Chapter 99: Chapter 91: A First Glimpse into Officialdom, Thank You, Marquis

「The next day.」

「At cock’s crow.」

Pavilions and towers, market stalls and household eaves—all were covered in a thin layer of fine snow.

Snow had fallen in the middle of the night and had yet to melt by morning.

Jiang Gaoyi trudged dazedly up the Celestial Ascension Ladder, his heart pounding as he gazed at the palace at its peak.

He suddenly felt that the path beneath his feet was a perfect reflection of his current state of mind.

Like walking on thin ice.

He recalled Zheng Xiu’s request from the day before.

"Lord Jiang, I implore you to petition the Holy Emperor during morning court tomorrow. State that I, Zheng Xiu, have always been a law-abiding man who has never overstepped his bounds. However, with the case of Princess Yu Run still unresolved, I will remain obediently in Heaven-Gazing Prison until the day the truth comes to light. But, I have caught a cold these past two days and am unwell. According to the laws of Daqian, I wish to apply for a special pardon—first, to seek a physician, and second, to visit my family."

A special pardon for a major criminal in the Celestial Prison.

In the laws of Daqian, tucked away in a neglected corner of one of the volumes, there was indeed such a "special pardon" clause.

Major criminals detained in the Celestial Prison, if not explicitly sentenced to death and whose imprisonment was extended for various reasons, could, under certain special circumstances, petition the Holy Emperor for a special pardon to leave the prison for no more than three days.

When this law was first established, its original intent was likely to provide a backdoor for certain high-ranking officials and nobles, a loophole for them to exploit while silencing the gullible masses.

Yet, since its creation, this clause had never once been used.

For one, high-ranking officials, nobles, and imperial relatives were rarely imprisoned in the four great Celestial Prisons unless their death sentences were already sealed.

As for the second reason, any dignitary or imperial relative who did end up in a Celestial Prison had already fallen from power and been deserted by everyone. Who would dare risk their head and their position to petition the Holy Emperor on their behalf?

Consequently, this "special pardon" clause had always been nothing more than a decoration.

But a law was a law, and it was written into the statutes of Daqian.

When Jiang Gaoyi, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, heard Zheng Xiu rattling off the laws as if they were family treasures, citing the exact article and clause without the slightest error, he was as shocked as if he had seen Scarface Liu become the top scholar in the imperial examinations. He couldn’t help but wonder why a mere wealthy merchant was so intimately familiar with the laws of Daqian.

Arriving at the audience hall in a daze, Jiang Gaoyi still hadn’t made up his mind. Standing in the line of the Six Ministers, he remained hesitant and conflicted.

During the morning court session, most of the civil and military officials reported good news but not the bad.

Even if someone reported a flood or drought somewhere, they would quickly follow up by saying the situation was now under control and that the disaster victims were living orderly lives thanks to the Government Office’s relief efforts.

Reporting only bad news without the good implied that an official was useless in their position, and dismissal from office would follow in the blink of an eye.

A few other trivial matters were also discussed during the morning court.

For instance, a small kingdom in the Western Regions wanted to send several beautiful princesses to Daqian for marriage alliances. Upon hearing this, the three Princes secretly shook their heads.

Another example was a small-scale disturbance by the Barbarians in the north, but the soldiers guarding the northern border had easily repelled the trespassing Barbarian Army, so it wasn’t considered a major issue.

The three adult Princes stood in the left column, observing the political proceedings with varied expressions, remaining silent.

Old Wei, dressed in a Dragon Robe and Imperial Crown, sat enthroned above, rapidly approving one petition after another.

The morning court lasted for a full four hours, and for four hours, Jiang Gaoyi stood in silence.

"My dear ministers, are there any other important matters to report?"

Old Wei’s voice was full of vigor. He looked down upon the assembly of officials, who fell silent, not daring to speak further.

"Your servant," Suddenly, Jiang Gaoyi finally made his decision. He took a single step to his left and announced, "Jiang Gaoyi, Minister of the Ministry of Justice, has an important matter to petition."

Old Wei nodded. "Speak freely."

In an instant, Jiang Gaoyi became the focus of all the civil and military officials.

These past few days, countless people had been trying to contact Jiang Gaoyi, both openly and secretly.

Firstly, Jiang Gaoyi was an outsider official, newly appointed and inexplicably favored, as if he were a chosen one of Heaven who had become a man above men overnight, inspiring envy and jealousy. Secondly, as the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, he held authority over the legal and judicial systems. His position was lofty and powerful, and with the heir to be established on the third day of the third month, everyone wanted to pull him into their own faction.

Forming factions for personal gain was officially forbidden, but that didn’t mean it didn’t exist.

Jiang Gaoyi took a deep breath, his knees trembling slightly. But after a moment, he recalled the calm tone of Zheng Xiu’s voice. As if understanding something, his own voice became steady. "The Zheng Clan’s Marquis Zhonglie has recently caught a cold and is unwell. According to the special pardon clause in the laws of Daqian, the Marquis requests to be released from prison while still under sentence for three days—the thirtieth of the Twelfth Moon, and the first and second of the first moon—to seek a physician and visit his family. Today, your humble servant dares to petition the Holy Emperor on behalf of the Marquis. I ask for the Holy Emperor’s judgment."

Finishing in a single breath, Jiang Gaoyi took a step to his right, retreating back into the line of officials.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the three adult Princes observing the proceedings each changed.

The Eldest Prince, who had kept his eyes closed as if meditating, opened them.

The Second Prince looked surprised, but more than that, bewildered.

The Third Prince’s face showed alarm, and he looked up at the Eldest Prince.

"Heh... that Marquis Zhonglie."

In the great hall, Old Wei let out an ambiguous chuckle, then asked the officials, "Do any of my ministers have an objection?"

The Eldest Prince tapped his fingers lightly, making no sound.

A man stepped out from the ranks.

It was Zhong Renfeng of the Ministry of Revenue, whose official rank was two grades lower than the deceased Shi Wentong. It was said he hoped to soon take over the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, securing a promotion and a fortune.

Zhong Renfeng gritted his teeth and declared in a loud voice, "Holy Emperor, you absolutely must not! Princess Yu Run’s body is barely cold, and the Marquis Zhonglie’s suspicion has not yet been cleared. To apply for release from prison like this, he must have ulterior motives."

With someone taking the lead, several other Civil Servant Ministers immediately stepped forward one after another to second the motion.

Their reasons all revolved around the case of Princess Yu Run.

The smile on Old Wei’s face grew wider. After the officials had finished, he asked, "Jiang Gaoyi, Minister of the Ministry of Justice, what is your view on this matter of the suspected murderer of Princess Yu Run, Marquis Zhonglie, applying for release from prison?"

Jiang Gaoyi cupped his hands. "Your humble servant only dared to petition on behalf of the Marquis. Whether to grant the special pardon is for the Holy Emperor to decide. Your humble servant dare not presume to comment."

’What the hell!’

Jiang Gaoyi’s words instantly made the faces of the officials who had just spoken turn black!

’Didn’t you bring this topic up in the first place?’

’The Holy Emperor asked for our opinion, and we gave it. What’s wrong with that?’

’How is it that coming from your mouth, we’re the ones ’presuming to comment’?’

"Hehe," Old Wei chuckled. "You hold the high post of Minister of the Ministry of Justice. It is your duty, so speak as you see fit."

Jiang Gaoyi secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and loudly recited the specific article and order—the "special pardon" clause hidden in the corner of the law books. He concluded, "The Marquis’s request is in accordance with the laws of Daqian."

Old Wei nodded with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the civil and military officials with a grin that wasn’t quite a grin. He asked again, "My other ministers, are there... any further objections?"

The Great Emperor seemed to place heavy emphasis on the word "further."

The great hall fell deathly silent. The officials all lowered their heads, saying nothing.

They were all seasoned veterans of the court. How could they not hear the deep meaning in the Great Emperor’s words? How could they not grasp the subtle atmosphere in the hall?

’If we speak up now, we’ll really be doing what that old fox Jiang Gaoyi said, ’presuming to comment’! We’ll become the birds that stick their necks out in the political world!’

’Who knew you were so insidious, Jiang Gaoyi!’

Old Wei’s gaze finally landed on the three Princes.

All three Princes remained silent.

"AHAHAHA—" In the quiet court hall, Old Wei suddenly threw his head back and laughed heartily. "You’ve really got something, Marquis Zhonglie! What a Marquis Zhonglie!"

The three Princes simultaneously sat up straight, looking at the Great Emperor.

It was the first time Old Wei had ever laughed so freely in the audience hall. No one knew if it was a good omen or a bad one. Everyone’s scalp tingled, feeling as if their heads were hanging from their belts, ready to drop at any moment.

"Approved!" After his laughter subsided, the Great Emperor waved his long sleeve. "Court is dismissed!"

「...」

「In the city.」

"Wow! Look! There’s a big hole in the clouds over the Imperial Palace!"

"Heaven bless Daqian! Heaven bless Daqian!"

The common people noticed something strange.

Just a moment ago, the dense snow clouds had inexplicably parted, creating a hole in the center of the cloud cover.

Brilliant sunlight poured down, making the Daqian Imperial Palace glitter and shine.

The snow on the steps melted completely, and trickles of water flowed down the stairs.

When Jiang Gaoyi walked out of the Imperial Palace, he felt his whole body go soft, numb, and weak, as if he had just taken a trip to death’s door.

’I made it out alive!’

A few of his "friends" from officialdom greeted him enthusiastically on the road. "Congratulations, congratulations, Lord Jiang!"

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"Lord Jiang, you truly live up to your name! Such high righteousness!"

If it were the Jiang Gaoyi of the past, he would have been utterly baffled by these congratulations.

But now, hearing them, he understood the gritted teeth, the regret, the mockery, the hatred, and all the other deep meanings hidden within.

He looked at the smiling faces of his colleagues and vaguely saw all sorts of strange words written on them.

The same sentence, spoken by different people, with different expressions, in different tones—Jiang Gaoyi felt as if he could "see" a hundred different contexts and meanings.

Before, he had never truly understood what it meant to be an "official," only that the waters were too deep and the fire too hot.

It wasn’t until he petitioned on Zheng Xiu’s behalf that something seemed to pierce through an acupoint in his mind, bringing him to a sudden realization.

’So, this is the world of officialdom!’

In that instant, Jiang Gaoyi was struck by a sense of weightlessness, as if he had fallen into a lake. In his daze, he vaguely seemed to see the crooked word "Official" flying toward his face.

"Congratulations, Lord Jiang!"

A congratulatory remark startled him back to his senses. A man cupped his hands in greeting—it was clearly Ke Bingliang, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Ke Bingliang passed by Jiang Gaoyi with a chuckle. "I hope, Lord Jiang, that you won’t come to regret today’s events."

Jiang Gaoyi paid Ke Bingliang no mind and hurried out of the Imperial Palace.

Several of Zheng’s Coachmen were already waiting on the main road. One of them walked toward Lord Jiang with a grin. "Sir, are you in need of a carriage?"

Jiang Gaoyi, as if just waking from a long dream, was stunned for a moment, then nodded forcefully. "A carriage! Yes!"

Not long after, without even changing out of his official robes, Jiang Gaoyi arrived at the prison to reunite with his former fellow inmate.

The moment he saw Zheng Xiu—with huge dark circles under his eyes, a weary expression, yet still painting on rice paper—Jiang Gaoyi fell to his knees to kowtow. "Thank you, Marquis!"

Before Jiang Gaoyi could complete the grand bow, his vision blurred as Zheng Xiu caught him by the elbows.

Zheng Xiu was surprised. "Lord Jiang, why perform such a grand ceremony? How could I possibly be worthy of it?"

Jiang Gaoyi tried to force himself to his knees.

But he was clearly no match for Master Zheng’s strength. The grand bow was stopped in its tracks, and Jiang Gaoyi had no choice but to give up.

He then recounted everything that had happened during the morning court to Zheng Xiu, leaving out no detail.