Outside the great hall, the executioners were so silent that not a single sound could be heard, save for the woman’s suppressed sobs that drifted in fitfully. At first, they were intermittent, but eventually, they sharpened into heart-wrenching screams.
Silence fell over the hall once more.
After a long while, the man standing beneath the divine statues spoke, breaking the agonizing tension.
"Where is Lu Songping? I wish to hear what he has uncovered in his attempt to atone for his failure."
Xu Zhi stood to the side, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, though his eyes frequently flicked toward Xiao Zhun. Rumor had it that no one could endure even half an hour of the Court of Judicial Review’s extreme tortures; he had plenty of time to watch this play unfold.
The summons was passed down through layers of palace attendants. Before long, Lu Songping appeared in the hall. He was still clad in the armor of the Black Feather Camp, and the metal scraped harshly against the stone floor as he knelt.
"Your servant, Lu Songping, kowtows before Your Majesty."
"Lu Songping, I ask you: how was the woman of the Bai clan able to escape the Black Feather camp?"
"The woman claimed her younger brother, Bai Qi, had suffered a sudden and life-threatening illness. Mindful of Your Majesty’s command to preserve her life, your servants dispatched a carriage to escort her to a clinic. Unexpectedly, she seized the opportunity, wounded several guards, and escaped in disguise."
Hearing this, Xu Zhi could not help but cold-snort. "The men of the Black Feather Camp are each worth a hundred. Even if she possessed some martial skill, she was unarmed. How could she wound the guards?"
Lu Songping glanced at Xu Zhi, his expression as immovable as a mountain.
"Lord Xu seems quite knowledgeable regarding the Bai woman. It is hardly surprising, given that the task of guarding her was originally meant for the Court of Judicial Review. I wonder for what reason it was ultimately foisted upon the Black Feather Camp?"
When one schemer faced another, Xu Zhi gained no ground. However, he was a rank higher after all, and his mastery of political maneuvering was consummate.
"Since Lieutenant Lu was willing to accept such a hot potato, he must have had a foolproof plan. I simply wonder how 'foolproof' turned into 'failure'."
Lu Songping did not spare Xu Zhi another look. Instead, he produced an object from his person and presented it to the nearby eunuch.
"Your servant has an item. I request Your Majesty to examine it."
Every gaze in the hall instantly focused on the eunuch’s hands. It appeared to be a handkerchief, upon which lay a wooden hairpin.
The eunuch carried the pin to the primary seat. Shan Jiangfei took it with one hand, inspected it closely, and then handed it to the man on the throne.
A moment later, the man’s voice drifted out, calm and unhurried.
"To carve a key from a wooden branch—it is indeed skillful."
Lu Songping offered another word: "I ask Your Majesty to catch the scent remaining on that hairpin."
Shan Jiangfei’s expression instantly turned sharp and stern. "Presumptuous! If there is something strange about this pin that harms His Majesty, can you bear the responsibility?!"
Lu Songping bowed his head. "I guarantee with my life that the scent will not harm anyone."
The Emperor looked deeply at the young lieutenant kneeling on one knee, then lightly wafted the hairpin beneath his nose.
"The fragrance is elegant, yet it possesses a lingering quality. It has been specially blended."
"It is as Your Majesty says. The Bai woman is skilled in blending incense. Previously, I specifically ordered the camp guards to clear the flowers and trees from the villa to prevent any such occurrence. However..."
"However what?"
Lu Songping hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. "However, after the incident last night, the Black Feather Camp searched the villa thoroughly and discovered a numbing incense made from animal horn powder and plum blossom stamens. It matches the scent lingering on the woman's personal effects."
This revelation sparked a wave of whispers throughout the hall.
Many had already reached a conclusion; it seemed that more than just the Bai woman would see blood in this hall today.
Xiao Nanhui’s hands, bound behind her back, twisted together tightly. For a moment, she did not dare to raise her head. She prayed silently in her heart, praying that the man would not ask further. As long as he did not pursue it, then...
The bronze clepsydra dripped three times, and her heart hung suspended with each drop.
Yet, the Emperor’s voice still came, steady and deliberate.
"Where did the animal horn come from? And where did the plum blossoms come from?"
"The animal horn was fashioned into a thumb ring, which the woman carried on her person at all times. Because white rhinoceros horn possesses a jade-like texture, the guards failed to notice it earlier. As for the plum blossoms... your servant has only uncovered half the truth and failed to see the whole picture. I beg Your Majesty for punishment."
Xiao Nanhui felt like a fish tossed onto the shore that had briefly returned to the water; she gasped involuntarily. But that nightmare-like voice approached again, as if determined to see her dead today.
"Lieutenant Lu might as well speak that half of the truth. As for the rest, I shall decide."
Lu Songping hesitated, seemingly weighing whether to speak a truth that, though partial, was exceptionally perilous.
The corners of Xu Zhi’s mouth sank, and he instantly adopted the air of a harsh interrogator. "Lu Songping, you have yet to clear yourself of suspicion. Do not let His Majesty’s summons go to your head. If you do not speak now and I discover the truth later, you will be guilty of deceiving the Emperor by concealing facts today."
Lu Songping did not look at the pressuring Xu Zhi. Finally, he spoke cautiously: "The plum stamens found in the Bai woman’s quarters are not produced anywhere in Jiaosong County. The nearest source is dozens of miles away. This matter is of great import; I ask Your Majesty’s permission to summon Su Kaisheng, the Overseer of the Ganoderma Garden at the traveling palace, to testify."
The officials broke into an uproar.
In Chizhou, only the ancient cities of Ruocheng and Quecheng were famous for their plum blossoms. Ruocheng was far to the south of the Di River, while only Quecheng was exactly dozens of miles from Jiaosong.
If the plum stamens used in the Bai woman’s treason came from the capital, then this matter likely involved someone close to the court. No one had expected that what they thought was an old calamity from west of the mountains was actually a play of 'the darkness beneath the lamp.'
For a time, suspicion, deflection, rebukes, and worried murmurs filled the hall. The Emperor remained deaf to it all, merely waving his hand to signal the summons.
"Bring Su Kaisheng to the hall."
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a withered little old man in plain cloth was led in. He bowed slightly, his voice sounding like it came from a piece of dry wood.
"Old servant Su Kaisheng kowtows to Your Majesty."
"Rise. What insights does Master Su have regarding this?"
"This old servant managed medicinal herbs in the palace for decades. After my family moved to Jiaosong, I took a post at the Ganoderma Garden. Over the years, I have gained some expertise in the crafting of medicines and incense. The formula for the powder Lieutenant Lu presented to me seems simple, but it is actually exquisite and subtle. The one who used it understands the principle of 'moistening things silently.' They intentionally reduced the conspicuous scent of the numbing incense and did not seek an overwhelming potency that would cause unconsciousness. Instead, the powder confuses the mind, deluding a person imperceptibly. Ultimately, this is thanks to that single ingredient: the plum stamen."
The Emperor’s tone was flat and unhurried. "In your opinion, Master Su, where did those plum stamens originate?"
"Plums are divided into those with faint scents and those with intense scents. There are very few intense-scented plums capable of being refined into incense powder. Although only the stamen remains of this one, there are still traces to follow. When I left Quecheng years ago, I was fortunate enough to witness the splendor of this variety; I could never mistake it. I believe this plum is undoubtedly the 'Water-Reflecting Multi-layered Plum'."
Though she had known the answer, hearing the name spoken in the great hall made Xiao Nanhui’s heart leap violently.
She heard the urgent discussions around her—the impatient judgments and the scramble to reach conclusions. They were like ominous prophecies waiting for the moment of fulfillment.
Someone stood up to question: "Ruocheng also has the Water-Reflecting Multi-layered Plum. Why say it is from Quecheng?"
Su Kaisheng seemed to have expected this doubt. His voice remained raspy, but his answer was as final as a nail in a board. "The Water-Reflecting Multi-layered Plum prefers soil mixed with sand. North of the Di River, it blooms crimson; to the south, it is the color of rouge. The plum found in the villa is the color of blood; it must have come from Quecheng, north of the Di River."
"Lu Songping, do you acknowledge your guilt?!" Xu Zhi’s voice bore down like a falling mountain. "The capital outskirts are under the jurisdiction of the Black Feather Camp, yet you were entirely unaware of this. Regardless of who brought the plum blossoms into the villa, as the Black Feather Lieutenant, you have been negligent and should be punished by military law."
The defense of the capital outskirts was shared by the Black Feather and Guangyao camps. If the Black Feather Camp was implicated, Guangyao could not remain untainted.
Prince Xuanyuan, Su Che, asked in a heavy voice, "Lieutenant Lu, in the days before the incident, did anyone outside the Black Feather Camp enter the villa?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
Lu Songping looked toward the figure standing straight among the officials. "It was Marquis Qinghuai."
The uproar erupted again, this time without any attempt at concealment, drowning out even the sound of the bronze clepsydra.
Yu Youwei, the Minister of the Imperial Clan who had remained silent until now, stepped forward. His voice carried an unavoidable pressure. "I have heard that this former young lady of the Bai family was a genius at crafting weapons. She and the Marquis were acquaintances and kindred spirits in their youth; their bond was no ordinary one. Marquis Qinghuai, is what I say correct?"
"What Minister Yu says is indeed true."
The fact that the second young master of the Prince Shuo estate had once been close to the Bai girl was a matter of record, but no one expected Xiao Zhun to admit it so openly in court.
However, what Xiao Zhun said next was truly shocking.
"It is precisely because I know the Bai woman so well that I previously petitioned Your Majesty to imprison her in the villa. It was to have her surrender her techniques for crafting bows, arrows, and smelting iron in exchange for her life."
The officials were stunned and looked toward the one on high.
The Emperor’s expression was composed, as if what Xiao Zhun mentioned was merely a trivial matter.
"Indeed, such is the case. What does Commandant Xu think?"
The Emperor had tossed the red-hot iron ball to Xu Zhi, who could only grit his teeth and catch it.
"Since Marquis Qinghuai is innocent and the matter of the plum stamens cannot be cleared up for the moment, I suggest Your Majesty first deal with the Bai woman. Then, I shall dispatch the experts of my court to investigate this matter thoroughly, which can be considered an account given to Lady Cui."
As Xiao Nanhui expected, Xu Zhi would not let Xiao Zhun off easily.
Whether it was her imagination or not, the Emperor, who had not looked at her once since the beginning, seemed to cast a fleeting glance her way.
But that brief gaze was quickly withdrawn. His face took on a familiar yet terrifying calm. His voice remained devoid of emotion, but every word he spoke was thick with the intent to kill.
"The woman of the Bai clan is incorrigible and unrepentant. Her assassination attempt failed, but her crimes are clear. She is sentenced to dismemberment, her body to be exposed for three days as a warning to the public."
A faint, imperceptible look of triumph flashed across Xu Zhi’s face. He saw Xiao Zhun take a step forward, almost uncontrollably.
"Your Majesty!"
From the beginning, Xiao Nanhui’s gaze had been fixed on Xiao Zhun’s profile. The genuine anxiety and hesitation in his expression were things she had never seen before. In the past ten-plus years, she had never seen such emotions on his face, yet in this past month, she had seen them all.
Xiao Zhun’s reaction did not escape anyone present. Yu Youwei’s expression was already extremely grim.
"What is the meaning of this, Marquis Qinghuai? Could it be that the life of a traitor is more important than the orphans of the Prince Kang lineage? The arrow at the ceremony was perilously close. If my niece had not blocked it for His Majesty, the consequences would be unthinkable. If the Marquis pleads for the Bai woman now, where does he place His Majesty’s safety?"
Outside the hall, the Bai woman’s screams could barely be heard anymore.
If Xiao Zhun remained silent now, even if she wasn't sent to the execution ground immediately, she would surely be beaten to death. But if he spoke, he would either confirm a secret affair with her or admit to a clandestine conspiracy.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for the Marquis’s choice. The ticking of the bronze clepsydra seemed to stretch infinitely.
Finally, she heard Xiao Zhun’s voice rise with difficulty.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Water-Reflecting Multi-layered Plum was brought by—"
"It was I who brought them into the villa!"
Xiao Nanhui’s mouth hung half-open. It was only after the words had landed that she realized they had come from her own lips.
Unlike the previous uproar, the hall was now deathly silent.
She felt her heartbeat suddenly slow down. The sword that had been hanging over her head had finally fallen, slicing the last bit of suspense in two.
She had come to this step after all.
Xu Zhi’s gaze fell coldly upon her, as if examining a counterfeit with an obvious flaw.
"You say you brought the plum blossoms into the villa. Does that mean you admit to being involved in the rebellion?"
"It is not so," she denied quickly, her voice exceptionally steady. She felt she had never been as clear-headed and composed as she was at this moment. "I was jealous that my foster father frequently visited the villa, and I knew the Bai woman loved plum blossoms best. A few days ago, I happened to obtain several branches of Water-Reflecting Multi-layered Plum at the Mei estate. I intended to use them to humiliate her, never imagining I would inadvertently cause such a great disaster."
The moment her words left her mouth, Su Pingchuan’s voice rose behind her, nearly trembling with anger.
"You lie! That day at the Mei estate, you clearly—"
"Why must the Left General deceive himself?" She never knew she could speak with such a malicious tone while her heart was being wrenched with pain. "Your maternal grandfather is of advanced age and his eyes are failing. I could steal a few branches of plum blossoms without disturbing anyone."
Su Pingchuan’s voice did not rise again. The only voice in the hall that would have exonerated her had vanished completely.
The sneer at the corner of Xiao Nanhui’s mouth turned bitter as she casually added another stroke to her guilt.
"I once used the pretext of practicing archery to sneak into the villa. The Black Feather guards of that day can all testify to this."
At these words, even Lu Songping could not help but look at her.
Countless gazes in the hall fell upon her—probing, judging, contemptuous, and some merely enjoying the show. They pressed her back lower and lower, until she seemed to merge with the black floor.
The man beneath the divine statues still had not spoken. She did not know what expression he wore. She did not dare to look, fearing she would see a face of disappointment and loathing, or worse, a face as devoid of sorrow or joy as the statues themselves.
"Your Majesty." Xiao Zhun’s voice was very close to her, carrying a faint, imperceptible tremor. "My foster daughter was raised by me from childhood. Regarding today’s matter, I failed to perceive the situation beforehand. I am guilty of failing to teach and failing to observe. I am willing to accept punishment in her stead."
Xu Zhi, however, seemed to suddenly find a sense of mercy and justice. The feminine air at the corners of his eyes was more pronounced than ever. "From the Marquis’s words, it sounds as if he is trying to take the blame for another. The Xiao family is a line of loyal martyrs; His Majesty surely will not disregard old favors and demote you haphazardly. In the end, this is the fault of your foster daughter. You should stop entangling yourself in this and making things difficult for His Majesty."
"Marquis Qinghuai, I did not wish to make things difficult for you. However, this matter involves Lady Cui suffering without cause; I must give an account to the Prince Kang lineage. The Bai woman may be spared death, but someone from the Marquis’s estate must pay the price for the mistake committed. You shall make the choice between the two."
If Xiao Zhun were punished, the penalty would have to be lightened out of respect for the late Prince Shuo. For certain people present, that was unacceptable.
Xiao Nanhui did not turn her head, but she could feel Xiao Zhun’s struggle.
However, by now, she could clearly see what the best choice for them was.
She spoke that choice before Xiao Zhun could open his mouth.
"The criminal Xiao Nanhui is willing to accept any punishment. I beg Your Majesty to pass sentence."
For a long time, Xiao Nanhui heard no response.
She knelt prostrate on the ground, unable to see the high-and-mighty Emperor slowly stand up.
Everyone in the hall watched the scene before them. This was the most inscrutable moment of today’s grand drama.
Su Wei slowly walked down the stone steps, his heavy cloak trailing over the stairs behind him, majestic and silent. He walked until he was close enough that his voice sounded almost directly above her head.
"Death may be avoided, but punishment cannot. Have you heard of the Shoulder Bone Punishment?"
Xiao Nanhui’s body shuddered. Her fingertips dug hard into the floor.
The Shoulder Bone Punishment—a military penalty. It was not the most lethal of punishments, but it was the most cruel for a martial artist.
The executioners used split green bamboo as the implement. It appeared less dangerous than military staves, but its flexibility hid a lethal intent. Every strike was aimed precisely at the junction of the受刑者 scapula and the 'great bone.' It often shattered the meridians in the shoulders, causing the victim to lose the ability to exert force or use weapons for the rest of their life.
"This matter began with a bow and arrow, so you are sentenced to never draw a bow or hunt again for the rest of your life. Is that fair?"
There seemed to be a trace of suppressed emotion in that question.
The officials were even more confused. When did the Emperor ever need to ask a criminal if a sentence was fair?
But Xiao Nanhui could not perceive such subtleties. She only knew the Emperor was waiting for her response.
What was he waiting for? For her to beg for mercy?
But she would not beg, nor could she.
She struggled to suppress the fear in her heart. When she spoke, she found the voice no longer sounded like her own.
"It is fair."
"Good." The blue-and-white cloak swept past her, leaving only a thin shadow. "Xiao Nanhui, Right General of the Guangyao Camp, is guilty of dereliction of duty, unauthorized entry into a heavily guarded area, and suspicion of clandestine ties with a rebel. However, in consideration of her merits during the southern campaign and the guarantee of the Marquis’s estate, she will not be further pursued. She is hereby stripped of her rank as Right General and demoted to Camp Guard. She shall receive the Shoulder Bone Punishment according to military law, to be carried out immediately."
She had offered him a pure white sacrifice; he returned to her a pitch-black hell.
"Xiao Nanhui, do you plead guilty?"
It seemed to be his final question.
And at this moment, as she crawled on the ground, even the last shred of her dignity had withered and broken. The answer no longer mattered.
"Your servant... pleads guilty."
There was an unusual silence in the air. After a long while, the Emperor’s voice rose again.
This time, it was devoid of even a shred of emotion.
"Someone, drag her down."
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
髃骨之刑 | Shoulder Bone Punishment | A military punishment that cripples the shoulders to prevent the use of weapons.
映水重楼 | Water-Reflecting Multi-layered Plum | A rare plum variety used as evidence.
灵芝园 | Ganoderma Garden | A royal garden for medicinal herbs.
苏开盛 | Su Kaisheng | An elderly herbal expert.
宗正 | Minister of the Imperial Clan | An official title (held by Yu Youwei).
车裂 | Dismemberment | Execution by being pulled apart by carriages.
巨骨 | Great Bone | An anatomical term referring to the acromion or clavicle area.
髃刑 | Shoulder Punishment | Shortened form of Shoulder Bone Punishment.
白岂 | Bai Qi | Bai Yun's younger brother.
