Meanwhile, Nian Gengxi was also restless at home. Now that Consort Nian was gone and Nian Gengyao was not at peace in prison, the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.

He knew his second brother Nian Gengyao's temperament and character, and feared he would cause trouble again. Now that the Nian family's power was not what it used to be, for the safety of the whole family, Nian Gengxi decided to compromise.

One morning, as his wife was helping him change his clothes, he said to her, "Today I will go to the palace to see the Emperor. If I can return home safely, then everything will be fine. As for my second brother, that's up to his own fate."

Although the lady was a woman, she was, after all, the matriarch of this large family. With a gentle expression, she slowly asked, "If the general does not return, what should I do?"

Nian Gengxi sighed softly and said, "Then Heaven is going to destroy my Nian family."

The couple remained silent until Nian Gengxi left the mansion in a sedan chair.

As the Fourth Prince was reviewing memorials, someone came to report: "Your Majesty, General Nian Gengxi requests an audience."

The Fourth Prince paused slightly in his cinnabar brush. He thought that Nian Gengxi would definitely come to see him, but he didn't know what he planned to do.

"Let him in."

"yes."

The gatekeeper led the way and escorted Nian Gengxi to the main hall where the Emperor was.

Nian Gengxi was nervous, and these few steps felt very heavy, with a little sweat on his face.

"Your Majesty, I, Nian Gengxi, pay my respects! Long live the Emperor!"

"Rise, my dear subject."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Nian Gengxi dared not raise his head, but simply bowed his head and stood far away from the emperor.

The Fourth Prince looked up and clearly saw the expression on Nian Gengxi's face. He roughly understood that Nian Gengxi's personality was different from his younger brother Nian Gengyao's, so he wouldn't go too far. In his current state, he was probably trying to protect himself.

The Fourth Prince put down the memorial in his hand and beckoned Nian Gengxi to come forward.

"Why must you be so formal, my dear minister? And what makes you think of me as a criminal?"

Nian Gengxi stepped forward, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said, "I know I am guilty, so I have come to see Your Majesty today to request to resign from my post."

"Resign? Why did you suddenly resign, Minister Nian?"

Nian Gengxi replied in a calm tone, "Your Majesty, I am guilty. The Nian family previously relied on the Imperial Noble Consort's favor and received great imperial grace, but this also aroused the jealousy of others and offended some court officials. Now that the Imperial Noble Consort has passed away, my second brother has not been grateful for the Emperor's favor and has made some mistakes. I have heard the discussions in the court. Although I am foolish, I dare not make things difficult for the Emperor. Therefore, I request to resign and retire to my hometown."

Seeing that Nian Gengxi was a sensible man, and considering that the Nian family's affairs had been making a great fuss and had indeed troubled him, the Emperor decided to go with the flow and granted Nian Gengxi's request.

"Minister Nian has served the country so diligently over the years, and I should grant your request."

Upon hearing the Emperor's words, Nian Gengxi felt a great weight lifted from his heart.

The Emperor placed his hand on the table and continued, "Since that's the case, I also have a few words to say to you, my dear minister. I know that the Nian family is loyal and virtuous, so you can rest assured that I will not do something like 'killing the dog after the rabbit is caught.' This time, you can retire and return home, and you can rest assured to enjoy your old age with your family."

Upon hearing this, Nian Gengxi naturally understood the Emperor's meaning. Given the Nian family's current situation, it was already quite an achievement for him to be able to escape unscathed. Therefore, he immediately knelt down to express his gratitude.

"Your Majesty is wise and sagacious! Your subject kowtows in gratitude!"