“What?” The Emperor only heard that he was hung on the city wall and exposed to the sun for ten days and nights. As for the rest, it was all trivial.
The Emperor suddenly spoke, and everyone immediately knelt down in perfect unison!
[Oh my god, this… this… Do I have to kneel too?] Ji Yingying knelt down half-heartedly.
“You… just now…”
“Your Majesty!” someone called out. The Emperor snorted coldly. Just as Ji Yingying was about to kneel fully on the ground, the Emperor said, “Rise!”
[Hey, you old fool! I was just about to kneel properly, and you tell everyone to rise. Are you messing with me? Hmph, forget it. Considering you’re about to be hung on the city wall by your consort and the Crown Prince of Linfeng Kingdom conspiring against you, I won’t bother arguing with you.]
[But the Emperor is truly pitiful. This Consort Xiao has cuckolded him countless times. Even the Third Prince was fathered by the Crown Prince of Linfeng Kingdom. Eventually, a potent dose of poison will be administered, causing him to bleed from all orifices. Then, Chancellor Xiao will collaborate with Consort Xiao to open the city gates.]
[The Ning family will directly overthrow the dynasty. With the Emperor hung on the city wall, how could the others survive? Only the Crown Prince is somewhat useful, but alas, he too falls victim to Consort Xiao’s schemes and dies a miserable death. The entire Ning family is wiped out, all killed by the Third Prince.]
[Pitiful, truly pitiful. Cuckolded by his consort, his empire stolen by her lover, and to top it off, raising another man’s children for so long, only to end up with nothing. Oh well, love is like a beam of light—so green it makes you panic~]
The Emperor’s hands clenched tightly on the table. That damned Consort Xiao.
[Oh, it seems Chancellor Xiao is here too. Let me sneak a peek and see what juicy gossip there is about him.]
[Oh ho! So Chancellor Xiao is also from the enemy kingdom. No wonder he could collaborate from within to devour the Tianyou Dynasty. What a pity his fate isn’t great either. The Crown Prince of Linfeng Kingdom was merely using him. In the end, the entire Xiao family is torn apart under the Crown Prince’s machinations, and even the Third Prince is executed under the pretext of “purifying the court.”]
[Old Man Xiao still thinks he’s a loyal subject and general of Linfeng Kingdom, but he ends up dragging his entire family to their graves and being recorded in history as a traitor for all eternity~]
[It’s just a shame for his wife—such a patriotic person! Even the son she raised is loyal to the throne. Sadly, they’re all dragged down by this old man.]
[This young master of the Xiao family was raised by his maternal family from childhood. No wonder he wasn’t corrupted. Otherwise, he’d be a traitor like Consort Xiao.]
[The maternal family of Lady Xiao… oh ho! It’s the former Chancellor. He’s a decent man, truly decent. It’s just that his later years were miserable, all because of this son-in-law.]
[After hearing all this gossip, should I warn the Emperor about Chancellor Xiao’s treachery? But… how should I bring it up? I’ll have to spin another tale, and I’m so tired~]
Suddenly, Ji Yingying noticed that Chancellor Xiao was no longer in the Imperial Study. She couldn’t help but wonder, [Wasn’t Chancellor Xiao just here a moment ago? How did he disappear so suddenly?]
“Just now, someone reported that Chancellor Xiao is colluding with the enemy and betraying the kingdom. I’ve already ordered him detained for investigation.”
[Oh my, this Emperor is quite sharp! It’s just a shame he’s as poor as a church mouse. But no matter—once the Xiao family is investigated, he’ll discover they’re as rich as a kingdom.]
“Hmm, those gold, silver, and jewels are worth half the national treasury. However, they’re not in the Xiao residence—they’re stored at one of the Xiao family’s estates. All these years, Chancellor Xiao has been hiding this from his wife, afraid she’d discover how wealthy their family truly is.”
The Emperor immediately ordered the Crown Prince to investigate and confiscate the treasures for the state treasury. The Minister of Revenue, who happened to be present, was overjoyed upon hearing this—finally, there would be funds! No more having to plead poverty to the Emperor every day!
Ji Yingying had been standing for so long she could no longer tell how much time had passed. Her feet ached, and she quietly leaned against a pillar for support, inwardly sighing in relief.
She was utterly exhausted!
They had been standing far too long. She wondered if there might be another opportunity for eating melons.
Just as Ji Yingying was scanning for new subjects of interest, a guard entered and presented a memorial to the Emperor.
After reading it, the Emperor flew into a rage, looking as if he might execute someone to appease the heavens!
“Humph! All of you, take a look at this.” The memorial was tossed down, and the leading official picked it up to read.
After passing it to the others, he knelt and said, “Your Majesty, since Chancellor Xiao was capable of such deeds, he must have prepared contingency plans. I implore Your Majesty to conduct a thorough investigation, including the Third Prince.”
The other officials promptly echoed, “We beseech Your Majesty to investigate the Third Prince as well.”
[Oh my, I didn’t even need to remind them. These ministers are quite sharp. The one leading—isn’t he the Minister of Rites? His looks are rather… unrefined. But he seems like a decent official, though he’s overly fond of meat—feels deprived without it at every meal, like a child missing milk.]
Just as Ji Yingying was about to resume eating melons, the Emperor declared, “In that case, Lord Rong, I entrust this case to you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will not fail your expectations.”
“That will be all for today. Now, regarding Ji San… I hereby appoint the Third Miss Ji as Fifth-Rank Inspector, tasked with supervising and monitoring all civil and military officials.”
Ji Yingying had been about to dig into Lord Rong’s affairs when she suddenly heard her name called. Bewildered, she looked up at the Emperor, her eyes full of confusion.
“Third Miss Ji, why do you not express gratitude for His Majesty’s magnanimous grace?” Cao Gonggong, the eunuch beside the Emperor, promptly reminded her.
[Ah—]
“Oh!” Ji Yingying immediately knelt. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s magnanimous grace!”
[A government official? This shouldn’t be happening. I’m a woman—how can I hold an official position? And what’s with these ministers? Shouldn’t they be advising the Emperor against appointing a woman, criticizing it as a hen crowing like a rooster? Why are they all silent now?]
It was no wonder no one dared speak up. The recent incident involving the Great Ancestor was still fresh in everyone’s minds. Moreover, given Ji Yingying’s talent for eating melons, even if they submitted memorials in opposition, they would only end up offending the Emperor. Better to humor His Majesty than risk his displeasure and face the Great Ancestor’s wrath.
“Lord Ji, you may rise. Considering you’ve just arrived in the capital, I grant you two days to settle in. After that, you will attend court with your father.”
“Ah—yes.” Still dazed, Ji Yingying accepted the appointment and rose to her feet, only gradually realizing she might have been tricked.
“Very well, all of you are dismissed.”
“Your servants take leave.”
Exiting the Imperial Study, Ji Yingying was about to breathe a sigh of relief when various ministers approached, cupping their hands in congratulations. “Congratulations, Little Lord Ji! We look forward to working with you from now on.”
“Hehe, thank you, my lords!”
For every well-wisher, she returned the courtesy with equal composure, even if she didn’t recognize them, showing no trace of timidity.
“Lord Ji, this maid has been sent by the Crown Princess to escort you out of the palace.”
“Oh, oh, of course. Let’s go right away.”
Ji Yingying quickly left that troublesome place—it was too frightening, everyone was bullying her for being young.
After leaving the palace, Ji Cailiang and Fang Yulan were already waiting at the palace gate. Seeing her, they hurriedly asked, “Child, did the Emperor reprimand you?”
“No, no. He appointed me as a Fifth-Rank Inspector. What kind of official position is that?”