青春期撞上更年期第1部

Chapter 493 Ministry of Justice Entered into Yuhui Nunnery

The news that a bandit suddenly appeared in Yuhui Nunnery and attempted to grab the former Emperor’s concubine shocked the whole capital city.

Yuhui Nunnery was famous not only for a saying that prayers could be heard by the Buddha but also for the other one that the former Emperor’s concubines were grounded here. However, these were just sayings as nobody had the access to the deepest part of Yuhui Nunnery and seeing those concubines who were shut here.

However young and beautiful they used to be, they now all were accompanied by an oil lamp and an old statue of Buddha and led a lonely life. It was a pity for them not to have their own child as they were unable to give birth!

It was the first Emperor and the former Emperor who founded the Kingdom of Dongcang together, which made a majority of ministers who had been loyal to the former Emperor still devoted to the current Emperor. For them, it was a very normal thing. However, with decades passing by, the issue referring to sons and heirs was surely the former Emperor’s biggest problem and as for this issue, there was nothing really left for those ministers to say. Although Prince Chen was still alive, he was waiting for his death.

Given his health condition, he seemed to be dying!

Even if someone attempted to use Chu Liuchen, the very first thing they should know was that Chu Liuchen must be usable! It was said that this prince had been always lying in bed and nobody knew whether he would die or live. It just seemed that he was unable to survive.

Many ministers loyal to the former Emperor all swore inside that how these concubines could be so trashy that even unable to give birth to an heir! They even though inwardly that these women deserved it because of their infertility!

However, no matter how disgruntled these ministers were, they never showed their true feelings in public. Moreover, since time had passed and Chu Liuchen, the former Emperor’s only son was about to die, it was no use cursing those women, not to mention assassinating them. These concubines were waiting to die in the deepest part of Yuhui Nunnery and thus, it was troublesome and unnecessary for these ministers to take their lives.

Only several nuns were arranged to watch them and there was no need to care more about these women.

But, it was when everyone was negligent that something bad descended on Yuhui Nunnery. Hearing that there were not only nuns but even the former Emperor’s concubines being killed, which had astounded the whole city, the current Emperor was furious and immediately sent people to investigate the matter. The current Emperor had given an order that everyone must get to the bottom of this matter and could not let the former Emperor’s concubines get killed casually!

The deeper meaning was enough to make the current Emperor fidget on his throne.

Although these concubines were useless and waiting to die, it was totally different when they got killed by someone as people might be suspicious of the current Emperor’s legitimacy. Given that, this matter was unable to be underestimated.

Thus, Ministry of Justice entered into Yuhui Nunnery where males seldom appeared. Many soldiers and ministers began to come in and out the nunnery, which forced those ladies of aristocratic families who were about to cultivate themselves in the mountain to go back home so as to avoid getting involved in something bad. They all knew that it was better to keep themselves away from this kind of matter as far as they could for nobody would be willing to be involved in those issues related to the throne.

If one was not careful enough, he or she might be sentenced to nine familial exterminations by the Emperor.

Shao Wanru didn’t move out of the nunnery. When people from Ministry of Justice came to investigate, Rui’an Great Elder Princess had been here. Thus, the Prefectural Judge from Ministry of Justice had to wait for a long time and then finally met Great Elder Princess.

“It is my honor to see Great Elder Princess, Your Highness!” The Prefectural Judge walked forward and bowed to Rui’an Great Elder Princess.

“What?” Great Elder Princess answered coldly.

Fearing that he might irritate the Great Elder Princess, the Prefectural Judge replied in an extremely careful manner. “I wonder where Fifth Miss Shao was at that time and what Fifth Miss Shao might hear or see? As the silence room where Fifth Miss Shao had been is not far away from the incident site, she might hear something I suppose.”

“Are you doubting my granddaughter?” Great Elder Princess’ face looked darker and colder.

“No, no I just want to ask whether Fifth Miss Shao, whether she...” The Prefectural Judge swallowed and answered vexatiously. It was his superior who gave this order and he had to follow it, which, in turn, obviously would offend Rui’an Great Elder Princess. He once heard that Great Elder Princess was quite fond of this rediscovered Fifth Miss Shao and even treated her as the apple of her eyes.

“How dare you!” Great Elder Princess banged the table with her hands so heavily that the cup almost fell off the table. Sweat immediately broke out on the Prefectural Judge’s forehead.

“Grandma? Don’t get mad. It is his job and just let him finish it. Everyone can feel reassured after this.” Shao Wanru came to the Prefectural Judge’s rescue and said softly to Great Elder Princess.

“Yes, yes. Great Elder Princess, it is the Emperor’s order and I am doing my job. I just want to ask Fifth Miss Shao some questions and I would not bother you after that!”

The Prefectural Judge kept nodding as he feared that Great Elder Princess would get angry if he delayed his answer.

It was impossible to doubt this Fifth Miss Shao who had cultivated herself in the mountain for nearly three years. Before coming here, they had investigated every lady’s background, who had cultivated themselves here, and thus, they were clear that this Fifth Miss Shao was observing mourning and the duration of three years would be expired soon.

Since she was still young and her identity was so special, unlike those artsy-fartsy ladies who only appreciated the beautiful view and scenery in the mountain with the excuse of cultivating themselves, this miss was a respectable woman who was determined to observe mourning for her parents for nearly 3 years. Given this, this Prefectural Judge thought highly of this determined lady in his mind.

Hearing she was coming to his rescue, he admired this Fifth Miss Shao much more.

“Then you’d better ask here and I want to know.” Rui’an Great Elder Princess paused for a moment and then said calmly.

“Thank you very much. The interrogation will end soon and Thank you again for understanding that I am doing my job!” Wiping away sweat, the Prefectural Judge kept expressing his gratitude to Great Elder Princess. Then he raised his head and took a look at Fifth Miss Shao. After entering the room, he didn’t dare to see anything except Great Elder Princess. When he saw Fifth Miss Shao, he was stunned spontaneously.

However, he reacted very quickly. The instant he saw her, he lowered his head and was amazed by her appearance inwardly. This was the former Heir of Duke Xing and Infanta Qinghua’s daughter. She looked so pretty and gorgeous that she deserved the title of alluring fair. He once saw the first beauty in the capital city but compared with this lady, the appearance of the so-called beauty was inferior to hers.

“Fifth Miss Shao, what were you doing when the incident happened?” The Prefectural Judge was also a resolute person. After marveling at her appearance, he quickly organized his mind and asked when lowering his head.

Considering this Fifth Miss Shao who now was in front of him, he thought he had better not see her shimmery eyes, or he would feel that these questions were insulting to Fifth Miss Shao.

“I have gone to bed early that night! But I did hear some noises which sounded like weapons colliding together. My servant girl also heard that as she was with me that night.”

Shao Wanru answered directly.

Chu Liuchen had blown out the candle. Thus, even if someone noticed her, they would think she had been asleep at that time. Actually, she did fall asleep at the usual time.

“Anything else? Something unexpected?” The Prefectural Judge paused for a moment and then asked, looking serious.

“No. I fell asleep by leaning on my servant girl. When I woke up, things had been in chaos outside. The nun of the nunnery sent several groups of people to check if I was safe and then there came my grandma,” said Shao Wanru.

She was telling the truth. When Yujie came in and accompanied her, they said nothing but just heard the weapons colliding. Yujie had been worried whether someone would come but Shao Wanru didn’t worry anything and just fell asleep leaning on the mat.

Hearing Shao Wanru’s answer, the Prefectural Judge found there was no problem and nodded. Then he asked, “Fifth Miss Shao, may I ask your servant girl the same questions?”

“Of course.” Shao Wanru nodded.

Then Yujie went to the yard and was questioned by the Prefectural Judge.

“Didn’t you get scared yesterday?” Checking whether her granddaughter was alright, Great Elder Princess asked with concern. However, not until she said something more did the Prefectural Judge of Ministry of Justice came in the room.

“Don’t worry, grandma. I am fine!” Shao Wanru answered with a bright smile, pulling Great Elder Princess’ dress and shaking lovingly.

She did love her grandma. Before she knew her true background, she had been very close to Rui’an Great Elder Princess. Moreover, it did turn out that her grandma really liked her. She not only always considered her granddaughter but also stood by her side every time.

“Good, good. Given your situation, do you want to go downhill? It seems to be dangerous here and it is hard to know what other things might happen next!”

Even though Rui’an Great Elder Princess felt relaxed inside, she was still worried about her granddaughter.

“Grandma, please don’t worry. The place might be dangerous before but now it is safe as Ministry of Justice is guarding here. Thus, no other incidents will happen in Yuhui Nunnery. Moreover, Duke Xing’s Mansion? I don’t want to go there,” Shao Wanru answered directly and sweetly.

Her answer made Rui’an Great Elder Princess feel distressed.

The hatred towards Old Madam of Duke Xing’s Mansion kept growing in her mind. Had not Old Madam of Duke Xing’s’ Mansion been so merciless, her dear granddaughter would not have come to this situation!

“Grandma, if I come back to Duke Xing’s Mansion now, I will not only be controlled by them but my two-and-a-half-year cultivation will also be wasted. Others will laugh at me as they will consider me as an unfilial person with a little backbone. My dead parents might also blame me for this,” Shao Wanru said sadly with her red-rimmed eyes.

If she came back now, her good reputation which she had spent time and energy saving would all get wasted.

Rui’an Great Elder Princess was clear about this but she was reluctant to leave her dear granddaughter as she was really worried about her granddaughter and feared that something bad might happen to her. Irritated and sorrowful, she was choked with sobs.

“Grandma, if you have time, you can come here to see me. You can live in my courtyard and I will still live in this room. Madam of Duke Xing has sent me letters to let me go downhill. Old Madam also claims that she wants to hold a birthday party for me in Yuhui Nunnery!”

As her mouth curved into an ironic smile, Shao Wanru told her grandma what she wanted Yujie to tell her after going downhill.

“What? Does she think Yuhui Nunnery is the same as the back yard of her mansion which she can come in and out as she wants?” Rui’an Great Elder Princess snorted and her face turned pale because of anger. She was to come to Yuhui Nunnery as she wanted to tell Shao Wanru what she heard from Empress Dowager that Miss Shao claimed she had a good relation with Shao Wanru in public and said that she was to hold a birthday party in Yuhui Nunnery for Shao Wanru.

Even Old Madam of Duke Xing’s Mansion also said this now. She must be an old fool.

“Don’t worry, Zhuozhuo. You have me and I will never allow them to cause any other troubles like the party as they wish! Yuhui Nunnery is not a place which Duke Xing’s Mansion can control easily!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess smiled coldly as she got more irritated. Since such a thing had happened in Yuhui Nunnery, up to now Duke Xing’s Mansion sent nobody to ask about her granddaughter. Given this, she would never forgive the old fool.

“Miss, Miss Shao is here!” Qu Le hurriedly came in and informed them of this news.