The outcome is
Jun Qiyu noticed Xie Sili's actions immediately and quickly stepped forward to pull him into his arms.
The moment he touched her body, he realized that her body was just as light as it had been before.
Everything from the past came flooding back to me at this moment.
He knew it was all part of her scheme, but he still couldn't help feeling sorry for her.
"Summon the Imperial Physician." Upon seeing this, the Emperor quickly instructed Huai En beside him, "Fourth Prince, carry Miss Xie into the warm pavilion next door."
Xie Zhun knew that Xie Sili was frail and sickly. Even though he saw this scene, he couldn't help but blame her for saying those words. What was wrong with marrying Jun Qiyu? Since he was going to die young, he could at least enjoy some happiness.
"Let me tell you, if anything happens to Ali, Xie Siyao will have to suffer the same pain." Xie Ling said to Xie Zhun without thinking.
“Father, what are you saying? Yao is also your granddaughter.” Xie Zhun’s tone was unfriendly. “You don’t only have her as your granddaughter.”
"I only acknowledge her as my granddaughter," Xie Ling said, raising her voice involuntarily.
Given the presence of so many people and Xie Ling's advanced age, Xie Chun was unwilling to argue with him.
The Imperial Medical Academy sent a young imperial physician named Du Zhong.
Although young, this person was deeply trusted by the Imperial Physician and was his last disciple. His various methods were advanced and effective, and he was highly favored by other imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Academy.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Highness Prince Yan." Du Zhong bowed to Emperor Jun and Jun Qiyu.
"Imperial Physician Du, come quickly and examine Miss Xie," the Emperor instructed Du Zhong.
Following the emperor's instructions, Du Zhong took out a handkerchief from his medicine box and placed it on Xie Sili's wrist before taking his pulse and making a diagnosis.
a long time.
Xie Ling stepped forward and cautiously inquired, "Imperial Physician Du, how is my granddaughter?"
Du Zhong put away his handkerchief and looked at Xie Ling with some uncertainty. "Lord Xie, if I may be so bold as to ask, has Miss Xie been recuperating from illness all these years?"
Xie Ling nodded at Du Zhong. "Yes, A Li is weak and has been recuperating by her master's side all these years. She said before that her condition had improved. What does Imperial Physician Du mean? A Li..." Xie Ling didn't finish his sentence.
“Miss Xie is frail. She must have been living in fear and anxiety since returning to Chang’an. In addition, the private torture she suffered has damaged her internal organs. Even with proper care, she can only live for two or three years at most…” Du Zhong paused slightly, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
"Doctor Du, does Miss Xie have any other questions?" The Emperor asked, frowning as he looked at Du Zhong.
After thinking for a moment, Du Zhong told the rest of the story, “Your Majesty, given Miss Xie’s condition, I fear she will never be able to conceive. Even if she manages to conceive, it will ultimately lead to disaster, resulting in the death of both mother and child.”
As Jun Qiyu listened to Du Zhong's words, he turned his gaze to Xie Sili, his mind wandering, his eyes flickering with a mixture of emotions.
Inside the Imperial Study.
"Your Majesty, did you hear that? My granddaughter was subjected to torture by the Fang and Zhao families and only has two years left to live. This is going to make me, an old man, bury my black-haired daughter!" Xie Ling said and then knelt down before the emperor. "Your Majesty, this old minister is willing to exchange his life's achievements for the lifelong exile of the Fang and Zhao families, who will never be allowed to serve in the government."
"Father, you've gone too far. Even if Ali ended up like this, it's her own fault. How is it related to Lord Fang? If she hadn't intervened..."
Before Xie Zhun could finish speaking, Xie Ling kicked him.
Xie Ling had been learning Tai Chi with them in Yuzhou City over the years and had mastered many skills. He kicked Xie Zhun away with a single kick.
"Look at you, do you even look like a father? If it weren't for the Emperor's presence today, I really would have killed you!" Xie Ling said angrily to Xie Chun.
"If it weren't for you back then, how could the eldest brother have died? How could the Lu family have died? Have you ever cared about Ali's situation all these years!" Xie Ling wanted to step forward and kick Xie Zhun again, but he held back because there were so many people present.
Xie Zhun's chest ached from being kicked, but inside the Imperial Study, Xie Ling could kick him, but he couldn't lay a hand on him.
"Don't be angry, Xie Qing." The Emperor sighed as he looked at Xie Ling. "You don't need to worry about Miss Xie. She will be sent back to the Prime Minister's residence once she wakes up."
He had already made plans regarding Fang Ye's matter. He wanted to suppress the powerful families and seize power from them, and this matter was the perfect starting point.
Fang Ye cannot be kept, and Xie Ling's suggestion is the perfect excuse.
More importantly, there was also the memorial submitted by Jun Qiyu.
His handwriting was a mess, but it was logically clear and well-organized. The end of the memorial also indicated that the Fang and Zhao families would be severely punished.
Upon receiving Jun Qiyu's memorial, the Emperor immediately announced his decision regarding the Fang and Zhao families.
Fang Ye was sentenced to immediate execution. The women of the Fang family were to be prostitutes and the men to be slaves, and they were forbidden from holding official positions for life. The Zhao family was to be exiled to Suzhou and forbidden from returning to Chang'an for life.
The emperor glanced at Huai En, who smiled and nodded, sincerely praising, "Your Majesty is wise."
Lu Shiyuan, Wei Lin, Guan Lingsong, and others couldn't help but praise, "Your Majesty is brilliant."
Although Bao Fangye's faction was dissatisfied, it was His Majesty's decision, and they could only accept it.
After leaving the Imperial Study, Xie Zhun looked at Guan Lingsong and the other two, who were all smiles, and said with displeasure, "You three seem to be having a great time."
"What are you saying, Prime Minister Xie? Everyone has the right to punish Fang Ye. The reason why Prime Minister Xie speaks up for Fang Ye must be because he has his own unspeakable difficulties." Guan Lingsong looked at Xie Zhun and retorted without hesitation.
“I think Miss Xie is pitiful. In her biological father’s eyes, she is not even as important as Fang Ye.” Wei Lin then added, “No wonder you, Prime Minister Xie, are only her father in the strict sense.”
"If I had a daughter like Miss Xie, I'd be laughing in my sleep. It's just a pity she has a father like you," Lu Shiyuan said sarcastically without any hesitation.
“She’s not my daughter,” Xie Zhun retorted almost without hesitation. “I wouldn’t raise such an ungrateful child.”
"Minister Xie is mistaken."
Hearing this voice, everyone looked up and saw Jun Qiyu walking towards them, a nonchalant smile in his eyes.
“Miss Xie grew up in Yuzhou City. You have never fulfilled your responsibilities as a father, so how can you say that you raised an ingrate?” Jun Qiyu twirled the jade thumb ring in his hand, his tone ambiguous.
"Minister Xie has certainly made himself look good."
Jun Qiyu didn't give Xie Zhun a chance to speak and continued, "In order to prevent Miss Xie Liu from marrying me, Prime Minister Xie specially brought Miss Xie San back from Yuzhou City."
"I think that if Miss Xie's mother were alive, she would not have allowed her to marry a playboy like me. But she lets you do whatever you want with her, and even at that moment she was still thinking of you from your perspective."
"She dragged her body like that, saying she didn't want to be a burden to me, but she certainly didn't want to be a burden to you either." Jun Qiyu's voice rose involuntarily at the end. "Don't worry, Prime Minister Xie, I have seen countless beauties, and I'm not so desperate as to want to marry Xie Liu."
Ignoring Xie Zhun's darkening expression, he continued, "I wouldn't even look at a woman who's all talk and no action."
Xie Zhun gritted his teeth but dared not utter a word. Noticing the gazes of Guan Lingsong, Wei Lin, and others, he could only swallow his bitterness in silence.
Having gained some recognition from Xie Zhun, Jun Qiyu went to the warm pavilion to find Xie Sili.
Xie Sili was still unconscious. Xie Ling and the Emperor were playing chess in the hall. Huai En stood beside them, making tea for them. When she saw him, she bowed respectfully to him.
After finishing a game of chess, Xie Ling looked at the chessboard in front of him. “Your Majesty, this old minister is getting old and only has one granddaughter, Ali.” There was a hint of melancholy in his words. “This child has been recuperating away from home for many years and has never worried us. Her return to Chang’an this time was at my behest. I only found out later that the eldest son wanted her to marry in his place.”
Xie Ling took a small sip from the cup in front of him and said, "Your Majesty is also a father, so you should be able to understand my feelings."
"What are you saying, my dear minister?" The emperor said, raising his eyes to look at him. "Miss Xie is a good girl. Don't worry, I will not let her marry the fourth prince."
“The fourth son is unreliable and doesn’t deserve such a good girl. He frequents brothels and is an unreliable person.” As he spoke, the Emperor glanced at Xie Ling sitting over there.
"Miss Xie is unwell, so let her stay by your side these days and let you enjoy family time," the Emperor declared, making the final decision.
To allow Xie Sili to recover from his injuries, the Emperor ordered Huai En to personally escort them out of the palace and also instructed Huai En to personally reprimand the people in the Prime Minister's residence.
After seeing Xie Ling and Xie Sili off, the Emperor turned his gaze to Jun Qiyu.
"Fourth brother, are you in love with Miss Xie?"
Jun Qiyu curled his lips into a smile. "Father, as you know, I have always been powerless against beautiful women, let alone a beauty like Miss Xie." His face wore a cynical smile, seemingly frivolous yet teasing.
The Emperor sighed, "You don't like Xie Siyao?"
“That woman who is all talk and no action is far inferior to Miss Xie. With Miss Xie being such a shining example, why would I like Xie Liu?” Jun Qiyu spoke again without thinking. “Father, I am not that bad.”
Jun Qiyu cleared his throat. "Father, you wouldn't have betrothed Xie Liu to me just because of that 'Phoenix Fate' theory, would you?" He scratched his head as he spoke.
Noticing the Emperor's gaze, Jun Qiyu continued, "You don't understand my personality. This Fang Ye matter has already given me a headache. I have no interest in your position."
As soon as Jun Qiyu finished speaking, he felt a memorial being thrown at him. He looked down and saw that it was the very memorial he had written earlier.
"Your handwriting is quite good. Practice your calligraphy properly for me," came the emperor's voice.
Jun Qiyu looked up at the Emperor and gave him a silly grin. "Father, don't worry, I promise to practice my calligraphy well and I will definitely not disappoint you."
"Get out!" At the Emperor's command, Jun Qiyu, clutching the memorial in his hands, quickly disappeared from his sight.
"Your Majesty, please don't be angry with Prince Yan." Huai En stepped forward to comfort the Emperor. "Actually, Your Majesty likes Prince Yan very much."
Not receiving a reply from the Emperor, Huai En continued, "Although His Highness Prince Yan may seem unreliable, in my humble opinion, he does possess some wisdom."
What do you mean?
“His Highness Prince Yan grew up outside from a young age. He may seem unruly and his behavior is far inferior to that of the other three princes, but his regard for the common people is far beyond what the other three princes can match.” Huai En observed the Emperor’s expression out of the corner of his eye.
Without receiving a rebuttal from the Emperor, Huai En continued, "Take Fang Ye's case for example. The reason why Prime Minister Xie chose to protect Fang Ye was simply because he did not care about the lives of the people. He even swore that it was a blessing for the people."
But how can someone who has lost their wife and children, whose family has been destroyed, enjoy such a blessing?
If such a blessing were bestowed upon Prime Minister Xie, it's uncertain whether he would be able to bear it.
Lord Lu, Lord Guan, Lord Wei, and His Highness are all thinking of the people. The reason why the grievance drum incident occurred is simply because the people are unwilling to endure this suffering.
Your Majesty is the emperor of all the people, the father of the common folk; how could you not consider their needs?
Huai En's words struck a chord with the Emperor. He glanced at Huai En and smiled, "Well said! Well said! So, what do you think should be done with Miss Xie Sili?"
“If Miss Xie doesn’t want to burden Prime Minister Xie, then withdraw the decree, so that Prime Minister Xie won’t keep thinking about the substitute marriage.” Huai En said, going along with the flow.
"As Physician Du just said, Miss Xie has been living in constant fear. On the one hand, she doesn't want to be a burden to His Highness, but on the other hand, she is always thinking of Prime Minister Xie. It is a blessing for Prime Minister Xie to have such a woman, but unfortunately, he doesn't know how blessed he is." Huai En shook his head with regret after saying this.
"I don't want to drag Prime Minister Xie down with me!" The Emperor narrowed his eyes in deep thought.
After a long while, the Emperor's voice rang out, "In that case, bestow the title of Princess Anle upon Xie Sili, and betroth Xie Siyao to the Third Prince. The wedding will take place on a chosen date."
"Your Majesty is wise." Huai En quickly spoke up upon seeing this. "This servant will go and draft an imperial edict. Should the edict conferring the title upon Miss Xie be sent to Miss Xie alone, or should it be sent to Prime Minister Xie as well?"
"The matter of bestowing the title of Princess Anle will be announced after Miss Xie wakes up," the Emperor declared decisively.
The emperor flipped through the memorials in front of him. The matter of Fang Ye had been settled, and the vacant position of Grand Secretary should be filled as soon as possible, but who to appoint was still up for discussion.
"Huai'en, who do you think should be given this vacant position of Grand Secretary?" The Emperor asked, flipping through the memorials below. "The Fang Ye incident should serve as a warning to them." He frowned and said in a low voice, "None of these aristocratic families respect me."
"Your Majesty, what are you saying?" Huai En stood behind the emperor, massaging his temples. "Both thunder and rain are acts of imperial grace."
"Hmph." The Emperor closed his eyes and muttered, "Indeed, we must replace the aristocratic families as soon as possible."
“Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, since you wish to fill the position of Grand Secretary, why not have His Highness the Prince of Yan recommend one?” Huai En voiced his suggestion. “Your Majesty could also consult that official. In my humble opinion, although he lives in seclusion, the methods he proposes are all effective, and he is quite knowledgeable about court affairs.”
"His Majesty wants to deal with the powerful families, and this matter of the grievance drum has come to his doorstep. It can also be seen as a warning to those powerful families that the Grand Secretary is the eldest prince's man. Wouldn't it be better if the vacant position could be filled by the guidance of that official?"
Listening to Huai En's words, the emperor felt that he made sense.
"Huai'en, who exactly is this master who can come up with such a brilliant strategy for governing the country? I have been fortunate to have his assistance over the years, which has helped us create a peaceful and prosperous era."
“Perhaps this person is a reclusive master.” Huai En continued what he was doing. “The fact that His Majesty has such a person to assist him shows that His Majesty is good at governing the country. In that case, the position of Grand Secretary must be inquired about.”
After a long period of contemplation, the emperor finally spoke and asked a question.
"Huai'en, do you think Ah Chen wouldn't have died if this immortal had appeared sooner?"
Huai En paused slightly, his mind wandering for a moment before his face quickly regained its composure. "Your Majesty, what are you saying? This old servant has never had the honor of seeing such a banished immortal."
“Yes, when he was alive, you were not yet serving by my side.” The Emperor sighed softly. “Your master had met Achen when he was alive. Achen was my most outstanding son, my crown prince, but unfortunately he died young.”
Huai En's hand trembled slightly, but he continued the massage. "The late Crown Prince was also unfortunate, never getting to see His Majesty in this state."
“If Ah Chen were alive, he would be a good match for Miss Xie. If Ah Chen were still alive, he would only be twenty-eight years old. Although he is a bit old, he would still be a good man.” The Emperor’s eyes lit up with a smile when he mentioned the late Crown Prince. “Alright, let’s not talk about the past.”
"Tonight, we'll stay overnight at the Empress's Kunning Palace. It's been a long time since I've had a private conversation with the Empress." When the Emperor opened his eyes, Huai En also stopped what he was doing.
"I will inform Her Majesty the Empress later." After saying that, he respectfully stepped aside.
Watching the emperor process the memorials, Huai'en cautiously asked, "Regarding the Grand Secretary, does Your Majesty have a preferred candidate?"
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