Chapter 263: Beaten to Death with a Staff

Words : 1566 Updated : Sep 29th, 2025

For a completely fabricated matter.She suffered a severe reprimand from the Empress Dowager. The Emperor looked sullen. The culprit stood there, looking at him innocently. Xingxing had a face that read "the Empress Dowager is so fierce". Su Jinfu bowed to the Empress Dowager to pay her respects. The Empress Dowager’s gaze towards her was as cold as ice. "Empress Dowager, those six hundred acres of fertile land must be farmed by someone. If I don’t send someone to take over, it will continue to be farmed, and the grain produced will still belong to the court," Su Jin said. "The Emperor compensating me with another six hundred acres of fertile land is his generosity." Su Jin’s reasoning was fair and reasonable. But it was disrespectful to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager coldly responded, "How could a perfectly good land deed be destroyed in your hands?!" "Six hundred acres of fertile land worth thousands of silver, Su Jin would not deliberately destroy the land deed," Su Jin said. She took out a torn land deed from her bosom. "I asked the steward at the Duke Mansion, and they said it’s difficult to get a replacement for a damaged land deed, let alone when there’s only this much left, unless it’s proven that the six hundred acres of fertile land was indeed granted by you, Empress Dowager, and someone from the palace accompanies me to get a replacement," Su Jin said. Su Jin handed the land deed to the Empress Dowager for her to examine. The Empress Dowager just glanced at it. Su Jin then gave it to Nanny Li. Su Jin said, "In fact, I just need to know where these six hundred acres of fertile land are. I believe that even without a land deed, no one would dare to cause me trouble." "Nanny Li, take a look, and see if you can remember where it is based on this remaining land deed," Su Jin looked expectantly. Nanny Li returned the land deed to Su Jin, saying, "Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion, you are making it too difficult for this old servant. I only remember there’s an ink mark on the back of the land deed, nothing else." Alright. Nothing is more useful than an ink mark on the back of the land deed. Su Jin looked at Nanny Li and asked, "Nanny Li really doesn’t remember where the six hundred acres of fertile land on the land deed are?" Nanny Li got a little annoyed. She insisted, saying she didn’t remember! "I’m getting old, my memory is not good." "Please forgive me, Eldest Young Madam," Nanny Li said stiffly. "Is there really no other way?" Su Jin persisted. "No!" Nanny Li replied impatiently. Su Jin gave her a glance. A light gaze, yet it sent a chill down Nanny Li’s spine. Su Jin turned and walked towards the Emperor. When she reached the Dragon Desk, she had a few more pieces of the torn land deed in her hand. Su Jin placed them on the Dragon Desk. Then she knelt down. This scene stunned everyone. "What is this for?" the Emperor asked. "Please, Emperor, seek justice!" Su Jin pleaded. The Emperor, looking at the land deed on the table, bewilderedly said, "Although the land deed is torn, it’s still readable. You can just go to the government office to get another one." Su Jin shook her head and said, "Emperor, this land deed is fake." The Emperor, "...." Eunuch Fu was dumbfounded. He picked up the land deed and glanced at it, saying, "How is it fake?" Su Jin said, "This land deed was written with squid ink. Currently, the writing is clear, but in ten days to half a month, the writing will fade, and after some days, it will disappear altogether." The Emperor looked at the land deed. He felt enlightened by Su Jin’s explanation. After Su Jin married into Duke Zhen’s Mansion, she had no one available to her, and within ten days to half a month, she wouldn’t even think to check the fertile land granted by the Empress Dowager. The servants from Dongxiang Marquis Mansion certainly wouldn’t either. Without the writing, even if she made a fuss in the palace, she would have to swallow this mute loss. The Emperor looked at the Empress Dowager. This time, it was the Emperor’s turn to be angry. Beads of sweat as large as beans appeared on Nanny Li’s forehead. The Emperor slammed on the Dragon Desk, "What is going on?!" Nanny Li knelt down and said, "Emperor, the land deed granted to the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion by the Empress Dowager is genuine." Su Jin smiled and said, "Didn’t Nanny Li also remember there’s an ink mark on the back of the land deed?" The Emperor casually flipped it over. It happened to turn to a piece with an ink mark. After Nanny Li said this, Su Jin didn’t have the chance to tamper with it again. This ink mark was enough to prove this was indeed the land deed the Empress Dowager granted to Su Jin. But even so— Nanny Li still bit back at Su Jin. Su Jin was speechless. Another one who won’t turn back until hitting a wall. "I have already spared some face for the Empress Dowager, diminishing the matter. If you insist on not admitting guilt, then I will have to go to the government office that stamped the land deed for an account," Su Jin said. "The writing is squid ink, but the seal is real. If it escalates, it won’t be me who loses face." Her crisp voice was like jade hitting the ground. The Empress Dowager’s face seemed slapped, looking as embarrassed as could be. Su Jin had given the face that needed to be given and said everything that needed to be said. If kindness was not accepted, then force was the only option. The Empress Dowager was infuriated to the extreme. At this point, Nanny Li had no choice but to confess. Yes. She pushed the blame onto Mr. Liu. "The land deed was prepared by Mr. Liu," Nanny Li said. The Emperor looked towards the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager only felt a metallic taste in her throat. She held back and said, "It was my oversight, causing the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion to be wronged." She took off the Mutton Fat Jade Bracelet on her wrist, "This was bestowed upon me by the late Emperor, consider it compensation for my poor management." Another poor management case. Su Jin turned to look at the Emperor. Apparently, a Mutton Fat Jade Bracelet was not enough to quench her anger. The Emperor was also angry about this matter. "Order Mr. Liu to be caned to death," the Emperor said coldly. Su Jin quickly turned back and took the Mutton Fat Jade Bracelet granted by the Empress Dowager. The Emperor, "...." Eunuch Fu, "...." "Thank you for the Empress Dowager’s reward," Su Jin put the Mutton Fat Jade Bracelet on her wrist. The Empress Dowager was so furious that the vein in her forehead throbbed. Mr. Liu was her confidant! He was like an arm cut off, and she still had to give up the Mutton Fat Jade Bracelet that the late Emperor bestowed upon her! The Empress Dowager was so angry she felt breathless and lightheaded. "Since Mr. Liu exchanged the land deed, the real land deed must be with him," Su Jin said. The Emperor instructed Eunuch Fu, "Go get the land deed from Mr. Liu." Eunuch Fu departed. Nanny Li was feeling a bit flustered. Eunuch Fu went to Yongning Palace, without a word, ordered people to seize Mr. Liu and beat him on a bench. After receiving twenty paddlings, Eunuch Fu then asked, "Where is the real land deed?" Mr. Liu was unaware of the Emperor’s order to have him caned to death. He just thought if he didn’t confess, he would continue to be beaten. "The real land deed was sent to Duke Chong’s Mansion yesterday," Mr. Liu said. Eunuch Fu, "...." "Cane to death." Leaving those two words behind, Eunuch Fu returned to the Imperial Study. Eunuch Fu belonged to the Emperor. He certainly wouldn’t cover up for the Empress Dowager. Entering the Imperial Study all the way, he didn’t even look at the Empress Dowager’s expression. "Where is the land deed?" Xingxing asked. "The land deed is at Duke Chong’s Mansion," Eunuch Fu’s voice drifted a bit. Because it meant Duke Chong was going to be in trouble next. He could understand the Empress Dowager’s approach. Duke Chong’s Mansion had faced repeated setbacks, so the Empress Dowager rewarded him with six hundred acres of fertile land, thus scheming on the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion and pleasing Duke Chong, killing two birds with one stone. But now— She had essentially set up Duke Chong. "Six hundred acres of fertile land, Duke Chong is accepting bribes!" Su Jin said angrily. "...." "Empress Dowager, remember to send someone to retrieve the land deed from Duke Chong," the Emperor said. "Additionally, Duke Chong for accepting bribes, punish him by docking half a year of his salary as a warning to others." "...." "The Empress Dowager doesn’t look well, copying Buddhist scriptures three to five hundred times may help," the Emperor said. "...."

Chapter 263: Beaten to Death with a Staff

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