Chapter 107 Exile to the Northern Desert
The Empress Dowager was pale: "If Your Majesty does not grant my request, then let me kneel here and die."
Emperor Zhaode's expression changed, and he could only kneel down as well: "Is Your Majesty trying to make things difficult for me? If Wen Yishu is pardoned this time, how am I supposed to explain this to Ning'an? How am I supposed to explain this to the court officials?"
The Empress Dowager raised her reddened eyes and looked at him with sorrow: "I will not make things difficult for Your Majesty. I only ask that Your Majesty arrange some people to take care of them along the way during their exile, so that they will not die on the way, and that Jingyi will not be bullied on the way. I hope that their family can safely reach their place of exile and live a few years of peaceful life. I... I am grateful for Your Majesty's great kindness and virtue."
Emperor Zhaode felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if pierced by needles.
At this moment, he felt that he was the most unfilial son in the world, forcing his mother to kneel down, forcing her to beg him, and forcing her to thank him for his great kindness.
If he weren't the emperor, he certainly wouldn't have been so ruthless.
But imperial power and the law cannot be challenged, and royal dignity cannot be trampled upon.
He could not grant Wen Yishu a pardon.
But please take care of me during my exile...
Emperor Zhaode gently closed his eyes: "I promise Mother."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The Empress Dowager spoke blankly, "From now on, I will stay obediently in Shou'an Palace and never step out again until my death."
"Mother, please don't say that." Emperor Zhaode helped her up. "I will arrange for some people to be safely sent to their place of exile. They may never be able to return to the capital for the rest of their lives, and Mother will never be able to see them again."
The Empress Dowager smiled quietly: "What difference does it make whether I see her or not?"
Emperor Zhaode remained silent.
He didn't know what else to say.
It is a fact that Wen Yishu deceived the emperor. If he forgives them out of consideration for the Empress Dowager, how will he explain this to Ning'an?
Yan Cang is a man who hates evil and is impartial and incorruptible. He would not let this matter go easily, especially since the Empress Dowager had previously poisoned Jin Yue.
For the sake of the Wen family, the Empress Dowager has repeatedly crossed the line. As the ruler of the country, he cannot continue to condone this, nor can he set this bad precedent of bending the law for personal gain.
As a son, he could not condemn the late emperor who had already passed away.
He could not pursue the truth or falsehood of the Empress Dowager's words any further.
Regardless of what happened back then, and regardless of whether what the Empress Dowager said was true or false, it cannot change the fact that Wen Yishu deceived the emperor.
Some secrets can only be kept buried in one's heart forever.
Emperor Zhaode helped the Empress Dowager out of the side hall and summoned Yan Cang and Ning An. He said in a deep voice, "I have spoken with the Empress Dowager seriously and have given it much thought. I have decided to change the punishment for Wen Yishu, Zhao Ying'er and others to exile. Ning An, do you accept this result?"
Princess Ning'an did not look at the Empress Dowager, but instead looked at Wen Yishu outside the hall. After a while, she slowly nodded: "Let the Emperor handle it."
"Since you have no objections, I will issue the decree." Emperor Zhaode turned and instructed, "Xu Baozhong, draft the decree immediately."
"yes."
"Wen Yishu and Zhao Ying'er conspired to deceive the emperor, misled Princess Ning'an, kept mistresses, and disregarded imperial authority. They are hereby exiled to the northern frontier along with their sons Wen Shiyu, Wen Shijie, and Wen Jingyi. They will depart in three days."
"Your servant obeys the decree."
Emperor Zhaode's expression was stern: "Wen Changyan assisted in hiding Zhao Ying'er and provided Wen Yishu with information about his secret rendezvous with Zhao Ying'er. He shall be given fifty strokes of the cane."
"The Xiping Marquis's family has raised such a morally corrupt daughter. She shall be demoted to a commoner, expelled from the capital, and her descendants shall be barred from holding office for three generations."
Xu Baozhong responded to each one: "Yes."
Princess Ning'an withdrew her gaze and looked at the Empress Dowager expressionlessly. She saw that the Empress Dowager looked sad and her eyes were fixed on Wen Yishu outside the palace. She looked like she was extremely reluctant to part with him. Princess Ning'an couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow and irony.
Look at those eyes, such raw maternal love.
How come she was so oblivious before?
"Ning'an." Emperor Zhaode looked at Princess Ning'an. "You stay here. I have something to say to you."
After saying that, he waved his hand and said, "Everyone else, you may leave."
Supported by Granny Yi, the Empress Dowager walked outside the palace. Her gaze remained fixed on Wen Yishu's face. When she met his pleading eyes, she saw his pale and frightened face and felt a pang of pity, but there was nothing she could do.
She regretted not protecting him.
I wanted to give him the best of everything, to make him rich and powerful, and to give him a house full of children and grandchildren, but in the end it all came to nothing.
Perhaps from the moment she gave birth to this child, it was destined that her life would never be as she wished.
The Empress Dowager was sent back to Shou'an Palace.
Yan Cang and Chu Yunjin walked quietly on the road out of the palace until they boarded the carriage.
Chu Yunjin then looked at Yan Cang: "Don't you think something's strange?"
Yan Cang asked, "What's strange?"
“Father’s willingness to change his mind must be because the Empress Dowager revealed some secret.” Chu Yunjin frowned. “But if Wen Yishu is the Empress Dowager’s son, then…”
Yan Cang said calmly, "There are no 'ifs.' Wen Yishu is the Empress Dowager's son."
Chu Yunjin paused for a moment: "Wen Yishu's father is..."
Yan Cang said, "He bears a five-tenths resemblance to Prime Minister Wen."
Chu Yunjin was shocked. So Wen Yishu was both the Empress Dowager's son and Prime Minister Wen's brother.
That... was the Empress Dowager and that Scholar Wen from before...
This is a scandal involving the royal family.
Could the late emperor tolerate this? Could the current emperor tolerate this?
"Let's leave it at that," Yan Cang said, holding her hand. "There's no need to investigate further."
Chu Yunjin nodded: "Mm."
The secrets of the royal family should not be investigated too deeply, otherwise it could very likely lead to one's death.
Regardless, the fact that Consort Wen kept a mistress still caused a huge uproar.
The imperial decree was issued quickly: Wen Yishu had deceived the emperor, disregarded imperial authority, concealed his premarital children, and continued to have relations with his mistress Zhao after marrying Princess Ning'an. He also lied about adopting all the children they had together into the princess's household. His crimes were punishable by death, but considering his long-standing marital relationship with the princess, he was spared the death penalty, and his entire family was exiled to the northern desert.
Wen Changyan, a member of a collateral branch of the Wen family, was found guilty of facilitating the keeping of a mistress. He was of wicked character and aided and abetted evildoers. He was given fifty strokes of the cane as a warning to others.
The adopted daughter of the Marquis of Xiping was not properly educated and allowed to associate with the Prince Consort Wen, deceiving Princess Ning'an and treason. Her entire family was demoted to commoners and banished from the capital, and her descendants were never allowed to hold official positions.
Princess Ning'an was kept in the dark for many years, her heart was misplaced, and she was granted a divorce from Wen Yishu, regaining her freedom and the right to remarry.
Several imperial edicts were issued one after another, shocking the entire court. Because the mastermind was given a lenient sentence, the others who were implicated could only be demoted. Otherwise, many people would have lost their heads.
Even so, the number of people punished still reached several hundred.
At the beginning of his reign, the emperor had a period of mass killings, but in recent years he had not dealt with so many people in a row. This caused a stir in the court and among the people, and everyone was in a state of panic.
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