[This Emperor, though he’s exposed so many illegitimate princes, princesses, and consorts, that ruthless one still remains! Who knows if the Emperor’s health can withstand such turmoil? The Crown Prince is pitiful too, having such a prolific old father. My father is better – he only has my mother, such a harmonious family~]
Then Ji Yingying grew drowsy, leaning against a pillar to doze off, making the Emperor extremely anxious. What was the Second Prince planning to do now? He had verified that this second son was indeed his biological child.
Ah! Just say it already – what exactly is the Second Prince like?
The assembled ministers also listened quietly to the Emperor’s gossip, left hanging in suspense that made everyone restless.
“Ahem~” The Emperor made a sound, and no one dared wait any longer, instead continuing with their memorials.
For some unknown reason, two officials actually came to blows. The commotion was so loud it woke Ji Yingying.
[Oh ho, they’re fighting? I’d long heard that ancient court assemblies could involve brawls – you spit at me, I kick your butt – and today I’m fortunate enough to witness it. What a pity I didn’t see the whole thing.]
[Who are these two? Why are they fighting?]
[Fighting over a woman? The official on the left, Minister You, accuses the son of Minister Qiu on the right of seizing his daughter, while Minister Qiu denies it. So did it happen or not? Let me wait and see.]
[What? He did seize her, and she’s still in Minister Qiu’s son’s residence! This Minister Qiu is quite capable as an official, reaching such a high position, yet he can’t educate his child. Look how he’s raised his son – practically capable of every evil deed! When others’ children are nine-year-old prodigies, his nine-year-old has already fondled countless young girls.]
[Not only that, he’s idle and dissolute – a complete street ruffian who wants to bed every pretty girl he sees. That he’s survived until now is quite remarkable. If he encountered a more ruthless woman, she’d directly dose him with medicine to give him venereal disease or make him sterile. It’s just that no villain has come to grind him down.]
[Oh dear, how should I tell the Emperor that his son is a lecherous scoundrel with over a dozen lives on his hands?]
“You… oh, Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to grant justice for my daughter, boohoo…” Minister You cried bitterly, his poor daughter!
“Guards, seize this lecherous scoundrel for me!” The Emperor was also furious – not only seizing a commoner girl, but also murder cases!
[Huh? What’s with the Emperor? He believed Minister You without hearing Minister Qiu’s excuses. Oh… I understand – there must be imperial guards, palace security forces like the Brocade Guard or Capital Guard. These are secret service agencies controlling all officials. The Emperor probably knows what underwear his ministers wear down to the last detail. Definitely. I should have Nanny Xia put away my intimate garments when I return – mustn’t let the Emperor investigate them.]
Before long, Minister Qiu’s son was captured, along with Minister You’s daughter.
Minister You’s daughter hadn’t been violated, but she was badly beaten.
[Heavens, how tragic! Xiangxiang, you need to level up quickly! I’m just a scholar – throughout history scholars have been useless. If I encountered such people, I truly couldn’t fight them off.]
“Your Majesty, have mercy! My son merely admires Minister You’s daughter. And I only have this one son in my lifetime. I beg to arrange a marriage with the You family girl.” Minister Qiu decided to act desperately anyway, since Ji Yingying hadn’t specified whom his son had killed.
“Holy shit, shameless! Beaten to such a state and still claiming admiration? Such blatant lies!”
Minister Qiu was fuming upon hearing this voice. That damned Ji Yingying—if not for her, the only heir of the Qiu family wouldn’t have been captured and brought here.
His rage was so palpable that Ji Yingying could sense his murderous intent even from a distance.
“So angry? Looks like you want to kill someone? Could it be rebellion? Hah, rebellion? You can’t even produce an heir—your son is about to die. Who would inherit the throne even if you rebelled? Even if your son survives, heaven won’t tolerate him. This bastard has taken over a dozen lives, all women and children. He tortured them before killing, then dumped their bodies in the abandoned well in the backyard. If anyone checks, they’ll surely find more than ten corpses there.”
“You…” Minister Qiu pointed at Ji Yingying, trembling with rage, wishing he could kill her.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t act on it. Despite his murderous thoughts, he still had to face The Great Ancestor.
The Emperor waved at Cao Gonggong, and soon someone came to report: “Your Majesty, thirteen corpses have been discovered in the dry well of Minister Qiu’s backyard—including children and women.”
“Damn, what a show! Pity there’s no melon seeds or chairs, otherwise I’d enjoy this to the fullest.”
Hearing this, the Emperor couldn’t help but glare at her.
“Hmph, Marquis Qiu, what do you have to say for yourself?”
“I… I… I…”
“Guards! Take this criminal to the dungeon and schedule his execution.”
“No! Father, save me! Save me! I’m your only son!”
Minister Qiu wanted to intervene but didn’t know how—the evidence was irrefutable.
It was all that woman Ji Yingying’s fault.
“Oho, the show’s over. But why is this old fool glaring at me? I didn’t do anything. Is watching a crime now?”
Ahem, that’s all for today. Court dismissed.”
After seeing off the Emperor, Ji Yingying was about to leave when someone approached: “Little Lord Ji, are you adjusting to court sessions?”
“Ah! Let’s not put it that way. We all serve His Majesty. Whether we adjust or not, it’s our duty as subjects to ensure the Emperor’s comfort. Sir, it’s getting late—this humble official still needs to pay respects to my mother.”
Ahem, mind your manners. This is your superior!” Ji Cailiang interjected from nearby.
“Huh?”
“What? Has Little Lord Ji joined the court without even visiting your government office?” The Crown Prince suddenly appeared, startling her.
“Hehe, my apologies. I’m still young and inexperienced—please go easy on me.” Ji Yingying felt wronged.
[The Emperor only told me to attend court, not to work! Isn’t he just treating me like a mascot?]
“Come, I’ll escort you to the Government Office.”
“But…”
“Does Little Lord Ji have other matters?” The tone sounded almost threatening, forcing Ji Yingying to reply: “Hehe, nothing important.”
[I do! Big matters! Goddammit, I want to curse! I don’t want to work! I already slaved away half my previous life in shitty jobs. Office life is terrible—not only do you have to improve your skills constantly, but also watch out for backstabbing colleagues and psychological manipulation. People say the Crown Prince has it rough, but I’m the real victim here. Never mind, there’s still time. Once the Crown Prince gets killed and the Emperor assassinated, I can escape.]
“Thank you, Crown Prince… hehe…”
Everyone who heard this lowered their heads.
Wasn’t it said the Third Prince would stage a coup? Now that the Third Prince has been eliminated, who else would kill the Crown Prince and the Emperor?
When this matter reached the Imperial Study, the Emperor holding the memorial nearly crumpled it to pieces!
He’d already eliminated the cuckolders, so who remained? Who else wanted him dead? That damned Ji Yingying, why didn’t she clarify exactly who it was? Making him eliminate the wrong person only to leave him hanging like this—truly infuriating.