Chapter 484 - I Do Not Need Cowards
Today is the Dragon Boat Festival. In Xiandong Village, in the early morning, people were seen preparing for the festival. Chuntao hung the calamus and wormwood at the entrance door to their house to ward off the evil. Huo Jin was weaving a bamboo hat for him when Chuntao told him that she would do that.
"I love weaving hats, Sister Chun. It used to be my source of income," he proudly mentioned. "I think I will start weaving hats again."
Chuntao brought wild rice leaves in a tray and sat on the patio. Putting the tray aside, she first plaited the millet flour. Huo Jin was done making the bamboo hat and quickly wore it. Tying the knot on the hat under his chin, he asked Chuntao if he was looking good.
Chuntao lifted her head and nodded. "Brother has beautifully weaved the hat," she complimented. Huo Jin thanked her and went to her.
"I will wrap the dumplings in these leaves," Huo Jin forwarded his helping hand. He moved his hand over the wild rice leaves.
"I still need to make dumplings first. Then the Brother can help me. Also, I will pack a few dumplings for Master Ru. Sending an empty lunchbox brings bad luck," Chuntao stated.
"Hmm." Huo Jin recalled the brother and sister from yesterday. Somewhere, he got the urge to find out about them. When the man told him that the family was punished by leaving without food and water, his heart broke down.
Looking at Chuntao, Huo Jin requested, "Sister Chuntao, could you please prepare more rice Dumplings?"
"Is Brother hungry? Forgive me for letting you wait for hours, Brother Jin," stated Chuntao.
"No, no. I am not hungry, Sister Chun. There is a family in the village which has no access to water and food," Huo Jin replied. "I thought of giving a few dumplings to them," he added.
"Oh! That's sad to hear. Why are they not allowed to have food and water? Isn't this inhumane treatment?" Chuntao complained.
"I thought the same. The head of the family killed his master, so his entire family is forced to die by not having food and water," asserted Huo Jin and sighed.
"But, brother, if you give them food then won't it bring trouble to you?" Chuntao skeptically asked.
"Don't do this. Let me look into it first," Nianzu advised Huo Jin, who was at the entrance of the house.
"By then, they might die! I saw their condition. It was miserable. Do not worry, Nianzu. No one will find out that I gave them food," Huo Jin said confidently. Nianzu came inside and put the bag on the bedpost that was placed in the yard.
"The former Village Headman might have given such a punishment to them. If a servant harms or kills his master, then the punishment announced is usually for the entire family. The family has to bear the consequences," Nianzu stated.
Chuntao reminisced about her family, who did suicide after she was taken by the Landlord. Why did it always happen to those who were weak and without power? Weren't they human?
"Can't you do something for them?" Chuntao asked Nianzu. "Maybe they are accused wrongly. You know how the upper-class treats the people below them," Chuntao reasoned.
Nianzu hummed. "I will do that," he assured them. "I will go to the police bureau to look into this case. The Royal Inspector this time is from the army of the Han Empire, so he will not be partial," stated Nianzu. He took out a pouch from inside his waistband and gave it to Chuntao.
"What's this?" She asked.
"Master Ru has sent the money through Quan Bo," Nianzu replied. "I will be back soon," he said and left the house.
~~~~~
In Luoyang, Sheng Li went to prison to meet the captive Court Ministers. Seeing the Crown Prince, the Ministers got on their knees and apologized to him.
"I am afraid, but now nothing can be done. Minister Xi had plotted to kill me, so there is no chance of getting a grant of pardon," Sheng Li stated.
Xi Feng lifted his head and said, "I did not arrange this poison, your highness. Please trust my words. It was the Empress who wanted the Crown Prince to die. She wants her son to be back and rule the Han Empire," Xi Feng again explained to Sheng Li. He joined both of his hands in front of him and pleaded with him to forgive him.
"Minister Xi, I do not forgive those who betray me," Sheng Li affirmed and averted his gaze. Looking at Tai Jin, he said, "Minister Tai thinks that a woman shall not participate in court activities and refrain from speaking on a man's behalf. I tolerated your behavior in the court, but inside this cell, I won't."
Tai Jin moved ahead and caught the foot of Sheng Li. "Your Royal Highness, I sincerely apologize to you and the Crown Princess. Please forgive this subject. I beg you. I have a family, your highness. Please show mercy on me," Tai Jin started to cry as he rested his forehead on Sheng Li's shoe.
"Get away from me, Minister Tai. Don't take your family's name to get saved," Sheng Li kicked him away. "All of you should have thought this before planning against me. You all think that in the Imperial Court, I am a sheep who has no support. To keep the dignity of the Emperor and the Imperial Court, I control my anger. It won't take me seconds to take the lives of the Ministers and their families," Sheng Li said sternly.
The Ministers could not deny the fact that the Crown Prince possessed most of the powers. Yet, they foolishly schemed against him and the Crown Princess. "I never treated the Ministers this way, but after they dragged the name of the Crown Princess in the Court and maligned her character just because she is smarter than you all, I decided to make you feel what it is like to be captured, from all sides? The Ministers shall not play with fire as instead of extinguishing it they might increase its intensity," Sheng Li explained to them with a grin on.
Sheng Li turned to leave when Xi Feng requested him for the last time. "Your Highness, we understood our faults. Please, give us a chance. We will be loyal to you from this moment onwards. I assure you that the Court Ministers will change their thoughts towards the woman and, also we will work towards the betterment of the Han in an efficient way. Your Highness, you might become a great ruler in the future. However, you will need the assistance of Loyal Ministers. We will provide you that," Xi Feng affirmed.
Tai Jin, Yao Ming, and the other two agreed with Xi Feng. Sheng Li turned back to face Xi Feng and passed him a smile. Grabbing both of his shoulders, Sheng Li made him stand up. He patted his shoulders and said, "So, you want to be my loyalist Minister." Xi Feng nodded his head.
"Fine," Sheng Li pronounced, which brought a broad smile on Xi Feng's lips, and he thanked the Crown Prince for forgiving his life. However, the smile from his lips disappeared as soon as he heard Sheng Li.
"Minister Xi, please take your life and show your loyalty towards me," Sheng Li pulled out the dagger from the sheath and handed it to Minister Xi, who started to tremble.
"Y-Your H-Highness, what are you saying?" Xi Feng stuttered.
"Take your life," Sheng Li repeated himself and took a step back. The other Ministers had horrendous expressions on their respective faces.
Xi Feng lowered his head and looked at the dagger in his hand, which was trembling in fear. "I-I cannot do this, Your Highness," Xi Feng stated. Sheng Li chuckled and took the dagger from him.
"Coward. You can never be my loyalist," Sheng Li pronounced and then looked at the others.
"Kill Xi Feng," Sheng Li ordered Tai Jin, who widened his eyes when Sheng Li forwarded the dagger to him. Tai Jin took it and was ready to kill Xi Feng when Sheng Li stopped him. He took the dagger back from him and slapped lightly at his face.
"Tai Jin, you also do not fit in the category of the Crown Prince's loyalist," Sheng Li proclaimed.
"But, I did not refuse your order, your Highness," Tai Jin argued.
"You shall not kill the comrades in any situation," Sheng Li asserted and put the dagger back into the sheath. "I do not need cowards.. Enjoy your last few moments," Saying this, Sheng Li walked out of prison.