Not long after Chen Baoxiang’s words fell, a junior official from the Court of Judicial Review came running up behind them, clasped his hands, and said to him: “General Song, please follow me to the Court of Judicial Review.”
He looked in astonishment toward Chen Baoxiang. She was already holding Zhang Zhixu’s arm and waving farewell.
Song Juqing: “…”
He assumed he must have done something wrong, or perhaps it was illegal in Shangjing to use a light bow against someone with a heavy one.
But when he entered the Court of Judicial Review, Xie Lanting asked him: “Are you aware that Cheng Huaili had a daughter?”
Song Juqing was baffled: “Cheng Huaili only had two nephews and never had any children. Where could a daughter have come from?”
“Chen Baoxiang,” Xie Lanting said. “Someone has identified her as Cheng Huaili’s daughter.”
Song Juqing was shocked. Song Juqing was bewildered.
Song Juqing finally looked Xie Lanting over carefully, then let out a slow, understanding laugh: “The way you people in the capital do things when you want to be rid of someone is so complicated — and you have to go digging up a father for them in the bargain? If you can’t stand the sight of her, just issue an imperial decree and have her executed. We soldiers are fated for such things and wouldn’t be too surprised by it.”
Xie Lanting: “…”
Why were these military men all so utterly unreasonable? He was investigating a case, not framing someone.
He reached for a hand-copied edition of the Pharmacopoeia and opened it on the table before him, then explained: “The Court of Judicial Review has gathered a great deal of evidence, and piece by piece it all points to the fact that Chen Baoxiang had a long-standing grievance with Cheng Huaili. I am not wronging her.”
According to the physician from the Cheng household, this Pharmacopoeia had been copied by Chen Baoxiang, and the description of the blood-replenishing herb’s appearance within it was identical to that of the blood-corrupting herb.
Cheng Huaili had originally taken the wrong herb because of this, causing uncontrollable blood loss from which no cure could be found — he could only have his leg amputated to preserve his life.
Song Juqing looked it over for a moment, then appeared even more confused: “I can’t read. What does it say?”
Xie Lanting raised a hand and rubbed his face.
Was illiteracy some sort of prerequisite for becoming a renowned general of Dasheng?!
“I’ve been with Cheng Huaili since the old border garrison, and I knew him as well as anyone,” Song Juqing said. “If he’d had a daughter that capable, he would long ago have married her off to bring himself some benefit in return — he would never have hidden her away until he died before anyone found out.”
Even Xie Lanting was beginning to doubt himself a little upon hearing this.
“No.” He shook his head. “Anything can be falsified — but that purchase contract cannot be falsified. If Cheng Huaili and Chen Yuan’er were not husband and wife, he would have had no authority to sell her corpse; and if they were husband and wife, then the child Chen Yuan’er was carrying should have been Cheng Huaili’s blood.”
Song Juqing leaned back in his chair and regarded Xie Lanting, then gave a low laugh.
“Lord Xie, I don’t think you quite understand what the person who filed this accusation actually wanted to accomplish.”
Xie Lanting looked up in surprise.
“Killing Cheng Huaili was an imperial command. Whether or not Chen Baoxiang is his daughter, the bond of sovereign and subject takes precedence over that of father and child.”
Song Juqing sighed. “The one who filed the accusation must know perfectly well that Chen Baoxiang won’t face any real punishment. All this commotion is nothing more than an attempt to ruin her reputation and drive away everyone close to her. The goal has been achieved, and she’s probably long past caring about the outcome of the case. You’re the only one still fixated on it, my lord.”
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