For Mu Mou 2004's reward and additional updates to "Xianpa Yuan" (5.1)
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People always yearn for beauty, and the love for beauty is universal.
Lord Huang was someone who had a great appreciation and care for beauty.
"Don't be afraid," he said softly, "Get up quickly."
He did not step forward to help the girl up, which would not have been gentlemanly and would only have made the girl more frightened.
The girl seemed to find it somewhat unbelievable upon hearing this, shyly raising her head to look.
This glance made Lord Huang appreciate his own eye for beauty even more.
Indeed, she was a beauty.
He looked at the basket rolling on the ground and bent down to pick it up.
"It's a shame they all fell out," he said. "Take this and go."
After saying this, he walked a few steps and handed the basket to the girl.
Lord Huang's attendants all knew his taste and could tell what was on his mind, each revealing a meaningful smile.
The girl was both nervous and full of gratitude.
"Thank you, my lord," she said with a trembling voice, reaching out her tender little hand to take the basket.
Lord Huang did not let go, instead, he pulled the girl up forcefully.
The girl was pulled up dazedly, seemingly still in shock, and was now close to Lord Huang who was holding the basket.
"How much is this roll of cake?" Lord Huang asked with a smile.
The girl looked up at him, with confusion, incomprehension, and gratitude in her eyes that were as clear as autumn water.
Being treated gently by a noble must be what every girl dreams of.
"Two... coins... per..." the girl stuttered.
Lord Huang did not care about what she was saying; money was not what he was concerned about. What he cared about was the person; he gestured for his attendants to wait until the girl finished, and then to give her money, and meanwhile, go to the girl's home to buy more cakes... and to buy the girl herself.
As for whether the other party was willing to sell, that was no longer a matter for the other party to decide.
To refuse money that is offered is to refuse fortune.
The soft voice at his ear continued, uttering the final word.
"…each."
A smile crept on Lord Huang's face as he turned his head back.
"Someone come—" he began, but before he could finish, his peripheral vision caught a flash of white, followed swiftly by the girl pouncing toward him.
Not good!
Instinctively, he raised his hand to block.
Sharp pain pierced through his palm, sinking into his neck.
The intense pain made him dizzy, and before his eyes was the magnified, ferocious face of the girl.
An assassination!
The thought flashed through Lord Huang's mind as he clutched his neck tightly, letting out a terrible scream and falling backward.
Blood suddenly spurted out.
The girl fell with him, her face splattered with blood, her disfigured countenance taking on a more terrifying look, with maniacal eyes like those of a hawk that has snagged its prey.
Perhaps it was her first murder, her first sight of blood, she screamed shrilly but her hand clung tightly to the dagger, refusing to let go.
All of this happened too quickly, the bystanders had no time to react, Lord Tang who was closest only felt a buzzing in his ears as he watched Lord Huang fall at his feet, blood splashing onto his official robe.
Murder!
Lord Tang let out a hoarse cry.
"Murder!"
As the shouts echoed from the front, Liu'er was crunching on candied haws, and upon hearing this, she bit down on the bamboo stick in a daze, nearly chipping her tooth.
Murder...
It must be that girl.
To go murder is to also kill oneself.
Indeed, she had gone to her death...
Miss Jun looked at the street ahead, the entire street roiling and bubbling like a boiling pot.
By the time Miss Jun and Liu'er got there, they could no longer push through the crowd.
The crowd ahead was bustling and noisy.
"Quick, call the Doctor!"
"Lift him up!"
"Don't lift him!"
"My lord!"
What had happened in such a short time had already spread.
"A girl has attempted to assassinate Lord Huang!"
"Who was it?"
"Was he killed?"
Liu'er bit her fingertip and stood on tiptoes to see ahead, but of course, she couldn't see anything.
Indeed, she resolutely went to her death to carry out the assassination.
Miss Jun did not stand on tiptoes to look; she just silently thought.
Huang Cheng was someone whom, regarding state affairs on the court, presents himself as receiving imperial decree; if approved or dismissed, claims to have taken the imperial decree; when retiring, reports back, saying he has obtained the imperial decree.
It looks like he did a lot, but in reality, he did nothing.
He's perceived as honest and steady, but in truth, he's cunning and petty.
This was not only told to her privately by Lu Yunqi before, but it was also mentioned by the imperial grandfather.
At that time, she was just a child, and while imperial grandfather and her father discussed state affairs, she was allowed to lie down and play beside their desk.
She remembered this because, when she heard them mention this evaluation of Huang Cheng, she curiously interjected and asked, if this minister was so useless, why keep him?
"Because sometimes we need such people," imperial grandfather said with a smile.
But do we?
"Who needs them?" she asked, puzzled, as she walked away with her father.
Her father, holding her hand, smiled and teased her nose.
"Little Jiu is really smart to ask such a shocking question," he said.
Really?
"Which kind of minister does one need?" she asked.
Her father, dressed in prince's ceremonial attire, looked up majestically, tall and thin. Little Jiu could only see his firm chin and couldn't make out his expression.
"Does the dynasty need them? Or do the Zhou People need them? That's the real crux of the question."
These court matters were not of concern to her, a princess and a child, and soon she saw a butterfly flutter by on the roadside and happily chased after it.
Of course, now she wasn't a child anymore, and she understood her father's meaning.
For the emperor, people like Huang Cheng served just like Lu Yunqi, the emperor sometimes needs such officials who completely follow his will, regardless of right or wrong, to satisfy and facilitate his own actions; and the existence of such officials, whether beneficial or harmful to the court or the Zhou People, was of no concern.
Her father had considered and made his choice, but he never had the opportunity to act on it.
Prince Qi also considered and had the opportunity to make a choice, so Huang Cheng, who should have been demoted, continued to hold office and became increasingly important in the Cabinet.
The emperor's favor catered to people's personal desires, and Huang Cheng's son turned into an even more insidious person than his father.
He appeared upright on the surface but engaged in the selling of official positions, seeking power, taking bribes, and oppressing those who did not comply with him.
The number of officials ruined by his hands was countless.
Miss Jun thought of the girl she had just seen; perhaps she was a family member of one of those oppressed officials.
Framed, family destroyed, nowhere to turn, just like herself in the past, only wishing to die alongside her enemies.
"A girl committed the murder?"
"Is she still alive?"
The murmurs of the public reached her ears.
Can she still be alive? Maybe she won't die on the spot, kept for interrogating the culprit, but she's sure to die eventually.
Even amidst these whispers, some inappropriate comments surfaced.
"...Such a pity..."
What's such a pity? That Lord Huang has been killed or that the girl who committed murder is going to die?
Miss Jun observed the surrounding Zhou People and realized that although they looked shocked, there was excitement and joy hidden in everyone's eyes.
"This corrupt official is finally going to die."
She even saw a woman moving her lips silently and gritting her teeth as she said so.