Chu Chu bit her lip, and Xiao Jin Yu furrowed his brow. "Have Li Rusheng's wife and child been brought here?"
"They have."
"Bring them in."
"Yes."
By the time Wu Jiang escorted the mother and son of the Li family inside, the breakfast on the table had not yet been cleared. The little boy holding the young woman's hand stared fixedly at the plates on the table as soon as he entered.
The meals for officials at the Imperial Examination Hall were allocated according to rank and position. Xiao Jin Yu, being both the chief examiner and a prince, and with his pregnant princess consort by his side, had eight different varieties of pastries for breakfast alone. Xiao Jin Yu could barely finish a bowl of porridge, and even Chu Chu, with her hearty appetite, couldn't possibly consume eight plates of pastries early in the morning. Though the food on the table was left over from their meal, it looked as if it had barely been touched.
The little boy, his pale lips pressed tightly together, swallowed hard, so engrossed that he didn't even hear Wu Jiang's command to kneel.
Chu Chu had mentioned earlier that Li Rusheng's wife was blind and his son was thin and small, but Xiao Jin Yu hadn't expected them to look like refugees.
The kneeling woman was as pale as snow, with slender limbs and disheveled hair. Despite the lingering chill of early spring, she was wrapped only in a tattered man's padded coat. Her unfocused eyes were bloodshot, staring vacantly ahead. The little boy standing beside her was bundled in several layers of old clothes that were clearly too large for him. He was emaciated, his skin stretched taut over his bones, his face sallow, and his lips pale with a bluish tint. He stared obsessively at the table full of food, a sight that tugged painfully at Xiao Jin Yu's heart.
Xiao Jin Yu shook his head slightly at Wu Jiang and gestured for him to step back. However, remembering the previous incident with Li Rusheng, Wu Jiang planted himself firmly beside Xiao Jin Yu, tilting his chin toward the ceiling and feigning ignorance.
Recalling that Chu Chu was pregnant and must not be exposed to the slightest risk, Xiao Jin Yu decided to pretend he hadn't noticed.
The last time Chu Chu had seen this mother and son, she had wanted to give them food and clothing. But at that time, her mind was entirely preoccupied with Xiao Jin Yu, who was imprisoned, and she had completely forgotten about it. Now, seeing the little boy's expression, she quickly handed him a plate of kidney bean rolls.
Before the boy could reach out, the kneeling woman seemed to sense something and frantically pulled him into her arms. "Don't go near them... They killed your father. It was them who killed your father..."
The little boy broke free from her embrace and stepped forward, slapping the plate out of Chu Chu's hands.
Xiao Jin Yu, seated beside Chu Chu, immediately pulled her to her feet and shielded her behind his wheelchair.
As the boy raised his fist to strike Xiao Jin Yu, Wu Jiang swiftly stepped in, grabbing the back of the boy's clothes and lifting him into the air.
The boy dangled mid-air, kicking and struggling fiercely, his childish voice shouting viciously, "Give me back my father! Give me back my father! You villains... I'll kill you all!"
Chu Chu quickly steadied herself by holding onto Xiao Jin Yu's shoulder, fearing that he might punish the pitiful child in a fit of anger.
Xiao Jin Yu's face remained expressionless, his brow unfurrowed. He simply patted Chu Chu's hand gently.
The woman, unable to see what was happening, panicked and collapsed weakly to the ground, helplessly groping in the direction of the boy's cries. "Give me back my son! Xiao Jin Yu... You bastard! You deserve to be hacked to pieces! Struck by lightning! Give me back my son! Give me back my son!"
Xiao Jin Yu watched the woman calmly as she lay on the ground, crying out to Wu Jiang. He coughed lightly but firmly twice and said, "I am Xiao Jin Yu."Xiao Jinyu's voice was as clear and cool as plain boiled water, yet it made the woman freeze stiff. "You... give me back my son!"
Xiao Jinyu watched the grief-stricken woman expressionlessly. "You raised your son like this... if I return him to you, wouldn't I be ruining his entire life?"
"You... you corrupt official! Corrupt official!"
The little boy struggled more fiercely in Wu Jiang's grasp. "Don't bully my mother! Don't bully my mother!"
Xiao Jinyu looked coldly at the little boy. "Although your father strayed from the right path, he was at least a proper scholar. How did he raise such an undisciplined son?"
"Don't speak of my father!"
The little boy glared at Xiao Jinyu angrily, but his arms and legs grew still, ceasing their struggle.
Xiao Jinyu still didn't order his release, merely watching him quietly. "Did your father ever teach you that those who kill must pay with their lives?"
"My father didn't kill anyone!"
Xiao Jinyu raised an eyebrow slightly. "Evidence?"
The boy's face flushed red. "My father didn't kill anyone, that's all!"
Xiao Jinyu picked up the teacup beside him and took a slow sip. "Testimony from blood relatives can only serve as reference in judgment, not as courtroom evidence... Your saying he didn't kill anyone doesn't count."
"Xiao Jinyu..."
"Silence!" Xiao Jinyu glared fiercely at the woman. "According to the laws of this dynasty, insulting the imperial clan warrants caning punishment. Count how many times you've cursed this prince, then consider how many strikes your body can endure... If you want your son to end up homeless on the streets, left to fend for himself, then go ahead and finish that curse you just started."
The woman, chastised into silence, lay prostrate on the ground weeping bitterly.
The little boy began struggling again. "Corrupt official! Don't bully my mother! Don't bully my mother!"
Xiao Jinyu looked coldly at the little boy. "You're seven years old - you've read the Three Character Classic, haven't you? 'When the child is not taught, it is the father's fault.' Your father is dead. If you dare act recklessly again, I'll punish your mother instead."
The boy immediately settled down, glaring at Xiao Jinyu. "A real man takes responsibility for his own actions!"
"I'll ask you a few questions. Answer truthfully, and I'll let you and your mother go home."
"You'd better keep your word!"
Xiao Jinyu didn't respond to that. "If you tell even half a lie, the punishment will still fall on your mother."
"Fine!"
Xiao Jinyu nodded slightly, and only then did Wu Jiang release the boy. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the boy rushed over and embraced the woman lying on the floor, using his thin little hands to wipe the tears from her face. "Mother, don't be afraid, I can protect you..."
The woman held her son, crying too hard to speak, making Chu Chu's eyes redden as well.
If this scene had occurred back when she first met Xiao Jinyu, Chu Chu would certainly have thought him a villain. She would have stood with this pitiful mother and son, joining them in cursing Xiao Jinyu as a cold-blooded, heartless corrupt official. But now Chu Chu stood behind Xiao Jinyu, supporting his slightly trembling shoulders, pressing her lips together without uttering a word.
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