With that, The Eldest Princess strode confidently inside.
By now, only a few soldiers who were still in good health remained kneeling behind, along with Jiang Chun and Yao Jue. Both women came from military families and, like Chu Yu, had trained in martial arts since childhood. Though they didn't possess Chu Yu's level of skill, they were still quite robust.
Yao Jue, though a concubine-born daughter, had been doted on since childhood and had never suffered such humiliation before. Yet every time she raised her head and saw Chu Yu's ramrod-straight back, she felt she couldn't collapse.
Though she had always bickered and fought with Wei Feng, finding him utterly infuriating, on this final path, she still wanted to do something for him.
Chu Yu lifted her gaze to the Palace Gates. Now that The Eldest Princess had stepped forward, the moment had arrived.
Just as Chu Yu had anticipated, when The Eldest Princess entered, the court was already embroiled in heated debate over the matter. Grand Tutor Xie and his faction were arguing vehemently, while The Crown Prince and his group were desperately trying to block them.
As The Eldest Princess walked in, Grand Tutor Xie was pointing his ceremonial tablet at Duke Yao and shouting, "Dare you let me investigate this matter of the seventy thousand troops thoroughly?! If you dare, this old official will immediately request to personally go to the border and see what truly happened to those seventy thousand soldiers!"
"Xie, you old fool, stop spouting nonsense!" Duke Yao roared in agitation. "Investigate if you must! My Yao Family has nothing to hide. What is there to fear from your investigation?"
"My, what's all this commotion?"
The Eldest Princess's cool voice drifted in from outside. Everyone looked up to see a woman clad in golden-threaded robes, gently fanning herself with a round fan as she glided in.
Seeing who it was, the emperor quickly rose in surprise. "Why has The Eldest Princess come?"
The Eldest Princess had grown up with the emperor and held his deep favor, possessing the privilege of attending court without prior announcement. However, she had always been a tactful person and had never abused this privilege.
Now that she had appeared, The Crown Prince's heart sank, immediately sensing trouble. The Eldest Princess bowed to the emperor, who frowned, momentarily embarrassed.
He had just placed The Eldest Princess under house arrest, yet here she was, boldly appearing in court. He couldn't decide whether to address it or not—to do so would humiliate her, and this elder sister of his would surely have plenty of grievances to air later.
As the emperor hesitated, The Eldest Princess knelt on the ground and declared loudly, "Your Majesty, forgive this offense!"
Her kneeling startled the emperor, who hurriedly said, "What offense has The Eldest Princess committed?"
"Four days ago, Your Majesty placed Changming under house arrest. Yet today, Changming forcibly came to the hall, interrupting Your Majesty's deliberations. This is the first offense."
The emperor remained silent. He had indeed been angered by this, but now that The Eldest Princess had apologized first, his anger subsided somewhat. He sighed. "If so, why did you still come?"
"This is the second offense. Changming heard that the Wei family's widows are kneeling outside the Palace Gates. Though I know Your Majesty is a ruler who strictly upholds the law, my heart was moved with compassion. I came before this hall to plead for mercy on behalf of the Wei family—to beg Your Majesty to show leniency and spare the sixth young master of the Wei family, Wei Yun!"
As her words fell, the hall fell silent, leaving only The Eldest Princess's sorrowful voice. "Does Your Majesty remember, in your youth, when you broke a jade bowl? You sought forgiveness from the late emperor, yet he did not punish you. Does Your Majesty know why?"
The emperor understood there was deeper meaning in her words but still asked, "Why?""Because the late emperor sought Changming and asked why His Majesty had dropped the bowl that day, I answered that it was because His Majesty wished to offer the late emperor a bowl of pear soup. The late emperor then asked if the pear soup had been personally prepared by His Majesty. I replied that upon hearing the late emperor's frequent coughs, His Majesty had learned that pear soup could moisten the throat and relieve thirst, and thus had specially prepared it. The late emperor then told Changming, 'His Majesty's effort in preparing the pear soup is commendable, while dropping the bowl was a mistake. Since it all stemmed from filial piety, merits and faults cancel each other out. No reward is necessary, and further punishment would only breed resentment.'"
"The Eldest Princess implies that if the Emperor acts according to the law, it would also cause the Wei family to feel resentful?" The Crown Prince, standing beside the Emperor, spoke mockingly. "If their loyalty is so easily shaken, then the Wei family's devotion must indeed be questionable."
Hearing this, The Eldest Princess raised her head and looked coldly at the Crown Prince. "Huan'er, such words are inappropriate."
By calling him "Huan'er," she invoked their familial relationship. Even though he was the Crown Prince, she was still his elder. When she spoke, the Crown Prince should have responded with respect, even if he disagreed.
Those present in the court were all shrewd individuals and immediately grasped the implication in The Eldest Princess's words. The Crown Prince's expression shifted, but before he could speak, The Eldest Princess continued, "In this incident, the Wei family has lost all its male members, leaving only a fourteen-year-old Wei Yun. What was the purpose of such sacrifice? To protect the great land of Chu, to safeguard all of you dressed in finery here in Hua Jing, and to uphold the Li surname—the royal family to which you and I belong!" Her voice rose sharply, filled with accusation. "Crown Prince, if this is what you call 'easily,' then tell me, what kind of sacrifice would you consider 'not easily'? Water can carry a boat but also overturn it. Though the Emperor is the ruler of the realm, he is also its sovereign. A sovereign must show compassion and benevolence to the people. If one only demands sacrifices from others—Crown Prince," The Eldest Princess let out a cold laugh, "I must ask, was this idea taught by the Grand Tutor, or did you come up with it yourself?"
"This idea was not taught by this old official."
As soon as The Eldest Princess finished speaking, Grand Tutor Xie interjected coolly. The Crown Prince looked embarrassed and was about to speak when The Eldest Princess turned away, her expression sorrowful, and addressed the Emperor. "Your Majesty, if after the entire family has shed their blood on the battlefield, the sole surviving orphan and the women of the household must still endure the harshness of this world—if after four generations fighting on the battlefield for over a century, their descendants are not even granted the chance to make a single mistake—then our royal family would be far too cold-hearted! It is precisely out of this concern that Changming has come despite Your Majesty's order of confinement. I implore Your Majesty, in consideration of the Wei family's four generations of loyalty and a century of devotion, to release Wei Yun!"
The Eldest Princess prostrated herself and cried out. Grand Tutor Xie, standing beside her, spoke wearily, "Your Majesty, according to the laws of our dynasty, if an only son commits a crime but has parents to support, he should be allowed to care for them until their passing before facing punishment. This is the moral principle of our dynasty. Now, Wei Yun has committed no crime but is implicated due to his father's actions. He is the sole remaining heir of the Wei family, with an eighty-year-old grandmother above and a two-year-old child below. By both sentiment and reason, Wei Yun should be pardoned. I beseech Your Majesty to show mercy." Grand Tutor Xie's voice trembled with emotion, on the verge of tears, as he slowly knelt. "Spare the last descendant of the Wei family!"
The Emperor remained silent for a moment before sighing and turning to those around him. "What do the ministers think?""Your Majesty," Duke Yao raised his voice, "does Your Majesty realize what a tremendous loss seventy thousand elite troops are to the imperial court? Seventy thousand lives—all buried in White Emperor Valley due to Wei Zhong's failure. Seven members of the Wei family died—are their lives worth more than those seventy thousand? Shall we simply let this colossal loss go unpunished?!"
The emperor frowned but remained silent.
The Eldest Princess glanced up at the emperor. She understood his thoughts—at this moment, the sovereign was likely at the peak of his impatience.
Those matters unfit for open discussion were perhaps already clear to the emperor. Even if not in every detail, he must have had a rough idea in his mind. He was waiting for someone to give him a way out, but just as he was about to step down, he was blocked again. How could he not be furious?
Sensing the emperor's mood, the Eldest Princess quickly interjected, "Your Majesty, this matter concerns the Wei family. Why not go to the Palace Gates and meet the Wei family women in person? Only then will Your Majesty truly understand why we have knelt here for so long, begging for Your Majesty's mercy!"
The emperor gazed at the Eldest Princess for a long moment before sighing. "Since the Eldest Princess insists, We shall go and see."
With that, he rose and led his retinue toward the Palace Gates.
A heavy rain was falling, the large droplets striking the body with an indescribable pain. The Wei family had already been kneeling for some time, their strength waning, and the downpour quickly felled many more. In the end, only Chu Yu, Yao Jue, and Jiang Chun remained steadfast.
Chu Yu turned to look at Yao Jue, noticing her clenched jaw and trembling body, and knew she was barely holding on. Chu Yu sighed and said to her, "You don’t have to kneel anymore. Go and rest."
"I can manage," Yao Jue rasped hoarsely. "Don’t think you’re the only one who can endure."
Chu Yu was about to reply when she saw Yao Jue sway and collapse sideways.
Jiang Chun caught her just as Wang Lan arrived with attendants to help Yao Jue up. Wang Lan, her eyes red, supported her own swollen belly and pleaded with Chu Yu, "Young Madam, perhaps we should return..."
"It’s fine."
Chu Yu shook her head, her gaze softening as she looked at Wang Lan. "You’re with child—don’t catch a chill. I’ll wait here."
"Until Xiao Qi returns," Chu Yu said calmly, her eyes fixed on the Palace Gates, "I will not leave."
Seeing that she couldn’t persuade Chu Yu, Wang Lan said no more. She helped Yao Jue into a nearby carriage and called for a physician to administer medicine.
The rain lashed down relentlessly, and even Jiang Chun was struggling to hold on. It was then that the Palace Gates slowly creaked open.
Chu Yu lifted her eyes. At the forefront stood a figure clad in bright yellow, a ceremonial crown upon his head, its twelve beaded tassels swaying in the wind, lending his expression an air of solemn compassion.
Behind him stood the Eldest Princess in golden robes and the Crown Prince in a pure white, gold-embroidered dragon-patterned gown with wide sleeves. Further back was the vast assembly of court officials, all emerging one by one as the gates opened wide.
Facing them were the kneeling figures of Chu Yu and Jiang Chun, and behind them, standing tall in the storm, were one hundred and thirty-two memorial tablets.
The two women were dressed in snow-white mourning robes, while the tablets were black wood inscribed with golden characters. The stark contrast of black and white stood solemn and silent before the crowd, as though separated from the world inside the Palace Gates by an invisible divide.
On one side was the opulence and grandeur of the living; on the other, the wordless silence of the dead.On one side was the revelry and peace of Hua Jing; on the other, the piled bones of the frontier.
This Palace Gates seemed to separate two worlds—one of life, the other of death. The Wei family’s one hundred and thirty-two departed souls, along with the two survivors, gazed calmly at those within the palace gates, as if silently asking—
Does your conscience rest easy?
Chu Yu said nothing, did nothing. When the emperor appeared, she neither wailed nor wept. She simply looked at him with a steady, clear gaze, resilient and unyielding.
For a moment, the emperor felt as though he had been transported back to his youth, seeing the young Wei Jun before him once more.
A childhood companion, a loyal subject in his prime, and then a lifetime spent defending the nation—only to be buried in the sands of the battlefield.
Even if he did not know what had truly happened at the border, what darkness had an emperor not witnessed in his lifetime? Even if he could only guess, he knew this general, who had lived a life of integrity, had fallen victim to treachery and injustice.
He had believed an emperor’s blood ran cold. But when faced with the woman’s gaze—so like that of the Wei family—when he saw the rows of memorial tablets standing silently before him, when he saw Wei Jun’s tablet placed before the woman as if it bore eyes, watching him calmly—
The emperor’s hands finally trembled slightly.
And it was not just the emperor who was shaken. The officials behind him, witnessing the torrential rain pouring from the heavens, seeing the memorial tablets of heroes standing firm amidst the storm and mud, could not help but think—let this storm cease.
At last, everyone understood why The Eldest Princess had brought them here.
To witness this scene—anyone with even a shred of conscience would find it hard to remain unmoved.
The emperor stepped forward. A eunuch hurried to shield him with an umbrella, anxiously saying, “Your Majesty, mind the mud.”
The emperor did not respond. He approached Chu Yu and looked down at Wei Jun’s tablet before her, his voice hoarse as he asked, “Which of the Wei family’s wives are you?”
“Your Majesty, this humble one is the wife of Wei Jun, heir to the Marquis of National Stability, and the daughter of the Southwest General, Chu Yu.”
“Ah, Chu Yu.” The emperor nodded. He had heard of this woman whose husband had left for war on their wedding day. He had even joked with Consort Xie that Wei Jun would surely find the door barred upon his return.
Suppressing his emotions, the emperor steadied himself and asked, “Why have you knelt here to seek an audience with Us?”
“Your Majesty, I have brought my entire family to plead for the release of Seventh Master Wei, Wei Yun, from prison.”
“The nation has its laws—”
“This is not for personal gain.”
Chu Yu lifted her gaze to the emperor, her expression calm. “I come from a military family and have followed my father into battle, with the duty to protect our nation and home. The men of the Wei family are the same. They may die, but they should die on the battlefield—not in a prison cell.”
“I am but a woman. I do not know what crime the Wei family has committed, nor what fault my brother-in-law bears. But I know our family’s loyalty runs deep. If Your Majesty demands his life for his mistakes, then I beg you to let Seventh Master Wei die by the blade—to honor our family’s devotion to serving the nation.”
These were fine words.
Everyone present knew that, spoken by anyone else, they would have been mere flattery. But before the memorial tablets of the Wei family, all understood—no matter the speaker’s intent, this was indeed the legacy of the Wei family for a century.
Born to protect the nation, died in its defense.
Every man of the Wei family had met his end by the sword. How could they now be humiliated by petty schemes?The emperor remained silent, his gaze lingering on Wei Zhong's name. After a long while, he turned and walked back inside the Palace Gates.
As the gates slowly closed behind him, the emperor raised his sleeve and commanded, "Bring Wei Yun before me!"
These words sent a chill through Cao Yan's heart. He was well aware of the beatings Wei Yun had endured in prison during this time. With the Wei family having made many enemies, their downfall had made Wei Yun the perfect target for vengeance. Everyone had assumed that a case involving seventy thousand lives lost in White Emperor Valley would surely provoke the emperor's wrath, just like the Qin Prince case of old. Who could have imagined Wei Yun would still get an audience with the emperor?
Cao Yan wanted to speak up, but then he caught Grand Tutor Xie's sharp glance.
The warning in his eyes was unmistakable, and Cao Yan suddenly sobered.
He couldn't speak. He mustn't.
Now that the emperor was determined to see Wei Yun, there was no hiding the truth. Since he hadn’t laid a hand on Wei Yun in the heavenly prison, any attempt to interfere now might drag him down as well.
Sweat beaded on Cao Yan's forehead as he stood among the crowd, waiting for Wei Yun to arrive.
After what felt like an eternity, footsteps finally echoed from outside. Then the emperor saw the once spirited young man being slowly carried in on a palanquin.
His clothes were stained with blood, his body covered in wounds, his face haggard—yet his eyes remained as bright as ever.
The emperor's expression darkened at the sight of Wei Yun in such a state.
Still, Wei Yun struggled to rise, then knelt respectfully and kowtowed. "Wei Yun, seventh son of the Wei family, greets Your Majesty!"
His voice was hoarse, a far cry from the reckless youth the emperor remembered.
The Wei family had once enjoyed imperial favor, and Wei Yun had been close to the emperor, practically growing up under his watchful eye. Seeing him like this now, the emperor clenched his teeth and demanded, "How did you end up like this?"
Wei Yun said nothing. The emperor raised his head and barked, "Minister of Justice! Step forward and explain to me—how did a perfectly healthy man turn into this?!"
"Your Majesty, this humble servant knows nothing!" The Minister of Justice rushed forward, prostrating himself and kowtowing frantically. "I will investigate at once! At once!"
Ignoring him, the emperor descended the steps with reddened eyes, approaching Wei Yun step by step. His voice softened as he asked, "Wei Yun, how old are you this year?"
"In half a month, I will turn fifteen."
"Fifteen..." The emperor sighed. "If your imperial uncle were to sentence you to death today, would you accept it?"
Wei Yun stiffened. He lifted his head, meeting the emperor's gaze calmly. "If the ruler demands his subject's death, the subject has no choice but to obey. But might Your Majesty, for the sake of my father and brothers, allow me to choose my manner of death?"
"How do you wish to die?"
"I wish to go to the border and kill a few more Northern Di."
Wei Yun's voice was firm. "My father once said that a son of the Wei family should die on the battlefield, if he must die."
These words aligned perfectly with what Chu Yu had said.
The emperor studied him for a long moment before turning away and declaring loudly, "Look! This is the descendant of the Wei family, a true son of Great Chu!"
"He is only fourteen..."
The emperor's voice trembled. "Fourteen years old!"
The hall fell into absolute silence. With these words, everyone understood the emperor's intent.From the Wei family being humiliated by Cao Yan, Chu Yu kneeling, Grand Tutor Xie arguing with reason, to The Eldest Princess appealing to emotions—after all these layers of groundwork, the common people, officials, and even the emperor had softened. Only the Crown Prince's faction still wished to argue further, but with the situation having reached this point, what more could they say?
Thus, they could only watch helplessly as the emperor turned and placed his hand on Wei Yun's head.
"Years ago, I once broke a dragon bowl. The late emperor told The Eldest Princess that everything I did stemmed from filial piety, and that merits and faults offset each other—no reward was needed, but to pursue the matter further would only breed resentment. I am moved by the Wei family's loyalty and fervor. The crimes your father committed, he has already repaid with his life. Merits and faults offset each other, and no further blame shall be placed. As for you... I hope you live well and restore the Wei Manor. As long as you live, the heroic spirit of the Wei family lives on."
"Xiao Qi," the emperor's voice was hoarse, "do you understand your uncle's difficulties?"
With these last words, Wei Yun understood—the emperor was asking whether he could comprehend the anguish of being the Son of Heaven yet unable to clear the Wei family's name.
Wei Yun did not speak. He looked up at the emperor calmly and said, "There are many things Wei Yun does not understand. Wei Yun only knows that he is a member of the Wei family."
The Wei family's creed: Protect the nation, protect the sovereign—no regrets, even in death.
The emperor's hand trembled slightly before he finally said, "Go home. Have a physician examine you properly. As for what happened to you in the heavenly prison, I will have it investigated."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After kowtowing, Wei Yun was helped up and onto a sedan chair, which carried him toward the Palace Gates.
By then, outside the Palace Gates, only Chu Yu remained kneeling.
After meeting the emperor, Jiang Chun could no longer hold on and collapsed. Only Chu Yu was left, still kneeling steadfastly.
But the storm was too fierce, and even she was beginning to falter. The sound of rain poured down relentlessly, and her consciousness wavered in and out.
At times, she saw the imposing Palace Gates before her; at others, she felt as though she had returned to her past life, to the night Changyue died, when she knelt before Gu Chusheng's door, weeping and pleading.
That was the most regretful and desperate moment of her life.
It was also the beginning of her letting go of her love for Gu Chusheng.
The decision to let go of Gu Chusheng began with that kneeling. But truly releasing him took many years.
Because she had invested too much in Gu Chusheng. People are often like gamblers—the more they invest, the harder it is to walk away.
For Gu Chusheng, she had left her family and lost herself. She didn’t know where else she could go without him.
In this vast world, where could she call home?
She had grown accustomed to giving and waiting, wearing herself down day after day, like a candle burning endlessly, consuming her very flesh and soul—all for Gu Chusheng.
But it truly hurt.
Chu Yu was beginning to lose herself.
At this moment, Wei Yun arrived at the Palace Gates. Having heard of Chu Yu's actions, he called to the sedan bearers, "Stop here."
Then, turning to the eunuch holding an umbrella beside him, he said, "Give me the umbrella. I'll walk the rest of the way."
"But your feet, young master..."
The eunuch's gaze fell on Wei Yun's legs—the bruises and wounds there were all too clear when they had retrieved him.
Wei Yun shook his head. "I can't return home looking too wretched. My family would worry."
With that, he straightened his robes to cover his injuries, then retied his hair with a ribbon, letting it fall neatly down his back.After tidying up like this, he finally didn't look so disheveled. He borrowed a handkerchief, dampened it with rainwater, and wiped the blood and grime from his face.
Finally, he took an umbrella from someone nearby and walked towards the Palace Gates, holding it aloft.
As the Palace Gates slowly opened, his eyes fell upon Chu Yu dressed in white, kneeling before the gates with the Wei family's memorial tablets in her hands.
Her face was flushed, as if she had caught a cold and was running a high fever. Her expression was somewhat dazed, her gaze fixed in the distance, completely unaware of his arrival.
Wei Yun's heart wrenched painfully, but his face remained composed. Holding the umbrella, he endured the sharp pain in his legs and walked step by step towards Chu Yu.
The umbrella shielded Chu Yu from the torrential rain, and only then did she realize someone had approached. She lifted her head to see a young man holding the umbrella, standing tall and straight. His handsome features still carried a trace of youthful innocence, his slightly upturned eyes lending him a natural charm.
His gaze rested on her, gentle and warm.
"Eldest sister-in-law," he sheltered her from the storm, his voice soft as though afraid to startle her. "Let's go home."
Go home.
Chu Yu snapped back to reality, the past swept away as if by a strong wind. She stared fixedly at the young man before her.
Yes, this lifetime was different.
She hadn’t married Gu Chusheng. She hadn’t yet been worn down. She was the young madam of Wei Manor—she still had a home.
Her heart softened as she met his steadfast yet tender gaze. Suddenly, waves of grievances surged within her. Her eyes reddened, brimming with unshed tears.
"You finally came..." She grasped at a random excuse to mask her inner turmoil. "My knees hurt from kneeling here."
"Then take my hand and stand up," Wei Yun extended his hand, speaking earnestly. "Eldest sister-in-law, I’m back."
He had returned alive. In this lifetime, he would never let his family suffer like this again.
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