The next day.
An imperial edict from Zhaoning Palace demanding accountability arrived at the Zhong family.
"Empress Dowager's decree: Zhong Qi'er has disobeyed the decree and shall be moved to a temple to recuperate. All her attendants shall be beaten to death."
As Wanji finished speaking, Zhong Wuyi and Zhong Min in the courtyard couldn't help but widen their eyes. "Eunuch Wan, Qi'er hasn't woken up yet. We'll move her to the temple now..."
"Does Lord Zhong intend to defy the imperial decree again?"
Wanji's expression made Zhong Wuyi afraid to meet his gaze. He watched helplessly as Zhong Qi'er was carried away by the eunuchs brought by Wanji, while the maids and servants around them pleaded with Zhong Wuyi in despair.
However, they were still all dragged out of the Zhong residence by the people brought by Wanji.
There wasn't a single onlooker outside the Zhong residence; everyone was intimidated by the sheer scale of the spectacle.
"Eunuch Wan, who are these servants...?"
"There's no need for Lord Zhong to worry about that. I will take these people to the mass grave. Her Majesty only asked me to do it because she was concerned about Lord Zhong's feelings."
Wanji's voice was high-pitched, and Zhong Min's back began to break out in a cold sweat.
Only after Wanji and his men left did Zhong Min's legs give way and she collapsed to the ground.
"Father, Qi'er has been taken away like this? A virgin taken to a temple, her life is ruined." Zhong Min's eyes reddened. "My only sister, and now her fate is unknown, yet she's been taken away..."
"Shut up!"
Zhong Wuyi, who was usually calm, was now chattering.
"Do you know that the Empress Dowager has almost never personally taken action?"
Zhong Wuyi's vision blurred. "Min'er, this time the Empress Dowager has directly issued an edict to execute the Zhong family's servants. She must be truly enraged. Our Zhong family is in grave danger."
"Then...what should we do? Father, I really don't know why Qi'er would sneak out under the cover of night."
"Min'er, you should go and beg Kui Ruo yourself to help the Zhong family."
Zhong Wu gripped Zhong Min's shoulders tightly. "Go now, hurry up!"
He raised Wei Ruo for so many years, just so that Wei Ruo could lend a helping hand when the Zhong family fell into trouble.
......
Kui Mansion.
"Master, Young Master Zhong is outside requesting an audience."
"Let him in."
Inside the study, Wei Ruo's hand holding the book trembled almost imperceptibly. On another part of the desk, there was a letter from Zhaoning Palace.
Ever since Wei Ruo became the Right Chancellor, Zhong Min has felt a natural fear of him. Over time, Zhong Min has deliberately avoided meeting Wei Ruo.
"You want to see the real person."
As soon as Wei Ruo's voice rang out, Zhong Min's aura automatically diminished. "If it's because of Zhong Qi'er, then goodbye."
"Kui Ruo, Qi'er is still your sister after all."
Zhong Min boldly spoke up, "The Empress Dowager directly issued an edict to take Qi'er away, and to a place like a temple. What good marriage can Qi'er expect in the future? And Qi'er's servants were all beaten to death."
"You, Zhong Min, have defied the imperial decree, and the fact that your head is still on your head is already an extra favor from the Empress Dowager."
"Kui Ruo, Kui Xiang, I beg you, please, for the sake of my father taking you in back then, plead for the Zhong family."
The veins on Zhong Min's forehead bulged. "Even if you live separately now, you can never sever your ties with the Zhong family. Now that the Zhong family is disliked by the Empress Dowager, how can you remain unscathed?"
"I will only ask for one thing for you."
Kui Ruo slowly spoke, "You need to think carefully whether you're pleading for Zhong Qi'er or for the Zhong family."
An hour later, Zhong Min left the Wei residence in a daze.
At almost the same time, the Zhong family servants who had been taken away were imprisoned in the palace's secret dungeon.
Jiang Yu's figure slowly appeared.
"Now each of you has one chance to live."
Jiang Yu's voice rang out, but to everyone else it sounded like a death knell.
“Zhong Qi’er wouldn’t sneak out of the manor without a reason. All of you, think carefully about who said something they shouldn’t have in front of Zhong Qi’er. As long as we find that person, everyone else will live.”
"But if you cannot find it, you will not see tomorrow's sun."
"Remember, you only have the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
Jiang Yu glanced around and saw expressions of horror on everyone's faces.
“After an incense stick has burned, Wanji will kill one person every fifteen minutes until all of them are killed.”
"Your servant obeys the decree."
......
"The dark cell is damp. Why doesn't Your Majesty let this old servant come in your place?"
Throughout the journey, Granny Ling kept a close eye on Jiang Yu, fearing that Jiang Yu might feel unwell.
"Granny, only my personal presence can achieve the desired effect." Jiang Yu sat in the sedan chair. "After much thought, I'm convinced that there must be a traitor from the Sun family among Zhong Qi'er's entourage."
Even if he wasn't an inside agent, he still received benefits from the Sun family.
When Jiang Yu returned to Zhaoning Palace, she saw a somewhat familiar figure. "Granny, isn't that Yingzhi and the servants beside Wei Ruo?"
"Your Majesty, it is indeed so."
“Summon them to come forward.”
Upon seeing Jiang Yu, Yingzhi felt as if he had seen his second parents. "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Kui came to the palace an hour ago to see the Emperor. He and the Emperor are now drinking in the Hall of Supreme Harmony."
Kui Ruo's servant also hung his head. His master, the Right Chancellor, had run into the palace to drink with the Emperor. What if the Empress Dowager blamed him...?
Thinking of this, the servant felt even more flustered.
"It's alright, let the two of them, the emperor and his minister, drink."
Jiang Yu's words startled both of them for a moment: "Go and prepare more hangover soup."
......
The Hall of Supreme Harmony.
It was said that they were drinking together, but in reality, it was Wei Ruo who was unilaterally pouring cup after cup down his throat.
Sitting opposite him, Gu Qingyan looked at the wine jug that was quickly running low, a hint of worry in his eyes.
"gentlemen."
Upon hearing the familiar address, Wei Ruo gave a bitter smile.
"Today, Zhong Min asked me to plead for the Zhong family before the Empress Dowager."
How ridiculous! He wasn't pleading for Zhong Qi'er, but for the Zhong family.
It's clear that Zhong Wuyi and Zhong Min dote on Zhong Qi'er so much, letting her do whatever she wants on a daily basis.
"Neither the Empress Dowager nor I have ever paid attention to the Zhong family. Sir, the Empress Dowager's actions are intended to find out who is colluding with the Sun family around Zhong Qi'er. You need not worry about it."
After downing another cup of wine, Wei Ruo slowly shook her head.
"Your Majesty, you don't understand."
How could he not care about something that concerned the Empress Dowager?
He cares about it so much he's almost going crazy.
"I've caused trouble for...and the Empress Dowager again..." Wei Ruo was already getting drunk, her words slurred, "Zhong Qi'er's matter is all because of me..."
"gentlemen......"
"It's my fault for not disciplining Zhong Qi'er properly. I was too lenient with the Zhong family, Your Majesty..."
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