Chapter 140: I Must Give an Explanation to the Emperor

So noisy!

There were many voices around, some were crying, some were talking, and there were chaotic footsteps.

"Yue'er, why are you so depressed? If you die, what will we do?"

"Sister, you must hold on. Nothing must happen to you."

Ruan Qinghuan stood at the door, looking at the chaos in the house, feeling extremely heavy-hearted.

When she learned the news that Ruan Xiaoyue committed suicide, she was also scared. She was really afraid that she would die in prison.

Fortunately, they arrived in time, and after a day and a night of treatment, his life was saved. However, he had lost too much blood, so it was hard to say when he would wake up.

It had been three days, and everyone was getting more and more worried. Ruan Qinghuan advised, "Second Uncle, Xiaoyue is no longer in danger of death, so don't disturb him. You should go back to the west courtyard and rest."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Chenglin nodded and went out first.

Ruan Xiaorou suggested staying to take care of her sister, and Ruan Qinghuan did not object: "If you are tired, just rest on the couch."

The room fell silent. Ruan Xiaoyue turned her head slightly inwards to hide the tears falling from her eyes.

**

After Zheng Qiaohui went out, she did not return to the west courtyard, but waited at the gate.

When Ruan Qinghuan came out, he knelt on the ground with a plop: "Qinghuan, this time... thank you."

Ruan Qinghuan was a little surprised that Zheng Qiaohui, who had hated her for so many years, suddenly behaved like this. She stepped forward and tried to help her up, but she couldn't move her: "Second Aunt, don't be like this."

"It's my fault. I harmed Xiaoyue. Damn it." Before her daughter got into trouble, she never felt that she was wrong.

Isn't it all for this family that she has been planning and scheming so painstakingly?

Is it wrong for her to fight for status for the second wife?

Is it wrong for her to want her daughter to marry and have a good future?

Is it wrong for her to want to make plans for Qingchi?

She never felt that she had done anything wrong, it was just that she was unlucky and didn't get what she wanted.

But when she saw her daughter's eyes closed and her bloodless face, something seemed to explode in her mind, shattering her previous cognition.

There were also a few words she left on the ground, not a single complaint about her, only that she was useless...

She knew that her daughter was afraid that she would feel guilty.

It was also at that moment that she realized that she was really wrong. For so many years, she had been focusing on fame and fortune. For example, how long had she taken care of Qingchi since he grew up?

Everything she did with all her heart and soul brought nothing but pain to her family.

"Aunt, the past is over. We should look forward. The road ahead is long and we can still make it in time."

Zheng Qiaohui raised her head while crying. There were some things that she had to say no matter how reluctant she was: "Qinghuan, your second uncle and I can be buried with the Pei family, but Xiaoyue and the others are innocent. Even if she had a hundred guts, she wouldn't dare to rebel."

The crime of treason shall punish all nine generations of the family.

Zheng Qiaohui is now in despair, but she cannot sit idly by and watch her children die. Her dignity is nothing in the face of life and death.

Ruan Qinghuan and Xia Lian pulled the man up together.

Seeing the Second Madam like this, Xia Lian was both angry and helpless: "Second Madam, there is no need to be like this. My wife has been with the Prime Minister for three days and three nights for your matter, and finally found some clues. Otherwise, do you really think that you can get out of the Ministry of Justice by begging for a few words?"

Ruan Qinghuan: "Don't worry, Auntie. We are a family after all. My Lord and I will do our best."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Qiaohui let out a long sigh. She had a lot of things in her mind but couldn't utter a single word.

Before leaving, Xia Lian warned: "Second Madam, the old lady doesn't know about the second house, so please don't let it slip."

Zheng Qiaohui nodded in agreement.

**

The Ministry of Justice, three courts jointly review the case.

Lin Qiutang was brought to the hall. Facing the solemn-looking master on the stage, she was so frightened that her legs went limp and she knelt on the ground: "I, the guilty woman, pay my respects to you, Master."

Along the way, she had made up her mind that no matter what she was asked, she would know nothing and put the blame on Pei Chong.

He An sat in the middle, and was mainly questioned by the two adults.

The result is predictable. After questioning for nearly an hour, no useful clues were obtained.

When the two adults proposed to use torture, Lin Qiutang was really afraid, but compared with the pain of torture and her life, she chose the latter.

After all, for what she and Pei Chong had done, even if she died ten times, it would not be enough.

After twenty strokes of the cane, Lin Qiutang could no longer shout. As such, nothing could be learned from him and he was taken back to jail.

The case of treason involved the prince, and the two adults who were jurors were under great pressure. However, He An didn't say a word during the trial, which made people feel more and more uncertain: "What does the Prime Minister think about this?"

"Since nothing has been found, we will continue tomorrow."

"What if we still can't come up with an answer tomorrow?"

"To be continued the day after tomorrow."

The two lords were silent and reminded: "Sir, the emperor has issued an order, giving us only ten days. If we can't solve the case within ten days, we will all be held accountable."

He An stood up and asked: "Do you two adults have a better solution?"

The two adults: "..."

**

At the Prime Minister's Residence, Ruan Qinghuan had just returned when he saw four figures entering the study. Two of them were Jiang Qi and Jiang Ming, and he couldn't see the other two clearly.

She knew that He'an had four guards, but she rarely saw them all at the same time.

It can be seen that Pei Chong's case is indeed difficult to handle.

Within ten days, an explanation must be given to His Majesty.

Jiang Qi was often at the mansion, and he immediately recognized the footsteps outside the study as coming from his wife. Seeing that his wife did not respond, he opened the door of the study and said, "Madam."

Several people also greeted: "Hello, Madam."

"You don't have to be so polite."

He'an had almost arranged everything, and after adding a few words, he let everyone leave.

Seeing that Ruan Qinghuan looked unhappy, he knew that she was worried about the second branch of the Ruan family: "It's good that the person is fine, Madam, don't worry too much."

Ruan Xiaoyue sat down beside him and said, "Husband, I always thought I hated her in my heart."

Ruan Qinghuan leaned on his shoulder. She felt inexplicably depressed today. "When the second house got into an incident of corruption and money laundering, and I drove my second uncle and his family to the other courtyard, I was happy."

At that moment, she did feel a sense of victory.

Because she knew that something would happen to the Pei family, and she couldn't sever the relationship between Ruan Xiaoyue and the Pei family, she would let them jump into the fire pit themselves and would not implicate her parents and grandmother.

But today, something really happened to the second room.

At first she didn't think too much about it, because she believed that He'an would be able to seek justice for her second uncle and the others. At most they would just be beaten and given some warnings, but their lives would not be in danger.

It can also be regarded as a lesson for Ruan Xiaoyue.

But today, when I heard that she was trying to commit suicide, I felt my heart sinking uncontrollably like never before.

He An: "You never thought of harming them, and you even always wanted to help them, but everyone has their own destiny. Once you make a choice, whether it is good or bad, you must bear the consequences."

Ruan Qinghuan sighed softly: "What if I told you the truth early in the morning?"

"How can you know something that even the truth doesn't know?"

Ruan Qinghuan: “…”

Ruan Qinghuan was silent.

He An was right. In the original book, not only did the Pei family not fall, they also took over the Ruan family's wealth.

So everything she had done so far was to protect the Ruan family, but the plot took a drastic turn and developed in an unpredictable and uncontrollable direction.