As soon as Su Zeqian finished speaking, a lazy voice came from above:
"Just because someone has a tragic background, should they be forgiven for their wrongdoings? According to the young master, the young maidens in the Duke's Mansion, who live in comfort and luxury, deserve to suffer such misfortunes?"
Su Zeqian was taken aback. He suddenly looked up and stared at Cang Xuan, the speaker.
The man looked down at him haughtily. His phoenix eyes were slightly squinted, and the corners of his lips curved in a half - smile. It seemed as if he had just said those words casually without giving them much thought. However, Su Zeqian felt as if something had stabbed his heart, and an indescribable pain welled up inside him.
Once upon a time, there was also a girl who had looked at him with eyes full of fury and said something similar.
"Just because she had suffered for so many years, should I always give in to her? But am I, the second young lady of the Marquis's Mansion, supposed to endure such grievances?"
"I'm also a legitimate young lady. I've done nothing wrong!"
Su Zeqian's lips moved slightly as he said, "Lord Cang, that's not what I meant. I just..."
Cang Xuan interrupted him, "If everyone thought like the young master, the laws of the Great Chu Kingdom would be nothing but empty words, and the Ministry of Justice would lose its purpose. Your Majesty, am I right?"
The emperor nodded after hearing this. "Lord Cang is right. A tragic background is no excuse for harming others. Once one commits such an act, they have lost their moral compass and become a villain, and they should be punished. Lord Su, as the right deputy minister of the Ministry of Justice who has judged many cases, how could you make such a mistake?"
The hall fell into complete silence.
The emperor's words were like imperial edicts. His statement not only defined Su Qingyu's actions but also refuted what Su Zeqian had just said. The Pingyang Marquis's Mansion had taken a huge fall this time.
Someone tugged at his sleeve, waking Su Zeqian up. Su Qingyu said:
"Brother, stop talking. I really did something wrong this time. I was so eager to perform music for the empress that when Yuanbao accidentally soiled my dress, I panicked and made a huge mistake. Afterward, I was afraid that if the truth came out, it would implicate the Marquis's Mansion, so I lied to the empress. I admit all these crimes. No matter how Your Majesty and the empress punish me or the Marquis's Mansion, we should not complain."
"Humph, if we were to judge strictly, the crime of deceiving the emperor deserves the death penalty!" the empress said coldly.
Both Su Qingyu and Su Zeqian felt a tightness in their chests. But the next moment, the empress continued:
"However, today is my birthday, and I don't want to have blood on my hands. Su Qingyu, I'll spare your life this time. After the Autumn Banquet, you'll be confined to the Pingyang Marquis's Mansion and punished to copy the Biographies of Exemplary Women three hundred times. Someone will come to collect the copies every three days as proof. You won't be allowed to leave until you've finished copying. If you violate any of these rules, it will be regarded as defying the imperial edict, and you'll be executed."
In the Great Chu, being punished to copy the Biographies of Exemplary Women meant that the woman had poor moral conduct and was not considered a good match. When it came to marriage, such a woman usually couldn't marry into a good family. This kind of punishment was extremely severe for a woman, and no one present could say that the empress's decision was unfair.
Moreover, it wasn't over yet.
The emperor also spoke up, "Su Zeqian, as the right deputy minister of the Ministry of Justice, you ignored the evidence and the words of the witnesses and pleaded for the wrongdoer. You were one - sided and unfair. From this moment on, you'll be demoted from the right deputy minister of the Ministry of Justice to a clerk. You'll have your salary withheld for half a year and be punished to copy the laws of the Great Chu three hundred times."
Demotion, salary withholding, and copying the laws. Su Zeqian's punishment was even more severe than Su Qingyu's.
But as long as they could avoid the death penalty, it was enough for the Pingyang Marquis's Mansion. As for the rest, they could figure it out later!
Su Zeqian and Su Qingyu both bowed to the emperor and the empress and thanked them, "Thank Your Majesty/the empress for your mercy!"
The empress looked at Lady Mo and asked, "Lady Mo, are you satisfied with this punishment?"
Lady Mo stared coldly at the kneeling siblings, Su Qingyu and Su Zeqian, on the ground. She still felt angry.
In their military family, a punishment wasn't considered complete unless one couldn't get out of bed for at least a month. But Shengjing wasn't the northern frontier, and since the emperor and the empress were on her side, no matter how dissatisfied she was, Lady Mo couldn't say no.
"Your Majesty and the empress are just and fair. I'm convinced by this punishment. However, there's one more thing. Su Qingyu must do it."
Lady Mo's voice turned solemn. "Apologize to my Yuanbao!"
Su Yuanyuan was gently pushed forward by Lady Mo. A warm and powerful hand pressed on her shoulder, continuously giving her trust and strength.
Su Qingyu knelt on both knees, looking at Su Yuanyuan earnestly with a soft voice, "Dear Yuanbao, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you by the lake, and I shouldn't have denied my mistake, which made you suffer. Yuanbao, can you forgive me?"
Saying 'elder sister' and 'younger sister' all the time. Who was she trying to disgust?
Su Yuanyuan almost let out a cold laugh. She never thought that Su Qingyu really felt that she had done something wrong. It was just that the current situation was unfavorable to her, so she put on such a humble act.
In this way, people would naturally think that Su Qingyu was the weak one. If the Yongguo Duke's Mansion showed the slightest dissatisfaction, they would be seen as unreasonable and overbearing in the eyes of others.
Such a familiar trick, wasn't it?
Forgive? She would never reconcile with Su Qingyu for the rest of her life!
Su Yuanyuan blinked her eyes, tilted her head, and repeated Su Qingyu's words in a childish voice, " ...Where did this low - class maid come from... Go to hell?"
There were bursts of snickering in the hall. Even Cang Xuan, who was standing beside the emperor, couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips.
Seeing the anger in Su Qingyu's eyes clearly, Su Yuanyuan felt extremely pleased.
The original body's foolish identity was really useful.
But she underestimated Su Qingyu's shamelessness.
"Then... I'll just assume that Yuanbao has forgiven me? Don't worry, Yuanbao. I'll never hurt you again. No matter when or where, as long as you're around, I'll definitely protect you well. Now, can you return my jade pendant to me?"
Su Qingyu pointed at the jade pendant in Su Yuanyuan's palm with a smile. The hidden eagerness in her eyes made Su Yuanyuan squint slightly.
She remembered that Su Qingyu cherished this jade pendant very much. She didn't even let her most trusted maid touch it, but she carried it with her every day and secretly showed it off to others, which was really puzzling.
It was said that one should not show off their wealth. Since this thing was so precious, shouldn't it be carefully stored in a box?
Could there be something strange about this jade?
Su Yuanyuan blinked her eyes and slowly reached out her hand towards Su Qingyu, pretending to return the thing in her palm.
Su Qingyu took two steps forward and was about to take it. Suddenly, Su Yuanyuan sneezed. The smooth, white, and uniquely shaped jade pendant "accidentally" fell from her palm and shattered on the ground with a "bang".
Su Qingyu's face suddenly changed. Her expression was so gloomy that even Su Zeqian, who was standing beside her, felt a chill in his heart.
Su Yuanyuan sneezed a few more times in succession, looking innocent and naive, as if it was all an accident.
Lady Mo in front didn't care about the jade pendant at all. She hugged Su Yuanyuan worriedly and said anxiously,
"Yuanbao, are you feeling unwell? If you feel uncomfortable, you must tell mother."
Su Yuanyuan took the opportunity to throw herself into Lady Mo's arms and cried, "Wuwuwu, mother, Yuanbao is so cold."
"Be good, Yuanbao. Mother will take you to change into warm clothes." Lady Mo gently stroked her little hands and cheeks, feeling that they were ice - cold. She was even more anxious. She quickly apologized to the emperor and the empress. After getting their permission, she and Wei Linlang quickly left the hall with Su Yuanyuan.