Chapter 320: An Extraordinary Matter

As night deepened, the courtroom grew noticeably heavier, the flickering lamplight dazzling to the eyes, the atmosphere already oppressive enough.

With Liu Xin's listless yet still somewhat arrogant "I confess," Guo Wei finally let out a deep breath, turning his head to ask: "What time is it?"

"Reporting to the Chancellor, it has just passed the beginning of the Xu hour."

In the hall, the yamen runners who had stood duty all day were clearly exhausted, not daring to move their legs, for they trembled at the slightest motion. Before the yamen, a great crowd of Changshe commoners still stood steadfastly, and though their faces were indistinct in the hazy twilight, Guo Wei could feel their righteous indignation and burning anger.

As for the crimes Liu Xin had committed, setting aside the vague generalities and breaking them down one by one for examination and verification, they were simply too numerous to record—one could hardly imagine that in less than a year since Liu Xin had taken office in Xuzhou, he and his partisans had done so many evil deeds.

Of course, what provoked even greater outrage was the arrogance and insolence Liu Xin displayed when confronted with questioning—he denied nothing, and what was worse, he seemed smugly pleased with himself, that unbridled demeanor making him all the more detestable.

"Has the court interrogation and exchange been fully recorded?" Guo Wei asked again.

A censor recording at the side twisted his sore wrist, hastily picked up the ledger, and replied: "All has been recorded in the book, please review it, Chancellor."

Guo Wei took it, flipped through it briefly—the thick pages had a certain weight to them—then handed it down: "Have him sign and affix his fingerprint!"

Though Liu Xin could not read many characters, he could still write his own name, and likewise, he signed it readily and pressed his fingerprint.

Seeing this from above, Guo Wei wasted no courtesy and directly ordered: "Take the criminal Liu Xin into custody and imprison him, guard him strictly, and await disposition later. Today's court session is concluded!"

"Wait!" From below the hall, Liu Xin set down the brush, casually wiped his thumb on his clothing, and shouted loudly.

"What, do you still have something to say?"

"Nothing much, just a bit curious!" A mocking smile actually appeared at the corner of Liu Xin's mouth as he pointed distantly at the gathered commoners before the yamen: "Those base people outside—I daresay quite a few of them hate me to the bone and are all waiting for my outcome. Now that I've signed and pressed my fingerprint, Chancellor Guo, why not pronounce the verdict right here in court!"

Guo Wei's answer was equally direct: "Duke of Cai, do not be hasty. Once I report to His Majesty, an imperial edict will be issued!"

"Hahaha! Guo Wei, you put on such airs, interrogating me for so long—so what? You still can't do anything to me. You can't make the decision, so go ask His Majesty for instructions!"

Standing up and looking down at Liu Xin from above, Guo Wei shook his head: "Liu Xin, your arrogance and overbearingness—in all my life, I have rarely seen the like! Do not be anxious; I shall report to His Majesty right away!"

"Take him away!"

Guo Wei turned to leave, but seeing the surging crowd outside the yamen and the rising clamor, it was clear that having waited so long, they were dissatisfied with such an ending.

After a moment's thought, he directly instructed Zhao Li: "Censor Zhao, you were the one who brought the accusation against Liu Xin. Go, pacify and persuade all the commoners outside the yamen, tell them to return to their homes for now. Tell them that I am going to request the imperial decree this very moment!"

"Yes!"

"Have you lost your mind? Whatever Guo Wei asked, you answered—do you not want to live?" In the prefectural prison, through the cell bars, Murong glared at Liu Xin and berated him.

Liu Xin was clearly unaccustomed to the cell, his emotions somewhat agitated, but upon hearing Murong Yanchao's words, he sneered and said directly: "I saw it long ago—this is clearly that Liu the Second wanting to deal with me. I know well what I've done; rather than deny it, I might as well confess readily. I want to see whether that Liu the Second can tolerate me, his imperial uncle—whether he'll take a blade to his own family to display his fairness and wisdom! Hmph hmph..."

Murong Yanchao was furious: "You're asking for death! I told you to straighten up your attitude, to submit and admit your mistakes to His Majesty—but you wouldn't listen! There was still room to maneuver, but acting like this, aren't you forcing him to kill you?"

Seeing his state, Liu Xin glanced sideways left and right, then lowered his voice: "I've already sent a letter to my second brother in Taiyuan; he will submit a memorial to protect me!"

Hearing this, Murong Yanchao nearly laughed in exasperation and scolded: "Distant water—how can it quench a nearby thirst? If His Majesty has murderous intent, your second brother is far away in Jinyang—can he stop it?"

His brow furrowed tightly, Liu Xin drew in a slight breath—had he perhaps thought too simply? He pondered intently: "I am the imperial uncle, and I've already confessed. Even if he harbors murderous intent, he wouldn't be in such a hurry, would he? You all should persuade him more—and on my sister-in-law's side, she wouldn't allow him to harm an imperial uncle, would she!"

"Just stay put in your cell!" Murong Yanchao flicked his sleeves and left.

At night, Liu Chengyou did not rush to read the court session report Guo Wei had submitted; he first imperially approved two memorials sent from the Eastern Capital, and only then picked up the report to review it.

"I knew he was greedy and tyrannical, but I did not know he was so cruel and inhuman, his crimes piling up—simply appalling to hear!" Skimming several pages at a glance, Liu Chengyou closed the indictment and let out a long sigh.

"To have reached this point and still be so arrogant, unrepentant, and obstinate!" Liu Chengyou's tone remained fairly steady: "He's counting on the fact that I can't do anything to him—that I wouldn't dare bear the infamy of killing my own uncle?"

Guo Wei stood respectfully below, and Yang Bin and other attendant ministers were also present. Liu Chengyou speaking such blatant words before the assembled ministers was clearly pointed. However, they all remained silent, not picking up the thread.

Until Liu Chengyou turned his attention to Guo Wei: "Minister Guo, since you pursued this case and Liu Xin has confessed, in your view, how should he be sentenced and dealt with?"

Hearing this, Guo Wei seemed to have been prepared, clasping his hands and saying: "Reporting to Your Majesty, I am but a military man with a rough acquaintance with letters; as for the law, I have not studied it deeply and am not fit to pronounce a judgment!"

Seeing Guo Wei's meek and submissive demeanor, Liu Chengyou seemed to glimpse the shadow of Feng Dao, and turned his head to look at the other chief ministers: "What do you all think?"

"Your Majesty might dispatch someone versed in law to judge according to the statutes!" This was Su Yugui's answer—saying it was about the same as not saying it, just pushing it outward.

Li Tao was even more blunt: "Liu Xin is a high minister of the state, a military governor of a region, and a close relative of the imperial house—how would an ordinary minister dare to pass judgment? We beg Your Majesty to make the sacred decision!"

As for Dou Zhengu, Liu Chengyou didn't ask him, and he kept his mouth shut, saying nothing, keeping a very low profile.

Seeing these chief ministers all shirking the matter, not daring to speak up, Liu Chengyou did not hold it against them, understanding their thinking well enough. This extraordinary decision could only be made by an extraordinary man like Liu Chengyou himself.

The silence before the throne lasted a while—both within expectations and beyond them—when Yang Bin spoke bluntly: "Your Majesty ordered Chancellor Guo to try the case by national law; even if he were to sentence by national law, what difficulty would there be?"

He looked at Yang Bin—this fellow's words were often unpleasant to hear, but most of the time, they did carry some reason.

"All of you, withdraw! Let me think it over!" Liu Chengyou put on a weary expression and said listlessly.

"Yes!"

That night, it was Noble Consort Gao who attended the imperial bed. With matters weighing on his mind, the deep exchange exercise was carried out absentmindedly yet with extra vigor—even Lady Gao, with her sturdy constitution, was worn to the bone, but in the end, it was Liu Chengyou who collapsed first.

"Your Majesty, is something troubling your heart?" Leaning sideways against Liu Chengyou, seeing him spent and gasping, Lady Gao gently stroked his chest.

Catching the hand that was tickling his heart, Liu Chengyou savored the soft comfort of the beauty in his arms and sighed faintly: "I wish to do an extraordinary thing, but alas, I harbor doubts and misgivings!"

Hearing this, she instinctively opened her mouth, but then buried her head against Liu Chengyou's chest, swallowing back the words that had risen to her throat.

She knew perfectly well that Liu Chengyou was deliberating over the matter of Liu Xin, but it was better not to rashly offer her opinion.

Liu Chengyou was somewhat surprised, turning his head to look at the noble consort beside his pillow—amidst her spring-flushed countenance, there was intelligence and obedience. He seemed to understand something; clever women always made him feel at ease.

"What do you think I should do?" Liu Chengyou asked directly.

Under Liu Chengyou's gaze, her still-rippling eyes blinked, and Noble Consort Gao gave a tactful answer: "Walk the righteous path, do righteous deeds!"

Liu Chengyou pressed further: "What is the righteous path, and what are righteous deeds?"

"Whatever Your Majesty chooses in your heart—that is the righteous path, and that is righteous deeds!"

Liu Chengyou smiled faintly, quickly concealing his thoughts, and with a turn of his body—man above, woman below—he decided to traverse another narrow path.