Chapter 25 She wants a divorce!

Jiang Ning looked at Yuwen Jue with some surprise.

He was dressed in a black robe, his face was cold and stern, and his dark eyes were like an abyss, unfathomable.

In the original owner's memories, Yuwen Jue loathed her.

But at this moment, Yuwen Jue actually spoke up for her.

Seeing Jiang Ning's gaze linger on him, Yuwen Jue frowned and whispered a reminder.

"Jiang Ning, you don't need to be moved. I am just protecting the reputation of the Ling Prince's Mansion."

She is still the Princess Consort of Ling, and is tied to the Ling Royal Family. He doesn't want the Ling Royal Family's reputation to be ruined.

"Then I thank Your Highness. Not everyone is willing to speak up for me."

Jiang Ning smiled, a relaxed and composed smile.

Yuwen Jue looked thoughtfully at Jiang Yuanshan and Jiang Baoqing.

Jiang Yuanshan stammered, unable to utter a word.

"Your Highness, that's not what I meant..."

Emperor Ming said impatiently, "The matter is settled. I have decided to punish Jiang Baoqing with fifty strokes of the cane and have the Jiang family pay the Guo family ten thousand taels of silver to settle this matter."

"Fifty strokes of the cane, and Baoqing will be crippled if she doesn't die..."

Jiang Yuanshan was extremely nervous and trembling as he pulled out a certificate of merit from his pocket.

"Your Majesty, this is the imperial edict you bestowed upon my father. I wish to use it to protect Baoqing..."

Jiang Ning's pupils contracted, her beautiful lips curled up, and her eyes were full of mockery.

"Father, this imperial edict is the Jiang family's last lifeline. Are you sure you want to use it now?"

Back then, her grandfather Jiang Zhenyao led a large army in a desperate battle to repel the invasion of Xihao.

In the end, he suffered injuries to both legs and was bedridden.

To commend them, the Emperor Emeritus bestowed upon the Jiang family a certificate of merit and also granted Jiang Zhenyao the title of Marquis of Fuyuan, a title that could be inherited by his descendants.

After his grandfather passed away, Jiang Yuanshan inherited the title of Marquis, but no one regarded him as the esteemed Marquis of Fuyuan, and simply called him Marquis Jiang.

He treasured that imperial edict like the back of his hand, protecting it as if it were his life.

Unexpectedly, it will be used to save Jiang Baoqing today.

Jiang Ning's phoenix eyes gleamed, and a cold smile flickered across her lips.

This is enough to prove that in Jiang Yuanshan's heart, Jiang Baoqing is far more important than the imperial edict and even the future of the Marquis's mansion.

Based on her understanding of Jiang Yuanshan, she knew this was definitely not the kind of towering, profound fatherly love that Mount Tai possessed.

Jiang Yuanshan must have placed his hopes for the rise of the Marquis's mansion on Jiang Baoqing.

Upon hearing Jiang Ning's voice, Jiang Yuanshan raised his eyes and glared at her fiercely.

"Jiang Ning, how could you be so vicious?"

Baoqing is your own sister. Are you just going to stand by and watch her get beaten to death?

Jiang Ning pouted.

"I can close my eyes and not look."

Jiang Yuanshan nearly vomited a mouthful of blood.

"Father, you must save me..."

Outside the Shou Kang Palace, Jiang Baoqing knelt on the cold floor tiles, staring at Jiang Ning with vicious hatred in her eyes.

Even at this point, Jiang Ning is still making sarcastic remarks...

Originally, everything seemed to be going well.

The ones who should be dragged out and beaten to death now are Jiang Ning and that bastard!

Why did it become her?

Also, when exactly did that idiot Jiang Ning develop such beautiful handwriting?

Jiang Yuanshan knelt respectfully on the ground, burying his head even lower.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus, and the Imperial Concubine, please have mercy!"

Emperor Ming frowned, his eyes dark as he looked at the retired emperor.

The retired emperor took a deep breath and said coldly, "I promised Marquis Fuyuan that this imperial edict could be used in times of crisis."

"However, Marquis Jiang, Princess Ling is right. After this is used, the imperial edict will be invalid."

Jiang Yuanshan's voice trembled with deep sorrow.

"Your Majesty, I understand. I beg Your Majesty to grant my request!"

The retired emperor sneered and gave instructions to Eunuch Fu.

"Go and fetch the other half of the elixir book that is sealed in the golden box."

Eunuch Fu responded and went to fetch the other half, destroying both halves of the cinnabar book.

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Retired Emperor, thank you, Your Majesty..."

Jiang Yuanshan looked at the destroyed imperial edict with a heavy heart, wishing he could beat his chest and stamp his feet in despair.

He glared at Jiang Ning with resentment.

If it weren't for Jiang Ning's meddling, would the Jiang family have lost this imperial edict?!

Outside the door, Jiang Baoqing breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my life..."

She knelt on the ground, covered in cold sweat, feeling extremely fortunate.

Fortunately, she and Jiang Ning had different identities and held different positions in her father's heart.

Otherwise, we might really be in trouble...

Consort Guo looked unwell and asked anxiously.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Emperor Emeritus, is the matter of Jiang Baoqing injuring my brother just going to be left like this?"

The emperor frowned.

"Since Marquis Jiang has presented the iron certificate guaranteeing Jiang Baoqing's safety, the punishment of caning and imprisonment will be dropped. We will only need to compensate the Guo family with some silver."

He paused for a moment, then comforted Consort Guo.

"My beloved concubine, you decide on the amount of compensation, shall we?"

Consort Guo cried out, "Your Majesty, how can silver buy my Guo family having an heir?"

"Even ten thousand taels or a million taels wouldn't be enough to quell the hatred in my heart if Jiang Baoqing didn't die!"

Emperor Ming looked somewhat displeased.

The Empress's face instantly turned ugly.

"Consort Guo, you are clearly making things difficult for the Emperor and the Emperor Emeritus!"

Jiang Ning also curled her lips and coolly offered her advice.

"Your Highness, the die is cast. Why not ask for more money?"

Jiang Yuanshan and Jiang Baoqing looked at her in disbelief.

Jiang Yuanshan said angrily, "Jiang Ning, how can you be so vicious? Aren't you a member of the Jiang family?"

What good does it do you to harm the Jiang family like this?

Jiang Ning sneered upon hearing this.

"Father, do you even consider me a member of the Jiang family? Why did you allow Jiang Baoqing to plot against me?"

Seeing that his secret had been exposed, Jiang Yuanshan's eyes flickered, and he lowered his head guiltily without saying a word.

Consort Guo clenched her fingers tightly and smiled with a ferocious expression.

"Lord Jiang, Princess Ling is right. Your Marquis's Mansion must compensate our Guo family one million taels of silver!"

One million taels of silver is no small sum. Although the Jiang family mansion appears prosperous on the surface, it has long been in debt.

This million taels of silver is enough to plunge the Jiang family into deep trouble!

Jiang Yuanshan's vision went black, and he almost fainted.

"One million taels? Your Highness, even if you sold me, we still couldn't scrape together one million taels..."

Consort Guo wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, her smile chilling and malicious.

"That's not something I should concern myself with."

"If this million taels of silver is not delivered to the Guo family within a month, I will have your manor demolished!"

Jiang Yuanshan looked pleadingly at Emperor Ming and the Emperor Emeritus.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, Your Majesty the Retired Emperor, please say something!"

Emperor Ming's well-defined fingers ground over the tourmaline bead, his expression impatient.

"Lord Jiang, this is what the Jiang family owes the Guo family."

Jiang Yuanshan collapsed onto the cold ground, his expression one of despair.

Emperor Ming narrowed his majestic tiger eyes and looked at Jiang Ning with an inscrutable expression.

"Jiang Ning, I owe you a promise. Tell me, what do you want?"

Jiang Ning actually saved the Emperor Emeritus's life in front of everyone.

This was a promise he made in public, so naturally he couldn't go back on his word.

Jiang Yuanshan and Jiang Baoqing, who were kneeling on one side, immediately perked up.

Yes, His Majesty still owes Jiang Ning a promise!

Although the promise was given to Jiang Ning, wasn't it essentially given to the Jiang family?

Jiang Yuanshan was incredibly excited and looked at Jiang Ning expectantly.

"Good daughter, quickly ask the Emperor to void that one million taels of silver!"

That's a million taels of silver! Their Marquis's mansion has been in debt for years, and they can't afford to pay it back even if they sell everything they own!

Jiang Ning glanced coldly at Jiang Yuanshan and took Xiao Bao'er's hand.

Ha, Jiang Yuanshan is really shameless.

She was never treated like a daughter, but now that she needs her, she's become a "good daughter."

It's utterly ridiculous.

Jiang Ning raised her cold eyes and spoke in a composed yet firm manner.

"Your Majesty, I would like to request that you issue an edict to grant me and Prince Ling a divorce and to restore our freedom."