I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

Chapter 201: Bail pending execution

The carriage slowly drove to the Chengyang Marquis Mansion. Before it stopped, Lu Mingyang jumped off the carriage and ran in.

"Where's the third brother?"

The guard couldn't hide his excitement: "The Third Young Master went to the ancestral hall."

Outside the ancestral hall, servants gathered in circles, each of them weeping with joy. With the return of the young master, the Marquis of Chengyang could truly be considered a marquisate. They wouldn't be laughed at outside.

"Everyone, go back and do what you need to do!" Lu Mingyang shouted, walked into the ancestral hall, and said to Zhong Bo, "Go help Third Brother clean up his room."

"Look, I'm so happy that I'm confused." Uncle Zhong walked towards the tablet and took Lu Mingze's tablet.

Lu Mingze, who was kneeling on the ground, said, "Uncle Zhong, put him back!"

"This..." How can we offer sacrifices to a tablet while a person is still alive? It's so unlucky. Uncle Zhong subconsciously looked at Lu Mingyang.

Lu Mingyang nodded.

Although Zhong Bo felt that it was inappropriate, he did not say anything more. He put down the tablet and left.

Seeing Chu Mingzheng following him, Lu Mingyang said, "Stay here for a while."

After that, he locked him outside.

"Third brother, my elder sister specifically told me not to let you out, why did you come out!" Lu Mingyang stamped his feet anxiously: "Even Shen Yan would doubt the emperor, it is impossible for the emperor to completely trust you."

"I'll be fine!" Lu Mingze stood up and looked at Lu Mingyang, saying, "Even if the emperor still doubts me, he won't dare touch me."

"What about in the future? If something happens to you, how can I explain to my elder sister?" Lu Mingyang knew that his elder sister cared about this precious younger brother the most now, and she loved him more than her own son.

"Fourth sister!" Lu Mingze shouted over the flustered sobbing voice, saying resolutely, "I will never allow anything to happen to my flesh and blood again. If he wants to save the Song family, he must release my eldest sister."

A door slowly opened, and Chu Mingzheng said, "Don't forget, the Song family has an iron scroll that grants immunity from death."

Lu Mingyang glared at him.

Chu Mingzheng walked in and held Lu Mingyang's hand. "It's a good thing you're back. His Majesty won't send anyone to assassinate you again. As for how to save my elder sister, I'll first test His Majesty's attitude and then make a long-term plan."

Lu Mingyang had no hope for the emperor's attitude. After all, he had just been forced to deal with his favorite concubine, so he had to vent his anger.

However, Lu Mingyang also followed Chu Mingzheng's words and comforted Lu Mingze.

Lu Mingze asked, "Can I go see my eldest sister?"

Chu Mingzheng said, "It should be possible." Since Lu Mingze had already appeared, there was no need for the emperor to stop him.

"What do you mean by 'should'?" Lu Mingyang was dissatisfied. "Send someone to ask."

The next morning, Lu Mingze, Lu Mingyang and Chu Mingzheng went to the Dali Temple prison.

Entering the Dali Temple, the originally anxious Lu Mingze walked slower and his pace became a little strange. He even looked at the flowers and plants, as if he was here for a stroll, but his body was always tense.

Seeing someone walk into the dungeon, Lu Mingyang, who was following behind from a distance, tugged at Chu Mingzheng's sleeve and asked in a low voice, "What is my third brother doing?"

Chu Mingzheng whispered in his ear, "Observing the terrain, probably planning a prison break."

"Ah!" Lu Mingyang whispered softly, "Is my third brother so simple and crude?"

Chu Mingzheng nodded: "People with high Kung Fu skills have simple minds."

Lu Mingyang laughed and teased: "Aren't your kung fu skills quite high?"

"Thank you for the compliment, ma'am." Chu Mingzheng said without hesitation.

"What a shame!" Lu Mingyang pushed away the man who was sticking to him with disgust, bent down and walked into the cell, and saw a strange scene.

Shen Yan stood in the cell, while Lu Mingyuan stood outside. The Dali Temple's Shaoqing stood beside them, locking the cell door.

"What's going on?" Lu Mingyang went over and supported Lu Mingyuan.

The Junior Official of the Dali Temple bowed and said, "Your Highness, Princess, Lord Shen is willing to bail Marquis Lu out for execution. Marquis Lu can return home for three days."

This was the first time Chu Mingzheng had heard this term. He asked, "What does it mean?"

The Junior Official of the Dali Temple said, "Then the execution will be carried out. Before the execution in autumn, the prisoner can find someone to guarantee his release and return home for three days."

Chu Mingzheng was shocked: "My Dasheng has such a ridiculous law?"

"Your Highness is wise." The Junior Justice of the Dali Temple explained with a smile, "The law was originally established to demonstrate extrajudicial grace, but it didn't realize it would lead to chaos. Therefore, only officials of the sixth rank and above in the court were allowed to guarantee. And look, Lord Shen is of the fifth rank."

Lu Mingyuan's case hadn't been retried yet, so naturally the original verdict was upheld. This was reasonable. However, this case was unique, and the Supreme Court Minister wouldn't dare make a decision on his own.

Chu Mingzheng asked, "Your Majesty, have you agreed?"

The Junior Justice of the Dali Temple nodded, "Lord Shen personally wrote to His Majesty, saying that the Marquis of Chengyang had been vindicated, and that as children, they should offer a stick of incense to their father. His Majesty agreed."

Lu Mingyang looked at Shen Yan, feeling strange: "What do you mean?"

She felt that this kind of person was the most hateful. She couldn't feel at ease hating him, nor could she express her gratitude.

Shen Yan leaned forward and saluted Lu Mingyuan solemnly. He couldn't lift his injured right hand, so he could only salute with his left hand. It was a bit funny, but also a bit tragic.

"Madam Lu," he changed his address, the tears in his eyes hidden in the dim light, "Do you hate me?"

"No!" Lu Mingyuan shook his head. "That incident has always weighed on my heart. I also want to thank Lord Shen for allowing me to live openly in this world. Even if it's only for one day, it's enough."

"No!" It was like a mosquito's whisper. Shen Yan bowed again and said, "I am here to wish Madam Lu a peaceful and happy life."

……

Chengyang Marquis Mansion

Lu Mingyuan showered and changed, and Lu Mingyang helped her sit down at the dressing table and personally tied her hair. After many days in prison, Lu Mingyuan had lost a lot of weight, but after washing her hair, it was still black and shiny.

"Sister, your hair is so beautiful, how do you keep it that way?" Lu Mingyang made small talk.

Lu Mingyuan said, "Yang'er, now that things have come to this, please don't risk your life for your elder sister anymore. Do you hear me?"

"Eldest sister!" Lu Mingyang advised, "Your Highness has a solution, don't worry."

Lu Mingyuan said, "All of these methods have hidden costs. If you want to achieve great things, you can't make any mistakes. We can't let anything go wrong in the Chengyang Marquis Mansion."

Lu Mingyang didn't want to listen: "No matter what the price, my eldest sister can't be the price."

"Yang'er!"

"Okay, okay, let's eat first. We still have to go to worship father tomorrow." Lu Mingyang tied her hair into a bun and helped her elder sister to the front hall.

At the dinner party, after the false excitement, Lu Mingyuan once again brought up his own affairs: "Chen Hong was convicted and stripped of his title. I'm afraid the Chen family can no longer accommodate Yin'er."

Lu Mingze said, "Don't worry, sister. As long as I'm here, I won't let Yin'er suffer any injustice."

"My aunt is here, and most importantly, my mother is here." Lu Mingyang picked up his wine glass, patted Chu Mingzheng, and asked, "Isn't that right?"

"Yes!" Chu Mingzheng raised his glass.

The four cups clinked together, making a clanging sound.

Uncle Zhong walked in and said, "Your Highness, the mother of Lord Shen, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Justice, wants to know if you are at home."