dognovel Chapter 245 Meeting the Saint
Chapter 245 Meeting the Saint
The dark and damp atmosphere of the Ministry of Justice's prison seemed to seep into one's very bones.
The dim torches flickered on the wall, reflecting Pei Xuan's cold yet slightly reluctant face.
Today was the day he was ordered to bring Cui Zhihao and Shi Wanxia to meet the emperor. Before dawn, he got up early and instructed the jailers to help the two of them to wash and dress up.
"At least make yourself presentable. It would be really inappropriate to present yourself to the Emperor looking so dirty and disheveled."
Pei Xuan whispered his instructions, a hint of pity for the prisoner flashing in his eyes.
Although the jailers were somewhat impatient, they dared not disobey orders and hurriedly fetched water and a few pieces of coarse cloth clothing.
Shi Wanxia huddled in a corner of the cell, her messy hair covering most of her face. When she heard the noise, she only slightly raised her head.
She knew in her heart that today was her death day.
The torture she endured in the prison these past few days had made her thin, and her once bright and intelligent eyes were now dull and lifeless.
Even so, the occasional glimpses of stubbornness still reveal the strength in her bones.
"What a pity for such a bright and intelligent girl!"
The little eunuch beside him bent over and exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, breaking the brief silence in the cell.
This young eunuch usually followed the emperor and had seen many high-ranking officials and nobles, but for some reason, seeing Shi Wanxia's plight made him feel a pang of sadness.
"By imperial decree, Cui Zhihao of the Cui family of Qinghe will have an audience with the Emperor in the late summer."
The young eunuch cleared his throat and raised his voice, "Lord Cui, Miss Shi, please!"
Cui Zhihao's body trembled slightly upon hearing the summons. He had been in this dark and gloomy prison for several days, and the fear in his heart had been a constant companion.
However, at this moment, as a member of the Cui family of Qinghe, his years of family upbringing allowed him to force himself to remain calm.
He glanced at Shi Wanxia and thought to himself: Miss Shi is different from him. She is an ordinary woman with no noble family background to protect her.
Amidst the turbulent political landscape of the court, she was like a rootless duckweed, fragile and vulnerable. He had to protect her!
Shi Wanxia was pulled to her feet by the jailer. She swayed for a moment, then gently brushed aside the messy hair in front of her eyes, looked calmly at Cui Zhihao, and nodded slightly, as if to thank him for his kindness.
The two walked side by side with Pei Xuan and the little eunuch out, their footsteps echoing in the empty prison corridor, each step seemingly treading on the edge of life and death.
Stepping out of the prison, the sunlight stung Shi Wanxia's eyes. She instinctively raised her hand to shield them, but a jailer pulled her back. Seeing this, Cui Zhihao glared angrily: "How dare you be so rude!"
The jailer pursed his lips, muttered a few words, but ultimately refrained from further insolence.
Along the way, Cui Zhihao quietly approached Shi Wanxia and whispered, "Miss Shi, don't be afraid. When we meet the Emperor later, I will try my best to take the blame upon myself, and you can find a chance to escape."
Shi Wanxia gave a bitter smile: "Lord Cui, why are you doing this? This trouble was caused by me, how can I implicate you?"
Shi Wanxia felt that she had implicated Cui Zhihao because of her. She had been filled with anxiety for days; she didn't belong to this era, and perhaps returning to the modern world would only mean dying again!
She didn't want to, and couldn't, implicate Lord Cui any further. In an era where imperial power reigned supreme, even aristocratic families couldn't easily overthrow imperial rule.
As they spoke, the group arrived at the palace gates. The majestic gates gleamed with an imposing golden light under the sunlight, inspiring awe. Cui Zhihao took a deep breath, held his head high, and stepped inside first, followed closely by Shi Wanxia.
In the magnificent imperial court, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed almost tangible. The ministers whispered among themselves from time to time, their eyes frequently sweeping over the two conspicuous figures dressed in prison clothes.
Above the main hall, the emperor sat high on his dragon throne, his face grim as he looked down at the two men below. Civil and military officials stood in rows on either side, the atmosphere oppressive and suffocating.
Cui Zhihao stood tall and straight in the hall. Although he was dressed in prison clothes, he could not hide the refined and elegant demeanor of the Cui family of Qinghe. Every gesture he made showed the style of a noble family.
The woman beside him, Shi Wanxia, was not particularly beautiful, but her eyes and brows exuded a confident and composed air. This demeanor stood out especially against the backdrop of the obsequious courtiers.
In the solemnly hierarchical Golden Palace, an ordinary woman was able to look directly at the emperor's face without any stage fright, which made many ministers secretly marvel.
On the dragon throne, Shen Yuxi, dressed in a dragon robe, had a cold and stern expression, his gaze sweeping over the two people below like an ice blade. He pondered to himself, this Cui Zhihao, although a direct descendant of the Qinghe Cui clan and born into the eldest branch, should be well-versed in court rules and able to weigh the pros and cons since childhood, so why would he risk the confiscation of his family's property and the extermination of his clan, thus offending the imperial authority?
His eyes flickered slightly, and the chief eunuch beside him understood immediately. He stepped forward and called out in a high-pitched voice, "Cui Zhizhou of the Qinghe Cui family, and Shi Wanxia, a commoner, come forward to pay their respects!"
Cui Zhihao's heart tightened. What he had to face was ultimately unavoidable. He composed himself, lifted his robes, knelt down, and performed the full kowtow, shouting, "Your Majesty, this sinful subject Cui Zhizhou pays his respects! Long live Your Majesty!"
His voice was steady, yet it couldn't hide a slight, almost imperceptible tremor. Seeing this, Shi Wanxia also knelt down, but coming from modern society, she didn't understand the complicated kneeling etiquette. She simply thought that kneeling was a form of greeting. Seeing that no one spoke, she got up on her own and stood aside.
The court erupted in chaos. Ministers stared in horror, their eyes wide with reproach and disbelief as they looked at Shi Wanxia. In their minds, this woman's actions were utterly rebellious, a blatant act of defiance against the Emperor.
Shen Yuxi's face immediately darkened, his gaze piercing Shi Wanxia like a torch. As the emperor, he was used to the awe and obedience of others, and had never been "provoked" like this before.
Shi Wanxia seemed oblivious. She knew that in this ancient feudal society where imperial power was supreme, the emperor in front of her held the power of life and death and regarded her as an ant, wanting to get rid of her as soon as possible. Why should she be servile and lose her backbone?
After a brief silence, Cui Zhihao, knowing that Shi Wanxia's actions had caused a great disaster, hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, Miss Shi comes from a remote place and is unfamiliar with court etiquette. I hope Your Majesty will forgive her. I know I am guilty and am willing to bear the consequences alone. I beg Your Majesty not to take your anger out on her."
Shen Yuxi snorted coldly: "Cui Zhihao, as a member of the Cui family of Qinghe, you have been deeply favored by the Emperor, yet you have committed such a rebellious act, colluding with this witch in an attempt to disrupt the court. Do you know your crime?"
Cui Zhihao kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, I know I am guilty, but everything I have done is only to seek justice and to bring happiness to all people. I hope Your Majesty will investigate."
Shi Wanxia's face flushed red with anger, her eyes flashing with fury. She stared straight at the emperor and said without flinching, "Your Majesty, I have always used the knowledge I gained from my studies to wholeheartedly wish that the people of Xinyang could escape hunger and poverty, and I have never done anything immoral or unethical. Why does Your Majesty slander me like this?"
The emperor looked at Shi Wanxia, his heart wavering slightly. He knew Shi Wanxia was a kind woman, but he couldn't easily abandon his principles. He pondered for a moment, then said, "Shi Wanxia, do you know your crime?"
Shi Wanxia shook her head and said, "I am innocent. I am just an ordinary woman and have never intended to hurt anyone."