AWB Chapter 285 The Drum of Petition
Chapter 285 The Drum of Petition
The next morning, Rongxiu wore simple clothes, her loose hair was combed up, revealing her scarred face.
When Granny Gui saw Rongxiu's appearance, she was momentarily dazed.
Many years ago, she was assigned to look after Rongxiu. At that time, Rongxiu was a pretty little maid, but the trials and tribulations of the past ten years have worn away all of Rongxiu's sharpness.
If Rongxiu hadn't been so loyal to Chu Wanqing, she probably would have already succumbed to Madam Wen's many schemes.
"Go ahead," Granny Gui sighed and handed the luggage to Rongxiu.
Upon hearing this, Rongxiu immediately grabbed her luggage.
She was never one to repay evil with kindness. If she weren't limited by her current abilities and forced to follow Madam Wen's established plan, she would definitely kill this old hag in front of her first.
"You'll get your comeuppance sooner or later for all the evil things you've done for Zhang Rongrong." Rongxiu spat at Granny Gui and turned to leave.
She moved quickly, even though she hadn't stepped out of that door for over a decade. During those years, she had been tracing her escape route in her mind every single day.
Therefore, the moment she stepped out of the gate, she knew where to go in Yingtian Prefecture.
More than a decade has passed in the blink of an eye. Although the layout of the capital has changed somewhat, it still looks the same.
Therefore, velvet embroidery found its way to Yingtian Prefecture very easily.
Looking at the Dengwen Drum outside Yingtian Prefecture, her eyes suddenly sharpened.
People came and went outside Yingtian Prefecture, but no one dared to linger at the gate. Only Rongxiu stared intently at the plaque of Yingtian Prefecture in front of her.
Just then, another carriage came speeding by.
Rongxiu was about to step forward, but was forced to stop by the carriage.
It turned out to be Madam Wen.
She arrived at the Dengwen Drum, dressed in the ceremonial robes of an imperial consort and adorned with jewels.
"boom"
"boom"
"boom"
Lady Wen struck the Dengwen Drum.
Lady Wen was ignorant of farming and physically inactive. She laboriously struck the Dengwen Drum and stood panting in front of it.
Not just anyone can beat the Dengwen Drum outside Yingtian Prefecture.
To sound the petition drum, one must first endure the cruel punishment of twenty strokes of the cane.
However, because Lady Wen held an imperial title, she was exempted from the twenty strokes of the cane.
Standing at the gate of Yingtian Prefecture, her tense mood suddenly calmed down after the Dengwen Drum was sounded.
Today... this entanglement of the past fifteen years will finally come to a complete end.
After the palace coup, the prefect was replaced by someone from the Zhong family, and today is the day that Lord Zhong takes office as the new prefect.
Lord Zhong was leisurely drinking tea in his residence, preparing to go to his new post, when he heard a deafening drumbeat outside the door.
The Zhong family was a long-established family in the capital, but they had rarely heard the sound of the Dengwen Drum.
As the prefect, Lord Zhong was very familiar with the voice. Before his attendants could react, he stood up abruptly, not even noticing the hot tea spilled on him.
"The petition drum has been sounded!" Lord Zhong said through gritted teeth. "Who exactly sounded the petition drum?"
Today is his big day in office, this petition drum...
Everyone knows that once the drum for petitioning is sounded, it proves that there has been a wrongful conviction or miscarriage of justice.
He had just become the prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, a time when his future was bright, and he couldn't let this matter affect him.
"Come on!"
"But what's on your body..."
"At a time like this, who cares about clothes?"
Lord Zhong hurriedly walked out of his residence, which was next to Yingtian Prefecture. As soon as he stepped out, he saw Madam Wen, who was adorned with pearls and jade and dressed in a magnificent robe.
"What is she doing here?" Lord Zhong's eyelids twitched. "What grievance has she been wronged about? It can't be because of the Zhang family!"
He had long heard about what Consort Zhang had done in the palace. Although the news had not spread, some powerful families with spies had already learned the truth about the execution of the entire Zhang family.
If Lady Wen came for this matter, then he is truly at a loss. Is he supposed to announce to the world that the emperor has been cuckolded by Consort Zhang?
Just as Lord Zhong was pondering this in his mind, Madam Wen saw him.
His eyelids twitched, and he saw, under the watchful eyes of all the onlookers, Madam Wen kneel down before him with a thud, tears welling in her eyes, and cry out to him, "Please, Lord Zhong, do justice for this humble woman!"
"What exactly happened?" Lord Zhong hurriedly tried to help Madam Wen up.
Regardless of Madam Wen's motives, the fact that she would strike the Dengwen Drum must mean some secret of a powerful family. It's best to keep such matters quiet.
To everyone's surprise, Madam Wen brushed his hand away, her voice choked with emotion yet incredibly loud: "I beg you, sir, to do me justice! Thoroughly investigate the truth behind Chu Wanqing's death fifteen years ago!"
Chu Wanqing!
Upon hearing this name, Lord Zhong was struck dumb, and his heart pounded even faster.
Chu Wanqing? Isn't that the late wife of the Duke of Wen... the most favored daughter of the Chu family?
After Chu Wanqing passed away, General Chu and his wife almost killed Duke Wen with a sword, but His Majesty stopped them. However, from then on, the Chu family and Duke Wen became sworn enemies.
As a beneficiary of that incident, Madam Wen took over the position of Duchess of Wen after Chu Wanqing's death. What injustice is she appealing?
Lord Zhong's left eye kept twitching; his intuition told him that this case was not simple.
Lady Wen spoke with a firm and clear voice, every word she uttered distinctly: "I want to accuse my husband, Duke Wen, of murdering his wife!"
Her words, brief yet powerful, immediately stunned everyone present.
Lord Zhong was startled and quickly signaled to the people beside him to help Madam Wen away. But Madam Wen knelt down and refused to get up: "Lord Zhong, since I have sounded the petition drum, I beg you to report this matter to the Emperor!"
Her gaze was firm, unmoved by the worry expressed by Lord Zhong.
Upon hearing Madam Wen's words, Lord Zhong knew that this matter could not be resolved peacefully today.
His face was grim, and he said in a deep voice, "I will naturally act in accordance with the rules."
"Madam Wen, please." He raised his hand, and several constables came out to escort Madam Wen away.
Madam Wen showed no fear, and instead addressed the onlookers, saying, "For the past fifteen years, I have been tormented by my conscience. Today, I strike the drum of petition to bring the wicked to justice. If I..."
"If anything happens to me..." Madam Wen's eyes turned fierce as she stared at Lord Zhong.
Lord Zhong immediately replied, "I guarantee with my own head that you are absolutely safe in Yingtian Prefecture!"
This concerns the Chu family; he must be insane to offend the Chu family for the sake of a declining Duke of Wen.
But the Duke of Wen has a daughter who is the Princess Consort of Jing... This is not good.
After much deliberation, Lord Zhong sighed and sent someone to inform the palace.
And this news spread quickly.