Chapter 510: Life and Death Depend on a Single Decision

Chapter 510: Life and Death Depend on a Single Decision

Minister He didn’t know that his daughter had changed and no longer feared life and death.

"Father, my husband and I have come to the Imperial City this time to deal with the Empress’ faction.

Additionally, Mother and Elder Brother hope you will return to the Northwest with us and leave this place of right and wrong.

No matter what, sacrificing your life for this court isn’t worth it."

Minister He hadn’t expected that his daughter would change so much after just a year in the Northwest.

Not only could she work with her husband to knock people out, but she could also speak with such profound wisdom. This was completely different from the delicate and sheltered daughter he once knew.

At that moment, he wasn’t thinking of his own safety, believing her transformation was due to her life in the Northwest.

It was he and his wife who had drugged their daughter and sent her to marry into the Mo family.

Thinking of his daughter’s transformation, Minister He felt a mix of emotions and didn’t know what to say.

He Zhiran didn’t realize that her father’s silence stemmed from guilt over her transformation. She thought he was considering the words she had said.

When her father didn’t speak for a long time, she urged, "Father, life and death depend on a single decision, and it depends on whether it’s worth it."

Hearing her words, Minister He snapped back to reality.

He took a deep breath.

"I’ve served the court my entire life. At this stage in my life, how can I retreat so easily?

Moreover, even if I had a way to secretly leave the Imperial City, do you think the Empress and the Xue family would let me go?

In any case, I’ve already thought it through. Your mother and elder brother are currently safe in the Northwest, and no one else knows about your arrival. Officially, only I am here in the Minister Mansion. If they want to kill or harm anyone, it will be me alone.

I’ve lived to this age, enjoyed the blessings I should have, and even if I die, I won’t have any regrets.

What I worry about is you and your brother. As long as you two are safe, I will have no more concerns."

Minister He never thought that his daughter and son-in-law could resolve this crisis. In his heart, as long as the family survived, what did it matter if he died?

Mo Jiuya stepped forward.

"Father-in-law, my wife and I have come to the Imperial City to eradicate the Empress’ faction. Trust me, I’ll do exactly what I say."

To make Minister He believe him, Mo Jiuya continued, "You may already know about this. Not long ago, a report from the Northwest prefecture mentioned that over two hundred people were killed."

Hearing this, Minister He’s eyes widened in shock. "Is this really related to the Mo family?"

Thinking of those killers, an involuntary chill emanated from Mo Jiuya’s eyes.

"Those people were indeed killed by the Mo family, but they weren’t ordinary people; they were killers sent by the Empress to annihilate us.

Father-in-law, think about it. The Mo family has been sentenced by Emperor Shunwu to be confiscated and exiled to the Northwest, yet the Empress still doesn’t intend to let us go.

Now, we’ve let go of everything and only wish to live in peace, but some people refuse to allow it.

For the safety of my family, even if I must bear the charge of treason, I won’t hesitate."

Normally, such treasonous words wouldn’t be suitable to say in front of Minister He, a loyal official, but times have changed. What’s the point of being a loyal official now?

You're still being targeted by those treacherous people, aren't you?

Just as Mo Jiuya had expected, Minister He, after hearing his explanation, did not reprimand him but instead fell into deep thought.

After a long while, he asked Jiuya, "Do you know how powerful the Empress's faction has become? More than half of the court officials have joined her camp. Even the imperial guards and the city guards have been replaced by her people.

Unless the Empress and the Xue family are completely wiped out, there's no way she'll let the Mo family live in peace, given her vengeful nature."

"Indeed, that's why I came to the Imperial City this time, to completely eradicate the Empress and the Xue family," said Jiuya, his tone flat, as if the matter meant nothing to him.

However, Minister He's heart raced with anxiety at that moment.

If the Empress and the Xue family were capable of such actions, they must have made thorough preparations.

Regardless of whether there was danger in the court, there would certainly be shadow guards protecting these key figures.

Even with Jiuya's skills, one man can't fight off an army.

"Jiuye, as your father-in-law, I know your abilities, but you are still alone. I hope you will think twice before acting," Minister He said.

Then he turned to He Zhiran, becoming even more puzzled by his daughter's thoughts.

When they arranged for her to marry Jiuya, she had been unwilling, saying she didn't want to become a widow like the other women in the Mo family.

But now, Jiuya's actions showed he had no regard for his own life, and if things went wrong, Ran Ran might indeed become a widow.

Why wasn't she stopping him now, when she had once been so afraid of becoming a widow?

He Zhiran didn't know what her father was thinking. She assumed he was helping Jiuya think of a plan.

"Dad, don't worry. Stay home and skip the morning court tomorrow. Trust me, even if the Empress realizes her people failed to complete the task, she won't immediately move against you."

"Ran Ran, what exactly are you planning to do?" If Jiuye had said these words, Minister He might have thought he was acting recklessly, confident in his abilities, but how could his delicate daughter say such things?

If there was an action soon, He Zhiran would definitely be going with Jiuya.

Therefore, she felt it necessary to explain at this moment.

"Dad, ever since I followed the Mo family into exile, I've endured many hardships. It's not just about the unknown assassins chasing us, but also living rough and encountering wolf attacks. To protect herself, her husband taught her some self-defense techniques.

Now, your daughter is no longer the delicate young miss of the past. Dealing with a few thugs is no problem at all."

She pointed to the palace eunuch she had just knocked out.

"Dad, you just saw it yourself. Your daughter's skills are quite good now."

Minister He had been curious when his daughter had learned martial arts, and He Zhiran's explanation cleared up his confusion.

However, his mind turned, and he suddenly realized something.

"Ran Ran, are you telling me all this because you're going to follow Jiuye to deal with those people?"

He Zhiran knew that if she wanted to leave with Jiuya in front of her father, she would have to spend some effort persuading him.

This was unavoidable. No parent wants to see their child walk into danger.

But following Jiuya's actions was something He Zhiran had to do, and no matter what, she had to convince her father.