lu Yan’s threatening tone and cold gaze…
After a long while, she finally handed the document in her hand to him, “My Lord, everything today is my fault. I admit it for counterfeiting documents, tampering with household registration, and arson.” After saying this, those sparkling eyes suddenly flashed and large drops of tears welled up.
Lu Yan looked at the order in his hand. After confirming that it was correct, he raised his eyes and scolded: “Do you know how big a crime this is? How did you get the papers for the special account of the Ministry of Revenue by yourself?”
Shen Zhen couldn’t answer such a question.
Lu Yan glanced at her and sneered coldly: “Jingzhao Prefecture has always enforced the law impartially. You should admit what you should have done and it is not your turn to admit to what you haven’t done.”
Shen Zhen clenched her fists and said with a trembling voice: “It was really me alone.”
Lu Yan left the cell and locked it, and said to her: “I advise Miss Shen to tell the truth when she goes to court tomorrow, so as not to be accused of covering up.”
At this moment, Yang Zong came from not far away and said to Lu Yan: “Master, are you still going back to the mansion today?”
Lu Yan rubbed his eyebrows and said, “I have to go to court tomorrow morning, so I won’t go.”
The next day.
Lu Yan spent the night at his desk again. When it was about to dawn, he stood up and moved his shoulder blades from side to side.
When he thought about the complicated official duties today, he couldn’t help but press his temples with my hands.
He glanced at the dazzling sunshine outside and said, “Did the soldier guarding the city plead guilty? Who bribed him?”
Yang Zong shook his head, “He is someone who can endure it. He went down with forty heavy boards without saying anything.”
Forging documents and bribing officials, none of the charges are light. Lu Yan said solemnly: “Bring Shen Zhen to trial.”
Lu Yan thought that because she had a special status and was a woman, it was difficult for her to be tried in public, so he went to Jingzhao Prison in person.
A young lady from a noble family who was only sixteen years old had never seen such a situation before. When she saw two yamen officials holding boards and a long bench, her legs went weak.
Lu Yan thought about it over and over and said, “Miss Shen, flogging is not a joke. Who gave you this document? I advise you to do it truthfully.”
As if she didn’t hear anything, Shen Zhen walked over step by step, lay down on the long bench, with red eyes and whispered: “My Lord, even if you ask me ten thousand times, I will only have one answer.”
Compared with the county government and the Ministry of Punishment, the Jingzhao Prefecture has greater power and is not subject to the constraint of hierarchical appeals. Therefore, as long as the evidence is conclusive, it can be tried in court, and the death penalty can also be given.
Lu Yan’s fingers tapped lightly on the table.
It’s impossible for a young girl to bear such torture. Lu Yan rarely tried to persuade her before the execution of punishment, “You can’t bear it.”
Shen Zhen didn’t respond, just held a handkerchief with her little hands.
