Chapter 1809: No One Who Cannot Be Killed

Liu Yang's brow, which had only just relaxed, furrowed again. Without pausing to ask for details, he immediately had Wang Yue summon Princess Huaiyang, Liu Xuan, into the hall.

Liu Xuan was just twenty-five, in the full bloom of youth, possessed of poise, noble and elegant, with some resemblance in her features to her mother, Pure Consort Zhou. At this moment, however, Liu Xuan could hardly maintain her usual nobility and grace—her brows were knit, her face clouded with worry.

"I pay my respects to the Crown Prince!" Liu Xuan knelt and performed the ritual bow.

"Enough, no need for such ceremony!" Liu Yang looked at her and waved a hand. "Take a seat at the table first, and let us dine together!"

At this, Liu Xuan shook her head, and a hint of urgency finally crept into her voice: "Zhang Jing has been seized by the hounds of the Wude Office—how could I possibly eat? Second Brother, can you—"

"Say no more, I know why you've come! But as for the specifics, I don't yet have a clear picture—I've already sent people to investigate, and news should come soon!" Liu Yang raised a hand to stop Liu Xuan, and reassured her: "What offense has Zhang Jing committed? Do you know?"

Liu Xuan shook her head: "The men of the Wude Office only said they were acting on orders from above, and without any explanation, they took Zhang Jing away right before my eyes!"

"This must be no small matter!" Hearing her account, Liu Yang's expression turned grave. "Otherwise, no matter how brazen the officers of the Wude Office might be, they would not dare make a scene at your princess's residence!"

"Second Brother!" Liu Xuan called out again.

"Don't be anxious—sit here with me for a while and wait for news!" Liu Yang said sternly.

Seeing this, Liu Xuan, despite her agitation, had no choice but to restrain herself, yet even seated there, she seemed distracted and ill at ease. Liu Yang glanced at Xiao Chuo and gave a slight signal; only then did Xiao Chuo rise, step forward to put an arm around Liu Xuan's shoulder, and murmur words of comfort.

Generally speaking, it was not difficult for the Crown Prince to learn whatever he wished, unless there was stronger resistance from above. But clearly, in the matter of Imperial Son-in-law Zhang Jing, Emperor Liu had issued no gag order.

When the Crown Prince's envoy came to inquire, the Wude Office answered truthfully and in full, and so Liu Yang quickly received a reply—one that even included a detailed account of Zhang Jing's crimes.

After reading the information provided by the Wude Office, Liu Yang could not help but show a look of fury, and almost instinctively slammed the table before him, cursing: "Despicable! Detestable!"

"Second Brother!" Seeing Liu Yang's reaction, Liu Xuan's heart gave a start, and she asked anxiously: "What exactly happened? What of Zhang Jing?"

Liu Yang looked at Liu Xuan, ordered Wang Yue to show her the documents in his hand, and then kept his face set, saying nothing. Liu Xuan hastily took them and scanned them, and her countenance quickly drained of color: "How could this be?"

Liu Xuan's face was full of disbelief, and she immediately followed up: "Second Brother, this must be those cruel officials of the Wude Office fabricating charges to frame Zhang Jing!"

"Fifth Sister, you have always been sharp-witted—have you lost even basic judgment? If there were not conclusive evidence, would the men of the Wude Office dare act so against Imperial Son-in-law Zhang Jing?" Liu Yang said coldly. "The crimes he committed are simply appalling—he has brought utter shame upon the imperial house!"

Liu Xuan's eyes reddened, and she said: "Impossible! Zhang Jing has always been gentle and modest, kind to others—he is a true gentleman, he would never—"

"Gilded on the outside, rotten within!" Liu Yang said with some anger, fixing his gaze on Liu Xuan: "Fifth Sister, you are the one who shares his pillow—could you truly have noticed nothing of what he did outside?"

"I, I—" At this, Liu Xuan was left speechless. It was not as though no one had dropped hints to Liu Xuan before; she had simply brushed them all aside.

Seeing her like this, Liu Yang could not help but shake his head and sigh: "Fifth Sister, I fear I cannot help you in this matter!"

"Second Brother!" At this, Liu Xuan grew anxious: "You are the Crown Prince—if you would only lend a hand and plead on his behalf, Father might show mercy and forgive him!"

At this, Liu Yang gave a bitter smile: "Just today, I was reprimanded by Father, and word of it has spread throughout the palace—have you not heard? In such circumstances, if I were to speak up, I fear it would not save Zhang Jing, but only deepen Father's anger!"

Hearing Liu Yang say this, Liu Xuan stared blankly at him, and at last her tears could no longer be held back, sliding down one by one. She knew that Liu Yang would not deceive her, and had no reason to.

"Is there truly no way?"

"At least I have none!" Suddenly recalling Xiao Chuo's words from earlier, Liu Yang hesitated briefly, then shook his head: "The crimes he committed are far too grave—even if I were the one to judge, I would have him arrested and executed according to the law!"

"Second Brother can speak up for those ministers—why can he not plead for the Imperial Son-in-law?" Liu Xuan said. Clearly, she had heard of Liu Yang's remonstrance.

Hearing this, Liu Yang's expression turned two degrees colder, and he said: "I speak up for public justice, for the order of the court—not for those who deserve what they get!"

Liu Xuan fell silent for a moment, then choked out after a long while: "Father won't kill Zhang Jing, will he?"

"Hard to say!" Liu Yang pondered briefly, then answered.

"I do not ask that his crime be forgiven—I only hope that his life might be spared, that he be given a chance to repent and atone, and I will discipline him strictly from now on! Your sister has never asked anything of you, Second Brother, could you—"

Before Liu Xuan could finish, Liu Yang said decisively: "Had it been any other matter, I would have no excuse to refuse. But this alone—I cannot bend the rules for personal reasons, or how could I win the trust of the people? The court is presently purifying officialdom, cracking down on lawlessness and crime, especially those powerful and privileged who bully others. If we give him this so-called chance to repent, then who will pity the officials and merchants he has harmed? Who will see justice done for them?"

Still, observing Liu Xuan's somewhat desolate expression, Liu Yang's heart ultimately softened. He had always shown care for these younger siblings of his, and at this moment, he could not help but feel a stir of compassion.

After thinking it over, he added: "Fifth Sister, listen to your brother's advice—it is best you do not get involved in this matter, and above all, do not go to beg Father. That will only backfire and push him to the point of severing all family ties for the sake of justice. Go back to your residence and wait for news."

Hearing Liu Yang's words of comfort, Liu Xuan felt not the slightest warmth. She was no fool—how could she not read Liu Yang's meaning? Clearly, Zhang Jing was in grave danger this time.

"I have troubled you, Second Brother. Please continue your meal—your sister takes her leave!" Slowly rising, Liu Xuan made a bow, turned, and departed.

Watching Liu Xuan's disappointed retreating figure, Liu Yang thought of calling her back, but in the end, no sound left his lips. Only when she had completely vanished from sight did he sigh: "What a pity!"

Seeing this, Xiao Chuo said softly: "Your Highness did nothing wrong! Zhang Jing's deeds are outrageous—he deserves to die a thousand deaths!"

In truth, from the moment Liu Yang had learned of Zhang Jing's crimes, he had already silently sentenced him to death in his heart—Emperor Liu would never let him go. In ordinary times, there might have been a slim chance, but given the current state of the court, so long as the crimes were real and the evidence conclusive, Zhang Jing had no hope of survival whatsoever. The very fact that Emperor Liu had the Wude Office arrest him directly, rather than referring the matter to the Court of the Imperial Clan, already made that clear.

"It's just that poor Fifth Sister—she is gentle on the outside but strong within; how can she bear such a blow!" Liu Yang shook his head.

Xiao Chuo could not help but sigh as well: "Back then, when the Princess chose her husband, it was celebrated as a fine tale among the people. Now it seems she entrusted herself to the wrong man!"

"Alas..." Another heavy sigh.

Just as Liu Yang had expected, after a full three days of investigation, interrogation, and evidence-gathering, upon receiving the Wude Office's detailed report, Emperor Liu very decisively issued an edict: Imperial Son-in-law Zhang Jing, guilty of heinous crimes, was sentenced to death.

The moment this edict was issued, all the rumors and gossip immediately died down, and all the nobles and officials who had been watching the matter withdrew their gaze. The old emperor's will was so cold and firm that he would kill even his own son-in-law—let alone anyone else. Best to keep one's head down and avoid disaster.

And once the edict was made public, Princess Huaiyang, Liu Xuan, could no longer sit still. She resolutely forced her way into the palace, sought an audience directly before the emperor, and pleaded for Zhang Jing. But clearly, Emperor Liu's decision would not be altered by Liu Xuan's pleas.

Inside Chuigong Hall, looking at Liu Xuan kneeling prostrate on the ground, weeping and begging, Emperor Liu's aged face showed not the slightest ripple, and he said softly: "Return to your princess's residence! There is no room for reconsideration in Zhang Jing's matter. The law of the land stands as firm as a mountain—if I do not kill him, I cannot answer to the world. He must die!"

"The law of the land stands as firm as a mountain?" At this, Liu Xuan straightened her body, shed her weak demeanor, and looked directly at Emperor Liu: "Are all of Your Majesty's actions truly in accordance with the law?"

"What do you mean?" Emperor Liu's eyes narrowed slightly.

Liu Xuan's voice rose: "Does Your Majesty wish to kill Zhang Jing not to use the head of your own son-in-law to intimidate your ministers, and to show your selflessness by severing family ties for the sake of justice? These past months, so many have been killed—were they all truly deserving? Were all the punishments carried out according to law, or were they simply a matter of one word from Your Majesty, one stroke of the vermilion brush?"

Faced with Liu Xuan's bold challenge, Emperor Liu was somewhat taken aback. He studied this daughter of his carefully for a moment, then said: "I always thought you were obedient and demure—I never imagined you had such insight, or such a fiery side!"

As he spoke, Emperor Liu's tone turned cold: "Since you've said all this, then I am all the more determined to kill this beast, lest I stop halfway and contradict myself!"

Liu Xuan gazed at Emperor Liu, and Emperor Liu did not flinch, meeting her gaze. Seeing his cold expression, Liu Xuan choked out: "Father, are you truly so heartless?"

Emperor Liu said flatly: "In your eyes, am I not already a man without feeling, without loyalty, cold and unfeeling?"

Liu Xuan fell silent. Slowly she rose, wiped the tears from her face, bent in a bow, and said softly: "Daughter understands! If the Imperial Son-in-law dies, I will follow him!"

"You!" Emperor Liu could not suppress his fury: "Is such a heartless, ungrateful wretch worth this from you? If Zhang Jing dies, there are countless talented men in the realm—you may choose any of them!"

"I never imagined Father could say such things!" Liu Xuan's face showed grief, and she bowed again: "Daughter takes her leave."

With that, she turned and walked away, utterly bereft. Emperor Liu watched her retreating figure, the skin of his face twitching slightly, a ripple stirring in his eyes.

Seeing this, Yan Tuo asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, what of the matter of the Imperial Son-in-law?"

"What Imperial Son-in-law!" Emperor Liu rebuked him, then his gaze returned to coldness, and he said flatly: "Transmit the edict—carry out the execution on schedule!"