si-mexico Chapter 2292 Let bygones be bygones
Chapter 2292 Let bygones be bygones
Su Tingmei's kneeling caused the atmosphere around her to freeze slightly.
Feng Mulan frowned slightly, Zhao Yu looked surprised, while Xue Huaide kept his eyes down, seemingly lost in thought.
Chu Ning turned around and looked at Su Tingmei lying on the ground. A complex and inscrutable emotion flashed across his eyes, a mixture of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep feelings), 念念 (niànniàn, reminiscence), and 懂意 (dǒngyì, understanding).
"Mr. Su, what is the reason for this?"
Chu Ning's voice was devoid of emotion, only calm: "Sir, you are an old friend of mine, a renowned scholar from Jianghuai, and have rendered meritorious service to the country. What crime have you committed? Please rise quickly."
As he spoke, he gestured to those on either side to help him up.
Su Tingmei did not get up, but remained in the kowtow position, her voice filled with deep self-reproach and guilt:
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Although I am but a commoner, I have been honored by the late Emperor and Your Majesty for not abandoning me and for serving as a guest minister, assisting in important matters. Furthermore, I have a long-standing relationship with Xuan... and the rebellious King Chu Xuan, with whom I have frequent interactions."
"However, the people are foolish and ignorant, and failed to see early on that Chu Xuan harbored evil intentions and secretly colluded with foreign tribes to commit this heinous crime!"
"It was only when they raised an army and launched their rebellion, and the criminals were imprisoned, that they finally woke up as if from a dream. This was the first mistake of the criminals' oversight."
He paused, then continued, "During the siege, the criminals failed to prove their innocence with their deaths or dissuade them from their evil deeds. Instead, they were coerced by them and almost became tools for them to coerce His Majesty and disrupt the morale of the army."
"These are the second faults of the cowardly and incompetent sinners. Although they are eventually freed, these two sins are like mountains on their backs and thorns in their chests."
"Your Majesty and your soldiers fought valiantly outside to quell the rebellion, but the criminals have done nothing to achieve anything and have instead contributed to the disastrous consequences."
"I humbly request Your Majesty to punish him according to the law, so as to set an example and deter others from doing the same."
Su Tingmei's words were clear and logical, she took responsibility upon herself, she adopted an extremely humble attitude, and her sincerity was touching.
He was not making excuses, but rather directly admitting his oversight and failure to remonstrate to the death, which is indeed something that can be criticized in the literati tradition that values integrity and responsibility.
Chu Ning listened quietly to him finish speaking, and remained silent for a moment.
A night breeze blew by, ruffling a few strands of gray hair on Su Tingmei's forehead.
The firelight on the city wall cast flickering shadows on his gaunt face.
"You flatter me, sir."
Chu Ning finally spoke, her voice softening, carrying an undeniable conclusion.
"Chu Xuan secretly allied with the Scorpion Clan and colluded with the Tang Dynasty. His schemes were deeply hidden and his actions were treacherous. Not to mention you, sir, even I was not fully aware of his wickedness before the incident came to light."
"This is not due to your oversight, sir; it is simply that the traitor is cunning and disguises himself too well."
He walked up to Su Tingmei, bent down slightly, and gently helped her up with his hand. "As for being held hostage, with swords at your neck and your life at stake, you are a frail man, how can you be so harsh on you?"
"Even in perilous circumstances, you remained devoted to the nation, never uttering a word or taking a single action that aided or abetted the wicked. I am deeply gratified."
"Moreover, without your previous reputation among the scholars of Jianghuai and the few secret messages you secretly conveyed, the court's response would have been even more passive. You are innocent and have done a good job."
Chu Ning's words not only absolved Su Tingmei of responsibility for her oversight but also showed understanding for his helplessness in being held hostage.
It even implicitly praised his unwavering loyalty and vaguely mentioned that Su Tingmei might have passed on the message through some means.
This was a well-thought-out plan, preserving Su Tingmei's dignity and integrity while also demonstrating the monarch's tolerance and discernment.
Su Tingmei's body trembled slightly. She remained prostrate on the ground for a long time before slowly raising her head. Tears seemed to glisten in her eyes, and her voice was slightly choked:
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty's great favor... I, Su Tingmei, am unworthy of such praise."
"Get up, Mr. Su."
Chu Ning's tone was gentle yet firm: "There's no need to bring up the past."
"The Jianghuai region has just been pacified, and everything is in need of rebuilding. The court is in dire need of capable people, and I have many matters to consult with you, sir."
At Chu Ning's prompting and with the support of the guards beside her, Su Tingmei slowly stood up and bowed deeply once more.
"Your Majesty is magnanimous. I am deeply moved by your words. How could I not do my utmost to repay even the slightest kindness?"
Chu Ning nodded, gesturing for him to stand aside.
After dealing with Su Tingmei's matter, the gentle expression on Chu Ning's face gradually faded, replaced by a cold and ruthless look.
He turned around, his gaze fixed on the deep archway below the city wall, as if he could pierce through the darkness and see the imprisoned traitor.
"General Xue!"
Chu Ning's voice wasn't loud, but it made the surrounding temperature seem to drop a few degrees.
"Bring up the traitor Chu Xuan."
"Your subject obeys the decree." Xue Huaide solemnly responded and gestured to the people below the city.
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy and somber.
Feng Mulan subconsciously took half a step forward, getting closer to Chu Ning's side, and her hand seemingly unintentionally rested on her waist.
Zhao Yu, Ma Chao, and the others also subconsciously straightened their backs and looked sharply at the ramp leading to the city wall.
Su Tingmei lowered her eyes slightly, and her fingers in her sleeve curled up almost imperceptibly.
The heavy dragging of the chains sounded particularly jarring in the quiet night, approaching from afar, each step striking the bluestone steps and resonating in the hearts of everyone present.
All eyes were focused on the exit of the horse trail, waiting for the appearance of the once incomparably noble, now a prisoner, traitorous king.
Chu Ning's face was ashen, his black cloak fluttering slightly in the night wind, like the impending judgment itself.
The heavy creaking of the chains echoed on the stone steps with every step, and also resonated in the hearts of everyone on the city wall.
The flickering firelight cast a distorted and elongated shadow on the figure climbing the city wall.
Chu Xuan was escorted by two burly armored soldiers and walked up the city wall.
His princely robe was tattered and covered in dust and dark brown bloodstains. His magnificent crown was nowhere to be seen, and his hair was disheveled and draped over his shoulders. His face was covered in bruises and abrasions, and his lips were cracked.
Only those eyes, hidden beneath the disheveled hair, still burned with resentment, bitterness, and an almost manic arrogance.
The heavy shackles bound his hands and feet, rattling loudly with every movement, a particularly jarring sound in the silent night.
He was forced to stand about ten feet away from Chu Ning, and the armored soldiers held his shoulders, forcing him to face Chu Ning.
He suddenly struggled, and although he couldn't break free, he tried his best to straighten his back, raise his chin, and meet Chu Ning's gaze directly with a mixture of hatred and mockery.
The air on the city wall was still, and the torchlight flickered on two faces that were somewhat similar but whose expressions were now completely different.
The evening breeze carries the scent of distant wilderness, yet it cannot dispel the pervasive cold and desolation of this place.
Chu Ning's gaze, as cold as ice, slowly swept over Chu Xuan's disheveled yet still upright posture, finally settling on his burning eyes.
The silence lasted for several breaths, as if gathering a thunderous rage.
Finally, Chu Ning spoke, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to carry a cold, metallic quality, clearly piercing through the night:
"Chu Xuan, do you know your crime?"
These four words, like the opening of a formal trial, carry the imposing authority of a sovereign and the unquestionable sense of conviction.