The Ruthless Female Forensic Doctor's Husband-Destroying Story

Chapter 53

"And then you went to the capital?"

Xu Shirong glanced at him sideways and asked.

Yang Huan hurriedly nodded and said, "The more I think about it, the more something seems wrong. My mother-in-law is usually as healthy as an ox, so this illness is too strange. And then this unfortunate thing happened, and your aunt found out about it. It's bound to reach your mother's ears, and who knows what she'll say. That Qingyu is acting strangely, and what she says is weird. I couldn't stay any longer, so I gave her some instructions and rushed to the capital. By sheer coincidence, I ran into the messenger my mother sent at the post station. After reading the letter, I learned that the two families had severed ties. My mind went completely blank, and all I wanted to do was find you. I almost exhausted the horse to death..."

As Xu Shirong heard his voice tremble slightly at the end, her heart ached, and she sighed, "You really are a fool. Making a scene like this not only won't get you to see me, but it's also caused you trouble. Even if Xu Jinrong and my father don't report this to the Emperor, your unauthorized return to the capital is a serious offense..."

Seeing that her expression softened, Yang Huan breathed a sigh of relief. Afraid that she would worry, he chuckled and whispered something in her ear.

After hearing this, Xu Shirong stared at him for a long time before finally saying, with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, "How did you even come up with this idea!"

Yang Huan said smugly, "Of course. I'm going to the capital to take my wife back. If I can't even protect myself, how can I bring you back?"

Xu Shirong shook his head and sighed, "You're full of wicked ideas. I just hope they'll be useful."

Yang Huan remained silent, staring intently at her. Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms again, hugging her and nibbling at her haphazardly. Then he murmured softly, "Jiao Niang... I know that our two families have severed ties and separated us. You don't know... I felt like I had been struck by lightning... If you don't want me and marry someone else, I... I..." He couldn't finish his sentence.

Xu Shirong stroked his head and face, then gently kissed him before saying, "Don't worry. Wherever you go, I'll go with you."

Although she only said a few words, Yang Huan felt reassured. The moment he relaxed, the idea immediately came to him. Without another word, he pressed her down to lie down, and while undressing her, he mumbled, "No, it's not working out anymore. The last few times you were on top of me, and you were so shy. This time it's my turn to be on top..."

Seeing that his mind had suddenly jumped back to that topic, Xu Shirong forcefully slapped away his hand that was rubbing his chest and scolded him in a low voice, "There are old women watching outside. Who knows what the court will be like tomorrow? You'd better go back early."

Yang Huan was reluctant to part with her. Seeing that she had already sat up, as if she was about to see him off, he simply lay down and said angrily, "No way. I've been traveling all night, and my bones are all broken. That broken leg might get worse. You have to massage it for me."

Seeing that he was lying motionless with his hands and feet splayed out, staring at her with an expression that said he wouldn't leave until she served him, Xu Shirong was at a loss. Suddenly remembering how he looked when she first saw him earlier that day, she felt a pang of sympathy. So she sat down beside him and began to gently massage him, intending to coax him back later. But before long, she heard snoring. Looking up, she saw that Yang Huan had already fallen asleep. It turned out that he had been traveling day and night in a great hurry, and after such a scene today, he was extremely exhausted. He had only managed to stay awake by sheer willpower. Now that he was at ease and lying next to his beloved, he relaxed completely and naturally fell asleep.

Xu Shirong stroked his forehead, seeing that he was sleeping soundly, and couldn't bear to wake him. She put on her clothes and went out, and saw that the two old women were still guarding the courtyard. She whispered to them that they should just bolt the gate tightly and that they didn't need to guard it anymore. The old women had no choice but to do as she was told and went back to their rooms.

Yang Huan slept until almost dawn, full of energy. Seeing Xu Shirong lying beside him, he pounced like a hungry tiger. Xu Shirong coaxed him, pointing to the window tinged with a bluish-green hue, and reminded him that his father would drag him to apologize that day. She feared he would be furious if he discovered Yang Huan was gone. Reluctantly, he got up, giving her a final, firm squeeze before leaving, saying, "I'll come back tonight, you wait for me," before quietly slipping out of the courtyard under the remaining darkness and heading to the wall they had been near. A whistle startled Erbao, who was dozing outside the wall. Erbao quickly threw in a rope, and using the same method, climbed over the wall. The two then hurriedly returned to the Grand Commandant's residence.

Chapter Sixty-Six

Yang Huan returned to the Grand Commandant's residence and whirled into the quiet room like a gust of wind, kneeling back on the prayer mat in front of the memorial tablet.

Grand Commandant Yang would rise before dawn every morning for the court session and rush to the palace to wait. When he arrived at the quiet room, he saw that the door was ajar and the lock was gone. He thought his son had run away, and his anger flared up again. He pushed the door open with a bang, only to find his son kneeling there upright. Only then did his anger subside.

Yang Huan turned around, called out "Father," and said with a grin, "Mother feels sorry for me and told me to go back to my room to sleep last night, but I refused. If I don't reflect on my mistakes, I will never leave this place."

Grand Commandant Yang gave him a suspicious look, then grunted and asked, "Have you reflected on your actions?"

Yang Huan said in a serious tone, "After kneeling before the ancestral tablets all night, I have finally realized my mistakes. I was indeed wrong yesterday, very wrong. Today, when I see my father-in-law, I must kowtow and apologize, and I will not fight back or talk back when he hits me."

Grand Commandant Yang glared at him, then turned and walked away. After a few steps, he turned back and saw that the man was still kneeling there. He shouted, "Aren't you coming with me? Today, when we are before the Emperor, you just need to kneel down and confess your sins. You don't need to say a word; I will speak for you. The other officials have also agreed to plead for you. If you continue to speak recklessly and without thinking, there will truly be no way to save you."

Yang Huan then got up from the ground, obsequiously agreeing, and followed them to the palace. They entered through the main gate beneath the Xuande Tower and, as they passed the Daqing Hall, they heard an official from the Imperial Observatory responsible for checking the water clocks, holding a ivory tablet, reporting the time—exactly 2:45 AM. They then entered through the Changqing Gate, passing through the Privy Council, the Secretariat, and the Imperial Secretariat, finally arriving at the Mingtang.

This Mingtang was the resting place for civil and military officials while they waited during court assemblies. Yang Huan lowered his head and followed Grand Commandant Yang inside, where he saw that quite a few people had already gathered, some sitting and some standing. Upon seeing Grand Commandant Yang enter, they all came over to exchange pleasantries.

The news of the two ladies from the Grand Commandant's and Hanlin Academy's families causing a scene in Kaifeng Prefecture some time ago had already spread far and wide, and the satirical poem by Prefect Li had become the talk of the town. Before the dust had settled, another wave rose. Yesterday, the Grand Commandant's son, in an attempt to win back his wife, traveled a thousand miles back to the capital to cause a scene at the Hanlin Academy, angrily banging on the stone lions at the gate. Overnight, the news spread again, overshadowing the discussions in the court over whether to fight or make peace with Li Yuanhao in the past few months. Not only were the high-ranking families in the capital aware of these two families, but even ordinary people on the streets were talking about it with great interest. Now, seeing the Grand Commandant bring his son to apologize, everyone rushed forward. Although many offered words of comfort, all sorts of gazes were fixed on Yang Huan. Fortunately, he was thick-skinned and, following the Grand Commandant's instructions before leaving, simply lowered his head and remained motionless, allowing everyone to observe. A moment later, footsteps sounded at the door again. Looking up, they saw that Xu Hanlin and his three sons had arrived.

After exchanging pleasantries with several officials he was on good terms with, Xu Hanlin sat down and closed his eyes to rest. Suddenly, he sensed something amiss in front of him. Opening his eyes, he saw Yang Huan kneeling before him. His face darkened, and he turned slightly to the side, saying, "Lord Yang, what are you doing? You've made me feel unworthy."

Yang Huan respectfully kowtowed three times before solemnly saying, "Father-in-law, I acted foolishly yesterday and did something rash. The more I thought about it last night, the more uneasy I felt. Today I came with my father, firstly to apologize to the Emperor, and secondly to beg for forgiveness in front of all my uncles. I beg you, Father-in-law, to forgive me for my sincere pleas!"

Xu Hanlin snorted and said unhappily, "Our two families have long severed ties. Why are you still calling me father-in-law? I can't accept that."

Yang Huan shook his head and said, "The sage said that if someone is a teacher for a day, he is a father for life. What's more, I have called him my father-in-law for several years, so I will respect him for life."

Seeing that he had a serious expression on his face but was spouting nonsense, and seeing that his colleagues seemed to be laughing, Xu Hanlin was so angry that he could not speak and pointed at him.

"Yang Huan, you had your men destroy the stone lions at my door yesterday, acting all high and mighty. Why put on such a hypocritical act today?"

The third son of the Xu family, who was standing behind Xu Hanlin, couldn't stand it and jumped out to rebuke him.

Yang Huan stood up, bowed to the third son of the Xu family, and then said with a smile, "Brother-in-law, please don't be angry. It was indeed my fault yesterday. When we get back, I will compensate with ten pairs of stone lions, and I will definitely make the gate a hundred times more majestic than before."

After he finished speaking, the entire hall erupted in laughter. Only the Xu family father and son, along with Grand Commandant Yang, looked rather grim. Xu Jinrong, who had just entered, stood at the doorway, his expression completely calm.

Grand Commandant Yang was furious. He had intended for his son to apologize properly, and at first, he seemed to be doing a good job, but after only a few sentences, he had stirred up trouble again. He wanted nothing more than to grab his son's ear and give him a good scolding, but he couldn't bring himself to do it in front of so many colleagues. Just as he was feeling disgruntled, he heard the official in charge of security outside announcing that it was exactly 7:00 AM. Everyone quickly composed themselves, straightened their clothes and hats, and left the Mingtang Hall in order, heading towards the Wende Hall.

Grand Commandant Yang whispered to Yang Huan to wait there, then glared at him fiercely before hurrying away.

Emperor Renzong held the morning court session. He listened to the report from the past few days regarding the selection of brave soldiers from the capital's guards to serve as commanders and deputy commanders on the frontier. He also inquired about the status of provisions, supplies, and equipment. The date for the army's departure was set. He noticed that although the pro-peace faction, led by Hanlin Xu, no longer voiced their opposition, they all had gloomy faces, as if the campaign was doomed to defeat. He was slightly displeased. Seeing that there was nothing more to discuss, he was about to adjourn the court session when he suddenly saw Grand Commandant Yang from the Right Guard emerge, seemingly with a memorial to present. He then asked, "What does Minister Yang have to say?"

Upon reaching the center of the main hall, Grand Commandant Yang, before uttering a single word, kowtowed three times with great force. Then, with a pained expression, he said, “Your Majesty, my son, Yang Huan, was fortunate enough to be appointed magistrate of Qingmen County in Tongzhou at the beginning of the year, thanks to Your Majesty’s favor. I was very pleased to hear that he had accomplished some practical things. However, I was greatly alarmed by his recklessness and ignorance; yesterday he secretly entered the capital without permission. I am filled with apprehension and have severely reprimanded him. I dare not conceal this, and this morning I ordered him to come here personally to plead guilty before Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Renzong recalled hearing a few days ago that the in-laws Yang and Xu had fallen out, disregarding the dignity of high-ranking officials, and had even been sentenced to retirement by the Kaifeng Prefecture. This matter had caused quite a stir, and he wondered if Yang Huan's unauthorized return to the capital was related to this. He immediately frowned and said, "Why did he enter the capital without being summoned? Does he not know the rules set by Emperor Taizu? This is a serious crime."

Grand Commandant Yang was secretly alarmed and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I dare not conceal the truth. Although this matter is a long story, it all stemmed from the severing of ties between my family and Lord Xu's family. My son, perhaps out of consideration for our past relationship, rushed to the capital upon hearing the news. There is absolutely no other reason. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly, and I humbly beg for your forgiveness." As he spoke, he kowtowed repeatedly.

As Emperor Renzong was pondering, another person stepped forward from below and said, "Your Majesty, Yang Huan, being an official appointed by the court to serve outside the capital, dared to enter the capital without imperial orders. This is a serious crime and constitutes disloyalty. Even if, as Lord Yang claims, there is no other reason, since ancient times, marriages of children have been decided by their parents. His disobedience to his elders is unfilial. Not only that, but he also went to Lord Xu's house and smashed the two stone lions at the gate, causing Lord Xu to lose face. This is also unjust. As an official responsible for remonstrating against such disloyal, unfilial, and unjust people, I cannot help but speak out. I urge Your Majesty to severely punish him as a warning to others!"

Grand Commandant Yang looked over and saw that the speaker was none other than Censor Zhang, whom he had long considered a cold and sharp-tongued person, and with whom he had a long-standing feud. Seeing that the Xu family, including the Hanlin scholar, stood by coldly observing without saying a word, he was both shocked and furious. He quickly prostrated himself and said, “While what Lord Zhang said is not wrong, my son’s temperament is simply like this. I blame my own poor upbringing; it was not intentional. He must have been overwhelmed by the sudden news of his separation from his wife and acted this way. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly.”

After he finished speaking, several other close friends, including Fan Zhongyan, also came forward and pleaded for his life.

Emperor Renzong pondered for a moment before saying, "Minister Yang, didn't you just say that Yang Huan was already waiting outside the palace? Let him in now; I want to hear his explanation!"

Grand Commandant Yang hurriedly kowtowed to express his gratitude, and a guard from the side quickly went to relay the message.

Yang Huan was getting bored while waiting when he suddenly heard someone summoning him from outside. He hurriedly followed the guard and entered the Wende Hall. As soon as he entered, he saw that all the officials' eyes were on him. He suddenly remembered the scene last year when he was in another Jiying Hall, which was also in this place, and he was full of energy. He strode into the hall without looking to the side and kowtowed heavily to the young emperor on the throne.

Emperor Renzong noticed that Yang Huan was thinner and darker than before, but his spirit was still high. Recalling the practical achievements Yang Huan had made in the provinces, he realized that Yang Huan was far superior to other older officials who only knew how to boast and act superior. This showed that Emperor Renzong's judgment in personnel was indeed excellent, and he felt a surge of joy. However, he did not show it, but instead asked with a stern face, "Yang Huan, do you know your crime?"

Yang Huan said blankly, "Your Majesty, I am ignorant and beg for your guidance."

Emperor Renzong snorted and said, "Just now, Imperial Censor Zhang submitted a memorial impeaching you as a disloyal, unfilial, and unjust person. You left your jurisdiction and entered the capital without permission, which is disloyalty; you disobeyed your parents' orders, which is unfilial; you went to the Xu family to cause trouble, which is unjust. What do you have to say for yourself?"