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墨書 Inktalez
As we took advantage of Liang Yulan's moment of weakness, collapsing in pain on the ground, we swiftly dashed out of the stone chamber, retracing our steps through the dark passage.
After escaping the stone chamber, Xie Yao pulled me along as we ran frantically, finally arriving at the base of the Mingyuan Tower, the highest building in the examination compound.
Climbing up to the towering pavilion, the night wind howled, dispersing the lingering fragrance in the air and easing our taut nerves.
Xie Yao somehow produced a champion's robe, vibrant red with golden dragons embroidered on it, symbolizing supreme honor.
He didn’t wear it but draped it over both of us, shielding us from the biting cold wind.
Standing side by side on top of Mingyuan Tower, beneath us lay a sea of lights from countless homes, sparkling like a river of stars.
In that moment, all danger, filth, and conspiracy seemed to fade away.
I could feel the warmth radiating from his shoulder and the weight of the heavy champion's robe enveloping us.
Together we stood there, as if sharing some secret vow.
"This imperial edict... will bring a lot of trouble," I whispered, my tone laced with concern.
Xie Yao gazed into the distant lights, his expression deep and contemplative. He didn’t respond directly but tightened the robe draped over us.
The wind atop Mingyuan Tower that night blew away the chill of the dye but could not disperse the heaviness brought by the imperial edict.
We both understood that once this ironclad evidence came to light, it would stir up tremendous waves and bring no peace thereafter.
Indeed, just three days later, Liang Wende's secret possession of an imperial edict from a previous dynasty and his collusion with the Xie Family in fraud were presented by an official. The direct line of Liang Residence was swiftly arrested, and even Liang Yulan was not spared.
Under the escort of Su Mama, I was summoned to the court of Dali Temple as a witness.
In court, Liang Yulan appeared disheveled yet still glared at me with venomous eyes, insisting that I and Xie Yao had framed her. She claimed that the cinnabar mole on my forehead was proof of my wickedness.
A chill ran through my heart, but I steadied myself and stepped forward, splashing the prepared herbal tea onto her forehead.
This tea was no ordinary brew; it was a concoction mixed with a certain herb that I had stumbled upon in an ancient text while studying incense-making.
The warm liquid flowed over her skin, and the proud vermilion birthmark on Liang Yulan's forehead visibly began to fade and blur, ultimately transforming into a patch of blood red, resembling a festering wound.
"This vermilion birthmark was created with toxic pigments; prolonged use will corrode the skin," I said coldly, each word piercing like a dagger.
Liang Yulan's expression changed drastically as she covered her forehead in terror, trying to wipe it away, but that only allowed the medicinal properties to seep in faster. The excruciating pain made her let out a piercing scream.
"She once used this substance to make rouge, intending to ruin my appearance; this is the evidence!" I presented the remnants of the rouge that Xie Yao had given me, its acrid smell spreading throughout the courtroom.
Just as Liang Wende was desperately struggling to argue his case, Su Mama, who had been silently standing behind me, suddenly stepped forward.
She pulled out a pitch-black token from her bosom, intricately engraved with complex patterns that exuded an air of cold ruthlessness.
"I am a secret guard of the late emperor, tasked with protecting Mrs. Liang's orphan. Today, I have come to expose Liang Wende's heinous crimes of embezzling salt tax and colluding with Old Madam Xie to manipulate the imperial examinations!" Su Mama's voice boomed like thunder, resonating powerfully.
She raised the token high and then forcefully threw down Old Madam Xie's scepter, which was embedded with luminous pearls from the previous dynasty.
The scepter shattered upon impact, and the pearls rolled onto the ground with a crisp sound, revealing a hidden scroll of silk within.
As the silk unfurled, it clearly displayed correspondence between Liang Wende and Old Madam Xie, detailing how they exploited gaps in the salt tax system for money laundering and how they controlled court power by leaking examination questions. The so-called luminous pearl was merely a disguise for hiding their secret communications.
With a complete chain of evidence and undeniable crimes laid bare, Liang Wende and Old Madam Xie collapsed to the ground, utterly devoid of any power to refute.
This courtroom confrontation was like a storm that exposed all the filth hidden within Liang Residence and the Xie Family. It also cleared Xie Yao of all slander; his talents could finally be showcased openly.
After the spring examination results were announced, Xie Yao entered the capital as one of the top scholars to participate in the palace examination.
In the Golden Luan Hall, he wore a blue robe that accentuated his extraordinary demeanor. When faced with the emperor's inquiries about governance strategies, he slowly presented his overnight work titled "Ten Strategies for Stabilization."
He lit incense before the emperor, the fragrance crisp and clear, lingering throughout the palace. This was no ordinary agarwood; it was his specially crafted Spirit-Calling Incense.
The smoke curled upward, gathering in the air above the palace to form a phantom image of a celestial crane, poised to take flight before dissolving into auspicious clouds. This spectacle delighted the emperor and astonished the courtiers.
The "Ten Strategies for Stabilization" was filled with insightful words that directly addressed the current issues. Coupled with the miraculous effects of the Spirit-Calling Incense, Xie Yao was personally appointed by the emperor as the top scholar.
On the day of the announcement, I did not appear among the crowd.
After bidding farewell to Su Mama, I expanded my embroidery workshop and established a women's embroidery school in the capital.
In the school, I gifted the young women who came to study with me a copy of the "Celestial Chart" embroidery pattern that I had found among my late mother's belongings, hoping they would possess the ability to shape their own destinies just as intricately as this complex pattern.
On the opening day of the school, it caused quite a stir in the capital, attracting many young ladies and daughters of officials.
Xie Yao, dressed in a crimson robe of honor and riding a tall steed, did not join in the parade for top scholars but instead made his way directly to my embroidery school.
Before everyone’s gaze, he dismounted and walked step by step toward me.
In his hand was the pouch I had previously given him, adorned with my own embroidered lotus blossoms.
“Liu Liu, let us journey together in this life,” he said softly, his eyes filled with an unwavering affection.
Before all present, he tied the embroidered pouch around his waist.
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