Following the Empress Dowager's words, Guo Zhenghai, the Heir of Duke Qi, had no choice but to sit back down.
The storyteller continued, "This man already had more than ten concubines in his household, including many virtuous ladies like this young woman, all forcibly taken by this old man. Most critically, the main mistress of the household - this old man's legal wife - was extremely cruel. She would force every woman who entered the household to drink infertility medicine to prevent them from bearing children. This young lady couldn't escape this fate either. Within half a month of entering the household, she was forced to drink the medicine by the mistress and nearly lost her life. In short, her life was truly miserable."
At this point, everyone was stunned.
The Princess Consort of Ruyang couldn't help but ask, "Wait, why does this mistress sound so similar to the evil woman from the previous story?"
The storyteller nodded and said, "Your Grace is correct. They are actually the same person - these two stories are about the same family."
Upon hearing this, the Princess Consort of Ruyang had a look of sudden realization and nodded, "So they're from the same family! No wonder they're all so wicked!"
Others nodded in agreement.
Someone in the crowd cursed, "So one's a lecherous old man and the other's a cruel woman - what a perfect match this couple makes!"
Yanshu's eyes lit up when she heard this, almost wanting to applaud! What an accurate summary!
Meanwhile, she glanced toward Guo Zhenghai, the Heir of Duke Qi, and Lady Wei, seeing their faces alternating between pale and flushed, their expressions twisted with panic and anger, yet unable to speak out, appearing extremely frustrated.
Hmph, this was nothing compared to what was coming - after committing evil deeds for so many years, getting cursed at a few times was nothing.
Just then, the storyteller continued, "Your observations are all correct, my esteemed audience. Let me continue with the story. While this young lady was suffering miserably in this noble household in the capital, she didn't know that the beastly old man was still thinking about her younger sister. After two years, assuming the younger sister had grown up, this old man used hunting as an excuse to visit their family again, intending to use the same trick to forcibly take the younger sister as well."
Upon hearing this, the audience became agitated again.
The Grand Princess couldn't help but exclaim, "The second sister absolutely must not fall into this tiger's den! The parents must quickly think of something!"
Everyone agreed.
The storyteller continued, "Your Highness speaks wisely! Fortunately, the parents had sensed the danger, and when someone came to propose marriage to the second daughter, they quickly arranged her engagement."
Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the family had finally escaped disaster.
However, the storyteller then said, "Unexpectedly, the old man became furious and used his influence to frame the father with false charges, forcibly sending him to prison."
Upon hearing this, everyone became angry again, exclaiming, "Does this old man have no respect for the law?"
"Indeed! How can he bully people like this!"
The Grand Princess also angrily said to the storyteller, "In all my years, this is the first time I've heard of such bullying! Surely such a person can't have a good ending!"
The storyteller quickly responded, "Please don't worry, Your Highness. Let me continue. How could common people withstand the oppression of power in the capital? So despite being wrongfully accused, the father went to prison. Fortunately, the local official knew he was innocent and couldn't bear to give him a heavy sentence, so after two years, he was released. However, just when they thought the family could finally reunite and live peacefully, news reached the capital, and the old man became dissatisfied again. He not only wanted to send the father back to prison but also planned to frame the presiding official to vent his anger."
At this point in the story, the audience exploded with anger again, crying out, "Heavens! How can such an evil person exist?"
"Indeed! Does he think he rules the world? How dare he act so arbitrarily!"
The Grand Princess spoke again, "This person is still alive and well? Haven't the heavens struck him down with lightning? Or rather, struck down his entire family?"
Hearing this, Yanshu raised an eyebrow, seeing her number one supporter, the Empress Dowager, quickly looking at her sister-in-law and nodding in support.
Yanshu reflected inwardly - no wonder these sisters-in-law got along so well, they shared such excellent values!
Looking at Guo Zhenghai and his wife again, their faces had turned ashen, as if they wished they could crawl under their chairs.
Someone anxiously asked the storyteller, "What happened next? Such a good family couldn't have been framed by this old man again, right?"
The storyteller quickly replied, "Of course not, please rest assured. As they say, heaven's justice prevails and evil deeds cannot go unpunished. Also, as the saying goes, if you want to keep something secret, better not do it at all. Eventually, someone at court discovered this man's intentions and, outraged, immediately reported it to the emperor. The emperor was naturally furious and ordered an immediate investigation into the matter."
"What they discovered was shocking - this man had committed many other evil deeds, all using the power granted by the imperial court to oppress common people and tarnish the court's reputation. Some cases even involved loss of life, and not just one instance. How could the emperor tolerate such a villain? He immediately sentenced him to death! He was executed outside the palace gates that very day to satisfy the people's anger."
As these words fell, applause erupted in the hall, with audience members cheering, "Justice is served! Evil deeds bring evil consequences!"
"Wonderful! Thank heavens for the imperial court's justice! Thank heavens for our wise emperor!"
Amidst the applause, there was a sudden thud, as if something had fallen to the ground.
Everyone turned to look and discovered that Guo Zhenghai, the Heir of Duke Qi who had earlier claimed to be unwell, had collapsed onto the floor.
His face was deathly pale, covered in cold sweat, appearing very unwell.
The audience was puzzled.
Then the emperor spoke, "If Lord Guo is unwell, let the imperial physician examine you."
Though the words showed concern, the tone was ice-cold.
Guo Zhenghai, guilty-conscious, struggled to his feet and returned to his seat, saying, "Your subject dares not trouble you. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine."
The audience, still caught up in the story, quickly asked the storyteller, "Though this man died, what about all the young ladies he had taken, and what about that evil woman of his?"
The storyteller replied, "As his family member who was aware of his crimes, that evil woman couldn't escape legal punishment. She was ultimately sentenced to exile, condemned to wander in the cold frontier regions for life, never allowed to return to the capital. As for the innocent women in their household, the court considered them all victims and granted them their freedom. Finally, that poor eldest daughter was able to return to her parents' embrace, reuniting the family."
As these words fell, some in the audience nodded, while others sighed.
Princess An Kang had tears in her eyes, wiping them as she sighed, "Such a good young woman, what did she do wrong to be treated so cruelly by that evil couple, having her body poisoned, unable to become a mother, probably unable to marry in the future."
Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, once again cursing the evil couple for treating people so inhumanely.
The Empress Dowager then spoke, "Regardless, regaining freedom is always good. A family that values loyalty and righteousness must have raised daughters of good character. If she meets a good person, she might still find a good marriage. Even if she doesn't, spending her future days with her parents is still far better than being abused by those evil people."
Everyone nodded in agreement to these words.
With this, the story came to an end. The storyteller received his reward and, after paying his respects, withdrew.
Just as Guo Zhenghai and Lady Wei thought this matter had passed and were about to secretly breathe a sigh of relief, the emperor spoke, "What do you all think about the evil deeds this man committed?"
The audience was still caught up in the story, and upon hearing this, they immediately shared their thoughts.
Yanshu's devoted supporter number one, Lord Lu, the Minister of Works, spoke first, "Your Majesty, from the story, this man abused his power to bully people and dishonor the court's dignity. Just the two counts of forcibly taking virtuous women and falsely accusing court officials would be enough to warrant severe punishment."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The Minister of Justice also said, "Just looking at how this story involves framing an imperial official, this person's methods seem quite skilled. If such a thing happened in reality, this person must have committed more than one such evil deed. We should follow this case to prevent other innocent people from being wronged. In any case, those who damage the court's reputation and aid villains must not be treated lightly."
Everyone agreed again, "Indeed! We must not be lenient."
The Emperor nodded, then suddenly turned to Duke Qi and asked, "What does Duke Qi think of this matter?"
Duke Qi paused, then immediately stood up and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister thinks the story is well-written, but fears it's just a story. Your Majesty is wise and mighty, currently maintaining peace and prosperity in the nation, with citizens living in harmony. Such things shouldn't happen in reality."
Upon hearing this, Yanshu secretly raised her eyebrows―
This old man sure knows how to speak - by this logic, if this were true, wouldn't that mean the Emperor wasn't wise and mighty?
Fortunately, Yuwen Lan didn't fall for it, but continued asking, "I want to know, if this were true, according to Duke Qi, how should it be handled?"
The Duke replied, "Your Majesty, if this were indeed true, the evildoer should certainly be severely punished."
Yuwen Lan made a sound of acknowledgment and asked further, "If this villain were from a noble family, in Duke Qi's opinion, should the law show favoritism and be lenient?"
At these words, Yanshu could barely contain her internal applause.
What an excellent question from the Emperor!
Everyone knows the principle that nobles who break the law face the same punishment as commoners. If Duke Qi suggested favoritism, many officials would surely oppose him, so he could only say no.
And thus, once the Emperor decided to convict his son, he would have nothing to say!
Sure enough, after the Emperor's words, the old man said, "Your Majesty, as the saying goes, nobles who break the law face the same punishment as commoners. This old minister believes that regardless of one's status, they should not receive special treatment under the law. However, given the gravity of the matter, we must investigate thoroughly to ensure we aren't deceived by those with ulterior motives."
Upon hearing this, everyone raised their eyebrows, thinking that Duke Qi must be getting old and out of touch with current affairs, not knowing that the storyteller's tales all had real-life origins?
And who had been wrongly accused?
However, just then, the Emperor spoke, "A few days ago, I received reports that the Heir of Duke Qi, Guo Zhenghai, abused his power to force a virtuous woman to become his concubine and maliciously framed Lin Chengxian, the Commander of the Right Guard of Lu Prefecture, for stealing and selling military provisions, causing him to be wrongly accused for two years."
At these words, Duke Qi was stunned.
Everyone else was stunned too.
They all turned to look at Guo Zhenghai.
No wonder he had claimed to feel unwell and collapsed when the story was first told - so he was the villain!!!
Under everyone's gaze, Guo Zhenghai immediately knelt and said, "Please investigate clearly, Your Majesty! This is completely fabricated! This Lin Chengxian is actually a greedy person who, during my visit to Lu Prefecture, forced his eldest daughter to become my concubine and then constantly extorted money from me. He truly did steal those provisions, and when his crime was exposed, he begged me to cover for him. When I refused, he became resentful and started making false accusations against me..."
Hearing this explanation, everyone raised their eyebrows.
What?
In his version, a mere commander had threatened him, the heir to a duke?
Just then, the Empress Dowager spoke, "What nonsense is this? Their daughter, probably younger than your own son, was forced upon you as a concubine? And you accepted? What, did they get you drunk and force you?"
Pfft...
At these words, though angry, the crowd could barely suppress their laughter.
Well said, Empress Dowager!
Yanshu also secretly praised her cleverness, then spoke up, "I hear you have fifteen or sixteen concubines in your household. Were they all forced upon you as well? If so, you must have suffered greatly."
Hearing this, everyone had to stifle their laughter again, all looking at Guo Zhenghai, who was now sweating profusely and could no longer fabricate any excuses, only stammering, "I... I am ashamed..."
Just then, Yanshu heard Guo Zhaorong's thoughts, [Hmph! This woman dares to insult my father! I'll make her pay for this in the future!]
Oh my, still daring to threaten her?
Yanshu immediately added, "By the way, with so many concubines in your household, why haven't we heard of any children from them?"
At these words, everyone naturally looked at Lady Wei.
Well, since that old lecher was Guo Zhenghai, needless to say, that evil woman must be her.
Tsk tsk tsk, who would have thought she could be so vicious! If what the story says is true, there must be at least ten wrongful deaths by her hand, considering she had disposed of five or six unborn children alone.
The pregnant Princess of Ankang couldn't help but say, "How could anyone do such things?"
Everyone nodded, whispering, "With such a mother, how could she raise a good daughter? And they still have the nerve to aspire to be Empress?"
"Indeed, if she really became Empress, wouldn't that spell disaster for the imperial family?"
Just then, Lady Wei suddenly knelt and cried, "This is unjust! Please investigate, Your Majesty and Empress Dowager, the storyteller is framing me! I have never done anything unconscionable! If I had, heaven would have struck me down..."
At these words, Lord Lu, the Minister of Works and the storyteller's number one fan, couldn't help but speak up, "The storyteller has never wrongly accused anyone since beginning to write!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
But just then, there was another thud.
Everyone hurriedly looked over to see their son, Guo Jianguang, suddenly collapse, foaming at the mouth and convulsing violently.
This startled everyone, and Yanshu quietly asked the system, [What's happening now?]
The system replied, [Would that concubine seduce him for nothing? Of course she had poisoned him! Now that he's drunk and nervous, he naturally can't withstand the poison's effects.]
Yanshu: [!!!]
That concubine was truly bold and clever!
It seems this family was providing today's most spectacular show.
Sure enough, seeing this situation, the Guo family members all cried out in alarm, and Yuwen Lan ordered the court physician present that night, "Examine what's wrong with him."
The physician complied, immediately examining him before concluding, "Your Majesty, Young Master Guo's body is severely depleted, seemingly from excessive sexual activity."
Tsk...
Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, whispering in their hearts―
To be so depleted at such a young age, just how corrupt has this family become?
The Empress Dowager commanded, "Take him to the side hall and revive him first."
The palace servants complied, quickly carrying him out of the hall.
But there were still urgent matters to handle.
The Emperor said, "The Ministry of Justice has already brought witnesses and evidence back from Lu Prefecture. Guards, arrest the Heir of Duke Qi, Guo Zhenghai, and begin the trial immediately to give the people an explanation as soon as possible."
At these words, guards responded in unison and took Guo Zhenghai away.
Of course, as his family members, Lady Wei and her daughter Guo Zhaorong were also "invited" out and placed under guard.
Seeing this, Duke Qi hurried to speak, "Your Majesty..."
But before he could finish, the Emperor interrupted, "It's admirable that Duke Qi understands justice so well. As you said earlier, once the crimes are verified, I will certainly punish severely without mercy."
Before Duke Qi could say more, everyone praised in unison, "The Emperor is wise!"
After the Guo family members were removed, the hall returned to order.
Everyone still wanted more, so the master of ceremonies called the storyteller back up to tell a few more stories.
Everyone enjoyed eating mooncakes while listening to the stories.
In the garden, the Mid-Autumn moon rose high, creating a beautiful reflection in Jinbo Lake.
This Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, though different from others, had its own unique charm.
It was only a pity that those young ladies who had dressed up hoping to perform could no longer find their opportunity.
