"What? Now that Yi Yi's status has changed, Grandmother has changed her mind again. But Grandmother thinks too highly of me. I've always been the one who shamelessly pesters Yi Yi. Now that Yi Yi is a princess, why does Grandmother think that she will let go of the Yun family because of a word I say? And why does she think that she will want to marry me?"
After Yun Xiao finished speaking, he closed his eyes slightly and stopped talking.
At this moment, Yun Yong finally understood the meaning behind Madam Yun's words and realized that the abandoned woman his son had loved had now become a princess.
As the head of the Yun family, he naturally knew about Old Madam Yun's plot to assassinate Han Yiyi. Of course, in his view, a discarded woman was unworthy of entering the Yun family, so he tacitly approved of Old Madam Yun's actions.
Upon hearing that Han Yiyi had been bestowed the title of princess, a hint of regret flashed in her eyes, and she spoke to Yun Xiao.
"You can't blame your grandmother. After all, she was just an abandoned woman back then. How could she have entered our Yun family? Now that her status is different, she is naturally qualified to enter our Yun family. Now our Yun family is also a royal merchant family. The future head of the Yun family marrying a princess of a different surname is not a waste of her talent..."
At this moment, Yun Yong forgot that his so-called Yun family had already been raided.
Hearing his father and grandmother's words, Yun Xiao found them utterly ridiculous.
Meanwhile, chests upon chests of gold, silver, antiques, and calligraphy were being moved into the national treasury, and Emperor Beichen was so happy he could hardly stop smiling.
Looking at those items, which were far inferior to the things in his previous treasure pavilion, Emperor Beichen recalled how, a few days ago, in order to find treasures for Han Yiyi, he had to enter the palaces of several concubines one night. Thinking of that day, Emperor Beichen's legs went weak again, and he couldn't help but curse.
“These unscrupulous merchants should all be executed along with their entire families…”
However, no sooner had he finished speaking than a eunuch announced that Princess Changning was requesting an audience.
These ideas were all earned through that slap from Han Yiyi, so he quickly had someone summon her in.
"Changning is here! Come quickly, come and see if there's anything you like. Pick one, and I'll give it to you..."
Han Yi looked at the boxes of jewelry and jade, knowing that they must have been confiscated from Yunlai, and her eyes darkened.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, but I don't need these things. Please leave them to the people who have been displaced by the flood!"
Han Yiyi knew that the Yun family's property was seized on the surface because of the slap Madam Yun had given her! But in reality, it was because the Yun family had maliciously raised grain prices and made a fortune off the national disaster during the flood.
The slap that Madam Yun gave herself was merely a pretext set up by the emperor.
In fact, Han Yiyi understood even better what raising grain prices meant for ordinary people. Thinking back to how those villagers had fought each other over a single mushroom in order to exchange for more rice from her, Han Yiyi's already gloomy eyes darkened even more.
But thinking that the gentle and refined young master had repeatedly put himself in danger in order to save her, Han Yiyi felt a tightness in her chest. After a moment of contemplation, she asked.
"I wonder how His Majesty intends to deal with the Yun family..."
"They dared to beat my princess of Beichen in the street, so naturally they should all be executed!"
Upon hearing Emperor Beichen's words, Han Yiyi's face paled. Thinking of that gentle and refined man, she slowly knelt down, but before her knees even touched the ground, Emperor Beichen helped her up.
"Changning, what are you doing? Just say what you have to say..."
Emperor Beichen was startled when Han Yiyi suddenly knelt before him. He had seen Han Yiyi make those things disappear with her bare hands before. He thought to himself that if she were to become unhappy and make him disappear, then his reign as emperor would be over. So he quickly reached out and helped her up.
"Your Majesty, I beg you to release the Yun family!"
Upon hearing Han Yiyi's words, Emperor Beichen narrowed his eyes and subconsciously looked at the boxes of jewelry and jade artifacts beside him.
Upon seeing Emperor Beichen's expression, Han Yi knew that he had misunderstood, and quickly explained.
"I know that the reason Your Majesty confiscated the Yun family's property was because they profited from the national crisis, and I also think that Your Majesty did the right thing."
"However, because Yun Xiao, the eldest son of the Yun family, saved my life many times during the flood in Ping'an Town, I want to use my status as a princess to exchange for the lives of the Yun family. I hope the Emperor can release the Yun family from prison. As for the Yun family's wealth, they are rich but heartless, and they have been exploiting the people. It should be handed over to the national treasury."
When Emperor Beichen heard Han Yiyi say this, his expression softened. It was absolutely impossible for him to return the valuables that he had gone to so much trouble to seize.
However, upon hearing Han Yi mention Yun Xiao, a hint of gossip flashed in Emperor Beichen's eyes, and he couldn't help but ask.
"Changning really likes the eldest son of the Yun family..."
He remembered that when he first learned that Zicheng and Zihui were the children of Nangong Yuan and Han Yiyi, he had asked Nangong Yuan if he needed to arrange another marriage for them. At that time, Nangong Yuan's expression clearly showed that he wanted to, but was worried that Han Yiyi would not agree, which was why he refused.
Now that she hears that Han Yiyi is willing to give up her princess status to save the Yun family's eldest son, she clearly has feelings for this young master.
Thinking of this, a hint of schadenfreude flashed in Emperor Beichen's eyes.
Han Yiyi was taken aback when Emperor Beichen suddenly asked her this question. She paused for a moment before speaking.
"I am a commoner, I am a commoner, I am not..." At this moment, Han Yiyi herself probably did not understand whether she felt gratitude or affection towards Yun Xiao.
When Emperor Beichen saw Han Yiyi, he asked her for a long time, but she still didn't understand. So he interrupted her.
"Alright, I understand. Since the Yun family once saved Changning, they can be considered to have rendered meritorious service. I will spare their lives. I will send someone with you to the Jingzhao Prefecture later, and you can release them there!"
"As for your title of princess, it is naturally still yours. It was earned by you for saving so many people, and I personally conferred it upon you. How can I just give it up? And it is impossible for me to abolish it for the sake of those useless people from the Yun family. Alright, go!"
"This humble woman thanks Your Majesty!"
Following the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree, Han Yiyi arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture. When she saw the man in the moon-white robe sitting alone in the corner with an indifferent look in his eyes, she suddenly felt a lump in her throat.
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