The emperor fell silent after hearing what Prince Duan said.
"Your Majesty, that was your beloved Xiao Jiu. How can you bear to see him die? I don't care what happened between you and your sister-in-law. I won't ask why you killed the Crown Prince. Xiao Jiu is innocent. I don't want to see Your Majesty regret it later. Please pardon him."
"Brother, haven't enough people died yet? Stop!" Prince Duan said while kowtowing.
"I will send someone to deliver an imperial edict to pardon him, but... I do not intend to restore his status as a prince. From now on, Qi Yanchang will only be a commoner, not a member of my royal family," the emperor said coldly after a long silence.
Upon hearing this, Prince Duan immediately kowtowed to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty. Little Jiu will be very happy if she finds out."
It's a pity that Xiao Jiu couldn't regain his royal status, but at least he's free now. He's no longer trapped in Weiyang County and has escaped his status as a prisoner. Although he's just a commoner, his future days won't be too difficult.
"You may leave," the emperor said in a deep voice, waving his hand.
“Your Majesty, you have already issued an edict to pardon Xiao Jiu. He is no longer an exiled criminal. So… I, as his uncle, will help Xiao Jiu. Your Majesty will not punish me, will you?” Prince Duan asked, mustering his courage.
He really couldn't bear to see his little nephew suffer outside.
As the saying goes, the eldest brother is like a father, and the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother.
His elder brother was ten years older than him.
When his elder brother and sister-in-law got married, he was just a little boy.
At that time, he was in poor health, and his sister-in-law took good care of him. The imperial physicians could not cure his illness, so his sister-in-law sent people everywhere to find famous doctors to cure his illness. She also sent the best teachers and martial arts instructors to teach him.
When he grew up and reached marriageable age, he fell in love with a woman from a very ordinary family and wanted to marry her as his queen. His elder brother disagreed, but in the end, it was his sister-in-law who made the decision for him, allowing him to marry the woman he loved.
He just couldn't understand why his brother would kill the Crown Prince and force his sister-in-law to her death, given that she was such a good person.
Was it really just for power, for the throne?
But my elder brother is almost seventy years old. Wouldn't it be better for him to pass the throne to the crown prince and become the retired emperor?
Why did he kill his wife and children?
Prince Duan couldn't understand it. Now that things had come to this, he was powerless to change anything. The only thing he could do was protect his little nephew, Qi Jiu.
That's the son of the Empress Dowager.
"If you want to help, then help. No need for further words. You may leave," the emperor said in a deep voice.
"Yes." Prince Duan smiled, bowed, and withdrew.
After he left, the emperor looked at the chief eunuch beside him and said coldly, "Go and summon Commander He. I have something to ask him."
"Yes," the eunuch replied and hurried off.
Commander He was the commander of the emperor's secret guards, in charge of five hundred guards, and was the emperor's confidant.
His Highness the Ninth Prince encountered so many dangers, yet no one reported it. The Emperor suspects there was a problem with the secret guards and will certainly investigate thoroughly.
...
In mid-July, Ye Xianya received the medicinal herbs that Qi Chengshuo had sent someone to buy in the prefectural city. She locked herself in her room and began to refine the Foundation Establishment Medicine. After the medicine was refined, she took it for several days to consume and absorb it. By the end of July, she had finally succeeded in establishing her foundation.
Although this body is far inferior to its peak in its previous life, at least it won't get injured when using the profound techniques of the Taiyi Sect.
Of course, this is on the premise that you only use mystical techniques three times a day, and not the more complicated kind; otherwise, you are still prone to injury.
"Grandfather, I'm all ready. We can set off for the prefectural city tomorrow," Ye Xianya said excitedly to Ye Jinghuai.
From this day forward, she is no longer the helpless little girl she once was.
Previously, she could easily deal with ordinary ghosts and monsters, but if she were to face powerful evil cultivators or martial arts masters, she would have to set up an array in advance. Without the aid of an array, she could still win, but she would be particularly prone to injury.
After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, her physical strength became several times greater than before, and she was no longer as easily injured when using mystical arts.
"Qingze will be participating in the autumn imperial examination in a little over a month. It's perfect to set off tomorrow. Grandfather, go and tell them to pack their valuables and a few clothes. I'll also have your eldest uncle rent two larger carriages. We'll set off early tomorrow morning," Ye Jinghuai said with a smile.
Previously, assassins came to the Ye family to kill and set fires, but they escaped because the granddaughter was capable and had made all the necessary arrangements in advance.
Ye Jinghuai was naturally worried about leaving anyone here.
Since we're going to the capital, let's go together.
Jiang Mingtao, that bastard, has tried to kill them time and time again. He is utterly despicable. He is going to the capital to file a complaint with the emperor and make that bastard pay the price he deserves.
Without his granddaughter, Ye Jinghuai would have had to take his family to a distant place, live in anonymity, and live a life of constant fear, not daring to go to Beijing to sue Jiang Mingtao.
Because their granddaughter is very capable, they also have a fighting chance.
"Grandfather, don't worry. I have received the inheritance of the Taiyi Sect. After I go to the capital, if I encounter any big trouble, I will reveal my identity and join the Taiyi Sect. I will definitely be able to bring Jiang Mingtao down and make him pay the price he deserves." Ye Xianya was afraid that the old man would worry, so she reassured him.
"Good, thank goodness for you, otherwise our Ye family would be finished," Ye Jinghuai said in a trembling voice.
Back then, he was blind to the value of his daughter and married her off to that bastard Jiang Mingtao. To send Jiang Mingtao to take the imperial examination, the Ye family almost went bankrupt. In the end, this beast married someone else and even wanted to kill them.
He wanted to personally send Jiang Mingtao to his death, otherwise he would not rest in peace.
Ye Xianya quickly told Ye Miaoyun that they would be setting off the next day.
"You're leaving so soon?" Ye Miaoyun's eyes widened. "I thought it would be a few more days. I just finished making those lard soaps a few days ago, and they won't be ready to use for another month or two. If I bring them all, it will be too heavy, and the driver definitely won't agree."
Because it would exhaust the horse.
Ye Miaoyun was truly reluctant to part with it, because making the lard soap had taken her a lot of time and effort.
"It seems we have no choice but to let Qi Jiu have it," Ye Miaoyun sighed.
"If Mother really can't bear to part with it, just leave it here for now. We'll send someone to get it after we've settled things in the capital."
Ye Xianya suddenly smiled and said, "I still have some silver on hand. Let's hire another carriage and take the lard soap you made with us. Didn't Mother say... that these lard soaps are very difficult to make and quite expensive, so ordinary people can't afford them? If we take them to the capital, we're sure to get a good price for them."
Ye Miaoyun's eyes lit up upon hearing this, but she ultimately gave up: "Forget it, let's leave it to Qi Jiu. Although this stuff is expensive, there are still quite a few people in Weiyang County who can afford it. As long as he sells these lard soaps, he won't go hungry for the next few years if he's frugal. If he's even more frugal, it'll last him for ten years."
"Is Mother reluctant to part with him?" Ye Xianya asked with a smile.
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