Chapter 59 — The Medicine Bearer Through the Chaos

Name Called to Light

The next morning, the trial hall was again filled with people, the atmosphere was so tense that Tinh Yen could clearly hear her own pounding heartbeat as she was led into the middle of the hall. She glanced around and saw Kinh Ba Van, Ngan Ba Thuyen, Nhuoc Tran, and a little further away, Thanh Phong sitting among the observation chairs, each person's eyes contained a heavy expectation no less than hers.

The presiding officer stepped out, holding a scroll of judgment in his hand, his voice rang out solemnly in the absolute silence that covered the hall.

"After reviewing all the evidence, witness testimonies, and expert assessments from the Royal Physicians present, the jury found that there was not enough evidence to conclude that Do Tinh Yen intentionally caused harm to Princess Tinh Tan." He read, his voice slow but each word clear. "On the contrary, there are many signs that an intentional act of drug substitution occurred from an unidentified third party. Therefore, the jury declared that Do Tinh Yen was innocent, was released immediately, and restored all benefits related to his position at Thai Y Vien."

A sigh of relief echoed throughout the hall, mixed with the sound of chatter. Tinh Yen stood still for a moment, feeling like her whole body had just been relieved of a huge burden that had been suppressed for many days. Tears suddenly flowed out uncontrollably, not because of pain, but because of extreme happiness and relief.

She turned back to look at the observation seats and saw Thanh Phong's eyes looking at her, not hiding the joy overflowing on his face, even though he only dared to express it with a secret smile in a crowded place. A little further away, Ngan Ba Thuyen stood still, his trembling hands clasped tightly together, his old eyes filled with tears - perhaps, for him, today's verdict not only exonerated Tinh Yen alone, but also somewhat soothed an old wound he had carried for twenty years.

"I would like to thank you, sir. Thank you to the jury for your fair consideration." She spoke, her voice choked, bowing her head deeply, clearly feeling that this was the first time in many weeks that she truly believed that justice still existed in a place where officials seemed to be full of intrigue and calculation.

The presiding officer nodded, then added, his voice serious. "Regarding the drug swapping incident and the death of eunuch Lo Tam, the jury will assign Hinh Bo to continue investigating and clarify, not letting the case stop here."

Right after the trial ended, amid the stream of people gradually leaving the hall, urgent news suddenly came - Nhuoc Tran's people, in the process of further investigating the stylized lotus symbol, found a decisive clue. She quickly pulled Tinh Yen, Kinh Ba Van and Thanh Phong into a nearby private room, her face full of excitement and caution.

"I have confirmed it." Nhuoc Tran said, her voice lowered even though there were only a few trusted people in the room. "That stylized lotus symbol is a private symbol that was used many years ago by a group of trusted mandarins, gathered around a mandarin who is currently holding the position of Minister of the Household Ministry. Our people also found books recording that the money in Lo Tam's room originated from a private fund managed by that mandarin himself, disguised as a charity relief fund."

"Ho Bo Minister..." Tinh Yen repeated, her heart pounding, clearly feeling that she was standing on the threshold of the greatest truth she had ever sought throughout this long journey. "What's that person's name?"

Nhuoc Tran looked around, making sure no one else could hear, then lowered her voice to almost a whisper. "Cán Ba Thong."

That name rang out in the small room like a thunderclap, causing Tinh Yen to stagger for a moment, having to hold her hand on the edge of the table to keep her balance. She had never heard of this name before, but as soon as it was uttered, all the disparate pieces of her journey - from the shortage of relief food in the Dong Hai during the July epidemic year, to the investigation targeting Tran Bac Hau, to the plot to harm Tinh Tan and frame her herself - all suddenly fit together into a complete picture, so terrifying that it took her a long time to calm down.

"I've heard that name before." Thanh Phong said, his voice tense. "Can Ba Thong is the head of the Ho Ministry. My father has clashed with him many times over shady food supply contracts. I always suspected there was a big force behind the investigation targeting my family, but I was never sure it was him."

Kinh Ba Van stood still for a long time, his face pale, as if he had just heard something that confirmed the fear he had been carrying for the past twenty years. "Cán Ba Thong." He repeated, his voice hoarse. "Twenty years ago, he was still a low-ranking official in the Household Ministry, in charge of distributing relief food. I remember... I remember."

"What do you know about him, sir?" Tinh Yen asked urgently, holding Kinh Ba Van's hand tightly.

"I can't say everything right now, here." Kinh Ba Van replied, his voice trembling with pent-up emotions. "But I promise you, the truth about Lieu Nguyen, about what happened twenty years ago, is directly related to the name just mentioned. I need more time to prepare, to find a way to present everything in the safest way for all of us."

Tinh Yen nodded. Even though she was eager to know right away, she also understood that a big name like Can Ba Thong, head of an important ministry of the royal court, was not someone who could be overthrown with just a few discrete clues - it took time, it took strategy, and most importantly, it took absolute caution not to raise an alarm before all the evidence was solidified.

Just as the whole group was drowning in the heaviness of the recent discovery, a guard hurriedly ran into the room, his face full of panic, and could not wait for permission to speak.

"Sir! There is urgent news from the northern border!" He said, his voice broken from rushing. "Great Khan Truy Phong personally led the Northern Dich army to launch an unprecedented scale attack, directly hitting the defense line along Long Mon pass and neighboring towns! The court is urgently summoning all relevant generals and officials!"

The entire room fell into stunned silence for a moment, before everyone stood up in unison. Thanh Phong clenched his fists, his eyes immediately changed to a completely different serious look, that of a soldier accustomed to facing battle directly.

"I have to go back now." He said, his voice decisive. "My father, even though he is under investigation, is still the one who understands the defense line of Long Mon pass better than anyone. The court will definitely need him in this situation, and I cannot sit idly by in the capital when the border is in danger."

Tinh Yen looked at him, a new worry arose in her heart, completely different from the fear she had just experienced during the unjust trial. She knows that the fight to find justice for the past, for the injustices that have been buried for twenty years, is now forced to be temporarily put aside in the face of a much more urgent danger - the survival of the entire border region, and possibly, the entire Dong Lam kingdom.

"I will go with you." She spoke, her voice surprisingly firm even for herself. "Where there are wounded soldiers, there is a need for doctors. Can Ba Thong and the truth about the past can wait a little longer, but the soldiers who are bleeding on the battlefield cannot wait."

Kinh Ba Van looked at both of them, his eyes were complex between worry and a hard-to-hidden pride. "I will find a way to arrange for you to be officially deployed to the front lines, with a team of military doctors from the Imperial Hospital." he said. "As for the matter of Can Ba Thong, I will continue to quietly collect evidence while you are at the border. The truth has waited for twenty years, it can wait a little longer, but this kingdom cannot wait before the heels of Bac Dich's horse."

The whole group of people stood there, in the middle of the small, cramped room, clearly feeling that the wheel of fate had just turned in a completely new direction - from the battle to regain personal justice, now merging into a much larger war, the war to protect an entire kingdom in danger of destruction, where every priority, every private calculation, must give way to the only remaining common goal.