Chapter 1087
Yang Chi's First Trial in the Palace
Chapter 1087 Yang Chi's First Trial in the Palace
The Hall of Nourishing Heart,
Inside the East Warm Pavilion,
At this moment, all was quiet. Only the three members of the Imperial Medical Academy were there, preparing for the acupuncture treatment. Several eunuchs brought in basins of boiled water and placed them near the blankets, ready for later use.
that's it,
The three imperial physicians seemed to have planned it beforehand.
Helpless, Chen Qingyuan carried the box over and, with trembling hands, opened the vermilion needle box in front of Eunuch Yang.
Inside the box were thirty-six silver needles arranged neatly, their tips gleaming with a cold light. Just as I was about to take one, Wu Heling came over and took out three three-inch-long needles, examining them repeatedly by candlelight. These were the "Three Talents Needles" treasured by the Imperial Medical Academy. The needles were engraved with the Big Dipper pattern, and the tips were shaped like mosquito beaks. They were best at penetrating acupoints to reduce pain.
“I’ll explain, you do the needling. First, select Baihui, Renzhong, and Yongquan.”
Wu Heling said in a deep voice.
Chen Qingyuan took a deep breath, lightly sterilized the silver needles over the fire of mugwort, and then pinched Yang Jinshui's hair bun with his left thumb and forefinger to expose the Baihui acupoint. This acupoint is located at the center of the top of the head and gathers all the yang qi. If a person who is conscious receives the acupuncture, he will definitely feel a strong soreness and distension.
"tie!"
The silver needle was slowly inserted. When the needle tip entered the skin, Eunuch Yang, who was sitting there, suddenly convulsed violently and let out a muffled roar. Wu Heling, however, remained unmoved and stared intently at the end of the needle. Normally, when the acupoint receives Qi, the silver needle will tremble slightly, but at this moment, the "Three Talents Needle" did not move at all.
"Continue, stab someone again."
Wu Heling's voice was cold and clear. Chen Qingyuan paused for a moment, then switched to a shorter silver needle and pressed it with his finger at the point one-third of the way up Yang Jinshui's nasolabial groove. This was a crucial acupoint for emergency treatment; even an unconscious person would frown when needled.
So, when things were going a little slower, just as the needle tip touched the skin, Yang Jinshui suddenly spat a mouthful of phlegm onto Chen Qingyuan's face, accompanied by manic laughter:
"You little rascal, you've got the wrong one! Haha!"
Everyone in the hall was shocked. This scene was witnessed by Zhang Jinyu and the Empress Wu. This Sichuan dialect was the same one Yang Chi used in his hometown before he entered the palace. However, Wu Heling did not dare to make any unnecessary movements and signaled Chen Qingyuan to continue administering acupuncture.
Chen Qingyuan called over two eunuchs to hold the man down, and then pushed the silver needle in again. The silver needle went into the philtrum until two-thirds of the needle was in. Yang Chi just tilted his head and grinned foolishly, drool dripping down the silver needle.
"Finally, the spring."
After speaking, Wu Heling personally lifted Yang Chi's patched coarse cloth trousers, revealing his calloused feet. He took off his shoes and socks. The Yongquan acupoint is located in the depression on the sole of the foot and connects to the kidney meridian. Needling it is like being struck by lightning. Chen Qingyuan knelt on one knee, held Yang Chi's ankle with his left hand, and quickly inserted the needle with his right hand.
This time, Yang Chi suddenly arched his body, twisting violently like a fish out of water, letting out an inhuman howl. Wu Heling pressed down hard on his knees, observing the sensation of the needles—the skin around the silver needles turned an abnormal bluish-purple, a sign that the deliberate tension of muscles had caused blood and qi stagnation.
"Quickly, remove the needle."
Before Wu Heling could finish speaking, Yang Chi suddenly collapsed to the ground, his eyes rolled back, and white foam continuously gushed from the corners of his mouth. This scene not only chilled Zhang Jinyu to the bone and made her scalp tingle, but even the Emperor frowned at the sight. Dai Quan, his face grim, quickly stepped forward, wiped the filth beside the Emperor's throne with his sleeve, and whispered:
"Your Majesty, please calm down. In my opinion, Eunuch Yang's madness is probably not untrue."
"Humph!"
The Martial Emperor snorted coldly, his thoughts unknown;
“Dai Quan, you’ve worked with him for so many years, can’t you see the slightest clue?”
Dai Quan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately knelt down:
"Your Majesty, this old servant dares not deceive you. It's just that Yang Chi has served Your Majesty for many years with utmost loyalty, and now he has fallen to such a state. This old servant truly cannot bear it. Moreover, if he were truly feigning madness, how could he endure such pain as the insertion of silver needles into his acupoints?"
These three acupoints are so powerful that even martial arts practitioners would find them difficult to withstand, let alone an old eunuch.
The Martial Emperor hesitated for a moment, then his gaze fell on Yang Chi again:
"Lord Luo Yun, what do you think?"
At this moment, Zhang Jinyu was still trying to figure out His Majesty's thoughts. Had he been summoned here today just to watch this drama, or was there another important matter? Yang Chi's words implied something about the palace—referring to both the Hall of Mental Cultivation and the Chang Le Palace. The arrival of the vassal kings in the capital seemed like a crisis, but it could also be an opportunity. If these people were detained in the capital, no one in the world would dare to covet the throne anymore. The only concern was for the retired emperor, since over 100,000 imperial guards could easily be lost, and the consequences would be unpredictable.
His Majesty must also be worried about these things. After all, it is unknown how many of the Imperial Guards he has won over are actually capable. The former Crown Prince died because of this, and this serves as a cautionary tale. Unless he leads his troops into the capital, but if foreign troops enter the city, it will involve all sides, making it even more difficult. Only an imperial decree would be necessary.
"Your Majesty, I am not knowledgeable in medical matters, but it seems to me that Eunuch Yang has gone mad. Since he is mad, he will keep his mouth shut. Leaving aside the matter in court for now, he will certainly be interrogated tomorrow."
"Yes, you're right, interrogate her."
The Empress's eyes were sharp; she had already made up her mind. She waved her hand, and the imperial physicians slowly withdrew.
Wu Heling glanced sideways and noticed that the little finger of Eunuch Yang's drooping right hand was twitching slightly at an extremely unnatural frequency—this was a muscle spasm caused by prolonged tension.
As the group stood to one side, he recalled the record in the *Ling Shu Jing*, where he wrote tiny characters on a certain page of the "Epilepsy and Madness" chapter:
"The Baihui point is as stiff as a rock, the Renzhong point loses its convulsions, and the Yongquan point is abnormally bluish-black. These are not signs of illness, but rather the result of a technique for controlling muscle tension and holding the breath."
Startled, I immediately lowered my head. Could it be that he was faking it?
Inside the hermitage, wisps of smoke curled and candlelight flickered. The Martial Emperor, dressed in a bright yellow Taoist robe, looked like a Taoist sage. He sat up, straightened his back, his face calm, his eyes like abysses, and asked.
"Yang Chi, you've been with me for quite some time now, and you know a lot about the affairs of the palace. Back then, I sent you to Jiangnan to handle some matters for the Emperor Emeritus. You were also in charge of everything the Emperor Emeritus needed for his cultivation. Today, I ask you, do you remember the Emperor Emeritus?"
Clearly, these words were not something Zhang Jinyu should be hearing, but since she was already seated there, she couldn't refuse to listen. She was also somewhat puzzled as to why these words were being spoken by the Emperor Emeritus. Since she was going to listen, she wanted to understand them.
"superior,"
"superior,"
He was almost completely out of his mind, only managing to utter the single word "up."
"What are you talking about? Yang Chi, have you seen the memorial tablet?"
Then came another round of mysterious questions. From who knows where, a young eunuch brought in the tablets of the Three Pure Ones and placed them before Eunuch Yang.
Yang Chi raised his cloudy eyes; his face was now streaked with tears and snot, and he answered with difficulty.
"sky,"
This single word, seemingly simple, contains endless profound meaning. Zhang Jinyu's heart stirred. "Heaven"—isn't the emperor heaven, or rather, the heaven of the retired emperor? But then again, that doesn't make sense. He just said the word "up," which together means "above the heavens," referring to the retired emperor.
"Okay, okay, who did you see this time?"
The Martial Emperor seemed to smile, though it was unclear whether he was satisfied or not, and continued to ask.
"Lingxiao Shangqing."
After another moment of holding his breath, Yang Chi replied, word by word.
"Hmm, who's sitting below Lingxiao Shangqing? Who is it?"
The Empress pressed on relentlessly, pressing him for answers.
"Flying Origin True Lord."
His voice trembled slightly, as if Yang Chi was recalling something.
"And who is that Fei Yuan Zhenjun?"
The question and answer left Zhang Jinyu wide-eyed. What the hell was this? What Feiyuan, Shangqing? He couldn't understand it at all. If it were the Three Pure Ones of Taoism, he would know immediately, but he really didn't remember these names.
"Loyalty, Filial Piety, Emperor, Ruler."
"And who is the Loyal and Filial Emperor?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A series of questions and answers led the Martial Emperor to his decision. Flying Origin True Lord, Loyal and Filial Emperor, Longevity Emperor—these were the titles the Retired Emperor had given him. Yang Chi still remembered them; it seemed he had considerable contact with the Retired Emperor. As for whether they were true or not, let's just assume they were.
However, having confirmed in his heart that such a loyal servant had done something foolish, he let bygones be bygones and simply waved his sleeve.
"Okay, well said. So who are you?"
Several eunuchs quickly stepped back, carried the memorial tablets of the Three Pure Ones back, and placed them aside. Yang Chi almost gasped for breath, drool dripping from his mouth, looking completely bewildered.
"Who am I? I... I am the Hermit of Guangling! Yes, the Hermit of Guangling! I am the Hermit of Guangling! Ahahaha!" A burst of maniacal laughter filled the hall with a touch of desolation. All the eunuchs and stewards bowed their heads.
"What Guangling Sanren?"
The Emperor frowned; he couldn't quite understand the meaning behind those words.
"Where's my zither? I am Jia Yucun, I am Hu Wenxuan, I am... no, not Hu Wenxuan, I am Shen Wanhe, haha!"
Yang Chi suddenly stood up excitedly and burst into laughter, prompting the eunuch beside him to quickly restrain him.
This answer left everyone in the hall thoughtful. "Guangling Sanren," or "Guangling San," refers to a piece of music played on the guqin. Jia Yucun and Hu Wenxuan were both officials in the Jinling government, and Shen Wanhe was merely the richest man in Jiangnan. Could these individuals be implicated in this affair?
Zhang Jinyu stroked his chin. "Guangling San" refers to the work of Ji Kang's successor. Ji Kang's son, Ji Shao, sacrificed his life to save the emperor, staining his imperial robes with blood. This statement conveys a message to the emperor: everything he did was to preserve the imperial family's reputation.
It seems the Emperor understood. Stealing a glance, he indeed looked much better; they understood without a word.
"Then how dare you come here?"
"Waaah, Ning Kai brought me here, no, Yang Chi brought me here, it's them, they're trying to harm people!"
After a tearful account, it was impossible to tell whether it was true or false.
"Then tell me, how did they harm you?"
The Martial Emperor narrowed his eyes, clearly having already figured out the trickery involved.
"Yang Chi wants to weave silk, lots of silk, to weave cloth,"
As Yang Chi spoke, he made weaving motions, as if he himself were weaving.
“But there was too much. Without raw silk to weave cloth, there would be no cloth to wear, and neither could the Emperor. We had nothing left. But I had other things here, so I gave them to them.”
Yang Chi's eyes held a mixture of shock and despair.
But when this was brought up, a sharp glint flashed in the Emperor's eyes, and he finally asked the crucial question.
"Who wore all that cloth? Who received the goods?"
"Too many. Too many."
Hesitant and stammering, Yang Chi cowered in fear.
"Who wore them? Tell me quickly, was it Fei Yuan Zhenjun, Zhongxiao Emperor, or Wanshou Emperor?"
"Yes, Imperial Wardrobe, Hat and Headwear Bureau, Knitting Bureau, Fei Yuan."
"Good, good, well said. Aren't they just those people? Ma Guangcheng, Hu Wenxuan, or maybe everyone in the government office, or Jing Cunliang, Zhuang Shouzhi, and him."
These people are stirring up trouble in Jiangnan; how could the Empress not know? Now, realizing she's been drawn into it all, she's caught up in it all.
"What about Su Chong? Has he put his clothes on yet?"
Since no one in the Jiangnan officialdom escaped unscathed, was Su Chong, who went later, implicated? If so, what about Lu Wenshan?
"Su Chong, who is he? He's not from the Textile Bureau, I don't know him,"
Yang Chi looked somewhat bewildered, shook his head, as if he had never seen him before.
“Okay, what about Dai Quan? He’s wearing a cloth robe,”
For reasons unknown, the Empress suddenly roared and pointed at Dai Quan, demanding an explanation. This question terrified Dai Quan, who knelt on the ground and repeatedly kowtowed.
“Who is Dai Quan? How could he possibly have the opportunity to wear our woven fabric?”
He glanced at it, then shook his head with wide, curious eyes, as if he truly didn't recognize it.
"You don't recognize him? Dai Quan is the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, the Commander of the Imperial City Guard, and also the ancestor you're talking about."
The Martial Emperor explained with a smile,
"Ancestor, it seems there is one, but wasn't he dead long ago? How is he still alive?"
A bewildered look in his eyes, uttering ambiguous words.
"Haha, good, well said. Alright, stop kowtowing and get up. I just wanted to ask a question."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Dai Quan wiped the sweat from his brow, tears welling in his eyes. Even Zhang Jinyu was restless; as the saying goes, serving a ruler is like serving a tiger, and today she had truly experienced it firsthand. A strange feeling stirred within her.
After Dai Quan stood up, he wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and looked at the person in front of him with concern. He knew that Yang Chi was "truly dead," but what would happen next?
"Yang Chi's soul was taken by a vengeful ghost, so going mad is a good end. He will be detained in the palace, next to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. We'll leave him a garden there to take good care of him. When we interrogate him tomorrow, the palace staff will carry him over and take him away to be kept under close guard."
Everything seemed to be settled, but since they knew what had happened in Jiangnan and couldn't investigate further, several eunuchs quickly carried Eunuch Yang out again.
suddenly,
A sound of someone kneeling down was heard.
"Your Majesty, it is all our fault for failing to live up to Your Majesty's grace. Heaven has already punished him. Your Majesty must not trouble yourself with this matter."
With a thud, Dai Quan knelt on the ground, weeping and begging for mercy for Yang Chi. His kneeling caused all the servants in the room to also kneel and weep.
"If Heaven has punished him, then I will not punish him. Forget it. Tell a few maids to send him to the Chaotian Temple after the trial. With some immortals there, evil spirits won't be able to get close. Perhaps he can live out his days in peace. He can still get by."
Ultimately, it was Empress Wu who gave the order, and the few maids arranged were naturally for guarding purposes. Dai Quan knew this, so he quickly knelt down to express his gratitude.
"This servant, on behalf of Yang Chi, kowtows to express gratitude for Your Majesty's grace,"
that's it,
The somewhat eerie interrogation came to an end. The Imperial Medical Bureau personnel were dismissed, and the blankets and Bagua diagram on the floor were removed. The room immediately became warmer.
The servants replaced the teacups for the Emperor and Marquis Luoyun, and the room fell silent again. Just as Zhang Jinyu was about to lose his composure, the Empress spoke.
"I have been keeping an eye on the case in Jiangnan. I have carefully read the memorials submitted. They say that after three years in power, even a dog will tire of you. I have been entrusting the affairs of the palace to you, and no matter how well you have done, I have seen it all. There have been many times when you have taken the blame for me."
"Your Majesty, this old servant is willing. There is no grievance on my part. The entire land is borne by Your Majesty alone. All the civil and military officials, plus those in the palace, are protecting this and that. It is you who is most wronged, sob sob."
In the end, Dai Quan actually knelt down and began to sob.
At this moment, Zhang Jinyu dared not remain seated any longer and rose to kneel on the ground as well.
“Your Majesty, Eunuch Dai is absolutely right. Both inside and outside the palace, it is Your Majesty’s discerning eye that has recognized talent. If it weren’t for Your Majesty’s bestowal of titles and honors, I don’t know which city wall I would be standing on outside the Great Wall right now.”
He pinched the back of his hand so hard that his eyes reddened with pain. It was as if both loyal ministers and devoted servants had gathered together.
Seeing the two men's expressions, Emperor Wu was filled with emotion.
"You two are spouting nonsense. Get up. I'm referring to the case in Jiangnan, the retrial of Ma Guangcheng and Hu Wenxuan's confessions by those two county magistrates. I opened and read them when they were sent to the palace a few days ago."
I originally didn't want to open it, but I couldn't resist. What I saw was shocking. Some things were taboo, and more importantly, they involved the Imperial Household Department, the Textile Bureau, and the palace itself.
Speaking of which,
Emperor Wu hesitated again. Should she intervene in the case at Chang Le Palace, or not? If she could implicate Chang Le Palace in the case, would she see an opportunity? If not, this joint trial by the three judicial departments would be nothing more than superfluous embellishment.
Seeing the Emperor pause mid-sentence, Zhang Jinyu secretly glanced up and saw the Emperor's brows furrowed, deep in thought. But then he thought of his fearless student; he hadn't seen the details of the confession.
"Your Majesty, are there some discrepancies in the confessions written by Xu Changwen and his men?"
I tried asking a question,
"There were no discrepancies, and the interrogation was very thorough and comprehensive. However, I have never encountered a case in the world where the Emperor Emeritus was directly mentioned in the confession. Tell me, how should this case be handled?"
The confessions were kept in the Imperial Study and not given to the Cabinet. Therefore, the two memorials submitted were different, and even differed from the confessions obtained during the Cabinet's interrogation.
At last,
However, the cabinet made a copy and kept it as an archive.
“Your Majesty, since they dared to record this, it means someone dared to speak out. Since someone is implicating us, we must investigate thoroughly to uncover the truth. We cannot allow the Retired Emperor to be slandered. With all the civil and military officials present, under the clear sky, how can we act recklessly? After a thorough investigation, the truth will come to light.”
Since there's no way to hide it, the only option is to investigate thoroughly. Unfortunately, Yang Chi has gone mad, making it a case with no clear answer.
"Well said. Keep a close eye on the case tomorrow during the trial."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
(End of this chapter)