Shame (Part 2)

Shen Tang almost choked on her tea.

"Cough, cough—So, this is the truth behind the Gong Clan's ruin?" Judging by Qi Shan's words, Shen Tang felt the Gong Clan couldn't exactly be called innocent. "They knew Zheng Qiao was a treacherous scoundrel, yet they let him go. Did they never consider he'd seek revenge?"

Not everyone in this world repays kindness with gratitude.

Zheng Qiao's experience in the Xin Kingdom was a complete humiliation. At the time, he was too weak and had to compromise. Now, as the ruler of the Geng Country, prosperous and powerful, the hatred festering in his heart erupted like a volcano. His dark past was something he desperately needed to erase.

Qi Shan said, "Well, I wouldn't know about that."

Shen Tang teased, "I thought you knew everything, sir."

Although it was a 'hell mode' start for her transmigration, Qi Shan, her 'guide NPC,' was exceptionally dedicated. Five-star review!

Qi Shan feigned surprise, putting on a show. "To be held in such high regard by Young Master Shen, I am truly honored."

Shen Tang: "..."

When it came to thick skin, she still couldn't compare to Qi Yuanliang. She strategically lowered her head to drink her tea. Meanwhile, Qi Shan drank his tea while secretly observing Shen Tang's reaction. He had always been curious about the relationship between Young Master Shen and the Gong Clan. Hearing that Zheng Qiao's revenge was the cause of the Gong Clan's demise, Young Master Shen showed neither outrage nor hatred, but a calm indifference, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

But how could it not be related?

If Young Master Shen were truly cold and heartless, why would he have braved the stormy night for a stranger he'd only just met yesterday?

This person's reactions completely defied logic.

Since the Geng Country soldiers had not yet left, and Shen Tang didn't want to attract attention by going out, she asked the teahouse owner to refill their pot. The two continued to linger in the teahouse, passing the time and gathering information about the prisoners in the convoy.

The shopkeeper glanced back timidly, peeking at the soldiers outside. He whispered in a hushed voice, "I heard it's some Grand Censor..."

Shen Tang murmured in confusion, looking at Qi Shan again. "Grand Censor?"

Don't blame her for being uneducated; as someone with amnesia, she genuinely didn't know.

Qi Shan asked, "Does the Grand Censor the shopkeeper mentioned have the surname 'Tian'?"

"I think his surname is 'Tian'? Those soldiers were cursing, something about 'that old man Tian,' and 'What good is being a Grand Censor?'" The shopkeeper didn't understand these matters. Let alone high officials, even an old soldier guarding the city gate could easily kill commoners like them. He refilled Shen Tang's tea and sighed, "You two young gentlemen should stop being curious. You might lose your lives!"

The war between Xin and Geng countries affected the common people the most. The people of Geng were slightly better off. Besides taxes doubling, which made their lives unbearable, they at least didn't starve. The people of Xin were truly miserable.

The main battlefield was in Xin.

The people of Xin not only had to bleed themselves dry to provide military supplies and provisions for Xin's war effort but also faced the burning, looting, and killing by Geng soldiers.

They thought things would calm down after the war, but who knew the ruler of Geng Country, adhering to the principle of "not shortchanging his brothers," would allow his subordinates who fought alongside him to run rampant everywhere.

The common people trembled whenever they saw Geng soldiers.

Seeing that the two gentlemen were handsome and refined, the shopkeeper couldn't help but remind them, lest the two young men lose their lives through recklessness.

"Don't worry, shopkeeper, we know what we're doing." Qi Shan smiled, accepting the shopkeeper's kindness. After the shopkeeper went to attend to other customers, the smile vanished from his face, replaced by a grim expression. "The Grand Censor is the chief official of the Censorate, responsible for reviewing memorials from officials and impeaching corrupt officials."

Shen Tang had a flash of insight. "So, that Grand Censor must have impeached Zheng Qiao quite a bit? He probably offended him thoroughly..."

Thinking of the loud, eloquent curses they had just heard, Zheng Qiao wouldn't let such a person off the hook.

Qi Shan sighed. "It's more than just offending him..."

"What else did that Grand Censor surnamed Tian do?"

"I heard that Grand Censor Tian had a straightforward and explosive personality. He upheld the law and investigated without fear, regardless of whether it was a duke, a noble, or anyone else. If he caught them doing something wrong, he would impeach them. Naturally, he wouldn't let Zheng Qiao off. Since Zheng Qiao became the Xin King's favorite, this Grand Censor was the harshest critic among all officials. He even once blocked Zheng Qiao's path to court on horseback and cursed him to his face in front of the people."

Shen Tang said, "He didn't give him any face at all?"

Qi Shan replied, "None. After that, who in the capital, from high officials to commoners, didn't know how Zheng Qiao rose to power? When Zheng Qiao returned to the country, the Grand Censor was also the most vehement opponent, predicting that letting this boy return would be like letting a tiger return to the mountains, leading to endless trouble. He submitted nineteen memorials imploring the Xin King to execute Zheng Qiao."

Hearing this, Shen Tang had already guessed the fate of the Grand Censor's family. She said, "Once Zheng Qiao made his comeback, the Grand Censor's family... no, his entire clan would have a difficult time..."

The Gong Clan had at least helped Zheng Qiao, and they still ended up with some dead and others exiled. Let alone the Grand Censor.

Qi Shan, however, said, "It's more than that."

"Were there other grudges?"

"Before Zheng Qiao returned to the country, the Grand Censor rallied his disciples, students, and clansmen who held official positions in court to jointly petition the Xin King to execute Zheng Qiao. The King was also pressured and... he also had reservations about Zheng Qiao, having considered killing him..."

It was said that the imperial decree had already been drafted, waiting only to be issued.

However, Zheng Qiao was one step ahead. He learned the intelligence beforehand and narrowly escaped the crisis, fleeing back to Geng Country overnight.

If he had received the news even a little later, he would have been dead.

Shen Tang: "..."

What could she say?

"This story teaches us to cut the weeds and dig up the roots, to strike while the iron is hot, to act preemptively, lest protracted complications arise."

Qi Shan listened to Shen Tang's serious "lesson learned" and twitched the corner of his mouth, yet he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.

He had just taken a sip of tea when he heard the prisoners' bloodcurdling cries from outside the teahouse, followed by a tearful curse: "Too much! Too much! Zheng Qiao, you base and flattering favorite, how dare you—how dare you!"

Shen Tang turned to look outside the teahouse.

"What's happening now?"

Qi Shan got up and walked to the teahouse entrance to inquire in a low voice. He returned a moment later with a cold expression, his aura chilling. "Zheng Qiao has ordered the Xin King to formally surrender with his former officials..."

Shen Tang was surprised. "I thought they had already surrendered..."

"There's just one ceremony missing, and Zheng Qiao values that the most."

"But surrendering after losing, isn't that normal? The Xin Kingdom is destroyed, the overall situation is decided, why is the prisoner reacting so emotionally? That prisoner, even after being beaten within an inch of his life, remained tough, didn't beg, didn't cry, but for this undeniable fact, he's crying like this..."

There must be a hidden reason.

Qi Shan clenched his hands hanging by his sides, his throat bobbed, and his voice trembled almost imperceptibly. He fiercely shut his eyes, then opened them, saying calmly, "The National Seal couldn't be found for a long time, Zheng Qiao was furious and forced the Xin Kingdom's ruler to abdicate in favor of his only princess..."

Shen Tang asked with her eyes: "And then?"

Then changing the name to "Chong Tai" for humiliation, and forcing the abdication to the princess, Zheng Qiao is like a fox, full of tricky maneuvers.

Qi Shan's expression was complex as he continued, "...and then the princess, performing the ritual of bound hands and jade in mouth, baring her [body], leading the officials in Mourning Attire and Coffin, to surrender..."

Shen Tang: "..."

Bound hands and jade in mouth refers to the surrender ritual where both hands are tied behind the back and a piece of jade is placed in the mouth.