Chapter 59: Why are you in such a panic?

"This...? General Lu is accompanying her?" The civil and military officials looked at each other, unable to understand.

"It wouldn't be that Miss Jiang, the daughter of his deputy general, would it?"

"What grievances could Miss Jiang have... to beat the drum to seek justice?"

"Yes, and even making a scene at the morning court, how can the Dali Temple manage this——"

Just when the civil and military officials were confused, a young eunuch ran in with small, panicked steps, seemingly having an important matter to report.

As soon as Eunuch Gao saw that young eunuch lose his demeanor in the hall, he couldn't stand it anymore. He pinched his throat and scolded, "Xiao Zhuozi, what matter is so urgent that you even forgot your etiquette?"

"Yes, Eunuch, I thank Eunuch Gao for the reminder, forgive His Majesty for the punishment," Xiao Zhuozi hurriedly tidied up his appearance, then knelt in the hall and kowtowed his head to the ground several times. The entire hall made a thumping sound, and he said nervously, "I, I have an important matter to report——"

Prime Minister Su asked indifferently from the side, "What matter is it, why are you in such a panic?"

Xiao Zhuozi looked at Prime Minister Su fearfully, but didn't dare to speak. Only when Qin Yuan raised his hand to signal, he said in a peaceful tone, "Just speak, I won't punish you without reason."

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace," Xiao Zhuozi kowtowed three more times, swallowed his saliva to moisten his dry throat, and then told the matter, "Just now, the Dali Temple sent someone to report, saying, saying Minister Xu——"

The sound of the drum outside became more and more urgent, urging the civil and military officials' hearts to jump and tense up: Something happened to the Dali Temple Minister? Could it be that the Dali Temple Minister's family is beating the drum to seek justice?

"What happened to Minister Xu?" Prime Minister Su squinted at the young eunuch, a trace of pressure in his eyes. The young eunuch was stared at and didn't dare to speak.

Eunuch Gao pointed with an orchid finger and scolded, "Hey, you bastard, His Majesty has already said he won't punish you, why don't you finish speaking quickly!"

"Yes," Xiao Zhuozi got Eunuch Gao's approval and continued, "The Dali Temple sent someone to report, saying that Minister Xu's entire family was poisoned by pufferfish, and even the servants are unconscious."

"What?" A trace of shock flashed in Qin Yuan's eyes, and even his body leaned forward slightly. He asked with concern: "Have the imperial physicians gone to check?"

Xiao Zhuozi shrank his head in fear, "This... the servant doesn't know..."

Once Prime Minister Su heard that Xu Xiao had an accident, he was so angry that he kicked him on the back, knocking him directly to the ground, "You dog slave, didn't you hear His Majesty's words? Why don't you hurry to the Imperial Hospital to find an imperial physician!"

Xiao Zhuozi looked at Eunuch Gao fearfully, and seeing him wave his hand in agreement, he hurriedly kowtowed again, saying repeatedly, "The servant will go to the Imperial Hospital to find an imperial physician now."

Qin Yuan waved his hand and sat straight on the dragon throne, "Go quickly, go quickly, be sure to pay attention to Minister Xu's condition at all times and report at any time."

"Yes! The servant will handle it now!"

After Xiao Zhuozi left, the civil and military officials in the court couldn't stand still, especially those who were familiar with Xu Xiao, all shaking their heads and sighing, but in front of the Emperor, no one dared to make a sound.

The entire court echoed only with the increasingly dense drumbeats, which made them more and more annoyed and impatient.

A civil official stood out and suggested, "Your Majesty, I have always heard that Minister Xu likes to eat pufferfish. This pufferfish poisoning is often seen outside, so Minister Xu's family being poisoned by pufferfish is within reason."

Prime Minister Su was about to go up to defend Minister Xu, but was signaled by Qin Yuan to let the other person finish speaking, so he could only stand in place and give up.

"At present, Dali Temple Junior Minister Song is still recovering from his injuries and cannot be in charge. The Dali Temple Assistant Minister is timid and afraid of trouble. Can this matter of beating the drum to seek justice be handed over to the Capital Yamen to handle?"

After the civil official finished speaking, Qin Yuan asked the officials: "What do all officials think?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty," the person who stood out to speak this time was a rough-looking military general.

He was Lu Zhenting's colleague, Huaibeiding, mainly responsible for guarding the stability of the Northwest border. Because there was no war on the Northwest border for the time being, he was able to return to the court.

"Since it is General Lu who brought people to beat the drum to seek justice, the case must be significant. The Capital Yamen may not be able to judge it clearly. Since everyone is in the court today, why not summon them to the hall for a fair judgment!"

He spoke in a rough voice, full of aura, and no one dared to speak after he opened his mouth.

"Granted, bring General Lu and the woman beating the drum to seek justice."

As soon as Qin Yuan finished speaking, Prime Minister Su stood out to stop him, "Your Majesty, if one person beating the drum to seek justice can make a scene in the court, then can everyone seek justice, create trouble, and make a scene at the morning court?"

"Today's matter is special, the Dali Temple has no one in charge for the time being, and it is General Lu who brought people to seek justice. I, as the Son of Heaven, cannot refuse to accept it."

Prime Minister Su raised his official tablet and was about to speak further, but was suppressed by Qin Yuan, "Prime Minister Su, no need to say more."

He could only give up. Eunuch Gao saw that the Emperor had made up his mind, so he passed the word in the hall, "Announce, General Lu and the woman seeking justice to come to court for an audience!"

"Subordinate obeys!" The guards guarding outside the hall took the imperial order and soon took action, walking quickly towards the palace gate.

Not long after, the sound of the dense drumbeat stopped abruptly. The guards led a man and a woman into the palace gate and walked towards the Taihe Hall.

The two figures got closer and closer, and the civil and military officials stood on both sides, making a path.

It was just that when the group of officials saw the woman behind Lu Zhenting, their faces changed again and again.

The military generals who were familiar with Lu Zhenting thought it was Jiang Mianmian beating the drum to seek justice, but who knew that the one brought was a woman in white plain clothes with scalds on her face whom they had never seen before!

The civil officials couldn't help but whisper to each other, "Who is this woman General Lu brought..."

And Su Hongtu was stunned in place after seeing the woman's face clearly: How could it be her! Wasn't she already burned to death in a big fire!

Two days ago, overwhelming notices were posted all over the Capital, how could she still be alive!

Suddenly he understood: it must be that Xu Xiao didn't handle the matter properly, let this woman escape, and even came back to counterattack, poisoning him by using the fact that Xu Xiao liked to eat pufferfish!

And Qin Yuan, sitting on the dragon throne, also widened his eyes, and soon returned to his original calm, but beneath this calm was unspeakable joy: she didn't die! She was actually still alive!

Lin Jiaojiao wore a white silk dress and, under the gaze of the civil and military officials, walked slowly to the hall with the golden morning light on her back.

Qin Yuan looked at her from afar on the dragon throne, feeling a thousand emotions in his heart.

This woman was still alive. He should have been gratified, but now she had to stand out to beat the drum to seek justice, putting herself in a dangerous situation.

And she looked much thinner than before, and there was obvious bruising under her almond eyes, obviously caused by not resting well for many days. The palm-sized scald on her left cheek made Qin Yuan feel even more uncomfortable in his heart.

Such a beautiful face, actually disfigured...

But Lin Jiaojiao didn't seem to care about her disfigured appearance, not covering up that shocking scald at all.

Lu Zhenting led her to the center of the hall, and after performing the audience ceremony with her, he solemnly handed over a petition and said, "Long live the Emperor, long live, long live. Today, Lu brought the woman surnamed Wang to beat the drum to seek justice. Please allow the woman surnamed Wang to state her case in the court and tell her grievances."

The eyes of the civil and military officials in the court fell on the petition, one by one stretching their necks slightly, wanting to penetrate the paper with their eyes and see the content of the text clearly. ===== CHAPTER 60 =====