The Imperial Study was heavily guarded, presumably to prevent anyone from overhearing the conversations inside. All the maids, eunuchs, and even Eunuch Wang were driven outside.

The light and shadow fell on the desk, casting an inconsistency on the emperor's face, making it impossible to discern his inner thoughts.

Liu Ru'an had been kneeling there for who knows how long; her knees had long since gone numb. Yet, she still refused to get up, clinging to a sliver of hope in her heart.

“Minister Liu, any official of less than the fifth rank who trespasses into the Hall of Brightness during the morning court session deserves to be executed by being cut in half at the waist. This is an ironclad rule established by our ancestors. Although there are extenuating circumstances, your daughter has still committed a crime. If she is not punished, it will be difficult to appease the public.”

After a long silence, the emperor sighed.

After struggling to recount the events in detail, Liu Ru'an breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Having served in the court for many years, he believed he understood the emperor's personality quite well.

If I hadn't come to plead for her today, I'm afraid I could have saved the Crown Prince's life but not Liu Qingmei's.

After all, it was this daughter who brought this up in court, causing the emperor to lose face. There was no way he could let such a person live in this world.

“Your Majesty, I understand that my daughter’s crime is unforgivable. I am willing to take the blame for her. I request to resign from my position as Minister and go to Jiangbei to make more contributions to the people.”

Jiangbei was the most barren and desolate place in the Xuan Dynasty.

Bandits roamed the land, and countless untold sordid deeds were committed there. No official wanted to be sent to a place that had always been the place of exile for those who had made mistakes.

Liu Ru'an's abilities are such that, if he puts his mind to it, it will only take an imperial edict for him to become the head of all officials after Prime Minister Su resigns.

Now, for the sake of his daughter, he is willing to volunteer to go to such a place, which shows that he really disregards his career.

The emperor's eyes darkened slightly, and a genuine emotion finally appeared on his face. "My dear minister, you really don't need to be like this. The matter of Liu Qingmei has nothing to do with you. I really can't find anyone else for the position of Minister besides you."

Liu Ru'an: "Your Majesty flatters me. Our dynasty has many talented and extraordinary people. In my absence, there are naturally many more who can step up. I only hope that the Xuan Dynasty will last for thousands of years and that Your Majesty will be blessed with boundless fortune. My daughter's condition is also due to my lack of strict discipline. After I leave, I will arrange for someone to send her to a nunnery to end her remaining years."

Seeing that his mind was made up, the emperor did not linger any longer. "In that case, you may go. However, Jiangbei is a wild and desolate place. You have made great contributions, so it is better not to go to such a place. Go to Pinglin, where they may need you more."

Liu Ruan kowtowed, "Your subject obeys the decree and thanks Your Majesty for your mercy."

At that moment, the Fifth Prince stood in the prison cell, looking at Jiang Yuanlang hiding in a dark corner. For the first time, he finally tore off his mask in front of others.

"How does it feel to be bitten by snakes, insects, and rodents? Do you remember why I contracted the plague when I was five years old?"

His words were incoherent, and Jiang Yuanlang's head twitched.

His mind was in a daze, and it took him a long time to remember. He was ten years old that year, and Jiang Yuanmo was five. Because of that woman from the southern border, his father never came to Fanghua Palace again.

He listened to his mother's complaints every day, so naturally he didn't like his younger brother very much.

Children's mischief often comes unexpectedly and without any restraint. He ordered someone to find a lot of rats. They had been starving for a long time, and in the middle of the night, they released them into Jiang Yuanmo's room.

After that, the palace maids on night watch.

The foreign woman, and even everyone in Jiang Yuanmo's palace who stayed by his side, contracted the plague.

Jiang Yuanmo's mother passed away because of the lack of timely medical treatment and her own loss of will to live, leaving behind only a child who miraculously survived.

Recalling the past, Jiang Yuanlang trembled, then felt ashamed.

He glared fiercely in the direction of the Fifth Prince, "So what if I did it?! You impure bastard, you deserve to be bitten to death by rats!"

Jiang Yuanche wasn't angry, but his eyes looked increasingly sinister. "Yes, I deserve it. But soon you'll have to go down and wait for me, my good brother."

Those who hurt his mother and those who hurt him deserve to die!

He had already investigated what happened back then; it was just a show of interrogation for a few days, but the evidence was irrefutable. The news of the true crown prince's death, and even Ye Ze's death, were brought before the emperor.

In the end, no matter how much Consort Shu tried to argue, the die was cast and could not be changed.

The Empress only learned of this when the truth came to light; the Emperor had kept it a secret and dared not let anyone tell her.

Now that he has just found out, he was so angry that he fainted!

She woke up two hours later. No matter how much she tried to deceive herself that it was all a dream, she could no longer deceive herself when she saw Jiang Mingyun's cold face and the evidence in his hand.

"Why? Why?" The usually dignified woman could not bear such pain and collapsed into the emperor's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

She was raised as an empress from a young age, taught by her parents to be gentle, polite, dignified, and elegant. She was also expected to be authoritative and resourceful.

She had to manage the harem for the emperor and also take care of her younger siblings.

Her twin brother, who was the same age as her, didn't have to do anything. Every day when he was reading, he would shake his head and beg for a lot of things.

The siblings should have a very good relationship, so why is that?!

Why would my own brother treat me like this? He had an affair with Consort Shu, secretly had a child with her, and then replaced her biological child because he looked like me!

My mother and the others probably already knew that.

But no one told her that they chose to abandon her for the sake of their family and their brother, choosing to conceal the truth without ever considering how she, as the empress, should be treated after the incident.

"Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask of you."

Having been married for many years, Jiang Mingyun immediately anticipated what she was about to say, "Empress, he is Consort Shu's child, an illegitimate child! Shouldn't he pay for our child's life?"

Ye Ling didn't know either. She shook her head, her eyes filled with fierce determination. "Your Majesty, that's precisely why I want him to live, to live in guilt and remorse. Let him be imprisoned in the Crown Prince's residence, where he will have no shortage of food and clothing, and let him live in this prison for the rest of his life."

"Moreover, if he dies, the uninformed people will surely gossip. It's better to fabricate a crime and let him live. Let him live a life away from the throne and away from the world."

Jiang Mingyun sighed. Despite the Empress's seemingly serious demeanor, he knew exactly what she was thinking. "I understand. I will do as you say."