The Legend of the Concubine in the Harem

"Unfilial daughter...unfilial daughter...she is not an unfilial daughter at all. She is clearly a very filial daughter." Someone in the crowd bowed silently to Zeng Suqiu.

"It is extremely unfilial to sue a father as a son!" Some people even glared at the thin woman inside as if they were the one being sued, "What do you mean her mother gave birth to her? Could she have been born without her father?"

"That's right, Doctor Zeng raised her to this age after all..."

"Bah! Are you talking like a human being?!" A sturdy auntie rolled up her sleeves and put one hand on her waist. "Didn't you hear the little girl just say that she was raised by her aunt? You men are just pulling up your pants. It's up to us women to give birth to and raise children."

"That's right, everyone at home treats themselves like a boss and waits for others to serve them. They don't even take care of their children when they cry or are hungry. You can be called a father just by shivering. You are really taking advantage of them!" The people in Dasheng are open-minded, especially the middle and lower class women in Kyoto, many of whom go out to do business and work as helpers.

The more people they met and the more things they encountered, the more outspoken and aggressive their tempers became. The noble women who wanted to be decent and behave themselves could not do such a thing as to sit in the crowd and watch the trial. Therefore, several women present united together and scolded the men who had spoken out earlier, making them flee in shame.

Caning usually means "undressing before being beaten". The person has to take off his clothes before being beaten. In addition to causing the person being punished to suffer physical pain, it also has the intention of humiliating that person.

Zeng Suqiu had already made preparations before coming. She was a woman, a young unmarried woman. To be subjected to such punishment was almost like having her entire face peeled off and thrown on the ground to be trampled upon by others.

"Qiuqiu, why don't I do it? It's just a spanking. I'm used to being shameless. My mother spanked me like this when I was nine years old." Fu Qingsu tried to get through this period on behalf of Zeng Suqiu, who was a "pure ancient person" in her eyes.

But Zeng Suqiu still firmly rejected her: "This is my mother's revenge, I have to avenge it myself. You have helped me a lot. I have learned from you things that I may not dare to think about in this life. I...if I can't make it, I will have to trouble you to continue to help me."

"Qiuqiu..." Fu Qingsu was worried and anxious, but Zeng Suqiu had more control over this body. If the other party disagreed, she couldn't directly "seize power". She could only grumble anxiously for a few words, and then suddenly remembered: "Medicine! Take the medicine quickly, Qiuqiu!!! Since it was given by the Queen, it must be a good thing!"

They were both so nervous that they even forgot about the medicine for a moment.

Zeng Suqiu took out the pill and swallowed it while wiping her tears and covering it with her sleeve.

As soon as she took the medicine, Zeng Suqiu felt as if she had regained some confidence.

The executioner brought a bench and a stick. Lord Hu stood in front of the bench, twisting his beard, and looked around: "Miss Zeng has done a great filial piety by seeking justice for her mother. Why should we humiliate her? Let's execute her with her clothes on."

He said this as simply and naturally as if he had eaten two eggs this morning. Then he told the two yamen runners who were carrying out the execution: "Be careful and don't make any mistakes."

When he finished speaking, there was a small cheer from the crowd.

Zeng Suqiu and Fu Qingsu were both stunned. The former kowtowed in gratitude, while the latter rolled around happily in her mind: "This is a good man! Qiuqiu! Don't be so pessimistic! We will always be together in the future!"

"Yeah." Zeng Suqiu lay on the bench and clenched her teeth.

The news that the daughter of Zeng, a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue, sued her father for murdering her wife and father-in-law soon spread.

In the Lizheng Hall.

A small eunuch quietly reported this to Li Zong. Li Zong frowned and stepped forward: "Your Majesty, Madam, the missing eldest daughter of the Zeng family and the concubine have been found."

"Oh?" Xie Yuzhen asked knowingly, "Where are they now?"

"To answer your Majesty, they are now in Jingzhao Prefecture."

Li Zong answered and described in concise words how Zeng Suqiu dressed in mourning clothes, beat the drum to complain about her biological father, and was beaten with a hundred sticks, and how even though she was bleeding and barely breathing, she still managed to be clear-headed and present witnesses and evidence.

"What a corrupt and filthy place this Zeng Langzhong Mansion is!" Xie Yuzhen slammed the table.

The courtier closest to the emperor and empress was frightened by the sudden loud noise and trembled, and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, calm down."

Xie Yuzhen took a deep breath and said, "Just now, I read the confessions of the people in the Zeng Mansion and was worried that Miss Zeng would also be harmed by this family. Now it seems that Miss Zeng is also smart and courageous, and she is also very filial to her biological mother."

Although he suspected that the drama of Miss Zeng suing her biological father was also instigated by his beloved wife, the emperor was already used to cooperating with Xie Yuzhen, and immediately nodded and said, "Send an imperial physician to treat such a filial daughter."

"Your Majesty is kind and benevolent. It is a blessing for the people of the world to have such a wise ruler. But there are just these pests and harmful things... Well, I don't want to say anything more. This family... Ha!" Xie Yuzhen praised the emperor and pretended to be very angry, giving him a chance to be considerate.

The emperor was indeed gentle and considerate. After a few words of coaxing, another thump was heard. It turned out that Ruan Xiang'e, who had finally calmed down, knelt on the ground. At this moment, her eyes were red and her face was pleading: "Your Majesty, Madam, Miss Zeng is my cousin. I hope that Your Majesty will allow me... allow me and the imperial physician to go out of the palace to visit her."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance in the direction of the side hall where her mother went to rest, and licked her lips: "...It would also be good for not disturbing mother's rest. Having a minister visit her would also help her feel at ease."

After stuttering out the reason, Xie Yuzhen looked at Ruan Xiang'e and nodded: "The prince is thoughtful."

Turning to the Emperor: "Your Majesty?"

The emperor also agreed: "Since the prince has taken the initiative to ask for an order, why not take the opportunity to bring a decree to Miss Zeng and tell her that I allow her to return to her mother's surname and sever ties with the Zeng family."

Ruan Xiang'e was overjoyed and was about to kowtow again to express her gratitude when Xie Yuzhen suddenly had an idea: "In that case, I would like to trouble the prince to take a message from me and let everyone know - Zeng Fu conspired with his stepmother to forge the record of filial piety and integrity. Now that it has been found out, we will deprive him of his position as a filial and honest official. In addition, he was unfilial to his biological mother, and as a son he ignored her suffering for several years, and only cared about personal gain, and even denied her for fame and fortune..."

"After serving his sentence, his family will not be allowed to take the imperial examinations or become officials for three generations. They should first learn how to be a good person before seeking an official position!"

When Doctor Zeng killed his wife and father-in-law, Zeng Fu was not yet born. Even if he was implicated in the Zeng family's crime, it would not cost him his life. Even if he was also accused of slandering the Spring Examination for cheating, since he was not the definite main culprit, the final sentence and conviction would be at most demotion and exile.

Thinking about the "plots" related to this person that Zaoming had told him, Xie Yu was so disgusted that he wanted him to die, but at the same time he didn't want him to die too easily. So he let himself, the little woman in the harem who, in his words, did nothing but act coquettishly and win favor, slap him a few times in the face before sending him into exile.

As for whether he can survive the exile, it all depends on God's will.