Those who beat and killed the victims at the gate had returned to their place.

They put off the clothes of soldiers.

They put the man whose tongue was cut onto the bed, "Big brother! Big brother!"

One of them called him, but he didn't reply. Then the man turned around to tell others, "Big brother died!"

"What? Big brother died?" They couldn't believe it when they heard this.

Someone came up and put his fingers under his nose, and then hit the man speaking just now hard, "You idiot! Big brother is alive! He didn't die."

Others let out a sigh of relief.

"Go and fetch a doctor!" That man asked his fellows aside.

Those people were scoundrels that driven out by their families or villagers. Later, someone got them organized. The leader was the man whose tongue was cut by Jiang Wei. His name was Biesan. He usually led his fellows to do bad things, and therefore they needn't worry about meals and clothes.

But they came a cropper this time.

Yesterday, a woman came up to him and wanted to hire him to do something. At first, Biesan didn't promise her, because what he did was just to bully the common people in the city.

He dared not to do as the woman said.

However, that woman told him that those people gathering outside the city were rioters. Even if they beat the rioters to death, they will not be held accountable.

Biesan was still hesitating until the woman raised the pay to a hundred taels of silver.

So Biesan agreed. A hundred taels of silver were enough for them to pig out for a long time.

Then he took the silver and nodded.

The woman gave each of them a set of uniforms.

However, it was beyond their expectation that they lost two brothers and Biesan's tongue!

That woman cheated them! If they had known that the stalls to smash belonged to an infanta, they would have given it up rather than put their brothers in danger!

Now it was too late to regret. They wanted to find the woman who hired them for revenge!

...

The guards at the Palace's gate saw a woman in red galloping to the gate.

"Who's that coming? You are approaching the Palace where ordinary people are not allowed to enter! Get off the horse!" The guards showed her their weapons.

Yang Zijin pulled the bridle around the horse's neck, "Ho..."

The forehoof of the horse rose into the air and then the horse stopped.

"This is Infanta Qingcheng! I have something urgent to report to His Majesty!" Yang Zijin gave the guards on her way a penetrating look.

A guard whispered to his colleague, "Just then the bridesmaid came in with an empty sedan chair, saying that Infanta Qingcheng ran away from the wedding. But Her Highness is here now, has she changed her mind?"

"I don't know. You see, there's some blood on her face. Maybe she does have something urgent."

"Let her in. If there's anything delayed, we can't take responsibility."

The two guards discussed for a while and one of them opened the gate.

Then he came over and said, "Please get off the horse, Your Highness. The horse is difficult to control. It would be bad if it bumps into someone of rank!"

As soon as his words finished, Yang Zijin clamped the horse's belly and rushed into the Palace.

"Your Highness... You..." The guard shouted behind her.

The wedding feast was held in the imperial garden. At this time, all the ministers had arrived with their families.

The Emperor and Empress, as well as Empress Dowager were seated.

On their sides were Grand Mentor Liu and Duke of Mu.

These two men were delighted.

"It's the time of the three bows. Please come up, the groom!" Eunuch Li shouted in a shrill voice.

Shuo Ling came up. He was in scarlet wedding clothes with a wide belt of cloud patterns embroidered with silver threads, which made him slimmer, and wore a perfect black jade pendant. His black hair was half tied up with red string. He looked composed, handsome and noble!

The girls that liked Shuo Ling felt jealous of Yang Zijin.

Chushi Weiming wore a red robe that perfectly showed his figure and tied his hair with a gold crown. He looked handsome, either, but was not so good compared to Shuo Ling.

They came up and Eunuch Li spoke with his shrill voice again, "Bridesmaid, bring the bride to the groom."

The bridesmaid brought Liu Yiyi to Chushi Weiming, "Congratulations, the Third Prince and the Princess of the Third Prince."

Then she put Liu Yiyi's hand into Chushi Weiming's hand.

Liu Yiyi lowed her head in shyness.

The bridesmaid of Yang Zijin was like an ant on a hot pan. She trembled with fear.

"What's the matter?" Empress Dowager didn't see the bridesmaid brought Yang Zijin here. She frowned.

Chushi Youtian gave a look to Eunuch Li. Eunuch Li understood and called again, "Bridesmaid, bring the bride to the groom!"

Hearing Eunuch Li's call, the bridesmaid knew that she couldn't conceal it, so she trotted forward and knelt, "Your Majesty, Her Highness... is not in the sedan chair."

"What? She's not in the sedan chair?" Duke of Mu stood up.

He came to the bridesmaid, "What did you say? How could it be possible? I saw Qingcheng get into the sedan chair."

"Your Highness, Her Highness did get into the sedan chair, but she went off halfway..." The bridesmaid bowed her head.

Duke of Mu went on asking, "Did she tell you where she was going?"

"No." The bridesmaid trembled.

Shuo Ling frowned. Yang Zijin was not an unaccountable person. There must be something wrong.

The ministers presented here were whispering to each other.

And the madams and ladies also discussed together.

Those ladies who had a crush on Shuo Ling repressed their excitement and pretended to be surprised, "Perhaps she knows that she's not worthy of Marquis Shuo, so she ran away. Isn't it?"

"What are you talking about? You are in the Palace now! Mind your wording!"

Shuo Ling turned around, looking at these ladies sharply. The gossiping women shut their mouths and dared not say a word.

They didn't want to provoke Shuo Ling.

At this time, Eunuch Li came up, "Your Majesty, it's the time for three bows, what should we do..."

"Go on with the wedding!" Chushi Youtian looked obviously unpleasant. He was angry that Yang Zijin dared to disobey his edict!

Eunuch Li spoke out, "It' time for three bows! The first bow to the heaven and the earth."

...

After the wedding ceremony, Chushi Weiming laughed at Shuo Ling when he passed him, "I've never thought that a man as powerful as you can be abandoned by a woman."

"You'd better say something nice for the bless to your child." Shuo Ling threw a glance at Liu Yiyi aside.

Chushi Weiming was pissed off, "You..."

Shuo Ling came over to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, please allow me to..."

"Marquis Shuo, I'll send some guards to look for her." Chushi Youtian said before Shuo Ling finished his words.

Duke of Mu also came up, "Your Majesty, let me look for her!"

"Since the Duke of Mu worried about your daughter, then go together!" As Chushi Youtian didn't say anything, Empress Dowager said.

Duke of Mu saluted at once, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Chushi Youtian spoke loudly, "Guard!"

"No need..." Just as Chushi Youtian gave his order, they heard Yang Zijin's voice came from the outside.

People on the seat looked outside. They saw Yang Zijin in red galloping here. She seemed courageous.

The guards immediately came up to block Yang Zijin.

Yang Zijin pulled the reins and the horse stopped after a neigh.

Yang Zijin jumped off the horse and walked straight to Chushi Youtian with blood on her face. She walked into the wedding feast in her wedding dress.

The crowd was confused, "She is..."

"Qingcheng, what happened to you?" Empress Dowager left her seat and came up to Yang Zijin.

Shuo Ling tensed up at once, but then he let out a sigh of relief for he found that Yang Zijin did not seem to be hurt and the blood was not hers. He decided to wait and watch.

Duke of Mu also came up to Yang Zijin, "Qingcheng, where have you been? What has happened to you? Are you hurt?"

Yang Zijin stared at Chushi Youtian coldly, "Grandmother, father, please sit down. I have something to ask His Majesty."

Yang Zijin pointed at Chushi Youtian, "Today, I want Your Majesty to give me an explanation!"

"Explanation? What explanation?" The guests on the feast discussed in a low voice.

Duke of Mu pulled Yang Zijin's sleeve, "Qingcheng, don't be rude!"

"How dare you! I have not punished you for running away halfway and disobeying the imperial edict. Now you are in trouble with me first!" Chushi Youtian was angry at Yang Zijin's point.

Yang Zijin was challenging his dignity!

Yang Zijin replied firmly, "Your Majesty, I will face the music for disobeying the edict. However, I'd like to ask you some questions first!"

"Then I'd like to know what question they are!" Chushi Youtian snorted.

Yang Zijin said, "Can anyone slaughter people of Dongling at his will?"

"No, he can't!" Chushi Youtian replied, looking at Yang Zijin.

Yang Zijin continued, "Will you send officials to relieve the disaster if people of Dongling are suffering from it?"

"Of course, I will!" Chushi Youtian nodded again.

Yang Zijin heard his answer and stepped forward, went on asking, "Your Majesty, if someone slaughters the innocent and abuse his power to hound the victims to death, how will you punish him?"

"Victims? I don't know where the victims come from. Don't make up stories, Qingcheng!"

"It's not a story, Your Majesty. You can send someone to have a look at the gate of Jing City. I think they haven't had time to dispose of the bodies." Yang Zijin looked at Lan Ruojing aside.

Chushi Youtian roared, "Guards! Have a look at the gate of the city!"

Some guards accepted the order and left the feast.

Lan Ruojing looked away to avoid Yang Zijin's look. He wondered why Infanta Qingcheng was looking at him. Yesterday, he heard that Infanta Qingcheng was providing porridge at the gate. Presumably, she would tell the existence of the victims to the Emperor.

So he had already figured out a way. He was going to send his subordinates to dislodge them on the wedding day of Infanta Qingcheng.

Then he told his plan to Prime Minister Lan and Prime Minister Lan asked him to act in the night because it was too ostentatious in the daytime.

So he canceled the plan, but why were the victims still attacked?

Prime Minister Lan tensed up when he heard Yang Zijin's words. He thought maybe Lan Ruojing didn't listen to him. But as he looked at Lan Ruojing sitting beside him, he saw him shaking his head.

Prime Minister Lan was puzzled: Could it be someone who knew about Lan Ruojing's plan try to frame him up?"

Chushi Youtian looked at Yang Zijin, frowned, "What is going on here?"

"Flood attacked Jiandu, but local officials didn't do anything. The victims had nowhere to go, so they came to Jing City and tried to make a living. However, some people prevented them from entering the city, gave them a label of 'rioters', and even killed some of them!"

Yang Zijin's allegation aroused discussion among the ministers, "Flood in Jiandu?"

"How could it be possible? In the spring, His Majesty had allocated funds for building the dam and now, it's in the first stage of the rainy season. So, how did the people become victims?"