Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1301: Chapter 1303: Insulting the Holy Hall, Blaspheming the Gods_1

Qingyan stared at the distant figure of Sangta and zoned out for a moment. Sangta’s perceptions were extremely sharp, and he felt Qingyan’s gaze from afar, suddenly turning his head to look back at him.

Qingyan frowned, but Sangta, from a distance, flashed him a sinister smile. Qingyan’s heart tightened, and he hurriedly let down the curtain.

”Old and senile, I suppose, to be frightened by a little ghost like that,” Qingyan muttered to himself, his voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, intended only for his own ears.

Sangta, accompanied by three men riding ferocious beasts, paraded through the city, causing passersby to dodge and hide until they had gone far away. Only then did a few, still shaken, speak up: ”How could they let barbarians with beasts enter Gaochang City? What if they eat someone?”

”Ouch, don’t you know? That’s no ordinary barbarian, that’s the next king of the Barbarian Tribe, Prince Sangta. The Barbarians are entering into a marital alliance with us, so of course, they can come to Gaochang. However, the contract states they must not kill anyone, nor let their beasts kill, or the alliance between the two nations is void. I heard they brought a big group of their Beast Team, but only a few are allowed in the city; the rest are outside the city.”

”Better not wander outside the city at random these days; what if their Beast Team gets hungry?”

The commoners discussed it animatedly, quickly turning the conversation to which unfortunate princess would end up marrying a savage like Sangta.

Yet, some wondered why the Western Regions would enter into a marital alliance with the Barbarian Tribe, and those in the know would point to the heavens and say, ”It’s the will of the heavens.”

Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun did not witness these events, but soon enough, guards scattered around the city brought the news to them.

”The will of the heavens? You mean the intentions of the Holy Hall, right? What’s the Holy Hall purpose in doing this? Are they afraid that the nation’s power can’t match that of the Barbarian Tribe?” Bai Ruozhu pondered, but politics truly weren’t her forte.

”Perhaps it’s ambition,” Jiang Yichun said with disdain. ”Marrying Sangta means becoming the future queen, and any son she bears is very likely to be the future king of the Barbarian Tribe. And what if Sangta were to die? The Holy Hall has spells to control lightning; surely they have other ways to harm people.”

”If they’re so powerful, why don’t they just cast a spell and wipe out the Barbarian Tribe?” Muyu asked, puzzled.

Bai Ruozhu shot him a glance and said, ”You think it’s that simple? If a person is blessed with great fortune, such spells are hard to affect them, especially members of the Royal Family, it’s extremely difficult. Anyone who becomes a ruler of a region is protected by the heavens.”

”So there were still emperors who died suddenly,” Muyu mumbled, unconvinced.

”That’s because someone else had even greater fortune than them, surpassing their imperial Qi. This is also why some emperors hesitate to appoint a crown prince, afraid of their imperial Qi being divided, overshadowed by their own sons.” Bai Ruozhu learned these things after entering the Astrology Tower, something she, as a modern person, had never imagined before.

Soon, the person who took Qingyan to the Qi Family returned, reporting that they had welcomed Qingyan into their home, and the people inside seemed exceptionally happy, suggesting Qingyan might finally settle down.

Before he left, Bai Ruozhu had removed the stitches, and the unevenness of the wound made the suture holes inconspicuous. Qingyan himself didn’t know what had happened, and Bai Ruozhu had instructed him not to let anyone suddenly inspect the wound; he understood he couldn’t let the Holy Hall discover Bai Ruozhu’s medical skills, and immediately raised his hand to take a serious oath.

Therefore, Bai Ruozhu was not worried about Qingyan; instead, it was Ao Qi whom she found somewhat inscrutable.

”Now that we’ve finally come to the Capital City of the Western Regions, let’s also explore around,” Bai Ruozhu said, setting aside those concerns and speaking to Jiang Yichun.

”Fine, let’s leave now,” Jiang Yichun said, reaching for her hand. She hurriedly pulled away, glared at him, and said, ”This Holy Hall is even bigger, and God knows if there are strict rules everywhere. I don’t want to be poked in the back again.”

Jiang Yichun coughed awkwardly, ”Alright, when in Rome.”

No sooner had the two started descending the stairs than a squad of officers burst in, holding two portraits and searching everywhere. As soon as they spotted the pair, they shouted, ”It’s them, arrest them!”

Jiang Yichun’s face darkened instantly. He stepped forward to shield Bai Ruozhu and glared at the officers, asking, ”May I know what crime we have committed to warrant the Government Office’s apprehension of us?”

The officer in charge replied with displeasure, ”Someone has reported that you have insulted the Holy Hall and blasphemed the gods. With multiple witnesses to testify, don’t bother denying it. Just go to the Government Office and explain yourself to the magistrate.”

Jianqi and the others also hurried down, intending to protect the two. Jiang Yichun said with a stern voice, ”Don’t intervene. This is Gaochang; we’ll go and see who dares to slander us with false accusations.”

The group was led away, and many in the inn whispered and pointed. The shopkeeper even lamented to the young attendant, ”They must have offended someone. These traveling merchants without support are only subject to being bullied.”

Without a doubt, everyone knew it was the Jin Family’s doing—a sure use of the Jin’s relation to Lady Diao Mo.

Soon, the group was brought to the Government Office. The Office here was very different from that in Danliang. In the center of the Main Hall wasn’t a magistrate seated for judgment but a statue of a deity. And the official who was in charge was not called a Prefect but a City Envoy.

”City Envoy, the suspects have been brought,” said the officer.

On seeing Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun, the City Envoy immediately threw down a token and exclaimed, ”Take these two demons who blasphemed the gods and punish them with twenty heavy lashes each!”

What kind of rule was this? They hadn’t even had a trial, and punishment was already at hand? And with the plaintiff nowhere to be seen, who knew if the charges were merely fabricated?

”Your Honor, we have come to your country to do business, believing that your country is friendly. If you summarily punish us just on the basis of a few slanderous remarks, then I can only file an Imperial Complaint and ask for the judgment of your country’s Sovereign,” Jiang Yichun stated, standing in front of Bai Ruozhu.

”How dare you! Do you think you are worthy of seeing the Sovereign? Even if you went to the Holy Hall, it would be useless. Heretics like you deserve to be duly punished!” The City Envoy said these words through gritted teeth, as if harboring a deep grudge against them.

”I wonder who has falsely accused us, and does he have any evidence? If it’s just his witnesses, we refuse to accept their word!” Bai Ruozhu also said loudly.

”Hmph, let me make it clear to you, the Holy Guard of the Holy Hall heard with their own ears how you slandered the Divine Hall and blasphemed the gods. The words of a Holy Guard are enough,” said the City Envoy.

Jiang Yichun let out a cold laugh, the chill in his eyes causing the City Envoy to shiver, even evoking a sense of fear.

”So the Holy Guard of the Holy Hall tell lies out of self-interest and harm others? Does this not blaspheme the dignity and justice of the Holy Hall?” he said loudly.

”Nonsense, all nonsense! What are you waiting for? Give them a beating for me!” the City Envoy yelled. Several officers armed with batons charged forward but were stopped dead by Jiang Yichun’s imposing presence, not daring to approach him. Finally, they turned their attention to Bai Ruozhu, who seemed more vulnerable, and charged toward her in unison...