Chapter 61: 3.23
The news of the sudden poisoning of the Emperor brought grief in the whole country. Other than that, what made them more surprise was the suspected culprit of this incident.
Qiao Chen.
It was not a novice name that the country's subjects didn't know, for a fact that his reputation was well-known for being the most beautiful sparrow of his majesty. His figure will always be seen, standing beside his majesty, wearing a bamboo colored robe, with his ethereal and calm face, blooming full of cold blossoms.
And for a reason that he was the primary suspect, it aroused all people's attention. The crowd was getting tighter and tighter, staring patiently at the center, where the execution takes place.
Many people were present at this public trial. Some nobles were seated in the chair provided for them, whereas commoners and other villagers can only watched in the distance nor climb in the huge wall.
The chair provided for nobles was only depended on their ranks. Whereas, lower nobles were place at the lowest part, while the higher one was seated on the slightly higher part. For the Concubines, Consorts and the princes, they were placed at the second higher part. The center was provided for the judge of the trial, Judge Deng Qi, and to his left and right side, were the left and right ministers.
Unlike all of them, the sparrow's place was at the left side of the trial court, where they are only present. On their center should be the Emperor's place, but sadly, he was the reason why this trial took place.
Sweats started to pricked on their thick clothing, as well as patience erupting to irritate them. Even without evidence, the suspect should be dead by now, and the trial shouldn't occur. It was a natural law of the country as well as the dynasty that every person related to the incident concerning the Emperor should face an instant execution, guilty or not.
However, this is somehow different, the primary suspect was the most loved sparrow of his majesty. That's why they perform a trial.
It is not just to save or excuse the life of the lovely sparrow, but also to avoid the suspicion of the people. If they decided to excuse the sparrow, the common folks will start to doubt the natural law of the country, if they find out that the rules doesn't implement into them.
This will cause a rebellion.
That's why many officials and ministers decided to perform a public trial.
They will let the people see, that's even the laws apply to the nobles... or the Emperor's sparrow.
It was the safe way to save the reputation of the country... and also... to resist the wrath of the Emperor.
The Emperor was heavily poison, and they were no witnesses at that incident. Only his sparrow was the one accompanying him that night. If his majesty survive, and they had already executed the lovely sparrow, they wouldn't know how to face the rage of the Emperor, if the sparrow was not the one who poison him.
Public trial... was a technique to delay the time and wait for the Emperor to wake up, to finally find the culprit.
"What's taking them so long?" whined by a young man with his rogue appearance. He gulped the wine impatiently and hissed. His servant beside him sweats and countless times reminding him at his current comportment.
However, the young man only replied with a frown and glared at the commoners who're staring at him. Although, his attitude was quite unlikely like those young masters, the clothes he was wearing was very luxurious and costly, even his chair was placed at the second higher part.
The third prince of the Yong Country, Yong Feng. He was born from Consort Shi, and was always classified as a rogue prince. Armored with his arrogant and rebellious nature, troubles was always clinging into him. Though, his attitude was different from a noble prince, this didn't stop him from his defiant character.
He sneered and accidentally landed his gaze to the handsome man. His brow rose and give a mocking smile, "You look handsome as ever, second brother."
Yong An nodded, "Third brother was still nonchalant as always, I wished I could be like you."
The grip on the porcelain teacup tightened, Yong Feng's face distorted. His smile faded and slowly turned into frowned. The loyal servant beside him reminded him that he can't cause ruckus right now, or else he will be punished by his mother, Consort Shi.
Yong Feng glared and look away.
The siblings rivalry was very common in the imperial family. Considered that, blood relationship doesn't exist in this country. Competition in all aspects was not novice, as well as scheming and framing anyone standing in their way, and achieving what they desired. So, seeing the two princes hostility in each other, they were not surprised by this.
"I, the presiding judge, Judge Deng Qi, have been authorized as the impartial by the majority of the court officials. The ministers...officials... will be the jury and spectators."
"Thus, we shall commence the public trial."
"Bring the suspect in!" Judge Deng commanded with his voice filled with finality.
The door opened, and several guards appeared, holding the fragile sparrow gently. His elegant clothes was now stained by dust and dirt, hair that was always presently neat was now messy. His face was lowered and they can't see what currently expression does the sparrow hold. It could be detected, anger or scared. It only increased the crowd's interest.
"Rise."
The rope tying the sparrow from behind made him uncomfortable. However, he did not whine nor complained about the treatment use to him, the usual sparrow's attitude was. Qiao Chen finally rose his head.
Like water in the forest, like a flower that blooms in the coldest snow, like a moon in the wintery night. Calm and peaceful. His face was devoid with any emotion aside from the two. Though, dust and dirt clang on his pale face, this didn't lower the quality of his beauty.
This earned few gasps from the onlookers.
Judge Deng was a very veteran and fair judge. He was already old, but his mind and thoughts was still properly functioning. And seeing such a peaceful face, this means... that the suspect was not guilty. Nonetheless, Judge Deng can't just declare his innocence immediately, or the crowd will be dissatisfied by the lack of information. Thus, he needed to acquire and prove the youth's innocence, to avoid getting call bias.
"Qiao Chen, you are the only one with the Emperor when the incident took places. Do you plead guilty and admit that you are the one who poison the Emperor?"
With a calm face, Qiao Chen answered, "I denied."
Noises coming out from different places. Silent innuendos and different opinions gradually reverberated.
"Silence!" Judge Deng's face hardened, "I will ask you again, do you plead guilty?"
"I denied."
"If you are not guilty, then how will you explain the sudden poisoning of the Emperor?" One of the officials asked.
Qiao Chen tilted his head lightly, "I will never deny that I was the one accompanied the Emperor that night, but the poisoning related to the Emperor, I did not do that." He paused, and his eyes slowly turned red, "The whole country knows that being an Emperor's sparrow was a very fortunate thing in the world, to served and support his majesty was the primary duties of the sparrow. We vowed ourselves to devote our life to the Emperor and only to him... How can I, an Emperor's sparrow, put harm in my master? In my source of life? What could I possibly gain?"
The whole area was silent. Even the official who asked stiffened by the declaration of the sparrow. Indeed. Anyone in the country knows that sparrows only care about the Emperor and themselves.
Many instantly believed that the lovely sparrow was definitely framed by just hearing his statement. However, not all of them.
Yong An flashed an amusing smile. His excitement rose and his chest heavily beat. But the surface of his face was still calm and amiable.
He realized something.
This framing incident was meant... to target him.
With a quick proclamation of love by the sparrow to the Emperor, a good portion of the crowd empathize with him immediately. Furthermore, it is true that the sparrow will obtain nothing by harming the Emperor. Unless...
Someone was backing behind his back.
Someone who will gain benefits by killing the Emperor.
Constantly investigating this crime, they will find out their pretentious ambiguous affair on which the caused of the Emperor's wrath. Once the sparrow was pleaded guilty...
Yong An will be dragged at this mess as well.
If their fake romance was reveal, not only the second prince will be accuse, he will be also become the main culprit of this incident, for a fact that he will obtain most benefits from eliminating the Emperor.
Very interesting. Yong An secretly smile. But it was not enough to drag him down. He had many ways and method at his sleeves, he can always figure a way out from this situation.
But it was different for the sparrow. Once he was pleaded guilty, he had no way out.
"Come one, show me more surprises, my lovely sparrow."he murmured silently.
"If what you said was true, then what should you say about the witness?" One of the Minister cockily asked, "Bring in the witness!"
The whole area become noisy again when a maid appeared with her haggard appearance. She was presented at the center and was trembling continuously. Her sight drifted to Qiao Chen's face, then she paled.
She kneeled, "Y-Your grace... t-this servant name is Yen Shin, I was a maid in young master Qiao's residence." Her voice was shaking.
Judge Deng's face sharpened, "Very well. State before the people of the country, on what you submitted about your complaint."
The servant nodded, "H-His majesty and young master Qiao was very affectionate in the past few weeks..., however, an unknown conflict aroused between them causing themselves to be drift apart. Loud noises and thunder voice of the Emperor will be heard around." She paused and took a deep breathe, "After that, his majesty never visited Young Master Qiao again."
"So, do you mean that this is enough reason for Qiao Chen to poison his majesty?" one of the officials asked.
"I-I believed so."
Different noises again sounded in the whole area. Some look at the sparrow in pity, while some give him a sneered.
Howbeit, Qiao Chen's face was still calm. He coldly looked at the servant and then turned his eyes directly to the judge.
"Qiao Chen, do you dare deny this?"
"I admit that the Emperor, and I was having an argument that time because of a specific reason, nonetheless it is not a good basis to poison the Emperor."
"What is this specific reason are you talking about?"
Qiao Chen secretly smiled and give a devious look to a certain direction.
"He was accusing me of having an affair with the second prince."
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