dognovel Chapter 254 I am a woman, but I am no less than anyone else
Chapter 254 I am a woman, but I am no less than anyone else
The vermilion walls of the Imperial Clan Court exuded a chilling aura under the sunlight, and the crowd gathered at the foot of the walls whispered among themselves, their eyes gleaming with shrewdness.
They all knew perfectly well that the person singing inside was no ordinary person, but no one dared to say it outright.
Shen Yuxi sat high on the palanquin, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table, his brow furrowed. He was truly at a loss when it came to Shi Wanxia, this troublesome girl.
When foreigners set foot on foreign soil, they are all trembling with fear, cautious in their words and actions, for fear of revealing their identities and being branded as spies and expelled from the country.
But Shi Wanxia was completely different. Alone, she seemed to possess the confidence of a thousand troops, open and fearless.
She kept claiming to be an orphan with no parents, but Shen Yuxi found it all absurd. How could someone so confident, composed, knowledgeable, and insightful in conversation be an ordinary woman?
He was certain that this girl was of noble birth. Otherwise, why would a king mobilize a large army and travel thousands of miles just to support her?
"His Majesty has arrived!"
Yu Heng's unique hoarse voice broke the silence.
Outside the Imperial Clan Court, the Imperial Guards immediately straightened their backs and knelt down to pay their respects.
Shen Tai, the head of the Imperial Clan Court, was a member of the Shen clan. Approaching forty, he stood tall and straight, his square face exuding righteousness. He bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"
Shen Yuxi looked at him, his expression softening slightly, and nodded: "Get up! Open the door, bring Cui Huai'an and Shi Wanxia, I want to interrogate them."
Shen Tai accepted the order and quickly directed his subordinates to bring the prisoner away, while he led the way to welcome the grand imperial procession into the main hall of the Imperial Clan Court.
Shen Yuxi sat upright in the hall, exuding imperial majesty and a powerful aura that made everyone afraid to look up.
The Imperial Guard squad leader strode towards the east and west wing rooms and opened the doors. Cui Zhihao was escorted out, filled with doubt, wondering to himself: How could this be? Shouldn't he be imprisoned indefinitely? Who wants to see him?
Shi Wanxia then stepped out, her face showing undisguised panic and tension. Her steps were unsteady and she walked slowly. The guard behind her became impatient and gave her a sudden push, causing her to stumble forward and almost fall.
Upon seeing this, Cui Zhihao reached out and pulled her into his arms without hesitation, completely forgetting gentlemanly manners, and whispered to comfort her, "Miss Shi, don't be afraid. With me here, I will make sure nothing happens to you!"
Shi Wanxia looked up, her eyes glistening with tears, but she forced herself to remain calm and nodded slightly.
Upon seeing the imposing figure in the hall, his heart sank, knowing that today's interrogation was likely to end badly, but his eyes remained stubborn, refusing to show the slightest weakness.
As if struck by lightning, Cui Zhihao immediately released his hand that was protecting Shi, pulled her to kneel down with him, foreheads touching the ground, his voice trembling slightly: "Your Majesty, this sinful subject Cui Zhihao pays his respects! Long live Your Majesty!"
Shi Wanxia hurriedly followed suit, her movements flustered and her words filled with nervousness: "This humble woman, Shi Wanxia, greets Your Majesty!"
Her head was bowed very low, her hair falling loosely and obscuring most of her face, but her slightly trembling shoulders still betrayed her unease.
Shen Yuxi remained unmoved, simply waving his hand lightly, his tone calm yet unquestionable: "Rise!"
Cui Zhihao was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed to thank the emperor for his grace before getting up and steadily supporting Shi Wanxia beside him.
He glanced up casually and found a gaze looming over his back. He looked in the direction of the gaze and saw Shen Yanchu.
The look in his eyes was ambiguous and unfathomable. Cui Zhihao was startled and wondered to himself: Could it be that Shen Yanchu, like his nephew Wenzhu, harbored different feelings for Miss Shi? Once this thought arose, it grew wildly like weeds, making him feel extremely confused.
Shen Yuxi took in all of this, his gaze falling on Shi Wanxia. Seeing her slender figure, as if she could be blown away by a gust of wind, his heart softened for no reason, and he gave Yu Heng a wink.
Yu Heng had served Shen Yuxi for decades, and the master and servant had a perfect understanding. They instantly understood each other and whispered a few words to the servants behind him.
Before long, a young eunuch hurriedly brought over a carved pear wood stool and gently placed it behind Shi Wanxia.
Upon seeing this, Shi Wanxia's eyes widened in surprise and flattery. She instinctively looked at Shen Yuxi, then quickly lowered her head and stammered, "This humble woman...thanks to Your Majesty."
Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, and her hands nervously clutched the hem of her clothes. This sudden favor was like a ray of light illuminating her previously gloomy situation, but it also made her even more unable to fathom the emperor's thoughts.
The hall fell silent for a moment, broken only by the flickering candlelight. Shen Yuxi leaned forward slightly, breaking the silence: "Cui Zhihao, do you know what you have done?"
His voice was deep and resonant, echoing in the empty hall, carrying the oppressive aura of an emperor that gripped the very heart. Cui Zhihao hurriedly knelt down again, kowtowing and begging for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, I was momentarily confused and violated the law of the land. I deserve to die a thousand deaths. I only beg Your Majesty to consider my past loyalty and show leniency."
His words were earnest, and beads of sweat were already rolling down his forehead.
Shen Yuxi sneered: "Loyalty? As an official of our dynasty, you actually allowed a mere woman to serve as an official, disrupting the order of the court. What kind of loyalty is that?"
Cui Zhihao trembled, about to defend himself, when Shen Yuxi added, "As for this Miss Shi..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Shi Wanxia, whose heart pounded as if his gaze could pierce through everything. "How could you, a commoner, get involved with Cui Zhihao? What is the status of the Cui family of Qinghe?"
"Do you think that just because you're not a citizen of my Cangling Kingdom, I can't do anything to you?"
Shi Wanxia gritted her teeth, mustered her courage, raised her head, and looked directly into Shen Yuxi's eyes: "Your Majesty, I only met Lord Cui by chance. Besides, doesn't Your Majesty already have the answer in your heart?"
"No matter my identity, although I am just a woman, I know no less than anyone else. My country is able to prosper and be peaceful because our great leader told us that although we are women, we are no less than men."
He once said, "Women hold up half the sky and transform the land."
Shi Wanxia, dressed in a plain silk dress, stood tall and straight, her gaze fixed firmly on Shen Yuxi on the high throne. She said in a resounding voice, "Your Majesty is the ruler of a country, with the bearing of a dragon and phoenix, wise and powerful, and skilled in governing the country, praised by all the people."
"Because of your benevolence and kindness, the people of Cangling Kingdom are able to live and work in peace and contentment. Your benevolent heart has benefited the whole world! But Your Majesty, as a man and as an emperor, it is truly remarkable that you have achieved so much."
Cui Zhe and Pei Xuan, who were accompanying them, looked at each other, wondering what this woman was up to.
Shi Wanxia changed the subject, her tone becoming serious: "However, the suffering of the people is also a reality. The national economy has been stagnant for a long time, and the national treasury is already running a deficit due to years of war. If a disaster year occurs, countless people will be displaced. As the saying goes, water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it."
The crown prince stood to one side, his brows furrowed, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
The high-ranking officials beside him also had different expressions; some seemed thoughtful, while others looked disdainful, as if mocking the woman's ignorance of the immensity of heaven and earth.
Shi Wanxia seemed oblivious and continued her impassioned speech: "You are the emperor, and although I am just a woman, I know that even though I am of lowly status, I dare not forget my duty to the country. Although Cangling is not my homeland, I also hope that the people here can have enough to eat and wear, be able to read and write, and be able to survive by their own efforts!"
"In this world, regardless of gender, everyone belongs to this world. We cannot allow their fate from birth to be determined solely by the wishes of their parents."
"If everyone can read and write, be loyal to the emperor and love the country, and use their knowledge to serve the country, then the country can reach a higher level."