As Madam Shangguan spoke, she suddenly gasped for breath and looked very uncomfortable.
"Madam..." Shangguan Yue hurriedly picked up his wife and placed her on Shangguan Wanning's bed, holding her hand tightly. "Madam, don't worry, we will think of another way."
Madam Shangguan struggled to get up and suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood.
"Mom!" Shangguan Wanning cried and hugged her mother.
She was upset, she didn't want to see her mother hurt herself because of this, but...
"Ning'er, you have to promise me..." Madam Shangguan's face turned pale, and even her voice became weaker and weaker. "Don't hurt your grandfather... and your third uncle, you have to promise me..."
Shangguan Wanning couldn't help crying. "Okay, Mom, I promise, I promise... Stop talking and have a good rest..."
Shangguan Yue immediately called the housekeeper and went to the backyard room to invite Lu Xiangzi overnight.
"Master, how is my mother?" Shangguan Wanning asked cautiously.
Lu Xiangzi's face was full of solemnity. "Her body had recovered a lot, but her foundation was too weak. She must have been stimulated by something just now. She needs to rest and her emotions should not fluctuate. Otherwise...if she can't catch her breath, even gods can't save her."
Shangguan Wanning closed her eyes in pain, her heart as calm as still water.
"Girl, take good care of your mother. I'll go to the kitchen to boil some medicine now." Lu Xiangzi didn't know what had happened, but seeing Shangguan Wan Ning's hopeless look, he felt very distressed.
He patted Shangguan Wanning's head gently, turned and walked out.
Mrs. Shangguan fell into a deep sleep after drinking the medicine. Shangguan Wanning's mind was blank and she sat blankly on the edge of the bed.
She kept holding her mother's hand, her eyes confused and empty.
"It's almost dawn." Shangguan Yue walked over and said to his dazed daughter.
Shangguan Wanning knew that her father was reminding her that if she wanted to go to the Ministry of Justice court, she should start preparing now.
“Dad, I…”
“Ning’er, your father has always taught you to distinguish right from wrong since you were a child, but this time…” Shangguan Yue was helpless.
As the prime minister, he should stand up and seek justice for the 100,000 soldiers. He originally stood on Shangguan Wanning's side.
However, when he looked at his dying wife lying on the sickbed, the heaviness in his heart could not help but tilt towards favoritism.
"If you insist on testifying against your grandfather and your third uncle, Dad won't stop you. As for your mother... I will also try my best to comfort her. But if you don't want to go..."
Shangguan Yue was silent for a long time, then said, "I will arrange everything, rescue Mu Jingrui, and let the two of you run away."
Shangguan Wanning was stunned and looked up at her father.
"father……"
"I know you definitely don't want to watch Mu Jingrui die. Right now, this is the only way to have the best of both worlds. As for justice for the 100,000 soldiers..."
Shangguan Yue's sigh sounded even more helpless. "I will find a way to redress their grievances."
Shangguan Wanning looked at her sleeping mother.
She noticed tears slowly falling from the corners of her mother's eyes, and she suddenly realized that her mother might not be asleep at all.
"Okay, everything will be arranged according to Dad's plan. I..." Shangguan Wanning held her mother's hand and whispered, "I'm not going."
Shangguan Wanning saw the corners of her mother's lips twitch, as if she was trying hard to suppress her sadness.
At this moment, she became calm.
A ray of dawn appeared on the horizon, and the morning breeze brushed across my cheeks, bringing a cool and refreshing feeling.
Mu Jingrui was sitting in a chair with his eyes closed. When he heard someone pushing the door open, he opened his eyes.
Mu Jingyan brought two maids with him, along with food and water.
She signaled to the maid to put the things down, then she wrung out the towel herself and handed it to her brother, and then arranged the food one by one.
"Brother, I made your favorite flower rolls. Eat them first before going to the Ministry of Justice."
"good."
After Mu Jingrui finished washing up, he sat down at the table. After taking a bite, he smiled and said, "I've been pampered for so long that my cooking skills seem to have deteriorated."
Mu Jingyan ignored his joke and just watched him eat silently.
"Brother..." Mu Jingyan couldn't help himself and asked softly, "Can you... not go to the Ministry of Justice?"
"No." Mu Jingrui did not stop what he was doing, but his refusal was decisive and decisive.
"Why?" Mu Jingyan was a little emotional and said what was hidden in his heart, "Brother, you were able to escape death and come back, which is already a blessing from our ancestors. Let's not worry about bringing honor to our ancestors and making achievements, okay? Is there anything more important than staying alive?"
"Silly girl, I went to the Ministry of Justice only to seek justice for myself and for 100,000 soldiers. I won't die." Mu Jingrui patted his sister's head gently, with a little more comfort and pampering in his eyes.
Mu Jingyan disagreed.
"Will you really not die? Brother, the Yiyong Marquis's Mansion is extremely powerful now, and the only person who can testify against the Zheng family father and son is Shangguan Wanning. Have you ever thought about what would happen if...she is in cahoots with them and she doesn't show up...then...what would you do?"
Mu Jingrui put down his chopsticks and said softly, "Don't let your imagination run wild. Ning'er wouldn't lie to me."
"Brother!" Mu Jingyan couldn't help it, "Can you please stop thinking of her as so innocent and perfect? She... is not worthy of your love at all. Before you came back, I saw her having a tryst with the King of Qin in the White Horse Temple..."
Mu Jingrui's eyes darkened and a sharp light flashed across his eyes.
But Mu Jingyan was not afraid.
"Brother, 100,000 soldiers were wiped out. Everyone thinks you died on the battlefield and sacrificed your life for your country. So let's keep this secret. Otherwise, when the Ministry of Justice sees you go back, you will be blamed for the lost battle. Even if Shangguan Wan Ning is willing to testify for you, who can guarantee that the emperor will let you go?"
"I'm stuffed."
Mu Jingrui looked calm and turned his gaze to his sister.
"Xiao Yan, do you know what responsibility is?"
Mu Jingyan shook his head blankly.
"Responsibility is something you don't want to do but have to do. You are right. As the commander-in-chief, I am to blame for the failure of the war. I must take responsibility for my mistakes. Even if the emperor sentences me to behead, I will accept it calmly."
"but……"
"Okay, stop talking."
Mu Jingrui stood up and sighed silently.
"If I can't come back, you should take good care of yourself in the future."
After saying that, he walked out without looking back.
Mu Jingyan couldn't help but burst into tears.
Mu Jingrui beat the drum at the door of the Ministry of Justice. His safe return shocked everyone.
The Minister of Justice, Long Jiu, immediately went to the court to try the case. After listening to Mu Jingrui's explanation, he broke out in a cold sweat.
The matter was of great importance and he could no longer judge it alone, so he had to report it to the Emperor immediately.
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