Chapter 224: Imperial Edict (Part 2)
On the journey back in the carriage, Xie Jing Xing watched as Shen Miao did not speak and said, “Let the Mo Yu Army capture that fellow and lock him up for a day or two, then he would tell us who is the mastermind.”
He was talking about Ye Hong Guang. With regards to Ye Hong Guang’s performance today at Jing Hua Palace, only fools would not believe if one said that there was no one behind him telling him to slander Shen Miao.
Shen Miao rolled her eyes at Xie Jing Xing, “What is there to say? Other than Ye Mei, who else could it be?”
Those little tricks and details that Ye Mei used might be able to conceal from others but not her.
“Then why are you still not happy?” Xie Jing Xing pinched her face, “You also look very strange when looking at that fellow. Is there anything that I don’t know about?” His eyes squinted.
Shen Miao brushed his hand away, “Do you remember about that dream I spoke to you about, that I have a son and daughter in it?”
Xie Jing Xing’s joking expression paused as he looked towards her.
“The first time when I saw Ye Hong Guang, one felt that he was just too similar to the child in the dream. I thought that he was the child in the dream. But he stood at Ye Mei’s side and help Ye Mei slander me. To be honest, I am very upset.” Shen Miao said, “But afterwards I looked carefully and discover that they were not similar. They only looked similar. Speaking of which, upon thinking about it now, there were only seven or eight tenth similar. There are still many things different.”
After a brief surprise and upset, Shen Miao had paid close attention to that beautiful youth. From a glance, there was almost no difference between him and Fu Ming but their temperaments were very different. As Fu Ming was unable to gain Fu Xiu Yi’s favour and because she was in an opposing relationship with Mei Furen, he was matured quite early. Fu Ming’s magnanimity, honesty, kindness and straightforwardness were the qualities that what a Monarch should have. However when facing this child, he was like a normal Young Master of an official family. Most likely because of his legs, he had some inferiority. Fu Ming would not lie. Fu Ming would not stand at Ye Mei’s side. Fu Ming would definitely not help Ye Mei to deal with her. The most important thing was that when Shen Miao stood in front of that child, there were no waves in her heart. There were some emotional connection between mother and child so if he was Fu Ming, she would be able to feel it and her heart would not be able to be that calm.
Ye Hong Guang was not Fu Ming and only looked similar to Fu Ming. She was almost confused but she quickly reacted. No one could understand one’s own child like a mother so there was no Fu Ming’s shadow in Ye Hong Guang. This made Shen Miao disappointed but at the same time also relief. If Fu Ming really became the Ye family people in this lifetime, the Ye family would make use of him to deal with Shen Miao and this was something that Shen Miao was most unwilling to see.
“Similar?” Xie Jing Xing said unconvincingly, “So you are particularly tolerant towards him?”
“Perhaps it’s this reason.” Shen Miao said, “One is unable to be vicious towards that face. Moreover you are also clear that the culprit of this matter is another. Ye Hong Guang was only made use by others and one fear that he do not lie often. One is between laughter and tears at his lying appearance. It is just that I am very curious.” Shen Miao continued, “If this matter is truly related to Ye Mei then why would Ye Mei push Consort Jing? This is not the way of doing things. One felt that it is just too sloppy.”
Xie Jing Xing smiled, “Or is it just only an accident?”
“Accident?”
At the same time, Ye Mei and Ye Hong Guang was in the carriage on the way back to the residence.
Ye Hong Guang had been very restless as the servant carried him to the carriage and sat him by Ye Mei’s side. However the normally warm and gentle speaking Ye Mei had not been speaking to him after boarding the carriage, making Ye Hong Guang feel somewhat restless. Just as he wanted to speak, Ye Mei suddenly spoke, “Third Younger Brother, what did you speak to WangFei of First Rank just now?”
Ye Mei was smiling and this smile was the same as it was normally but one did not know why Ye Hong Guang felt somewhat fearful. He paused and said softly, “I said sorry to her.”
Ye Mei’s expression changed slightly.
“WangFei looked like a good person.” Ye Hong Guang lowered his head and spoke softly, “I slandered her like that but she was not angry at all and even treated me amiably. She is a good person and did not look down on a crippled person like me… Eldest Sister, I have lied and wrongly accused a good person. My heart feels restless.”
“Did I not said before?” Ye Mei said, “If you do not speak like this, the Emperor and Empress would definitely be suspicious of me. It is alright that the suspicion land on me but it would implicate the entire Ye family. Could it be that you want to see Father and Mother being implicated? The people of the Imperial family would not care about right or wrong. Parents are already old and to be tormented like this. Reputation is a small matter, what if one’s health is impacted?”
Those words were already somewhat rude. Ye Mei had always been polite and kind to Ye Hong Guang and Ye Hong Guang also liked this older sister that looked like a fairy. For the first time being blamed by Ye Mei and there was even some faint anger in it, Ye Hong Guang did not felt good in his heart. He dared not speak anything more and only listen to Ye Mei continuing, “Moreover, how do you know that she was being wrongly accused?”
“WangFei had said that it was not her. The Emperor and Her Ladyship the Empress also trusted her.” Ye Hong Guang said in a soft voice, “Older Sister, why does one need to lie? Why not let them suspect you and one must point out WangFei?”
Ye Mei finally showed anger on her face and she almost looked at Ye Hong Guang sinisterly, “You would rather believe her then to trust your Older Sister?”
Ye Hong Guang shook his head, “I only felt that WangFei is not such a person.”
Ye Mei could not express her annoyance when she heard the words of believing Shen Miao. Emperor Yong Le was like that, Empress Xian De was also as such, Prince Rui was also like that and now even Ye Hong Guang was like that. What kind of magic did Shen Miao have that could always earn others’ trust? Even she could not gain any benefit from Shen Miao at all.
Thinking about what had happened before, Ye Mei could not help but tremble.
She did not expect that Lu Jing would be that arrogant and stupid. Ye Mei had listened to the information of Lu Jing that Ye Mao Cai had inquired but who knew that Lu Jing’s jealousy would be as such? It was alright that she deliberate made things difficult for her since Ye Mei was one who could withstand it.
It was just that later it was Lu Zhen who got angry first and Lu Zhen actually wanted to ruin her appearance.
But how would Ye Mei be one who would suffer any loss? And thus in the dispute, she accidentally pushed Lu Jing down. She fled from the scene and initially thought of escaping during the chaos as Ye Mao Cai would definitely not offend another because of her, thus Ye Mei could only depend on herself. However at this moment she discovered that after being in Long Ye for such a long time, she did not have a route to retreat. One could not even tell if this Ye family backing was a friend or foe.
However her luck had always been not too bad and would often survive a bad situation. Since Lu Jing was diead and there was not witness to speak, she did not need to flee.
Ye Mei slowly calmed down and thought of ways to bribe that unfavoured CaiRen. She knew that it was not possible to wipe off all the suspicious points away and simply made this pool of water murky. She let Ye Hong Guang be the witness by scaring Ye Hong Guang that if he did not lie, the entire Ye residence would be implicated. Ye Hong Guang was not courageous and grew up in the Ye family residence since young and would not be clear of the relationship and situation in the outside her and thus agreed under the fear.
However Ye Mei did not think that Ye Hong Guang would be this useless and was even caught by Shen Miao. This act of framing was useless at the end and Ye Mei finally understood the fear that the Lu family displayed during Xie Yuan’s appearance. It was a terrible thing to offend the residence of Prince Rui.
Previously she proposed Ye Mao Cai to assassinate Shen Miao and today she instructed Ye Hong Guang to frame Shen Miao so Ye Mei felt that once Xie Yuan investigate and found out that she was involved, he would definitely not let her off.
There was also today. Even though Empress Xian De and Emperor Yong Le let her off unexpectedly at the end and Shen Miao did not delve into it, Ye Mei felt that something was wrong the more she thought about it and suspect that there was a deeper conspiracy. To speak about it after taking thousand steps back, Ye Mao Cai would sooner or later know of this matter. She had killed Consort Jing in an accident and created problems. Ye Mao Cai was such a smart person, so Ye Mei really did not know how would he deal with her.
Ye Mei’s heart was both fearful and angry and there was also some frustration. This Long Ye place seems to be going against her. When she was in Qin province, she was able to call for the wind and rain but would repeatedly hit against the wall in Long Ye. Initially she had thought that by climbing to the Ye family, she would be able to soar up the skies but at the end she was unable to even comprehend the situation of the Ye family and even offended people that she should not offend.
One could no longer stay in Long Ye and had to leave the Ye family. Suddenly there was such a thought in Ye Mei’s heart.
She unconsciously glanced over at Ye Hong Guang. Ye Hong Guang was quietly stroking the fur on his lap with his head lowered and did not look at her.
Ye Mei’s gaze turned cold.
In order to escape from the Ye family and get away from Long Ye, it was not an easy thing for her now. It was easy to get on the boat but difficult to alight, moreover there was a Ye Mao Cai that was watching like a tiger.
However if one were to continue to stay there, Ye Mei had a feeling that she would not know how would she even die.
It was better to discuss with Ye Ke in detail.
*****
Because of Consort Jing’s matter, a lot of time was wasted in the Palace thus when Shen Miao and Xie Jing Xing returned from the Palace, the skies were already dark. After bathing and dinner, Shen Miao was tidying up some letters at the table as she spoke to Xie Jing Xing, “One did not expect that the matter was like this.”
Xie Jing Xing’s subordinate had send a message over and most likely had cleared up all the matters that happened in the Palace today. Most probably Ye Mei had accidentally killed Lu Zhen thus Shen Miao shook her head, “One feared that even if the Lu family knew that it was Ye Mei’s action, they would not show the hatred in their hearts.”
Xie Jing Xing leaned back at the couch and watched her tidying up and answered with an “En”.
Shen Miao questioned, “Then what would happen when the Emperor discover the truth? Will he punish Ye Mei?”
“What would investigating the matter or not do?” Xie Jing Xing said without a care, “Even if Ye Mei did not kill another accidentally, the Ye family cannot be remained. With Ye Mei kill another accidentally, the Ye family can just scarifice a daughter that one picked up halfway. Ye Mao Cai would not feel hurt.” Xie Jing Xing shrugged his shoulders, “Who cares about Consort Jing and the child in her womb?”
Shen Miao sighed. Emperor Yong Le detest the Lu family and had no expectations with child that Lu Zhen carried in great difficulty, thus he would not be bothered by it. Perhaps with Lu Zhen’s death, it would make Emperor Yong Le sigh in relief. He did not love Consort Jing but it was his flesh and blood. In the future when the Lu family died, how would he face his son? Of course this child would not be developed fully and would suffer in this world.
Heavens had made a choice for him and perhaps it was the clearest decision.
“Speaking of which, in the Palace today when something happened to Lu Jing, the Emperor came but you were not present. What did you do?” Shen Miao asked. She asked naturally as Xie Jing Xing was a very frank person and as long as Shen Miao asked, he would answer about the matters of the Imperial family’s secrets.
But today he only looked at Shen Miao and did not speak.
Shen Miao was actually waiting for his reply but upon seeing him not responding for a long time, her hands paused as she saw Xie Jing Xing gently smiling at her. His gaze was gentle, as if he was seeing her as a precious thing to him.
Shen Miao was startled and Xie Jing Xing’s lips hooked up, “Come over here.”
She hesitated and seeing Xie Jing Xing’s serious appearance, she stood up and walked over to the side of the bed and asked, “What is the matter?” And she was pulled into Xie Jing Xing’s embrace with a tugged.
Shen Miao was caught off guarded and ended up in his embrace. She used all efforts to get up but Xie Jing Xing did not let her move and lifted her chin up as he spoke blandly, “Do you remember the question that I once asked you before, if you wanted to be an Empress or not?”
“Remembered.” Shen Miao paused a while before replying.
“Then now I will ask you again.” He said.
“I do not want.” Shen Miao said, “My wish is very simple. Protect my love ones and live well. Being an Empress is very good but I do not like it.”
“Then how?” He said troubled, “I too do not like it but now have to do so.”
“The head of the Gao family had said that Imperial Older Brother would not live more than half a year. The Imperial edict was written today.”
“I do not believe in fate but there is no time left.” He said with a sigh and placed Shen Miao’s hands in his palm.
“I know that you do not like it but can you tolerate it for me for a while? At least I can guarantee that I will never let you become a disposed Empress.”
“You will be the only woman of Great Liang’s Emperor and the price you will pay is.” He got closer to Shen Miao’s ears and said viciously, “In this lifetime, there is no way out.”