Chapter 51 Real Face

Emperor Sheng Yuan’s words made Ye Zhen fell into the abyss, her answer would determine whether she could land safely, or shattered to pieces. Of course, what was the difference between choosing her father or choosing herself? In the end, it was still the word “death”.

No, no, how can you die? If you choose to protect yourself, then you will still be Ye Jieyu, who is aloof and monopolizes the power in the palace. You can also protect the remaining members of the Ye family, and will be able to regain the emperor’s favor at the right time. But if you choose your father, you will have nothing, and the death penalty will be difficult to avoided. The Ye family’s business inevitably cannot be preserved, and you have no power and position, can only live a miserable life with your relatives, and won’t the people you have offended before still throw some stones and attack together?

It’s worse than death! Keep the green hills and not be afraid of running out of firewoodwhere there is life, there is hope, Ye Zhen, just choose yourself to consider the big picture. Only in this way you can lead the clan to escape from the predicament, and bring the Ye family back to glory one day in the future! Your choice is right, your choice is right… After repeating this sentence in her heart, Ye Zhen’s face already had a faint madness.

Her mind was in a turmoil, and countless thoughts were spinning in the gust of wind, as if they were about to explode. However, in the midst of so many distracting thoughts, she didn’t dare to think about what would happen if she lost everything she had, and what would happen if she lost the favor of the emperor. She didn’t even realize that this problem was most likely just a trap, or a probing.

The poison in her body were haunting, the constant pain was like a knife cutting off the flesh, and the successive blows that followed was destroying her spirit and will. In only just a few days, Ye Zhen’s whole body was almost overwhelmed.

Emperor Sheng Yuan didn’t rush, while tapping his fingers on the table, he quietly observed the change in the other person’s expression. After carefully searching his mind, he realized that he seemed to have only seen her sadness, sorrow, smile, tenderness, and other gestures that could arouse men’s desire to protect her. Other than that, it was completely blank.

On the other hand, Madam, although he only saw her face a few times, her understanding smile, hearty laugh, and a smile like… all kinds of smiles, yet bright and warm; One moment enduring her anger silently, but once it reach the end of her patience, she pointed her finger with glaring eyes, slapped the table while standing up, her demeanor was chivalrous and heroic; When she was facing the fragments of destroyed books, it was clear that she was so distressed and grief-stricken, but there was only a layer of water mist in her eyes, and not a single teardrop had fallen, she really had iron-bones, proud and awe-inspiring.

Putting the two together, although they were equally gorgeous, a beauty that could overturn a country. One seemed to exist in the darkness full of gloomy moisture, causing people to be infected with the dark. The other blooms under the clear sky, bathed in brilliant sunshine, so that people could only feel the spring and surging vitality.

The more he recalled the person’s frown and smile, the more painful and sharp his heart became. In the end Emperor Sheng Yuan didn’t dare to think about it any more. He lifted his eyelids slightly to look at Ye Zhen who was going crazy.

“This concubine confessed her sin and ask the emperor to spare this concubine this time.” Ye Zhen was ashamed and directly save herself, only wept bitterly.

Yong He, who was standing beside her, was already sweating profusely, she wanted to warn her but did not dare to make a move. As a bystander, she clearly knew what kind of image niangniang had in front of the emperor over the years. She was pure, kind, gentle, infatuated, and cherished the old friendship. However, with the case of spying at the emperor’s trail, and coupled with the absurd choice just now, the beautiful image she painstakingly created had completely collapsed. Even if the emperor spared her this time, after seeing her ruthless real face, how could he give her a chance to regain his favor? On the other hand, if she chooses to protect her father and clan, there was a chance that the emperor would give her kindness out of her filial piety.

Niangniang, you can’t!

It’s a pity that Ye Zhen couldn’t hear Yong He’s cry, she was devastated physically and mentally, her mind was plunged into chaos, and she could only act by instinct.

What an instinct to act! Emperor Sheng Yuan stopped tapping on the table and muttered, “You will still be Ye Jieyu in the future, and Ye Quanyong over there, Zhen will let Department of Justice to handle in accordance with the law, and there will be no pardon for death penalty.”

Ye Zhen froze in an instant, her chest heaving violently, as if she couldn’t bear more bad news. Emperor Sheng Yuan didn’t even look at her, he turned around and wanted to leave, but he heard her calling out, “Your Majesty, wait, this concubine still has something I want to give you. Yong He, hurry up and get it.”

With tears in her eyes, Yong He took down the brocade box placed on the shelf, opened it and inside there was a half foot square small table screen, fixed on a frame with a holder in the middle, which could be rotated back and forth. There was a simple black pattern on a white background of a piece of silk cloth, but it had been embroidered on both sides in fine detail, and no matter how people look, they couldn’t find any flaws. There were two well-framed paintings, one of Rakshasa and the other of Smilling Buddha.

“Your Majesty, this is the table screen that you entrusted niangniang to embroidered a few days ago. She did not dare to delay, even when she was sick she still doing the embroidery, and stayed up all night, almost burning her eyes. This is a new embroidery method that niangniang has figured out by herself. The method is called double-sided embroidery, and she said she want to pass this method to the embroidery mama in the Weaving Department so that it can earn more benefits for you. Your Majesty, niangniang treats you with all of her heart, you should have some pity on her!” Yong He really couldn’t do anything, except talking about feelings.

Ye Zhen opened her lips and smiled bitterly, a line of blood slowly dripping from the corners of her mouth, against the pale complexion and sad eyes, she looked both pitiful and pathetic.

The two master and servant composed and sang excellent performances, making Baifu, an old man who had long experienced the fickleness of the world, almost cry, not to mention the other people in the hall. It didn’t take long for a series of sobbing to come from the surrounding corners, which literally rendered the splendid Ganquan Palace into a poor alley, which was extremely miserable.

Emperor Sheng Yuan picked up the table screen with no expression on his face, and felt remorse in his heart. If he had known that these two drawings would be regarded as tools to gain pity and showed affection, he would not have sent them to Ganquan Palace. It was really heartbreaking that the noble was tarnished by the despicable.

He carefully put away the drawings, threw the table screen to the inner attendant, and ordered, “Send it to the weaving department, and let the embroider mama over there think about it. If the craftsmanship is not complicated, it can be promoted to benefit the people. If it is too complicated, cultivate some people to specialize in this project and open source for the national treasury.”

The attendant agreed and went with the table screen. Then he stared at Ye Zhen and said bluntly, “A few days ago, you were seriously ill because Zhao Luli was about to remarry, sighing for the unforgettable love. Today you are talking about infatuation with Zhen. Ye Zhen, how many hearts do you have? ”

Ye Zhen and Yong He froze together, speechless for a while.

Emperor Sheng Yuan didn’t need the other person to answer, and continued, “I see that you have no heart at all. You can even abandon your own father’s life, how could you be willing to give up your life to save me? The Ye family has been a travelling merchant for generations, their ability to avoid harm and gain benefit are unmatched, absolutely impossible to risk the whole family and sacrifice oneself for a stranger. Did you really not know Zhen true identity back then? Did you really just show kindness to an injured person you met by chance? Now, it doesn’t seem like your character.”

It’s over, it’s all broken! Yong He’s soul flew out of the sky, almost fainting. Ye Zhen was still holding on, the chaotic mind was instantly clear, and then she tried her best to reflect – the traces from back then were all erased, the emperor would not find anything, even if her father was interrogated, he should also know the importance. Admitting means he would die, if he did not admit, even though he would also die, but there was no need to add another crime of assassinating and deceiving the monarch, and he could also save the nine clans, so he must not admit it.

As the emperor said, the Ye family’s ability to avoid harm and gain benefit was unparalleled, and her father would definitely know how to choose. Thinking like this, Ye Zhen planned to defend herself a few words, but heard the emperor solemnly said, “What is the truth, Zhen will send someone to investigate. Ye Zhen, you just hope that Ye family’s hands and feet are clean enough.” He had already identified her as suspicious in his heart.

Ye Zhen couldn’t bear these heavy pressures anymore, and with a “puff”, the old blood in her heart spurted out.

Baifu hurriedly beckoned the imperial doctor to treat her, then turned to chase after the emperor who had already walked away. Unexpectedly, Ye Jieyu, who seemed to be gentle and submissive, had such a powerful means that she could even fabricate that life-saving grace. If there was no trace when investigated, wouldn’t it mean that when the emperor was assassinate, the Ye family also pushed it hard?

Hiss, that’s killing the monarch! Thinking of this, Baifu felt flustered for Ye Jieyu, and felt the chill at the base of his neck.

—-

Zhao Luli offended the new madam yesterday, and almost break all ties, but today he didn’t even think to try to appease and apologize, instead ran to Ye Mansion early in the morning to clean up the mess for Master Ye and Liu shi. The Ye family not only detained many powerful people on the day of the treasure banquet, but also caused the commanders to lose their official hats and suffer flogging for dispatching the Imperial Guards without authorization. It could be said they had offended most of Yanjing overnight, if no one supported the facade, afraid they would be rained down with stones and pushed to the wall by the crowd.

Although as Marquis Zhenbei he had no real power, but he had accumulated some old friendship in the army, and he could talk to some extent. And because Zhao Wangshu and Zhao Chunxi had no real mother to discipline them, he also brought them along, which could also soothe and comfort their elders.

Master Ye did not neglect this ex-son-in-law like he used to, but welcomed him by the gate with great enthusiasm, and asked him to speak in the main hall. The two little ones followed their cousins to visit their grandmother in the back house. Although they had just been severely beaten in the face by the emperor, Ye Jieyu was still there, and Master Ye’s official position was still there. When the emperor’s anger subsides, and Jieyu regained the holy favor, they would be able to turn over in the future, maybe even more glorious than now.

Therefore, Ye Mansion was only slightly depressed, and there was no sign of defeated. However, just after chenshi (7-9am), seeing that the palace was about to disperse, there were several lines of guards holding swords and halberds surrounded the Ye Mansion. Minister of Justice personally led the team to break into the gate, without saying a word, he first tied up all the guilty people on the list, and pulled them outside the courtyard, recited the decree word by word.

Zhao Luli knelt down behind the Ye family to protect the two children. He was shocked when he heard it carefully, and finally understood what Guan Suyi said yesterday, “It is not too late for a gentleman to take revenge for ten years”. Not only did Old Master Guan not plead for the Ye family, but he sued his father-in-law on 32 charges, all of them were capital offenses, all of them could annihilate the nine clans.

Now that even the emperor had made a Guilty Edict, how could he spare Ye Mansion lightly and forgive Ye Zhen? The last path to live for the Ye family was cut off by Old Master Guan’s second impeachment. What a poisonous means of revenge! Zhao Luli’s heart felt like it was twisted with a knife, it was useless to repent now. On the other hand, the two children were already scared foolishly.

Before the official finished reciting the decree, the Ye family had already shouted injustice, but they unable to impress the officials. They could only watch helplessly as they tore down the pavilions, smashed down tables and chairs, carried away the wealth hidden in the cellar and storehouse box by box, and slammed down the gold plaque of Ye Mansion and smashed them to pieces.

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