Chapter 129: The Inevitable Hardships of Imprisonment

Chapter 129: The Inevitable Hardships of Imprisonment

In the palace, the Emperor stood in front of the hall, watching the snow fall, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

"Xu Rong, did I make a mistake?"

Xu Rong, upon hearing this, knelt down in fear: "Your Majesty has been tirelessly devoted to Dongzhao, practicing benevolent governance, and caring for the people. You are a wise ruler for all time."

"Enough flattery, tell me the truth. I pardon you."

"The bond between father and son, the love between husband and wife—these are natural human emotions. As the ruler of a nation, Your Majesty prioritizes state affairs above all else. It is already remarkable to manage this."

The Emperor withdrew his gaze, lost in thought.

Spring is near, yet the situation remains bleak!

"Has Consort Qi made any moves?"

"Your Majesty, the Noble Consort has been coming to pay her respects these last few days, but since Your Majesty refuses to see her, she kneels for an hour before leaving."

"Paying respects?" The Emperor's face showed disappointment: "She should know that her safety depends entirely on the choices she and her son make."

Eunuch Xu: "..."

The secret tunnel incident has crossed the Emperor's bottom line. Along with the shadow guards' secret reports of disturbances in Jiangnan and the He family secretly pledging allegiance to the Crown Prince, the thorn in the Emperor's heart has likely grown sharper.

**

At the Ruan family's villa, Ruan Xiaoyue was about to return to the Pei family when suddenly many soldiers arrived.

Ruan Chenglin and Zheng Qiaohui had never seen such a scene and were momentarily stunned.

Ruan Chenglin regained his composure and stepped forward: "May I ask, officers, what is this about?"

The leading officer stepped forward: "The Pei family is suspected of treason. Everyone involved is to be arrested."

Ruan Xiaoyue stumbled back.

Zheng Qiaohui's legs went weak, and she was momentarily lost.

The Pei family rebelling? How could that happen?

Ruan Chenglin also didn't expect this: "Officers, could there be a mistake? Pei Chong commands the city defense army. How could he rebel?"

"Enough! Take them away!"

At the Chang Pavilion in the outskirts of the capital, He An and Ruan Qinghuan came to see Qingzhou off. Ruan Qinghuan's eyes filled with tears, her heart aching, as she advised: "Qingzhou, the journey to Jiangnan won't be easy. Once you take up your post, be cautious in everything."

"Sister, don't worry, I'll remember."

Qingzhou had long aspired to enter officialdom. Having chosen the path of political ups and downs, he would naturally do his utmost to protect the peace of the region.

Xu Xi disliked such sentimental scenes and went ahead to wait alone.

Xu Zining bid farewell to each member of the Ruan family. When she reached Zhou Yunzhi, she was tightly embraced.

Her son had just returned to the capital not long ago, and now he was leaving again. Zhou Yunzhi was naturally reluctant to part. She took a jade bracelet from her sleeve and put it on Xu Zining: "This was given to me by my mother when I married. When you return to Jiangnan and visit the Zhou residence, the old lady will tell you the story behind this bracelet."

"But this is too precious, I..."

"Now, now, in my heart, you are as precious as Qingzhou and Qing Huan. How can these material possessions compare?"

Xu Zining's eyes welled up with tears: "Before leaving, I was determined not to cry, but..."

Those from the martial world are free and unrestrained.

Yet the emotions built over these days have taken root in my heart, making the farewell truly painful.

"Let's go, let's go, we mustn't miss the hour."

As the carriage gradually moved away, He An embraced Ruan Qinghuan and whispered, "My lady, rest assured, I have arranged everything properly. Qingzhou will surely return safely to Jiangnan."

Zhou Yunzhi nodded silently.

"Master, Madam, disaster has struck—the second master's family has been arrested." A servant ran in, bringing shocking news.

Almost everyone in the Ruan family fixed their eyes on He An.

He An: "The Pei family is suspected of treason, and everyone related to the Pei family will be investigated. The Ruan estate hasn't been touched because Qing Huan is the First Rank Lady of the Imperial Court, personally conferred by the Emperor. Additionally, the main and second branches have already separated. Otherwise, they would have faced imprisonment without question."

Ruan Chengfu turned pale: "Then your second uncle's family... can they... can they be saved?"

He An gave Ruan Qinghuan a reassuring look: "Don't worry, as long as they were not involved in the treason, they won't be implicated, though they may have to endure a few days in prison."

The crime of treason involves the execution of nine clans; saving their lives is already the best outcome.

Ruan Chengfu couldn't ask for more.

Zhou Yunzhi also hadn't anticipated the situation to be so severe. Since the Ruan family's business has been expanding, Ruan Chengfu has become a prominent figure in the capital.

It's been a long time since she saw him so downcast.

**

Not long after the Pei family incident, the Emperor ended the Crown Prince's confinement.

In the Crown Prince's estate, Ji Lingchuan sighed: "The Emperor ending the Crown Prince's confinement at this time suggests that, like last time, he wants to suppress this matter."

He An remained quietly silent.

The Crown Prince serenely prepared tea, fully focused.

Ji Lingchuan's concerns were met with silence, and he crossed his legs: "It seems I'm the only one upset, aren't you all bothered?"

Crown Prince: "What good does it do to be upset?"

"What if the Crown Prince takes further action?"

Hearing this, He An's eyebrow flickered.

Ji Lingchuan's expression stiffened, as if he had an epiphany: "Could it be that the Emperor ending the Crown Prince's confinement is part of a larger scheme?"

Crown Prince sighed: "Father has given him two chances already. This time, the choice is his to make."

No wonder, since the Emperor's order, the Crown Prince hasn't been in a hurry to handle the case but has handed it over to the Ministry of Justice, waiting for Jiang Jie to report the progress daily.

"After all, he is my brother, but as the Crown Prince, how can one rule the country with the heart of a woman? This time, Father is testing the Crown Prince, and perhaps also testing me."

Ji Lingchuan: "..."

Coming from a military background, he couldn't grasp these complex maneuvers.

The Crown Prince: "By my count, Qingzhou should have arrived in Jiangnan by now. Was the journey smooth?"

"There were two assassination attempts along the way, but luckily, we had planned ahead and came out unscathed."

The Crown Prince just shook his head.

He knew the Crown Prince's temperament well. The Emperor wanted to give him a chance to turn back, but after years of scheming, how could he just let it all go to waste?

There was a knock at the door, and a servant brought in a gilded invitation: "Your Highness, an invitation from Minister Jiang's residence."

Jiang Jie?

Ji Lingchuan was puzzled. With the court in such turmoil, was he really planning to marry now?

But seeing the Crown Prince's meaningful smile, it was likely true. He thought to himself, this guy is really sneaky.

After glancing at the invitation, the Crown Prince tossed it to He An.

He An didn’t even look at it.

Even though Ji Lingchuan knew Jiang Jie was on their side, marrying the daughter of a disgraced official seemed like a pointless move: "Marrying the daughter of a disgraced official, isn’t he just inviting trouble?"

"Not so fast."

The Crown Prince only said two words and didn’t explain further, leaving Ji Lingchuan restless and anxious.

He An said, "About Lu City, since the Emperor wants Minister Qi to take the fall, he’ll have to sweeten the deal. The only way to get Minister Qi to take the fall willingly is to guarantee the safety of the Qi family's descendants."

The Crown Prince: "Jiang Jie's move plays right into the Emperor's hands. It gives the Emperor an excuse to accuse him of shielding the daughter of a disgraced official, while also wrapping up the corruption case. It’s a win-win for the Emperor."

Ji Lingchuan was speechless.

These civil officials and their twisted schemes are impossible to keep up with. It’s exhausting.

The Crown Prince frowned. "We need to get to the bottom of the grain shortage in Qizhou fast, before things get out of hand."