Farmhouse Green Plum

Chapter 625: Vindication

On the seventh day of August, the sky was as clear as azure. The morning light penetrated the mist, casting a layer of light golden glaze on the glazed tiles of the palace walls.

Song Ying and others stood on the small building of the Lin family, looking over the rooftops towards the direction of the imperial palace.

After more than two months of trial, the Ruan family quietly passed on the news yesterday that the three courts had submitted the trial results to the emperor, and the final judgment would be made today.

Jingle Bell!

The copper bells on the eaves swayed gently in the wind, breaking the silence of the Lin Mansion.

In the distance, the steward walked quickly through the corridor and came towards this side.

Doctor Lin took a deep breath, withdrew his hand from the railing, and whispered, "Here it comes, go down."

Song Ying and Yuan Qing supported Doctor Lin on both sides as he walked down. Although the timing was wrong, Lin Wenxuan, who was one step behind, couldn't help rolling his eyes.

He and his junior sister haven't gotten married yet, so why is he so active and even stealing his job!

After going downstairs, Doctor Lin turned his head and said to Yuan Qing, "If you want to take the imperial examination, don't show your face in front of these eunuchs. Stay behind the crowd and don't look up."

Yuan Qing agreed and moved a step to the side.

Lin Wenxuan took a few steps forward, took over supporting Doctor Lin, and winked at him.

Unfortunately, Yuan Qing did not understand his sarcasm and followed them with his head down.

When they arrived at the main hall, the incense table had already been set up and the eldest lady of the Lin family was directing the maids to do the final inspection.

Seeing Doctor Lin and his group, the eldest lady whispered, "Master and my second brother have already gone out to greet them. Aunt, you just wait here."

Doctor Lin's heart was entirely focused on the upcoming imperial edict. He was extremely nervous and had no mood to say anything, so he just nodded.

The rest of the Lin family also hurried over. The second master and his son supported Old Master Lin and arrived last. He stood beside Doctor Lin and whispered, "As you wish."

Song Ying looked over, somewhat puzzled. The imperial edict had not been announced yet, so how did he know that it was what his master wanted?

During the two months she stayed at the Lin family's, she also realized that all the connections of the Lin family in the officialdom were brought by her master's medical practice. How could Old Master Lin know something that her master didn't know?

"Bring the tea quickly!" Master Lin's voice sounded outside the door, bringing Song Ying back to his senses.

She looked over and saw Uncle Lin and his eldest son welcoming a group of people in. Leading the way was a eunuch in a scarlet robe and a gold sunflower belt. This was the chief eunuch in charge of reading the imperial edict. Slightly behind him sat a deputy eunuch, two Jinyiwei, and two firemen holding incense burners and whisks.

The eunuch announcing the decree flicked his whisk and said with a half-smile, "Tea is fine, but I have the Emperor's order and cannot delay any longer."

"Yes, yes, yes." The eldest master agreed, and returned to the crowd with his eldest son, kneeling down with everyone else to receive the order.

"The Emperor Fengtian Chengyun issued an edict:

"I, the heir to the throne, have diligently worked day and night, believing that the way of the criminal justice system concerns the principles of heaven and human ethics. Today, the three courts are investigating the case of Empress Zhenhui's death in the seventh year of Qiande. The Jiang family has suffered injustice for over forty years, and this injustice remains unresolved. This truly pains me..."

Hearing the word "unjust", Song Ying's heart finally settled down. She raised her eyes quietly, passing over the backs of the people kneeling in the courtyard, and fell on her own master.

She knelt very low, but her back was straight, like a sword that was drawn three inches from its sheath and then forcibly pushed back into the sheath.

Today she deliberately wore a bright red dress. If the Jiang family was vindicated, it would be like a colorful satin for celebration; if not, it would be like a red banner for blood sacrifice.

At this moment, the bright red skirt was spread on the green bricks, and as her body trembled slightly, it was like a cluster of flames, flickering and burning people's eyes.

After the imperial edict was read, Doctor Lin raised his hands high above his head and steadily took the roll of green and yellow silk. His voice was so deep that it seemed to come from his heart: "Your Majesty, I accept the edict and thank you."

The eunuch announcing the decree finally smiled slightly on his solemn face. He said to Doctor Lin, who had stood up, "The Jiang family has been wronged for over forty years. Your Majesty, whenever you think of it, finds it difficult to sleep or eat. You have specifically instructed that the imperial decree be made of blue and yellow satin to comfort the spirit of Doctor Jiang in heaven."

Generally speaking, only imperial edicts for exoneration of officials of the third rank and above can use blue and yellow satin. Doctor Jiang was the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau and a fifth rank hospital director, so he should not have used blue and yellow satin.

Doctor Lin tightened his fingers holding the imperial edict, and a surge of resentment suddenly rose in his heart. The imperial edict only said that the Jiang family was wronged, and did not mention the mansion and property that were confiscated that year, nor did it mention any posthumous honors.

Is this the emperor’s guilt?

Song Ying stepped forward, held her hand, and gently called out, "Master."

Doctor Lin pursed his lips, suppressed the anger in his heart, and forced a smile at the eunuch who announced the decree, "Thank you for your hard work, eunuch."

Seeing this, Song Ying released her hand and took out a heavy purse from his sleeve and handed it to her. "It's hot and the road is long. I'm sorry to bother you all to make the trip. This is some money for tea to moisten your throats."

The eunuch announcing the decree glanced at the weight of the purse, his smile deepening a little, but he still maintained his composure and said, "You are too polite, young lady."

He casually put the purse into his sleeve, and his eyes swept over the Lin family. He said with a smile: "Although the girl comes from a farming family, she is smart, better than those..."

He paused here, his eyes lightly sweeping over Old Master Lin and the others, "...better at regulating things than those who were once prominent."

Song Ying was embarrassed. She thought that it was her master's case after all, so she offered to pay for the tea. But after hearing what the eunuch said, it seemed like she was deliberately trying to be nice.

Old Master Lin was so angry that his beard was twitching. He used to be an imperial censor and was a very upright person. He even scolded the emperor, so how could he have suffered the abuse of a eunuch?

However, the situation is stronger than people. Now the Lin family has become commoners and is not as good as before.

He held his breath, and after the group of people had gone far away, he snorted heavily and turned back to the house.

The male grandchildren of the Lin family hurried forward to support him, but he pushed them away. He slammed his cane to the ground and said, "Get out of my way! I'm not old enough to need help!"

After saying this, he walked into the house with his crutches and a straight back, knocking the rosewood crutch hard on the ground with each strike, as if to vent all the anger he had just suffered.

Song Ying slowly withdrew his gaze and looked at Doctor Lin, saying, "Master's family has finally been vindicated."

Doctor Lin understood her comfort. What they really wanted was to clear the Jiang family's name. Now that it had been achieved, it was enough.

Although the case was clear and Nanny Qingyu's testimony was given in public before the emperor, the matter still had many twists and turns.

Since the retrial of the case, a group of people represented by Minister Zheng have been arguing about the authenticity of the testimony. After Zhou Shaoqing refuted the possibility of bribery in court, they used the excuse that too much time has passed and Qingyu was not sure whether he remembered it accurately.

After more than two months of going back and forth, Song Ying thought that the emperor would not exonerate the Jiang family. After all, if Imperial Physician Jiang was wrongly accused, then the real culprit of Empress Zhenhui's poisoning would have to be found elsewhere. What if the case turned out to be him?