Chapter 120: Treason 1

The Duke's mansion

Madam Lu paced around the wide Center room of her pavilion, only stopping a few times to look to the open door expectantly. Her maids stood silently by the wall and watched her bore a hole on the ground with her shoes. 

Her most senior Maid Nanny Liu tried to make her relax, she walked to her mistress's side and said softly, "please have a seat, madam. Second master went into the palace to greet the Emperor and Empress, it may take a while before he gets back. Drink some tea while you wait, walking around will only make you tired".

Madam Lu could scarcely hear her, only the words "second master was back" repeated inner head. She had been experiencing him since she had received his letters last week. She hadn't seen her son n mouths, one would think that with how often Li Yaozhu went to war, She would be used to his long absence from home but that wasn't the case.

She clamped both hands at her lower stomach and bit her lip gently while looking hopefully at the door. The wait was nerve recking but she never regretted the wait, there was joy in seeing someone dear to your heart after some time of separation. The little maid in charge of attending to the gardens sent by steward Lu to deliver the news of the second master's arrival to her hadn't finished saying the word

"Second young master is at the gates" 

When Madam Lu rushed out of the room, her maids quickly ran after her. Nanny Liu rushed after her while calling out "Madam, hold on. Don't run, be careful of falling".

Madam Lu ignored her calls and ran towards the gates, she ignored the strange looks she received from the servants on the way. She met Lu Yaozhu walking in with Lu Yingjie and Zhu Fengyin as she walked out of a narrow pathway. Lu Yaozhu and his elder brother conversed between themselves in low tones as they caught up on a few things.

They walked with their heads close, eyes focused on the path in front of them, while Zhu Fengyin followed silently beside Lu Yingjie. Zhu Fengyin stopped and bowed when she saw her mother-in-law walk out of the pathway at their right.

"Mother" Zhu Fengyin stopped walking and holding both hands on her labs turned to the right and bowed. Lu Yaozhu and Lu Yingjie around as soon as they heard that and bowed respectfully as they chorused "Mother".

Madam Lu smiled and rushed forward, she held Lu Yaozhu's hand up smiling and said "Xiao Zhu! It has been a while"

She dropped one of his hands and placed her hands on his cheek, "I didn't think that I would see you this soon". She glanced behind him and didn't see Su Liya, "where is Liya? Didn't she come back with you?"

Lu Yaozhu brought her hand down from his cheek and put his hands through her palm. He smiled, "mom, Ya Ya is ill. She needs to rest in bed, it wasn't safe for her to travel. Once she gets better, I will send for her".

Madam Lu looked up eyes wide, "She is that sick? Oh no, what happened to her?"

Lu Yaozhu looked at her with raised eyebrows and then glanced at his brother and sister-in-law. He was surprised to hear his mother worried for Ya Ya, wasn't his mother sceptical of her before their move.

Why the sudden change in attitude? His brother and sister-in-law just shared a gaze and smiled. His elder brother scratched his nose and smirked. Lu Yaozhu looked back at his mother's expectant expression, "it is mother serious mother, it is just a stomach illness, she just needs to take some medicine to replenish her health. There is no need to worry, Physician Shen is taking care of her".

Madam Lu was reassured when she heard that Physician Shen was with her. She had decided to give Su Liya a chance after her men reported that she didn't have any hand in planning the scandal but was a victim but it was Zhu Fengyin's action these past months that convinced her to give her a chance.

Madam Lu nodded "that is good, it is getting late Xiao Zhu let's have dinner".

"Okay" Lu Yaozhu replied walking hand in hand with his mother.

**********

Two days, at the Emperor's Audience Hall

The court had just finished mediating a land case when Imperial Secretary Yu, an elderly man with completely grey hair in his sixties read out the official report submitted by Lu Yaozhu.

"The next matter for deliberation by the entire court is the arrest of Deputy Sun and General Sun Wei of the secondary branch of Jingyan's Sun family based in Ningzhuo for Embezzlement. The charge is brought against them by General Lu Yaozhu, governor of Ningzhuo.

"The two men were taken into the Ministry of Justice for questioning. I call on Chief Inspector Mu Yitze to read his results" 

Secretary Yu bowed after reading out the report and retreated to his table and seat below the dragon throne at the side of the wide hall. 

Chief Inspector Mu Yitze walked in with two bloodied men in heavy chains. The two father and son looked rather miserable, they looked nothing like noblemen. There have was u kept and their temperature dull, there were heavy chains around their wrists and ankle. Holding their neck was a square-shaped wooden neck lock, the younger man was sporting a few bruises on his jaw and a cut on the lip. 

They when dragged forward by muscular prison wardens and forced on their knees as soon as they arrive in front of the Emperor. A straw mat was spread out on the red carpet in the middle of the audience room, to prevent it from getting stained.

Emperor Zhong looked from his dragon throne calm, his eye fell on the bloodied Deputy Sun and old man Sun kneeling on a straw mat opposite the door and shook his head. They looked rather unkept, he gazed at Mu Yitze and smiled. 

This chief inspector of his was very good at his job, his men had reported that Mu Yitze was known as the iron touch. My Yitze performed a complete courtesy and unrolled the written report of the interrogation.

Prime Minister Shi stood straighter as Mu Yitze read out their charges and the results of his interrogation. The two prisoners were transported to the capital from Ningzhuo two days earlier by Lu Yaozhu. Mu Yitze began his interrogation the next day on the Emperor's orders. 

"On thorough investigation of the evidence provided by General Lu, it was discovered that the records were doctored. However, during the interrogation Deputy Sun maintained his innocence of the charges of corruption. After hours of questioning, there is no confession, even with the pressing evidence. This lowly official requests for a few more days of interrogation".

Evidence or no evidence, this investigation was fruitless, it was a fact that Emperor Zhong knew but pretended to be a benevolent leader. "Embezzlement is a very serious offence, proper investigation is necessary to avoid any mistakes down the road. We will give you two more days to investigate, we expect results during the court session" 

(The Emperor made use of the royal we, to refer to himself instead of I)

Mu Yitze bowed at the emperor with both of his arms stretches forward and his hands clasped together in front of him. He replied "Yes" and retreated silently. 

Deputy Sun and his father was dragged away and transported back to the detainment cells at the Ministry of Justice. The court session progressed as usual until it was called to an end and the Emperor dismissed them.

************

The Detainment Cells at the Ministry of Justice 

In a dim windowless room deep inside the Imperial Prison Deputy Sun was claimed to a seat at the centre of the room. Mu Yitze held a heated iron stock to his lap, the sound of his scream could be heard even at the entrance of the building. He had been forced to undergo various painful tortures for the past few days.

Shouting this often should have made him feel perch but he could barely concentrate on anything during each torture. Mu Yitze saw the foolish man in front of him crack his neck and look away like nothing happened. 

"Looks like you don't want to end this early" Mu Yitze muttered and picked up the cane lined with sharp thorns by the side and gave Deputy Sun a few strokes. 

Deputy Sun could handle the cane if it was a normal leather whip but it wasn't a normal cane. The sharp thorns on the edges of the whip shocked into the skin of his back, after a few whips it drew blood. Deputy Sun exclaimed loudly, he had planned to hold on for a few more hours so that his answer would seem true but the pain had become too much to handle.

He screamed "STOP! I am ready to answer your questions. Please no more!!"

"Good" Mu Yitze kept the whip aside. The two male guards standing by the wall behind Deputy Sun came forward with a pen and paper and dropped it on the table by the side. Mu Yitze spread out the paper, holding both ends down with a wooden heavy paper holder and picked up the pen.

"Are you ready to confess?"

"Yes, Yes. I should have done so earlier but I was warned not to say the truth. I didn't embezzle the funds but was forced to cover up for my Father and General Lu Yaozhu"

Mu Yitze looked up, "General Lu Yaozhu? How is he involved in this, the general hasn't even been to Ningzhuo?"

Breathing heavily because of his injuries, Deputy Sun continued "it is all a lie, he has been visiting Ningzhuo for years and meeting with my father. He is the main one behind the Embezzlement!"